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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 08-22-2006-5yORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: August 22, 2006 Action AgenGJda Item No. -~ SUBJECT: Solid Waste Operations Center Project Update DEPARTMENT: Solid Waste Management/ PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No Purchasing ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Summary of Cultural & Archaeological Survey Gayle Wilson, 919-968-2885 June 13, 2006 BOCC Meeting Abstract Pam Jones, 919-245-2650 PURPOSE: To provide a status report on progress toward design and construction of the Solid Waste Operations Center, including results of the cultural and archaeological survey of the property.. BACKGROUND: The Operations Center architectural firm Dixon/Weinstein provided a briefing to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on June 13, 2006 and received authorization to proceed with detailed design according to the proposed timeline. At that meeting the BOCC also directed staff to engage a consultant to conduct a cultural and archaeological survey of the Solid Waste Operations Center property. Staff was directed to return at the August 22, 2006 meeting to provide an updated status report on the design and permitting of the project. Staff expect to proceed to solicit bids this fall based on the design reviewed and approved by the BOCC at the June 13, 2006 meeting. This project is expected to return next for BOCC consideration with award of construction bids late this fall. The current timeline contemplates completion of the final design and construction documents by early October 2006 bidding and contract negotiation in October/November 2006; and the award of the construction bid in late November/early December 2006. Barring extraordinary problems or delays, the facility construction should be completed and move-in targeted for November 2007. Environmental Services Inc. performed a Cultural and Archaeological Survey of the site of the proposed Operations Center. No cultural resources were discovered and the project is free to proceed. A summary of the survey is provided in an attachment to this abstract. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Funding for the design of the facility was approved in the Solid Waste Management Department's FY 2005-06 operating budget. Construction of the new facility will be addressed through debt financing to be repaid from revenues earmarked in future years in the Solid Waste/Landfill Operations Enterprise Fund.. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive the information provided by Dixon/Weinstein Architects regarding the project timeline and cultural and archaeological survey, and provide any additional direction regarding the project as the Board may decide. Attachment 1 Summary of Cultural and Archaeological Survey of the Solid Waste Operations Center Site Pi°epared by Environmental Services, Tnc. August 2000 The project area is located on a portion of a parcel located adjacent to the existing Orange County landfill. Approximately one-third of the 10-acre parcel was subjected to intensive surface and subsurface survey, while the remainder of the parcel was subjected to a limited reconnaissance- level pedestrian survey, as per the scope of work. The parcel is located along flee western boundary of the current landf Il and is bordered to the north by Eubanks Road. The eastern half of the parcel consists of a dense thic]<eC of young pines and scrub.. The density and age of the pines suggests that the area had been clear-cut less than 5 years ago. The majority of this area exhibited plow scars and ruts associated with clear cutting and the shovel tests excavated in this portion of the parcel consisted of either eroded or disturbed soils.. Shovel tests excavated in this area typically consisted of 25 to 50 centimeters of disturbed soil over a yellowish brown loamy clay subsoil. The western half of the parcel consisted of mixed mature pine and hardwoods, with very little undergrowth.. Shovel tests in this vicinity indicated less subsurface disriubance and generally consisted of I5-25 centimeters of silty loam over a rocky clay or loamy clay subsoil. A small area of hydric soils were encountered in the vicinity of Transact 4, This hydric, area is likely the result of ephemeral flooding and runoff from the upland areas during heavy rains. A total of 16 shovel tests were excavated within the area of proposed development. No artifacts were recovered, and no surface or subsurface culhnal remains were documented,. It is recommended that the proposed development be allowed to proceed without concern for impacts to cultural resources. Environmental Services. hrc. also conducted a reconnaissance of the portions of the parcel that will not be developed under the current plans. The purpose of this reconnaissance was to identify areas of archaeological potential that may reduire investigation in the firhrce. This area was subjected to a systematic pedestrian inspection along transacts spaced at .30-meter intervals. Stn face visibility was generally very poor-, with the exception of the power line easement located along the southern boundary of the parcel. Portions of this easement appeared to be recently plowed; however, no artifacts or other signs of cultural activity were observed An area near the southwest corner of the parcel bowrdary appears to have been recently used as a trash dump, and several washing machines, lawnmowers, and other broken household appliances were observed. Pedesh•iur inspection and shovel tests excavated in the eastern half of the parcel indicate a high level of disturbance by clear cutting or silvicultural activities. It is unlikely that this portion of the parcel has the potential to contain intact cultural deposits, and no additional survey of this area is recommended. The wooded area located in the western half of the parcel did not appear to exhibit the same level of subsurface disturbance, The upland por-Ciou of this area may have the potential to contain undisturbed soils or yield subsurface cultural deposits. Attachment 2 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: June 13, 2006 Action Agenda Item No. SUBJECT: Solid Waste Operations Center Design -Neighborhood Meeting Follow-up DEPARTMENT: Solid Waste Management PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): Neighborhood Meeting Agenda INFORMATION CONTACT: Gayle Wilson, Solid Waste Director, (919)968-2885 PURPOSE: To receive information about the May 31, 2006 Neighborhood Meeting regarding the design of the proposed Solid Waste Operations Center and to consider endorsing a timeline far the architect to proceed with completion of detailed design and construction documents. BACKGROUND: At the April 18, 2006 BOCC meeting, the architects for the planned Solid Waste Operations Center on Eubanks Road responded to earlier BOCC inquiries by presenting information regarding assessing energy exchange loss of the current design configuration compared to a more compact design with less exterior wall space. Fallowing this presentation, the BOCC formally approved the conceptual design and instructed staff to proceed with a landfill community meeting to elicit input from the project neighborhood, and then to report back to the Board on feedback received, As noted in the attached agenda, a neighborhood meeting was held on May 31, 2006 at Southern Human Services Center, The meeting was publicized by sending packets of meeting notices by direct mail to the twelve members of the longstanding Landfill Neighborhood Contact Group, by the two members of the SWAB that live in the area (Norwood and Bowerman), and by contacting representatives of Larkspur, Fox Meadow and Northwoods neighborhoods. There were no citizens in attendance at the information meeting, Given that several staff and SWAB members were present, the meeting proceeded as originally planned. Following a presentation by Dixon/Weinstein Architects Ken Friedlein and Jim Campton, numerous questions were posed by those in attendance and answered by the architects or staff, including: • type of building materials to be use and where in the structure they would be used • the effect of the preferred materials on cost • have the parcels been combined • how many people will the meeting room hold and how does it compare to the Southern Human Services large room 5 • does not having public water/sewer impact the capacity of the meeting room • how will summertime solar gain be handled • will the windows be operable • what are some of the non-standard/atypical materials being considered for use • discuss the parking area and outdoor lighting • what is being considered for shading and surface water runoff • will the collection trucks be parked there • if truck parking was moved there in the future, where would they likely be parked • are there any easements at the southern end of the lot • is the project being planned taking into consideration that Eubanks Road may sometime be widened and could we be asked to grant more right of way • what additional traffic will be generated on Eubanks Road by this facility • how sensitive are septic fields to traffic • what are other possibilities for septic field locations what is the estimated cost of the building • what is the project timeline assuming the BOCC proceeds with the project • will we have to wait until after the winter to begin construction The project timeline at this point contemplates completion of the final design and construction documents by mid-August, completion of bid documents in late September or early October, solicitation of bids in mid-October, and award of construction bids by the BOCC in late November. If the BOCC endorses this general timeline, staff plan to present a project progress report at the August 22, 2006 BOCC meeting. Barring extraordinary problems or delays, the facility should be completed and move-in targeted for late summer to fall 2007. The lease to the current Solid Waste administrative facilities expires December 31, 2006. The Town of Chapel HiII Public Works Department plans to vacate the site by January 1, 2007. Informal discussions with UNG Facilities staff suggest that the University will likely be receptive to considering a new short-term lease to the County for the period necessary for the new Solid Waste Operations Center to be completed and for the existing modular office unit to be moved from University property. Consistent with recent Board practice, Solid Waste staff plan to coordinate with Environment and Resource Conservation Department staff to engage the services of a consultant to perform a cultural and archeological assessment of the approximate 10-acre site. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Funding far the design of the facility has already been included in the Solid Waste Management Department's 2005-06 operating budget. Construction of the new facility will be addressed through debt financing to be repaid from revenues earmarked in future years in the Solid Waste/Landfill Operations Enterprise Fund. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board: 1) receive for information the discussion points noted above from the May 31 neighborhood meeting; 2) direct staff to engage a qualified consultant to conduct a cultural and archaeological survey of the Solid Waste Operations Center property; and 3) endorse the general project timeline outlined above, including a status report on detailed design of the facility to the BOCC at the August 22, 2006 meeting..