To: Board of Directors, Sonoma Valley Sanitation District
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District
Staff Name and Phone Number: Grant Davis 707 547-1900, Greg Guensch 707 547-1972
Vote Requirement: 2/3rd
Supervisorial District(s): First
.
Title:
Title
Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District System Protection Plan at Kohler and Sonoma Creek Crossings - Award
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Adopt and approve the Project Manual and Drawings (“plans and specifications”) entitled “Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District (SVCSD) System Protection Plan at Kohler and Sonoma Creek Crossing.”
B) Award the contract to Passenger Construction Corporation for $1,656,447 for construction of SVCSD System Protection Plan at Kohler and Sonoma Creek Crossings and authorize the Chair to execute the contract.
C) Authorize the General Manager of Sonoma County Water Agency on behalf of Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District (District) to sign Section 00 65 23 (Agreement and Release of Any and All Claims), with County Counsel review, if any unresolved claims are listed by the contractor.
D) Authorize Sonoma County Water Agency’s General Manager acting on behalf of Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District to execute the Sixth Amended and Restated Agreement for Engineering and Design Services for Sonoma and Kohler Creeks Bank Repair Project with Prunuske Chatham, Inc. adding $71,795 to provide creek bank repair environmental resource consulting and engineering design services.
E) Approve the funding of an escrow account for the $324,426 security deposit required by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife as a condition of the incidental take permit in a form approved by County Counsel. (First District)
(2/3 Vote Required)
end
Executive Summary:
Active bank and bed erosion on Sonoma and Kohler Creeks is threatening the District’s sewer collection system infrastructure serving the Glen Ellen area in Sonoma Valley. The Project will construct biotechnical bank and creek bed improvements to stabilize erosion at the site and reduce the risk to the sanitary sewer infrastructure while improving habitat for threatened and endangered species. Approval of the recommended actions will fund construction, third-party inspections, and modify District budget to accommodate an environmental permit security deposit.
Discussion:
HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
The unusually wet 2017 and 2019 winters and associated high flows worsened bank and channel erosion at the confluence of Sonoma and Kohler creeks and exposed the District’s sanitary sewer system infrastructure at 13965 Arnold Drive. On December 19, 2018, the District contracted with Prunuske Chatham, Inc. (Consultant) to develop the SVCSD System Protection Plan at Kohler and Sonoma Creeks (Project). Temporary emergency measures were installed in April 2019 and reinforced in 2022 to slow erosion and protect infrastructure until a permanent repair could be implemented. If left untreated, infrastructure at the site could fail and result in untreated effluent entering Sonoma and Kohler Creeks, increased frequency of sanitary sewer overflows in Sonoma Valley, and increased treatment volumes at the SVCSD wastewater treatment plant.
The plans and specifications for the project were completed in December 2025 following permitting delays that required design revisions to comply with environmental permits and protracted right-of-way negotiations with adjacent landowners. The Project will protect District infrastructure and the project site from future damage by 1) removing deteriorated emergency repairs, 2) stabilizing eroding creek banks on Sonoma and Kohler Creeks, 3) protecting the District’s trunkline and siphon beneath Kohler and Sonoma Creeks, respectively, and 4) enhancing habitat for California freshwater shrimp, steelhead, Chinook salmon, and other native aquatic species.
CONSULTING AGREEMENT
On February 7, 2017, a Request for Statements of Qualifications for environmental resources consulting services (including services for riparian and wetland restoration design and fluvial geomorphology) was issued to 42 firms and posted on the Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) and County of Sonoma Purchasing Department websites. Forty-eight firms submitted Statements of Qualifications and Prunuske Chatham, Inc. (Consultant) was selected for the subject work because of its experience with riparian and wetland restoration design, fluvial geomorphology, creek bank stabilization, and construction in sensitive creek environments. The original agreement with the Consultant was approved by the Sonoma County Board of Directors on December 11, 2018. A more recent Request for Statements of Qualifications for Engineering Services was released July 1, 2025, and the Consultant was again selected as a qualified firm for these types of services and included in the current list of qualified consultants.
Specialized inspection services related to biotechnical project features will be required during construction. Under the amended agreement, Consultant will provide construction period services including submittal and request for information reviews and inspections of biotechnical and habitat features. The amended agreement increases the contract amount by $71,795 to a not-to-exceed total of $465,775 and changes the end date to December 31, 2027 (Attachment 1).
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
The District, as a lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), prepared an Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration of Environmental Impact (Initial Study) for the Project pursuant to the requirements of CEQA (California Public Resources Code sections 21000 et seq.), the State CEQA Guidelines (Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3), and Sonoma Water and the District’s Compliance Procedures for CEQA. The District’s Board on April 30, 2024, adopted a resolution determining that the Project will not have a significant adverse effect on the environment, adopted the Initial Study, adopted mitigation measures and the mitigation monitoring reporting program, made certain related findings, and approved the Project. A Notice of Determination was filed on April 30, 2024, with the Sonoma County Clerk and State Clearinghouse.
SECURITY DEPOSIT
The project is located within an environmentally sensitive area that supports state and federally-listed as endangered California freshwater shrimp. A California Endangered Species Act Incidental Take Permit (ITP) was issued by CDFW for the project. As a condition of the ITP, the District is required to submit a financial assurance (security deposit) in the amount of $324,426. Such financial assurance is required by the California Endangered Species Act to ensure that all conditions of the ITP are met and will be released upon CDFW’s confirmation that all related permit conditions have been met. The District is coordinating with CDFW on the terms of the escrow agreement and, if approved by the Board, will be executed in a final form subject to County Counsel approval.
CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
The Project was advertised for bids on December 18, 2025 and zero (0) responsive bids were received on January 27, 2026. In accordance with Public Contract Code Section 22038, the District entered negotiations with Passenger Construction Corporation to complete the work. Direct negotiations resulted in an agreed-to contract amount of $1,656,447, which is $281,447 above the Engineer’s Estimate of $1,375,000. Passenger Construction Corporation is experienced in this type of construction and met the experience requirements.
A contractor must execute a release of claims (Section 00 65 23) before final payment but may except any unresolved claims from the release. The requested action authorizes the General Manager to approve the release unless the contractor lists unresolved claims. In that case, County Counsel must review Section 00 65 23 prior to General Manager approval.
Construction of the Project is scheduled to begin approximately May 12, 2026 with an estimated completion date of January 6, 2027.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Sonoma Water Strategic Plan Alignment
This item directly supports Sonoma Water’s Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following goal, strategy, and action item.
Goal: 2. Planning and Infrastructure - Implement comprehensive, integrated, and innovative infrastructure planning to strengthen existing services, minimize life cycle costs, and prepare for the future.
Strategy: 2.3 Fund and implement the planned capital and maintenance projects on schedule to ensure reliable services.
Action Item: 2.1.3 Continue to engage in planning efforts to support reliable wastewater and flood management services.
The construction of this project supports the reliability of the SVCSD wastewater system by protecting it from hazards associated with flooding in Sonoma and Kohler Creeks.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
See Attachment 2 for prior board actions.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$2,052,668 |
|
|
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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|
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Total Expenditures |
$2,052,668 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
|
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|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
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Fees/Other |
$2,052,668 |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$2,052,668 |
$0 |
$0 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Total Budgeted amount of $2,052,668 is available from FY 2025/2026 appropriations in the Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District Operations Fund. No additional appropriations are required.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Amended Consultant Agreement
Attachment 2 - Prior Board Actions
Attachment 3 - Competitive Selection Memo
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
Project Manual and Drawings