Dale Martin
City Manager
Fernandina Beach
November 2, 2018 12:00 a.m.
Last month, the City solicited bids for additional work at the marina. Specifically, contractors were sought to complete three projects in the southern basin (the area around the boat ramp). The projects, in general, were to remove the existing docks, dredge the basin, replace or restore the removed docks, and then reinstall the docks in a reconfigured alignment. The demolition of the dilapidated City-owned property located at 101 N. Front Street (on the river side just north of the Salty Pelican) was also included as a project on which to bid.
As has been previously reported, three bids were received, ranging from approximately $3 million to $7 million. City staff and the City’s marina consultant, Applied Technology and Management, reviewed the bids. Based upon those reviews, I have recommended that, at the November 7 City Commission meeting (an usual Wednesday meeting due to Tuesday’s election), the City Commission award the contract for the projects to Brance Diversified in the amount of $3.2 million.
Unlike the recent airport terminal project which required no City tax support, the marina projects will rely almost exclusively upon City tax support. Approximately $1.9 million of funding is already included in this year’s budget, of which only $325,000 is non-City funding- a grant from the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) to support dredging costs. The remaining $1.3 million will be obtained through an interfund loan- borrowing the money from the City’s Utilities Fund unrestricted reserves and therefore adding to the marina’s existing debt. This project, originally contemplated two decades ago, is not related to damage from either Hurricane Matthew or Hurricane Irma, so no reimbursement, federal or state, will be forthcoming.
All necessary permits for the basin work are in place, as is the permit for both the demolition and reconstruction of the structure at 101 N. Front Street. The City’s Main Street organization has an open solicitation for interest in the Front Street site.
According to the draft, preliminary, subject-to-change (you get the idea) schedule presented in the Brance Diversified bid, mobilization for the projects will begin the week of November 19. Demolition of the existing docks and the Front Street structure will begin the following week. Marina tenants have been provided notice that vessels, equipment, and personal property must be removed from the marina no later than Friday, November 23. The southern basin, including the boat ramp, will be closed for the duration of the project. The aforementioned schedule indicates a project completion date at the beginning of February. Based upon discussions with Brance Diversified officials, a more definitive “substantial completion” date will be provided to the City Commission on November 7.
This project fills a gap in the schedule of the other marina project- the replacement of the southern attenuator (breakwater). Although the contract for that project was awarded a few months ago, the final design and actual construction of the replacement components (which will be substantially different than what was in place for several decades) requires significant time. The original plan was to complete the attenuator work, then undertake the basin work. Once the extended time needed for the attenuator work became apparent, however, the City worked to slip the second project before the first. With the likely award to Brance Diversified, that revised effort appears likely to happen: the bulk of the attenuator work will not likely begin until early in 2019, with a tentative completion date at the end of May.
The efforts related to the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have been completed on the southern attenuator, as delineated from the existing gangway. All permits have been secured and a revised FEMA estimate of $6.4 million for only the southern attenuator (the original $6.5 million FEMA estimate was for the southern and northern portions) has been completed and wending its way toward final signature.
The permits for the northern attenuator were submitted to the USACE at the end of September. The likely challenges to this permit, as was the case with the southern attenuator permit, is the proximity of the navigational channel. Despite the lack of use and maintenance of the channel for over forty years, the northern attenuator, despite being previously permitted and built in its current location, remains unacceptably close to the channel (mere feet, when USACE guidance requires a separation of one hundred feet). The concern related to the restoration of fueling operations, at least from a navigational perspective, has been eliminated following comments from US Coast Guard officials. Environmental concerns will likely have to be addressed as part of the FEMA review for the northern attenuator.
The next few months will see a costly flurry of work at the marina, and it will be exciting to see the redevelopment of this community asset over the course of the next year.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6.