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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Public Works Committee - 12/04/2017 PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE Minutes City of Kent, WA Summary Minutes Date: December 04, 2017 Time: 4:00 p.m. Place: Chambers East 1. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 4:02 p.m. by Committee member Higgins. 2. Roll Call: Committee members, Dennis Higgins, Dana Ralph and Brenda Fincher were present. Council member Higgins chaired the meeting. Absent: N/A 3. Changes to the Agenda: Item 12.5 Clark Springs Transmission Main Break 4. Approval of Minutes, Dated November 20, 2017 Committee member Fincher MOVED to approve the Minutes of November 20, 2017. The motion was SECONDED by Committee member Ralph and PASSED 3 - 0. 5. Watershed Resource Inventory Area 8 Chinook Habitat Conservation Plan - Recommend Mike Mactutis, Environmental Engineering Manager noted that this is a follow up to a presentation that was given in August. The WRIA 8 Forum has recently approved the Chinook Conservation Plan Update and forwarded it to agencies for ratification. The City of Kent’s Clark Springs watershed is included in WRIA 8 and the city reviewed the plan. The intent of the plan is to provide recommendations for actions to restore and protect salmon habitat along with a 10-year implementation schedule. The City would consider the plan when making management decisions in the Rock Creek watershed. The City would not implement any plan requirement or goal if doing so would negatively affect the Clark Springs water supply. Ratification of the Habitat Plan would convey the City’s support for using the goals, processes, actions, funding and management approaches, and projects included in the Plan. Committee member Ralph MOVED to recommend council authorize a resolution ratifying, with conditions, the Watershed Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 8 Chinook Salmon Conservation Plan, subject to final terms and conditions acceptable to the City Attorney and Public Works Director. The motion was SECONDED by Committee member Fincher. The motion PASSED 3-0. 6. Information Only/Lower Lowest Russell Road – Update Mike Mactutis, Environmental Engineering Manager noted that the Lower Russell Road Levee Project is being designed by King County staff under the King County Flood Control District and in partnership with the City of Kent. The project will reconstruct the right bank of the river between South 212th Street and South 228th Street, including a levee setback, relocation of Van Doren’s Park, and construction of habitat features along the river. Mactutis said that two Interlocal Agreements are being drafted, one for maintenance and the other for property acquisition. The project is slated to be completed in 2020. The project budget is $52 million. 7. Meet Me on Meeker Design and Construction Standards Hayley Bonsteel, Senior Long Range Planner noted that the Meet Me on Meeker draft design and construction standards have undergone extensive revisions since the first draft was presented in September. Staff has worked collaboratively to resolve all comments and address internal and external stakeholder needs. Bonsteel went on to state that the standards have been simplified and amended for the best balance of practicality with aspiration. The standards show a cross section that generally represents the “full build” goal for Meeker, so that any major redevelopment will contribute fully to the Meet Me on Meeker vision; only the areas between Washington Avenue and the Route 167 underpass show a reduced cross section representing the best connectivity that can reasonably be expected given right of way constraints. Across the corridor, not all projects will require the full build. Major redevelopment would merit the full cross section as shown in the standards; limited redevelopment would merit proportionally limited frontage improvements. Prioritization has been developed to help guide case-by-case decisions on how to implement the cross section while preserving the essence of the project. The standards show enhanced streetscape elements that may result in increased maintenance costs, compared to other city streets. Both privately maintained frontage and publicly maintained frontage will benefit from cost-saving measures that have now been identified and included in the standards. The final draft represents staff’s best efforts to maximize the project goals for the lowest possible future cost and have striven for a final product that balances the needs for economic revitalization through increased investment with the fiscal realities of construction and maintenance costs. For example, the pedestrian connector zones were originally designed with individual pavers; these have been revised to a more affordable cement concrete option. Additionally, lower maintenance installation methods are recommended based on lessons learned from projects elsewhere in the region. The standards now also reflect the switch to historic streetscape elements at 4th Avenue as well as the “transition zone” choices as per the Kent Downtown Partnership’s comment letter, presented at previous meetings and attached to this memo. Also attached are comment letters from other stakeholders, as well as (in some cases) city responses to the comments. A public hearing was held on November 27, 2017, at the Land Use and Planning Board (LUPB) meeting. The LUPB voted unanimously to recommend approval of the ordinance and the Meeker Street Streetscape Design and Construction Standards. Staff will be available at the December 4th meeting to go over the project at a high level, summarize public comment, and answer questions. Committee member Fincher MOVED to recommend Council adopt an ordinance establishing a design and construction overlay for the Meeker Street corridor, as provided in the Meeker Street Streetscape Design and Construction Standards and as presented by staff. The motion was SECONDED by Committee member Ralph. The motion PASSED 3-0. 8. Information Only/Naden Avenue Property – Potential Local Improvement District (LID) Tim LaPorte, Public Works Director and Kurt Hanson, ECD Deputy Director, noted that the city is planning to surplus the properties assembled in the vicinity of Naden Avenue between Willis Street and Meeker Street. These properties have been owned by the city for some time. A number of infrastructure improvements will be needed to develop the property including a new right-in right-out turn lane from Willis Street (SR 516), a water main loop for fire flow demand for the proposed new structures, storm drainage facilities, etc. Staff is reviewing the advantages to the city to form a Local Improvement District (LID) to finance some of these infrastructure improvements to facilitate the development and make it more attractive to potential investors. No decisions were made at this time. 9. Information Only/Snow & Ice Preparations - Update Bill Thomas, Street Manager noted that staff begins preparing for winter snow and ice response starting in late summer and early fall, by coordinating with adjoining jurisdictions including King County to make sure our life line routes and Transit snow routes are identified.  Materials are purchased in late summer or early fall; in the event we have a prolonged snow event we are able to restock as needed  We have three stockpiles sites, two of the sites are where sanders are loaded;  Anti-ice material tanks located at Operations have an 8,000 capacity which translates to about 8 loads of material. Material is ordered when we are at less than 50% capacity. Turn-around time is about 72 hours.  Bridges and roadways are typically pre-treated with anti-ice treatment to prevent black ice  Anti-icing begins when frost is in the forecast for morning commuters  Trucks begin spraying road surfaces the night before when temperatures are at 40 degrees or less. Snow and Ice Routes  First priority response - major connections on both east and west hills  Secondary roads are attended to only after the primary roads are under control this can take as much as 4 – 6  James Street is often closed due to its steep grade and the resources it would require to keep it open  Third priority response are residential collectors - can take up to 24 hours  Due to safety and resources we will not clear residential roads. The only exception is for fire or police assistance  Both the Anti-ice and Priority Route Maps are available to view on the City of Kent website at https://www.kentwa.gov/residents/transportation-and- streets/snow-and-ice-response-plan. 10. Information Only/650 Pressure Zone Update Bryan Bond Engineering Project Coordinator gave an update on the status of the 640 Pressure Zone noting that this topic was last discussed in December of 2016. Bond noted that this project is going out to bid this month with bids opening in early January. Bond noted that numerous construction projects have been completed for the 640 Zone to date: • 3 Large Pressure Reducing Valves (PRVs) • Numerous Pipeline and Valve Improvements • 4.0 million gallon 640 Zone Water Reservoir Constructed in 2011 Bond further noted that individual pressure reducing valves for the North section of the 640 Zone. Of the 543 parcels, 618 individual PRVs are needed to keep service pressures within international plumbing code recommended values and below internal appliance thresholds for items such as; ice makers, dish washers, and washing machines. An extensive outreach process started back in February that included informational mailings about the upcoming project, right of entry notification packets for approval, Condo Association meetings, phone calls and door knocking to all the non-responding property owners. Staff also took steps to include use of bilingual employees along with the language line to ensure residents were able to understand the project at the meetings. 11. Information Only/Meeker Street Underpass Lighting Kelly Peterson, AICP, Transportation Manager noted that the Economic and Community Development Department (ECD) worked with the Kent Downtown Partnership to secure funding for colorful LED lighting for the Meeker Street/SR167 underpass. Public Works was brought in last summer to assist ECD with the development of specifications and advertise the project for bids. Bids were opened in September and all bids exceeded the engineer’s estimate. Traffic Signal staff researched sources for the light fixtures and found suppliers throughout the country with significantly lower prices. As a result, the fixtures have been purchased directly by the City consistent with the purchasing policy. The City has talented traffic signal technicians with the technical expertise to complete the installation. Work plans have been adjusted to complete this project in-house and within budget. Half of the fixtures have arrived and work will commence in December. Signal tech crews will complete the project as expeditiously as possible, but traffic signal issues will remain their first priority. The project is expected to be complete early in 2018. 12. Information Only/Mill Creek Parking Issues Kelly Peterson, AICP, Transportation Manager noted that the Sounder train has become very popular since service started in 2000 from (Seattle to Tacoma) with 4.3 million boarding’s in 2016. Peterson noted that Kent is one of the busiest stations but unfortunately, parking demand is greater than parking supply. Peterson showed an aerial map of some of the Sound Transit designated parking areas 1. Parking Garage at Smith and Ramsey Way 2. Parking Lot South of James at 1st Ave North 3. Parking Lot South of James off of Railroad Ave. North 4. Parking Lot at 1st Ave North at the East side of the Parking Garage Peterson stated that unfortunately, that parking isn’t always enough. Staff is aware that people that are riding the Sounder are parking in areas of downtown where we do not have parking restrictions such as on Kennebeck, Temperance, Woodford, State and George. Sound Transit has funding for a second parking garage that will provide 490-550 additional parking stalls, which is slated to open in approximately 2023 near the train station. The location of the second garage was approved by Sound Transit in November 2017. The next steps include environmental review, design and construction. Peterson stated that the Lincoln Park and Ride is an under-utilized option that is being explored. Staff will be evaluating the impact of commuter parking and potential solutions to parking concerns. 12. Information Only/Quiet Zone Kelly Peterson, AICP, Transportation Manager noted that the agreement for the Union Pacific Constant Warning Time Installation has been signed and sent off to the Union Pacific. ADDED ITEM 12.5. Information Only/Watermain Break at SE 276th St & 216th Ave SE & Maple Valley Tim LaPorte, Public Works Director noted that this water transmission line is 15 miles long and was built almost 60 years ago. A portion of this line developed a leak on Thursday, November 30. Crews tested and analyzed the water and determined it was ours. By Friday morning crews found that the pipe was too deep for city-owned equipment (12-14 ft.) so they called Scarsella Brothers who worked through the night into the next day to complete the repair. Jack Peterson Jack Peterson 10 year old son of Kelly Peterson, Transportation Manager attended today’s meeting because he was chosen by his teacher to be the Mayor, of Biz Town, a project that their class is participating in through Junior Achievement. Adjournment: At 5:49 p.m., Committee Chair Higgins declared the meeting adjourned. Cheryl Viseth, Committee Secretary