SR-6-C (119)
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Santa Monica, SEP ? 4 'Gql
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SR0924.DESK.PIER
Cauncll Meeting: 09/24/91
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City staff
SUBJECT: Recommendation to Authorize the city Manager to
Negotiate and Execute a Cost-Shared Agreement with the
Army Corps of Engineers for a Feasibility study of the
Santa Monica Breakwater
Introduction
This report requests that the city council authorize the City
Manager to negotiate and execute a Cost-Shared Agreement with the
.
Army Corps of Engineers for the preparation of a feasibility study
for the restoration of the Santa Monica breakwater.
Backqround
As a result of the Clty of Santa Monica's request for federal
asslstance to restore the breakwater back in 1986, the Army Corps
of Engineers made a preliminary finding that the restoration may
be justified as a federal project. The Corps began the first step
in the process, the reconnaissance report, in May, 1988. The
reconnaissance study, which was funded entirely by the Corps, is a
cost/benefit analysis in terms of the engineering, economic, and
environmental factors to determine the federal interest in a
proJect to reconstruct the breakwater. The benefits of the
project, such as storm damage protection, elimination of
navigatlon hazards, and commercial and recreational boating
opportunlties are quantified against the construction and
operation and maintenance costs.
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S...-p 2 4 1991
t.,
The reconnalssance study was completed by the Los Angeles District
In July, 1989, and sent to the Office of the Chief Engineer in
Washington, D.C. for review and certification. After a lengthy
review period, the Chief Engineer determined that additional study
was needed prlor to its certification and proceeding to the next
phase. The Los Angeles Dlstrict was directed to refine the storm
damage benefit analysis and to provide additional economic
analysis of the commercial and recreational boating benefits. The
Los Angeles District completed the supplemental report in
November, 1990; the Chief Engineer certifled the reconnaissance
report in June, 1991, and approved proceeding to the feasibility
.
study.
Feasibility study
The feasibility study phase is the final planning step in
determining the federal interest in restoring the breakwater. It
builds on the work of the reconnaissance report and will analyze a
number of alternative plans In terms of detailed engineering,
economic, environmental, and public acceptability considerations.
The objective of the $800,000 study is to select a plan that will
be recommended to Congress for construction. If the feasibility
study demonstrates federal interest in the project, the federal
government will cover between sixty-five (65) percent and eighty
( 80) percent of the cost of constructing the breakwater, depending
on the project's classification.
PubllC involvement is a key component of the study process and
there are three pUblic workshops and meetings planned during the
two-year study. Public input will be especially important during
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the initial phase of the study which identifies the prellminary
alternatives. The public participation will continue as
alternatives are screened and a recommended plan lS developed.
In addition to the public involvement component, the key elements
of the study include the following:
0 Coastal Design - Detailed analysis of prevailing coastal
processes and the development of breakwater alternatives
for storm damage reduction purposes.
0 Geotechnical - Evaluation of the geotechnical feasibility
of the proposed alternatives, incl uding corings and soils
analysis.
0 Environmental - Assessment of environmental impacts of the
proposed alternatives and preparation of an Environmental
Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact statement (EIS) I if
required.
0 Economic - Thorough evaluation of benefits (ie. storm
damage, navigation, commercial, recreation) of proposed
alternatives and benefit-cost analysis of recommended plan.
The study is expected to take two years to complete. An Executive
Committee, consisting of the District Engineer and the Chief of
Planning for the LA District, and the City Manager and the
Director of General services for the City of Santa Monica, is
responsible for overall management of the study. The Executive
Committee will appoint a study Management Team to coordinate the
actual preparation of the study.
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Budqet/FlnanC1al Impact
The feaslbillty study 1S cost-shared between the federal
government and the local sponsor on a 50-50 basis. The total cost
of the study is estlmated to be $800,000. Through the efforts and
support of the Clty'S congressional representatives, sufficient
funds have been appropriated by Congress for the corps' share of
the cost. The Clty may contribute up to fifty (50) percent of the
local share as in-kind services. staff is recommending that the
city contribute $200,000 in cash and the remaining $200,000 of the
City's share as in-kind services. Funds are available as follows:
Cash contribution - $200,000 .
$170,000: Account 30-740-625-20091-8900-99930
$ 30,000: Account 30-740-625-26890-8912-99180
In-kind Services - $200,000
$110,000: Account 30-740-625-26890-8912-99180 for City
managed geotechnical and survey contracts;
$ 90,000: Included in current operating budget for the public
involvement program and local study management.
Recommendation
staff respectfully recommends that the City Council authorize the
City Manager to negotiate and execute a cost-shared agreement
with the Army corps of Engineers for a feasibility study of the
Santa Monica breakwater.
Prepared by: Peggy Curran, Director of community Development
Stan Scholl, Director of General Services
Judith Meister, P1er Manager
Dave Brltton, Acting city Engineer
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