HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC AG PKT 2013-08-26 #GAGENDA STAFF REPORT
DATE: August 26, 2013
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
THRU: Jill R. Ingram, City Manager
FROM: Sean P. Crumby P.E., Director of Public Works
SUBJECT: DECLARATION OF A PUBLIC NUISANCE ON 13TH
STREET AND APPROVAL OF WORK OF URGENT
NECESSITY PURSUANT TO THE CITY CHARTER AND
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO LET REPAIR
CONTRACTS WITHOUT ADVERTISING FOR BIDS
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
That the City Council adopt Resolution No. 6402 declaring damage to 13th Street
constitutes a public nuisance and that the damages have created an emergency
and urgent necessity pursuant to Municipal Code Chapter 7.35 and City Charter
Sections §107 and §1010, and authorizing the City Manager to execute repair
contracts as necessary without advertising for bids.
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS:
On July 15, 2013, Atlas Environmental Engineering, Inc. ( "Atlas ") was conducting
Hydrogen Peroxide injection remediation at a monitoring well (MW17) location on
13th Street just south of Pacific Coast Highway. Atlas is the environmental
consultant hired by G &M Oil owners of the Chevron service station at 13th Street
and PCH. The area around this groundwater monitoring well is known to contain
contaminants associated with a former release of petroleum hydrocarbons from
the G &M Oil property and documented in a Supplemental Corrective Action Plan
(SCAP) prepared by Atlas. This SCAP was approved by the Orange County
Health Care Agency (OCHCA) and Atlas is only approved to perform work in
accordance with the SCAP.
During remediation work performed by Atlas, a portion of the public right -of -way
surrounding well MW17 failed. The City subsequently closed down 13th Street
from PCH to Landing Avenue until the damage could be reviewed and repaired.
Knowing that any roadway reconstruction could potentially contain hazardous
materials, staff contacted Frey Environmental (Frey), who is the City's contracted
Underground Storage Tank Remediation consultant, to provide the City with an
estimate to oversee and conduct roadway reconstruction, possible environmental
Agenda Item G
permitting, contaminated soil excavation, restoration activities completed under a
South Coast Air Quality Management District permit, and subsequently haul
contaminated soil off -site to a treatment facility.
All costs associated with construction, permitting, road closure /reopening,
consultation, and inspecting along with staff time will be submitted to G &M Oil for
full reimbursement once completed.
The dangerous condition of 13th Street is a threat to the public health, safety and
welfare, and constitutes a public nuisance per section §7.35.010 of the Seal
Beach Municipal Code which states in part:
"A Public Nuisance is... anything which is injurious to health,
indecent or offensive to the senses, or an obstruction to the free
use of property, so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment
of life or property by a neighborhood or by a considerable
number of persons... The City Council shall have the power to
declare by resolution that any particular act or condition
constitutes a nuisance."
Based upon the condition of 13th Street, the City Manager determined that
immediate action was necessary to abate the nuisance as quickly as possible
and authorized staff to proceed with the immediate repair and reconstruction of
the damaged portion of 13th Street.
Staff is requesting that the City Council ratify the City Manager's decision to
authorize emergency work to reconstruct the portion of 13th Street damaged by
Altas, working on behalf of G &M Oil.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
Adoption of the proposed resolution is exempt from the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA). Section 21080(b)(4) of the Public Resources Code,
provides that CEQA does not apply to "Specific actions necessary to prevent or
mitigate an emergency." "'Emergency' means a sudden, unexpected
occurrence, involving a clear and imminent danger, demanding immediate action
to prevent or mitigate Toss of, or damage to, life, health, property, or essential
public services. 'Emergency' includes such occurrences as fire, flood, flood,
earthquake, or other soil or geologic movements as well as such occurrences as
riot, accident, or sabotage." Pub. Res. Code 21060.3. The sudden, unexpected
damage at 13th Street and potential release of hazardous materials constituted
an emergency demanding immediate action pursuant to Section 21080(b)(4) of
the Public Resources Code.
Page 2
LEGAL ANALYSIS:
The City Attorney has reviewed the proposed resolution and approved it as to
form.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
On July 18, 2013, an initial estimate of $94,000.00 for the work was mailed to
G &M Oil as Frey Environmental began the work. On July 22, 2013, the work to
repair 13th Street was concluded. The final total cost for all work involved in
reconstructing 13th Street, including all construction, inspection, and staff time,
involved is $44,706.09. A second letter was mailed on August 7, 2013 with an
invoice to G &M Oil requesting reimbursement. A capital project number
(ST1499) was set up to track the cost for this emergency repair. When the funds
are received, the capital project fund (045- 333 - 44000) will be reimbursed. If
G &M Oil does not reimburse the City, a budget amendment will be brought
forward and further action will be pursued to collect the funds.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council adopt Resolution No. 6402 declaring damage to 13th Street
constitutes a public nuisance and that the damages have created an emergency
and urgent necessity pursuant to Municipal Code Chapter 7.35 and City Charter
Sections §107 and §1010, and authorizing the City Manager to execute repair
contracts as necessary without advertising for bids.
SUBMITTED BY:
Sean P. Crumby, P.E.
Director of Public Works
Prepared by: David Spitz, Associate Engineer
Attachments:
A. Resolution No. 6402
Page 3
NOTED AND APPROVED:
. Ingram, Cit M
anager
RESOLUTION NUMBER 6402
A RESOLUTION OF THE SEAL BEACH CITY COUNCIL
DECLARING A NUISANCE ON 13TH STREET SOUTH OF
PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY, DEEMING CERTAIN WORK TO BE
OF URGENT NEC ESSITY PURSUANT TO THE CITY CHARTER
AND RATIFYING THE CITY MANAGER'S DECISION TO LET
REPAIR CONTRACTS WJTHOUT ADVERTISING FOR BIDS
THE SEAL BEACH CITY COUNCIL HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. On July 15, 2013. Atlas Environmental Engineering, Inc. ("Atlas")
was conducting Hydrogen Peroxide injection remediation at a monitoring well
(MW17) location on 13~ Street just south of Pacific Coast Highway. During
remediation work performed by A0|na, a portion of the public right-of-way
surrounding well MW17 failed. Staff inspected the condition of the roadway and
determined that the road needed to be closed until urgent repairs could be made,
Section 2. Section 7.35.010 of the Seal Beach Municipal Code defines a
public nuisance as follows:
"A Public nuisance is ... anything which is injurious to heakh,
indecent or offensive to the oan000, or an obstruction to the free
use of pnoperty, so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of
life or property by a neighborhood or by a considerable number of
persons.... The city council shall have the power to declare by
resolution that any particular act or condition constitutes a
Section 3. Based upon the dangerous condition of 13m Street, the City
Manager determined that immediate action was necessary to abate the nuisance
as quickly as possible and authorized the immediate repair of the roadway
including excavation of damaged asphalt and base material, transportation and
disposal of contaminated base mo\eho|, and reconstruction of the roadway to a
condition where traffic is permitted back on the road. The work has been
completed.
Section 4. Based upon the foregoing and the record, including but not limited
to the staff report and public comment, the Council hereby finds and declares as
A. The dangerous condition of the street was a threat and
injurious to the public hea|th, safety and welfare and
constituted a public nuisance that required immediate
abatement. In the absence of repair, access to homes and
neighborhoods would be restricted. The repair needed to be
implemented so that the roadway could be reopened and
access could be returned to those who were adversely
affected.
B. The need to abate the public nuisance caused by the
condition of the street constituted an emergency pursuant to
the City Charter Section 107 and a matter of urgent
necessity as that term is used in City Charter Section 1010.
Section 5. Based upon the foregoing and in accordance with City Charter
Section 1010; the Council deems that work, oupplies, and materials needed to
repair 13`^ Street are of urgent necessity for the preservation of |ife, hee|th, or
property, and hereby ratifies the City Manager's decision to let contracts for the
repair of 13th Street without advertising for bids.
Resolution Number 6402
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED by the Seal Beach City Council at a
regular meeting held on the 26th day of August .2013by the following vote:
AYES: Council Members:
NOES: Council Members:
ABSENT: Council Members:
ABSTAIN: Council Members:
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA }
COUNTY OF ORANGE } SS
CITY OF SEAL BEACH }
|. Linda Devine, City Clerk of the City of Seal Beooh, do hereby certify that the
foregoing resolution is the original copy of Resolution Number 5402 on file iri
the office of the City C|nrk, paoo*d, app,oved, and adopted by the Seal Beach
City Council at a regular meeting held on the 26th day of August .2013.
City Clerk