HomeMy WebLinkAboutMaster Drainage Plan June 1991 CONTRACT NC. 00-559
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
CITY OF PALM DESERT
TO: City Council and City Manager
FROM: Richard J. Folkers, Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director
SUBJECT: MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN UPDATE - 1991
DATE: June 27, 1991
RECOMMENDATION:
(1) Receive and review the attached Master Drainage Plan dated June 1991 .
(2) Set a public hearing for July 11 , 1991 , for consideration of an
ordinance adopting the subject plan and setting fees for drainage
facilities in accordance with the Master Drainage Plan.
(3) Authorize staff to negotiate with NBS/Lowry as a consultant for
support in review of annexed areas as needed and as staff support for
engineering design consultant selection as well as quality control .
The contract can be limited to a maximum of $15,000 per year unless
authorized for a higher amount by Council action.
BACKGROUND:
The last drainage study completed for the Palm Desert area south of the
Whitewater Flood Control Channel was June 1976. The most recent study for
the area north of the Whitewater Flood Control Channel was completed in
April 1987, and that study was an update of an August 1979 drainage study.
The City Council , City Manager, and staff were concerned about annexed
areas that were not covered in the two study areas north and south of the
Whitewater Flood Control Channel . Also, the need to update the costs of
known and unknown drainage facilities is necessary for the long-range
fiscal model .
An Executive Summary of the Master Drainage Plan prepared by NBS/Lowry
explains the history of drainage master plan work in the City of Palm
Desert. Illustrations of some of the specific problems that have occurred
in the City over the past several years related to flooding and drainage
deficiency are also described.
The City's fee schedule associated with its current master plan is not
adequate to meet the demands in the City for improvements by new
development.
(Continued. . . )
City Council and City Manager
Page 2
June 27, 1991
FEE ANALYSIS
The existing fees under Ordinance No. 507 are $3,200 per acre for Zone 1 ,
which is located south of the Whitewater Flood Control Channel , and $4,000
per acre for Zones 2, 3, and 4, located north of the Whitewater Flood
Control Channel as shown on the attached exhibit. As indicated in the
Master Drainage Plan prepared by NBS/Lowry, the total cost to correct all
drainage deficiencies in the city is approximately $50 million. Based on
the acreage of undeveloped land within the city limits and its sphere of
influence, it would require a fee of slightly more than $8,000 per acre.
This approach clearly would not pass the test of establishing a fee based
on drainage needs that are reasonably related to new development and,
moreover, would be a fee that would be considerably higher than all of the
adjacent jurisdictions in the Coachella Valley area.
Another approach included evaluating the current fee and taking into
account construction cost inflation based on the Engineering News Record's
construction cost index since the fees were first established. That index
would adjust fees to date at $4,910 per acre in Zone 1 and $6, 120 per acre
in Zones 2, 3, and 4. While these amounts are less than the $8,000 per
acre reported above, this approach is not recommended either.
There are several factors that support the justification for the total fee
recommended in this report and for the ordinance at this time. They
include, first and foremost, the cost of drainage improvements and
deficiency correction that is reasonably related to potential new
development or redevelopment in the city and its sphere of influence. This
accounts for approximately 74 percent of the costs shown (except for the
citywide component) in the Master Drainage Plan. It is also my view, that
a component of the fee related to new development should pay the cost of
drainage impacts on a citywide basis. As in the case of traffic signal and
lighting improvements, developers pay a fee for citywide needs.
Looking at the cost of the drainage deficiencies, we have taken into
account the cost of planning, engineering, administration, and right-of-
way, as well as construction cost contingencies as the citywide component
of this fee. Therefore, new development activity would pay their fair
share of this portion, and that money could be utilized on a citywide basis
in the development of our implementation of the Master Drainage Plan
regardless of the drainage area or zone where development occurs. The
greatest needs identified, based on deficiencies noted in this Master Plan,
are where those funds could be applied on a priority basis.
As indicated on Page 28 of the Master Drainage Plan, the fees that are
recommended in the amounts of $4,800 in Zones 1 and 2, and $5, 190 in Zones
3 and 4 are well below the calculated $8,000 per acre and in the range of
the cost based purely on inflation by indexing our current fee schedule.
(Continued . . .)
City Council and City Manager
Page 3
June 27, 1991
PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION:
The master plan and currently proposed fee schedule will provide Palm
Desert with the basis for a long-term improvement to our storm drain system
that will be largely self-supporting.
It is our expectation that the costs of securing improvements to correct
deficiencies and meeting the demands created by new development will be
managed by the staff, utilizing a total management approach to planning,
funding, and construction implementation.
The master plan report identifies several areas of supplemental funding.
Of particular interest is the opportunity afforded to Palm Desert area in
the area of HUD grants and assessment/Mello Roos district programs.
Also, in keeping with the City's policy of maintaining a minimum number of
City staff, we are recommending that NBS/Lowry be retained on an "as-
needed" basis to serve as an extension of staff to assist with the Public
Works staff. This will allow the City to maintain the planning and
implementation of this drainage plan on a current basis regardless of the
level of development activity in the city. For example, if development
activity is low, it will not be necessary to fund an extensive ongoing
effort out of the City's general fund.
The consultant would be able to assist with applications for grants or
other funding and provide the City with strategies to coordinate proposed
development and other programs when that activity demands a rapid response.
Staff recommends the City Council receive and review the attached Master
Drainage Plan dated June 1991 ; set a public hearing for July 11 , 1991 , for
consideration of an ordinance adopting the subject plan and setting fees
for drainage facilities in accordance with the Master Drainage Plan; and
authorize staff to negotiate with NBS/Lowry as a consultant for support in
review of annexed areas as needed and as staff support for engineering
design consultant selection as well as quality control . The contract
amount would be limited to a maximum of $15,000 per year unless authorized
for a higher amount by Council action.
RIC ARD J. F RS, P.E. REVIEWED AND CONCUR
CITY COUNCIL ACTION: CITY MANAGER
RJF/ms APPROVED �/ DENIED
OTHER
Mk_r?TING LATE;
At?S'i A1N:
VERIFIED BY: ncAl SL
Original on File with ity Cle k' s Office