TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Steven Lederer, Director of Public Works
REPORT BY: Graham Wadsworth, P. E., Engineering Supervisor
SUBJECT: Amendment with Kimley-Horn to provide consultant services for the Napa Valley Vine Trail - Yountville through St. Helena Project, RDS 23-19.
RECOMMENDATION
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Approve Amendment No. 5 to Agreement No. 240200B with Kimley-Horn to provide consultant services to prepare additional engineering and environmental studies for Alternative Alignment 4 for the Napa Valley Vine Trail segment from Yountville through St. Helena. (No Fiscal Impact, Discretionary)
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BACKGROUND
The proposed project (Project) is to design and construct the Napa Valley Vine Trail (NVVT) adjacent to Highway 29 between California Drive or Madison Street in Yountville and Pratt Avenue in St. Helena. The Project would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance accessibility and connectivity by promoting the use of transit, biking, and walking. The Project would also provide safe routes to schools, jobs, services, and recreation.
Approximately eight of the ten miles of the proposed NVVT are in the unincorporated County, with the remaining sections within the City of St. Helena and Town of Yountville. In 2022, Congressman Thompson included $4 million of Community Project Funding (CPF) in the federal fiscal year 2023-2024 Budget for the planning, engineering, and environmental work of over 10 miles of Class I and Class III multiuse path between the existing paths in Yountville and St. Helena. On September 12, 2023, the Board approved a $714,000 Funding Agreement with the Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition (NVVTC) to reimburse the County for the design and environmental documents.
Based on the value engineering analysis of the 35% design estimate and alignment refinements, the total project cost could be $50 million. With federal and state grants, Napa County, the NVVTC, and the City of St. Helena are required to provide a “local match” of at least 20% of the Project application amount. The NVVTC committed $5 million and the City of St. Helena verbally committed $900,000 for the Project.
On November 7, 2023, the Board of Supervisors approved Agreement No. 240200B with Kimley- Horn to complete the Project Initiation Document (PID) and Project Approval and Environmental Document (PA&ED) Phases of the Project (Tasks 1 through 7).
On January 9, 2024, the Board approved Amendment No. 1 to Agreement No. 240200B with Kimley-Horn to create right of way plat maps showing necessary easements for the Project (part of Task 9). On April 9, 2024, the Board approved Amendment No. 2 to support preparing a Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant application, collect bicycle and pedestrian counts for grant applications, value engineer the cost estimate, perform additional utility mapping, and prepare alternatives exhibits for use in discussions with property owners along the Vine Trail. On May 24, 2024, the Board approved Amendment No. 3 to support preparing a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Environmental Impact Report (EIR) instead of a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND).
On August 1, 2024, NVVTC, consultant, and County staff presented four alternative alignments to the public at the EIR Scoping Meeting. A group of property owners expressed a strong interest in analyzing a two-mile-long path on the east side of Highway 29 between Madison Street and Dwyer Road, which is Alignment 4 in the EIR Notice of Preparation. On September 10, 2024, the Board approved Amendment No. 4 to support preparing an Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP) grant application, analyzing three alternative alignments along Highway 29 in the EIR, designing additional railroad crossings, and preparing the 65% design.
On October 3, 2024, Caltrans staff signed a Project Study Report - Project Development Support (PSR-PDS) document, which concluded the Project Initiation Document Phase of the Project and agreed that preparing a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Categorical Exclusion (CE) would be acceptable; however, a Categorical Exclusion does not analyze alternative alignments. In November 2024, Caltrans staff stated their concern with only analyzing one alignment and asked Napa County staff to consider preparing a NEPA Environmental Assessment (EA) to analyze two alternatives. In the May 7, 2024, Board Letter, County staff expressed the same concern that property owners could challenge the CEQA MND and asked the Board to approve Amendment 3 to prepare an Environmental Impact Report to reduce the risk of significant delays and cost increases. NVVTC, consultants, and County staff determined that an EA would be the appropriate NEPA document.
Amendment 5 includes moving part of the budget for the 65% plans, specifications and estimate (Task 10) to complete additional engineering and environmental studies, and change the NEPA document from a CE to an EA to analyze the Locally Preferred Alternative and Alternative Alignment 4. Since the EA requires expanded studies, Kimley Horn staff proposed additional scope and fee that would be offset by a reduction in scope and fee for Task 10. If the Board wants to proceed with Task 10 in the future, then County staff will prepare an amendment for the additional costs. County staff recommends approving Amendment 5 with Kimley-Horn for work that is not included in the current scope of services.
Recommended Action:
Approve Amendment No. 5 to Agreement No. 240200B with Kimley-Horn to provide consultant services to prepare additional engineering and environmental studies for Alternative Alignment 4 for the Napa Valley Vine Trail segment from Yountville through St. Helena.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
No |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
Approving the amendment would authorize Kimley-Horn staff to prepare additional engineering and environmental studies of Alternative Alignment 4 to include in the NEPA EA. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
The services provided with Amendment 5 will continue in fiscal year 2025-26. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
The County will not provide additional engineering and environmental studies of Alternative Alignment 4 and Kimley Horn staff would only include the Project alignment in a NEPA Categorical Exclusion. Property owners who want Napa County to construct Alternative 4 could challenge the CE and cause significant delays and cost increases. |
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Additional Information |
In 2022, Congressman Thompson included $4 million of Community Project Funding (CPF) in the federal fiscal year 2023- 2024 budget to complete the planning, engineering, and environmental work for the Project. On November 7, 2023, the Board approved a budget amendment to transfer $2.5 million from the Accumulated Capital Outlay (ACO) budget to Project 24012. On September 10, 2024, the Board approved a budget amendment to transfer $2,214,000 from the Capital Improvement Fund (CIF) budget to Project 24012. The CIF will be reimbursed in full as CPF and NVVTC funding is received. |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable. The proposed action merely approves entering into agreement to conduct detailed design for a potential future trail, which will only be constructed if funding is available, full CEQA review is conducted, and the trail is approved by all required public agencies. The County has not committed to approving this section of the Vine Trail or any potential Vine Trail alignment, or any other specific project that may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment.
The County would be responsible for preparing and adopting a CEQA document for the construction, such as an environmental impact report, for this segment of the Napa Valley Vine Trail Project.