(Editor’s note: This story is part of an ongoing series that tracks the city’s expenditures appearing on upcoming Santa Monica City Council consent agendas. Consent agenda items are routinely passed by the City Council with little or no discussion from elected officials or the public. However, many of the items have been part of public discussion in the past.) CITY HALL The long-awaited storm drain improvements at the Santa Monica Pier, the deficient system a contributor to the poor water quality in the bay, could soon commence.
Psomas Engineering, a firm that has worked with City Hall on urban runoff matters in the past, is expected to receive a $250,000 contract to manage the Pier Storm Drain Improvement Project, the agreement part of a nearly $530,000 spending package the City Council is expected to mull tonight.
The storm drain replacement is an element of the Watershed Management Plan, a collection of projects that seek to reduce urban runoff pollution and increase water reuse and conservation.
In order to pay for the projects, Santa Monica voters approved Measure V — the Clean Beaches and Oceans Parcel Tax — in November 2006, generating more than $2.35 million since its passage.Another $2.5 million is expected by the end of the next fiscal year.
The water under the pier is considered to be among the dirtiest in the state, ranking as second worst in California in the 18th annual Beach Report Card, which was released last month by non-profit environmental organization Heal the Bay.
Psomas is familiar with the pier storm drain, having reviewed its existing configuration and identified ways to fix issues related to drainage.
The preliminary design phase for the project is expected to be completed by the end of this year, allowing construction to begin by early 2009.
“Contracting for a project manager to oversee the design process will enable the city to expedite this project,” according to the city staff report. caused the intranet to become increasingly difficult to navigate and maintain,” the staff report states. “Departmental web authors are finding the navigation system and design limits their ability to publish and manage new content.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 10, 2008. Read the original PDF.