To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: TED SEMAAN, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
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APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT WITH GEOSYNTEC CONSULTANTS, INC. TO PREPARE GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR THE FUNDING OF PROJECTS INCLUDED IN THE UPDATED BEACH CITIES ENHANCED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN AND TO DESIGN LOW FLOW DIVERSIONS TO THE SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $400,000 FOR A FOUR-YEAR TERM THROUGH JULY 1, 2026
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On November 10, 2020, the City Council approved an agreement for consulting services with Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. to update the Beach Cities Watershed Management Group’s Enhanced Watershed Management Plan (EWMP) and Reasonable Assurance Analysis (RAA) per the MOU with the cities of Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, and the Los Angeles County Flood Control District for the administration and cost sharing of updates to the EWMP and RAA. Redondo Beach acted as the lead agency for updating the EWMP and contracting with Geosyntec for the work on behalf of all partners and the plans where successfully submitted to the Board in June 2021. All Beach Cities partners contributed their proportional funds based on proportionate tributary land area within the watershed and the relative benefit to each city as outlined in the MOU for the Geosyntec Agreement.
Staff is now recommending this First Amendment to the agreement so that Geosyntec may perform specific services for the City of Redondo Beach. The work in the First Amendment will be funded completely by Redondo Beach. The work includes design of new urban runoff low flow diversions to the sanitary sewer system and modifications to existing units in the City of Redondo Beach. These are necessary projects required to meet the City’s water quality requirements.
The work also includes grant writing and technical support for grant applications seeking outside funding for projects outlined in the updated EWMP. All projects for which grants are sought will help the City meet the targeted water quality reductions as outlined in the Updated EWMP. Following approval of the Amendment, Geosyntec will be directed to develop project grant applications, beginning with the Glen Anderson Multi-benefit Infiltration Project to be submitted to the Safe Clean Water Regional Funding Competitive Selection Grant Program by July 31, 2022. The program only accepts projects once per year and the competition for the limited funding is increasing each year.
BACKGROUND
The City Council approved the original EWMP on June 16, 2015 and the Beach Cities Group obtained Board approval of the EWMP on April 18, 2016. The NPDES Permit required that the Permittees submit an updated EWMP with an updated Reasonable Assurance Analysis by June 30, 2021. Redondo Beach acted as the lead agency for updating the EWMP and contracting with Geosyntec for the work on behalf of all partners and the plans where successfully submitted to the Board in June 2021. A review of the City’s EWMP is also a strategic plan item that is anticipated to be presented to City Council in July 2022 for next steps in implementation.
The scope of work for the Geosyntec agreement includes conducting project feasibility studies to meet the recently passed Safe, Clean Water Program requirements for funding regional stormwater capture projects. A feasibility study will be submitted through the Safe Clean Water Program project portal by the July 31, 2022 deadline for FY 2022/2023 and will be prepared in accordance with the Safe Clean Water Program Feasibility Study Guidelines. Preliminary design and engineering analysis will be conducted for projects that may include a preliminary geotechnical investigation to evaluate the soil characteristics, geologic conditions, and groundwater conditions with regard to the feasibility of on-site stormwater infiltration. Geosyntec will provide necessary support for project applications following submission such as presentations to the SCW Scoring Committee, WASC, etc. In addition, Geosyntec will support the City with other applications or support for additional grant funding opportunities as available (e.g., Prop 1 Stormwater Grants). Geosyntec will begin with a project grant application for the Glen Anderson Multi-benefit Infiltration Project to be submitted to the Safe Clean Water Regional Funding Competitive Selection Program by July 31, 2022.
If approved, Geosyntec will also evaluate the feasibility of implementing infiltration drywells (or other infiltration BMPs) in selected areas within the City, as outlined in the Updated Beach Cities EWMP. This may include utilizing desktop Geographic Information System analysis to identify areas favorable for drywell implementation, preliminary siting of drywells to meet volume capture requirements identified in the Updated Beach Cities EWMP, modeling of the proposed drywells, and conceptual site layouts and preliminary designs. Project designs for various types of stormwater projects will be provided. Additionally, community outreach may be provided for SCW Feasibility Study projects.
Geosyntec will also conduct preliminary planning, engineering & design, and permitting for urban runoff low flow diversions to the sanitary sewer system. The scope of work will include conducting location site investigations, assessing nearby utilities and other potential siting conflicts, assessing land ownership, assessing various county and city infrastructure to identify land and partnership opportunities and challenges, performing underground service alerts, conducting civil surveying to create a base map, performing conceptual project engineering design (base plan set), researching required permits and agency partner agreements, creating an engineering cost estimate, and preparing a report summarizing all findings.
The cost of the First Amendment is $400,000 for a four-year period ending July 1, 2026 with a new total contract amount of $1,032,582.
COORDINATION
The City Attorney’s office prepared the First Amendment with Geosyntec.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total First Amendment value over the four-year period ending July 1, 2026 is for a not to exceed amount of $400,000. Funding for the work is available from CIP Job No. 61050 titled Enhanced Watershed Management Program.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Beach Cities Watershed Management Group MOU
2. Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. Agreement