08-09-2023 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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STAFF REPORT 1 TO: Mayor Fischer and Members of the City Council FROM: Bryce Shearen, CPRP, Parks & Recreation/Community Services Director Eric Seaburg, P.E., City Engineer DATE: August 9, 2023 RE: Authorize Country Drive and South Owasso Sidewalk Extension Design ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED: The City Council is asked to consider authorizing design services with Bolton & Menk for the Country Drive and South Owasso Sidewalk Extension. BACKGROUND: Earlier in the year staff investigated the possibility of applying for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) through Ramsey County’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority for a sidewalk extension along Country Drive and South Owasso Boulevard from North Star Mobile Estates to the Waterworks Trail. Refer to the project map enclosed. Staff presented at the March 8, 2023, City Council meeting on this project with the initial intention of getting a resolution of support for the project, but after much discussion with Ramsey County in early March regarding a possible application, it became apparent that the funding tied to the CDBG program have become stricter in recent years and there is a harder deadline on spending the awarded funds. The project cost estimate at that time was approximately $500,000 and there was general support from the City Council to keep this project on the radar and seek alternative funding sources. Ramsey County staff recommended that the project be designed, permitted, and ready for bidding with any necessary easements secured prior to applying for a CDBG grant in March 2024. If funded, this would allow the project to be approved by HUD very quickly, out to bid, and constructed in 2024 in accordance with the CDBG program’s 1-year funding cycle goal. Environmental permitting and easement acquisition alone can take several months and make the 1-year project completion goal unachievable given our state’s relatively short construction season. Having completed several similar CDBG projects on behalf of the City, Bolton & Menk has the experience to complete the front-end design, permitting, and state/federal reviews to ensure this project is shovel-ready for a CDBG application next spring. In the event the project is not awarded, the City could proceed with local funding or wait until other sidewalk or CDBG grant opportunities arise.