TO: Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
FROM: Richard Thomasser - District Manager
REPORT BY: Andrew Butler - District Engineer
SUBJECT: Public Trail in the Floodwalls North of the Bypass Project
RECOMMENDATION
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District Manager requests discussion and Board direction to pursue the alternative trail alignment as requested by Friends of the Napa River (FONR) and City of Napa in comments related to their review of the 35% design submittal for the Floodwalls North of the Bypass Project.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Floodwalls North of the Bypass Project reach includes construction of a new segment of public trail that connects the existing Napa River Trail currently ending at the River Terrace Inn with the existing trail segment between Lincoln Avenue and Trancas Street. The design at 35% currently reflects the Corps original plan for this trail to be co-located with the required land side maintenance road. The Friends of the Napa River and staff of the City of Napa have requested the District move the location of the public trail, where possible, from the land side of the floodwall to the river side of the floodwall. The proposed realignment of the trail has been determined to be feasible but has cost and real property acquisition implications and staff seeks direction on this matter.
FISCAL IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
No |
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Where is it budgeted? |
Flood - 8001000 |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
The proposed realignment of the trail meets the objectives of the Living River Guidelines for the Flood Project. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Consequences if not approved: |
Staff would continue to pursue the existing trail alignment. |
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The Napa River/Napa Creek Flood Protection Project was included in the Final Environmental Impact Report/Statement (FEIR/EIS). The FEIR was circulated twice for public comment, from December 19, 1997 to February 13, 1998, and again in October and November 1998 (although not required), then certified by the Board of Directors of the Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District on May 4, 1999. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers certified the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) on June 9, 1999. An amendment to this document is being prepared addressing the changes between the original Project and the current design.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The attached letter provides the FONR comments regarding the public trail alignment. Additionally, during their review of the District’s 35% design submittal, City of Napa staff provided comments indicating that the trail should be moved to the river side of the floodwall between River Terrace Inn and Wall Street. District staff have determined that realignment of the trail from the land side of the floodwall to the river side of the floodwall would be possible for approximately 1,400 feet of the trail. At this time, it is estimated that the additional construction cost of moving the trail to the river side could be up to $350,000, due mostly to the need to design and construct additional features to facilitate public access to the river side of the wall. An opportunity exists to offset these additional construction costs by eliminating the acquisition of public trail easements on several properties on the land side of the wall. Although the District requires maintenance access along the land side of the flood wall, regardless of where the trail is located, the additive cost of the public trail easement rights on the land side of the wall have been appraised in gross totaling approximately $250,000. A decision on alignment must be made as soon as possible because the District has begun to make offers on the required right-of-way for the Project. District staff are postponing acquisition offers to allow Board direction on this matter.
Staff recommends eliminating pursuit of the land side public trail easements in this 1,400 foot reach and pursuing the FONR and City requested alignment. Staff will continue value engineering efforts on the river side trail design to hopefully bring additional construction costs closer to parity with avoided real property costs.