Provide City Council Recommendation to Approve Plans and Specifications and Authorize Advertisements for Bids for COR Infiltration Basin Improvements, Improvement Project #18-09

Purpose:
The purpose of this case is to provide a City Council recommendation to approve Plans and Specifications and authorize Advertisements for Bids for The COR Infiltration Basin Improvements, Improvement Project #18-09.

Background:
The City made the decision to place their municipal wells in the western part of the City where development was expected to happen in the mid 1990's. The area around the wells was selected as the site of Ramsey Town Center (RTC) in the early 2000's.  The state required development of a wellhead protection plan for the wells in the mid 2000's. The City acquired the foreclosed RTC properties in 2009 and began marketing the properties as The COR.
 
The City is part of the Lower Rum River Watershed Management Organization (LRRWMO), which is tasked with maintaining water quality through regulating stormwater discharges. The LRRWMO Third Generation Plan was adopted in 2012, and must be updated every 10 years just like the City Comprehensive Plan. The Third Generation plan required infiltration of the first one (1) inch of runoff from all impervious surfaces (roofs and paving) on new projects. The infiltration guidelines discourage or prohibit infiltration in wellhead protection areas. The Third Generation Plan has a provision that projects can pay into an infiltration mitigation fund if they cannot infiltrate on site.
 
Most of The COR area to be developed is in the area where infiltration is not permitted. All projects developed in the COR since 2015 have paid into the infiltration mitigation fund. LRRWMO permits were approved for these projects with the condition that the City develop an infiltration basin in an area where infiltration is permitted. The City was first required to have the infiltration basin in place by July 1, 2018.  The LRRWMO Board later extended this requirement to September 30, 2019.
 
The City Council approved preparation of plans and specifications for the COR Infiltration Basin Improvements on April 9, 2018. Staff has since completed plans and specifications and wants to request City Council approval of plans and authorization to advertise for bids on May 14, 2019.  This date falls before the next Public Works Committee meeting so Staff is requesting the Committee to recommend that the City Council approve plans and specifications and authorize advertisements for bids to allow this project to move forward in a timely manner to meet the completion deadline of September 30, 2019.
 
Construction of the improvements is estimated to take 60 to 75 days, depending on weather.  Construction must therefore start by mid-July to ensure completion by the deadline of September 30, 2019.  If the Council approves plans and authorizes ads for bids on May 14, bids could be advertised May 17 and 24, bids could be opened June 7, and awarded on June 11.  At that time, the Contractor could order the lift station, which has an anticipated delivery lead-time of 4 months.  If necessary, Staff can request a second project completion extension based on when the lift station is expected to be operational.    
 
This project will generate approximately 35,000 cubic yards of soil that will need to be exported.  Based on the need for fill within two other areas of The COR, the plans incorporate provisions for the Contractor to place the excess fill in those areas after installing erosion control measures (silt fence) and stripping the existing topsoil to expose the underlying granular material.  This base material will be tested and compacted, and the imported fill will be placed in specified lifts that will be compacted and documented.
 
The area south of Sunwood Drive and east of Zeolite Street was identified as one of the sites for the excess fill. This site will take approximately 6,000 cubic yards. Bringing this site to grade will accomplish two things. It will address a concern raised by the Minnesota Department of Health about the area around the municipal well being depressed and holding water. It will also make the site more marketable.  The remainder of the fill will be placed in the Municipal Plaza recreational area of The COR north of Sunwood Drive and west of Center Street.
 
Attached are sheets 11 to 14 of the draft plans.  Staff will present the plans in more detail during the meeting.

Staff estimates approximately 15 minutes will be required for presentation and discussion of this case.

Observations:

Construction of the infiltration basin is necessary to fulfill City obligations incurred with LRRWMO approval of projects in the COR since 2015 and to provide capacity for future development to occur.

 

Alternatives:

Alternative #1: Motion to recommend City Council approval of Plans and Specifications and authorization to advertise for Bids for The COR Infiltration Basin Improvements, Improvement Project #18-09.

Alternative #2: Motion of other.

The estimated cost for the improvements is $970,000.  The City has collected infiltration mitigation funds from all developments that have occurred in The COR since 2015.  These funds will pay approximately 1/4 of the cost of the project. The City will pay the remainder of the project now using stormwater utility funds.  These costs will be reimbursed as future development occurs.

Staff recommends the Committee recommend City Council approval of Plans and Specifications and authorization to Advertise for Bids for The COR Infiltration Basin Improvements, Improvement Project #18-09.

Motion to recommend City Council approval of Plans and Specifications and authorization to advertise for Bids for The COR Infiltration Basin Improvements, Improvement Project #18-09.