Consider Award of Contract for City Improvement Project #9-24; COR Wetland Mitigation

Ramsey Town Center LLC had a wetland mitigation plan approved by the LRRWMO in October of 2005.  That plan allowed for 4.05 acres of wetland impacts in Ramsey Town Center (RTC), requiring 8.10 acres of mitigation; portions of which have been implemented to date.  The HRA is now the master developer of the COR (formerly RTC), and staff has been working with our consultant URS and the LRRWMO for the past year and a half to bring the project wetland impacts into compliance with the approved plan.  Attached is a map illustrating the original mitigation plan for the COR project.

The Charter School Wetland and the NW Wetland have been graded to establish wetland hydrology, but still require vegetation management and monitoring before they can be accepted as mitigation.  The WNW wetland was proposed to be expanded and enhanced under the original permit, and was to remain on the site as part of the greenway corridor through the development.  With the evolution of the COR it is anticipated that this western portion of the site will be re-guided and utilized for a big box type of use, and include the establishment of a larger water feature/lake.

Based upon HRA direction in February of 2010 staff negotiated a revised permit with the LRRWMO to include implementation of a vegetative establishment and monitoring plan for the Charter School and NW Wetlands, and the purchase 105,602 S.F. of off-site wetland banking credits in lieu of creating the WNW mitigation area enhancements (thereby opening up additional developable land in the NW corner of the COR).  See attachment for the revised permit requirements.

On June 1, 2010 the HRA directed staff to finalize the process of revising the mitigation permit with the LRRWMO, and concurrently investigate the option of calling on the bond from the previous development team that secured the original permit.  The revised permit was accepted by the LRRWMO in September of 2010, and correspondence was exchanged with the bonding company beginning in October.  Staff met with representatives of the bonding company in December of 2010 and negotiated a settlement agreement in the amount of $59,000 to perform the revised on-site mitigation work based upon the new permit requirements; the NW and Classroom wetlands.  The City was required to purchase the off-site banking credits, which was completed prior to the end of the 2010 calendar year in the amount of $50,609.76, but any money left over following implementation of the on-site mitigation work can be used to reimburse the funds used for the banking credit purchase.

On January 11, 2011 the HRA authorized staff to execute two agreements; one with the bonding company formalizing the settlement agreement referenced above, and the second with the LRRWMO accepting the requirements of the outstanding permit obligations.  At that meeting they also authorized staff to negotiate an amended contract with URS, in an amount not to exceed $25,000, for design and monitoring services under the terms of the revised wetland mitigation permit that the HRA has now assumed.  Staff executed a contract with URS in the amount of $6,300 on March 15, 2011 for the design and preparation of plans and specifications for soliciting proposals to complete the required wetland mitigation.

On May 17, 2011 the HRA authorized a contract with the ANTEA Group, in the amount of $13,197, to provide implementation oversight and inspections for the required Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) monitoring and reporting to complete the permit.  Plans and specifications for the wetland implementation project were distributed to contractors for quotes, and they were received and tabulated on May 23, 2011 (see attached).

Staff recommends award of contract to Sandstrom Land Management in the amount of $18,170.00 to perform the required wetland mitigation requirements to satisfy the COR wetland mitigation.

Funding for this project will come from the bond settlement payment that was previously accepted by the HRA.

Motion to approve Resolution 11-05-XXX awarding a contract for City project #09-24, COR Wetland Mitigation to Sandstrom Land Management in the amount of $18,170.00.