AgdaPkt 2010-02-08 - Laserfiche WebLink

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REPORT 6.10 Page 1 To the Honorable Mayor and City Council From the City Manager February 8,2010 SUBJECT Certification and compliance assistance with environmental requirements for the South Bayside System Authority ("SBSA") Levee Improvement Project. RECOMMENDA nON Approve, by motion, the professional service agreement with Huffman-Broadway Group, Inc. for Federal Emergency Management Agency ("FEMA") certification and compliance assistance with environmental requirements and conservation measures as dictated by state and federal environmental regulatory agency permits for the SBSA Levee Improvement Project in an amount not to exceed $143,500.00 and authorize the City Manager to increase the contract amount up to 10% if necessary. BACKGROUND In response to FEMA's levee certification mandate, staff continues work on the levee improvement and certification projects to raise the height and certify the levees in the Redwood Shores area prior to September 2010, which is the effective date of the new federal Flood Insurance Rate Maps. On July 28, 2008, the City Council authorized the city to enter into a cost share agreement with the SBSA for the improvements to the levee segment bordering the SBSA treatment plant. According to the agreement, the SBSA is responsible for the permitting and the construction of the levee improvements to satisfy FEMA's levee certification requirement, and the city is responsible for the funding of the project. The construction of this levee segment is anticipated to be completed by February 8, 2010. Permits for the construction of the project were obtained from the Corps of Engineers, San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission. Due to potential habitat for the federally-listed Salt Marsh Harvest mouse and California Clapper rail adjacent to the Redwood Shores levees, federally-listed species may be affected by the project. Therefore, the Corps -- in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service -- has conditioned in the permit various environmental requirements and conservation measures. Huffman-Broadway Group, Inc., with its expertise in environmental regulations, assisted the city with permit procurement (via a separate professional services agreement) and will be assisting the city with FEMA certification and permit compliance for other Redwood Shores and the San Carlos Airport levee segments. The city is responsible for the maintenance of the levee surrounding the SBSA as it is part of the entire flood protection system within the General Improvement District 1-64 ("GID 1-64"). The city is the lead agency in the process to certify the levees in compliance with FEMA regulations. As mentioned, Huffman-Broadway Group currently