Memorandum
City
of
Utilities
Department
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TO: |
David Corliss, City Manager |
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FROM: |
Jim Stuit, Field Project Manager |
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CC: |
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Date: |
February 4, 2008 |
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RE: |
Update on Downtown Sprinkler Program (DSP) |
Please include the following item on the consent agenda for the February
12, 2008 City Commission meeting.
Authorize the City Manager
to add 731 Massachusetts and 732-34 Massachusetts to the list of approved
incentive recipients for the Downtown Sprinkler Incentive Program.
Program History: A 3-year water line replacement project for
downtown was inaugurated in 2005. As the project progressed, there was
renewed interest by City Commissioners in reducing the threat of devastating
fires that are part of the history of downtown
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The City Commission, at its June 6, 2006 meeting, authorized a tap
incentive to downtown building and business owners in the 700 and 800 blocks of
In January 2007, a program outline that combined the
tap incentive and the full system incentive was completed, and the City began
receiving applications for the program.
In all, 32 applications representing 35 separate buildings or business
addresses were received by the March 2, 2007 deadline. Applications were evaluated on a Building Prioritization and Selection matrix,
and then assigned to one of three tiers.
The first tier properties were selected to receive sprinkler system
incentive funds, and asked to begin securing bids for sprinkler system
installation. The second tier properties
were notified that they may be eligible for the program, provided that
funds remained available. The third tier
properties were notified that they were not eligible for the incentive at this
time, but could be considered at a later date if funding became available. The City Commission authorized the City
Manager to enter into contracts with the Incentive Recipients at its April 10,
2007 City Commission meeting.
Current Status: Three
downtown buildings now have enhanced fire protection due to installation of
sprinkler systems in 2007. The new
sprinkler systems are all compliant with Fire Code NFPA 13, and were installed
as part of the Downtown Sprinkler Incentive Program. Information on those properties is shown in
Table 1 below.
|
Sprinkler
installation at the Casbah 803 Mass |
Table 1 – Properties with new Sprinkler Systems
(2007)
|
Address |
Business |
Cost |
City
Share |
Status |
|
715 Mass |
Silverworks |
$27,395 |
$21,916 |
complete |
|
803 Mass |
Casbah |
$33,504 |
$25,128 |
complete |
|
719-21 Mass |
Smokehouse |
$50,190 |
$37,642 |
complete |
|
|
|
|
715 Mass – Silverworks 803 Mass – Casbah 719-21 Mass - Smokehouse
Several other downtown property owners wish to take advantage of the
Downtown Sprinkler System Incentive Program, and will possibly complete
installation in 2008. Information on
these properties is shown in Table 2.
Table 2 – Properties
anticipated in 2008
|
Address |
Business |
Comments |
|
746 Mass |
Tellers (Tier 1) |
The owners are proceeding with sprinkler system installation. A tap and fire line are scheduled for
installation in February 2008. |
|
723-25 Mass |
Goldmakers (Tier 1) |
The owners are in the process or remodeling and have contracted with
a sprinkler installation company. A
tap and fire line are scheduled for installation in February 2008. |
|
700 Mass |
(Tier 1) |
The owners are finalizing plans for installation in the first quarter
of 2008. A tap is already in place. |
|
731 Mass |
Francis Sporting Goods (Tier 2)* |
The owners are planning to coordinate sprinkler system installation
with some general remodeling, beginning in January 2008. A tap and fire line are already in place. |
|
820-822 Mass |
Black-Eyed Susan’s (820) Kimbari (822) (Tier 2) |
The owners wish to install one sprinkler system in these adjacent
properties: They will be soliciting
bids in January 2008. A new tap will
be required. |
|
733-735 Mass |
Salon Di Marco (Tier 2) |
The owners wish to install one sprinkler system in these adjacent
properties: They will be soliciting
bids in January 2008. A new tap will
be required. |
|
814 Mass |
La Parrilla (Tier 2) |
The owners wish to install a sprinkler system in this property: They will be soliciting bids in January
2008. A new tap will be required. |
|
732-34 Mass |
Sacred Sword (Tier 2)* |
The owners wish to install a combined sprinkler system in these
properties. They have the required 3
bids and have signed a Shared Tap
Agreement. |
* properties requesting to be added to the
approved recipient list
Other Properties:
The final property included in the first tier of approved applications
is the
There are twenty three (23) additional properties with applications on
file, including one that came in January 2008.
Most of these properties front
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City Investment
To Date:
To date, the City has provided reimbursement for three properties,
totaling $84,686. In addition, as part of the shared cost
agreements for tap installation, the City donated approximately $6,000 in labor/material costs
for two tap connections. Costs for the sprinkler system installation have
generally come in approximately 10% above projections made at the program’s
inception. This can be attributed to the
“retrofit” nature of the work in older buildings, where there are many unknowns
until the work is actually underway.
Table 3 provides financial information regarding the Downtown Sprinkler
Program.
Table 3 – Financial Information –
Downtown Sprinkler Program
|
Amount allocated in 2007 and 2008 budgets |
$250,000 |
|
Amount paid in reimbursement in 2007 |
$47,044 |
|
Amount paid in reimbursement in 2008 (to date) |
$37,642 |
|
Amount of anticipated reimbursement for 2008 (total)* |
$115,000 |
|
Original Estimate of reimbursement for all properties with
applications |
$1,229,000 |
|
Revised Estimate of reimbursement for all properties with
applications |
$1,351,900 |
* includes 731, 732-34
Next Steps: From
all indications, there will be a significant amount of sprinkler system
installation work in 2008 as part of the Downtown Sprinkler Program. If all the planned work is completed on
approved properties, I anticipate that we will use approximately 50% of funds
allocated in the 2008 budget.
Once the “top tier” of applicants have completed their sprinkler system
installations, staff will turn their attention towards the other applicants,
and determine budget allocation requirements for 2009 and 2010. The success of the program to date may
generate additional applications, and as these applications come in, it will be
necessary for staff to refine and revise the application evaluation process.
The properties that are the topic of this memo are at the top of the
Tier 2 list based on the Building Prioritization
and Selection matrix.
Action Request: Authorize
the City Manager to add 731