DATE: May 7, 2019
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steve E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
David Pomaville, Director
Department of Public Health/Assistant Emergency Service Director
SUBJECT: Proclamation of Emergency Road Repair and Soil Stabilization near the town of Big Creek
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Adopt Resolution finding that Huntington Lake Road is a critical route for emergency response and evacuation serving the town of Big Creek and Huntington Lake Basin, and therefore warrants suspension of the competitive bidding process for emergency road repair at a segment of Huntington Lake Road located three quarters of a mile north of the town of Big Creek; and
2. Make a finding that it is in the best interest of the County to suspend competitive bidding process consistent with Administrative Policy No. 34 for unusual and extraordinary circumstances that exist requiring immediate Huntington Lake Road Repair to maintain service essential to public health and safety and authorize the Purchasing Manager to negotiate, approve, and execute all related agreements, contracts, and other documents necessary for the remediation and restoration, upon terms that he deems necessary and in the County’s best interest, subject to approval as to legal form by County Counsel and as to accounting form by the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector; and
3. Determine that adoption of a Resolution acknowledging the emergency nature of the Huntington Lake Road Repair is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act, Public Resources Code, section 21000, et seq., and direct the Department of Public Works and Planning staff to file a Notice of Exemption with the Office of the Fresno County Clerk.
REPORT
Approval of recommended actions will authorize the Purchasing Manager to contract for remediation and repair of the Huntington Lake Road. Such approval will also authorize the Purchasing Manager to negotiate, approve, and execute agreements for the subject road repair.
This item pertains to a location in District 5.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There is no viable alternative action.
SUSPENSION OF COMPETITION/SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT:
The Departments of Public Works and Planning and Public Health request to suspend the competitive bidding process consistent with Administrative Policy No. 34 as this is consistent with the processes used for previous and similar remediation projects of an emergency nature. Internal Services Department - Purchasing Division concurs with the Departments’ request to suspend the competitive bidding process.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The Departments’ will return to your Board on a later date to appropriate funds for the emergency repair. In addition, the Departments’ will coordinate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) High Sierra Ranger District, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)/Fresno County Fire Protection District, and Southern California Edison (SCE) to identify potential funding resources to offset the emergency repair costs.
DISCUSSION:
On April 25, 2019, officials from the Department of Public Works and Planning, CAL FIRE/Fresno County Fire Protection District, USDA High Sierra Ranger District, County Office of Emergency Services (OES), and Southern California Edison (SCE) convened to discuss the impacts of the over steepened slope/instability and rock fall hazard on a segment of Huntington Lake Road. The segment is located three-quarters of a mile north of the town of Big Creek in the County (Exhibit A) and serves as a connection to the town of Big Creek and Huntington Lake Basin.
After multiple years of severe drought and dry conditions, much of the vegetation in the subject area was lost. During the winter storms of 2017, the segment exhibited signs of instability and was temporarily reinforced with a steel plate across the damaged section of roadway; however, conditions have worsened and are now beyond the extent of available County resources. Several conditions have contributed to road deterioration:
• Drought has changed the landscape, eliminating vegetation that provides erosion control;
• Death of trees and the loss of root structures that provided soil stabilization;
• Heavy rainfall of 2017 and subsequent runoff; and
• Heavy equipment use to mobilize tree mortality efforts and to service power generating facilities.
A geotechnical evaluation of the road was conducted by the Department of Public Works and Planning and its consulting engineer, Moore Twining Associates, Inc. which found that the slope adjacent to Huntington Lake Road is significantly over-steepened and there are rock fall hazards with large boulders that have been exposed/undercut. These conditions have made the roadway hazardous for vehicle travel and it has been determined that roadway surface does not provide adequate reliable support for vehicles at this time.
The proposed repairs will require excavation and placement of large diameter rocks to stabilize the slide mass. The work to be done will include benching an area into the hillside to allow for the placement of the large diameter rock and progressively smaller rock up the hill to stabilize the hillside so that a 16-20-foot wide area for the road can be provided and road surface material placed. It is anticipated that the limits of the work will be within an already disturbed area and limited to the adjacent downhill slope. The area to be stabilized on the downhill slope is estimated to be less than one acre in size and all repair work is estimated to be completed within a 45-day period.
Huntington Lake Road serves the town of Big Creek, SCE, and the public for day-to-day activities. It is a critical route for emergency response and evacuation serving the town of Big Creek and Huntington Lake Basin. It also provides critical access to county roads utilized to provide fire suppression resources, emergency medical response, and access to critical power infrastructure. After careful consideration, the Department of Public Works and Planning has closed the road to vehicular traffic until repairs can be made. The County is gathering resources and evaluating both temporary and permanent road repair solutions.
A community meeting has been tentatively scheduled on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 at the SCE community center in the town of Big Creek. With your Board’s approval, Department staff will begin notifying all stakeholders and the communities of Big Creek, Huntington Lake, and Shaver Lake.
California Environmental Quality Act Determination
The subject proposal is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Statutory Exemption Section 15269(b) and (c) Emergency Projects (Emergency repairs to maintain service essential to public health and safety and actions necessary to prevent/mitigate an emergency) and Categorical Exemption - Section 15301(C) Existing Facilities (Repair/Maintenance of existing streets).
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Exhibit A
On file with Clerk - Resolution
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa