Agenda - 06-19-2012 - 5k - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: June 19, 2012 Action Agenda Item No. 5—k SUBJECT: Amendment to Hobbs, Upchurch & Associates Contract: Buckhorn- Mebane EDD Water and Sewer Extension Project — Phase II DEPARTMENT: Planning PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) NO ATTACHMENT(S): 1. Original Hobbs, Upchurch & Associates Contract 2. Contract Amendment 3. Permitting Timeline 4. Map of Project Area INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig Benedict, Planning Director, 245- 2592 Kevin Lindley, PE, Staff Engineer, 245- 2583 PURPOSE: To approve an amendment to the Hobbs, Upchurch & Associates (HUA) contract for design of water and sewer utilities in the Buckhorn Economic Development District (EDD) area to revise the timeline for services rendered and add easement mapping, negotiation and coordination to the scope of work. BACKGROUND: Orange County contracted with HUA in November 2010 to provide design and permitting for water and sewer infrastructure in the Buckhorn EDD area (see Attachments 1 and 4). The original timeline to complete the design and permitting was aggressive, allowing roughly six months for design and one year for permitting to be completed. Once the project was begun, it became apparent that a number of intermediate steps would have to occur in order to maximize design efficiency (e.g. choosing a gravity sewer option along Bowman Road, see below) and that the timeline as originally set forth would likely not be possible. Planning staff was managing the contract and recognized the necessity for extra time as the project progressed (see Attachment 3 for revised permitting timeline). The amendment adding time to the contract as shown in Attachment 2 will simply be an official acknowledgement of this. In addition, staff has received a proposal from HUA to coordinate acquisition of the necessary easements in the project area. This scope of work is outlined in the amendment, but will generally include surveying and mapping the easements, contacting and negotiating with individual property owners on behalf of the County, and conducting easement value assessments, if necessary. Orange County staff has held community outreach meetings describing the project and the necessity of easements. However, because HUA has experience performing this type of work on previous projects, and staff experience with acquiring easements is very limited, staff believes the process would go more smoothly if HUA were contracted to coordinate the easement acquisition process. This easement process will be concurrent with the permitting for the project and will take place over the next four months.