Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Public Works

TO:	David L Corliss, Diane Stoddard, Cynthia Wagner, Scott Wagner
FROM:	Chuck Soules
CC:	Jonathan Douglass, Matt Bond, David Cronin, Britt Crum-Cano
DATE:	June 27, 2012
RE:	Farmland Infrastructure and Final Platt July 3, 2012 City Commission Agenda

Introduction:

In September 2010 the City of Lawrence acquired the former Farmland Industries nitrogen facility, an approximately 450-acre tract of ground on the east side of Lawrence.  More specifically, the site is located north of K-10 Highway and west of East Hills Business Park (2700 E. 23^rd Street – formerly 1608 N. 1400 Road).  The City intends to develop the property as a first class business park with municipal level services in place to allow for the timely sale/lease to businesses bringing jobs and tax base enhancement to the community.

Current Farmland Status:

The City contracted with R. D. Johnson for the demolition of the structures on the Farmland site.  The demolition is complete.

Staff has submitted the RD/RA (Remedial Design/Remedial Action) Plan to KDHE for approval.  This sets out how the site will be managed, and improvements needed over the next few years.  Staff continues to provide the necessary monitoring/testing/reporting required by KDHE.

Public Works and Parks and Recreation crews have worked on additional concrete removal, improving the “curb appeal” of the K-10 Frontage.

In February of this year the City hired Bartlett & West to complete the master plan and construction plans for the signalization at O’Connell Road & K-10 Highway.  The intersection improvements are planned to bid this fall.

Attached is the Project Timeline that shows the progress of the master plan efforts and remaining tasks.

The City and Westar Energy are currently discussing the details of relocating the substation to the north.

The County Commission on June 20, 2012 approved the City efforts to (re)plat the county owned property adjacent to the Farmland property and agreed to be included within the Benefit District for infrastructure improvements, provided that the assessments are deferred pending the sale of the property for a new business.

The infrastructure improvements are identified on the attached map.  The road improvements (pink) include curb and gutter, storm sewer, and stabilized subgrade:

Entrance Road (north/south) – 10” concrete Boulevard section with three (3) lanes south for turning movements, landscaped median, and sidewalks on both sides.

Main east/west road will be two (2) 12’ concrete lanes with bike lanes, sidewalk, and multiuse path.

The “Frontage Road” will be a two (2) 11’ lane asphalt section with curb and gutter; no sidewalks are included on this “frontage road”.

Street lights will be solar powered.  City staff will be coordinating installation.

Cost:

There is approximately 4100 feet of business park road network.  The frontage road is approximately 875 feet.  The estimated construction cost is approximately $4.5 million.

Sanitary sewer main is identified on the map in green and the waterline will be installed within the road right-of-way.  An estimated construction cost for the sewer main is approximately $760,000.00 and water main is approximately $625,000.00.

The construction of the infrastructure will be paid for through a Benefit District of the properties within the Business Park.  We would like to have construction begin in the winter of 2013.

The cost for the engineering services for the infrastructure is as follows:

Streets:	$304,565.00
Water:	$43,050.00
Sewer:	$69,150.00

Additionally the City will hire a geotechnical firm to do some borings estimated to be under $15,000.00.

Both the Public Works Department and Utilities Department have reviewed the fees and scope of services and compared to other similar projects, and recommend the approval of the engineering services agreements.

Finally, Bartlett & West Engineering has provided a final plat scope of services which includes setting lot corners, master tree plan, final plat drawing, location of utility lines and easement verification, and lot layout and design.  The cost for these services is $21,591.62.

The costs for these services will be paid out of the Utility, Farmland, and Capital Improvement Reserve Funds.

Action Requested:

Authorize the City Manager to sign engineering services agreements with Bartlett & West Engineering for infrastructure design of streets ($304,565.00), water ($43,050.00), and sanitary sewer ($69,150.00), and for the final plat of the Farmland Business Park.