REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: BRIAN BARR, Director
General Services Department
BY: ROBIN O’MALLEY, Facilities Manager
General Services Department, Facilities Management Division
JOHANES CASTELLANOS, Project Manager
General Services Department, Facilities Management Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the City Hall Lift Station Rehabilitation located at 2600 Fresno Street (Bid File 12500159) (District 3):
1. Adopt finding a Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15301 Existing Facilities of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines
2. Award a construction contract with Estate Design & Construction, of Los Angeles, California, in the amount of $588,700 for the City Hall Lift Station Rehabilitation project located at 2600 Fresno Street
3. Authorize the Director of General Services or designee to execute all related documents
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Council approve actions pertaining to the City Hall Lift Station Rehabilitation located at 2600 Fresno Street:
1. Adopt finding a Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15301 Existing Facilities of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines
2. Award a construction contract with Estate Design & Construction, of Los Angeles, California, in the amount of $588,700 for the City Hall Lift Station Rehabilitation project located at 2600 Fresno Street (Bid File 12500159) (District 3)
3. Authorize the Director of General Services or designee to execute all related documents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A sewer lift station works by moving wastewater to a higher elevation when gravity alone is not enough to move it to the next stage of the wastewater collection system. For City Hall, wastewater is collected in a wet well and a set of pumps lift the effluent to discharge into the sanitary sewer main at Santa Fe Avenue. The City Hall lift station is a private facility and located in the south parking lot. The lift station has not seen major improvements since it was originally constructed in the 1990’s. A preliminary inspection of the lift station revealed corrosion in the existing wet well and lid, which could compromise the system’s ability to remove wastewater effectively. While staff have been able to address issues to date without interrupting City Hall operations, more extensive repairs are needed to ensure continued operations. This project seeks to rehabilitate the lift station and extend its useful life.
BACKGROUND
Wastewater service for the City of Fresno City Hall is provided by a lift station that collects and discharges waste into the sanitary sewer main in Santa Fe Avenue. This is a private facility which only serves City Hall. The lift station was constructed as part of the original City Hall development and is located in the south parking lot. It consists of a steel wet well and valve vault, two submersible pumps, and an above-ground control panel with telemetry.
A preliminary inspection revealed signs of corrosion on the wet well and lid, indicating the need for significant rehabilitation to maintain reliable service.
The General Services Department, Facilities Management Division, seeks to rehabilitate the lift station and extend its useful life. This project includes replacing both pumps, rehabilitating the well walls, and lowering the top of the wet well to match the surrounding surfacing. The existing frame and lid will be replaced with a new concrete lid and access hatch. Bypass connections will be installed to facilitate future maintenance activities
Additional upgrades include relocating and modernizing the pump controllers and related electrical systems to enhance access for well operation and maintenance.
Temporary parking impacts are anticipated as the lift station is located in the south parking lot and immediately adjacent to Tulare Street south parking lot drive approach. Vehicle access from Tulare Street will be temporarily limited to ingress only during construction. However, ingress and egress will be maintained at the P Street drive approach. In addition, several parking stalls adjacent to the lift station will be temporarily closed for safety reasons and construction activities.
The Contractor will establish temporary facilities to bypass the lift station and allow City Hall wastewater flows to be discharged downstream of the well. As a result, no disruptions to City Hall operations are anticipated.
Plans and specifications for the City Hall Lift Station Rehabilitation project were prepared by Blair, Church & Flynn. A Notice Inviting Bids was published on August 28, 2024, and posted to Planet Bids. The specifications were distributed to forty-four (44) prospective bidders and two (2) building exchanges. Four (4) bids were received and publicly opened on October 3, 2024, with the bid amounts ranging from $588,700 to $967,850. Staff has determined that Estate Design & Construction is the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. Bids are valid through July 31, 2025.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Staff has determined that the project qualifies for a Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15301 Existing Facilities of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, which exempts repair, maintenance or minor alterations of existing public facilities involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. Furthermore, Staff has determined that none of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 apply to this project. Staff recommends Council, adopt finding of a Categorical Exemption per staff determination, pursuant to Section 15301 of the CEQA Guidelines for the City Hall Lift Station Rehabilitation project.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not applied, as the bidders are not local as defined in Fresno Municipal Code Section 4-108(d).
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for this project is included in the adopted FY 2026 General Services Facilities Management Budget
Attachment:
Bid Evaluation and Fiscal Impact Statement
Standard Contract