TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: Peter D. Lear, CPA, CGMA, City Manager
TITLE: Discussion regarding parking lot additions/improvements in support of Myakkahatchee Creek S. Trail Head (Skate Park), Blue Ridge Park, Community Educational Center, and North Port Aquatic Center.
Recommended Action
Provide staff direction regarding the budgetary shortfalls for the parking lot additions/improvements planned at the Myakkahatchee Creek S. Trail Head (Skate Park), Blue Ridge Park, and the Community Education Center, and address a parking shortfall for the future North Port Aquatic Center at Butler Park.
Background Information
As part of the FY16/17 Capital Improvement Program (CIP), project P17BGA - Blueways/Greenways Access was approved to locate and develop access points/parking areas along the Myakkahatchee Creek Greenway trail system and Blueways. The locations identified in the FY16/17 CIP were Myakkahatchee Creek S. Trail Head ($100,000); Blue Ridge Park ($50,000); Hennessey Street ($75,000); and Delmar Drive ($75,000). During preliminary design, staff identified that funding for this project would not be sufficient to develop four parking areas and requested, from the City Manager’s Office, permission to move both Hennessey Street and Delmar Drive to a future CIP funding year, leaving the $300,000 budgeted for design and construction of the Myakkahatchee Creek S. Trail Head and Blue Ridge Park parking lots. For reference, the Myakkahatchee Creek S. Trail Head is referred to as North Port Blvd. on the CIP project sheet.
Myakkahatchee Creek Trailhead Parking Lot
• Through a continuing contract, the City approved a work assignment with DMK Associates on July 3, 2017 in the amount of $19,820 to update the City’s existing plans (originally designed in 2009) for the trailhead parking lot, obtain SWFWMD permitting, develop construction plans, and provide a current opinion of probable cost.
• DMK has completed the design and provided three paving options, of which the City’s project manager is recommending moving forward with alternate #2:
|
Alternate #1, Shell Parking & concrete entrance |
$353,034 |
|
Alternate #2, Asphalt |
$276,414 |
|
Alternate #3, Pervious pavement |
$374,859 |
• The design provides a total of 28 new parking spaces, including 2 designated as handicap spaces.
• This project is funded at $150,000, of which $15,380 has been spent to date on design, and $4,440 remains for construction services. Based on the selection of alternate #2 an additional $146,234 (plus a construction contingency amount to be determined) is needed to fully fund this project. Upon allocation of funding this project can be submitted for a formal request for bid for construction. A construction timeline will be established upon the construction award.
• As part of efforts to identify alternative funding sources for this project, staff submitted a grant application to the Recreational Trail Program on 12/15/17 requesting a 60/40 match (reimbursable) of the construction cost, which may offset up to $165,848 of the construction portion of this project. This is a federally funded competitive grant that is distributed on a reimbursement basis and is contingent upon apportionment from the Federal Highway Administration and expenditure authorization by the Florida Legislature. If awarded, agreements will not be executed until on or after July 1, 2018.
• The design document and preliminary opinion of probable cost are attached (Myakkahatchee Creek Trail Parking Lot).
Blue Ridge Park
• Through a continuing contract the City approved a work assignment with DMK Associates on July 27, 2017 in the amount of $36,235 to expand parking for Blue Ridge Park, develop an alternate entrance, obtain SWFWMD permitting approval, develop construction plans, and provide an opinion of probable cost.
• DMK has completed the design and provided three paving options of which the City’s project manager is recommending moving forward with alternate #2. The design provides a total of 23 new parking spaces, of which 2 are designated as handicap spaces.
|
Alternate #1, Shell Parking |
$269,364 |
|
Alternate #2, Asphalt |
$226,714 |
|
Alternate #3, Pervious pavement |
$306,804 |
• This project is funded at $150,000, of which $26,070 has been spent to date on design, and $10,165 remains for construction services. Based on the selection of alternate #2 an additional $112,949 (plus a construction contingency amount to be determined) is needed to fully fund this project. Upon funding this project can be submitted for a formal request for bid for construction. A construction timeline will be established upon the construction award.
• The design document and preliminary opinion of probable cost are attached (Blue Ridge Park Parking Lot).
Also in the FY 16/17 Capital Improvement Program, project P17CEC was approved to redesign and expand the parking area that supports the Community Education Center. This facility serves as the location for the North Port Senior Center activities and services and houses the Salvation Army and Senior Friendship Center.
Community Education Center:
• Through a continuing contract the City approved a work assignment with DMK Associates on July 27, 2017 in the amount of $37,265 to redevelop the parking lot and expand parking opportunities on the east side of the building, connect the driveways between the Family Service Center and Community Education Center, mill and resurface the existing lot, obtain SWFWMD permitting, develop construction plans, and provide an opinion of probable cost.
• DMK has completed the design and provided an opinion of probable cost at $581,123. This design converts the existing circular driveway to a straight driveway that connects the Community Education Center and the Family Service Center lots; adds an additional 25 paved parking spaces (for a total of 77 spaces) of which 6 are designated as handicap spaces; removes the small gazebo; provides for resurfacing of the existing lot; and adds stamped concrete cross walks in the parking lot.
• This project is funded at $120,000, of which $10,595 has been spent to date on design, and $26,670 remains for final design and construction services. Based on the opinion of probable cost an additional $498,388 (plus a construction contingency amount to be determined) is needed to fully fund this project. Upon funding this project can be submitted for a formal request for bid for construction. A construction timeline will be established upon the construction award.
• The design document and preliminary opinion of probable cost are attached (Community Education Center Parking Lot).
• All design plans were done with the knowledge of the Sarasota County Health Departments’ desire to build an ancillary lot on the grass parking area that currently exists. Although permission for use of this area has not been reviewed or approved by Commission, it is staff’s understanding that the Health Department will present this item to Commission should they intend to fund and construct the project.
• Staff met with Senior Center Board President Rochelle Munroe on November 8th to share the preliminary parking lot improvement plans and solicit feedback. Final design was shared with the North Port Senior Center on December 14th and a subsequent meeting was held on January 10th to discuss concerns raised by the North Port Senior Center along with their request for a drop-off lane at the front of building.
Summary:
In summary, these three parking lot projects are all construction ready and are underfunded. Each project will need additional funding, plus an estimated 8% appropriation for construction contingency. In total, before contingency, these three projects need an additional $757,571 in total.
|
Project |
OPC Construction* |
Available Funding |
Funding needed |
|
Trailhead Parking Lot |
$276,414 |
$130,180 |
$146,234 |
|
Blue Ridge Park |
$226,714 |
$113,765 |
$112,949 |
|
Community Education Center |
$581,123 |
$82,735 |
$498,388 |
|
*does not include construction contingency |
|
|
$757,571 |
Funding options:
Staff performed a due diligence analysis of the current capital improvement projects and identified the following projects that can either be moved to a later fiscal year or have savings which could be moved to one of the underfunded parking lot projects. It is possible that any portion of these projects could be programmed again in a later Capital Improvement Plan. Staff respectfully requests consideration that the available funding identified below be appropriated to fund the aforementioned parking lot projects:
|
P17CCI |
City Center Improvements |
$298,126 |
• Project on hold • Pending Chamber lease agreement discussion • Construction could be budgeted in a future FY |
|
P17EPI |
Environmental Park Improvements |
$328,237 |
• Project on hold • No construction documents prepared • Construction could be budgeted in a future FY |
|
P17PAI |
Park Amenities |
$15,000 |
• Move funding for trail markers to a future FY • Potential to pursue grant opportunities |
|
P17PPI |
Pine Park Improvements |
$75,000 |
• Project on track to realize savings |
|
P18DPB |
Deer Prairie Creek Bridge - design |
$128,490 |
• Project on hold • The County/SWFWMD are negotiating a purchase agreement • Potential that this area will be returned to marsh/wet land. An alternate bridge location may need to be identified • Design & construction could be budgeted in future FY |
|
P18DWC |
Dallas White Park Pool Closure |
$100,000 |
• The North Port Aquatic Center is in design and anticipated to open to the public by May 2019 • Existing pool is currently operational • Could budget closure in a future FY |
|
|
|
$944,853 |
|
North Port Aquatic Center:
Through the Staff Development Review (SDR) process a parking deficiency has been identified for the North Port Aquatic Center project. Kimley Horn & Associates is reviewing all comments from SDR and will bring forth additional information regarding parking counts and calculations.
At this time, the City’s Planning staff have estimated that 287 additional parking spaces will be needed. Staff is reviewing options to address additional parking and have identified several options below that may provide the desired solution:
• Paving the existing grass parking spaces south of the Morgan Center and adjacent to the multi-purpose fields. This option would provide an additional 49 parking spaces for use by the Aquatic Center. Currently no budget, estimated cost or funding source has been identified.
• Raising the grade of the retention area to the south of the Morgan Center and paving with a pervious surface. If selected, an engineer will need be consulted, SWFWMD permitting updated for the site, and a construction contractor sought. This option may add a potential 50 spaces. Currently no budget, estimated cost or funding source has been identified.
• Increasing available parking spaces by connecting the existing parking lots that are separated by the kayak launch (Butler Park Map attached). If selected, this would require engineering, SWFWMD permitting, and may add a potential 80 spaces. Currently no budget, estimated cost or funding source has been identified.
• Closing the secondary access road to Price Boulevard and redeveloping the parking area that is bordered by the multipurpose fields and the Myakkahatchee Creek. Staff does not have an estimate on the number of additional spaces that may result from a complete redesign.
This item was originally scheduled for the January 23, 2018 Commission Meeting, item #17-1569; and per Commission direction moved to the February 1, 2018 meeting. Please note, this item includes the most up to date information and attachments.
Strategic Plan
Financial responsible City providing quality municipal services
Financial Impact
Funding is already budgeted in the current Capital Improvement Program. Re-appropriation may result in additional funding being requested in future years to complete planned projects. Costs related to the parking needs at the North Port Aquatic Center at Butler Park are to be determined.
Procurement
To be determined
Attachments:
1. Myakkahatchee Creek Trail Parking Lot
2. Blue Ridge Park Parking Lot
3. Community Educational Center Parking Lot
4. Aquatic Center - Butler Park Existing Parking
Prepared by: Cheryl Greiner
Department Director: Sandy Pfundheller