TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF MAY 20, 2010
COMMITTEE ON REAL ESTATE
Mr. Richard Lanyon, Executive Director
Title
Authority to amend and extend permit issued to the United States Army Corps of Engineers for an additional 6-months to construct, maintain, repair and remove warning signs on additional District land located along the east and west banks of the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal in Will County, Illinois, c/k/a Main Channel Parcels 18.03, 19.01 and 19.02, consideration shall be a nominal fee of $10.00
Body
Dear Sir:
Several years ago the United States Army Corps of Engineers (“Corps”), under an easement granted by the District, constructed two Aquatic Nuisance Species Barriers across the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal (“CSSC”) to prevent the migration of invasive species into the Great Lakes waterway system through the CSSC. On March 19, 2009, the Board of Commissioners authorized the issuance of a 2-year permit to the Corps to construct, erect, maintain, and remove four temporary, trailer-mounted, solar powered LED electrical barrier warning message centers along District lands lying along the east bank of the CSSC in Will County, Illinois, c/k/a Main Channel Parcel 19.04. The Corps has advised the District that on March 31, 2009, the U.S. Coast Guard established a regulated navigation security and safety zone on the CSSC that requires permanent and additional warning signs near the aquatic barriers. Thus, the temporary warning signs must be replaced by signs at additional locations. This permit is being recommended to allow the placement of new signs on additional lands not currently under permit to the Corps and to extend the expiration date of the permit.
The Corps has proposed the installation of three different size signs that will give boaters advance warning of the barriers and warn of the electrical danger to anyone immersed in the water. The Corps intends to erect six signs as soon as possible. Signs 1 and 6 will be placed on Parcel 19.02; signs 2, 4, and 5 will be placed on Parcel 18.03; and sign 3 will be placed on Parcel 19.01. Once the new signs are installed, the present trailer-mounted message centers will be removed.
The District’s technical departments have reviewed the Corps request and have no objections to the locations of the signs, nor to the type of signs proposed by the Corps.
It is recommended that the permit amendment and extension be issued for a nominal fee of $10.00 and that the obligation to indemnify the District provision be waived for the Corps.
It is requested that the Executive Director recommend to the Board of Commissioners that it authorize an amendment and extension of the permit issued to the United States Army Corps of Engineers for an additional 6-months to construct, maintain, repair and remove warning signs on additional District land located along the east and west banks of the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal in Will County, Illinois, c/k/a Main Channel Parcels 18.03, 19.01 and 19.02. Consideration shall be a nominal fee of $10.00.
It is further requested that the Executive Director recommend to the Board of Commissioners that it authorize the Chairman of the Committee on Finance and the Clerk to execute said permit amendment and extension agreement after it is approved by the General Counsel as to form and legality.
Requested, Frederick M. Feldman, General Counsel, FMF:CL:JCC:rg
Recommended, Richard Lanyon, Executive Director
Respectfully Submitted, Terrence J. O’Brien, Chairman Committee on Real Estate Development
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the
Board of Commissioners for May 20, 2010