Loading...
10 Staff Report - Vasona Loop Trail Feasibility Study 10 DATE: COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT SEPTEMBER 8, 2004 MEETING DATE: 9/20/04 ITEM NO. TO: FROM: SUBJECT: 􀁍􀁁􀁙􀁏􀁒􀁁􀁎􀁄􀁔􀁏􀁗􀁎􀁃􀁏􀁕􀁎􀁃􀁾 DEBRA J. FIGONE, TOWN MANAGER VASONA LOOP 􀁔􀁾 FEASJBmTY STUDY A. RECEIVE AND 􀁆􀁾􀁅 FINAL REPORT B. PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF REGARDING INCLUSION OF TIlE VASONA LOOP 􀁔􀁾 INTO THE LONG RANGE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION: 1. Receive and file fmal report. 2. Provide direction to staffregarding inclusion ofthe VasonaLoop Trail into the long range Capital Improvement Program. BACKGROUND: This item was continued from the August 2. 2004 Council meeting and moved from the consent calendar to other business at this Town Council meeting. No substantive changes have been made in the report; however, the recommendation has been expanded to include item "B." Attached is the report from August 2nd meeting. cc: Parks Commission Bob Rice -150 Wooded View Drive, Los Gatos CA 95032 􀁾􀀨􀁕􀁵􀁾 PREPARED BY: bn E. Curtis . ireclor, Parks and Public Works Reviewed by: 􀁾􀁁􀁳􀁳􀁩􀁳􀁴􀁡􀁮􀁴 Town Manager 􀁾􀁁􀁴􀁴􀁯􀁲􀁮􀁥􀁹 __Clerk Finance __Community Development Revised: 9/14/04 1:52 pm Reformatted: 5130102 N:\B&E\COUNCIL REPORTSWasona loop trail feasibility report 9-20-04.wpd I DATE: TO: FROM: COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT JULy 27, 2004 MAYOR AND TOWN COtThlCIL DEBRA J. FIGONE, TOWNMANAGE MEETING DATE: 8/2/04 ITEM NO. lO SUBJECT: RECEIVE AND FILE FINAL REPORT ON THE VASONA LOOP TRAIL FEASIBILITY STUDY RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file final report on the Vasona Loop Trail Feasibility Study. BACKGROUND: A study concerning the feasibility ofconstructing a Vasona Loop Trail was approved by Council at the regular meeting on April 15, 2002. Council appropriated up to $25,000 for this feasibility study. This proposal originated from the Trails and Bikeways Committee and was recommended to Council by the Planning Commission. The study was conducted by LandPeople and Jakaby Engineering. who submitted their findings in January, 2004. .'. The purpose of this feasibility study was to review possible solutions to link the existing trails at Vasona Lake Park from the trail that ends on the west side ofthe lake to the trail immediately east of the dam, and the associated costs and impacts. This report will discuss the feasibility study's report and outcome. This report was received and filed by the Parks Commission at their May 4. 2004 meeting. without comment. DISCUSSION: The feasibility study determined it is possible to construct a trail to link to the existing trail system but there are several considerations: geological issues due to the local flood plain and embankment; protecting local indigenous tn::es; ·protecting the integrity of the adjacent roadway on University Avenue; and access and flow considerations for the dam structure. How to construct a trail with as minimal impact to these items was reviewed by the consultants. PREPAREDBY 􀁾􀁾􀁻􀁾 liiirector. Parks and Public Works Reviewed by: 􀁾􀁁􀁳􀁳􀁩􀁳􀁴􀁡􀁮􀁴 Town Manager 􀁦􀁦􀁾􀀬􀁁􀁴􀁴􀁯􀁭􀁥􀁹__Clerk Finance __Community Development Revised: 7/27/04 2:46 pm Reformatted: 5130102 N:IB&E\COUNCIL REPORTS\8-2-04 Vasona loop trail feasibility report.wpd PAGE 2 MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL SUBJECT: ACCEPT FINAL REPORT ON TIlE VASONA LOOP TRAIL July 27, 2004 The report reviewed these constraints and offered several options and engineering solutions to construct a trail. Overall, it is possible to construct an extension trail, however it is perhaps more complicated that originally conceived mainly due to geological issues. There are two basic trail construction areas: alongside University Avenue (Site A) and to cross the water and connect to an existing trail(Site B). The following summarizes the two sites and their issues. Site A, alongside University Avenue, is steep and narrow with native and non-native trees. A major engineering issue is the steepness ofthe trail area and its relation to the adjacent roadway, where surcharge load occurs due to vehicles traveling onUniversity creating impact to the downward slope where the proposed trail is located. To address the slope and surcharge load issues, four sidehill bridges will be necessary to ensure stability ofthe trail and adjacent roadway. There is one location in particular where additional geological study is needed to detennine ifa retaining wall, rather than a sidehill bridge, will be necessary. The cost to conduct the additional geological study and construct a retaining wall are not included in the Consultant's cost estimate, however the Town Engineer estimates it could cost between $75,000 to $150,000, depending upon the outcome ofthe g.eological report. Site B is across the watelWay at the north end of Vasona Lake. Two possible crossing locations exist. One location is north of the dam, across Los Gatos Creek and the flood plain. This option could place a prefabricated, 1O-foot wide pedestrian bridge over Los Gatos Creek, connecting to the existing creek trail on the eastside and adding a short trail to connect it to the westside, Site A trail. Several issues exist concerning this site: flood control, unlalOwn biological impacts and impacts to adjacent residents. This location is in a designated flood plain, plain, which requires significant review by Department ofFish and Game, biological studies and review by the Division ofSafety ofDams, for which these costs are also not included in the report. Additionally, placing a bridge over the flood plain will require a 21 O-foot long bridge that needs to be quite high to be built above the storin water levels. During winter storms, a 15-foot rooster tail can develop when the dani overflows and the creek channel extends the full width downstream from the dam. The height of a bridge at this location could impact the privacy ofnearby residents. The other location for Site B is to place a pedestrian bridge directly over the existing dam catwalk. This site would connect a prefabricated 6-foot wide catwalk bridge to the existing smaller catwalk on ibe dam face. Discussions with the Santi Clara V3lley Waier District (SCVWD) who owns and manages the dam, indicate this location may be feasible as long as their access and operations are not impacted. Staffbelieve a bridge/catwalk design could be created to meet the SCVWD's needs. This is the less expensive and more practicallocatioD to cross the waterway. Considering the optional locations to cross the waterway and their potential impacts, constructing a bridge over the existing dam catwalk is the most practical oftbe two. Additional considerations include estimated costs to construct the trail and bridge, and related funding sources. ","I PAGE 3 􀁍􀁁􀁙􀁏􀁒􀁁􀁎􀁄􀁔􀁏􀁗􀁎􀁃􀁏􀁕􀁎􀁃􀁾 SUBJECT: ACCEPT FINAL REPORT ONTHE VASONA LOOP􀁾 July 27, 2004 The following summarizes the site locations, options and estimated construction costs: SITE A-Trail AJoDl!side University Avenue Site Details Options Construction Cost Location is steep section currently Four sidehill bridges, 8372,472 used as a "volunteer" trail between and trail improvements roadway and lake. , One section of trail along roadway Geological studies and Cost Dot included in report. appears-to be unstable. possible retaining wall Town Engineer's estimate is from 875,000 to 8150,000 SUB-TOTAL ESTIMATED COST FOR SITE A $447,472 -5522,472 SITEB -Pedestnan Bn':d1l!e Crossml! Dam Site Details Options Construction Cost Bridge over existing dam Attach bridge over dam 8129,464 Bridge north ofdam, crossing Separate 10' wide bridge 8260,024 creek and flood plain SUB-TOTAL ESTIMATED 8129,464 -8260,024 COST FOR SITE B IESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COST I8576,936 -5782,496 Cost Issues:. Cost estimates to construct the trail and bridge are for construction only and do not include geological studies, biological studies, permits and mitigation fees that could arise depending upon which direction is chosen. The estimated costs are broad largely due to the unknown geological issues at Site A (geological study and possible retaining wall). The total project is the sum of Site A and Site B costs. Funding Issues: At this time, fundiog is not designated to construct this traiL SCVWD bas indicated they may allocate some funding and County has not indicated they would help fund. Possible state and local grants include the State Local Water Conservation Fund and State Recreational Trails Program, both offer competitive annual grants for trails or parks improvements. It is possible this trail extension would not be considered a priority by the grant review board. PAGE 4 MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL SUBJECT: ACCEPT FINAL REPORT ON THil VASONA LOOP TRAIL July 27,2004 Additionally, Prop.l2 or 40 funding ntight be available, bowever onlyfortbe portion oflbe trail lbat is owned and maintained by the Town, which is the portion adjacent to University Avenue. Land issues: Santa Clara Valley Water District owns aportion ofthe area at & near the dam where the trail would cross, other trail area alongside University Avenue is right-of-way owned by the Town. The trail itselfwould become part ofVasona Lake Park, which is owned & maintained by the County. Issues of ongoing maintenance need to be discussed and will impact possible grant fund opportunities. CONCLUSION: The feasibility report for constructing an extension trail and bridge indicates it is possible, with constraints and some u.nlalown future issues (geological and biological). Funding is not designated 􀁡􀁾 this time. Councilmaychoose to direct staffto pursue obtaining grant funding, and advise Council when that grant application occurs. At this time, staff recommends waiting to determine funding sources before advancing on this large project. Its priority relative to other projects in the 5 year Capital Improvement Program can be considered during the preparation of the 2005-10 Capital Improvement Program. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: This study is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required. FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact at this time, because no funding is designated to pursue constructing an extension trail and bridge at the northwest corner ofVasona Lake.