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Home My WebLink About101-Staff Report.pdfSARATOGA CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: April 1, 2009 AGENDA ITEM: ______ ORIGINATING DEPT: Public Works CITY MANAGER: PREPARED BY: John Cherbone DEPT HEAD: John Cherbone SUBJECT: Village Streetscape Improvements – Review of Conceptual Design ______________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDED ACTION(S): 1. Receive report and provide direction to staff regarding the Village Streetscape Conceptual Design Plans prepared by Gates and Associates. 2. Approve Amendment to the Professional Services Contract with Gates and Associates in the amount of $13,800 for increased scope of work. 3. Determine news rack design option. REPORT SUMMARY: Background: In 2004, the City entered into an agreement with the State (Caltrans), which relinquished the Village sidewalks and the corresponding right-of-way to the City. The agreement also provided funding in the amount of $711,000 to perform needed infrastructure improvements and in return the City assumed maintenance responsibility and liability of the sidewalks. In early 2008, the City applied for and was awarded a $425,000 safety enhancement grant for the Village, through VTA, to perform pedestrian safety enhancements. On August 6, 2008, the City Council awarded a professional services contract to Gates and Associates for design work connected to the pedestrian safety enhancement grant and general beautification improvements in the Village. Included in the contract with Gates and Associates was the facilitation of two public meetings to collect input on the project. To assist and provide leadership with the process the City Council appointed a two member council ad hoc consisting first of Councilmember Page and Councilmember Hunter, and more recently Councilmember Nagpal who took Councilmember Page’s place when he became Mayor. The first public meeting held on October 27th was primarily aimed at collecting ideas from the public on what improvements they envisioned the Village needed. The meeting was invaluable and helped the design team steer the conceptual design that was presented at the second public meeting held on February 2nd. Discussion: The conceptual design, which will be presented by Gates and Associates, is a collaborative plan that combines public input and parameters of the pedestrian safety grant. Although the City may not be able to fund all the improvements called out in the conceptual design at one time, it was important to capture an overall vision for the Village that could be used as “Master Plan” for future improvements or phases. The main design elements in the conceptual plan are as follows: 1. Pedestrian safety enhancements and corresponding locations*: • Concrete coble crosswalk at Big Basin Way/Highway 9 • Bulb-Outs and concrete coble pedestrian crosswalk with in-pavement flashing lights at Big Basin Way/Starbucks • Bulb-outs and concrete coble pedestrian crosswalks at Big Basin Way/3rd Street • Bulb-outs and concrete coble pedestrian crosswalks Big Basin Way/4th Street • Bus Stop Shelter on Saratoga Avenue across from the old Post Office *The above items are improvements connected to the Pedestrian Safety Grant. 2. General improvements and beautification: • Landscape median with Oak tree at 4th Street • Kiosk at Blaney Plaza • Hanging Flower Baskets • Enhanced Tree Wells 3. Other improvement items: • Continuation of repair to sidewalks, curb and gutters • News Racks – (See Attachment 1 for news rack types and public vote results) 4. Items that are included in the conceptual design, but are outside of the current project budget (Phase II Improvements): • Concrete Pavers at the Highway 9 “Spur” adjacent to Blaney Plaza • Entry Wall/Village Sign Element at Blaney Plaza • Entry Element at 3rd Street (Turkey Trot) • Up-lights at each Tree Well (can be funded and implemented over the course of a few years via the Landscaping and Lighting District) 2 of 4 Once the City Council determines which design elements they wish to move forward with, staff will direct the City’s design consultant to move forward with construction plans. The project will require an encroachment permit from Caltrans along with approvals for two design exceptions to their standard highway design specifications. The design exceptions are connected to the new median at 4th Street. Additional design elements include the kiosk and bus shelter. In order to move forward with additional design work it will be necessary to increase the design contract in the amount of $13,800 (Attachment 2). There are sufficient funds in the FY 08/09 budget for this work. Once the encroachment permit is approved staff will solicit bids for construction. Depending on the review time with Caltrans, work could begin as early as July. FISCAL IMPACTS: Funding for this work is programmed in the 08/09 CIP budget under Village Improvements and Village Pedestrian Enhancements. Village Budget Information: Approved Project Current Budget Expenditures/Enc Balance Village Improvements: 626,000 $101,430 $524,570 Village Ped Enhancements Design: 115,000 107,198 7,802 Village Ped Enhancements Construction: 425,000 0 425,000 Total: $1,166,000 $208,628 $957,372 ____________________________________________________________________________________ Estimated Project Expenditures: Phase I Extra Design Work: 4th St median, kiosk, bus shelter $13,800 Village Ped Improvements: BBW/Hwy 9 15,564 BBW/Starbucks 145,967 BBW/3rd St 244,731 BBW/4th (includes median) 474,447 Bus Stop Shelter 15,564 General Improvements: Kiosk at Blaney 35,000 Enhanced Tree Wells 40,375 Hanging Baskets 7,750 Other Improvements: Completion of concrete repairs 100,000 Subtotal: $1,093,198 10% Contingency: 109,352 Total Phase I Improvements: $1,202,550 3 of 4 4 of 4 The estimated costs for design elements outside of the current project scope are listed on Attachment 2. These improvements can be viewed as Phase II Improvements. Although the desired improvements for Phase I are approximately $250,000 more than the available budget, bids for construction work are running about 20% less than engineering estimates. Therefore, staff recommends moving forward with the full design of Phase I Improvements then value engineer the improvements to reduce costs to meet the available budget, if needed. Another option would be to supplement the project budget during the next CIP update. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Maintenance Costs: Currently, the tree wells and other enhanced landscaping in the Village are maintained by the Village Gardeners, a volunteer group. If the City began to maintain color spots at each tree well, and the additional landscaping called out in the conceptual plan, the estimated yearly maintenance costs to the City are as follows: Hanging Baskets: $15,000 (based on 50 baskets) Tree Wells: $25,000 (all tree wells on Big Basin) New Planter Areas at Bulb-Outs/Median: $2,500 $42,500 per year** **(includes water, 2 color rotations per year, basket liner change-outs, and weekly maintenance) CONSEQUENCES OF NOT FOLLOWING RECOMMENDED ACTION(S): The conceptual design items would not be approved and the project would not move forward at this time. ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S): None additional. FOLLOW UP ACTION(S): The design construction design work will move forward. ADVERTISING, NOTICING AND PUBLIC CONTACT: Nothing additional. ATTACHMENTS: 1. News Rack Options 2. Proposal for Additional Design Work. 3. Phase II Construction Estimate.