PLACEMENT: Departmental
TITLE:
title
REQUEST BOARD APPROVAL OF LOCATIONS OF FIRE RESCUE STATIONS, TRAINING FACILITY, RELOCATION OF PUBLIC WORKS AND GENERAL SERVICES BUILDINGS FROM AIRPORT PROPERTY, AND RELATED REVISIONS TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT SHEETS INCLUDING CONSOLIDATION OF DEBT FUNDING
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
executive summary
Staff is requesting Board of County Commissioners’ (Board) approval for the location and construction of the new Training Facility, replacement Fire Rescue Stations in Hobe Sound and on Hutchinson Island and the relocation of the Public Works and General Services’ buildings from the airport property. Updated Capital Improvement Project (CIP) sheets and budgets have been prepared to reflect the current data.
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DEPARTMENT: General Services
PREPARED BY: Name: Jeff Dougherty
Title: General Services Director
REQUESTED BY: Taryn Kryzda, County Administrator
PRESET:
PROCEDURES: None
BACKGROUND/RELATED STRATEGIC GOAL:
The Board has been working on plans to replace outdated Fire Rescue Stations and build a new Training Facility for more than a decade. When the stations were initially built (early 1980’s and 1990’s) the operations for fire rescue and the apparatuses were completely different than the services that are provided today. Tax reform imposed by the State and the 2008 recession required the temporary suspension of many projects that were funded with ad-valorem taxes, including fire stations, and the training facility, among others. As the economy improved the projects became a priority and were resurrected. However, the failure of the sales tax referendum created another delay. The Board requested the projects be considered during the 2018 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The projects were included and approved in the CIP with a funding source of debt service and included in the FY19 adopted budget.
Staff is providing updated information on the status of these projects including location, budget, and funding for the Board’s approval.
Fire Station 14 (Hutchinson Island)
Station 14 is located at Stuart Beach on the east side of A1A just south of the Elliott Museum and across the road from the Florida Oceanographic complex. There are two options for the replacement plan for this station: Build at the County owed former utility site adjacent to River Cove or build on the existing site. Please see Exhibit 1 for detailed estimate, map, and revised CIP sheet.
River Cove site: Estimated cost of $5.7M - $5.9M
Pros
No disruption to existing Fire Rescue service
Less equipment/building deterioration due to salt air influence
Closer to main servicing area
Additional space available for use of Stuart Beach
Future marine access
Cons
More costly
Longer design/permit process
New FDOT traffic light approval
Further away from Ocean Rescue functions
Stuart Beach site:
Pros
Less costly
Existing traffic signal in place
Closer to Ocean Rescue functions
Cons
More equipment/building deterioration due to salt air influence
Further from main servicing area
No additional space for Stuart Beach
Relocate Fire Rescue staff to temporary facilities
Estimated cost of $5M
Fire Station 33_(Ridgeway)
Station 33 is located on a 2/3 acre lot on the SE corner of US #1 and SE Ridgeway Terrace in Hobe Sound. The site is undersized and the decades old building in need of immediate replacement. The existing site is too small for reconstruction. There is a vacant County owned site available for construction of a new station one mile north of the current location. The 12-acre parcel is at the intersection of US #1and SE Heritage Blvd. Please see Exhibit 2 for detailed estimate, map, and revised CIP sheet.
Recommendation: Heritage Ridge Blvd. provides the best rebuild site based upon the following:
County owned property - no loss of property tax revenue
Within existing service range
US#1 frontage
Existing traffic signal
No disruption to Fire Rescue service during construction
Potential offsetting revenue due to sale of existing property
Design process could proceed immediately
Community room for public use
Provide restroom facilities for existing driving range leasee
Estimated cost of $5.5M - $5.8M
Alternative: Rebuilding at existing location would require:
Acquisition of additional property from abutting land owner ($1,100,000)
Loss of property tax revenue
Prolonged contractual negotiation with Seller
Unknown start of design process
Joint development application with abutting land owner
Shared use and maintenance of infrastructure
Possible disruption of Fire Rescue service during construction
Estimated cost of $6.1M
Fire Station 36 (County Line Road)
Station 36 is a decades old building located on state owned property just south of Jonathon Dickinson State Park and needs immediate repair and expansion. The existing facility is not a hardened structure, has only one sleeping room shared by all staff and must be vacated during a storm event.
A long-term lease with the state is in place and a site plan for the project is currently being processed by the Growth Management Department. The architectural plans are in progress and construction documents should be completed in a few months. Please see Exhibit 3 for detailed estimate, map, and revised CIP sheet.
Estimated cost of $2.7M - $3M
Britt Road (Station 18)
Station 18 is an older facility located in Jensen Beach on the west side of US#1. It is not a hardened structure and must be evacuated during a storm event. The station needs repair and improvement, which will require temporary relocation of Fire Rescue personnel during construction. Please see Exhibit 4 for map and revised CIP sheet.
Estimated cost of $4.7M - $5M
Public Safety Training Building, Burn Building and Burn Tower
The most efficient cost of construction and operation of the complex is to locate the three functions on one site. Several potential locations have been discussed over the years, including a portion of the former utility plant at Martin Downs, however a final site has never been determined. Please see Exhibit 5 for detailed estimate, map, and revised CIP sheet.
Pros
A limited amount of training is currently being performed on the airport property adjacent to the abandon runway closest to Kingswood Terrace
The area could be developed into a site that would house all three training operations.
The site would include direct access from Kingswood Terrace, water and wastewater service and an opportunity to include training for airport emergencies.
The airport site would not remove any property from the tax rolls.
Estimated cost Class Room $3.5M - $3.8M, Burn Building and Tower $5M Total $8.8M
Public Works and General Services Relocation
The County is seeking to relocate the operations of the Public Works and General Services Departments that currently operate on airport property. Under rules of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) programs, the County is required to pay rent to the Airport Enterprise Fund for use of the of airport property by those departments. An alternative site is desired so the airport can properly manage its growth in accordance with the FAA requirements and the County can cease the rent obligations.
The 13-acre site is home to approximately 100 employees and houses the following functions:
Public Works
Field Operations field personnel
Field Operations administration staff
Heavy equipment storage yard
Material storage yard
Mosquito administration staff
Mosquito Control Lab
Mosquito Control materials and equipment
Traffic Control operations center
Traffic light shop
Sign shop
Survey field staff
Survey equipment
Transit Bus Parking
General Services
General administration staff
Building Management administration staff
Building Trades staff
Equipment storage
Security and Access administration
Fleet acquisition and maintenance
Generator maintenance
Main fueling station (gas and diesel)
The complex is not master planned, does not include a stormwater management system and is serviced by both septic systems and municipal waste water.
Staff recommends that a new site for the complex should be located on the west side of the railroad tracks. In addition to Public Works and General Services, the new site should include the Parks Maintenance and Recreation functions currently operating from County property on the corner of Dixie Highway and Indian Street just south of the fairgrounds.
Depending on the site-specific requirements (stormwater, wetlands, ingress/egress, preserve, etc.), it is anticipated that a 20-25 acre complex could be required. There are limited parcels of land inside the Urban Services District that would meet the County’s needs.
Staff requests permission to conduct a study to master plan the consolidation and relocation of all the aforementioned operations into a single site west of the railroad tracks, identify a site for acquisition, and construct the first phase of the relocation. Please see Exhibit 6 for revised CIP.
Estimated Budget of $6M
Previously Approved CIP Projects - funded by Debt Service
Golf Course - Clubhouse and course modification $5.5M
Miscellaneous - Canine, Generators, Jail POD renovation, Sheriff warehouse $5M
Please see Exhibit 7 for revised CIP sheets.
RECAP - Projects Identified for Debt Consolidation
Fire Station #14 - River Cove site $5.9M
Fire Station #33 - Heritage Ridge site $5.8M
Fire Station # 36 - County Line site $3M
Fire Station #18 - Britt Road $5M
Fire Rescue Training - airport site $8.8M
Public Works, GSD, Parks relocation $6M
Golf Course $5.5M
Miscellaneous $5M
TOTAL $45M
Staff recommends that all the above listed projects be included in a consolidated debt package of $45 million.
ISSUES:
None
LEGAL SUFFICIENCY REVIEW:
No review has been completed at this time.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
RECOMMENDATION
Move that the Board approves the locations, budgets, and revised CIP sheets for Fire Rescue and other projects as presented within this item.
Move that the Board approves the consolidation for Field Operations, General Services and Parks and Recreations Department, including site acquisition and first phase construction and the revised CIP sheet.
Move that the Board authorize staff to initiate a Request for Proposal (RFP) for debt service not to exceed $45M.
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
Provide staff with alternative direction.
FISCAL IMPACT:
RECOMMENDATION
As previously indicated, the FY19 adopted budget included the anticipation of debt service for all the identified projects except for Station 36, Golf Course and Public Works, GSD and Park Maintenance relocation. The monies that were included in the CIP and budget for Station 36 ($900K) will not cover the total estimated reconstruction cost, and therefore are being included in the debt service with the other projects.
The Martin County Golf Course debt service will be planned for in the FY20 budget. For the past few years, the County has had to subsidize these operations by more than $300K. Those monies will be shifted to debt service. Depending upon the interest rate and term of the loan, the payments are expected to be about the same as the prior year’s subsidies.
The FY19 budget included debt service for the relocation of field operations and general services but did not contemplate relocation of the park operations at Indian Street and Dixie Highway. Once a site is identified and a master plan developed, depending upon the outcome, it may be necessary to included additional debt service funding in FY20. Staff will be seeking grants from FDOT to assist with the cost (due to relocation from airport property) which if successful, will reduce the debt service.
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
None
DOCUMENT(S) REQUIRING ACTION:
☐Budget Transfer / Amendment ☐ Chair Letter ☐Contract / Agreement
☐Grant / Application ☐Notice ☐Ordinance ☐Resolution
☒Other:
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