REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE BOARD GOVERNED COUNTY SERVICE AREAS
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 18, 2021
FROM
BRENDON BIGGS, Director, Department of Public Works - Special Districts
SUBJECT
Title
Plans and Specifications/Notice of Exemption for County Service Area 70 S-3 Lytle Creek Sewer Force Main Replacement Project
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of County Service Area 70 S-3 Lytle Creek:
1. Find that the County Service Area 70 S-3 Lytle Creek Sewer Force Main Replacement Project is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines, Section 15302 Class 2, Replacement or Reconstruction.
2. Approve plans and specifications for construction of the County Service Area 70 S-3 Lytle Creek Sewer Force Main Replacement Project.
3. Authorize the Director of the Department of Public Works - Special Districts to advertise the County Service Area 70 S-3 Lytle Creek Sewer Force Main Replacement Project for bids.
4. Direct the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors to file and post the Notice of Exemption for the County Service Area 70 S-3 Lytle Creek Sewer Force Main Replacement Project as required under the California Environmental Quality Act.
(Presenter: Brendon Biggs, Director, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). Sufficient appropriation for the County Service Area 70 S-3 Lytle Creek Sewer Force Main Replacement Project (Project) is in the 2020-21 Capital Improvement Program budget for County Service Area 70 S-3 Lytle Creek (WBSE 30.30.0032) and will be included in future recommended budgets as necessary.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
County Service Area 70 S-3 Lytle Creek (District) owns a force main sewer system. The Department of Public Works - Special Districts (Department) is responsible for maintaining and operating the District’s sewer system. The sewer force main system was built in 1983 and serves about 20 residential homes and a campground. The existing 4-inch sewer force main line uses a sewer pump station that normally pumps 200 gallons per minute (gpm) of sewer.
The District’s existing sewer force main line, which has been in service for 38 years, is in poor condition. The 4-inch sewer force main line has undergone severe pipe clogging. This has resulted in constriction in the pipe flow that limits the sewer pump to convey only about 10 gpm instead of the normal flow of 200 gpm, a 95% reduction in sewer flow conveyance. Due to severe constrictions in the force main sewer line, the sewer pump must operate in an extreme increased back pressure that could potentially cause the pump to fail. In addition, the District incurs additional electrical costs due to the increase in electrical power consumption at the sewer pump station.
Replacement of the existing 4-inch line is needed to avoid disruption in sewer conveyance and potential sewer spills in this portion of the sewer collection system. The Project will replace 665 linear feet of sewer force main line. The Project site is located at Lytle Creek Road and South Fork Road, Lytle Creek. Pursuant to California Public Contract Code sections 22032 and 22039, the Board of Supervisors (Board) shall adopt plans, specifications, and working details for public projects.
The Department has conducted a full review of the Project’s requirements and scope of work. As evidenced by the Notice of Exemption, Section 15302 of the California Environment Quality Act (CEQA) provides categorical exemption for projects involving Class 2, replacement or reconstruction. All work involved in the Project is consistent with Class 2 exemptions, which allows for “replacement structures of substantially the same size, purpose and capacity”. At this time, in conjunction with the recommended Board action to approve the plans and specifications and authorize bidding of the Project, the Department also recommends the Board find the Project to be exempt under CEQA Guidelines, Section 15302 Class 2, Replacement or Reconstruction, and direct the Clerk of the Board to post the Notice of Exemption for the Project as required under CEQA.
PROCUREMENT
Upon Board approval of this item, the bid process will begin with issuance of an advertisement for bids in the County’s Electronic Procurement (ePRO) Network in accordance with Section 22037 of the California Public Contract Code, as well as advertisement in required plan rooms. A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be scheduled to allow potential contractors the opportunity to see the jobsite and evaluate the Project. Bids can be submitted up to the Project’s bid opening on June 30, 2021 at 2:00 p.m.
After the bids are received and opened, the Department will evaluate the responsiveness of the bids. Upon identifying a successful bidder, the Department will submit to the Board a recommendation for award of a construction contract.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Katherine Hardy, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on April 23, 2021; Finance (Tom Forster, Administrative Analyst, 387-4635) on April 28, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on May 2, 2021.