The Raleigh Tribune

On March 16, the Raleigh City Council received a report from Reid Wilson, executive director, Conservation Trust for North Carolina, for the Upper Neuse Clean Water Initiative (UNCWI) on the continued activities to conserve high priority parcels in the Upper Neuse River basin.

The purpose of UNCWI is to protect water quality, limit polluted run-off and sedimentation along key tributaries that run into nine drinking water reservoirs, including Falls Lake, by conserving land. This preventive approach to limiting runoff pollution is more cost effective than cleaning up polluted water. It also maintains wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities. Since December 2005 the land trusts have completed 42 projects resulting in the protection of 46 miles (243,501 stream feet) of streamside buffer totaling over 4,400 acres.

The City of Raleigh provides the Upper Neuse Clean Water Initiative $1.5 million of funding in the current fiscal year. Raleigh’s investment is leveraged at an 11 to 1 ratio through state and local governments and private donors. The City Council will consider maintaining the level of funding to UNCWI during the budget deliberations.

Mr. Wilson told the City Council the land trusts in the UNCWI are continuing to build on their success and are currently working with partners on 28 projects that would protect an additional 2,000 acres along more than 23 miles of streams in the Upper Neuse River Basin. The UNCWI recently received a three year $1.7 grant from the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities.

The funds match City of Raleigh support. The funds will be used to support outreach to landowners, the implementation of sustainable forestry practices and the protection of forests through conservation easements.  The City Council will consider a resolution calling for the North Carolina General Assembly to fund the Clean Water Management Trust in the coming year’s budget.

A 2008 video commentary

Federal tax incentives that had been in place since 2006 for landowners that donate conservation easements expired at the end of 2009. Congress is considering legislation to make the incentives permanent. The bill’s passage will likely result in more conservation easements being donated in the Upper Neuse basin. The City approved a resolution to request the area’s Congressional delegation to support reauthorization of the tax incentives for landowners.

UNCWI consists of local land trusts that are supported by funding from the City of Raleigh and other local and state government entities. These local land trusts have united to address land conservation and water supply protection in the Upper Neuse River Basin. The Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association, Eno River Association, Tar River Land Conservancy, Triangle Greenways Council, Triangle Land Conservancy, and the Trust for Public Land, facilitated by the Conservation Trust for North Carolina, have developed a comprehensive conservation plan that identifies and ranks the land most critical for water-supply protection.

The Falls Lake watershed is the primary source of drinking water for the City of Raleigh and the six towns that receive water from Raleigh — Garner, Wake Forest, Rolesville, Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon. The Upper Neuse River Basin also includes eight other drinking water reservoirs in Durham, Granville and Orange counties.

Popularity: 20%

The Raleigh City Council on Feb. 16 approved the minority and women owned (MWBE) business participation plan as presented by the construction manager-at-risk (CMAR), Clancy Theys/Archer Western, for the Clarence E. Lightner Public Safety Center.

The City of Raleigh goal for the project is to award of 15 percent of the total contract dollar value of all contracts, purchase orders, or other agreements to certified minority owned business enterprises and 15 percent to certified women owned business enterprises. The plan states that Clancy Theys/Archer Western will aggressively identify, recruit, and pre-qualify MWBE businesses.

One of the main considerations of the project team will be to “un-bundle” large scopes of work to the greatest practical extent to ensure that all solicitations are divided into small enough scopes to allow for bidding at a prime level by small and emerging minority-and-women-owned firms.

The MWBE business participation plan includes:

· Collaboration with the City of Raleigh Business Assistance Program to implement the plan and identity outreach strategies and prospective contractors and suppliers;

· The CMAR team will comply with the standards of achieving and documenting good faith efforts as outlined by the City of Raleigh and will expect the first-tier contractors to do so as well;

· Conduct a bidder’s interest campaign that provides intensive communication aimed at informing MWBEs and the minority business community about the project, including contracting opportunities;

· An aggressive outreach program to help identify, attract, and pre-qualify contractors, and build interest in and enthusiasm for the project;

· Clancy Theys/Archer Western will encourage first-tier subcontractors to meet the MWBE goal by forming alliances, joint ventures, or purchase agreements with MWBE contractors and/or awarding subcontracts to MWBE contractors. First-tier subs will adhere to or exceed the City of Raleigh’s standard for providing at least 10 days of notice to prospective second-tier bidders and suppliers;

· Continue to, conduct, attend and sponsor MWBE outreach and information sessions for other projects of our companies, and other organizations. These sessions help  identify and build relationships with as many MWBE contractors as possible;

· Develop and update a contractor database based upon the City’s database, that of the State of North Carolina Department of Administration’s uniform certification database, and MWBE databases of other jurisdictions and organizations. In addition, the CMAR will contact appropriate community and contractor organizations to build interest in the project and identify firms for participation;

· Verify MWBE certification by prospective contractors, and provide assistance, as needed, for prospective contractors to obtain MWBE certification, and;

· Make contact with contractors via advertising, networking, mail, fax, email, and  telephone for all of the projects activities.

CITY COUNCIL APPROVES MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS PLAN FOR PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER PROJECT

The MWBE Participation Plan will be monitored by the project management team and reviewed periodically by an officer of the joint venture. MWBE utilization reports will be submitted as required by the City.

The Clarence E. Lightner Public Safety Center is a proposed state-of-the-art facility of 16 stories and approximately 302,000 square feet on the corner of Hargett and McDowell streets. Sitting on the site of the 110 S McDowell Street Municipal Building, which currently houses City of Raleigh Police Department administrative functions, the proposed public safety center would consolidate the City’s public safety operations and other local government offices.

Popularity: 53%

Reuse water treatment plant

On January 5, the Raleigh City Council received a report detailing proposed water conservation restrictions. Under the proposed rules, as a drought increases, tighter and tighter regulations are applied for activities such irrigation and other non-essential water use.

An exception is made for the application of reuse water. Reuse or reclaimed water is highly treated wastewater that is not suitable for human consumption but can be used for such non potable uses as irrigation, process cooling, dust control and soil compaction in construction, concrete production, decorative ponds and fountains, street sweeping and fire fighting.

The City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department offers high quality reuse water to the public for irrigation and other non-potable uses. The water is available in bulk quantities to customers Monday through Friday at the following locations:

• The Neuse River Wastewater Treatment Plant, located at 8500 Battle Bridge Road in Raleigh;
• The Smith Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant at 8505 Ligon Mill Road in Wake Forest;
• The Little Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant at 1419 N.C. 39 South in Zebulon; and,
• The E.M. Johnson Water Treatment Plant at 10301 Falls of Neuse Road in Raleigh.

Reuse water is made available for bulk pickup by individuals or companies at these specific locations following training in accordance with the City of Raleigh’s approved procedures and North Carolina Division of Water Quality permit requirements. Attendees must schedule training classes at least 48 hours in advance by contacting Marla Dalton, Environmental Coordinator for Public Utilities at 662-5700 or by email at Marla. Dalton@ci.raleigh.nc.us. After the driver training session, tanks used for transport are inspected by City staff for compliance and once the  equipment is approved, it is identified for use. The truck driver may then load the truck with reuse water.

Initial line segments of the southeastern Raleigh reuse distribution system which are part of the Reuse Water Master Plan which was approved by City Council on  March 20, 2007 has reached substantial completion and testing has begun. The City is proceeding with service connections with identified businesses and industries, and is working to identify others that may be interested in taking advantage of this opportunity to contribute to the preservation of potable water supply, recycle organic nutrients and reduced environmental impacts through the sustainable use of water resources.  The final project scope will also serve the City’s Walnut Creek Softball Complex, Walnut Creek Amphitheatre, Raleigh Country Club and River Ridge Golf Courses, North Carolina State University’s Centennial Campus, Cargill Incorporated, Wake County Schools and other City of Raleigh Parks.

Popularity: 5%

A new design for Moore Square, one of Raleigh’s original public spaces, has moved a step closer. The Raleigh City Council on Feb. 2 unanimously approved a master plan services contract with Chris Counts, the winner of the Moore Square Design Competition. The contract amount is $184,000.

A master plan is a conceptual design document that, once approved by the City Council, generally describes and guides the future design, development and management of a property.

The four-acre Moore Square is in Downtown Raleigh, bounded by Hargett, Blount, Martin and Person streets. The square serves as host for a number of high-profile, public events including concerts, Artsplosure, area school activities, summer movies, and is the home of Raleigh’s most recognized icon, the acorn sculpture which sits in the square’s southwest corner. However, the square was not designed as a venue for large events and the heavy traffic has created significant maintenance issues and impacted the attractiveness of the square. Last year, the City of Raleigh held a design competition and issued a call for ideas that would re-imagine Moore Square.

Mr. Counts, of Chris Counts Studio in Charlottesville, Va., was selected the winner of the jury-based competition with a design concept that creates a new Moore Square respectful of tradition while looking forward. His design builds upon the square’s unique and significant characteristics while expanding the square’s sense of space and programmatic range. It also organizes the site into visually and functionally distinct areas that accommodate a wide range of uses.

While the concept by Mr. Counts won the design competition, it is considered only the beginning of a public process to refine and confirm a more detailed master plan for Moore Square. The process will include public meetings to receive input from citizens, a project website and review by a number of local and state boards and commissions. A final master plan is scheduled to be presented in the fall for review and consideration by the Raleigh City Council and the state of North Carolina. As the owner of Moore Square, the state must approve any changes to the property. Funding for implementation of the master plan has not been determined.

Popularity: 15%

The City of Raleigh broke ground on Feb. 4 to formally begin construction of the Upper Neuse Greenway Trail, the first link of the planned Neuse River Greenway Trail that will extend to the Johnston County line. Mayor Charles Meeker presided over the ceremony.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held at the canoe launch at Falls Lake, the starting point for the Upper Neuse Greenway Trail. The trail will extend eight miles from Falls Lake Dam to the WRAL Soccer Center on Perry Creek Road. Citizens will be able to use the 10-foot-wide asphalt trail for biking, walking or studying nature, such as bird watching. The trail also will include seven greenway bridges, an elevated boardwalk, a railroad underpass shelter, landscaping, and park furniture.

Connecting points for the Upper Neuse Greenway Trail will include the Bedford, Falls River and Riverside residential communities. Plans also call for the trail to connect to future park sites on Falls of Neuse Road and Thornton Road and at the North Wake Landfill recreation site.

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Popularity: 82%

Road project

At the January 19 meeting, the Raleigh City Council approved a design agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates for the Mitchell Mill Road widening project. The construction project will widen the road to a multi-lane section with raised median, curb and gutter and sidewalks on both sides from Louisburg Road to east of Watkins Road. Also included in the project will be turn-lane improvements, water main installation for the entire length of the project and a culvert upgrade at the intersection of Mitchell Mill Road and Forestville Road. The project is a part of the 2005 Transportation Bond package.

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Popularity: 13%