DATE:
April 22, 2025
CATEGORY:
Consent
DEPT.:
Public Works
TITLE: San Antonio Area Sewer Main
Improvements, Project 19-45—Plans and
Specifications Approval and Bidding
Authorization
RECOMMENDATION
1. Find that , in accordance with California Environmental Quality Act requirements, San Antonio Area Sewer Improvements, Project 19 -45, is statutorily exempt under California Public Resources Code Section 21080.21.
2. Approve plans and specifications for San Antonio Area Sewer Main Improvements, Phase 1, Project 19-45, and authorize staff to advertise the project for bids.
3. Authorize the City Manager or designee to award a construction contract to the lowest responsive responsible bidder if the bid is within the project budget of $6,753,000.
4. Authorize the City Manager or designee to amend the professional services agreement with West Yost & Associates, Inc., a California corporation (California Entity No. 1956281), for San Antonio Area Sewer Improvements, Project 19 -45, increasing compensation by $185,000 for additional design services for a total amount not to exceed $435,000.
BACKGROUND
In 2017, a Wastewater Capacity and Alignment Study was completed to assess existing and future development needs in the San Antonio service area under the San Antonio Precise Plan .
Wastewater flow from this area discharges to Alma Recorder, a metering station at Alma Street and San Antonio Avenue that measures wastewater flow from the City’s San Antonio service area and a small portion of the City of Palo Alto. The study identified areas of pipeline capacity deficiencies in the San Antonio service area and operation and capacity issues at the Alma Recorder.
On March 20, 2018, the City Council approved a professional services agreement with West Yost Associates, Inc. (West Yost) , for $250,000 under San Antonio Sewer Improvements Design, Project 17-50, to prepare design plans for a new sewer pipeline along Showers Drive, replace the existing Alma Recorder, and construct a new sewer pipeline on San Antonio Avenue to relocate
San Antonio Area Sewer Main Improvements, Project 19-45— Plans and Specifications Approval and Bidding Authorization April 22, 2025
the City’s existing connection to the Los Altos Trunk Sewe r. At the time, the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) practice for large -scale projects was to separate design and construction as distinct projects; hence, Project 17-50 was programmed to fund the design of the overall sewer improvements in the San Antonio area, and San Antonio Area Sewer Main Improvements, Project 19-45, was funded in June 2018 for construction.
In 2019, d ue to budget constraints , the planned improvements in the San Antonio area were divided into two phases (Figure 1). Phase 1 include s upstream sewer pipeline improvements along Showers Drive, and Phase 2 includes downstream improvements at the Alma Recorder and its connection to the Los Altos Trunk Sewer. Phase 2 was prioritized higher due to sewer flow reading inaccuracies at the Alma Recorder. These sewer flow readings are used by the City of Palo Alto to bill the City of Mountain View for sewage service. When Phase 1 pipeline improvements were deferred, the City’s CIP funding strategy shifted to fundi ng design first and adding construction funding later through the CIP budget process, thereby eliminating the need to create two separate projects. As a result, Phase 1 design was continued under Project 19 -45 to align with this approach and ensure a seamless transition to construction once funding became available.
Figure 1: Project Location Showing Phase 1 Project New Sewer Pipeline Alignment
San Antonio Area Sewer Main Improvements, Project 19-45— Plans and Specifications Approval and Bidding Authorization April 22, 2025
On February 16, 2021, the City executed a professional services agreement with West Yost under Project 19-45 to provide agency coordination and engineering support during project bidding and construction for the Alma Recorder ( Phase 2 ) project for a total not -to-exceed amount of $79,258. Since contract execution, the agreement has been amended three times:
1. On May 16, 2022, Amendment No. 1 to the West Yost agreement was executed to extend the term of the agreement.
2. On October 10, 2023, Council approved adding $65,742 to the West Yost agreement as part of Amendment No. 2 , for a total not -to-exceed amount of $145,000 to provide additional funding for Phase 2 (Al ma Recorder) bid support, construction support, and permit coordination.
3. On August 23, 2024, Amendment No. 3 to the West Yost agreement was executed to extend the term of the agreement for the completion of Phase 1 (pipeline) design and to increase total compensation by $105,000 for a total not-to-exceed amount of $250,000.
On October 10, 2023, Council approved the plans and specification for Phase 2 and authorized staff to advertise the project for bids. After receiving a sole bid that exceeded the project budget, Council authorized the City Manager on January 23, 2024 to award a construction contract to K.J. Woods Construction, Inc., for $2,009,000. With the Phase 2 construction now completed, staff anticipates bringing the project acceptance recommendation to Council for review and approval in spring 2025.
ANALYSIS
Phase 1—Pipeline Improvements
In 2022, the City completed a new computer sewer model as part of a Citywide Sewer Master Plan, which provided updated data on system capacity and flow projections . When Phase 1 design resumed in late 2024, staff directed West Yost to reassess the 2019 pipeline design using the updated sewer model to ensure the design meets system needs. Based on their analysis , West Yost recommended key design modifications that will enhance the long-term reliability and capacity of the City’s sewer system, reduce the risk of overflows, and improve accessibility while minimizing disruptions to private properties during maintenance periods. These modifications include:
• Installing a new sewer manhole to reroute wastewater flow away from an existing pipeline running through private property;
• Abandoning approximately 685 linear feet of existing sewer main partially located within a private easement;
San Antonio Area Sewer Main Improvements, Project 19-45— Plans and Specifications Approval and Bidding Authorization April 22, 2025
• Reducing the new pipeline installation by approximately 335 linear feet on Pacchetti Way; and
• Adjusting the pipe size from 12” to 15” based on the updated sewer model.
To support these additional Phase 1 design efforts as well as bidding, construction support, and additional services for unforeseen work during construction, staff recommends addi ng $132,960 to West Yost’s Project 19- 45 agreement. A further amendment to the agreement related to Phase 2 work is recommended below.
Phase 2—Alma Recorder
During Phase 2 construction, the contractor identified unexpected underground utility conflicts.
In order to resolve the unforeseen field conditions and minimize change orders and delays, staff directed West Yost to modify the project design as additional construction support services . In addition, West Yost will also continue postconstruction settlement monitoring at the Alma Recorder for six months. Every two months during this period, a professional land surveyor will monitor and document any ground movement that may have resulted from the recently completed improvements (Phase 2) . This monitoring effort will ensure the stability of surrounding infrastructure, including the San Antonio Road ramps and adjacent residential areas, and demonstrate that the Alma Recorder construction activities did not cause any adverse impacts.
The recommended West Yost agreement amendment will add $ 52,040 for additional construction support for Phase 2 (Alma Recorder). With the required professional services as described above for Phases 1 and 2, the total requested amendment amount is $185,000, which includes $167,892 for basic services and $17,108 for additional services, for a total not-to-exceed contract amount of $435,000.
In summary, the total design costs for both phases of the project, including prior services under Project 17-50 and the recommended West Yost agreement amendment, are as follows:
• Pipeline (Phase 1): $362,960
• Alma Recorder (Phase 2): $322,040
This brings the total design costs for both phases to $685,000, which is reasonable given the scale and complexity of the improvements.
The plans and specifications for the San Antonio Phase 1 sewer pipeline improvements are completed and available for viewing in the Public Works Department. If Council approves the recommended actions and a responsive bid within the project budget is received, construction is San Antonio Area Sewer Main Improvements, Project 19-45— Plans and Specifications Approval and Bidding Authorization April 22, 2025
anticipated to begin in summer 2025 and be completed in early 2026. Advance public noticing will occur before construction.
ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the project has been determined to be statutorily exempt under Section 21080.21 of the California Public Resources Code as it involves replacement and relocation of an existing sewer pipeline, less than one mile in length, within the public right-of-way. Staff recommends that Council make a finding that , in accordance with the CEQA requirements, the project is statutorily exempt under Environmental Quality Statute (Division 13, Chapter 2.6 of the California Public Resources Code) Section 21080.21.
FISCAL IMPACT
San Antonio Area Sewer Improvements, Project 19 -45, has a total project budget of $6,753,000 and is funded with $6,223,000 from the Wastewater Capacity Fees Fund and $530,000 from the City’s Wastewater Fund. The estimated project design and construction costs for the San Antonio Area Sewer Improvements, Phases 1 and 2, is as follows.
Table 1: Project Costs, Project 19-45
Phase 2—Alma Recorder (construction completed) $2,253,000 Phase 1—Pipeline Construction and Contingency 2,760,000 Project Management 150,000
Design Consultant Services 250,000
Recommended Design Services Contract Amendment 185,000
Construction Management and Inspection 200,000
Permitting, Project Contingency, and Miscellaneous 200,000
Subtotal $5,998,000
City Administration 390,000
Total Project Cost Estimate $6,388,000
As shown in Table 1, Project 19 -45 has funded the Phase 2 Alma Recorder improvements, including construction, construction management, and inspection services. There are sufficient funds for the recommended construction contract and professional services agreements, and no additional appropriations are required at this time.
San Antonio Area Sewer Main Improvements, Project 19-45— Plans and Specifications Approval and Bidding Authorization April 22, 2025
LEVINE ACT
California Government Code Section 84308 (also known as the Levine Act) prohibits city officials from participating in any proceeding involving a “license, permit, or other entitlement for use” if the official has received a campaign contribution exceeding $500 from a party, participant, or agent of a party or participant within the last 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website: www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to- play-limits-and-prohibitions.html
Please see below for information about whether the recommended action for this agenda item is subject to or exempt from the Levine Act.
SUBJECT TO THE LEVINE ACT
☒ Contract or franchise agreement
ALTERNATIVES
1. Defer construction of the San Antonio Sewer Improvements, Phase 1.
2. Do not authorize the amendment to the professional services agreement with West Yost and direct staff to negotiate a different amendment amount.
3. Provide other direction.
San Antonio Area Sewer Main Improvements, Project 19-45— Plans and Specifications Approval and Bidding Authorization April 22, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICING—Agenda posting.
Prepared by:
Toni Eguilos
Associate Civil Engineer
Reviewed by:
Tina Tseng
Principal Civil Engineer—Engineering and
Environmental Compliance
Lisa Au
Assistant Public Works Director
Approved by:
Jennifer Ng
Public Works Director
Audrey Seymour Ramberg
Assistant City Manager
TE/LL/6/CAM
980-04-22-25CR-1
204984
cc: PWD, APWD —Au, PCE —Tseng, Shah, S CE—Morales, Wong, ACE —Eguilos, S MA—Doan, SMA—Goedicke, File (Project 19-45)