City of Homer

Memorandum 08-131

TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Walt Wrede, City Manager
FROM: Anne Marie Holen, Special Projects Coordinator
DATE: September 17, 2008
SUBJECT: New CIP draft

In keeping with decisions made by the City Council at the September 15 Special Meeting, I have prepared a new draft CIP with the following changes from the previous version:

· Projects scheduled for completion after 2014 have been removed from the main CIP. These projects are now listed in an appendix titled “City of Homer Long Range Capital Projects.” Seventeen projects are listed. NOTE: Some CIP projects in the previous draft contained elements to be completed during the 2009-2014 period as well as elements scheduled for completion after 2014. All of the “after 2014” items are now listed in the Appendix; however, I have not yet re-written the main CIP project descriptions. I don’t think this will be hard to do. In the meantime, I have marked those pages with handwritten notes.

· I have updated the project table (in the Appendix) to add a new column that says “Later Years.” Also, the table no longer includes non-City projects (e.g., state roads or non-profit projects). Priority Level boxes and Years are not yet filled in. I would like feedback from Council on whether “Later Years” projects should be mixed in with others in the table (as they are currently) or listed at the end of the table or not at all.

The following bullet points are repeated from my last memo (of Sept. 9):

· Projects are grouped into seven sections: Local Roads, Trails, Structures, Utilities, Equipment, State Transportation Projects, and Other Projects. (In this CIP, all of the “Other Projects” are ones proposed by non-profit organizations. However, in the future this section could also contain projects related to the college, Kachemak Bay Research Reserve, and other organizations that are not non-profits but still fall into the “non-City” category.)

· New projects (both City and non-City projects) are attached separately. Council approval is required for these projects to be included in the CIP:

PROJECT:	SUBMITTED BY:
Beluga Slough Trail Reconstruction	Planning Technician Julie Engebretsen and Parks Maintenance chief Tammy Hagerty
Bishop’s Beach Park Picnic Shelter	Julie Engebretsen, Parks & Rec Commission, and Tammy Hagerty
Brush/Wildland Firefighting Truck	Fire Chief Bob Painter
Community Recreation/Multi-Use Center	Community Schools Coordinator Mike Illg
Fire Engine 4 Refurbishment	Fire Chief Bob Painter
Fire Pump Testing Trailer	Fire Chief Bob Painter
Fishing Lagoon Improvements	Fish and Game biologist Nicky Szarzi
Ramp 3 Gangway and Approach Replacement (This project has been combined with Harbor Float Replacement, which has been in the CIP since 2006)	Port & Harbor Director Bryan Hawkins and the Port & Harbor Commission
Sewer Treatment Plan – Bio-solids Treatment Improvements	Public Works Director Carey Meyer
Water Storage/Distribution Improvements	Public Works Director Carey Meyer
Lake Street Reconstruction (State road project)	Public Works Director Carey Meyer
Kevin Bell Arena Floor Upgrade	Cinda Eckert, Homer Hockey Association
Pratt Museum Renovation	Heather Beggs, Pratt Museum
Senior Independent Housing	Fred Lau, Homer Senior Citizens
South Peninsula Hospital MRI and MRI Building	Derotha Ferraro, South Peninsula Hospital

· Several projects that were in the 2008-2013 CIP have been deleted from this draft:

PROJECT:	REASON:
Reber Trail	Funded through state grant and HART program
Engine 4 Replacement	Funded through state municipal energy grant
Water Treatment Plant	Funded through combination of state legislative appropriations and DEC loans
South Peninsula Hospital Helistop	Funded by SPH as add-alternate construction item
Williamsport–Pile Bay Road Rehabilitation	Funded through federal transportation earmarks

· New “priority” terms. Many people have noted that the “need terms” used in the past are confusing. Therefore, the new draft CIP has adopted different terms that are intended to be simpler and more intuitive. Each project is labeled as either Level 1 Priority (highest), Level 2 Priority, or Level 3 Priority.

Factors to take into account when setting priority level include:

· Will the project correct a problem that poses a clear danger to human health and safety?

· Will the project significantly enhance City revenues or prevent significant financial loss?

· Is the project widely supported within the community?
· Has the project already been partially funded?

· Is it likely that the project will be funded only if it is identified as being of highest priority?
· Has the project been in the CIP for a long time?
· Is the project specifically recommended in other City of Homer long-range plans?

· Is the project strongly supported by one or more City advisory bodies?

In the end, the Council, in consultation with the City Manager, must weigh all the factors to determine the priority level for each project. For this draft, I have worked with the City Manager to assign labels that the Council may want to review before the CIP is finalized.

· Project “schedule” dates. Based on his knowledge of existing conditions and other factors, the City Manager has proposed schedule dates for all City projects that reflect more realistic timeframes than past CIPs have shown. Many of the projects are now shown as taking place after 2014 (i.e., beyond the 6-year planning period covered by this CIP.)

As reflected in the new dates, it is recommended that major City buildings be completed in this order:

In the next 6 years:
Port and Harbor building
City Hall
Skyline Fire Station

Beyond 2014 (but within 10 years):
Public Works Complex
Police/Fire Hall Complex

Likewise, it is recommended that public restrooms be completed in this order:

In the next 6 years:
Fish Dock (demonstrated need, partial funding secured)
Downtown (demonstrated need for tourist and pedestrian-oriented downtown)
Mariner Park (beach, campground, and Spit Trail users, heated for shoulder seasons
Jack Gist Park (new park, heavy projected use starting next year)

Beyond 2014:
Hornaday Park (still serviceable, replacement should be heated for shoulder seasons)
Ramp 2 (still serviceable)
Ramp 5 (still serviceable)
Spit Trailhead at Kachemak Drive
End of the Road Park

· Recommendations from City Commissions. (Note: In most cases, Commissions did not consider proposed new projects, since those projects had not yet been drafted.)

The Planning Commission recommended the following CIP projects in priority order:
1. Water Treatment Plant Upgrade/Alternate Water Source
2. Deep Water Dock Expansion, Phase 1
3. Main Street Reconstruction
4. Homer Intersection Improvements
The following projects, in no particular order, are also important to the Commission: Town Center Infrastructure, East Boat Harbor, Firefighting Enhancement–Aerial Truck; Paving Freight Dock Road; Public Restrooms; Skyline Fire Station; Spit Trail Completion; Sterling Highway Reconstruction–Anchor Point to Baycrest Hill.

The Parks and Recreation Commission ranked their top eight projects as follows:
1. Karen Hornaday Park Drainage Improvements
2. Kachemak Drive Separated Pathway;
3. Jack Gist Park;
4. Mariner Park;
5. East Trunk Trail;
6. Homer Greenhouse;
7. Main Street Reconstruction
8. Homer Intersection Improvements

The Library Advisory Board ranked their top five projects as follows:
1. Aerial Fire Truck
2.  Homer Intersection Improvements
3. Public Restrooms–Downtown
4. Homer Greenhouse
5. Haven House

The Port and Harbor Commission ranked their top seven projects as follows:
1. Deep Water Dock Expansion, Phase 1
2. Harbor Float Replacement, Phase 1 with Ramp 3 Gangway and
Ramp 3 Approach Replacement added
3. Harbor Entrance Erosion Control
4. Pioneer Dock Fenders
5. Spit Trail Completion/Harbor Pathways
6. East Boat Harbor
7. Williamsport–Pile Bay Road

The Economic Development Commission ranked their CIP priorities as follows:
1. Alternative Water Source
2. Firefighting Enhancement–Aerial Truck
3. Paving Freight Dock Road
4. (tie): Main Street Reconstruction, Intersections Improvement, Kachemak Drive
Rehabilitation/Pathway, Williamsport–Pile Bay Road, Rescue Systems Upgrade, and
Bridge Creek Watershed Land Acquisition
5. Skyline Fire Station

· Reminder about State funding for water/sewer projects: The City receives 50 points in the DEC scoring system if the project has been identified as our number-one capital improvement priority; without the 50 points it is unlikely a project will score high enough to receive funding.

· Remaining Steps in 2009-2014 Capital Improvement Planning Process: The public hearing for the CIP is scheduled for the September 22 City Council meeting. Adoption of the CIP and the FY 2010 legislative priority list is scheduled for October 13.