TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Steven Lederer, Director of Public Works
REPORT BY: Graham Wadsworth, P. E., Engineering Supervisor
SUBJECT: Program Supplement Agreement and Amendment for the Napa Valley Vine Trail - Yountville through St. Helena Project, RDS 23-19.
RECOMMENDATION
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Adopt a Resolution to authorize submission of a Program Supplement Agreement to Caltrans and related actions to secure and implement Federal Grant Funding; approve a Budget Amendment of $2,214,000; and approve and authorize Amendment No. 4 to Agreement No. 240200B with Kimley-Horn to provide consultant services to prepare the 65% design for the Napa Valley Vine Trail segment from Yountville through St. Helena. (Fiscal Impact: $2,214,000 Expense; Capital Improvement Projects Fund; Not Budgeted; Discretionary).
[4/5 vote required]
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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 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. 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 November 7, 2023, the Board approved a budget adjustment of $2,500,000 to fund the preliminary work on the Project. On June 4, 2024, the Board approved a Revised Cooperation Agreement with Caltrans to review documents required to construct the Project. On August 23, 2024, Caltrans sent an authorization to proceed with preliminary engineering and a Program Supplement Agreement (PSA) to the County to sign. After Napa County and Caltrans execute the PSA, County staff will submit invoices requesting the reimbursement of County expenses from the CPF.
On November 7, 2023, the Board of Supervisors approved agreement 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, 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 an Environmental Impact Report.
Based on the value engineering analysis of the 35% design estimate and alignment refinements, the total project cost could be $50 million. The Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition (NVVTC) committed $5 million and the City of St. Helena verbally committed $900,000. On September 12, 2023, the Board approved a $714,000 Funding Agreement with the NVVTC to reimburse the County for the design and environment documents. 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.
Since February, the NVVTC, Kimley-Horn, and Napa County staff met with people who own property along the alignment to discuss the location of the path. NVVTC, Kimley-Horn, and Napa County staff held an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Scoping Meeting on August 1 and the second round of five Stakeholder Meetings during the week of August 19 to collect comments from the public. It is anticipated that the County will provide the Draft EIR for public comments in early 2025.
On August 26, Caltrans, Napa County, NVVTC, and Kimley-Horn staff kicked off the Project Approval and Environmental Document phase of the Project and Kimley-Horn staff are ready to begin the 65% detailed design work. Amendment 4 includes support preparing the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP) grant application, performing additional traffic data collection and property boundary work, participating in stakeholder meetings, expanding the Natural Environment Study and wetland survey for an alternative alignment, analyzing three alternative alignments along Highway 29, revising the Area of Potential Effect Map to comply with new Caltrans requirements, designing additional railroad crossings, and preparing the 65% plans, specifications and estimate (Task 10).
County staff recommends authorization of the contract amendment with Kimley-Horn for work that is not included in the current scope of services. County staff also recommends authorizing the Director of Public Works to submit the PSA to Caltrans and approval of a budget amendment to transfer $2,214,000 from the ACO to the Project budget ($1,500,000 from CPF funding and the balance ($714,000) to be refunded via the NVVTC agreement).
Recommended Action:
1. Adoption of a resolution authorizing the Director of Public Works to submit a Program Supplement Agreement to Caltrans and related actions to secure and implement Federal Grant Funding;
2. Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Amendment 4 to Agreement 240200B; and
3. Approve a budget amendment for the following (4/5 vote required);
a. Increase Transfer Out appropriations by $2,214,000 in the Accumulated Capital Outlay (ACO) budget (Fund 3000, Sub-Division 3000000, Account 56100) offset by use of its available fund balance to be transferred to Project 24012; and
b. Increase Consulting Services appropriations by $2,214,000 in Project 24012 (Fund 2040, Sub- Division 2040500, Account 52310) budget offset by transfer in revenue from the ACO budget.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
No |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
Authorizing the Director to submit the PSA and approving a budget amendment would provide more funding to design the Project. Approving the amendment would authorize Kimley-Horn staff to prepare the 65% detailed design. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
The services provided with Amendment 4 will continue in fiscal year 2025-26. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
The County will not request reimbursement for past expenses and Kimley-Horn would not prepare the 65% detailed design documents. |
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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 (Fund 3000, Sub- Division 3000000) to Project 24012 (Fund 2040, Sub-Division 2040500, Account 52310). The ACO 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.