To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Julie Lucido, Public Works Director
Prepared By: Dwight Bray, Assistant Engineer
TITLE:
Title
Emergency Repair of Browns Valley Creek at Tall Grass Drive Bridge
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Determine there is a need to continue the emergency action to execute and implement a contract for the design, permitting, and construction to stabilize the creek bank and adjacent roadway for Browns Valley Creek at Tall Grass Drive, and determine that the actions authorized by this item are exempt from CEQA.
Body
DISCUSSION:
Pursuant to City of Napa Municipal Code 2.91.040, City staff shall continue to make reports to City Council at each regularly scheduled City Council meeting until the emergency action is terminated by City Council. On December 7, 2024, Council meeting, City Council determined the need to continue the emergency.
Background:
Inspections of the Tall Grass Drive Bridge documented that erosion to the Browns Valley Creek banks beneath the bridge had progressed. Public Works engaged professional structural and civil engineers, along with an environmental specialist, who determined that, to prevent further damage, ensure public safety, and maintain vehicle and emergency access, immediate action is required to stabilize the creek bank before sustained heavy winter rains. On December 3, 2024, the City Manager declared an emergency and authorized the Public Works Director to execute emergency contracts.
Update:
Initial work to stabilize the creek bank was completed over the winter. Due to limited access for heavy equipment during the rainy season, all work last winter was completed using hand tools and manual labor. Additional stabilization - including armoring the banks - is being designed as an intermediate step and will be necessary until a permanent repair can be fully designed and constructed.
Designing the intermediate and permanent repairs requires surveying, geotechnical analysis, and a hydrologic and hydraulic study to account for both normal creek flows and storm events. A contract for the intermediate design has been executed with BKF Engineers. Staff continue to meet regularly with BKF Engineers to oversee progress of the design. Weekly site monitoring will continue until the permanent repairs are complete.
Initial survey, hydrologic and hydraulic reports have been submitted to the city for review. The geotechnical investigation has begun, and the report will follow by mid August. The intermediate repair design is being completed by BKF based on the data and recommendations from these technical reports. Staff recommend continuing the emergency to expedite contracts for the design and construction of the additional stabilization (armoring).
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
There are adequate available funds in the Bridge Assessment and Repair capital improvement project (33BR22PW01) for the design of the intermediate repair.
CEQA:
City staff recommends that the City Council determine the Recommended Action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to: CEQA Guidelines Section 15269 (Statutory exemption for emergency repairs, in accordance with California Public Resources Code Section 21080(b)(2)); and CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Categorical exemption Class 1 Existing Facilities), which exempts repair, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing facilities involving negligible or no expansion of use.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
None.
NOTIFICATION:
None.