SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Authorize a Work Order to Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., of Tampa, Florida, in the amount of $75,000, to prepare a Complete Streets Concept Plan for Drew Street from North Osceola Avenue to US Highway 19, and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. (consent)
Body
SUMMARY:
On October, 3, 2016, Forward Pinellas sent out a call for Complete Streets projects, asking local governments to submit applications to request funding for their Complete Streets projects. The Forward Pinellas Complete Streets Program provides annual, competitive funding for both the planning and construction of Complete Streets projects countywide.
The Planning and Development Department had submitted an application for Complete Street Concept Plan for Drew Street from North Osceola Avenue to US Highway 19. The City’s primary goal for this Project is to develop a Complete Streets Concept Plan that will enhance safety, mobility, and accessibility while considering character criteria of the Drew Street corridor.
On March 8, 2017, Forward Pinellas selected the Drew Street Concept Plan to receive one of the Complete Streets grants in the amount of $50,000 to be matched by the City through direct funding and in-kind services. On July 20th, 2017, City Council approved Forward Pinellas’ Complete Streets grant agreement through Resolution 17-23. The resolution authorizes the City to match the grant by $50,000 through direct funding and in-kind services.
The Drew Street Complete Street Concept Plan is intended to help aid the transformation of Drew Street/SR-590, a constrained roadway, into a vibrant, sustainable, and multi-modal spine that serves the area’s transportation needs as well as supports and attracts high-quality redevelopment opportunities.
The Drew Street Complete Street Concept Plan will provide the City with design concepts for the corridor that include context sensitive improvements with a focus on safety, accessibility, and comfort. The concepts should also assist the City in addressing several long-term objectives:
• Improve safety and reduce the number of accidents along the corridor
• Achieve balanced and increased accessibility and connectivity within the corridor and surroundings area for all users
• Create a competitive advantage for existing businesses and support future growth
• Promote active living by providing access to the City’s trails and promoting active transportation
• Support community engagement and consensus building
• Support the identification, conceptualization, and development of feasible phased-improvements projects
• Identify available funding resources and strategies to prioritize corridor improvements
In 2016, Forward Pinellas, acting as the Pinellas Planning Council and Pinellas County Metropolitan Planning Organization, approved six firms to provide professional planning services for five general planning “sub areas,” including multimodal transportation planning and analysis, economic analysis, communications and public involvement, urban design, and land use/redevelopment. Code of Ordinances sec. 2.564 (1)(b) allows for direct-contracting with consultants utilizing contracts previously awarded by other governmental entities.
The Planning and Development Department invited Forward Pinellas’s pre-qualified consultants to send Letters of Interest and Qualification Statement for Drew Street Concept Plan. A team of City staff from the Planning & Development, Engineering, and Parks & Recreation Departments carefully reviewed each of the submittals received from three qualified firms. Each of submittals was reviewed on its qualification, project approach and responses to the project-specific questions. The City selected Kimley-Horn and Associates for the project; utilizing the Forward Pinellas/Kimley-Horn and Associates contract would result in a cost savings to the City.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
A first quarter budget amendment will increase cost code 010-01420-530100 (Professional Services) by $50,000 with offsetting revenues from General Fund reserves.
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS:
Funding for this contract will be provided by a first quarter budget amendment allocating General Fund reserves in the amount of $50,000 to Planning cost code 010-01420-530100 (Professional Services). Inclusive of this item if approved, a net total of $5,050,000 of General Fund reserves has been appropriated by Council to fund expenditures in the 2017/18 operating budget. The remaining balance in General Fund reserves after the 8.5% reserve requirement is approximately $10.1 million, including the BP settlement funds. Exclusive of the BP funds, the remaining balance is $3.7 million, or 2.7% of the current General Fund operating budget.