HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-10-26 City Council (17)City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
DATE:
CITY MANAGER
OCTOBER 26, 1998
DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC WORKS
CMR:410:98
SUBJECT: STATUS OF EMERGENCY INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS
This is an informational report and no Council action is required.
BACKGROUND
Heavy rainfall during the early part of February 1998 caused extensive infrastructure damage
to culverts, roadways and utilities. In order to perform essential repairs, sole-source contracts
were established with two construction firms and a geotechnical engineering consultant, as
first reported to Council on February 23, 1998 (CMR:143:98), and later on April 6, 1998
(CMR: 185:98) and July 20, 1998 (CMR:290:98). Power Engineering was retained under an
existing contract to complete the infrastructure repairs discussed in this report.
Emergency infrastructure repairs are being accomplished through the use of emergency sole-
source contracts authorized by the City Manager.
The Municipal Code requires these repairs to be reported at the next Public Meeting.
Municipal Code 2.30.090 Purchasing Section.
The following projects have been completed since the last report to Council on July 20, 1998:
Arastradero Preserve:
¯Repaired two damaged drainage culverts and the adjoining roadway.
¯Constructed a bridge to replace a culvert that was destroyed during the
February storms. The culvert had provided the only creek crossing from the
main Preserve entrance toward the dam.
Main Library_
o
and Cultural Center Basements:
Injected epoxy filler along the perimeter of the basement to reduce the
likelihood of water infiltration through small cracks.
In addition to the above projects, heavy rains have required specific repairs to San
Francisquito Creek. These repairs were identified after the annual creek walk was
conducted. A State Department ofFish and Game permit has been applied for, and repairs
CMR:410:98 Page 1 of 3
to San Francisquito Creek at Middlefield Road are anticipated to begin in late October 1998.
A pile of ½-ton boulders had been deposited at the downstream face of the Middlefield Road
Bridge during the high winter flows..The boulder pile, which ranges from 6 to 10-feet high,
spans the entire width of the channel. This blockage has resulted in a erosion along the base
of a retaining wall on the Menlo Park bank for a distance of approximately 100 feet. This
boulder pile area was under water for a long period and was only observable recently after
the water level in the creek had receded. The blockage will be cleared and the scoured area
repaired at an estimated cost of $45,000.
The heavy rainfall also impacted two basements in the Lucie Stern Center, which are to be
removed and replaced. The existing concrete slabs in the Children’s Theatre and Recreation
Center basements have uplifted and cracked due to pressure from rising groundwater. The
damaged slabs and existing sump pumps are to be removed and replaced with thicker slabs,
improved underdrainage, and larger pumps. Exterior perimeter drainage systems are to be
installed in order to move water away from the foundation of the building.
Power Engineering assisted staff as well in the preparation of Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) Damage Survey Reports (DSRs) for several small-project
sites (under $40,000 in damage) throughout the City. The DSRs, which have been submitted
by the City to FEMA, are a critical part of the cost-reimbursement process. They outline the
damage incurred and provide a detailed breakdown of repair methods and costs. Staff
believes the majority of the costs for these repairs will be reimbursed by FEMA.
RESOURCE IMPACT
The majority of the emergency repairs and costs were funded through an allocation
authorized by Council as part of the 1997-98 Mid-Year Report. At that time, $1.3 million
was appropriated from the General Fund Reserve for Emergencies. This funding has been
used to cover a variety of expenses incurred to date including the emergency contract work
already completed, except for the Main Library, Cultural Center and Lucie Stem basements.
In August 1998 (CMR:331:98), staff informed Council that additional appropriations from
the Reserve for Emergencies would probably be needed in 1998-99 to address the remaining
storm-related repairs.
Funding for the basements repairs has not been appropriated. Funds from the 1998-99
Public Works Operating Budget have been used for short term coverage of the emergency
contract repairs expenses. The current estimates for the repairs of the damaged basements
of the Main Library, Cultural Center, Lucie Stem and Children’s Theatre are approximately
$500,000. Staff will return at a later date to request a Budget Amendment Ordinance (BAO)
for the basement repairs (approximately $500,000), and the San Francisquito Creek/
Middlefield Road erosion repairs(S45,000). The BAO funds are needed to replenish the
1998~99 Public Works Operating Budget in order to complete originally budgeted work that
was postponed to allow for the emergency repairs.
CMR:410:98 Page 2 of 3
TIMELINE
Repairs to San Francisquito Creek at Middlefield Road should be completed in
November 1998. The two Lucie Stem Center basements could be completed by
January 1999.
PREPARED BY: Karen Bengard, Senior Engineer
DEPARTMENT HEAD: /~. ~
GLENN S. ROBERTS
Director of Public Works
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
I~MILY HARRISON ~
¯ Assistant City Manager
CMR:410:98 Page 3 of 3