Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute Amendment to the Agreement with SLR International Corporation (SLR) to Provide Groundwater Investigation and Monitoring Services for the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park for an Amount Not To Exceed $163,900 for a Total Contract Amount of $518,060. (Recreation and Parks 2801010)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jill Keimach, City Manager
Re: Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute Amendment to the Agreement with SLR International Corporation (SLR) to Provide Groundwater Investigation and Monitoring Services for the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park for an Amount Not To Exceed $163,900 for a Total Contract Amount of $518,060.
BACKGROUND
The Jean Sweeney Open Space Park (Sweeney Park) is a 27-acre park bounded by Constitution Way, Atlantic Avenue, and Sherman Street. The site is the former Alameda Beltline Railroad property that was secured by the City at its original purchase price due to the advocacy efforts of long-time Alameda resident Jean Sweeney.
On July 5, 2016, the City Council approved the Sweeney Park Design Development Plan, which is the detailed design that follows all of the major parameters of the approved Sweeney Park Master Plan, which was approved by City Council on July 15, 2014.
There is soil contamination at Sweeney Park, due to its prior use as a railroad switching yard by the Alameda Beltline Railroad. On January 10, 2015, the City approved an agreement with SLR International (SLR) with a work scope that included development of a Soil Management Plan, an Operations and Maintenance Plan, and Land Use Covenants, all based on previously created environmental site assessment documents. Staff and SLR subsequently met with the CA Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC), which is the regulatory agency that oversees brownfield development and soil contamination. The City was required to receive approval from DTSC on its soil remediation work plan prior to commencing construction of Sweeney Park.
In spring 2015, as work began on site, DTSC required additional site soil investigation that increased the number of samples from 25 to 75 at sites not originally identified as contaminated such as former maintenance buildings that were burned down, other demolished buildings, dirt stockpiles, an underground storage tank, backfilled underground repair pits, creosote coated railroad ties, and at previous cleanup areas by Alameda Beltline that did not meet appropriate standards. On July 25, 2015, the City amended the agreement with SLR to include this additional site investigation and related soil sampling and workplan.
On March 1, 2016, the City Council approved the second amendment to the SLR agreement to provide services that were in response to DTSC’s request for additional site sampling that addressed a broader area of the site as well as preparation of the final Remedial Action Workplan, as required by DTSC. The second amendment scope of work also included oversight and field activities associated with construction, such as field confirmation sampling, dust monitoring, and preparing the Remedial Action Completion Report, which documents all field activities, testing reports and capping of contaminated soils. In the reasons discussed below, staff is recommending a third amendment so that SLR can start to document and monitor groundwater contamination.
DISCUSSION
Groundwater contamination was discovered during the last soil sampling phase and needs to be investigated, documented and monitored. The scope of work of this third amendment includes:
• Developing a work plan for the additional groundwater investigation;
• Performing the investigation through groundwater sampling at nearly 40 locations;
• Writing a report to DTSC outlining the findings;
• Performing the required four quarters and semi-annual groundwater monitoring;
• Writing two semi-annual reports to DTSC; and
• Writing the final Groundwater Remedial Action Workplan.
This work is not expected to impact the schedule, though the outcome of the sampling may dictate needed adjustments.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Budget for the contract is included in Capital Improvement Program Project 91309, pending approval of General Fund budget allocation in a separate staff report on tonight’s agenda for the construction funding of Jean Sweeney Open Space Park Phase A. The soil remediation portion of this project was funded with monies allocated from the Open Space Fund and Development Impact Fees. The City Council previously approved the original agreement and the agreement amendments as presented below:
|
Agreement |
Approval Date |
Authorized Amount |
Expended to [Date] |
|
Original Agreement |
January 10, 2015 |
$24,075 |
$19,260 |
|
1st Amendment |
July 25, 2015 |
$49,000 |
$44,500 |
|
2nd Amendment |
March 1, 2016 |
$281,085 |
$240,650 |
|
3rd Amendment |
October 17, 2017 (pending) |
$163,900 |
$0 |
|
Total |
|
$518,060 |
$304,410 |
The original agreement and each of the previous amendments included a 5% - 10% contingency in the total amount of $22,700. These contingencies have not yet been expended. The contingencies are being continued with this 3rd amendment with the anticipation that $21,000 will be required for the installation of 8 groundwater monitoring wells.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action has no effect on the Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
On July 15, 2014, the City of Alameda certified the Jean Sweeney Park Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) evaluating the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project. The MND found that the park project has minimal environmental impacts, and those that do occur are related to the construction period (e.g. dust, construction traffic, etc.) Those potential impacts were identified and mitigations were adopted to minimize those impacts.in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). No further review is required for this decision to approve the groundwater investigation and monitoring services contract for the project.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to execute Amendment to the Agreement with SLR International Corporation to provide groundwater investigation and monitoring services for the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park for an amount not to exceed $163,900 for a total contract amount of $518,060.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Elena Adair, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. SLR 3rd Amendment
2. SLR Agreement, 1st and 2nd Amendments