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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-19-2008-6aORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: February 19, 2008 Action Agenda Item No. 74 SUBJECT: Northern Buckhorn Community/Central Efland Sewer Expansion Project Update and Scheduling Public Hearing for Engineer's Report DEPARTMENT: County Manager PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: County Engineer's Project Update and Projected Timeline County Engineer, 919-245-2303 Draft advertisement for Public Hearing Preliminary Engineer's Report (Notebooks Previously Provided to BOCC at February 5, 2008 Regular Meeting) PURPOSE: To present: 1) an update on the northern Buckhorn community/central Efland sewer expansion project; 2) the draft or preliminary Engineer's Report for BOCC review; and 3) a proposal to schedule the. EPA-required (for. grant funded projects) public hearing for the Engineer's Report. BACKGROUND: The planning process for the construction project for expanding or providing the northern Buckhorn and central Efland communities access to a wastewater collection system has been on the planning board since January, 2005. At the outset of the project, it was intended to include not only the areas referenced above, but the water and wastewater systems designated to serve the southern Buckhorn community, the Buckhorn EDD and the Gravelly Hill Middle School as well. The portion of the project serving the southern Buckhorn community, the Buckhorn EDD and the Gravelly Hill Middle School was split out of the larger project, to enable the Gravelly Hill school to open in the Fall of 2006. That project has been completed, but some issues involving the capacity of the City of Mebane's Industrial Drive wastewater pumping station to serve the northern Buckhorn community remained to be resolved. The City of Mebane has advised, as of late 2007, that the capacity issues have been resolved by replacing the existing pumps in the pumping station. The County is now able to move forward with the northern Buckhorn community/central Efland portion of the project. The cost figures contained in the Engineer's Report for both elements of the project indicate that the total cost of this portion of the project are currently estimated to be approximately $4.27 million or $1.72 million more than the original estimate and the project budget. That problem is compounded by the County's existing and allocated debt capacity limits through FY 2009-10. If the Board elects to move forward with the project as currently 2 planned, the Budget Director indicates that the County can essentially borrow money from FY 2010-11 to cover costs incurred in the prior fiscal year. The process involved for State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) funding of the Buckhorn utility project requires that a public hearing be held on the Preliminary Engineering Report. The requirements for that hearing and for reporting the outcome of the hearing are as outlined below: The public hearing must be held prior to submitting the Engineer's Report (the first step in the formal state/federal project review/approval process) for review. Advertisements for Efland and Buckhorn projects are placed in the Chapel Hill Herald and the Mebane Enterprise. The Herald is a daily paper and the Enterprise is a weekly paper that comes out on Wednesday's. For the ad to appear in either the Herald or Enterprise, the advertisement has to be given to the paper the Friday before the Wednesday the add appears. If the Board approves the advertising for a public hearing on February 1 gth, the advertisement can appear on February 27th for a hearing no sooner than March 12th. If the BOCC wants the public hearing to occur during a regular meeting of the Board, it could occur either at the March 18th or the April Vt meetings Public Participation 1. One public hearing, with a 2-week notification, is required. • A copy of the Engineering Report should be available for review by the public at least 2 weeks prior to the public hearing 2. An advertisement for the hearing shall be placed in a newspaper having local area circulation, and should include the following information: • Identify the time and location of the public hearing • Advise when and where a copy of the Engineering Report can be reviewed • Provide a brief description of the proposed project • Advise how much funding is required and identify the source of funding 3. The information presented during the public hearing must: • Identify the problem • Discuss the selected alternative • Identify the amount of the anticipated loan or grant • Discuss any required inter-local agreements • Identify the effect this project will have on the monthly sewer bill for a typical residential user of 5000 gallons per month 4. Provide a summary of the hearing 5. Provide an affidavit of publication of the hearing notice The preliminary Engineering Report is in hand at this time and will be made available for public viewing as appropriate. Given that there is a requirement for at least fourteen days notice, it is necessary for the BOCC to approve the public hearing at this time so that staff can advertise the hearing for the March 18, 2008 or April 1, 2008 regularly scheduled BOCC meetings. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is little to no financial impact associated with the public hearing. The projected fiscal impact of the northern Buckhorn community/central Efland sewer expansion project is approximately $ 4.27 million, of which approximately $2.55 million is currently budgeted. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board: • Receive and review the County Engineer's update/status report; and • Receive and review the preliminary Engineer's Report; and • Approve a public hearing for the northern Buckhorn community/central Efland sewer expansion project Preliminary Engineering Report at either the March 18, 2008 or April 1, 2008 regularly scheduled BOCC meetings; and • Approve the draft advertisement for the Public Hearing MEMORANDUM L' TO: Laura Blackmon, County Manager COPIES: - Willie Best, Asst. County Manager Donna Coffey, Budget Director FROM: Paul Thames, PE, County Engineer DATE: February 14, 2008 SUBJECT: Central Efland Bond/northern Buckhorn community sewer expansion financing challenges As per our recent conversations and your request for an update to the BOCC with material for their review, please be advised of the following circumstances: 1) construction plans and specifications are complete, subject to revision based on BOCC review of the draft Engineer's Report and cost estimates and subject to revisions required by various review agencies; 2) all ancillary permits (NCDOT, erosion control, etc.) have been acquired. Furthermore, as of February 5, 2008, a draft or preliminary Engineer's report containing the latest construction cost estimate for the above referenced project from the County's engineering consultant, Coulter Jewell Thames (CJT) was submitted to the BOCC, the County Attorney and yourself for review. As you can see from this report, the estimate has dramatically increased (approximately $1.72 Million) above the amount we have budgeted for this portion of the Efland/Buckhorn projects and from the estimates we received during the effort to move forward with the Buckhorn EDD/southern Buckhorn Community/Gravelly Hill Middle school project. This represents a problem on several fronts. According to the Budget Director, the County's outstanding and near term allocated debt capacity is maxed out through the 2009/2010 fiscal years. She also indicated that the County could "loan" itself sufficient funds to complete the project near the end of FY 2010/2011, a strategy made practicable given the fact that we will not be able to begin the process to actually start construction on the project until early Spring 2009. The progress of the project should follow the following outline: • The County must hold a public hearing that has been advertised for at least two weeks on the draft Engineer's report. • The BOCC will have the draft report well ahead of the public hearing and must determine whether to pursue the entirety of the central Efland and the northern Buckhorn Community sewer expansion project; adopt a strategy that breaks down the overall project into several smaller projects funded and constructed over an extended period of time; or adopt some other strategy to move the project forward. It is critical to note here that the scope of the project shown in the Engineer's Report and submitted, reviewed and approved by all of the approval agencies (NC Construction Loans and Grants Section, the EPA, Corps of Engineer's, etc., must be constructed in its entirety as shown in the Engineer's Report. • The Engineer's report is submitted to the NC Construction Loans and Grants Section, which will review the documents and make a recommendation as to whether the project requires the preparation and submittal of additional environmental documents (an Environmental Assessment [EA] or Environmental Impact Statement [EIS]) or receives a "Categorical Exclusion" meaning that no additional environmental documents have to be prepared. • NC Construction Loans and Grants Section, upon completing its review, will submit the Engineer's report along with its own findings and recommendation to the US Army Corps of Engineers, the US Fish and Wildlife Agency and the NC Office of Cultural Resources for their independent review and comment. • Assuming that these agencies concur with the finding fora Categorical Exclusion, their findings and comments, along with the Engineer's Report, will be submitted to the EPA for its review and release of the STAG funds. • The County will secure the necessary railroad right of way • Once the Construction Loans and Grants Section makes its findings on the Engineer's Report and all necessary changes made and questions addressed, the Consulting Engineer will submit the completed plans and specifications. • When the plans and specifications have been reviewed/revised, if required, and approved, the Construction Loans and Grants Section will authorize the County to advertise the project for bids as soon as EPA approval of the Engineer's Report is given. • The project will be advertised for approximately six weeks, then bids will be taken. • The bids will be evaluated by staff and submitted to the BOCC for its approval. • The County Attorney and the EPA will review and approve the construction contract and a Notice to Proceed will be issued. • The construction project will commence and will take some 18 to 24 months to complete. A projected timetable for the events or steps listed above is outlined below. This timetable is based on usual time for reviews and envisions that: a) the BOCC will approve the Engineer's Report as submitted; and b) all review agencies will concur in a finding of Categorical Exclusion. If additional environmental evaluation and associated documents are required to be undertaken, submitted and approved, additional work is required; additional review agencies become involved; and the project timeline lengthens by an unknown but significant amount of time. 6 PROJECT TIME LINE PROJECTION BOCC approves initiation of process to advertise and hold a public hearing on the Engineer's Report for the scope of construction for the northern Buckhorn/central Efland sewer expansion project. 2/19/08 BOCC holds public hearing at its first available regular meeting 3/18/08 BOCC directs that scope of project outline in the Engineer's Report be modified or submitted as presented 4/1/08 Engineering Consultant submits unmodified Engineer's Report to NC Construction Loans and Grants Section 4/8/08 Construction Loans and Grants Section completes review of Engineer's Report and forwards the report and its findings to review agencies 7/8/08 Review agencies complete review of Engineer's Report and forward their findings back to the Construction Loans and Grant Section 9/8/08 Engineering Consultant submits construction plans and specifications to Construction Loans and Grants Section ' 9/15/08 Construction Loans and Grants Section forwards reports and findings to US EPA for review and award of grant funding, completed by 11/11/08 Construction Loans and Grants Section authorizes advertising project for Bidding 11/18/08 County advertises the project for Bidding 11/25/08 County completes purchase of easements in the railroad right-of-way 12/5/08 Bids are opened 1/6/09 Bids are submitted for BOCC approval 2/17/09 Notice to Proceed issued 3/17/09 Construction complete, system operational 9/17/2009 -3/17/2010 If I may provide any additional information or clarification of this information, please advise. NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ` ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS A public hearing will be held at the Regular Meeting of the Orange County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. in the Southern Human Services Center, 2501 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill, NC, for the purpose of giving all interested citizens an opportunity to learn about and speak for or against the following item: PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING REPORT FOR SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS TO SERVE THE NORTHRN BUCKHORN ROAD (BETWEEN INTERSTATE 85/40 AND NORFOLK-SOUTHERN RAILROAD LINE) COMMUNITY AND CENTRAL EFLAND The proposed project will involve the construction of: 1. sanitary sewer collector line along Buckhorn Road between Interstate 40/85 and the Norfolk-Southern Railway line; and 2. sanitary sewer collector line along Industrial Drive between the General Electric plant and Buckhorn Road 3. sanitary sewer collector lines extending into the portion of the community immediately on the east side of Buckhorn Road between Interstate 40/85 and the Norfolk-Southern Railway line; and 4. A wastewater pumping station on Brookhollow Road approximately 200 feet south of the Brookhollow Road crossing of McGowan Creek; and 5. sanitary sewer collector line along US Hwy 70 between the Efland Fire Station to a point approximately 750 east of the intersection of US 70 and Forrest Ave.; and 6. sanitary sewer collector line along Efland-Cedar Grove Road between Forrest Ave. and the McGowan Creek Wastewater Pumping Station 7. sanitary sewer collector line along Brookhollow Road between the new Brookhollow Wastewater pumping station and a point approximately 300 feet north of the intersection of Brookhollow with US 70; and 8. sanitary sewer collector line along Brookhollow Road between US 70 and a point approximately 220 feet south of the intersection of Brookhollow Road with US 70; and 9. sanitary sewer collector line along Oak St. from Forrest Ave. to the north end of Oak St. and thence to the new Brookhollow Wastewater pumping station; and 10. sanitary sewer collector line along Forrest Ave. from a point approximately 320 west of the intersection of Forrest Ave. with Efland-Cedar Grove road to the intersection of Forrest Ave. with US 70; and 11. sanitary sewer collector line along Maple Street from a point approximately 330 feet south of US 70 to US 70; and 12. sanitary sewer collector line along Gym Rd. from Forrest Ave. to a point approximately 750 feet east of the intersection of Gym Rd. and Forrest Ave. 13. sanitary sewer collector line along the eastern extension of Sanders St. from the eastern-most existing sanitary sewer manhole to a point approximately 850 east of that manhole; and 14. a sanitary sewer force main from the Brookhollow wastewater pumping station south up to and along Oak St. to a manhole at the intersection of Oak St. and US 70. Copies of the Preliminary Engineering Report are now available for review in the offices of the Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners and the County Engineer, both offices in the Orange County Central Government Services Building at 200 South Cameron Street in Hillsborough, NC. The estimated cost of this project is approximately $4,200,000 funded in part, approximately $1,350,000, by an EPA State and Tribal Assistant Grant (STAG) with the remainder funded by Orange County unless additional loan or grant funding can be acquired. The purposes of this public hearing are to hear a brief report that will: • Identify the situation this project is intended to address; and • Discuss the selected the project design; and Identify the amount of the anticipated loan or grant; and Discuss the required inter-local agreements; and Identify the effect this project will have on the monthly sewer bill for a typical residential user of 5000 gallons per month. Accommodations for individuals with physical disabilities can be provided if the request is made to the Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners at least 48 hours prior to the Public Hearing by calling the appropriate number listed below. Questions regarding the Report may be directed to the Orange County Engineer located in the Orange County Central Government Services Building at 200 South Cameron Street in Hillsborough, NC. Office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. You may also call 919-245-2300. You will be directed to a staff member who will answer your questions. PUBLISH: Mebane Enterprise Chapel Hill Herald February 27, 2008 February 27, 2008