Memorandum 14-163 Site Selection for the Public Safety Building

Memorandum 14-163

TO:                        MAYOR WYTHE AND CITY COUNCIL

FROM:                  PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING REVIEW COMMITTEE

THRU:                  RENEE KRAUSE, CMC, DEPUTY CITY CLERK I

DATE:                   OCTOBER 8, 2014

SUBJECT:           RECOMMENDATION FOR SITE SELECTION FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING

The committee had previously narrowed down and vetted the potential buildings sites at the May 22, 2014, June 17, 2014 and at the September 24, 2014 regular meetings. At the May 22, 2014 meeting the committee members narrowed the choices down to the existing parcel, the Wildberry Parcel and the Homer Education and Recreation Center (HERC) site.

At the September 24, 2014 meeting the Committee reviewed the HERC parcel against the criteria matrix created by the design team and determined that the following positive attributes could be applied

PARCEL CHARACTERISTICS

Parcel Ownership and Cost

- Site Ownership & Potential for Drawing on Other Funding Resources

Size and Available Configuration

- 4 or more acres

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Environmental Risk

- Well above Tsunami Area

- Well above Flood Zone

- Structural Soils – Load bearing for seismic concerns – buildings have been there since before the 1964 earthquake.

Development Suitability

- Gravity loading, well- draining soils, no standing water issues

- Site Slope – relatively flat, slight slope for positive drainage

Compatible with Existing Zoning – Central Business District

Utilities

- Existing Utilities

- Water, redundancy (piped, plus well or room for water storage tank)

- Electric, with redundancy (room for generator)

- Natural Gas

- Communications

COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS

Community Location

- Easy for the Public to Find, Access, Park

- Visible location that enhances Civic Identity

Traffic and Access

- Efficient access to major community collector/arterial roads for quick emerge

- Low accident rate on adjacent roadways/intersections

- Located on corner lot with access to 2 streets

- Multiple site access options including entrances/exits for staff, visitors and vehicles/equipment

Security

- No adjacent raised structures (tall buildings, raised highways or viaducts)

- Lot configuration enables visible clear zone and security setbacks from nearby parcels and roadways

Negative Attributes or Unknowns that could be applied from the matrix to the HERC site are as follows:

- Wetlands

- Subsoil rock outcroppings, excavation expense – unknown

- Deep swale area at active creek

- Central to Fire Service Area – farther from the Spit

- Egress may be impeded onto main roads from traffic congestion or accidents without additional traffic aids

- Displaces groups that use existing facilities – recreation uses for the gym; Public Works maintenance personnel use the two-story building for office and storage space; Skateboard Park; access to the middle school, the basketball court and Special Olympics uses of the fenced in field area.

- Compatible with Adopted Plans – Unknown

- Concealed Areas adjacent to project - Unknown

- Not complimentary to adjacent and nearby land uses – Unknown

- Ability to locate impound storage so it is not visible or easily accessible – Unknown

Recommendation:

Approve the Homer Education & Recreation Center (HERC) parcel as the future site of the Combined Public Safety Building.
Following is the excerpt from the minutes of the September 24, 2014 meeting regarding the discussion and recommendation for the site selection:

NEW BUSINESS

B. Site Criteria and Selection:

               1. Committee Recommendation and Approval of Scheduling a Public Hearing on Site Selection

               2. Site Selection Decisional Matrix and how costs will be dealt with within the matrix.

Chair Castner wanted to focus discussion on the HERC Site since there was no other 4 plus acres city owned parcel to consider. He asked the committee if there was consensus for discussion.

There was no response from the committee members.

Mr. Smythe commented on the methods used to create the matrix to evaluate the three original sites and how it can be applied by the committee.

At the invitation of the Chair, Mr. Meyer highlighted the potential to expand the existing parcel by purchasing the Borough Maintenance property and pushing the extension of Lake Street to the east side of the parcel but it would only bring it to a little over 3 acres. He also noted that there was an additional .6 acres that could be used for storage but this still only brings up the total to 3.6 acres which does not meet the requirement needed of 4.2 or more acres.

This site still presents dealing with existing buildings and having to operate services while constructing a new facility.

If the city follows the Transportation Plan they will have the expense of extending Lake Street anyway so it would be better to do it sooner rather than later was his opinion.

There was a brief discussion on vacating right of ways, homes exiting onto Heath Street, and it only increasing the site incrementally.

Chair Castner said he would entertain discussing this site after discussing the HERC site. Ms. Wythe agreed they could discuss the site but extending Lake Street would only add years and years to the project. Chair Castner then directed the committee to evaluating the HERC using the matrix provided by Stantec.

Chair Castner noted that under Parcel ownership it receives all the points referring to the matrix.

It is over 4 acres – 5 points

Well above the flood zone – 5 points

Well above the Tsunami Zone – 5 points

Structural Soils – comments were structures currently on the site -5 points

                              - Homer soils

                              - No soil testing or site investigation conducted

Gravity loading well-draining soils – 2 points

No Wetlands – the area does have wetlands but area that could be mitigated with bridging referred to Woodard Creek coming through the site, spoke with the design team at an earlier meeting and agreed that it could be solved however Mr. Smythe stated that he is not a civil engineer. – 2 points

This area has a deep swale shown on the drawings

Natural Gas is along the Sterling Highway and there is a line into the cul de sac of Woodside Avenue

There is wetland drainage and there will be a cost – Chair was amenable to ding it whatever the committee felt appropriate

No subsoil rock outcroppings – 2 points

Ms. Wythe asked what points the Chair was giving for natural gas and utilities. Chair was not providing any points. Ms. Wythe commented that providing points would offset the points taken away for the wetlands.

Ms. Wilson-Doyle explained to the committee that they could use the key at the bottom of the page to rate the site.

Chair Castner commented that the form only listed positive aspects of the site. He believed that conflicting uses and the cost to make it construction ready should be added to the form.

Mr. Smythe commented on how to grade the site and Chair Castner did not know which section to apply it to.

A discussion was entertained on where to fit those items in and it was agreed that it would be a zero. Chair Castner wanted to note that they reviewed all aspects if questioned. He also wanted to show the persons being displaced and the costs.

Mr. Smythe commented that the form was intended to compare several sites. He can add those criteria to this form but that wasn’t what it was intended for.

Chair Castner acknowledged that but also stated that they did not have any comparable sites. He wanted to make clear all the positive attributes but here are the negatives and when you have conflicting uses you need to highlight them and council can make their decisions.

Mayor Wythe brought up the security issues and she wanted to double check the zoning. Since this is as close to the High School and will be adjacent to a middle school.

Comment on the concern expressed by the public regarding release of inmates from the jail are escorted to the door and then released however if they have been charged with a more serious crime or any felonies they are then taken to another facility. The Homer Jail does not directly release felons into the community. All other research conducted by the design team has shown placement next to a middle school favorable.

Chair Castner stated he would entertain a motion to select the HERC site as the site with the mitigations as the committee as identified: policy in relationship to the proximity to the middle school, concern over wetlands, the existing uses of the buildings for public works and recreation and the cost of mitigating the site to bring it to constructability.

Ms. Wythe inquired about the objective to recommend a site today and Chair Castner responded that he wanted to review the site and then hold a public hearing regarding the site then submit the recommendation to Council.

WYTHE/ROBL - MOVE TO PREPARE A MEMORANDUM OF RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL IDENTIFYING THE HERC SITE WITH THE IDENTIFIED PLUS AND NEGATIVE FACTORS LISTED WITHIN THE MEMO SO THAT THE MEMORANDUM WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AT THE NEXT MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE FOR FULL REVIEW OF THE CONTENT OF THE MEMORANDUM.

There was discussion on the content and availability of the memorandum.

VOTE. YES. NON-OBJECTION. UNANIMOUS CONSENT.

Motion carried.

Chair Castner confirmed that the Clerk will draft the memo and present to the committee prior to release and distribution.

Chair Castner opined that he felt they just addressed the second item listed of the matrix.