Item 15 - Award Construction Contract for the Santa Ana Zoo Stormwater Capture and Diversion Project

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Santa Ana Zoo Stormwater Capture and Diversion Project December 2, 2025 Page 2 GOVERNMENT CODE 484308 APPLIES: No DISCUSSION The Santa Ana Zoo Stormwater Capture and Diversion (SAZSCAD) Project features the installation of two underground stormwater infiltration systems in the parking lots at the Santa Ana Zoo (Exhibit 1). Together, these systems are designed to capture and infiltrate approximately 67 acre-feet per year of runoff back into the ground. The project was developed in close coordination with the Santa Ana Zoo. After the construction of the underground improvements, the surface of the impacted areas will be improved with a new 0.25-acre - pocket park in the west end of the Zoo's main parking lot, as well as 24 new pervious parking stalls in the Zoo's overflow parking lot. The project provides several benefits to the City and community, including assisting with NPDES Permit compliance, improving water quality, enhancing local water supplies, reducing flooding, providing new recreational opportunities, and new paving, signage, and striping in the Zoo parking lots (Exhibit 2). These improvements are in conformance with the adopted Zoo Master Plan (Exhibit 3). Because stormwater runoff from the 1-5 freeway flows through the City's stormdrain system to the project location and will be captured and treated by the project, staff engaged Caltrans to contribute funding to the project. Staff successfully negotiated with Caltrans and they have agreed to contribute $3,700,000 towards construction of the project. On September 16, 2025, Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-040, which authorized the City to enter into a Cooperative Implementation Agreement with Caltrans for the project. In addition to the Caltrans funding, staff secured two grants to fund this project, including a $2,603,525 grant from the Department of Water Resources Proposition 1 IRWM program and a $2,500,000 grant from the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Tier 2 Environmental Cleanup Program. Together, these three funding sources will be used to construct the project, with no City funds required. A copy of construction plans, contracts, specifications, and all related reference materials, such as The Greenbook, are available for public review at the City's Public Works Agency, Central Files office located in City Hall. Public Outreach and Contractor Participation On May 13, 2025, Staff attended a Zoo District Neighborhood Association Meeting to present about the project. Project materials were also sent to the Saddleback View Neighborhood Association. This project was originally advertised for bid on September 18, 2025, with bids due on October 9, 2025. To provide an opportunity for local vendors to submit bids, the City notified 2,948 regional vendors via PlanetBids, many of which are Santa Ana based.