Northeast Corridor Greenway Acquisition Project – Design and Permitting Status UpdateCity Council WorkshopAugust 25, 2015

Presentation Outline• Phase I Summary (Previously Presented to City Council):

• Impacts• Feasibility Study Results• 2010 SJRWMD Restoration Plan (Alternative 1A and 1B)• Preliminary Cost

•Phase II Summary (Field Assessments & Agency Coordination):• SJRWMD and USACE meetings• Revised Restoration Plan• Preliminary Cost

•Capital Improvement Mitigation Example•Budget Analysis•Steps Underway & Schedule

NECGA Project Impacts

1952 2004Today

Phase I Summary of Findings

Regulatory Required Restoration: • Requires detailed engineering and design• 1A (Approved = $1,950,000) vs. 1B (Compensation = $1,420,000)• Approximately 50% of cost is clearing and ground work• Approximately 50% of cost is distributed over a minimum 5-year period• 1A is more costly overall and difficult to construct – no permitting required• 1B is preferred option to prepare and permit future options for recreation and wetland

mitigation credit

Optional Wetland Mitigation Program: • 2A: Restoration & Enhancements -> 5 credits• 2B: Restoration & Enhancements - > 10 credits

Phase II Summary of Findings

FIELD INVESTIGATIONS• Extensive field investigations to review all impact areas• Identified additional wetland areas• Identified fill areas that remain ‘functioning wetlands’• Reviewed field investigation findings with SJRWMD staff

Revised Alternative 1A

Floodplain Storage

(8.0 acres)

Additional Floodplain

Storage (2.0 acres)

1A - Restoration Plan: $0.91 M

Assumes Wetland Preservation will mitigate for Dredge & Fill To Remain

Phase II Summary of Findings

SJRWMD• January 2015 Meeting

Agreed to drop restoration requirement for 16.2-ac of ‘functioning wetland’ areaso ~ $1M SAVINGS!

Do not support compensation plan (Alternative 1B) Identified 3.0-ac of difficult/high risk restoration areas that should not be completed

o Will assess 2 credits of functional losso Will require mitigation o Recommend mitigating with Alternative 2B preservation credits (little to no cost)

Require formal letter with restoration plan WITH PLANS and schedule Advanced mitigation will be separate permit process

• Preliminary approval of 20 credits (no wetland creation) minus ~1 for trails and 2 for dredge/fill remaining = 17 credits

o No costly wetland creation o Comprised of relatively low cost enhancements

Staff Summary of Findings

USACE• March 2015 Meeting

Agreed to drop restoration requirement for 16.2-ac of ‘functioning wetland’ areaso ~ $1M SAVINGS!

Will not require mitigation for 3.0-ac of fill & dredge to remain ~ $208K SAVINGS!

Reviewing USACE settlement agreement for City review and signature USACE will issue NWP 32 (Completed Enforcement Actions) after Settlement

Agreement is executed Require detailed wetland restoration plan with schedule USACE advanced mitigation credits will likely be ~10-20% lower than SJRWMD;

15 credits

Revised Alternative 2BAdvanced Wetland Mitigation

*Wetland Mitigation Bank Credit Avg. Unit Price = $110,000

Generates ~ 15 creditsMitigation Bank Costs: $1,650,000*1A + 2B Expenditures: $1,080,300 ($72k/credit) Savings: $569,700

Legend

Open Water

Upland Preservation

Upland Enhmnt Area1 (Plant and Burn)

Upland Enhmnt Area2 (Thin and Burn)

WetlandEnhancement Area 1(Plant)

WetlandEnhancement Area 2(Plant)

WetlandEnhancement Area 3(Exotics)

WetlandEnhancement Area 4(Thin and Burn)

WetlandEnhancement Area 5(Exotics and Burn)

WetlandEnhancement Area 6(Thin, Exotics, andBurn)

WetlandPreservation

Soil Stockpile

Parking Lot

CIP Mitigation Example(s)

Old Kings Road Widening (Palm Coast Parkway to Lehigh Canal) 4.64 Paired UMAM Credits

Existing Contract ($150 K): $696,000

Current Market ($110 K): $510,400

City ROMA ($72 K): $334,080

Savings on Project: $361,920

Phase II Project Options

ALTERNATIVE REVISED 1A 2B (15 Credits)

Restoration Costs: $940,600 $940,600

Additional Costs: $610,000

Sub-total: $940,600 $1,550,600

Savings if performed inhouse: ($470,300) ($470,300)

Total Project Expenditures: $470,300 $1,080,300

Wetland credits: $0 ($1,650,000)

Net Cost: $470,300 ($569,700)

NECGA – Budget Analysis

Steps Underway & Schedule

Steps Underway

• Survey work completed• City executes settlement agreement with USACE

Next Steps

• Submit restoration plan to SJRWMD and USACE by December 2015 –January 2016

• Submit separate Environmental Resource Permit application for Advanced Mitigation permit package to SRWMD and USACE in January 2015

• Begin restoration work Fall 2016

QUESTIONS?