DEPARTMENT: Transportation & Capital Improvements
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Mike Frisbie
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Council District 1
SUBJECT:
Interlocal Agreement with Bexar County for the Barbara Drive Drainage Project (SA-3)
SUMMARY:
An ordinance authorizing the execution of an Interlocal Agreement with Bexar County, for acceptance of funds in the amount up to $8,500,000.00 to incorporate the County's Barbara Drive Drainage Project (SA-3) into the City of San Antonio's Barbara Drainage Project, for the city to provide design, construction management, and property acquisitions services for both projects.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Barbara Drive Drainage Project (SA-3) is part of the Bexar County Flood Control Program, a program approved by Bexar County voters and funded by a flood control tax collected by Bexar County from all residents and business located within Bexar County as a result of the devastating floods of 1998 and 2002. The Barbara Drive Drainage Project (SA-3) is within the San Antonio city limits, in the Shearer Hills and Ridgeview neighborhood located between McCullough Avenue and Skipper Drive.
Since the 1950's this community has experienced flooding problems. In the 1960s and in 1991, the City of San Antonio funded two capital projects in the neighborhood to alleviate some of the flooding issues. However, flooding problems continue to exist and in May 2013, the neighborhood experienced a severe flood on Memorial Day weekend. As a result, the City and the County have agreed to incorporate the Bexar County Barbara Drive Drainage Project into the City's Barbara Drive Project, a $2,950,000.00 FY 2014 Storm Water Regional Fund Project. The City's Barbara Drive Project was approved by City Council to increase the funding for the Bexar County SA-3 Project as a result of an expanded project scope due to the May 2013 flood event.
The combined projects will consist of removing the existing concrete channel and underground box culvert drainage system east of McCullough Avenue and replacing the existing drainage system with a wider and deeper earthen channel to convey the 1% annual chance (100-year) ultimate design storm. The preliminary design is an earthen channel that requires the acquisition of approximately 36 residential properties. Several public meetings were held to inform the community of the potential property acquisitions along the south side of Barbara Drive and the north side of Shannon Lee between McCullough Avenue and Skipper Drive. The vast majority of the residents have voiced their support for the acquisitions due to past flooding issues, several of these properties were most recently flooded in May 2013.
This ordinance authorizes the execution of an Interlocal Agreement with Bexar County to incorporate the Bexar County SA-3 Project within the City's Barbara Drive Drainage Project, a FY 2014 Storm Water Regional Fund Project. This ordinance also authorizes acceptance of funds in the not-to-exceed amount of $8,500,000.00 from Bexar County for the completion of the Barbara Drive Drainage Project, including the design and construction management as well as the property acquisitions.
Staff will seek two additional Council actions for this project:
1) Eminent domain if staff is unable to acquire the right-of-way needed for the project thru negotiations; and 2) Award the construction contract when the project design phase has been completed.
ISSUE:
An ordinance authorizing the execution of an Interlocal Agreement with Bexar County in the amount up to $8,500,000.00 for the City to provide design and construction management for the Bexar County SA-3 Project within the City's Barbara Drive Drainage Project, a FY 2014 Storm Water Regional Fund Project; and authorizing the acceptance of funds in the amount up to $8,500,000.00 from Bexar County to complete the Project.
As part of this agreement, the City will manage, design, and construct Bexar County's SA-3 Project as part of the City's Barbara Drive Drainage Project, a FY 2014 Storm Water Regional Fund Project. Bexar County will transfer funds to the City for the incurred additional costs of the Project, including project management, design, environmental due diligence, property acquisitions, and construction costs. Approval of this ordinance will be a continuation of City Council's policy to collaborate and coordinate with other governmental agencies in supporting the City's commitment to maintaining and improving existing infrastructure.
ALTERNATIVES:
As an alternative, City Council could choose not to approve this Interlocal Agreement with Bexar County and require this work to be completed by Bexar County and not included in the City's Project efforts. This would result in increased costs to both the City and County to complete the full and necessary scopes of the individual projects.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance approves the agreement and authorizes acceptance of funds from Bexar County in the amount up to $8,500,000.00 for design and construction management of Bexar County's SA-3 Project, to be incorporated within the City's Barbara Drive Drainage Project, a FY 2014 Storm Water Regional Fund Project.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this ordinance by authorizing the City Manager and/or designee to enter into this Interlocal Agreement with Bexar County to provide design and construction management for the Barbara Drive Drainage Project (SA-3), to be incorporated within and completed in connection with City's Barbara Drive Drainage Project, a FY 2014 Storm Water Regional Fund Project.