AGENDA #4b

MEMORANDUM

TO:

Roger Stancil, Town Manager

FROM:

Bill Webster, Interim Director of Parks & Recreation

SUBJECT:

Acceptance of Bids for Southern Community Park Project

DATE:

May 7, 2007

PURPOSE

The attached resolution would authorize the Manager to negotiate and execute a contract with the lowest responsive bidder, Hy Tech, general contractor, in an amount not to exceed $4,708,000 for the construction of the Southern Community Park.

The resolution would also authorize the Manager to alter the park construction program if the Town’s request to use $925,000 of Orange County funds designated for the Bolin Creek Trail is denied; or if the administrators of the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant require a different use of the funds.

The resolution would authorize the Manager to approve change orders for this project as necessary up to a cumulative total of $355,000, but not to exceed the combined total project cost of $5,063,000 (construction cost plus contingency) without additional Council action.

BACKGROUND

In 1986, and 1989, Chapel Hill voters approved parks bonds, portions of which were used to purchase the Southern Community Park property.  In 1997, and 2001, Orange County voters approved parks bonds that included funds designated for the Southern Community Park. 

In July 2000, the Town Council appointed the Southern Community Park Conceptual Plan Committee.  On March 25, 2002, the Town Council adopted the Report of the Southern Community Park Conceptual Plan Committee and directed the Town Manager to prepare an implementation plan. The Orange County Board of Commissioners adopted the Park Concept Plan on March 5, 2003.

On May 9, 2005, the Council approved the Special Use Permit application for the Southern Community Park, which included an expanded parking lot and traffic calming plan on Dogwood Acres Drive. The Council also stipulated that the traffic calming plan for Dogwood Acres Drive be approved by the Council.

On January 9, 2006, the Council considered a traffic calming plan for the Town-maintained section of Dogwood Acres Drive at the proposed Southern Community Park. The Council received a petition asking that a number of issues related to parking and safety on Dogwood Acres Drive be considered. The Council postponed action, and asked advisory boards to consider the traffic calming plan.

In April 2006, the Town received revised cost estimates for the park that indicated a rise in prices by about 30 percent since the previous cost estimate was completed in December 2004.

On April 13, 2006, the Project Planning Committee discussed the concerns of residents and the revised cost estimates. The Committee agreed to recommend that the Council revise the project’s parking and phasing plans.

On April 24, 2006, the Council adopted a new phasing plan and tentative budget for the Southern Community Park based on updated cost estimates.

On December 4, 2006, the Council rejected bids, because the bids exceeded available budget.

On April 11, 2007 the Council again rejected bids, because of a procedural error on the part of the project designer.

DISCUSSION AND EVALUATION

Bids: Based on the plans and specifications for this project prepared by OBS Landscape Architects, bids were solicited from general contractors on a single-prime basis.  The notice to bidders was published on the Town website on April 18, 2007 and in the Greater Diversity News on April 19, 2007.  Four bids were received and opened on April 26, 2007 at 3:00 p.m.  The bid results are as follows:

 

HY TECH CONSTRUCTION

 

Base Bid

3,750,000

Add Alternates

 

South of Dogwood Acres Drive

390,000

Pedestrian Crossing Dogwood Acres Dr.

18,000

Maintenance Building

300,000

One-half of Northern Parking Lot

200,000

Second-half of Northern Parking Lot

200,000

Northern Access Drive

150,000

Key Map

20,000

 

 

Grand Total Hy Tech Construction (Base plus Add Alternates)

5,028,000

 

MOUNTAIN CREEK CONTRACTORS

 

Base Bid

3,792,500

Add Alternates

 

South of Dogwood Acres Drive

489,500

Pedestrian Crossing Dogwood Acres Dr.

29,500

Maintenance Building

198,500

One-half of Northern Parking Lot

239,500

Second-half of Northern Parking Lot

324,500

Northern Access Drive

199,500

Key Map

27,500

 

 

Grand Total Mountain Creek Contractors (Base plus Add Alternates)

5,301,000

 

MOUNTAIN STATES CONTRACTORS

 

Base Bid

4,382,200

Add Alternates

 

South of Dogwood Acres Drive

432,000

Pedestrian Crossing Dogwood Acres Dr.

40,000

Maintenance Building

260,000

One-half of Northern Parking Lot

346,400

Second-half of Northern Parking Lot

40,500

Northern Access Drive

176,400

Key Map

15,000

 

 

Grand Total Mountain States Contractors (Base plus Add Alternates)

5,652,500

 

FAULKNOR CONSTRUCTION

 

Base Bid

5,342,920

Add Alternates

 

South of Dogwood Acres Drive

293,500

Pedestrian Crossing Dogwood Acres Dr.

32,500

Maintenance Building

197,323

One-half of Northern Parking Lot

200,000

Second-half of Northern Parking Lot

125,000

Northern Access Drive

184,976

Key Map

9,000

 

 

Grand Total Faulknor Construction (Base plus Add Alternates)

6,385,219

Base Bid: The base bid for this project included the following elements:

 

We have reviewed the bids with the project architect and concluded that the lowest responsive bidder is Hy Tech Construction for the base bid of $3,750,000.  

Recommended Add Alternates: If the Council agrees, we would execute a contract that would include the following add alternates:

Park Amenities South of Dogwood Acres Drive (add $390,000) – This would include:

all grading south of Dogwood Acres Drive

1.5 acre dog park with water, fencing, site furnishings, and a shelter

40 space parking lot

Trails

Pedestrian Crossing Dogwood Acres Drive (add $18,000) – This alternate includes a complete traffic calming package including signs and raised traffic tables.

One-Half Northern Parking Lot (add $200,000) – This alternate would provide one half of the northern parking lot and the access drive from the Southern park and ride lot. We believe that it is important to provide parking independent from the park and ride lot, particularly since the base bid includes all three athletic/soccer fields. We anticipate that three fields would produce more vehicle trips than the park and ride lot could handle, especially in the late afternoon.

Second-Half of Northern Parking Lot (add $200,000) – This alternative would complete the parking lot and provide the full 122 spaces. We believe this is the proper number of spaces when patrons are using all 3 fields plus the other park amenities, such as in-line hockey, basketball, picnic shelters, and play area. For comparison sake, Homestead Park has 263 parking spaces.

Northern Access Drive (add $150,000) – This alternate would allow a full connection to the park directly from Highway 15-501. It would allow all traffic traveling south (including buses) to make a right turn into the site, thus avoiding the traffic circle and lights in Southern Village. We believe that this connection is a vital component of the park plan in order to reduce traffic congestion created by park patrons in the parking lot, in the southern park and ride lot, and in Southern Village.

We have reviewed the bids with the project architect, and concluded that the lowest responsive bidder is Hy Tech Construction for the base bid of $3,750,000 and the staff’s recommended add alternates.  

Future Phase(s): We believe that the following two alternates and remaining park elements should be added to the park program, either at the end of the project if funds remain, or in a future phase:

  1. Maintenance Building (add $300,000) – This alternate is for a 850 square foot maintenance building that would be used for storage of a specialized mower used for cutting Bermuda grass on the ballfields, plus storage of fertilizer, seed, and other items. While we believe that this building is important, we recommend that it be built in another phase in order to allow construction of the most important recreation and transportation elements of the project.
  2. Key Map (add $20,000) – This would be for a map in a stone monument that would also be a water fountain. The map would allow park visitors to locate the other art elements throughout the park. We believe that funds should be first spent on the most important park and art amenities. We recommend that this item be purchased at the end of the project, if contingency funds remain, or as part of a future phase.
  3. Athletic/Soccer Field and Path Lights – We would install lights at the three athletic/soccer fields. In addition, we would install path lights from the northern parking lot to the fields.
  4. Splash Park – The Special Use Permit includes a children’s splash park near the playground.
  5. Youth Ballfield – This facility is included in the Special Use Permit, but was not bid due to budgetary issues and program need. We believe that the park and the residents of southern Chapel Hill and Orange County would eventually benefit from a youth field.
  6. Future Facility (not designated) – The site contains room in the northeast portion of the site for some future facility that has not yet been designated.

Change Orders: The Council’s policy requires that Council approval is necessary for change orders for construction contracts, which cumulatively total more than 10 percent of the contract, or $50,000, whichever is less.  Because this is a large and complex project, we anticipate that change orders will be necessary, likely totaling more than $50,000.  Often, the delay needed to request Council approval of a change order can be problematic if the timing of the approval as required by the contract does not coincide with the Council’s calendar (especially during breaks in the Council’s meeting schedule). Therefore, we have included in our recommended resolution authorization for the Manager to approve change orders up to a total of $355,000 (project contingency), but not to exceed the combined total project cost of $5,063,000 (construction cost plus contingency) without additional Council action.

Budget for Southern Community Park: The complete budget allows for a construction and contingency budget of $5,063,000.

 

PROPOSED REVENUES

 

 

 

1997 Orange County Parks Bond

1,000,000

2001 Orange County Parks Bond

2,000,000

Sale of Land 1

148,000

Reimbursement Orange Count Design Fees

3,000

PARTF Grant 2

500,000

Town Borrowing

600,000

Use of Fund Balance

600,000

Payment in Lieu Recreation Area

81,000

Use of Orange County funds designed for Bolin Creek Trail 3

925,000

 

 

Total Funds for Southern Community Park

5,857,000

 

1.       Proceeds from sale of land to Chapel Hill/Carrboro City Schools. Funds were used to pay part of the cost of the Scroggs athletic field.

2.       Parks and Recreation Trust Fund.

3.       We have submitted a letter to the Board of Orange County Commissioners requesting that these funds become available for this project. The attached resolution would authorize the Manager to modify the program if the request is denied.

 

PROPOSED EXPENDITURES

 

 

 

Construction Costs

4,708,000

Contingency

355,000

Design (including past concept plan development)

328,000

Previous Expenditures for Scroggs Athletic Field.

242,000

Previous Expenditures 1

48,000

Anticipated miscellaneous expenditures 2

176,000

 

 

Total Expenditures for Southern Community Park

5,857,000

 

1.       Design of art features, soils testing, independent cost estimating, advertising, postage etc.

2.       Reserve for play equipment, disk golf course, soils and materials testing, OWASA tap fees, and burying Progress Energy power line.

RECOMMENDATION

That the Council adopt the attached resolution, which would authorize the Manager to negotiate and execute a contract with the lowest responsive bidder, Hy Tech Construction, general contractor, in an amount not to exceed $4,708,000 for the construction of the Southern Community Park, including a list of recommended add alternates.  

The resolution would also authorize the Manager to approve change orders up to a total of $355,000 (project contingency), but not to exceed the combined total project cost of $5,063,000 (construction cost plus contingency) without additional Council action.

The resolution would also authorize the Manager to alter the park construction program if the Town’s request to use $925,000 of Orange County funds designated for the Bolin Creek Trail is denied; or if the administrators of the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant require a different use of the funds.