TITLE: Title
Update on Implementation of Improvements in the Historic Rogers Road Area - Preliminary Engineering and Outreach Efforts
PURPOSE: The purpose of this agenda item is to provide the Board of Aldermen an opportunity to consider information on the next phase of planning for the extension of sewer service to the Historic Rogers Road area, and on an outreach effort that will seek to clarify the vision for development in the area.
body
DEPARTMENT: Planning
INFORMATION: Following the completion of the Historic Rogers Road Task Force's work in late August and the consideration of the Task Force recommendations by elected boards in September, October, November, and January, discussions of implementing the committee's recommendations have continued. Materials associated with the work of the HRRTF may be found at <http://www.townofcarrboro.org/pzi/HRRNTF.htm>.
The consensus from the November 21, 2013 Assembly of Governments meeting was to move forward with further analysis of the mechanics/feasibility of the conceptual sewer alignments identified to date. OWASA staff has provided a preliminary scope of work and cost for this next step. The Town of Chapel Hill has estimated the cost of a public outreach effort, a concept identified by the County and Town Managers and endorsed by the HRRTF that would seek to identify action steps to provide sewer service to the neighborhood and clarify the vision for development in the area, including the Greene Tract. A summary of the actions is provided here:
Activity |
Refinement of cost estimates to provide sewer to 86 parcels - preliminary engineering |
Outreach to identify action steps to provide sewer service in the neighborhood |
Cost estimate |
$130,000 |
$30,000 to $50,000 |
Time Frame |
8-10 months timeframe, with issuance of an RFQ occurring possibly in early April and engineering work commencing within 8-12 weeks following |
The Town of Chapel Hill's consideration of expanding its Extra-territorial jurisdiction to include the Rogers Road area is ongoing. On February 10th, the Chapel Hill Town Council authorized the preparation of future agreements and budget actions to initiate preliminary engineering and outreach efforts for the Rogers Road sewer project [Attachment B]. The Council also continued its public hearing on the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) boundary expansion and related issues.
The management structure for the preliminary engineering of the sewer extension is expected to resemble the same approach used to install water lines in the Rogers Road area; Orange County and OWASA would establish a memorandum of agreement with scope and cost reimbursement. Chapel Hill and Carrboro would each enter in to agreements with Orange County to reimburse the County for the project costs, per the cost sharing percentages recommended by the Task Force (i.e. 43 percent for Orange County, 43 percent for Chapel Hill, and 14 percent for Carrboro). Orange County is scheduled to review this matter on March 6th [Attachment C].
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: On September 8, 2012, the Board of Aldermen expressed its commitment to contributing $900,000 towards Rogers Road improvements. $450,000 was appropriated from the Town's fund balance to support Rogers Road-related improvements on April 2, 2013; an additional $450,000 appropriation will be needed to reach the $900,000 contribution. The Town's share of the preliminary engineering and outreach effort is estimated to be $25,200.
RECOMMENDATION:r Staff recommends that the Board of Aldermen review the information presented in this agenda item and consider directing the Town Manager to work with staff of OWASA, Orange County and Chapel Hill to refine the scopes of services for sewer extension and outreach, to prepare appropriate agreements, and to sign relevant agreements on behalf of the Town. A resolution specifying this direction is provided as Attachment A. Prior to those details being finalized, staff will bring back a budget amendment for the Board's approval.