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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Works February 13 2007WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL Public Works and Safety Committee February 13, 2007 Committee Chair Barbara Brenner called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington. Present: Absent: L. Ward Nelson None Laurie Caskey - Schreiber Also Present: None COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL 1. DISCUSSION REGARDING A REQUEST TO ADVANCE THE TIMELINE FOR THE YEW STREET ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (AB2007 -087A) Dale Kinsley, Bellingham School District Superintendent, stated the school district got a bond to build two new elementary schools, one on Yew Street Road. They hope to open the Yew Street Road school by Fall 2008. Move forward the County's Yew Street Road improvement project to coincide with the plans to open the new elementary school. Advancing this road project is a problem from the County's point of view. It would be better to synchronize the projects. Brenner asked if the City was invited to this meeting. Kinsley stated they've had conversations with the City staff to see if it would be willing to take on this project. The City was not interested in doing that. Caskey- Schreiber asked if this is in a Bellingham urban growth area (UGA). Kinsley stated this is not in the City now. It's in the UGA. Ron Cowan, Bellingham School District Assistant Superintendent, stated there are sight and alignment issues. He's thankful the County has a project going forward. He addressed the six -year transportation improvement program last summer. It is priority 12, and construction is planned for 2009. They all want this projects to get done. 40 Since the transportation improvement plan was adopted, the district developed a 41 plan to open the school on time. Because the construction schedule for the road project 42 and sewer don't coincide with the school opening, taxpayer money will be wasted. The 43 district will have to install 4,000 feet of sanitary sewer. He described the sewer installation 44 project. Once the permanent sewer line is extended, they will have to abandon the 45 temporary sewer project they built. Nelson asked if the transportation project goes to Samish Road. Joe Rutan, Public Works Department, stated the road construction project goes to Samish Road. The City is going to put sewer in at the same time, to combine construction projects. The County project limits are from Kings Mill Road to Samish Road. He indicated the location on a map. Public Works and Safety Committee, 2/1312007, Page 1 1 Brenner asked what would happen in place of the lift if the City installed its sewer 2 line. Cowan stated it would gravity feed from the other direction. 3 4 Caskey- Schreiber asked for more detail about the interlocal agreement with the City. 5 They can't legally extend infrastructure unless the area is annexed. Rutan stated the City 6 can, within the UGA. There is an agreement with the City and County that any road 7 construction be built to City standards. The County would manage this project and keep 8 two separate accounting balances, one for the road and one for the sewer. The City will 9 reimburse the County for all the costs of the sewer, even if the area isn't annexed. The 10 County will not require the school district to do any frontage improvements now that the 11 County will come through and rip out when it does the road project. The staff will work with 12 the school to make sure there are safe walk areas and other amenities during construction. 13 The water issue is more difficult because it affects fire flow. The sewer issue is intractable. 14 15 Brenner stated the road will depreciate quickly. Rutan stated it will, at ten percent 16 per year. 17 18 Caskey - Schreiber asked what they need to do to get the projects done together. 19 Rutan stated that if the County stops everything else and works only on this project, it 20 might not get done before 2009. There is a lot of right -of -way acquisition and rock blasting 21 that must be done. By accelerating efforts, they could only gain more confidence in starting 22 the project in 2009. 23 24 Caskey- Schreiber asked about phasing the project to get just the school area done. 25 Rutan stated it would be a higher total cost. It could be done. The County could not have 26 an interlocal agreement with the City, and let the City go do the project itself. That would 27 be an additional cost to the City. Another way is for the County to develop a contract that 28 has two phases. It will also have an extra cost to the City. The City of Bellingham will have 29 to agree to the extra cost. It will have to mobilize and repair the road. They've had initial 30 discussions, and would like to continue discussions with the school district and the City of 31 Bellingham. 32 33 Caskey - Schreiber stated the entire Yew Street project is a huge road project. 34 Starting the entire project in 2009 is optimistic. Rutan stated the new sewer will have to go 35 through the new alignment. They haven't determined that alignment yet. They haven't 36 acquired the right -of -way needed to put in the new sewer. To start sooner, they'd have to 37 guess where the road will actually be. There is cost and risk in that guess. The County 38 asked the City to take on this accelerated project, but the City didn't agree to that. 39 40 Nelson asked the reason for the school's timeline. Cowan stated it is an 41 overcrowding issue. 42 43 Brenner asked if there is an incentive for the City to annex this area. Rutan stated 44 they'd have to ask the City. 45 46 Brenner asked the size of the property. Cowan stated the property is 16 acres. 47 48 Brenner asked about putting in a well. Cowan stated that for water issues, it's easier 49 to get water from the main in the street. He still would have to get water for fire purposes. 50 A City water tower will be built to the west. From developer fees, there will be a 16 -inch 51 main. They will consider participating, but not after they've built the school and he spends 52 $100,000 putting in a fire pump. 53 Public Works and Safety Committee, 2/13/2007, Page 2 1 Rutan stated that once they remove the six inches of topsoil out there, they are into 2 rock. They will have to blast just to get the sewer in. It might be difficult to percolate that 3 much water. 4 5 Caskey- Schreiber stated they will eventually have to hook up to sewer, which will be 6 a double expense to taxpayers. 7 8 Brenner asked if State law would allow the County to completely contract out the 9 entire project with a big bond, and then review after the fact. Rutan stated they are already 10 contracting this out. 11 12 Brenner stated contract it out without County review before and after each phase of 13 the project. The County could do a final inspection when it's completely done, and use the 14 bond if something isn't done right. She asked if that is allowed by State law. Rutan stated 15 there is some potential. However, there are federal funds going to this project. That idea .16 would risk the County's certified acceptance (CA) authority. The County has the ability to 17 obtain and spend federal funds, called the CA authority. The County and City of Bellingham 18 are the only to CA authorities in the county. If something goes wrong with the County's CA 19 authority, it won't be able to get millions of dollars for future projects. The County commits 20 to a certain amount of oversight. The County can hire consultants to manage a lot of that 21 work for the County. The County can do some of those things, with that increased risk. 22 With that increased risk will come an increased cost. However, no one could begin in 2008. 23 24 Brenner asked if they would have increased confidence, but wouldn't be totally sure, 25 that they could start in 2008. Rutan stated they will also be in a serious cash flow problem. 26 That's the same year that Lincoln Road is going in. They would have to borrow from other 27 funds to make the road fund whole. He can't say the best case scenario would allow a date 28 in 2008. Now, he would like to increase his confidence in 2009. The project is stacked up 29 behind the Lincoln Road project. They are going to contract out the design, construction, 30 and potentially even the inspection. They could hire out a contract manager to manage 31 even more of the project. 32 33 Brenner asked if Lincoln Road will be paid for by a mitigation fee from Bovencamp. 34 Rutan stated about $3 million will be paid from other sources. Bovencamp is building the 35 connector road, not Lincoln Road. They had expected the Lincoln Road project to cost about 36 $6 million, but now it will cost more. They expect about $3 million to come from other 37 sources. 38 39 Caskey - Schreiber asked if it is absolutely not possible to just do the portion of the 40 road as phase one, to get that pipe where the school district needs it. Rutan stated it will 41 have to go the whole length of the project. It flows downhill to Samish Road. They would 42 have to build it from where it ends to all the way down to Samish Road. They would be 43 guessing where the road alignment would be. They could do a phased project, but with 44 additional cost and additional risk. That cost and risk will be borne by the City of 45 Bellingham. The County will engage in a conversation with the City of Bellingham about 46 potentially separating the sewer project from the road project, to just do the sewer project 47 first. That will be an additional cost and risk to the City. That will be a decision the City will 48 have to make. 49 50 Caskey - Schreiber asked if the County could tell the City it doesn't have to put the 51 road back to it's original standard. Create an incentive for the City. Make the road safe, 52 but not paved over to full standards. Rutan stated the County could probably allow the City 53 only do a patch over the trench. Public Works and Safety Committee, 2/13/2007, Page 3 1 2 Caskey- Schreiber stated the City has traffic impact fees. This is the City's UGA. The 3 City has the ability to recoup its cost. 4 5 Brenner stated she doesn't know how interested the City is in annexing this area. 6 7 Caskey - Schreiber asked what the City said about servicing the school with sewer. 8 9 Brenner stated the City told the district to go to the County. 10 11 Cowan stated they've talked with the City about their plans and about water. The 12 district hasn't asked the City about going ahead with the sewer. 13 14 Rutan stated the department just hired a new engineer, which will free up a Senior 15 Engineer to focus on this project. The consultant is ready to go. Staff will push to get this 16 done. They would like to stay with the schedule. If this is the number one project, it still 17 won't move up to 2008. 18 19 Caskey- Schreiber asked if the district can delay its project to save money. The 20 County staff will not be able to meet the district's 2008 deadline. Cowan stated the 21 numbers don't work. If they don't spend $300,000 to $400,000 now to put in this sewer 22 system, it won't guarantee that the County can still proceed by 2009 and the inflation due 23 to a one -year delay will be a cost. 24 25 Brenner asked if most people on Yew Street Road want to be hooked up to sewer. 26 Rutan stated he doesn't know. People won't be forced to hook up to the sewer until their 27 septic systems fail. 28 29 Brenner asked if they've considered a local improvement district to get a majority of 30 people to agree to hook up to the sewer. The local property owners will assess themselves 31 to get the sewer and road done ahead of time. Rutan stated no one could get it designed, 32 right -of -way purchased, permitted, and under construction in 2008. 33 34 Caskey - Schreiber asked if the other option is to go to the City of Bellingham and ask 35 them to do just the sewer extension for the entire length of the road. Rutan stated that is 36 correct. 37 38 Nelson stated the City won't know where the alignment is. Rutan stated they could 39 make some good guesses, but it's a risk. He will help facilitate that discussion. 40 41 Caskey - Schreiber moved to recommend that the staff be allowed to work with the 42 City of Bellingham, allowing as much flexibility as possible to give the City incentive to 43 expedite the process. Rutan stated he will do that. The only reason the City is putting 44 sewer in now is because there is a road project. 45 46 Nelson suggested a friendly amendment so the motion is to respectfully request 47 the administration to continue working with the school district and City of Bellingham to 48 provide all assistance possible to expedite the project. 49 50 Caskey- Schreiber accepted the friendly amendment. 51 52 Motion carried unanimously, 53 Public Works and Safety Committee, 2/13/2007, Page 4 1 Rutan stated he is been directed by the Executive to do whatever he can to facilitate 2 this project. 3 4 Caskey- Schreiber asked what would happen if they shifted the priority from Lincoln 5 Road to this project. Rutan stated he's not confident that it would be constructed in 2008. 6 7 Caskey- Schreiber asked what would happen if the County shifted priorities and put 8 oft the Lincoln Road project. Rutan stated the County would greatly increase its confidence 9 in a 2009 construction date. 10 11 Caskey- Schreiber asked which project is a bigger priority. 12 13 Brenner stated Mr. Rutan is speaking for the County Executive. 14 15 Rutan stated the Executive has prioritized Lincoln to be constructed before Yew 16 Street Road. The Executive hasn't said that one is more important than the other. It has to 17 do with the sequencing of other issues in Birch Bay. 18 19 Brenner stated the Lincoln Road project will have an impact on more people than the 20 Yew Street Road project. Keep things in perspective. That is an extremely important road. 21 There is no less emphasis on Yew Street, but don't make a sudden change like that. 22 Lincoln Road is a capacity and safety project. Yew Street Road is a safety restoration 23 project. 24 25 (Clerk's Note: End of tape one, side A.) 26 27 Brenner stated the Lincoln Road project is about capacity and safety. Rutan stated it 28 is, but its main function is to move traffic in a new location and a new corridor. The main 29 function of the Yew Street Road project is to move traffic through the existing corridor in a 30 safer way. 31 32 Nelson stated the greatest concern is the capacity the County has to get done 33 everything the public wants done. Rutan stated that prioritization up to this point has 34 affected the projects. Once it's in the hand of the consultant, the consultant doesn't care 35 about the project priority. Priority will come into play again at the end of design when they 36 move into construction. Construction funding and capacity to monitor construction will 37 compete. 38 39 They are 18 months from the 2008 construction season. They haven't bought any 40 right -of -way. They don't have any permits. If the project was all designed and the permits 41 are turned in now, it could take years to get permit approval. 42 43 Brenner stated the County doesn't have an answer. She hopes the school district 44 and City can come up with specific answers. It's not right to rob one project to pay for 45 another project. There is another high priority project. However, try to work something 46 out. 47 48 2. DISCUSSION REGARDING THE DRAFTING OF A LETTER TO WSDOT 49 REGARDING THE POSSIBLE INSTALLATION OF A FOUR -WAY STOP AT THE 50 SOUTHBOUND ON AND OFF RAMPS FOR THE BIRCH BAY - LYNDEN ROAD 51 (EXIT 270) AND THE I -5 CORRIDOR (AB2007 -032) 52 Public Works and Safety Committee, 2/13/2007, Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Brenner moved to refer this to the Birch Bay Steering Committee, upon their request. Caskey - Schreiber stated the Natural Resources committee already decided to send it to the steering committee. Brenner withdrew her motion. OTHER BUSINESS There was no other business. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 2:24 p.m. Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription ATTEST: Cl r ZOO Dae Brown -say' dl C[oirk WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Barbara Brenner, Committee Chair Public Works and Safety Committee, 2/13/2007, Page 6