ON THE AGENDA: City Council, April 9, 2024
Project Phoenix water treatment, Part II
Next week's City Council meeting has just a single discussion item — continuation of last meeting's deliberation on a water treatment system for Project Phoenix.
Prior to the 6 p.m. public meeting the Council will hold a closed session on two items. The first is Venture & Sand LLC and James Grider vs. City of Twentynine Palms. According to Grider's court petition, Grider is half-owner of Shady Elms Mobile Home Park at 5074 Adobe Road, which "was constructed in 1953 and has operated as a mobile home park since its construction." Per our coverage in September 2023, the City contends that this property’s former entitlement for use as a mobile home park has lapsed. The court hearing is scheduled for May 6.
The other closed session item is undisclosed but it is regarding potential anticipated litigation.
We cover agenda highlights; the full agenda can be reviewed here.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Comments on agenda items take place during the discussion of that item. Comments on non-agenda items take place near the end of the meeting. The Brown Act prevents Council from commenting on non-agenda items.
To comment, pick up a green (or occasionally gold) form at the entry desk, fill it out, and hand it to the Clerk, who is usually sitting in front of the Council bench on the right side. You can also send comments by email to City Council members to be read at the meeting — be sure to request that your comments be read aloud at the meeting. Send a cc to Cindy Villescas, the Council secretary. You can find the email addresses here.
CONSENT CALENDAR
The Consent Calendar consists of routine items usually approved with a single vote. The public is given a chance to make public comment on these items prior to the Council motion. Again, fill out a comment form if you wish to address any of the items on this meeting’s Consent Calendar. For this meeting, the calendar consists of:
6. Approval of Warrant Register Totaling $2,758,089.50
Notable expenditures here include payments of $443,627 and $467,313 to the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department; $389,164 to Qualite Sports Lighting LLC and $65,000 to CourtMaster Sports, Inc.; and $31,175 to the Sunset Cocktail Restaurant, Inc.
7. CEQA Cost Estimate
This is a recommendation by staff to spend $151,150 for a CEQA analysis of the E-Group solar project. This analysis would be performed by Terra Nova, an environmental consulting firm, with all costs reimbursed by the applicant.
8. CEQA Consultants List
This staff recommendation would direct City staff to maintain and publish a list of CEQA consultants, to whom Requests for Qualifications (RFQs) would be sent whenever projects within the City require a CEQA analysis.
9. High Crash Unsignalized Intersections Project
This would direct staff to accept the bid from DBX, Inc. for $409,899 to install additional stop signs or make other improvements to several historically dangerous ("high crash") intersections:
Lear Ave and 2 Mile Rd - Change from two-way stop to four-way stop
Amboy Rd and Utah Trail - Change from two-way stop to four-way stop
Baseline Rd and Utah Trail - Add ADA ramp and rapid flashing beacons
Smith Ranch Rd and Adobe Rd
Sullivan Rd and Adobe Rd
2 Mile Rd and Mesquite Springs Rd
10 . Split Rock Avenue Bridge Project
This item would have the Council approve the proposed design for Split Rock Avenue Bridge, direct staff to issue an RFP for its construction, and execute a related agreement with the County Flood Control District.
Most of the funds for the new bridge would come from a federal grant and from the Flood Control District. The bridge would enable safe passage on Split Rock Avenue during heavy storms, where Split Rock Avenue crosses the Twentynine Palms Flood Control Channel.
Involvement of the County Flood Control District is needed because this project entails modifying the flood control channel to accommodate the proposed bridge.
Construction cost for the bridge is estimated to be $3,653,750 for the bridge and $4,690,125 for the channel, but federal funds will pay for 88.53% of the bridge cost and the Flood Control District will reimburse 100% of the cost for the channel.
DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL ACTION ITEMS
11. Project Phoenix — Treatment System Improvements Continuation from March 26, 2024
In discussion of this item at the last Council meeting, on March 26, the point of contention was whether to accept the existing bid of almost $2,000,000 for a package treatment plant scaled to accommodate a future hotel, in addition to serving the existing 18 nearby businesses.
The alternative is reducing this project's scope, and presumably cost, by excluding wastewater treatment capacity for a projected hotel. If a hotel was later built, presumably the hotel would be forced to pay for their own, separate package treatment plant.
Further complicating matters, the bid pricing from 316 Engineering & Construction Co. is valid only through April 30.
At the previous meeting, Council voted to table moving forward on the treatment plant to buy time to confer with the Greens Group, which has an agreement to potentially build a hotel at Freedom Plaza, as well as with the construction contractor, 316 Engineering & Construction Co.
At the last meeting, Twentynine Palms Water District Manager Matt Shragg pointed out that if construction of this plant is further delayed, the City risks running afoul of Colorado Regional Water Quality Control Board water treatment regulations.
At the same time, there's little doubt that builders of a potential hotel would view with disfavor the sizable additional expense of constructing their very own package treatment plant — something which could mean the difference between a hotel being built or not.
Looking forward to an exciting meeting where these sorts of competing City priorities are hashed out!
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