City Council Workshop or Special Called Meeting

CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING WEDNESDAY - SEPTEMBER 11, 2024 - 5:00 PM Notice of AGENDA City Council Chamber/Municipal Courtroom 2801 Ranch Road 1869 Liberty Hill, TX 78642 Diane Williams Jacquetta Thayer Crystal Mancilla Wade Ashley Amanda L Young Michael Helbing LIVE VIDEO ACCESS AND RECORDINGS The live video link will be on the City's Facebook page. Following the meeting, the link for the live meeting will be removed. The recording of the meeting will be placed on the City's webpage: www.libertyhilltx.gov PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES 1) CALL TO ORDER AND ESTABLISH QUORUM 2) REGULAR AGENDA a) Presentation and Progress Report about the Water Masterplan by Zach Stein P.E., Associate and Water Supply Section Lead and Matthew Schorsch for HDR consultants. (D. Thomison) Liberty Hill Council Workshop Slides_9.11.24 HDR WaterMasterplan final.pdf 3) ADJOURNMENT 1 The City Council, Boards, and Commissions reserve the right to reconvene, recess, realign, change the order of business, or adjourn into Execu ve Session at any me during the course of the mee ng, prior to adjournment, to discuss any item listed above, as authorized by Texas Government Code Sec on §551.071 (Consulta on with A orney), §551.072 (Delibera ons about Real Property), §551.073 (Delibera ons about Gi s and Dona ons), §551.074 (Personnel Ma ers), §551.076 (Delibera ons about Security Devices), and §551.087 (Development). In compliance with the Americans with Disabili es Act, the City of Liberty Hill will provide reasonable accommoda on for persons a ending mee ngs. To be er serve you, requests need to be received 48 hours prior to the meeting. Contact the City Secretary at 512-778-5449 – Extension 125. POSTING CERTIFICATION: I, ELAINE SIMPSON – CITY SECRETARY – CITY OF LIBERTY HILL certify that the attached notice of meeting was duly posted on the bulletin board at City Hall located at 926 Loop 332, Liberty Hill, Texas 78642 and on the City website (www.libertyhilltx.gov) on the ______ day of ____________________, 202_ at ______. Elaine Simpson – City Secretary. REMOVAL CERTIFICATION: I ELAINE SIMPSON – CITY SECRETARY – CITY OF LIBERTY HILL certify that the attached notice of meeting was removed from the bulletin board at City Hall located at 926 Loop 332, Liberty Hill, Texas 78642 on the ______ day of __________________, 202_ at _______. INITIALS _______ 2  CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING WEDNESDAY - SEPTEMBER 11, 2024 2801 Ranch Road 1869 - Liberty Hill AGENDA ITEM 2.a Presentation and Progress Report about the Water Masterplan by Zach Stein P.E., Associate and Water Supply Section Lead and Matthew Schorsch for HDR consultants. (D. Thomison) 3 Liberty Hill Water System Master Plan: City Council Workshop September 11, 2024 4 Agenda 5:00 – 5:10 1. Introductions • HDR Project Team • City of Liberty Hill • Williamson County ESD#4 5:10 – 5:40 2. Project Update • Background & Study Area Assumptions • Projected Water Demands • Existing Supplies • Water Supply Strategies (Short & Long Term) • Capital Improvement Plan • Water Impact Fee • Water Rate Analysis 5:40 – 5:55 3. Q&A 5:55 – 6:00 4. Project Schedule & Next Steps 5 Primary Goal: Transparent & Defensible Path Forward for Improved Water System Resiliency 5 & Smart Growth 4 Transparent & defensible Innovative & infrastructure financial plan flexible strategies 3 2 Proactive long Master Planning Approach range water supply planning 1 Data Collection, Stakeholder Outreach & Demand Forecasts 6 Planning Process Update Population Evaluate Existing Compare Supplies and Develop CIP and and Demand Infrastructure and Demands and Identify Financial Plan Forecast Reliability of Supplies Strategies to Meet Needs Complete Complete Complete Ongoing 7 Land Use and Study Area 8 Current Land Utilization Low Density – Mixed Use High Density – Single Use 9 City Planning Initiatives 10 Future Commercial Demands • Existing commercial developments are generally stand-alone units with a single function, or strip centers with varied use, but generally do not incorporate a residential component. • City Comprehensive Plan projections for future ‘strip center’ type development may be encouraged to change to a mixed use, commercial on the bottom, small footprint residential above, configuration. • To account for this development change, additional loading beyond what currently exists or is planned may be appropriate. 11 Projected Demands System Demands (MGD) Average Day Max Day 12.0 10.2 10.0 8.0 6.0 5.1 4.0 2.9 2.0 1.8 1.5 1.0 0.9 0.5 - 12 Present Day 5-Year 10-Year 25-Year Existing Supplies Existing Supply Sources • Trinity Aquifer Wells • BRA/LCRA Surface Water Evaluation Considerations • Sustainability • Reliability 13 Source: PRISM https://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/ Existing Supplies Surface Water Supply Contracts City of Liberty Hill currently has three Surface Water Supply Contracts with BRA for HB 1437 water for a total amount of 2,572 acre-ft of raw water per year: • Contract #1 • Start date: April 1, 2004 • End date: March 31, 2034 (30-year term) • Amount: 600 acre-ft of raw water per year • LCRA raw water rate at time of contract was $105 per acre-ft of water per year • Contract initially between BRA and Liberty Hill Water Supply Corporation; reassigned to the City of Liberty Hill • Contract #2 • Start date: May 1, 2020 • End date: August 31, 2050 • Amount: 600 acre-ft of raw water per year • LCRA raw water rate at time of contract was $145 per acre-ft of water per year Currently • Contract #3 not able to • Start date: June 1, 2022 access • End date: August 31, 2050 • Amount: 1,372 acre-ft of raw water per year • LCRA raw water rate at time of contract was $155 per acre-ft of water per year (LCRA’s current rate) 14 Existing Supplies - Groundwater Liberty Hill Groundwater Pumping 15 Projected Annual Needs ~5,100 ac-ft/yr 16 Projected Max Day Needs ~9.5 MGD 17 Water Supply Strategy Evaluations Identify strategies Evaluate, score and rank Develop plan for with input from City water supply strategies implementation & Stakeholders • Reliability • Timelines • Affordability • Funding • Sustainability • Permitting • Public buy-in 18 Water Supply Strategy – Short Term: Water Conservation Suggestions Effective water conservation initiatives used by neighboring cities/water utilities: • Continually market water conservation message to service area • Coordinate with City’s Media/Communications Department on marketing efforts and weekly postings on social media • Partner with the City of Leander on media buys for local tv/radio stations • Revise ‘Phase’ to ‘Stage’ in City’s Drought Contingency Plan to align with TCEQ/TWDB requirements • Conduct water conservation outreach and education events for community • Conduct one-on-one free landscape irrigation evaluations for residents, especially for high water use areas/subdivisions; recommend staff or paid contractor should be licensed irrigator • Host landscape irrigation training seminars for residents (City of Leander/Bill Teeter has offered to lead one for Liberty Hill) • Setup a booth/table at public events, grocery stores, McCoy’s Building Supply, etc. to promote water conservation and provide giveaways (i.e. shower timers, soil moisture sensors, stickers and magnets with watering schedule) • Complete replacement of remaining large water meters with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) • Effective tool to monitor water leaks and to identify high water usage customers • Utilize water usage patterns to help guide enforcement patrol • Potential funding source (grants/low-interest loan): TWDB DWSRF; TWDB SWIFT; Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART • Conduct enforcement of watering schedule and restrictions • Designate 2-3 compliance staff; can include meter readers, plant operators, and/or seasonal staff (similar to lifeguard position for city pools) • Conduct enforcement patrols during nighttime and document violations with photos • Designate a Water Conservation Coordinator to send out violation notices and address citizen concerns/questions 19 • Outline number of warnings/fines for violations (both residential and commercial customers) LH Water Master Plan: Potential Strategies • Additional Groundwater (Remote Well Field) • Additional LCRA contract water through Leander • Additional LCRA water through eastern pipeline • Advanced Water Purification/Direct Reuse • Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) • Indirect Reuse 20 Capital Improvement Plan • Distribution and Transmission Mains • New demands • Fire flow • Ground and Elevated Storage Tanks • Emergency and total storage (TCEQ) • Operational efficiency • Increased Pumping Capacity • Fire flow (TCEQ) • New demands • Pressure Reducing Valves • Operational redundancy and resilience 21 Capital Improvement Plan 2030 CIP 2050 CIP Butler Farms EST BF to Metrorail Carson Ave Fire Blue Bonnet LN Downtown Fire CR 200 Improvements EST Loop Closure E CR200 to Tank 3 BPS Hickman St Fire CR277 Improvements Kauffman Loop CR279 Improvements Prop School Service EST Loop Closure W RR 1869 Fire Hillcrest Lane SH 29 to Butler Farm Kauffman LP Ext. SH-29 to Well Site 4 Loop 332 Improvement 2035 CIP Lower PZ EST CR 200 Improvements N Butler Farms Metrorail Fire N Metrorail Loop S Metrorail Loop N SH29 Improvements SH29 to Metrorail RR1869 to Tank 3 BPS Upper PZ Expansion S Butler Farms Tank 3 WL Improvements SH29 BPS WL Stubblefield Ln Fire Tank Well Site 3 BPS Well Site 4 BPS Exp 22 Water Rate Study 23 Water Rate Study • Financial planning model will account for operations expenses as well as capital expenses. • Allows different funding mechanisms to be applied to capital project (cash, debt, impact fees, other). • Other model variables include customer growth rate and use per customer. • Goal is to generate required revenue to meet all expenses – including capital expenses, while keeping rates as low as possible. 24 Water Impact Fee Study • Updating the City’s existing water impact fee (currently $7,037/LUE). • An impact fee is a one-time, up-front payment levied on new or expanded development for its capital costs of providing service being placed on the utility system. • Intended to mitigate rate impacts arising from the capital costs of new development and help make growth pay for itself. • Having an up-to-date impact fee help to ensure that • Infrastructure needed to accommodate growth is constructed • Capacity will be availably when the development community needs it. 25 Water Impact Fee Study • Steps for impact fee update • Create a Capital Improvement Advisory Committee (normally the Planning & Zoning Commission plus a member from the ETJ). • Identify amount and cost of new facility needs (10-Year CIP related to growth). • Calculate the cost of new capacity per Living Unit Equivalent (LUE). • Determine amount of capital being funded through rates per LUE • Capacity Cost per LUE Minus: Rate Credit per LUE Equals: Maximum Impact Fee per LUE 26 Questions 27 Wrap Up & Next Steps 28 Next Steps • Strategy Evaluations – August 2024 • CIP Development – August 2024 • Impact Fee Study – Late Summer/Fall 2024 • Rate Study – Fall 2024 • Final Report and Presentation to City Council – Fall 2024 29