Bee Branch Creek Restoraton Project_Property Acquistion and Design ModificationsMasterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project, Additional Property Acquisitions
and Design Modifications (CIP 7201654)
DATE: May 24, 2011
City Engineer Gus Psihoyos is recommending the City acquire additional property for
the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project and some project design modifications.
In 1999, 2002, 2004, and 2010 heavy rains produced flood damage spurring a
Presidential Disaster Declaration for Dubuque County.
Dubuque
kettal
Ai- America City
2007
In 1996, the City Council committed to developing a Citywide Stormwater Management
Plan. The need for the plan arose from a growing number of citizen complaints related
to stormwater runoff and that need was intensified with the significant amount of
damage to hundreds of homes in a major rainstorm in June 1999. Increasing public
safety and reducing property damage are the primary goals of the Stormwater
Management Plan. A consulting engineering firm was selected to produce the Drainage
Basin Master Plan (DBMP) to specifically address the flooding issues in the Bee Branch
and North Fork Catfish Creek watersheds.
In December of 2001, the City Council formally adopted the DBMP which identified
approximately 1,150 homes and businesses in the Bee Branch watershed at risk of
flood damage. The DBMP identified the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project as a
component of the plan to address Bee Branch watershed flooding.
On September 15, 2010 the City of Dubuque was awarded an I -JOBS 11 grant in the
amount of $3,965,500 for the Lower Bee Branch Project.
On March 3, 2011, along with the adoption of the FY2012- FY2016 CIP budget, the City
Council established the balance of funding required to acquire the remaining properties
for the $49 million Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project.
On March 9, 2011, the State Vision Iowa Board awarded $2,250,000 in RECAT funds
for the amenities associated with the Bee Branch Creek Restoration project. Funding is
for things such as the replacement of the underground storm sewer with an open
waterway, bike /hike trails, historic lighting, benches, and the amphitheater.
On March 15, 2011, the State Environmental Protection Commission voted to fund the
Upper Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project which includes a $4.44 million forgivable
loan.
With the almost $4 million in I -Jobs II funding obtained for the Lower Bee Branch Creek
Restoration Project, some property acquisition overruns were covered and a reduction
in the monthly Single Family Unit (SFU) rate from a projected peak of $8.30 to $7.90
was realized with the FY2012 CIP budget. The $2,250,000 grant from Vision Iowa
RECAT and the fundraising of over $125,000 allowed the increase of about $2 million in
project amenities and will positively impact the $7.90 rate. The $4.5 million in EPA/DNR
funds will allow consideration of additional project elements and a further reduction in
the rate. The impact on the rate will be determined through the Fiscal Year 2013
budget process after Phase II of the project is bid.
One of the unmet project needs is for additional parking near 22 and Kniest Street.
Neighborhood residents pointed out at the Bee Branch Creek public input sessions the
lack of off - street parking in the area. In fact, recent discussions with Audubon School
revealed that school faculty and staff park on the street. With the planned construction
of the amphitheater just south of 22 Street and adjacent to Audubon School, there is
an additional need for parking on 22 Street near Kniest. Currently, there is Heritage
Trail parking at 22 & Kniest that must be eliminated for the Upper Bee Branch Project.
Therefore, without incorporating additional parking into the Upper Bee Branch Project,
off - street parking will actually be reduced.
To accommodate the parking need, a parking lot is proposed at the corner of 22 Street
and Prince Street. It will require the acquisition of four properties on E. 22 Street
between Elm and Prince Street (511, 513, 515, and 517 E. 22 Street) and one
property on Prince Street (2239 Prince).
The estimated cost to acquire the property and construct a parking lot with close to 40
parking spaces is estimated to be $1,000,000.
Another aspect of the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project not sufficiently addressed
is the connection to Comiskey Park and the Heritage Trail at 24 Street. 24 Street is
where the resurrected Bee Branch Creek will begin anew. It is important that the area
be an attractive spot with a compelling connection to Comiskey Park and the Heritage
Trail. In addition, there are concerns with the safety of pedestrians that will travel
between the two attractions through the current, narrow corridor via the single vacant lot
at the northeast corner of 24 Street and Washington Street that the City currently
owns. Additional property is required to create a safer, attractive connection between
Comiskey Park and the Bee Branch linear park.
To accomplish this requires acquisition of three additional properties on Washington
Street (2410, 2420, and 2422 Washington Street) and an additional property on E. 24
Street (316 E. 24 Street).
Acquisition of the Washington Street properties would allow the closing of Washington
Street near E. 24 Street and the creation of almost a one -half acre of landscaped
green space between the two City amenities -- Comiskey Park and the Bee Branch
Creek linear park. The acquisition of 316 E. 24 Street will also result in construction
savings. While acquisition of the property is not required for construction of the re-
aligned Bee Branch storm sewer under 24 Street, a contractor will be required to take
care, likely be required to use tight sheeting or other soil stabilization methods, through
the narrow construction corridor which will have an associated cost. The estimated cost
to acquire the properties is $400,000 which includes acquisition, moving, and
deconstruction costs.
I concur with the recommendation to acquire these seven additional properties and the
project design modifications, and respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval.
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
Jennifer Larson, Budget Director
Michael C. Van Milligen
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
DATE: June 2, 2011
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
In 1999, 2002, 2004, and 2010 heavy rains produced flood damage spurring a
Presidential Disaster Declaration for Dubuque County.
Dubuque
Al America mly
1111 ''
2007
SUBJECT: Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project, Additional Property Acquisitions
and Design Modifications
(CIP 7201654)
The purpose of this memo is to seek authorization to acquire additional property for the
Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project and incorporate some project design
modifications.
In 1996, the City of Dubuque, through the Capital Improvement Project Budget,
committed to developing a Citywide Stormwater Management Plan. The need for the
plan arose from a growing number of citizen complaints related to stormwater runoff and
that need was intensified with the significant amount of damage to hundreds of homes
in a major rainstorm in June 1999. Increasing public safety and reducing property
damage are the primary goals of the Stormwater Management Plan. A consulting
engineering firm was selected to produce the Drainage Basin Master Plan (DBMP) to
specifically address the flooding issues in the Bee Branch and North Fork Catfish Creek
watersheds.
In December of 2001, the City Council formally adopted the DBMP which identified
approximately 1,150 homes and businesses in the Bee Branch watershed at risk of
flood damage. The DBMP identified the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project as a
component of the plan to address Bee Branch watershed flooding.
In May of 2003, the City of Dubuque City Council approved the selection of CDM, a
consulting engineering firm, to provide engineering and design services for the Bee
Branch Creek Alignment Study. The study objectives were to:
1) Establish the optimum alignment for the proposed open waterway along its
approximately 4,500 -foot length (from 16th Street detention basin to 24th and Elm
Streets) based on existing environmental, utility, social, and economic constraints;
2) Provide a preliminary design to a level that it establishes what the waterway will look
like at different locations along its entire length and how the waterway will function
before, during, and after rainstorms of different magnitudes; and
3) Work with impacted residents in the form of a citizen advisory committee, the Bee
Branch Citizen Advisory Committee (BBCAC), to ensure that the recommended
alignment location and waterway design are based on input from the neighborhoods
impacted by the proposed open waterway.
The citizen committee's preferred alignment was presented to the City Council in a letter
from BBCAC Chairperson Charles Winterwood. The BBCAC's preferred alignment was
chosen because it best met the top three criteria established by the BBCAC: it
preserved commercial and non - commercial services; it minimized residential property
acquisitions; and it minimize the project cost. The preferred alignment impacted sixty -
five (65) residential homes and sixteen (16) non - residential properties.
In December of 2004, the City Council adopted the alignment for the Bee Branch project
that was preferred by the BBCAC.
Beginning in the fall of 2008, the City hosted a series of workshops to help gather
additional citizen input on the landscape design. A press release was issued before
each workshop and over 2,000 post cards were sent to targeted neighborhoods. At the
first workshop, citizens were asked to identify their hopes and fears for the project. In
addition, they were asked to provide input on the various potential landscape features,
bridges, and secondary uses (paths, park benches, playground equipment, etc.). At the
second workshop, the design team presented conceptual drawings that began to
address the citizen's hopes and fears as well as their landscape preferences. And
finally, at the third workshop in February of 2009, the design concept based on citizen
direction was presented to the public for comment. The citizen input has been
incorporated into the final design of the Lower Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project.
On April 19, 2010 the City Council authorized the initiation of the public bidding process
for the Lower Bee Branch Creek Restoration project and at a public hearing on May 3,
2010 the City Council approved the plans for the Lower Bee Branch Creek Restoration
Project.
On August 16, 2010 the City Council awarded the construction contract to Tschiggfrie
Excavating in the amount of $10,836,588.85 for the Lower Bee Branch Creek
Restoration Project. This first phase of the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project
extends from the 16th Street Detention Basin to the west across Sycamore Street,
Cedar Street and Maple Street before extending north along the western portion of the
former Dubuque Packing Co. site to the railroad tracks just south of Garfield.
The estimated cost to acquire the property and construct a parking lot with close to 40
parking spaces is estimated to be $1,000,000.
Another aspect of the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project not sufficiently addressed
is the connection to Comiskey Park and the Heritage Trail at 24 Street. 24 Street is
where the resurrected Bee Branch Creek will begin anew. It is important that the area of
be an attractive spot with a compelling connection to Comiskey Park and the Heritage
Trail. In addition, there are concerns with the safety of pedestrians that will travel
between the two attractions through the current, narrow corridor via the single vacant lot
at the northeast corner of 24 Street and Washington Street that the City currently
owns. Additional property is required to create a safer, compelling connection between
Comiskey Park and the Bee Branch linear park.
The attached Exhibit B shows the current limits of the Bee Branch project in green. A
yellow arrow indicates the current connection to Comiskey. Outlined in red, Exhibit B
also identifies three additional properties on Washington Street (2410, 2420, and 2422
Washington Street) and an additional property on E. 24 Street (316 E. 24 Street) that,
if acquired, would allow for the necessary space to create an adequate connection that
would beckon people in the park to experience the Bee Branch and vice versa.
Acquisition of the Washington Street properties would allow the closing of Washington
Street near E. 24 Street and the creation of almost a one -half acre of landscaped
green space between the two City amenities -- Comiskey Park and the Bee Branch
Creek linear park. The acquisition of 316 E. 24 Street will also result in construction
savings. While acquisition of the property is not required for construction of the re-
aligned Bee Branch storm sewer under 24 Street, a contractor will be required to take
care, likely be required to use tight sheeting or other soil stabilization methods, through
the narrow construction corridor which will have an associated cost.
The estimated cost to acquire the properties is $400,000 which includes acquisition,
moving, and deconstruction costs.
RECOMMENDATION
recommend that the City acquire 511 E. 22 Street, 513 E. 22 Street, 515 E. 22
Street, 517 E. 22 Street, and 2239 Prince Street as shown in the attached Exhibit A in
order to create off - street parking near 22 and Kniest Street.
I also recommend that the City acquire 2410 Washington Street, 2420 Washington
Street, 2422 Washington Street, and 316 E. 24 Street as shown in Exhibit B to create
a safe, compelling connection between Comiskey Park and the Bee Branch linear park.
BUDGET IMPACT
On September 15, 2010 the City of Dubuque was awarded a I -JOBS 11 grant in the
amount of $3,965,500 for the Lower Bee Branch Project.
On March 3, 2011, along with the adoption of the FY2012- FY2016 CIP budget, the City
Council established the balance of funding required to acquire the remaining properties
for the $49 million Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project.
On March 9, 2011, the State Vision Iowa Board awarded $2,250,000 for the amenities
associated with the Bee Branch Creek Restoration project. Funding is for things such as
the replacement of the underground storm sewer with an open waterway, bike /hike
trails, historic lighting, benches, and the amphitheater.
On March 15, 2011, the State Environmental Protection Commission followed the Iowa
Department of Natural Resources' recommendation and voted to fund the Upper Bee
Branch Creek Restoration Project which includes a $4.44 million forgivable loan.
DISCUSSION
With the $4 million in I -Jobs II funding obtained for the Lower Bee Branch Creek
Restoration Project, some property acquisition overruns were covered and a reduction
in the monthly SFU rate from a projected peak of $8.30 to $7.90 was realized with the
FY2012 CIP budget. The $2,250,000 grant from Vision Iowa RECAT and the
fundraising of over $125,000 allowed the increase of about $2 million in project
amenities and will positively impact the $7.90 rate. The $4.5 million in EPA/DNR funds
will allow consideration of additional project elements and a further reduction in the rate.
One of the unmet project needs is for additional parking near 22 and Kniest Street.
Neighborhood residents pointed out at the Bee Branch Creek public input sessions the
lack of off - street parking in the area. In fact, recent discussions with Audubon School
revealed that school faculty and staff park on the street. With the planned construction
of the amphitheater just south of 22 Street and adjacent to Audubon School, there is
an additional need for parking on 22 Street near Kniest. Currently, there is Heritage
Trail parking at 22 & Kniest that must be eliminated for the Upper Bee Branch Project.
Therefore, without incorporating additional parking into the Upper Bee Branch Project,
off - street parking will actually be reduced.
To accommodate the parking need, a parking lot is proposed at the corner of 22 Street
and Prince Street. It will require the acquisition of four properties on E. 22 Street
between Elm and Prince Street (511, 513, 515, and 517 E. 22 Street) and one
property on Prince Street (2239 Prince). See attached Exhibit A. The Exhibit shows the
property already acquired for the Bee Branch Project in light blue and the additional
property to be acquired for the parking on E. 22 Street outlined in red. 517 E. 22
Street is a house that Habitat for Humanity house. The City has presented to the Habitat
Board and the family set to move into the house, the idea of relocating the house to a
City -owned lot within the area. Both the Habitat Board and the family were receptive to
move. Various lot options are being investigated for their suitability.
The cost to purchase the five properties outlined in Exhibit A and create off - street
parking near 22 and Kniest Street will be funded using the project savings realized
through the grant funding awarded in March of 2011.
The cost to purchase the four properties outlined in Exhibit B and create a safe,
compelling connection between Comiskey Park and the Bee Branch linear park will be
funded using the project savings realized through the grant funding awarded in March of
2011.
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, which will result in some project design
modifications.
Prepared by Deron Muehring
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Jenny Larson, Budget Director
Marie Ware, Leisure Services Manager
Deron Muehring, Civil Engineer II
Attachs.
EXHIBIT A: Proposed property acquisitions (outlined in red) to create off - street parking at E. 22 & Kniest Streets.
EXHIBIT B: Proposed property acquisitions (outlined in red) to create a safer, compelling connection between Comiskey
Park and the Bee Branch linear •arkwa