AGENDA #10
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Process for Preliminary Design and Cost Estimation for Town Operations Center
DATE: January 13, 2002
The following resolution A would establish a process and schedule for development of a conceptual design and cost estimate for construction of the new Town Operations Center on Millhouse Road.
Resolution B would establish a Design Advisory Committee for the project, including a charge and the membership, and would authorize the Manager to advertise for members for Council appointment on January 27 and February 10.
The Manager recommends adoption of both resolutions.
BACKGROUND
The Chapel Hill Public Works and Transportation Departments are located on land owned by the University on the Horace Williams tract. The leasehold is about 23 acres, with about 19.4 acres of that now impervious surface. The rent is $1 a year, and the 30-year term ends on December 31, 2006. Over the past several years, the Town has requested that the University extend the lease, but the University has declined to do so.
The Council has purchased land for a new site for Public Works, Transportation and possibly other operations on Millhouse Road, north of Eubanks Road. On December 13, the Council authorized the execution of a contract with a team of consultants led by Corley Redfoot Zack to prepare a site analysis, needs assessment, conceptual site plan and preliminary cost projection for the new operations center.
A cost estimate is the most critical piece of information now needed to proceed with the work that will result in the Public Works and Transit operations being in a new operations center by December 31, 2006. The current design contract will provide a conceptual plan and a cost estimate by August 2003. These are both necessary before the Council can make financing arrangements. Once financing is determined, then design development can proceed, followed by a Special Use Permit application, final design work, construction of the new facilities, moving into the new operations center and demolition of the current facilities on the Horace Williams tract, as required by the University. (Financing is discussed as a separate item later in this memorandum.)
DISCUSSION
The process that we discuss below is intended to result in a new operations center for Public Works, Transportation and possibly other Town functions. We believe that consideration should be given to locating Public Housing Maintenance and the Engineering Department offices on the site. The County has also requested consideration of locating the animal shelter on the site.
The goal is to develop a Town Operations Center that demonstrates the best techniques of sustainable development, environmental sensitivity and fiscal prudence.
The objectives of the process and schedule discussed below include:
1. Analyze the site in enough detail to understand the important limitations and opportunities of the site and the options for extension of water and sewer.
2. Assess the Town’s needs broadly enough that opportunities are not overlooked and so that the Council may have options regarding which uses to locate on Millhouse Road.
3. Develop a conceptual site plan.
4. Develop cost figures on which to base a budget.
5. Include a value engineering team early in the process so that the value engineering team will understand the design and programming objectives as well as the limitations and opportunities of the site, and be in a position to introduce cost-saving measures from the beginning of the project.
6. Provide for guidance and decision-making by the Council, and advisory input from a design advisory committee and the public in general.
7. Complete a general presentation to the Council and the public by June and enough additional work to support a budget decision by the Council on August 25. This date is the latest by which the Council would need to decide on the size of a bond issue if a referendum is to be held in November 2003.
We emphasize that design is an iterative process. We begin with broad ideas and refine them until we have a set of working drawings. The process discussed in this memorandum will result in a general conceptual plan. It will provide enough information on which to base budget and financing decisions, although many smaller issues will have to be addressed in later stages of design. Only after the concept plan is adopted and the financing established, would we recommend entering into the final design process of bringing the level of detail first to that of a Special Use Permit application and then to that of working drawings.
Process
Below is a summary of the various tasks which need to be completed between now and August 25, 2003. A detailed flow chart is attachment #1.
Phase I: 12/16 – 2/14
Phase II: 2/17 – 4/11
Phase III: 4/14 – 8/25
Council and Public Input
The process described in the attached flow chart includes times for review by advisory boards, the public and staff and for consultant revisions. Our intent is to include sufficient opportunity for the Town Council, in its role as owner, to review the progress of the design project, provide guidance to the designer, and to make decisions as needed. We have also included times for the public to follow the progress of the design process and to provide their comments to the Council and consultants.
The consultants have agreed to a strict schedule for developing designs and estimates and possible subsequent revisions so that they can meet the challenge of developing a conceptual plan and preliminary cost figures by June, with support for a final Council decision in August.
We believe that the ideal process would include the entire Town Council in the design process. However, we think that it is unrealistic to expect so much time of so many Council Members. Instead, we propose that at least three and preferably more Council members participate in the Design Advisory Committee described below. In any case, every Council member would receive all information provided to the Design Advisory Committee.
Design Advisory Committee
We believe that the most efficient and effective means of gathering public input is to establish a design advisory committee. Such a group could have the following charge:
This group could include members of the Town’s advisory boards, neighbors of the site, other Chapel Hillians and as many Council members as possible. Representatives of our two partners in the transit system, Carrboro and the University of North Carolina, might also be included. We think the following membership would allow the designers to hear from a broad cross-section of the community:
Council members 3 or more
Neighbors of the site 3
Other Chapel Hill residents 3
Transportation Partners 2
Energy, Environment and
Sustainability Committee* 1
Community Design Commission 1
Transportation Board 1
Planning Board 1
*After the committee is established
Financing
Federal funding may be available for up to 80% of the cost of the transit facilities. However, we cannot begin the pursuit of a specific funding level before we have a conceptual plan and cost estimates.
Federal funding may come in two forms. One is grant funding that is normally available for 80% of approved costs. The remaining 20% is usually split evenly between State funds and local funds, assuming that State funding is available. Such grants are distributed in a competitive process, and we have been advised by federal officials that a single grant of the size that we will need is not a possibility. However, there are various types of federal funding for transit and for transportation in general. We need to review all sources of funding to see what type of revenue might be possible.
Another means of acquiring federal funding is to work with our Congressional delegation to have an allocation “earmarked” in federal legislation. Such an “earmark” could be for as much as 80% of eligible capital costs, but earmarks of the size we will need in a single year may also be very unlikely. An approach that combines several sources of federal revenue over several years may be the most successful. Regardless of the sources of federal funds, we would also pursue State funding for 10% of costs and would need to provide, with our two transportation partners, a 10% local match.
We anticipate the 10% local match in both cases could be in the range of $1 – 1.4 million. Based on conversations with federal officials, we believe we will be able to count the cost of land acquisition and of design as part of our local match; the Town has already spent or encumbered about $420,000 on these. When we have a better sense of the development costs later this year, we will know how much additional financing will be necessary for the remaining portion of the local share.
In addition, the Council needs to consider how to finance the costs of developing the public works operations center and possibly other non-transit facilities to be co-located on the site. Federal funding might be available for some or most of the costs of a housing maintenance facility. The intent is to have a preliminary range of cost figures by late spring so that the Council could, if it wishes to consider a November bond referendum, make a final decision at its August 25 meeting.
CONCLUSION
We are beginning a multi-year process toward developing an operational center for the Town’s two largest departments, both of which must vacate their present quarters in just under four years. We believe that careful design process, with strong community participation, will enhance the quality of the final product, and result in a facility whose design reflects the community’s values of sustainable development, environmental sensitivity and fiscal prudence.
RECOMMENDATION
That the Council adopt the following resolutions:
Resolution A, which would establish a process and schedule for the conceptual design and cost estimation work for the Town Operations Center on Millhouse Road.
Resolution B, which would establish a Design Advisory Committee for the project, including a charge and the membership, and authorize the Manager to advertise for members for Council appointment on January 27 and February 10.
ATTACHMENTS
A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A PROCESS AND SCHEDULE FOR THE CONCEPTUAL DESIGN AND COST ESTIMATION WORK FOR THE TOWN OPERATIONS CENTER ON MILLHOUSE ROAD (2003-01-13/R-11a)
WHEREAS, the Town of Chapel Hill is preparing to develop a new Town Operations Center on its land on Millhouse Road, north of Eubanks Road; and
WHEREAS, the Town needs to seek federal funding for the transportation facility and to finance the costs of the public works and other uses to be located on this site; and
WHEREAS, the Town Council has determined that it needs information on a conceptual site plan and cost estimates by June 2003, and needs to make a final budget decision by August 25, 2003;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the following process and schedule shall guide the work of the consultant team led by Corley Redfoot Zack:
Phase I: 12/16 – 2/14
Phase II: 2/17 – 4/11
Phase III: 4/14 – 8/25
This the 13th day of January, 2003.
A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A TOWN OPERATIONS CENTER DESIGN ADVISORY COMMITTEE (2003-01-13/R-11b)
WHEREAS, the Town of Chapel Hill is beginning the conceptual design of a Town Operations Center for the Transportation and Public Works Departments and possibly other uses; and
WHEREAS, the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill recognizes the need to include representatives of the public and of advisory boards in the design process; and
WHEREAS, the Council recognizes the need to include opportunities for input from the Council in its role as Client and Owner during the design process;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Town Operations Center Design Advisory Committee is hereby established with the following charge:
Town Operations Center
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the membership of said committee shall include:
Council members 3 or more
Neighbors of the site 3
Other Chapel Hill residents 3
Transportation Partners 2
Energy, Environment and
Sustainability Committee* 1
Community Design Commission 1
Transportation Board 1
Planning Board 1
* After the Committee is established
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Manager is authorized to advertise for applicants for membership in this group so that the Council may make appointments at its January 27 meeting and, if necessary, its February 10 meeting.
This the 13th day of January, 2003.