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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPACKET Public Works, Utilities and Public Safety 2011-05-12Preparation date: May 2, 2011 * Revised: May 9, 2011 NOTE: The Public Safety, Utilities and Public Works Committee reserves the right to consider other appropriate items not available at the time the agenda was prepared. AGENDA TOWN OF ESTES PARK PUBLIC SAFETY, UTILITIES & PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE May 12, 2011 8:00 a.m. Board Room, Town Hall 1. PUBLIC COMMENT 2. PUBLIC SAFETY a) REPORTS i) Incident Command. Commander Rose. 3. UTILITIES a) REPORTS i) Cascade Diversion Water Rights. Dir. Bergsten. 4. PUBLIC WORKS a) RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE TOWN BOARD i) Moraine Avenue Pedestrian Improvements. Dir. Zurn. 5. ADJOURN * UTILITIES Report To: PUP Committee Town Administrator Halburnt From: Reuben Bergsten, Interim Utilities Director Date: May 12, 2011 RE: Cascade Diversion Water Rights Background: In 1991, the Town filed an Application for Water Rights at the Cascade Diversion Structure on Fall River. The purpose of the filing was to legally provide raw water for the Town’s Fall River Water Treatment Plant. Prior to the July of 1982 Lawn Lake Flood, the Town supplied raw water to the Fall River Water Treatment Plant using the hydroelectric plant's penstock. The Town did not have an adjudicated right to divert water to the water plant. After the Lawn Lake Flood, the Town continued to treat water at the Fall River Treatment Plant using pumps installed in Fall River. The Town received FEMA funds and reconstructed the Cascade Dam Diversion Structure and penstock. Once those structures were in place, the Town filed the Water Court Application in order to provide water to the Fall River Treatment Plant. The Application was for a total diversion of 5.0 cubic feet per second (cfs) of water which would provide sufficient water for the maximum capacity of the Fall River Treatment Plant. In March of 1992, the Water Court entered its Final Decree adjudicating a direct flow water right of 1.55 cfs for the Estes Park Cascade Diversion and a 3.45 cfs conditional water right for the Estes Park Cascade Diversion Enlargement. The Town used the Cascade Diversion water right for only a brief period during the months of July through October, 1990 and then again April through August, 1991. The elevation of the plant created operational problems and the Town had adequate capacity using Glacier Water Treatment Plant and Marys Lake Water Treatment Plant. This water right has not been used since that time. The Estes Park Cascade Diversion Structure Enlargement is a conditional water right. As a conditional right, Colorado law requires that every six years an application for a finding of reasonable diligence be filed with the Water Court. This application needs to show that the applicant has engaged in some activities which will ultimately result in making the conditional right absolute. In 1998, the Town filed its first Application for a Finding of Reasonable Diligence at which time a sum of approximately $42,000 was spent on various water matters involving Fall River and the Fall River Treatment Plant. The Town filed an additional Application for a Finding of Reasonable Diligence in 2004 which was granted in 2005. A new Application for a Finding of Reasonable Diligence must be filed in May of 2011. Between 2005 and the present time, the Town has had no activities nor spent any funds in attempting to make the 3.45 cfs conditional water right absolute. The Town’s Water Department has determined that the Fall River Treatment Plant will not be reactivated and is no longer part of its long-range planning for the Town’s water system. There is no need for the Town to continue to pursue this conditional water right. Summary: Since the Town of Estes Park has made no use of the water right feeding the Fall River Water Treatment Plant since 1991, and the plant itself has been decommissioned, staff will not file an application to continue to pursue the 3.45 cfs conditional water right. This right will then be terminated by the Water Court. This action will not affect the Town’s Estes Park Cascade diversion absolute right of 1.55 cfs. ENGINEERING Memo To: PUP Committee From: Scott A. Zurn, PE, CFPM, Public Works Director Date: May 12, 2011 RE: Moraine Avenue Pedestrian Improvements Background: The Town of Estes Park received a grant from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) in the amount of $256,000 for Moraine Avenue Pedestrian Improvements. Required Town of Estes Park matching funding of $46,000 was committed from the Community Reinvestment Fund. The scope of work for the project includes engineering sidewalk, curb and gutter, and retaining wall improvements along Moraine Avenue at Elkhorn Avenue south to Crags Drive. This project is financed with CDOT roadside enhancement funding and is considered a CDOT Local Agency project. When selecting a consultant to provide engineering services, a “Qualification Based Selection” method is used. This selection method focuses on a firm’s successful project experience and the relative qualifications of its staff. Estimates of hours and fees to provide engineering services were not part of the evaluation and were not included in the proposals. A Request for Qualifications was published in early April, and seven firms responded. Staff rated each of these firms to select the most qualified. The following chart contains the ratings for each of the firms: Firm Name City Ranking McDowell Engineering Broomfield 1 Loris & Associates Lafayette 2 Drexel, Barrell & Co. Boulder 3 Cornerstone Engineering & Surveying Estes Park 4 RG & Associates Wheatridge 5 Colorado Civil Group Loveland 6 Interwest Windsor 7 After the ratings were complete, McDowell Engineering of Broomfield was the highest ranked firm. In their proposal, McDowell Engineering demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the project area and offered a detailed approach to improve the walkway at critical points along the project. Their project experience includes several successful pedestrian walkway designs in mountain communities. They are dedicating an engineering design team with significant CDOT experience to this Moraine Avenue Improvement Project. Negotiations were then conducted and a price for a total project cost (including a 10% contingency) not to exceed: $33,922 was determined. Once the design is complete, bidding documents will be provided by McDowell Engineering, including a construction schedule to begin in mid-September and be completed by November 18, 2011. Budget: $256,000 Colorado Department of Transportation Grant $46,000 Community Reinvestment Fund 204-5400-544.25-24 Recommendation: Staff recommends awarding the contract for design engineering to McDowell Engineering of Broomfield, for a project cost not to exceed $33,922 to the Town Board, to be included on the May 24, 2011, Town Board Consent Agenda.