MEMORANDUM

City of Lawrence

Parks & Recreation Department

 

DATE:           July 14, 2009

 

TO:              Dave Corliss, City Manager  – revised 07/28/09

 

Cc:                Cynthia Boecker, Assistant City Manager

                   Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager

                   Ernie Shaw, Interim Director Parks & Recreation

                   Charles Soules, Public Works Director

 

FROM:          Mark Hecker, Park Superintendent Parks and Recreation

 

RE:               June 23, 2009, City Commission Consent Agenda Item

 

Please include the following item on the City Commission consent agenda for consideration at the July 28, 2009, meeting:

 

Set a bid opening date of September 1, 2009, for Burroughs Creek Trail Project

 

Project Description  (project map - revised 07/28/09 )

In January of 2007, the Parks & Recreation Department contracted with Bartlett & West Engineering to create a master plan for the Burroughs Creek Trail and Linear Park project. This project, when completed, will provide a new recreation path and linear park in East Lawrence extending from 11th Street to 23rd Street along the abandoned rail corridor that is located just west of Haskell Ave. This trail will connect to the existing Rail Trail, running from 23rd Street to 29th Street along the same rail corridor.  In addition to this project, this rail corridor currently contains a number of major sanitary sewer lines that feed to the City’s wastewater treatment plant.  Preserving the entire corridor as public property would allow for access and maintenance of these lines, as well as provide recreational opportunities for Lawrence residence.

 

The master plan for the park was developed with cooperation and input from adjoining neighborhood associations, interested members of the public and City staff from a number of departments (Parks & Rec, Utilities, Public Works and Planning). The plan has been discussed at two public meetings (April 4 & July 9 of 2007) where interested citizens were given the opportunity to provide input and make suggestions on amenities for the park and the alignment of the trail.

 

In 2008, City staff submitted a successful grant proposal to KDOT for funding of the main concrete trail in this park. 

 

Early in 2009, City Staff initiated the process to begin construction of the project.  Parks and Recreation held two additional public meeting (February and May 2009) to receive input and hear concerns from neighborhood associations and interested members of the general public in relation to the planned development of the park. These meeting were very well attended and provided very good discussion. As a result, a number of small design changes were made to improve the overall project. Public Works staff have done all of the construction design and development of the bid documents based on input from these meeting.     

 

   

Property Acquisition

Legal staff has been working with outside counsel on acquiring the property interests to construct the recreation path.  Thirty eight tracts were needed for the project.  (Tract Map - updated 07/28/09). Of the eighteen residentially zoned parent tracts, sixteen have been successfully acquired.  Twenty industrially zoned parent tracts were needed and eighteen have been acquired through negotiation.  The remaining properties will be obtained through the eminent domain process.  Condemnation proceedings were authorized with the adoption of Ordinance 8389 on May 5, 2009 and the petition was filed on June 2nd.   The appraisers’ panel has set a hearing date of July 29, 2009.  After filing their report, once the City makes payment to the Clerk of the District Court, the remaining property interests will be controlled by the City.  

 

Update 7/28/09:  The property acquisition team has obtained a negotiated settlement with the owners of Tract 33, the Southwestern Bell property, located at 547 E. 19th Street.  The owners have accepted the appraised offer of compensation for the property interests in the amount of $36,500.  An additional allowance for fencing in the amount of $6,210 has also been reached.  Approval of the agreement will allow for withdrawl of this tract from the condemnation action and the July 29 appraisers’ hearing.

 

Action Requested:  Authorize the City Manager to execute a purchase agreement with the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in the amount of $42,710.00.

 

 

 

Project Schedule   

Advertise for bids:    July 31, 2009

Pre-bid meeting        August 26, 2009

Open bids:              September 1, 2009

Award Contract:       September 15, 2009

Notice to Proceed:    September 16, 2009

Project Completion:  December 31, 2009

 

 

Project Funding

 

Total estimated Project Cost:

$850,000.00

KDOT Funding

$500,000.00 (maximum)

City’s Share (from Sales Tax revenue)      

$350,000.00

 

The above total project cost does not include the cost of engineering design and property acquisition. Engineering design of this project is being performed in-house by Engineering staff at the Public Works Department. Construction engineering services will also be performed by Public Works staff and the cost (estimated at $30,000.00) for this work has been included in the city’s share, as part of the total cost of the project.  The city will be responsible for 100% of the Project Cost exceeding $850,000.

 

 

Action Request

The City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department staff requests approval from the City Commission to set a bid date of September 1st, 2009, for the Burroughs Creek Trail Project.

 

Thank you for your assistance.  Please advise if you have any questions.