HomeMy WebLinkAbout10 - Time Extension Request for the Orange County Transportation Authority's Newport Bay Trash Interceptor GrantTO:
FROM
CITY OF
NEWPORT BEACH
City Council Staff Report
March 23, 2021
Agenda Item No. 10
HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
David A. Webb, Public Works Director - 949-644-3311,
dawebb@newportbeachca.gov
PREPARED BY: John Kappeler, Senior Engineer, jkappeler@newportbeachca.gov
PHONE: 949-644-3218
TITLE: Time Extension Request for the Orange County Transportation
Authority's Newport Bay Trash Interceptor Grant
ABSTRACT:
As part of the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Measure M2 Tier 1
Environmental Cleanup Program, the City of Newport Beach (City) was awarded a grant
for the Newport Bay Trash Interceptor Project.
The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted field investigation schedules, and that in turn has
delayed the project design and preparation of construction documents. Staff recommends
City Council approval of a one-time, 24 -month time extension to allow for project
construction, the completion of construction -related close-out items and the grant
reporting requirements before the grant term expires. Further, in accordance with OCTA
guidelines, staff is seeking formal approval of a letter to OCTA dated February 25, 2021,
requesting the 24 -month extension.
RECOMMENDATION:
a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because
this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly,
and
b) Approve a 24 -month time extension for the completion of the Newport Bay Trash
Interceptor project and ratify/approve the correspondence dated February 25, 2021,
which is attached hereto, from the Public Works Director to the OCTA requesting said
24 -month extension.
DISCUSSION:
Every year, large volumes of trash and debris enter Newport Bay from the Santa Ana -
Delhi Channel (SAD) and San Diego Creek (SDC), and subsequently ends up on the
inter -tidal areas around Upper Bay and deposits on beaches at the Newport Dunes and
around the lower harbor. Some trash and debris exits the Harbor Jetty directly into the
open ocean and deposits on the beaches along the Balboa Peninsula, and down coast
to Big Corona Beach. In addition, a portion of the trash becomes embedded in the bay
sediments.
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Time Extension Request for the Orange County Transportation Authority's
Newport Bay Trash Interceptor Grant
March 23, 2021
Page 2
The Newport Bay Trash Interceptor (Attachment A) is a water quality improvement project
for Newport Bay. This project is also one of the goals/objectives for the City's Water
Quality/Coastal Tidelands Committee. Councilmember Duffield chairs this committee.
The Newport Bay Trash Interceptor will be designed to capture floatable trash, from both
dry weather as well as storm flows, generated from the 120 -square -mile upstream
tributary area that passes through San Diego Creek into the bay. With implementation of
the Newport Bay Trash Interceptor Project, the recently completed Santa Ana -Delhi
Regional Trash Capture Facility and the City's extensive local storm drain system trash
collection efforts, the bay should immediately experience trash load reductions of
50 - 80%; an important step toward more fully protecting subtidal and intertidal habitats.
As part of the 2019 OCTA Measure M, Tier 1, call for projects, the City successfully
applied for and was awarded $500,000 in grant funds to implement the Newport Bay
Trash Interceptor Project. The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted field investigation
schedules and delayed the project design and preparation of construction documents.
Staff is requesting City Council approval of a 24 -month time extension to complete this
project and the grant reporting requirements.
In accordance with OCTA guidelines, to receive a time extension, the City must submit
the following:
1. A letter signed by the City of Newport Beach Public Works Director requesting the
time extension (Attachment B).
2. Newport Beach City Council approval of the letter signed by the Public Works
Director.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The FY 2020-21 Capital Improvement Program Budget includes $1,699,438 for the
Newport Bay Trash Interceptor project (17X12). The funding includes $1,651,438 in grant
funds from the Ocean Protection Council, $40,000 in restricted funds from the Upper
Newport Bay Restoration Fund, and $8,000 in General Funds.
Along with the reprogramming of the existing project funds, the newly awarded OCTA
Measure M Tier 1 grant funds of $500,000 will be appropriated to the project through the
FY 2021-22 budget adoption process.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not
result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment)
and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA
Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no
potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
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Time Extension Request for the Orange County Transportation Authority's
Newport Bay Trash Interceptor Grant
March 23, 2021
Page 3
NOTICING:
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of
the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A — Location Map
Attachment B — Time Extension Request Letter
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ATTACHMENTA
ONB Trash Interceptor
NEWPORT BAY TRASH
INTERCEPTOR PROJECT
LOCATION MAP
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
3/23/2021
ATTACHMENT B
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
DAVID A. WEBB, DIRECTOR
February 25, 2021
Mr. Joseph Alcock
Section Manger III
Orange County Transportation Authority
550 S. Main Street
Orange, CA 92868
Subject: Request for 24 Month Delay of the Newport Bay Trash Interceptor Project (20-NBCH-ECP-
3986)
Dear Mr. Alcock:
As part of the March 2021 semi-annual review (SAR) process, the City of Newport Beach is requesting
a 24 -month formal delay for the following project:
Newport Bay Trash Interceptor Project (20-NBCH-ECP-3986)
A time extension is needed due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, and to ensure construction, all
construction related close-out items and grant reporting are completed before the grant expires.
Please feel free to call John Kappeler at (949) 644-3218 should you have any questions, and we look
forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Dave Webb
Director of Public Works
City of Newport Beach
Cc: James Houlihan, Deputy Public Works Director/City Engineer, City of Newport Beach
Robert Stein, Assistant City Engineer, City of Newport Beach
John Kappeler, Senior Engineer, City of Newport Beach
POST OFFICE Box 1768, NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658-8915
P (949) 644-331 1 1 F (949) 644-3318 1 WWW.NEWPORTBEACHCA.GOV
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