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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 12/06/2011 - ITEMS RELATING TO STORMWATER, WATER AND WASTEWATERDATE: December 6, 2011 STAFF: Jon Haukaas Roger Buffington AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL 15 SUBJECT Items Relating to Stormwater, Water and Wastewater Development Construction Standards. A. Second Reading of Ordinance No. 163, 2011, Amending Chapter 26 of the City Code to Establish and Provide for Technical Revision of Water Utilities Development Construction Standards for the Water, Wastewater and Stormwater Utilities. B. Second Reading of Ordinance No. 164, 2011, Adopting Water Utilities Development Construction Standards for the Water, Wastewater and Stormwater Utilities. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Fort Collins Utilities maintains construction standards adopted by City Council for stormwater, water and wastewater improvements installed within new residential and commercial developments within the respective City service areas. These standards require the use of specific materials, methods and products to insure uniformity within the systems and to standardize various components. These Ordinances, unanimously adopted on First Reading on November 15, 2011, combine these standards into a unified document that is more convenient for engineers and contractors to use and more easily updated in the future. The definition of Water Utilities Development Construction Standards and the provision relating to technical revisions have been amended in Ordinance No. 163, 2011, to provide consistency in language used under similar circumstances. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinances on Second Reading. ATTACHMENTS 1. Copy of First Reading Agenda Item Summary - November 15, 2011 (w/o attachments) COPY COPY COPY COPY ATTACHMENT 1 DATE: November 15, 2011 STAFF: Jon Haukaas Roger Buffington AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL 20 SUBJECT Items Relating to Stormwater, Water and Wastewater Development Construction Standards. A. First Reading of Ordinance No. 163, 2011, Amending Chapter 26 of the City Code to Establish and Provide for Technical Revision of Water Utilities Development Construction Standards for the Water, Wastewater and Stormwater Utilities. B. First Reading of Ordinance No. 164, 2011, Adopting Water Utilities Development Construction Standards for the Water, Wastewater and Stormwater Utilities. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Fort Collins Utilities maintains construction standards adopted by City Council for stormwater, water and wastewater improvements installed within new residential and commercial developments within the respective City service areas. These standards require the use of specific materials, methods and products to insure uniformity within the systems and to standardize various components. Water Utilities is combining these standards into a unified document that is more convenient for engineers and contractors to use and more easily updated in the future. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION The current construction standards for development exist in three separate documents that were prepared at different times: Stormwater – Last update adopted in 1997 Water - Last update adopted in 1987 Wastewater – Last update adopted in 1990 The stormwater standard was developed prior to stormwater becoming a part of the Utilities department. As a result, the format of the stormwater standard is different from that of the water and wastewater standards. Since the three standards were prepared and adopted at different times, there are duplications within the three documents. For example, all three contain sections that pertain to trenching and backfilling for the installation of pipelines. The requirements are generally the same; however, the formats are different. The current update to the standards consolidates the three documents into one to eliminate the duplication and overlap. The construction methods/requirements covered by the standards will be essentially the same. The approved manufacturers, products and model numbers will be updated to reflect the currently available products. In addition, the project converts the standards to the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) format that is widely recognized among engineers and contractors. This update to development construction standards is primarily a consolidation and re-formatting of the standards rather than a change of requirements. The construction methods included in the combined document are unchanged from the basic requirements of the three separate documents. The update of the standards will also incorporate a process for future updates of the document. The revision process would follow the amendment procedure outlined in the Larimer County Urban Area Street Standards (LCUASS). Revisions would be grouped as policy revisions or technical revisions as follows: • Policy revisions, which include major changes that may cause significant increased costs or may be controversial, would require approval and adoption by City Council. Policy revisions would require a public hearing process for the adoption. COPY COPY COPY COPY November 15, 2011 -2- ITEM 20 • Technical revisions, which include minor additions, revisions or corrections that are necessary to better conform to good engineering and/or construction standards and practices. The Utilities Executive Director would have the authority to approve the technical revisions that: (1) are consistent with all existing policies relevant to the revision, (2) do not result in any significant additional cost to persons affected by the revision, and (3) are consistent with existing law. FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC IMPACTS The primary purpose of the construction standards is to insure that public improvements included in new developments are constructed in a manner that the overall reliability of the systems will be maintained and that the future maintenance costs related to these systems is minimized. The document reflects current construction standards that are widely accepted throughout the construction industry. There should be no significant impact to the cost of improvements. This update has provided an opportunity to review the pipeline materials and products used in new developments. In the past few years, the cost of ductile iron pipe and copper service line pipe has increased more rapidly than some alternate materials. In order to provide options to offset these increases, another type of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe was added to the water main material list and high density polyethylene (HDPE) was added as an alternative material for water service lines. These materials are also used the Utilities Field Operations crews. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS The requirements of the development construction standards are in place to promote and maintain the high standards in the areas of water distribution, wastewater collection and stormwater control. The City’s erosion control requirements are referenced in the standards to minimize the effects of any site runoff during construction. The selection of approved materials for construction considers environmental impacts. The second type of PVC water main material which has been added has a thinner wall which results in less plastic and correspondingly less petroleum required in manufacturing. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinances on First Reading. BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION At its October 20, 2011 meeting, the Water Board recommended adoption of the Water Utilities Development Construction Standards including the process outlined for future updates. PUBLIC OUTREACH A primary driver of this update has been communication with engineers, designers, and the development community. Water Utilities has collected many comments and much input from developers and contractors regarding the requirements for improvements in new developments focusing on the need to update the format and include new material technologies. In addition, many requests have been received to post the development standards on the City’s website. ATTACHMENTS 1. Water Board Meeting Minutes – October 20, 2011 ORDINANCE NO. 163, 2011 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS AMENDING CHAPTER 26 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS TO ESTABLISH AND PROVIDE FOR TECHNICAL REVISION OF WATER UTILITIES DEVELOPMENT CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS FOR THE WATER, WASTEWATER AND STORMWATER UTILITIES WHEREAS, the City’s Water, Wastewater and Stormwater Utilities maintain and apply standard construction specifications for related improvements installed within new residential and commercial developments within their respective service territories; and WHEREAS, historically, each of these Utilities has developed individual standards documents that were presented for City Council review and approval independent of each other; and WHEREAS, in order to eliminate duplication and simplify the use and application of these standards, Utilities staff has prepared a consolidated version of these standards using the Construction Specifications Institute format that is widely recognized among engineers and contractors; and WHEREAS, to document and provide a clear reference to the adopted standards, the City Council desires to update and clarify the City Code so as to identify the newly adopted standards as the technical requirements applicable to new water, wastewater and stormwater construction projects; and WHEREAS, in addition, in order to allow for the incorporation of updated technical and good engineering techniques, equipment and industry practices, City Council desires to authorize the administrative adoption of limited technical revisions to the adopted standards, as set forth in the amended City Code language below. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That Section 26-1 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins, establishing the definitions applicable in Chapter 26, is hereby amended to add the following definition: Sec. 26-1. Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this Chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this Section: . . . Water Utilities Development Construction Standards shall mean the Water Utilities Development Construction Standards adopted by Ordinance No. 164, 2011pursuant to § 26-29, and applicable to construction of water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, together with any technical revisions thereto, as more specifically described in § 26-29. . . . Section 2. That Article II of Chapter 26 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins, is hereby amended to add a new Section 26-29, to read as follows: Sec. 26-29. Water Utilities Development Construction Standards. (a) The Utilities Executive Director shall promulgate Water Utilities Development Construction Standards, which shall constitute standard specifications governing the depth, size, slope, alignment, materials, or construction of water, wastewater and stormwater fixtures, lines, and other improvements, as well as the methods to be used in the excavation, placement, joining, testing, trenching and backfilling, and such other technical specifications as may apply to construction of water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. Said specifications shall be effective upon approval by the City Council by ordinance, and will have the same force and effect as provisions of this Chapter, and shall be enforceable pursuant to the terms of this Chapter and as provided in § 1-15. Except for the administrative adoption of technical revisions as authorized in Subsection (b), revisions to the Water Utilities Development Construction Standards shall be subject to approval by the City Council by ordinance. (b) The Utilities Executive Director may adopt minor additions, revisions, and corrections to the Water Utilities Development Construction Standards as may, in the judgment of the Utilities Executive Director, be necessary to better conform to good engineering and/or construction standards and practice. The Utilities Executive Director shall approve only those proposed technical revisions that: (1) are consistent with all existing policies relevant to the revisions, (2) do not result in any significant additional cost to persons affected by the revision, and (3) do not materially alter the standard or level of service to be accomplished through the specified infrastructure. Upon adoption of any technical revisions pursuant to the authority of this Subsection (b), the Utilities Executive Director shall provide to the City Clerk documentation of such technical revisions specifying the date upon which they shall become effective, and shall maintain said documentation on file in the permanent records of the City Clerk and Utility Services and available for public inspection. Section 3. That Section 26-52 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended to read as follows: -2- Sec. 26-52. Rules and regulations. The Utilities Executive Director may promulgate such rules, regulations, policies and procedures consistent with the provisions of this Article as the Utilities Executive Director may deem necessary for the proper administration of the water utility and the requirements of this Article, including the establishment of standard specifications for construction of service lines and other technical specifications as provided in § 26-29. Such rules and regulations are effective upon the approval by the City Council by ordinance and will have the same force and effect as provisions of this Chapter, and shall be enforceable pursuant to the terms of this Chapter and as provided in § 1-15. A user's failure to abide by all effective rules, regulations, policies and procedures promulgated by the Utilities Executive Director is the same as a violation of this Article. Section 4. That Section 26-97 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows: Sec. 26-97. Water service lines; general regulations. (a) Specifications, design and construction. The design, number, location, depth and size of all service lines shall be subject to the approval of the Utilities Executive Director. The size, depth, alignment and materials of construction of a service line and the methods to be used in excavating, placing of the pipe, jointing and testing and backfilling the trench and all other work shall conform to the Water Utilities Development Construction Standards adopted pursuant to § 26-29 and the requirements of the building and plumbing codes or other applicable codes, laws, rules and regulations of federal, state and local entities. In the event of a conflict, the Water Utilities Development Construction Standards shall control. All work concerning the installation or repair of service lines and their appurtenances is subject to inspection by the City. (b) Connection specifications. The connection of the service line to the public water system shall conform to the specifications and regulations of the City, including but not limited to the Water Utilities Development Construction Standards adopted pursuant to § 26-29, and shall only be made by or under the supervision of the Utilities Executive Director. All such connections shall be made watertight. (c) Materials. In the case where the service line between the water main and the premises has been deemed a private main because it is made of materials other than ductile iron or copper, it shall be replaced by copper or ductile iron lines at the expense of the user when in the opinion of the Utilities Executive Director such line has become so disintegrated as to be unfit for further use. Once such a line has been replaced with the required materials, it becomes part of the water utility and the utility will assume the maintenance of the service line between the water main and the curb stop the same as for any public service line. -3- Section 5. That Subsection (b) of Section 26-213 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 26-213. Supervision of the wastewater utility. . . . (b) The Utilities Executive Director may formulate and promulgate rules and regulations consistent with the provisions of this Article for the administration of the wastewater utility and the implementation of this Article, to become effective upon approval by the City Council by ordinance. The Utilities Executive Director shall have the authority to regulate the volume and flow rate of discharge to the wastewater system, to establish permissible limits of concentration for various specific substances, materials, waters or wastes that can be accepted into the wastewater system, to establish pretreatment requirements, to specify those substances, materials, waters or wastes that are prohibited from entering the wastewater system, to specify standards for installation of wastewater lines and services as provided in § 26-29, and to enforce local compliance with federal standards promulgated pursuant to the act. Section 6. That Section 26-258 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins are hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows: Sec. 26-258. Wastewater service lines; general regulations. (a) Specifications, design and construction. The design, number, location, grade and size of all service lines shall be subject to the approval of the Utilities Executive Director. The size, slope, alignment and materials of construction of a service line and the methods to be used in excavating, placing of the pipe, jointing and testing and backfilling the trench and all other work shall conform to the Water Utilities Development Construction Standards adopted pursuant to § 26-29 and the requirements of the building and plumbing codes or other applicable codes, laws, rules and regulations of federal, state and local entities. In the event of a conflict, the Water Utilities Development Construction Standards shall control. All work concerning the installation or repair of service lines and their appurtenances is subject to inspection by the City. (b) Connection specifications. The connection of the service line to the public sewer shall conform to the specifications and regulations of the City, including but not limited to the Water Utilities Development Construction Standards adopted pursuant to § 26-29, and shall only be made by or under the supervision of the Utilities Executive Director. All such connections shall be made gastight and watertight. (c) Runoff drain connections prohibited. Except as authorized pursuant to Subsection 26-336(a) of the -4- Code, it is unlawful for any person to connect roof downspouts, exterior foundation drains, areaway drains, sump pumps or other sources of surface runoff or groundwater to a service line or building drain which in turn is connected directly or indirectly to a sanitary sewer. Section 7. That Section 26-367 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 26-367. Rules and regulations. The Utilities Executive Director may promulgate rules and regulations consistent with the provisions of this Article for the administration of water and wastewater system extensions and oversizing and the implementation of this Article, including the establishment of standard specifications for construction of water and wastewater improvements and other technical specifications as provided in § 26-29. Such rules and regulations are effective upon approval of City Council by ordinance and will have the same force and effect as provisions of this Chapter, and shall be enforceable pursuant to the terms of this Chapter and as provided in § 1-15. . Section 8. That Section 26-544 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 26-544. Stormwater facilities required for subdivisions. Prior to the final approval of the plat of any subdivision, or prior to commencement of construction upon any lot or parcel of land for which a drainage report and construction plan for the installation of stormwater facilities has not been prepared and approved by the City, the owners of the property being subdivided or upon which construction is being commenced shall, at such owners' cost, prepare a detailed drainage report and construction plans for the installation of all stormwater facilities required for such subdivision or lot, including any off-site facilities required to convey stormwater to existing drains, channels, streams, detention ponds or other points, all in conformity with the master plan of the stormwater basins, the Design Criteria and Construction Standards adopted by the City Council, and the Water Utilities Development Construction Standards adopted pursuant to § 26-29 . The Utilities Executive Director shall review such reports, plans and costs estimates; and after approval of the same, the plat of the subdivision or the building permit, if applicable, may be approved subject to the City's being furnished with acceptable assurance that such facilities will be constructed and installed as indicated and approved. -5- Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 15th day of November, A.D. 2011, and to be presented for final passage on the 6th day of December, A.D. 2011. _________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 6th day of December, A.D. 2011. _________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk -6- ORDINANCE NO. 164, 2011 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS ADOPTING WATER UTILITIES DEVELOPMENT CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS FOR THE WATER, WASTEWATER AND STORMWATER UTILITIES WHEREAS, the City’s Water, Wastewater and Stormwater Utilities maintain and apply standard construction specifications for related improvements installed within new residential and commercial developments within their respective service territories; and WHEREAS, historically, each of these Utilities has developed individual standards documents that were presented for City Council review and approval independent of each other; and WHEREAS, in order to eliminate duplication and simplify the use and application of these standards, Utilities staff has prepared a consolidated version of these standards using the Construction Specifications Institute format that is widely recognized among engineers and contractors; and WHEREAS, the City Council is considering of even date herewith Ordinance No. 163, 2011, which will standardize references to the proposed standards in the City Code and provide for administrative revisions to update technical aspects of the standards; and WHEREAS, a copy of said consolidated standards, entitled Water Utilities Development Construction Standards and dated December 16, 2011 (the “2011 Water Utilities Development Construction Standards”), is on file in the office of the City Clerk and available for public inspection; and WHEREAS, it is the desire of the City Council to adopt and approve the 2011 Water Utilities Development Construction Standards, for use by the Water, Wastewater and Stormwater Utilities in applying, implementing and enforcing the related provisions of Chapter 26 of the City Code. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that the 2011 Water Utilities Development Construction Standards are hereby adopted and approved as set forth herein. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 15th day of November, A.D. 2011, and to be presented for final passage on the 6th day of December, A.D. 2011. _________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 6th day of December, A.D. 2011. _________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk -2-