Memorandum 17-144 Watermain Oversizing Quiet Creek Park Sub

M E M O R A N D U M  17-144

TO:                              Mary K. Koester, City Manager

FROM:                       Carey Meyer, Public Works Director

DATE:                         December 6, 2017

SUBJECT:                Proposed Quiet Creek Park Subdivision Need for City Funds to Oversize Water Main

Echo Trading Company LLC has initiated planning and design of the Quiet Creek Subdivision. Attached is a vicinity map showing the project location. As part of the approval process, Public Works has prepared a Construction Agreement that binds the Developer to the conditions under which construction of all required road, drainage, water, sewer, and non-City owned utilities will be completed. The final plat is being reviewed by the KPB with recommendations from the Homer Advisory Planning Commission. Public Works is currently reviewing and commenting on construction plans for the required improvements. Construction of Phase I is anticipated in 2018.

In reviewing the plans for any subdivision, Public Works looks at the area as a whole to determine what impacts its development will have on the community and what improvements are needed to support the interests of the community. One facet of the review focuses on the water and sewer systems. The Water/Sewer Master Plan provides information regarding the sizes of mains needed as the City grows. The water main from the Owen Court/Nelson Avenue intersection to East End Road needs to be larger than the 8”main required for this subdivision (to allow water from a future tank above the subdivision to serve areas below). Attached is an oversizing map showing the location of this main. Developers are required to install 8” mains; the City pays to oversize mains if larger pipes are needed to serve the entire community (limited to cost of oversized pipe material only). Below is an estimate of the costs associated with oversizing:

                     Pipe material oversizing cost (8” to 12”) 2250 LF = 2800 x $22/LF = $61,600

These kinds of water infrastructure improvement costs have traditionally been funded by the HAWSP fund. Resolution 16-074 placed a moratorium on the use of the HAWSP funds for completing Special Assessment Districts, but has not limited its continued use in funding these relatively small miscellaneous improvement needs. The Planning Commission has worked on guidelines for how to prioritize and select new Special Assessment District projects that need to be discussed with Council when time allows.

Recommendation: The City Council should pass an ordinance authorize the expenditure of $61,600 for the required oversizing of water mains within the Quiet Creek Subdivision from the HAWSP fund.