HomeMy WebLinkAbout12 - Buck Gully Wetlands & Maintenance Road RepairsCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Agenda Item No. 12
May 13, 2008
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Public Works Department
Steve Luy
949- 644 -3330 or sluy @city.newport - beach.ca.us
SUBJECT: Buck Gully Wetlands and Maintenance Road Repairs at 5th Street -
Contract No. 3778 — Authorize an Increase in Contract Contingency
Recommendations:
Approve a Budget Amendment appropriating $47,500 from the unappropriated General
Fund to the Buck Gully Wetlands and Maintenance Road Repairs Project, Account No.
7014- C5100659 to increase the contingency from 10 percent ($34,500) to 24 percent
($82,000) to cover unanticipated additional costs for this project.
Discussion:
On July 24, 2007, City Council awarded the Buck Gully Wetlands and Maintenance
Road Repairs at 5th Street Project to McKenna General Engineering, Inc., at a contract
price of $344,823.60 and approved a contingency of $34,500. Due to several
unforeseen conditions, as well as weather related damage during construction, the final
cost for this project will exceed the previously authorized contingency.
This project entails the reconstruction of the maintenance road crossing Buck Gully
Creek that is utilized by the City's Utilities Department to access water main facilities.
This project also includes design features to stabilize the streambed which has
experienced down- cutting that could threaten to undermine the new creek crossing or
possibly. destabilize the canyon banks. As concrete -lined channels are no longer the
preferred alternative by the jurisdictional agencies, stabilization of the streambed is
being accomplished using different types of gabions (wire baskets filled with rock or soil)
that are then tied together forming a continuous structural element. This
environmentally - friendly building method has been viewed more favorably by the
permitting agencies since the City's successful Morning Canyon stabilization project.
Several unforeseen conditions during construction have now increased anticipated
project costs. While a portion of the cost increase can be attributed to the unusual
nature and unknowns associated with the project design, the greatest difficulty and
related cost increases are associated with having to construct improvements within the
streambed during the rain season. The breeding season for the gnat catcher and other
protected species dictated that construction could not commence until late August.
While this past year was forecast to be a drier El Nino year, a series of rain storms
struck Newport Coast not only delaying construction activities, but damaging formwork
or other adversely impacting construction elements in the process of being constructed.
Buck Gully Wetlands and Maintenance Road Repairs — Contract No. 3778
Authorize an Increase in Contract Contingency
May 13, 2008
Page: 2
The silver lining is that we have had frequent 'water- tests' of this innovative design and
so have had an opportunity to identify and correct design weaknesses by installing 96
additional gabions. The total projected construction cost for this project based on
adverse weather conditions and associated runoff damage, as well as the addition of
reinforcing gabions, is projected to be $426,823.60 which will be approximately 24%
higher than the contract award of $344,823.60.
The irrigation and planting of native California wetland and upland plant species has
been completed and the 120 -day plant establishment maintenance period is in progress
with an estimated July 7, 2008 completion date.
Environmental Review:
The project was determined to be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) pursuant to Section 15301 Existing Facilities for Maintenance Road and
Section 15333, Class 33 of the CEQA Implementing Guidelines at the time the project
was authorized by the City Council. This exemption covers the restoration of small
habitat and allows for the stabilization of stream banks with native vegetation and bio-
engineering techniques to eliminate erosion and sedimentation.
Funding Availability:
Upon approval of the recommended Budget Amendment, funds will be available in the
following account for completion of the Buck Gully Wetlands and Maintenance Road
Repairs Project:
Account Description
Buck Gully Wetlands and
Maintenance Road Repairs Project
Prepgxipd by.
Steve 1-y, P.E.
Associate Civil Engineer
Attachment: Budget Amendment
Account Number Amount
7014- C5100659 $ $47,500
Total: $ _ $47,500
Submitted
Badum
s Director
City of Newport Beach NO. BA- 08BA -069
BUDGET AMENDMENT
2007 -08 AMOUNT: $aT,soo.00
EFFECT ON BUDGETARY FUND BALANCE:
Increase Revenue Estimates Increase in Budgetary Fund Balance
X Increase Expenditure Appropriations AND X Decrease in Budgetary Fund Balance
Transfer Budget Appropriations No effect on Budgetary Fund Balance
SOURCE:
from existing budget appropriations
from additional estimated revenues
PX from unappropriated fund balance
EXPLANATION:
This budget amendment is requested to provide for the following:
To increase expenditure appropriations from unappropriated General Fund fund balance to increase the contingency
for the Buck Gully Wetlands and Maintenance Road Repairs at 5th Street.
ACCOUNTING ENTRY:
BUDGETARY FUND BALANCE
Fund Account Description
010 3605 General Fund - Fund Balance
REVENUE ESTIMATES (3601)
Fund /Division Account Description
EXPENDITURE APPROPRIATIONS (3603)
Signed:
City Manager
Amount
Debit Credit
$47,500.00 *
* Automahc
$47,500.00
S —K, -06
Date
0
ate
Signed:
City Council Approval: City Clerk Date
Description
Division
Number
7014 General Fund Capital - Miscellaneous
Account
Number
C5100659 Buck Gully Restoration
Division
Number
Account
Number
Division
Number
Account
Number
Division
Number
Account
Number
/
Signed:��y
>� rj
Financial Approval: Administr4pe Services Director
Signed:
City Manager
Amount
Debit Credit
$47,500.00 *
* Automahc
$47,500.00
S —K, -06
Date
0
ate
Signed:
City Council Approval: City Clerk Date