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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-039 Providing Council policy direction re: Upper Sims Way design and improvementsRESOLUTION NO. 08-039 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND PROVIDING COUNCIL POLICY DIRECTION CONCERNING PROPOSED UPPER SIMS WAY DESIGN AND IMPROVEMENTS RECITALS: A. The City of Port Townsend has been involved over several years in a planning process to define the nature and extent of improvements for Upper Sims Way transportation improvements that seek to address, generally, projected increases in traffic volumes; congestion; vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle traffic and safety; difficult left turns onto and off of Sims Way; implementation of the Gateway Plan and creation of a "gateway" to the City at Howard and Sims and Discovery and Sims; and economic development objectives (and constraints on economic development from lack of infrastructure). B. Community workshops to help define the Upper Sims and Howard Street vision were held on September 12, 2006, October 10, 2006, and January 17, 2007. Elements of the vision were: • A Port Townsend gateway with amixed-use of neighborhood where residents: can walk and bike to work, local services and schools; pursue recreational activities at nearby parks; gather for community events; and find a mix of housing types. • Treed Gateway west Upper Sims Way. • Mixed-use development (medium density) between Sims Way and Discovery Road, along Howard Street. • Green public spaces integrated throughout. • Light Industrial to remain. • Low density commercial development along Sims Way. - Auto oriented businesses. C. Council held study sessions on February 12, 2007 and March 12, 2007 to review planning efforts on Upper Sims Way and Howard Street. On May 12, 2007, Council took public comment on the Upper Sims Way and Howard Street project. D. On June 18, 2007, the City Council adopted Resolution 07-016 which provided the following: • Adopted intersection controls for upper Sims Way with roundabouts at Howard and at Thomas. • Directed staff, in consultation with W.H. Pacific, to continue with design work for the adopted option for intersection controls and corridor improvements, and directed staff to address in the design the project objectives, including: o Handle through traffic and turning movements o Access to businesses on both sides of Sims (including delivery trucks) o Improve safety (High Accident Corridor) - TIB o Reduce accidents o Better accommodate pedestrians and bikes Resolution 08-039 o Promote economic development o An inviting Gateway • Directed staff to periodically report to the City Council on design work. • Directed staff to submit options for construction phasing based on available funding and include recommendations concerning interim improvements, such as, a center turn lane with appropriate access controls, pending full implementation of intersection improvements. E. In August, 2007, Council authorized a contract for a local improvement district feasibility study. F. On October 22, 2007, Council held a workshop to review conceptual design, prepare a plan for WSDOT approval, and directed staff to return to Council in February 2008 with • Revised conceptual design • Updated cost estimates • Funding plan and project phasing plan G. In November, 2007, Washington State Ferries retired from the Port Townsend-Keystone service the steel electric ferries due to safety issues. Fully restored service is several years out. In the meantime, service may be provided with a smaller vessel, and at times there may be no ferry service. H. Council held a workshop on April 14, 2008 and meeting on Apri121, 2008 to review concepts, plans and funding options to implement Upper Sims Way and Howard Street improvements. I. On Apri121, 2008, the City Council adopted Resolution 08-012 that made findings as follows: • "It would be advantageous, in order to minimize disruption from construction on traffic, to proceed with Upper Sims Way and Howard Street improvements while ferry traffic is down or at less than full service. • "Proceeding with the project while ferry service is down or at less than full service implements economic and transportation strategies to increase business activity and improve transportation in the City. • "Accomplishing the project on an integrated basis avoids individual owners constructing infrastructure improvements on a piecemeal basis at greater cost to the owners than if the improvements were done through a single public project. • "Preliminary information from a special benefit appraiser retained by the City shows a completed project for Howard Street and intersection control at Howard Street and Upper Sims Way increases property values in the vicinity by $5-7M. Funding from a local improvement district (LID) helps finance public improvements by assessing property owners whose properties specially benefit as a result of the improvements. LID financing allows owners to pay for improvements over a period of years through assessments on benefiting properties, at bond rates available to the City that are lower than if the owner privately financed improvements." Resolution 08-039 Resolution 08-012 provided direction and approval that: • Continued design work. • Continued to explore funding options, including, to pursue additional funding. • Approved conceptual approval to realigning, through property exchanges with owners, Howard Street to the west of the existing alignment. • Approved a preliminary concept presented by staff for construction sequencing as follows: (1) Howard Street; (2) Howard and Sims intersections; (3) Thomas and Sims intersection; and (4) Sims Way between Howard and Thomas. • Approved a preliminary concept for a project timeline: a. Preliminary Design -May 08 to Mar 09 b. Freeze the roadway layout -Jun 08 c. Submit Environmental Docs - Ju108 d. Final Design - Ju108 to May 09 e. Right-of--Way -Jun 08 to Apr 09 £ LID Formation -May 08 to Nov 08 g. Construction - Ju109 to Feb 11 h. TIB/Leg Funding Available - Ju109 J. On September 2, 2008, Council approved Resolution 08-035 authorizing the City Manager to execute a grant agreement with Jefferson County for Public Infrastructure Funding for design and construction of improvements to Sims Way (SR 20) and Howard Street. K. On October 23, 2008, the City Council held a workshop and reviewed project planning in light of recent national and world economic conditions that have affected the housing and credit markets, including the municipal bond markets. The Council determines: • Despite economic conditions, the City should continue to invest in infrastructure as part of a long-term strategy to build and grow tourism and economic development activity. • That without the project permits for private development in the vicinity will be held up. • That when economic conditions improve, having project improvements in place will accelerate economic recovery and expansion. • That the federal government will likely enact economic stimulus legislation in the near future, and projects that are planned and ready to build could receive a priority • That delays in construction will escalate the ultimate cost of the project. • That financing the entire Howard Street improvements at this time through a local improvement district (LID) would be problematic given the uncertainty and downturn in the national economy and tightening of municipal bond markets. • That, alternatively to LID financing the entire Howard Street improvements (where owners pay a fair share toward improvements that benefit their property even if they do not develop their property until years later), it makes sense to evaluate funding some of the Howard Street improvements through a latecomer agreement (where owners who need project improvements to develop their properties contribute a fair Resolution 08-039 share toward the cost of improvements, but do so when they develop their properties) and/or an LID reduced in size and scope. • That given the above, and given funding sources and availability, it is appropriate to continue with the overall project design, but shift previously approved priorities and undertake implementation as follows: the Howard/Sims roundabout and approaches (utilizing funding from County PIF, federal, WSDOT, and contribution from properties that need these improvements to develop), and Sims Way improvements and Sims/Thomas roundabout and approaches (using state and federal monies that are earmarked for Sims Way improvements and cannot be used for Howard Street improvements). Final scope of the initial project implementation, expected to begin in the spring of 2009, will depend on available funding and the construction bidding climate. Once the above project improvements are undertaken, and as economic conditions improve, then the Council can determine sequencing ofHoward Street improvements, as well as possible funding through a LID of properties specially benefited by such improvements. • That design and installation of utility improvements should proceed in conjunction with or ahead of street improvements once the alignment of Howard Street is finalized with adjacent property owners. To delay utility improvements until after street improvements is uneconomic and damaging to street improvements. L. Council determines to provide additional policy direction and authority for Sims Way and Howard Street improvements as set forth in this Resolution. NOW THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Port Townsend resolves as follows: 1. Recitals; Re-affirm Resolutions and Intent. The Council hereby adopts the above Recitals, and re-affirms Resolutions cited above, except as modified by this Resolution, and confirms its intent to develop the overall project in conformance with design concepts and drawings generally shown on the attached two maps, "Sims Way/Howard Street Improvements" dated October 2008 (for Sims Way) and "Sims Way/Howard Street Improvements" dated October 23, 2008 (for Howard Street), presented at the October 23, 2008 workshop, and consisting of roundabout intersection controls at Howard and Thomas, Sims Way improvements, Howard Street improvements, and roundabout intersection improvements at Howard and Discovery. 2. Continue Design Work. Staff in consultation with W.H. Pacific, is directed to continue with design work, including related utility design, up to and including contract ready plans, and develop contract documents for the overall project. 3. Revised Project Sequencing_ Based on current conditions, Council shifts project sequencing as follows: construct the Howard/Sims roundabout and approaches; and Sims Way improvements to the extent of available funding beginning in the spring/summer of 2009. Once the above project improvements are undertaken, and as economic conditions improve, then the Council can determine construction sequencing of Thomas intersection improvements and Howard Street improvements, as well as possible funding through a LID 4 Resolution 08-039 of properties specially benefited by such improvements. Construction includes both street and utility improvements. 4. Funding; Latecomer. Staff is directed to continue analysis of information for funding the proposed improvements. Staff shall pursue additional funding, including, state, county and additional federal monies. Staff shall develop a plan for latecomer and/or LID financing from properties that benefit from intersection improvements at Howard and Sims. 5. Howard Street Realignment. Council continues its conceptual approval given in Resolution 08-012 (Apri121, 2008) to realigning, through property exchanges with owners, Howard Street to the west of the existing alignment. Staff is authorized to negotiate right of way exchanges for the Howard Street re-alignment. Land exchanges include in-kind consideration for properties affected by wetlands (including, City may obtain right of way in exchange for mitigating wetlands on owner's remaining property). Any final action on land exchange is subject to City Council approval. 6. Right of WaX. Within approved budgets, staff is authorized to acquire right of way for right of way needed for project improvements. This does not include authority to use eminent domain without further City Council authorization. 7. Contract Authority. Within approved budgets, the City Manager is authorized to execute contracts and instruments that implement this Resolution, provided: there is no authority (1) to exchange property to implement the Howard Street realignment, or (2) to execute construction contracts. Contracts and instruments that implement this Resolution include permits and environmental reviews. ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Port Townsend at a special meeting thereof, held this tenth day of November 2008. Attest: ~~ Pamela Kolacy, MMC City Clerk ~w ~'L ~ ~-~ Michelle Sand val, Mayor Approved as to form: ~ ~ ~~ ~~ John P. Watts City Attorney Resolaition 08-039 ~~ WHPac~fic