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Sub Regional Storm Water Project
Presented by: Dawny George, Director, Engineering
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RECOMMENDATION(S)
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1. That the agenda report titled “Sub Regional Storm Water Project (Storm Project 5) be received as information.
2. That the design and land acquisition for the Northeast Storm Outfall and pipe (Off-Site Levy Storm Project 5), in the amount of $1,000,000 be funded from the Off-Site Levy Recovery Fund.
3. That the plan to complete the Carrot Creek Regional Master Drainage Plan in collaboration with Sturgeon County, Town of Morinville and the Province, in the amount of $200,000 be funded from the Stormwater Utility Reserve.
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PURPOSE OF REPORT
The purpose of this report is to receive support and direction to collaboratively work with the development industry and Sturgeon County to complete the preliminary, detailed design and easement acquisition for the Northeast Storm Outfall, as shown in the Off-Site Levy Bylaw. Funding to support this off-site levy stormwater projected is requested through the Off-site Levy Recovery Fund.
Administration would also like to receive direction and funding to complete a Master Drainage Plan for the Carrot Creek Drainage Basin in conjunction with relevant stakeholders.
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL STRATEGIC PRIORITY
Strategic Priority #1: Growth Policy Framework: Develop a robust policy framework to guide growth.
1.3 Investigate and recommend alternative solutions to improve the competitiveness of development costs in St. Albert
Strategic Priority #2: Economic Development: Enhance business/commercial growth.
Strategic Priority #4: Infrastructure Investment: Identify and build needed capital assets.
Strategic Priority #6: Environmental Stewardship: Explore innovative environmental and conservation opportunities.
ALIGNMENT TO ADMINISTRATIVE PRIORITY
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ALIGNMENT TO SERVICE DELIVERY
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COUNCIL DIRECTION
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BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Erin Ridge North Basin
For the past five years Administration has been working collaboratively with the development industry as lands within the north east quadrant were being developed. Developer funded interim storm water infrastructure and procedures have been implemented to provide appropriate flooding risk management. This has enabled some land development to be approved. Further interim measures are technically challenging.
Ultimate development for lands both within the City and directly adjacent requires a new outfall to the northeast of the City as part of the storm management plan. The complexity of this project is high due to the number of impacted land owners, and uncertainty on an ultimate alignment of the stormwater outfall which would most likely be on lands outside current City boundary.
It is recommended that the City take the lead on the planning and design of this project, working collaboratively with developers and stakeholders. Operationally, one of the many benefits that occurs when the City leads a project is the optimized project management and design conditions that a project then utilizes from public consultation, to the overall considerations to lifecycle and operations in an infrastructure design. The high standards that the city requires their consultants to adhere to when working with the public as an extension of the City are ensured when the City’s Project Management processes are utilized.
This project is an off-site levy project, which provides some certainty on payback, but as this project has a “future contribution” from lands outside of City boundary there are additional funding challenges. As the total benefitting lands cannot currently be incorporated into the model, the payback lacks certainty and the timelines are undefined. The attached figure (Sub Region Storm Water Project) that provides an overview of the benefitting lands associated with the Northeast Storm Outfall - Storm Project 5.
Providing certainty in alignment and pipe length is two-fold; it provides the data for Administration to update the off-site levy model to more accurately reflect construction project costs and allows the City to collaboratively work with the development industry to optimize construction time and, possible cost sharing agreements.
The total cost of the Storm Project 5 is estimated to be $5M to $10M subject to the completion of preliminary and detailed design that takes into consideration on alignment restrictions, length, geotechnical constraints, hydraulic constraints etc.
Carrot Creek Basin
It is also recommended that the City takes the lead to coordinate a Master Drainage Plan for Carrot Creek with Sturgeon County, Town of Morinville, and Alberta Transportation. Master Drainage Plans provide overall stormwater management and determine cumulative impacts on a receiving water body, ie; Carrot Creek, based on the ultimate development. It considers a holistic look at the entire water basin. These plans can ultimately be submitted to the province under the Water Act, and any subsequent development must comply to the Master Drainage Plan. Once these plans are accepted by the province, it becomes a plan that all lands, within the drainage basin must comply to, which provides a level of protection to both the upstream and downstream landowners or communities.
An initial review of the downstream basin challenges and opportunities was completed by Urban Systems in 2015 in the Joint Infrastructure Review undertaken by the City and Sturgeon County.
As the City of St. Albert owns most of the downstream land in this basin, it would be in the City’s best interest to lead this project to provide a level of protection and certainty in any future planning. A Master Drainage Plan, approved by the province would provide the direction and certainty for overall stormwater management planning, design and construction for the Carrot Creek Drainage Basin which extends from Big Lake to Morinville. See attached figure showing Potential Carrot Creek Basin. Administration may seek funding contribution from other benefiting jurisdictions at the project initiation phase, and will be apprising relevant administrations shortly, should Council wish for Administration to move this initiative forward.
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
A decision to move ahead with the Storm Project 5 would enable administration to plan and implement stakeholder communication and engagement. The stakeholders would include but not limited to land owners potentially affected by the final alignment of the outfall pipe, Sturgeon County and development community.
As portions of the proposed alignment are within the area currently subject to annexation, alignment certainty may be more challenging to determine and solidify. It was assumed that the storm trunk/outfall could be sited on future proposed neighborhood road right of ways, however, it is anticipated that landowners may be hesitant to support these alignments due to land uncertainty. Less optimal final alignments may be required to avoid dissecting parcels and impacting landowners. Delays in delineating an alignment and providing opportunities for construction will delay current development within City boundaries.
For the Master Plan, the stakeholder list would include but not limited to Sturgeon County, Town of Morinville and Alberta Transportation. Administration has not initiated any conversation with the stakeholders on the Master Plan project within the past several months. It is recommended that a letter be send seeking collaboration and potential funding contribution from the City of St. Albert CAO to the respective CAO’s in neighboring jurisdictions and to the Deputy Minister of Alberta Transportation once an approval is given to proceed with this project.
IMPLICATIONS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Financial:
The Off-site Levy Recovery Fund has a current balance of $21.1 Million and the funds are governed by Council Policy C-FS-20 Off-Site Levy Recovery Fund Utilization. This reserve is currently being utilized to support the debt servicing payments related to The North Interceptor Sanitary Sewer Trunk Line (Project 9) and are also recommended as the funding source to allow the front ending of 2 off-site levy projects as detailed within the 2019 Proposed Budget. Committing an additional $1,000,000 from this reserve, along with the projects proposed in the budget leaves the forecasted balance in the reserve in compliance with the criteria stipulated within the policy.
There is adequate funding available in the Stormwater reserve to support the recommendation.
Legal / Risk:
The Off-Site Levy Bylaw 30/2013 permits the off-site levies fund to be used to pay for construction costs of this type of municipal infrastructure, including design, engineering, and land and surveying costs.
Program or Service: N/A
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ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
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Report Date: November 19, 2018
Author(s): Dawny George
Committee/Department: Engineering
Chief Administrative Officer: Kevin Scoble