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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-02-22 - AGENDA REPORTS - GVR PROGRESS RPT (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT City Manager Appi Item to be presented CONSENT CALENDAR George Caravalho DATE: February 22, 2000 SUBJECT: GOLDEN VALLEY ROAD PROGRESS REPORT DEPARTMENT: City Manager RECOMMENDED ACTION Receive staff progress report on Golden Valley Road project. BACKGROUND On October 26, 1999, the City Council requested that a progress report on Golden Valley Road be brought to each Council meeting. Each report will give the status of the road in relation to the Porta Bella Development and the proposed Golden Valley Road Interchange. On November 9, 1999, the Council received its first progress report. The last report was January 11, 2000. 1. Golden Valley Road/School Site - Phase I Bids for the project were opened on January 11, 2000. Staff has reviewed the bids and found them to be satisfactory. The soils consultants are taking a second set of soil samples for the school site that began February 7, 2000, with the expectation that sampling will be complete February 14, 2000, barring any weather delays. Since the City's portion of Phase I is closely tied to the School District approving the construction contract, staff intends to bring a report asking the City Council to approve a construction contract by the end of February. The City is anticipating awarding the construction contract at a special meeting no sooner then 72 hours after the School Board approves their portion of the construction contract. The Department of Transportation and Engineering Services will then have the ability to issue a Notice to Proceed the day after Council awards the construction contract for Phase I. Construction is anticipated to begin by the middle of March. 2. Golden Valley Road Phases II & III The Director of Administrative Services met with the applicant on Friday February 11, 2000, and tentatively completed the amendment to the Funding, RECEIVEDAgenda I ®-M GOLDEN VALLEY ROAD PROGRESS REPORT February 22, 2000 - Page 2 Construction, and Acquisition Agreement. The applicant has agreed to pay a fee that would be used exclusively for the Golden Valley Road Interchange. As a result, the applicant had a subsequent meeting with the City Manager and the Director of Administrative Services to finalize the amendment on February 14, 2000. Staff will have an agreement to the Council on March 14, 2000. a) Santa Clarita Business Park Community Facilities District The Department of Administrative Services conducted an "All -Hands Meeting" on Thursday, February 10, 2000, in order to finalize the language in the bond's Official Statement. Staff is working closely with the City's financial advisors in finalizing the necessary paperwork to sell bonds. As part of the process, staff will be bringing a resolution, authorizing the issuance and sale of bonds to the City Council for approval on March 14, 2000. Since the construction of Phases II & III of Golden Valley Road are closely tied to Phase I, bonds will not be issued until the awarding of the Phase I contract for Golden Valley Road/School Site. Staff will also ask the Council to approve a Fiscal Agent Agreement, Continuing Disclosure Agreement, Bond Purchase Agreement, and a Preliminary Official Statement. All the agreements are necessary and standard financial documents for taking a bond sale to the market. b) Status of Porta Bella Clean-up Related to Golden Valley Road The City received a No Further Action (NFA) letter clearing the Porta Bella property for road construction on February 15, 2000. The letter states: "Based upon DTSC's evaluation of the information and data presented in the PEA, this portion of the site does not appear to pose a threat to human health or the environment under a residential land use. Therefore, DTSC determines that for the Golden Valley Road alignment, conditional no further action is granted with respect to investigation and remediation of hazardous substances." The DTSC and Santa Clarita LLC, the owners of the Porta Bella property, are continuing their remediation efforts on the Porta Bella site. For clean-up purposes, the site has been divided into six Operable Units (OU's), according to DTSC regulations. 3. Proposed Golden Valley Interchange Concepts and Costs At the City Council Study Session on February 1, 2000, the Council received staffs report on the status of the Golden Valley Interchange. At that time, it was undecided whether or not an interim solution would be needed for connecting Golden Valley Road to Soledad Canyon Road. In addition, the applicant, Spirit GOLDEN VALLEY ROAD PROGRESS REPORT February 22, 2000 — Page 3 Properties, presented information to the Council that suggested an interim at -grade solution was needed in order ensure traffic could be properly and efficiently routed onto Soledad Canyon Road. This would allow easier access to the Santa Clarita Business Park, as well as help with traffic congestion generated from the new Golden Valley High School. The idea would be that an at -grade crossing would be in place until construction of an interchange becomes feasible. However, as stated in previous reports, the Consultant's Feasibility Report concentrates on an ultimate and permanent solution for the Golden Valley Road and Soledad Canyon Road connection, and not an interim one. City staff will proceed with the second phase of the project, and the Alliance will come to the Council on the March 7, 2000 Study Session, in order to present further information on the alternative proposal of an interim at -grade crossing. On Friday, February 11, 2000, the City Manager and a representative from the Department of Transportation and Engineering Services met with a representative from the Valley Business Center. The meeting was set up to determine what the best course of action would be for the sight layout, in order to minimize Golden Valley Road impacts on businesses. Input was provided for the layout study that is currently taking place. The results are anticipated to be available by the end of February. 4. Golden Valley Road - Sierra Highway to SR14 The City s Planning Department has now tentatively set a date in July of this year that the Planning Commission will hear staffs report on the environmental impacts of this project. The City Council can expect to have a report and recommendation from the Planning Commission in September 2000. (Project Description) The eastern portion of Golden Valley Road is included in a proposed subdivision by Newhall Estates LLC (Hank Heeber and others). The project includes the subdivision of 53.40 acres into 176 residential units and the construction of Golden Valley Road, from Green Mountain Drive to Sierra Highway. The project is currently in the initial phases of the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report. ALTERNATIVE ACTION None. FISCAL IMPACT None. ATTACHMENTS None. GAC:FO:hds oomau�twUoo