City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: SEPTEMBER 4, 2019
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Resolution to Obtain a Land Use Permit from the Virginia Department of Transportation for Lighting Retrofits on I-495 On-Ramp at the City’s Public Safety Center.[ROLL-CALL VOTE]
BODY
ISSUE: Obtaining a land use permit from the Virginia Department of Transportation for the retrofit of existing, conventional lighting with Light-Emitting Diode (LED) lighting for energy efficiency and better illumination.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council adopt the attached resolution (Attachment) to comply with Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) requirements for obtaining a land use permit related to retrofitting existing conventional lighting with LED lighting on the I-495 Southbound ramp on or near the City’s Public Safety Center on Mill Road.
DISCUSSION: The Department of General Services through the Energy Management Capital Improvement Program (CIP) continues to retrofit existing, conventional lighting in the City with Light-Emitting Diode (LED) lighting. This retrofit of existing, conventional lighting with LED lighting is an Environmental Action Plan 2040 Short-Term Action, and is consistent with the Alexandria City Council’s Strategic Plan for Accountable, Effective, and Well-Managed Government priorities that results in energy and maintenance cost savings and improvements in lighting conditions in and around City of Alexandria facilities.
An existing Energy Management CIP project includes the retrofit of lighting on the exterior of the Public Safety Center complex and grounds at 2001 and 2003 Mill Road. A I-495 Southbound on-ramp - operated and maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation - traverses the Public Safety Center complex and grounds where exterior lighting is located. This exterior lighting provides illuminance of the Public Safety Center complex and grounds, and per agreement with VDOT, is the responsibility of the City for operation and maintenance.
Because the work will be performed on roads considered to be part of the Virginia Highway system, VDOT requires the City to obtain a land use permit to perform the lighting retrofit work. In order to obtain a VDOT land-use permit, the City must file with VDOT a resolution that asserts that the City has liability insurance specifically for personal injury and property damage that may arise from the work performed as part of the permit work of up to one-million dollars ($1,000,000) for each occurrence to protect the Commonwealth Transportation Board members and the Virginia Department of Transportation’s agents or employees. VDOT also requires insurance to cover seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) for each occurrence to protect the Commonwealth Transportation Board, the Virginia Department of Transportation or the Commonwealth of Virginia in the event of lawsuit. These insurance requirements may be satisfied by a formal self-insurance program. As such, the City’s formal self-insurance policies and programs qualify.
FISCAL IMPACT: None.
ATTACHMENT: Resolution for the City of Alexandria to obtain a land use permit from the
Virginia Department of Transportation
STAFF:
Joanna Anderson, City Attorney
Laura Triggs, Deputy City Manager
Emily A. Baker, Deputy City Manager
Yon Lambert, Director, Transportation & Environmental Services
David Lanier, Assistant City Attorney
Dori Martin, Assistant City Attorney
Donna Poillucci, Deputy Director, Department of General Services
Bill Eger, Energy Manager, Department of General Services
Charles Jackson, Energy Project Specialist, Department of General Services