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SR-03-24-2015-3CAgenda Item: 3—r� To: Mayor and City Council From: Karen Ginsberg, Community and Cultural Services Director Susan Cline, Interim Director of Public Works Subject: Beach Bike Trail Sweeping Staff recommends that the City Council: 1) Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a cooperation agreement with Los Angeles County for the City to sweep the Beach Bike Trail within Santa Monica, whereby the County would reimburse the City $30,000 annually, adjusted by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). 2) Authorize the Purchasing Services Manager to issue a purchase order with Tennant Company, a Minnesota -based company, for one heavy -duty outdoor sweeper. This is a sole source purchase in an amount not to exceed $199,540. 3) Authorize the budget changes outlined in the Financial Impacts and Budget Actions section of this report. Executive Summary The City has proposed taking over the sweeping of the Beach Bike Trail from Los Angeles (LA) County to increase frequency from two or three days to five days per week to improve public safety and accessibility. The annual ongoing cost to the Beach Fund is $88,723 for additional staff, which will be offset by an annual $30,000 reimbursement from LA County. The annual ongoing costs and revenues would be included in the FY 2015 -17 biennial budget. A one -time appropriation from the Beach Fund to the Vehicle Management Fund in the amount of $226,436 for the purchase of a sweeper and first year of depreciation is recommended now to enable the program to begin on July 1, 2015. Los Angeles County built the 19 mile continuous bicycle trail, currently known as the Marvin Braude Bike Trail (Bike Trail) in 1972, beginning at California Avenue in Santa Monica and extending southward to Via Rivera in Torrance. The City of Santa Monica 1 extended the bike trail to the northern City limits in 1989. The County has had responsibility for maintaining and repairing the bike trail since it was built The County's schedule for sweeping the bike trail is twice a week during the winter months and three times a week during the summer. Since the County is responsible for sweeping the entire bike trail, and may run into delays along its length due to starting in areas south of Santa Monica, the schedule is not always met, causing sand to build up on the trail. While Beach Maintenance staff does not have the heavy equipment to clear the bike trail, staff use push brooms to remove sand when the County misses a day, or when sand covers the trail between the scheduled days. In addition, the equipment used by the County to clear the trail scrapes the pavement and has damaged the recently installed trail guidance markings. In response to these issues, staff initiated discussions with LA County Department of Public Works to transfer responsibility for sweeping the 2.9 mile portion of the bike trail in Santa Monica to the City. Discussion The proposed Cooperation Agreement would enable the City to assume responsibility for sweeping the 2.9 mile portion for a period of ten years, with the option to extend the agreement. The County would reimburse the City $30,000 annually, adjusted by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The reimbursement amount is based on the amount of Transportation Development Act (TDA) funds from the State that are provided to the County for sweeping the Santa Monica portion of the bike trail. The Santa Monica section is one of the most heavily traveled parts of the bike trail. Staff has analyzed the County's sweeping schedule and is recommending a more frequent sweeping program due to the high usage of the bike trail and the large amount of sand that is blown or tracked onto the trail. The proposed schedule is as follows: ® Entire Bike Trail: Five times a week (Monday to Friday) ® Hot Spots along Bike Trail /Ocean Front Walk: Three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Thursday) — as needed 2 The hot spots include sections of the bike trail that are most heavily used and often covered in sand, such as the area around the 1550 lot, as well as the pedestrian path north and south of the Pier, and Ocean Front Walk, which are not currently swept by the County. The City's takeover of the sweeping function would require additional staff and equipment. Staff proposes to add one small, heavy -duty sweeper to the City's fleet through the Vehicle Management Fund and to hire an Equipment Operator II for the Beach Maintenance Section to operate the sweeper. There is currently no available staff within the Section to fulfill this function. The shift to a five -day a week schedule with dedicated personnel would provide additional opportunities for improved sweeping of Ocean Front Walk and hard to reach areas of the beach parking lots. Ocean Front Walk is not currently swept by the County. These areas are swept by City staff with push brooms, as time permits. The additional expense for staff and equipment to increase the sweeping frequency is recommended to improve safety and access. Sand build up reduces lane capacity and may create a slippery surface. Use of the bike trail has grown steadily as a year -round recreation activity and transportation mode. The expansion of year -round activity at Santa Monica State Beach has also increased parking and concession revenues in the Beach Fund, making additional financial resources available to preserve and promote access to the beach including investing in the sweeping of the bike trail as proposed. The total annual ongoing cost for an Equipment Operator II is $88,723. This would be partially offset each year by the $30,000 reimbursement from the County. The expenditures and revenues for the sweeping would come from and to the Beach Fund. The one -time cost of the sweeper along with the first year of depreciation is $226,436. The funds for the Equipment Operator II and the revenues from the County reimbursement would be included in the proposed FY 2015 -17 budget. 3 Vendor Selection Staff recommends Tennant Company to furnish and deliver one Sentinal heavy -duty sweeper on a sole source basis. The purchase is economically available from a single source because the compatibility of the sweeper is of paramount consideration to this application. The recommended sweeper is a small, heavy -duty, outdoor, dust -free sweeper that is the width of one lane of the bike trail. The full length glass doors and windshield glass provide the operator a clear view to maximize safety. Although there are other types of sweepers available, Beach Maintenance staff has tested the unit for functionality against two other sweeper units and says it is uniquely fitted for this application due to the reasons noted above, which increase safety along the busy bike trail. The other types of sweepers are too large for the application and would cost several thousand dollars more to purchase. There are no other comparable units on the market that match this unit. Alternatives The Council could forego authorizing the City Manager to enter into a cooperation agreement with the County and continue to have the County sweep the bike trail on the current limited schedule. The Council could also deny the appropriation of funds for the sweeper, which would prevent the City from taking over the sweeping of the path. Both of these alternatives would maintain the current level of service for sweeping the bike trail. 11 Financial Impacts & Budget Actions The cooperation agreement will cost $88,723 annually and will generate revenues of $30,000, for a net impact of $58,723 to the Beach Fund. Funding for these ongoing costs will be requested during the FY 2015 -17 biennial budget process. Implementation of the program requires the following FY2014 -15 budget actions to allow the Beach Fund to purchase the sweeper: 1) Increase the revenue budget in account 54459.405760 (Vehicle Enhancement Purchases) by $199,540; 2) Appropriate $199,540 for the purchase of one sweeper to account 0540167.589100, Vehicle Enhancement Purchases; 3) Increase the revenue budget at account 54459.402660 (Future Vehicle Replacement) by $26,896; 4) Appropriate $26,896 to account IS110167.589000. The purchase order for the sweeper will be charged to 0540167.589100. Prepared by: Judith Meister, Beach Administrator ZEM Karen Ginsberg Director, Community and Cultural Services Department tr � t , S Susan Aline Interim Director, Public Works Department 5 Forwarded to Council: Elaine M. Polachek Interim City Manager Reference: Agreement No. 10042 (CCS)