To: Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Water Agency and the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency, Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District
Staff Name and Phone Number: Monica Delmartini, 565-7260
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Third District
Title:
Title
Services Agreement for Oken Property Public Works Contracting
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize a services agreement between Sonoma County Water Agency and the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District for public works bidding and contract management services in the not-to-exceed amount of $77,000. (Third District)
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Executive Summary:
On November 5, 2019, the Board approved the Oken Riparian Restoration Project (“Project”). Implementation of the erosion repair portion of the Project will require procurement of a public works construction contract. The Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District wishes to retain the services of the Sonoma County Water Agency to administer and manage the competitive bid process and contract management for Phase 3 of the Project, which will consist of erosion repairs. The competitive bid process will benefit the Project by awarding to the lowest responsible bidder as required by California civil code; and it is a regulatory compliant practice between governmental entities.
Discussion:
The Oken Property is a 76-acre property purchased by the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (Ag + Open Space) in 1998 to preserve a portion of the working agricultural lands that make up the community separator between the cities of Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa. The property is located along Petaluma Hill Road at the northeastern edge of Rohnert Park, and contains portions of three seasonal drainages. The property is grazed by cattle under a lease agreement with Tom Crane, whose family has grazed the property since before it was acquired by Ag + Open Space.
With the exception of a patch of mature native willow trees near the southern Oken Property (“Property”) boundary, the Property’s three seasonal drainages are vegetated only by non-native annual grasses and weeds that do not provide adequate stability for the drainage banks. The Property is subject to flashy, high-volume runoff during rain events, which has created several head cuts - areas along the drainages where erosion is rapidly moving upstream. Year-round access by cattle has also caused significant trampling damage to the drainage banks and prevented the establishment of native woody species that would help to stabilize the soil. The Project, previously approved by the Board, is intended to repair and stabilize the head cut areas and revegetate the drainage banks and margins with an appropriate mix of native trees, shrubs, and wetland plants. The Project will reduce sediment transport off the Property, improve the health of the Property’s wetlands, protect the Property’s agricultural uses, and enhance the Property’s habitat functionality.
The Project includes three phases:
• The first phase of the restoration project includes installation of fencing along the Property’s riparian areas to exclude cattle. The purpose of the fencing is to protect the planned plantings and erosion repairs from impacts associated with cattle activities. A contract for this Phase of the project was competitively bid in the fall of 2019 and the project is expected to be completed by the end of January 2020.
• The second phase of the restoration project consists of native vegetation planting, along with associated irrigation and plant maintenance. Point Blue Conservation Science, through its Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed (STRAW) program, will carry out this planting work in February of 2020, with partial funding from the Sonoma County Water Agency’s (“Sonoma Water”) Watershed Partnership Program.
• The third phase of the restoration project includes headcut and erosion repairs to stop advancing erosion and to reduce the sediment movement on the property. For clarity, this phase is referred to as the “Oken Erosion Repair Project.” This work, like the Phase 1 work, must be competitively bid in accordance with state law.
Through the agreement between Sonoma Water and Ag + Open Space, Sonoma Water will prepare contract documents using the design provided by Ag + Open Space’s design consultant, manage the contract bidding and award process, administer and manage the contract, conduct construction meetings, provide construction oversight, and prepare all necessary Board items, project records, and reports.
Following preparation of the bid documents by Sonoma Water, Ag + Open Space will return to the Board in spring 2020 for approvals needed to solicit bids for the Oken Erosion Repair Project.
This item requests that the Board approve the contract as well as authorize Sonoma Water’s General Manager and Ag + Open Space’s General Manager to execute it.
Prior Board Actions:
November 5, 2019: Board Action #1, Approval of Oken Riparian Restoration Project, Approval of plans and specifications for the Oken Riparian Fencing Project, Award of fencing contract.
February 24, 2998: Resolution No. 98-0219, accepting a grant deed for the purchase of approximately 75.8 acres located at 5057 Petaluma Hill Road, Rohnert Park (now known as the Oken Property)
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures [CR) please complete fiscal table] |
FY 19-20 Adopted |
FY20-21 Projected |
FY 21-22 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
38,500 |
38,500 |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
38,500 |
38,500 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
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Fees/Other |
38,500 |
38,500 |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
38,500 |
38,500 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Adequate appropriations are existing in the Ag + Open Space approved FY 19-20 budget and will be incorporated into future years’ budgets. Sonoma Water will use funds from their General Fund and then reimburse that fund after receiving payment from Ag & Open Space.
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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):
No staffing impacts are anticipated.
Attachments:
1. Project Location Map
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
1. Professional Services Agreement