06-18-2013 City Council Study Session Packet
City of Grand Island
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Study Session Packet
City Council:
Linna Dee Donaldson
Scott Dugan
John Gericke
Peg Gilbert
Chuck Haase
Julie Hehnke
Vaughn Minton
Mitchell Nickerson
Bob Niemann
Mike Paulick
Mayor:
Jay Vavricek
City Administrator:
Mary Lou Brown
City Clerk:
RaNae Edwards
7:00 PM
Council Chamber - City Hall
100 East 1st Street
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City of Grand Island Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Call to Order
This is an open meeting of the Grand Island City Council. The City of Grand Island abides by the Open
Meetings Act in conducting business. A copy of the Open Meetings Act is displayed in the back of this room
as required by state law.
The City Council may vote to go into Closed Session on any agenda item as allowed by state law.
Invocation
Pledge of Allegiance
Roll Call
A - SUBMITTAL OF REQUESTS FOR FUTURE ITEMS
Individuals who have appropriate items for City Council consideration should complete the Request for
Future Agenda Items form located at the Information Booth. If the issue can be handled administratively
without Council action, notification will be provided. If the item is scheduled for a meeting or study
session, notification of the date will be given.
B - RESERVE TIME TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEMS
This is an opportunity for individuals wishing to provide input on any of tonight's agenda items to reserve
time to speak. Please come forward, state your name and address, and the Agenda topic on which you will
be speaking.
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City of Grand Island
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Study Session
Item -1
Recognition of 2012-2013 Community Youth Council
The Mayor and City Council will recognize the hard work and many hours contributed by the
Community Youth Council to the community of Grand Island through sponsored and collaborative
events. A short presentation will be given regarding the highlights of the 2012-2013 Community Youth
Council year. All youth and adult members will be recognized with a certificate and a special gift will be
given to the seniors that just graduated. Congratulations on a successful year.
Staff Contact: Wendy Meyer-Jerke
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City of Grand Island
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Study Session
Item -2
Discussion Concerning Water Related Issues
Staff Contact: John Collins, P.E. - Public Works Director
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Council Agenda Memo
From:John Collins PE, Public Works Director
Meeting:June 18, 2013
Subject:Discussion Concerning Water Related Issues
Item #’s:2
Presenter(s):John Collins PE, Public Works Director
Background
Department of Public Works staff receive frequent complaints of water related issues
including groundwater levels, water in basements, standing water in yards, ditches &
detention cells, overgrowth of vegetation in ditches & detention cells, and neighbors
pumping water to them or blocking drainage.
We attempt to address each complaint as it is presented, but are not always able to
respond in a timely manner to resolve the issue.
Discussion
The purpose of this item is to present an overview of complaints and solutions so that
City Council and the community may gain an understating of the total problem and how
each individual complaint is related with the other.
Conclusion
This item is presented to the City Council in a Study Session to allow for any questions to
be answered and to create a greater understanding of the issue at hand.
It is the intent of City Administration to bring individual drainage issues and
recommendations to future council meetings.
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PUBLIC WORKS
Water Related Issues
Symptoms/Complaints
Sources
Solutions
1
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PUBLIC WORKS
Water in Basements
Ground Water
Lot Drainage
Subdivision Drainage
City Drainage
Structure Error (roof drain, poor seals, etc.)
2
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PUBLIC WORKS
Standing Water On Property
Lot Drainage
Subdivision Drainage
City Drainage
Crop Irrigation
Lawn Sprinklers
Ground Water Discharge (from Pumping)
Blocked Drainage (Ditches and/or Storm Sewers)
Inadequate Detention
Poor Ditch Grades, Pipe Grades, and Culvert Slopes
3
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PUBLIC WORKS
Standing Water In Ditches
Subdivision Drainage
City Drainage
Crop Irrigation
Lawn Sprinklers
Ground Water Discharge (from Pumping)
Blocked Drainage (Ditches and/or Storm Sewers)
Inadequate Detention
Poor Ditch Grades, Pipe Grades, and Culvert Slopes
4
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PUBLIC WORKS
Overgrowth of Vegetation In Ditches
Results from maintenance difficulties due to:
Standing Water (see Previous Slide)
Inadequate Equipment/Insufficient Staff
Inappropriate Design or Construction
Confusion over Who is Responsible (Streets,
Department of Roads, Private Owner, etc.)
5
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PUBLIC WORKS
Standing Water In Detention Cells
City Drainage
Ground Water Discharge (from Pumping)
Crop Irrigation
Lawn Sprinklers
Blocked Drainage (Ditches and/or Storm Sewers)
Poor Ditch Grades, Pipe Grades, and Culvert Slopes
Inadequate outlet
Inadequate capacity
Too Deep
Vegetation
6
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PUBLIC WORKS
Overgrowth of Vegetation In Detention Cells
Results from maintenance difficulties due to:
Standing Water (see Previous Slide)
Inadequate Access
Inappropriate Design or Construction
Confusion over Who is Responsible (Streets, Parks,
Private Owner, etc.)
7
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PUBLIC WORKS
Classes of Solutions
Citywide Dewatering System
Individual Dewatering
City Drainage Construction
Subdivision Drainage Construction & Regulation
Lot Drainage Regulation
Proper Infrastructure Maintenance
8
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PUBLIC WORKS
Dewatering System
Potential to:
Reduce water in basements
Reduce water in ditch bottoms
Reduce water in detention cells
Increase water in ditches and detention cells
Operations (effort and cost)
9
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PUBLIC WORKS
Individual Dewatering
Potential to:
Reduce water in basements
Increase water in ditches and detention cells
Put water in streets occasionally creating issues with
ice, mud, or other debris – damages pavement.
Put water into public areas or neighbors’ yards
10
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PUBLIC WORKS
City Drainage Construction
Potential to:
Reduce water ditches and detention cells
Make the system more efficient
Eliminate the need for court mandated weirs
Increase water in ditches and detention cells
11
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PUBLIC WORKS
Subdivision Drainage Construction & Regulation
Potential to:
Reduce standing water on property
Reduce standing water ditches and detention cells
Make the system more efficient
Reduce maintenance required both within the
subdivision and for adjacent drainage systems
Increase inspection and enforcement workload
12
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PUBLIC WORKS
Lot Drainage Regulation
Potential to:
Reduce standing water on property
Encourage water to flow along planned routes
Increase inspection and enforcement workload
13
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PUBLIC WORKS
Proper Infrastructure Maintenance
Potential to :
Reduce standing water on property
Reduce standing water ditches and detention cells
Make the system more efficient
Identify infrastructure issues before failure
14
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PUBLIC WORKS
Past and Current Efforts
15
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PUBLIC WORKS
Citywide Dewatering System
1998 Dewatering CPNRD Study:
Modeled City
Tested Concept
2011 City Dewatering Program
5 Pumps Dewatering about 171 Properties
2012 Dewatering Study
Modeled City
Created 3 Semi Independent Areas
16
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PUBLIC WORKS
Individual Dewatering
Many Individuals Pumping
Regularly Advise Owners of Acceptable Areas to
Direct Water
Frequently Attempt to Mitigate Complaints of
Neighbors’ Dewatering
17
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PUBLIC WORKS
City Drainage Construction
RFQ Development for Drainage Master Plan
Numerous Projects
18
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PUBLIC WORKS
Examples of Projects
Highway 30 Drainage Improvements
Cannon Ditch Lining
Stagecoach Detention Cell Lining
CCC to Wood River Drainway
Moores Creek Drainage
Annual Ditch Lining Program
Annual Storm Cell Improvement Program
19
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PUBLIC WORKS
Subdivision Drainage Construction & Regulation
Typical Sections for Roadways (in development)
Review of Land Development Requirements and
Process
Review of Builder Requirements and Process
Identified Need for Survey and GIS
Each part will include reviews with internal and
external stakeholders prior to presentation to Council
20
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PUBLIC WORKS
Lot Drainage Regulation
Review Grading requirements and Drainage
Impediment issues for individual lots as well as
process for permitting and inspection
Identified Need for Survey and GIS
This will include reviews with internal and external
stakeholders prior to presentation to Council
21
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PUBLIC WORKS
Proper Infrastructure Maintenance
Maintenance includes debris removal, making repairs
and correcting minor deficiencies.
Regardless of how much drainage infrastructure is
constructed, drainage will fail if not properly
maintained.
Assessment has been underway for 2 years
Activities highly dependent on weather and
groundwater
Primary issues have been identified
Recommendations are Ready
22
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PUBLIC WORKS
System Assessment
We have performed a number of maintenance
activities over the last two years so that we could
access the condition of the City’s drainage system
and the effectiveness of various corrective methods,
such as, partnering with the Wastewater Division’s
Collections Unit to clean storm sewer, resetting ditch
grades, setting a higher priority for existing catch
basin cleaning, and testing specialized equipment.
23
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PUBLIC WORKS
System Assessment
Repair Outlet Scouring
Before
24
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PUBLIC WORKS
System Assessment
Repair Outlet Scouring
After
25
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PUBLIC WORKS
System Assessment
Catch Basin Repair and Curb Restoration
Before After
26
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PUBLIC WORKS
System Assessment
Catch Basin and Storm Sewer Installation
During
Before
After
27
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PUBLIC WORKS
System Assessment
Catch Basin Cleaning & Debris Removal
28
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PUBLIC WORKS
System Assessment
Ditch and Detention Cell Grading
Before
After
29
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PUBLIC WORKS
System Assessment
Concrete Low Flow Liner Installation
30
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PUBLIC WORKS
Maintenance Activities: Ditches
Removing debris (trees, branches, etc.)
Mowing
Filling low spots and washouts
Re-establishing Grade
31
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PUBLIC WORKS
Maintenance Activities: Culverts
Removing debris (trees, branches, big red balls, etc.)
Resetting to grade (matching ditch grade)
Cleaning with sewer jet/vac
Replacing
32
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PUBLIC WORKS
Maintenance Activities: Storm Sewer
Removing large debris
Cleaning pipes with sewer jet/vac
Cleaning catch basins and manholes
Repairing catch basins and manholes
Replacing/Repairing pipe
Condition assessment
Setting to grade
33
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PUBLIC WORKS
Maintenance Activities: Detention Cells
Removing large debris
Mowing
Setting grade (to flow toward outlet)
Reestablishing grade above ground water
Cleaning outlets and inlets
Repairing outlet grates
Lining bottom (flow liner or in total)
Repair and maintenance of pumps
Maintaining gates
34
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PUBLIC WORKS
Current Staff
Streets – handling pavement repair, pothole patching,
crack sealing, mowing, sweeping, and seasonal drainage
work.
Traffic & Drainage – handling traffic signals, signs,
and striping as well as cleaning catch basins and
detention cells, and adjusting the drainage system to
flow properly.
35
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PUBLIC WORKS
Staff Analysis
•The Traffic & Drainage crew are staffed at a level to
handle the traffic function or the drainage function,
but not both.
•Existing equipment is geared more for Traffic work.
•Seasonally handling some drainage, but Public Safety
and Law require that Traffic work be given priority
over drainage.
36
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PUBLIC WORKS
37
Streets Staff & City Infrastructure Trends
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PUBLIC WORKS
Recommended Division Changes
Separate the functions of traffic and drainage among
two crews.
Re-establish existing Traffic and Drainage crew into
a dedicated Traffic crew.
Create a new Drainage crew.
Budget will include recommendations for additional
FTE
38
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PUBLIC WORKS
Drainage Crew’s Areas of Responsibility
Flush Culverts and Storm Sewer Pipes
Reestablish Ditch Grades and Reset Culverts
Remove Spoil and fill low areas in ditches and
detention cells
Repair Manholes
Remove debris and trim vegetation in ditches and
detention cells
Repair Storm Water Pumps
Remove debris and flush under bridges
Installing liners in ditches and detention cells
39
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PUBLIC WORKS
Discussion
40
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