Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project_Additional Property AcquistionsMasterpiece on the Mississippi
Dubuque
hierd
AI- AmeiicaCily
2007
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project, Additional Property Acquisitions
DATE: December 16, 2010
In December of 2001, the City Council formally adopted the Drainage Basin Master Plan
(DBMP) prepared by HDR Engineering. Based on the study, approximately 1,150
homes and businesses in the Bee Branch watershed are at risk of flood damage.
In December of 2004, the City Council established the alignment for the Bee Branch
Creek Restoration Project, from 15th and Sycamore Streets to 24th and Washington
Streets, establishing the properties to be acquired for the Bee Branch Creek Restoration
Project.
In July of 2010 the City acquired the last property required for the Lower Bee Branch
Creek Restoration Project.
In August of 2010, the City Council awarded the construction contract for the Lower Bee
Branch Creek Restoration Project to Tschiggfrie Excavating in the amount of
$10,836,588.85.
As part of the Lower Bee Branch Creek Restoration project, all soils excavated to create
the open waterway were to be placed in the 16th Street Detention Basin along 16th
Street creating a 6 -acre development parcel. Through subsurface exploration, soil
sampling, and testing it was known that there were soils in the vicinity of Sycamore
Street with elevated heavy metal concentrations. While these soils are not considered
hazardous, with the approval of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) they
were to be placed in a designated area in the fill area along 16th Street. While
performing the excavation required as part of the construction of the Lower Bee Branch
Project, unsuitable fill material was discovered in the same area as the heavy metal -
laden soils. There is approximately 12,000 cubic yards (CY) of unusable unsuitable fill
material. There are two options to deal with the soil.
The estimated cost to haul the material to the landfill will exceed $150,000. If standard
tipping fees were charged, it would add another $600,000 to the disposal option.
However, some of the material could potentially be used by the landfill for daily cover
reducing or even eliminating the tipping fees. These funds would need to come from
the project contingency where $817,553.78 remains.
A second option is to leave as much of the unsuitable fill material in place, undisturbed
in its present location. This will require the City to shift the proposed channel. In order to
shift the current alignment, additional property is required. The area west of Cedar
Street has proven to be clean, sandy soils ideal for use as fill. Therefore, a second
option is to acquire the property at 1450 Maple Street and the vacant lot at the
northwest corner of 15th and Cedar Street. The cost to acquire the two properties is
estimated at $161,000.
City Engineer Gus Psihoyos is recommending acquiring the two additional properties to
relocate a portion of the open waterway so that the unsuitable fill material found during
construction east of Sycamore Street can be left in place.
The cost of the property acquisition will be funded using Lower Bee Branch Creek
Restoration Project contingency funds.
A second design issue has arisen. As the scope of the Bee Branch project has
transformed from just a stormwater management project into a public amenity in the
form of a linear park that will connect the 26 -mile Heritage Trail to the Mississippi River
Trail, the need for trail parking, public restrooms, and a larger engineered maintenance
facility arose. The original maintenance building was the reuse of one of the acquired
garages.
While the design and layout of a trail parking lot, a public restroom facility, and a
maintenance facility are purely conceptual at this point, property has been identified
where all three can be located. The estimated cost to acquire the property is $671,000.
The seven parcels with four owners are located south of 16 Street, east of Pine Street
(and the railroad tracks), north of East 15 Street and west of Maple Street.
City Engineer Gus Psihoyos is further recommending the acquisition of the four parcels
at this time to allow for the construction of trail parking, public restrooms, and a
maintenance facility for the Bee Branch Creek Restoration project with the construction
to take place at a later date.
The estimated cost to purchase the property for a parking lot, public restroom facility,
and a maintenance facility is $671,000. The funding to purchase these properties will be
available within the existing funding parameters with the receipt of the $3.95 million (-
Jobs grant.
Funding for the design and construction of the parking lot, public restroom facilities, and
the maintenance facility estimated at $980,000 will depend on if any project contingency
remains when all phases of the Bee Branch Project are complete, or if other grant
funding can be applied towards them. If neither of these occurred, funding for these
facilities would need to be budgeted in the future.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
Marie Ware, Leisure Services Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
Jennifer Larson, Budget Director
Mich I C. Van"1 illigen
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
SUBJECT: Bee Branch Creek restoration project, Additional Property Acquisitions
DATE: December 16, 2010
DISCUSSION
MEMORANDUM
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memo is to seek authorization to acquire additional property for the
Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project.
BACKGROUND
In December of 2001, the City Council formally adopted the Drainage Basin Master Plan
(DBMP) prepared by HDR Engineering (Omaha, Nebraska). Based on the study,
approximately 1,150 homes and businesses in the Bee Branch watershed are at risk of
flood damage.
In December of 2004, the City Council established the alignment for the Bee Branch
Creek Restoration Project, from 15th and Sycamore Streets to 24th and Washington
Streets, establishing the properties to be acquired for the Bee Branch Creek Restoration
Project.
In July of 2010 the City acquired the last property required for the Lower Bee Branch
Creek Restoration Project.
In August of 2010, the City Council awarded the construction contract for the Lower Bee
Branch Creek Restoration Project to Tschiggfrie Excavating in the amount of
$10,836,588.85.
Unsuitable Fill Material
As part of the Lower Bee Branch Creek Restoration project, all soils excavated to create
the open waterway were to be placed in the 16 Street Detention Basin along 16
Street creating a 6 -acre parcel which could be developed for commercial use. Through
subsurface exploration, soil sampling, and testing it was known that there were soils in
the vicinity of Sycamore Street with elevated heavy metal concentrations. While these
soils are not considered hazardous, with the approval of the Iowa Department of Natural
Resources (IDNR) they were to be placed in a designated area in the fill area along 16
Street. While performing the excavation required as part of the construction of the
Dubuque
I I I I
2007
Lower Bee Branch Project, unsuitable fill material was discovered in the same area as
the heavy metal -laden soils. All told there is approximately 20,000 cubic yards (CY) of
unsuitable fill material. About 8,000 CY of the material can be placed within the fill area
in such a manner that it will not impact the future development of the 6 -acre parcel on
the north portion of the basin. But spreading the remaining 12,000 CY on the site could
hinder development of the parcel. There are two options to deal with the soil so that
development of the 6 -acre parcel is not hindered.
Option #1, Haul Material to the Landfill
While the 12,000 CY of material will be utilized in the short term to help consolidate the
fill area and make it ready for development, it eventually would have to be hauled to the
landfill. Based on recent bids, the cost to haul the material to the landfill will exceed
$150,000. If standard tipping fees were charged, it would add another $600,000 to the
landfill disposal option. However, some of the material could potentially be used by the
landfill for daily cover reducing or even eliminating the tipping fees. This option would be
funded using the construction contingency associated with the Lower Bee Branch Creek
restoration project that has a current balance of $817,553.78. Even with minimal tipping
fees, this option would significantly deplete the construction contingency fund.
Option #2, Purchase Additional Property and Leave Unsuitable Fill in Place
A second option is to leave as much of the unsuitable fill material in place, undisturbed
in its present location. This will require the City to shift the proposed channel in another
location to ensure that the capacity of the open waterway and the 16 Street detention
Basin function as required for its stormwater management purposes. In order to shift the
current alignment, additional property is required. The area west of Cedar Street has
proven to be clean, sandy soils ideal for use as fill. Therefore, a second option is to
acquire the rental property at 1450 Maple Street and the vacant lot at the northwest
corner of 15 and Cedar Street as shown in attached Exhibit A. The cost to acquire the
two properties is estimated at $161,000. This option would also be funded using the
Lower Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project construction contingency.
recommend Option #2, acquiring the two properties outlined in Exhibit A, relocating a
portion of the open waterway, and leaving the unsuitable fill material east of Sycamore
Street in place.
Trail Parking Lot, Public Restrooms, and Maintenance Facility
As the scope of the Bee Branch project has transformed from just a stormwater
management project into a public amenity in the form of a linear park that will connect
the 26 -mile Heritage Trail to the Mississippi River Trail, the need for trail parking, public
restrooms, and a larger engineered maintenance facility arose. The original
maintenance building was the reuse f one of the acquired garages.
While the design and layout of a trail parking lot, a public restroom facility, and a
maintenance facility are purely conceptual at this point, property has been identified
where all three can be located. Attached Exhibit B shows a conceptual layout on seven
parcels (four individual owners). The estimated cost to acquire the property outlined in
Original Lower Bee Branch Construction Contingency Balance
$844,230.00
Less Change Orders in Process
$ 26,676.22
Balance
$817,553.78
Less Additional Property Purchase
$161,000.00
Balance
$656,553.78
Exhibit B is $671,000. Based on a conceptual design of the parking lot, public restroom,
and maintenance facility shown in Exhibit B, the combined estimated cost of those
facilities is $980,000.
RECOMMENDATION
I recommend the acquisition of the property outlined in Exhibit A to allow for the
relocation of a portion of the open waterway so that the unsuitable fill material found
during construction east of Sycamore Street can be left in place.
also recommend the acquisition of the property outlined in Exhibit B to allow for the
construction of trail parking, public restrooms, and a maintenance facility for the Bee
Branch Creek Restoration project with the construction to take place at a later date.
BUDGET IMPACT
The estimate cost to purchase the two properties outlined in Exhibit A that would allow
for the relocation of the open waterway in order to avoid unsuitable fill is $161,000. The
purchase will be funded using the construction contingency fund for the Lower Bee
Branch Creek restoration Project.
The estimated cost to purchase the property for a parking lot, public restroom facility,
and a maintenance facility is $671,000. The funding for these properties will be
considered with the adoption of the proposed FY2012 Capital Improvement program
Budget.
Funding for the design and construction of the parking lot, public restroom facilities, and
the maintenance facility will depend on if any project contingency remains when all
phases of the Bee Branch Project are complete, or if grant funding can be applied
towards them. If neither of these occurred, funding for these facilities would need to be
budget in the future.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN
I respectfully request that the City Council authorize the City manager to begin the
process of acquiring the additional property outlined in Exhibits A and B for the Bee
Branch Creek restoration project.
Attach.
Prepared by Deron Muehring
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Marie Ware, Leisure Services Manager
LOWER BEE BRANCH CREEK RESTORATION PROJECT PROPERTIES
Maintenance
Facility
Public
Restrooms
The required properties for trail parking, public restrooms, and maintenance
facility are outlined in red.
The properties are owned by four individuals /organizations.
LOWER BEE BRANCH CREEK RESTORATION PROJECT PROPERTIES
NEW STORAGE
unsuitae
F bl ill Material
E 16TH ST
I LOST STORAGE