TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Steven Lederer, Director of Public Works
REPORT BY: Graham Wadsworth, P. E., Engineering Supervisor
SUBJECT: Adopt a Resolution for approval of a Cooperation Agreement with Caltrans to review the Project Initiation Document for the Napa Valley Vine Trail from Yountville through St. Helena, RDS 23-19
RECOMMENDATION
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Director of Public Works requests the adoption of a Resolution for approval of and authorization for the Chair to sign Cooperation Agreement No. 240223B with Caltrans to review the Project Initiation Document (PID) for the Napa Valley Vine Trail from Yountville through St. Helena Project for a not to exceed amount of $200,000 and a term that shall terminate 180 days after PID is signed by Caltrans or as mutually agreed by Caltrans and the County in writing.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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 of over 10 miles of Class 1 and Class III multiuse path between the existing path in Yountville and the path under construction between St. Helena and Calistoga.
On November 7, 2023, the Board approved a Budget Amendment of $2.5 million to complete the Project Initiation Document (PID), Project Approval, and Environmental Document Phases of the Project. The funding for the creation of these documents and for Caltrans to review them will be fully reimbursable from the CPF grant funding.
Approximately 40% of the path alignment is within the Caltrans Highway 29 right-of-way. The County needs to enter into a cooperation agreement for Caltrans to review the PID, design documents and adopt the National Environmental Policy Act document. The Director recommends that the Board approve the Cooperation Agreement for the County to pay Caltrans $200,000 to review the PID.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
Yes |
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Where is it budgeted? |
On November 7, the Board approved a budget amendment to transfer $2.5 million from the Accumulated Capital Outlay (ACO) budget (Fund3000, Sub-Division 3000000) to Project 24012 (Fund 2040, Sub-Division 2040500, Account 52310). |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
The Napa Valley Vine Trail is a public amenity that reduces vehicle trips and promotes health and wellness. If the County does not enter into the agreement, then the County will not have a competitive Active Transportation Program grant application and construction will begin later at a higher cost. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
Yes |
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Future fiscal impact: |
If the County obtains grant funding for the construction, then the County would be responsible for maintaining the portion of the trail between the Town of Yountville and the City of St. Helena. In the Maintenance Agreement for the St. Helena to Calistoga Segment, the County and the NVVTC share the cost. It is anticipated that the County and NVVTC will enter a similar agreement for the Yountville to St. Helena Segment. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
There is a risk that the $4 million grant funding would not be expended on the Project and the NVVTC and County would need to find some other source of funding for this section of the Vine Tail. |
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County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Livable Economy for All |
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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 County would be responsible for preparing and adopting a CEQA document, such as a Mitigated Negative Declaration, for this segment of the Napa Valley Vine Trail Project.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Napa Valley Vine Trail (NVVT) will be a 47-mile walking and biking trail system to physically, artistically and culturally connect the entire Napa Valley from Calistoga to the Vallejo Ferry and the greater Bay Area. A 12.5-mile segment of the Vine Trail is complete between Kennedy Park in Napa and Yountville. Between 2018 and 2020, annual Vine Trail usage increased by 50% from 348,000 to 523,000, and 70% of the users live in Napa County. Many sections of the trail have been completed in the cities of Calistoga, Napa, American Canyon, Vallejo, and the Town of Yountville. It is anticipated that the Vallejo and St. Helena to Calistoga Segments will open in 2024.
The proposed project is to construct the NVVT adjacent to Highway 29 between Madison Street at the north end of Yountville and Pratt Avenue at the north end of St. Helena. The Project would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance accessibility and connectivity by promoting the use of transit, biking, and walking. 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. There is an alternative to continue the NVVT for three quarters of a mile on the west side of Highway 29 between Madison Street and California Drive.
In 2022, Congressman Thompson included $4 million of Community Project Funding (CPF) in the federal fiscal year 2023-2024 Budget for the Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition (NVVTC) to complete 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. This funding could help the County to be closer to “shovel ready” and submit a more competitive Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 7 grant application in June 2024. On September 12, the Board authorized the Director to submit an application for an ATP grant and approved a commitment of $5 million of future County funding no sooner than Fiscal Year 2025-26 for the construction of the Project.
The County does not have the staff with capacity or expertise to design the Project and requested proposal from engineering, environmental and right-of-way acquisition consultants. After interviewing three companies, County staff negotiated an agreement with Kimley-Horn. On November 7, 2023, the Board approved a $2.5 million agreement with Kimley-Horn to complete only the Project Initiation Document (PID), Project Approval, and Environmental Document (PA&ED) Phases of the Project. These funds will be fully reimbursable from the CPF grant funding. The PID is a scoping document that helps determine the appropriate engineering studies and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) document for the Project.
Approximately 40% of the path alignment is within the Caltrans Highway 29 right-of-way. The County needs to enter into a cooperation agreement for Caltrans to review the PID, design documents and adopt the NEPA document. On July 27, 2023, the Director of Public Works requested a cooperation agreement from Caltrans and approval for the County to prepare a Project Study Report - Project Report (PSR-PR). The Caltrans District Director determined that since there is the potential for the Project to impact federally listed endangered species, Caltrans might need to consult with federal resources agencies, and asked County staff to submit a PID instead of a PSR-PR. County staff agreed to submit a PID and included the scope of service to prepare a PID in the Kimley-Horn agreement.
The PID is an engineering document or technical report that documents the scope, cost, and schedule of a project. The PID is an outcome of the project scoping effort that includes environmental analysis, traffic engineering assessments, right-of-way estimates, and a construction cost estimate. The PID is a record of the purpose and need for the project. Staff in 14 Caltrans District 4 functional units will review the PID and Caltrans management wants an up-front $200,000 as a deposit for charging time for the reviews. The $200,000 is just an estimated amount not to exceed at this time and Caltrans staff do not anticipate spending the full amount. County staff will be coordinating clear accounting for the actual expenses and any balance will roll over for Caltrans reviews during the later phases of the Project.
Since it can take Caltrans six months to prepare a cooperation agreement, Caltrans agreed to prepare a cooperation agreement for only the PID phase at this time and amend the Cooperation Agreement to include the later phases to accelerate the process. Caltrans Local Assistance staff stated that the County must amend the Cooperation Agreement to include the PA&ED, plans, specifications, and estimate (PSE), and right-of-way phases before the Federal Highway Administration will obligate the $4 million from the CPF grant. County and Caltrans staff are preparing an amendment to the Cooperation Agreement for Caltrans to review documents that County staff will submit during the later phases of the Project.
County staff have reviewed, and County Counsel approved as to form the Cooperation Agreement for the County to pay Caltrans $200,000 to review the PID. The Director recommends that the Board approve the Cooperation Agreement for the PID.