BRADENTON BEACH – The city commission has selected Land & Water Engineering Science to review City Engineer Lynn Burnett’s plans for a $2.1 million drainage and flood control project.
The project is being funded by a $2.69 million state appropriation previously granted to the city by the state Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis.
During a commission working meeting on Friday, May 28, the commission voted 5-0 in favor of selecting Land & Water Engineering to review City Engineer Lynn Burnett’s project plans and suggest alternative solutions, if and where needed.
Commissioner Jake Spooner made the motion to select Land & Water Engineering for this specific engineering task and Commissioner Jan Vosburgh seconded Spooner’s motion. In doing so, the commission directed City Attorney Ricinda Perry to negotiate a contract with Land & Water Engineering, at a cost not to exceed $45,000.
State-funded project
Burnett’s current plans for the state-funded flood control and drainage project call for several unpaved, beachside street ends along Gulf Drive North, and one street end along Gulf Drive South, to be covered with pervious concrete or pervious pavers that allow rainwater and tidal waters to drain downward into the stormwater storage and filtration systems below. Burnett’s plans also call for drainage and flood control improvements to be made in the area of Avenue A and 20th Place North and 21st Place North.
When Burnett presented her 90%-completed plans to the commission on April 27, the commission questioned whether the beachside street end improvements would be the best use of the state funds.
Regarding the Avenue A improvements, Mayor John Chappie expressed the commission’s desire to move away from the installation of stone-covered infiltration trenches when possible. Designed by Burnett, the drainage and retention trenches have worked well in some places and have proved problematic in others – including along Bridge Street, where the surface stones were later removed and replaced with brick pavers.
When that April meeting took place, the city had already issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking an outside engineering firm to update the city’s master drainage study last updated in 2006. The commission decided to delay moving forward with Burnett’s plans until an additional engineering firm was selected to review her project plans.
Flooding hotspots
During Friday’s meeting, the commission re-prioritized the areas to focus on regarding the best use of the state funds. The commission agreed that the Avenue A, 20th Place North and 21st Place North area is a top priority because that is currently one of the most flood-prone and problematic areas in the city.
The commission also wants to include the flood-prone area at the dead-end of Avenue B, the flood-prone areas along Avenue A at 24th Street North and 22nd Street North, and the flood-prone portion of Avenue A North in the vicinity of Herb Dolan Park.
Spooner suggested having Land & Water Engineering first evaluate the identified flooding hot spots to determine how much those drainage and flood control improvements would cost. He said any remaining state funds, if there are any, could then be used to address some of the beachside street ends or other flood-prone areas.
In a separate action, the commission directed Burnett to provide the city with all the design and engineering materials she has produced for the city over the past 20 years. Burnett was given 30 days to complete this task. The commission has not yet determined whether Burnett’s engineering services will be used in the future.
RFP responses
Land & Water Engineering Science was one of three firms that responded to the city’s RFP for stormwater-related engineering services. On May 11, the commission voted 4-1 in favor of Land & Water Engineering Science being the commission’s top choice to carry out the engineering tasks set forth in the RFP.
The Land & Water Engineering proposal listed a total estimated price of $112,000. The Utilities Consultants of Florida proposal listed a total estimated price of $95,000 and the Madrid/CPWG proposal listed a total estimated price of $50,000.
After making that selection, the commission directed Perry to negotiate a contract with Land & Water Engineering, with the understanding at that time that the city had no more than $60,000 to spend on stormwater and drainage-related engineering services for the remainder of the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30.
On May 20, City Treasurer Shayne Thompson told the commission the city actually had only $5,000 to $8,000 to spend on stormwater-related professional services for the remainder of the fiscal year. Thompson said the rest of that $60,000 is already committed to the maintenance of existing stormwater systems.
Perry said she didn’t know if any more state funds could be used for additional engineering services for the state-funded project in addition to the $168,000 already spent on Burnett’s plans. The commission directed Perry to contact Florida Department of Environmental Protection Grant Manager Michael Scheinkman and seek the state agency’s permission to spend a greater percentage of the state funds on engineering services.
On Wednesday, May 26, Scheinkman told Perry additional state funds could be used for engineering and design services for the state-funded project, as long as those costs don’t exceed 20% of the total project costs, which is $538,000.
The commission has not yet entered into contract talks with any of the firms for additional engineering services that would include the master drainage study update, reengineering the failing brick paver crosswalks on Bridge Street and more. During Friday’s meeting, Perry noted the RFP is structured in a manner that does not grant any firm the exclusive contract rights for the various engineering tasks set forth in the RFP.
The commission plans to hold future discussions regarding the possible use of American Rescue Plan funds to pay for some or all of the additional engineering services needed beyond those associated with the state-funded project.
