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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: February 19, 2008 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. <br />SUBJECT: Contract with RB Engineering, Inc. for Structural Engineering Services to <br />Stabilize and Repair Barns at Future Park Sites <br />DEPARTMENT: Purchasing, ERCD PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Letter of Proposal <br />Photos <br />Contract <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Pam Jones, 245-2650 <br />David Stancil, 245-2590 <br />Tina Moon, 210-2595 <br />PURPOSE: To consider authorizing the Chair to execute a contract with RB Engineering, Inc. <br />to conduct engineering work, prepare construction drawings and specifications, and perform <br />inspection services for two barns: the future New Hope Park at Blackwood Farm (former <br />Herbert Blackwood farm) and the future Twin Creeks District Park (former John Henry Cate <br />farm). <br />BACKGROUND: As part of the preparation of estimates for the stabilization and long-term <br />renovation of the buildings at county-owned park properties, ERCD staff asked RB <br />Engineering, Inc., to evaluate the two large barns, (the pole barn at the future New Hope Park <br />at Blackwood Farm and the gambrel roof dairy barn at the future Twin Creeks Park), in January <br />and February of 2007. The focus of this evaluation was two-fold 1) to identify and address <br />immediate structural issues and 2) to begin to consider the requirement and associated costs <br />with long-term stabilization and for potential re-use, particularly of the loft, space in the Cate <br />Barn. <br />The County purchased both properties in 2001 for future park use. The former Blackwood <br />Farm is envisioned as a low-impact park with an historic, agricultural and environmental theme, <br />whereas the Cate Farm will become part of the Twin Creeks District Park, planned to include a <br />multi-purpose athletic complex with active playing fields and rustic trails and meadow areas. <br />Collectively the two former farmsteads contain two houses and more than sixteen outbuildings. <br />Stabilization work for some of the Blackwood Farm outbuildings was performed in 2005. Many <br />of these structures have historical significance, which is a particular expertise of RB <br />Engineering, Inc. RB Engineering, Inc. has inspected over 1200 structures over the last six <br />years and has prepared similar types of structural repairs for foundations and framing on more <br />than 200 projects. The firm has experience working with government-sponsored projects, <br />including the Orange County Land Trust, and was hired in November of 2007 to perform <br />structural engineering services for emergency structural and foundation needs at the <br />Blackwood Farm House.