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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 05/20/2014 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 064, 2014, AUTHORAgenda Item 1 Item # 1 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY May 20, 2014 City Council STAFF Jon Haukaas, Water Engr Field Operations Mgr Owen Randall, Chief Engineer SUBJECT Second Reading of Ordinance No. 064, 2014, Authorizing the Transfer of $2,000,000 in Existing Capital Appropriations from the Northwest Trunk Sewer Expansion Wastewater Capital Project to a New Capital Project for the Construction of a Sewer Interceptor on North Shields Street. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Ordinance, unanimously adopted on First Reading on May 6, 2014, transfers funds previously appropriated for a northwest trunk sewer extension to be used for the construction of a similar project on North Shields Street. The proposed project will serve a similar purpose of environmental stewardship by removing a significant number of properties from individual septic systems and leach fields. Larimer County is currently planning on the reconstruction of Shields Street north of the Poudre River in 2015 to coincide with the bridge replacement project. Staff has met with the County Engineering department and will be able to coordinate the two projects to minimize the length of time the area would be impacted by construction, if the two projects were to be done independently. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading. ATTACHMENTS 1. First Reading Agenda Item Summary, May 6, 2014 (w/o attachments) (PDF) 2. Ordinance No. 064, 2014 (PDF) Agenda Item 7 Item # 7 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY May 6, 2014 City Council STAFF Jon Haukaas, Water Engr Field Operations Mgr Owen Randall, Chief Engineer SUBJECT First Reading of Ordinance No. 064, 2014, Authorizing the Transfer of $2,000 000 in Existing Capital Appropriations from the Northwest Trunk Sewer Expansion Wastewater Capital Project to a New Capital Project for the Construction of a Sewer Interceptor on North Shields Street. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to transfer funds previously appropriated for a northwest trunk sewer extension to be used for the construction of a similar project on North Shields Street. The proposed project will serve a similar purpose of environmental stewardship by removing a significant number of properties from individual septic systems and leach fields. Larimer County is currently planning on the reconstruction of Shields Street north of the Poudre River in 2015 to coincide with the bridge replacement project. Staff has met with the County Engineering department and will be able to coordinate the two projects to minimize the length of time the area would be impacted by construction, if the two projects were to be done independently. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of this Ordinance on First Reading. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION Some areas north of Fort Collins within the Growth Management Area (GMA) and within the City’s accepted wastewater service territory currently do not have access to any sewer service lines. The Northwest Trunk Sewer Expansion project was proposed in the early 1990s to add additional sewer capacity from Taft Hill Road to the northwest for the area around the Town of Laporte. Later studies showed that the amount of inflow and infiltration was less than previously assumed and some of the proposed development was not going to happen. Existing sewer capacity has been sufficient over the years and the funds were never reallocated to needed projects until now. The Larimer County Health Department has determined that many of the properties along North US 287 have failing Individual Sewage Treatment Systems (ISTS - commonly known as septic systems). These properties are both residential and commercial such as Jax Farm & Ranch or the implement dealer. The County Health Department is working to create a local improvement district in that area to fund and construct a local sewer collection system that could then be connected to the City’s collection system and improve the entire area. The construction of a sewer interceptor line extension along Shields Street north to US 287 will provide that sanitary sewer service connection to the area and allow the elimination of many ISTS and greatly improve the environmental health of a large area in the Poudre River Basin. ATTACHMENT 1 Agenda Item 7 Item # 7 Page 2 All final connections will remain the responsibility of the benefitting properties and Sewer Plant Investment Fees will be required at time of connection. Larimer County is preparing to reconstruct Shields Street from the new Poudre River Bridge north to Willox Street in 2015. The County Roads department has recognized the importance of this project to its residents and agreed to coordinate its construction and road closures to accommodate this project, provided the City does not create significant delays to the schedule to contracts already in place. This project is a great example of multi-agency cooperation to the benefit of the larger Fort Collins and Larimer County community. FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC IMPACTS These funds were currently appropriated for a similar project that was later determined to not be necessary. It is anticipated that this project will not have any impact on future rates or budgets. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS The project will significantly improve the groundwater quality in the area. This groundwater has a direct connection to the Poudre River and therefore will have a positive impact on that as well. BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION At its April 17, 2014 meeting, the Water Board expressed unanimous support for the re-appropriation of funds and for the proposed project. PUBLIC OUTREACH Public outreach will begin this summer with the preliminary design and be coordinated with the County’s road reconstruction project. The Larimer County Health department has already begun stakeholder discussion to determine the extent of the need and the public support. ATTACHMENTS 1. Water Board Minutes, April 17, 2014 (draft) (DOCX) - 1 - ORDINANCE NO. 064, 2014 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF $2,000,000 IN EXISTING CAPITAL APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE NORTHWEST TRUNK SEWER EXPANSION WASTEWATER CAPITAL PROJECT TO A NEW CAPITAL PROJECT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SEWER INTERCEPTOR ON NORTH SHIELDS STREET WHEREAS, the Larimer County Department of Public Health and Environment (Larimer County) has determined that many of the residential and commercial properties along North US 287 have failing septic systems; and WHEREAS, Larimer County is working with owners in the area to create a local improvement district that would fund and construct a local sewer collection system that could then be connected to the City’s wastewater collection system and improve the entire area; and WHEREAS, to provide that sanitary sewer service connection to the area, a sewer interceptor line extension would need to be constructed along Shields Street north to US 287 (the “Sewer Interceptor Line Project”), within the Fort Collins Growth Management Area; and WHEREAS, this Sewer Interceptor Line Project (the “Project”) would allow for the elimination of many septic systems, and doing so would greatly improve the environmental health of a large area in the Poudre River Basin; and WHEREAS, Larimer County is preparing to reconstruct Shields Street from the new Poudre River Bridge north to Willox Street in 2015, and has agreed to coordinate its construction and road closures to accommodate the Project, provided the City does not create significant delays in the construction schedule already in place; and WHEREAS, staff has met with the Larimer County project staff and will be able to coordinate the two projects to minimize the length of time the area would be impacted by construction; and WHEREAS, another project, the Northwest Trunk Sewer Expansion project, was proposed in the early 1990s to add additional sewer capacity from Taft Hill Road to the northwest for the area around the Town of Laporte, but that project is not expected to move forward in the foreseeable future; and WHEREAS, the funds for the Northwest Trunk Sewer Expansion have not yet been reallocated and are available for use for the Project; and WHEREAS, at its April 17, 2014, meeting, the Water Board expressed unanimous support for the proposed re-appropriation of funds for the Project; and WHEREAS, Article V, Section 10, of the City Charter authorizes the City Council to transfer by ordinance any unexpended and unencumbered appropriated amount or portion thereof - 2 - from one fund or capital project to another fund or capital project, provided that the purpose for which the transferred funds are to be expended remains unchanged. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that the unexpended appropriated amount of TWO MILLION DOLLARS ($2,000,000) in the Northwest Trunk Sewer Expansion Wastewater Capital Project is hereby authorized for transfer to a New Capital Project for the Construction of a Sewer Interceptor on North Shields Street and appropriated therein for expenditure on the Project. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 6th day of May, A.D. 2014, and to be presented for final passage on the 20th day of May, A.D. 2014. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 20th day of May, A.D. 2014. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ City Clerk