CM-2014-613 - 12/5/2014City of Round Rock
I*wn. RO°r Agenda Item Summary
Agenda Number:
Title: Consider authorizing a Cultural Resources Survey by Horizon
Environmental Services for the Frontier Park Improvement Project.
Type: City Manager Item
Governing Body: City Manager Approval
Agenda Date: 12/5/2014
Dept Director: Rick Atkins, Director
Cost: $3,900.00
Indexes: 2007 General Obligation Bonds
Attachments: LAF Cultural Resources Survey CM-2014-613.pdf, Backup Cultural
Resources Survey CM-2014-613.pdf
Department: Parks and Recreation Department
Text of Legislative File CM -2014-613
The item will approve a cultural resources survey by Horizon Environmental Services in
Frontier Park. As part of the preliminary design efforts, it was brought to our attention by the
Texas Historical Commission that there is a prehistoric archaeological site within the park.
Before any improvements can be completed, a cultural resources survey must be
completed.
The Frontier Park Improvement Project includes the demolition of existing park amenities
and construction of a new park pavilion, she furnishings (picnic tables, grills, benches, and
trash receptacles), and a looping trail. Additionally, there will be ADA improvements to
existing site amenities.
This project was identified in Year 3 of the PARD Repair and Replacement Program. Staff
has met with the neighborhood over the past year to gather input on the park master plan
and improvement plan. The final improvement plan presented to the Game On: Parks and
Recreation Master Plan and the City Strategic Goals under Places and Spaces:
- Prevent neighborhood deterioration
- Improve City aesthetics, development and redevelopment quality, and sustainability
Staff recommends approval of this item.
ceyeren Reck v.wr Pfi a ..12 14
CITY OF ROUND ROCK
CONTRACT MANAGEMENT SECTION
CONTRACT APPROVAL FORM FOR CITY MANAGER ACTION
Required for Submission of Specific City Manager Items
Department
Project Mgr/Resource: Aileen Dryden
Fx-lcity Manager Approval
Project Name: Cultural Resources survey
ContmctorNendor: Holism Environmental services, Inc.
CMA Wording
Consider authorizing a Cultural Resources Survey by Horizon Environmental services, Inc. for the Frontier Park Improvement
Project.
Approval
X❑Employee EE Baader, ate November 19, 2014
Environmental Services, Inc.
4 November 2014
Katie Baker
Park Development Specialist
City of Round Rock — Parks and Recreation
kbaker@roundrocktexas.gov
RE: Cultural Resources Proposal
Frontier Park Improvements (7.0 acres)
Williamson County, Texas
Dear Ms. Baker
Horizon Environmental Services, Inc. (Horizon) is pleased to submit this proposal to conduct a
cultural resources survey of the approximately 7.0 -acre Frontier Park Improvement Project in
Williamson County, Texas (Project Area). The survey will be conducted according to guidelines
established by the Texas Historical Commission (THC) and the Council of Texas Archeologists
(CTA).
Because the Project Area is owned/maintained by the City of Round Rock, a political
subdivision of the state, the undertaking is regulated by the Antiquities Code of Texas (ACT).
Moreover, for trail projects within existing parks under 200.0 acre in size where no prior cultural
resources surveys have been undertaken, the THC requires a full cultural resources survey of
all areas having the potential to contain cultural resources.
SCOPE OF WORK
Because the Project Area falls under the regulations of the ACT, a Texas Antiquities Committee
(TAC) Permit will be necessary for an archeological crew to conduct the field investigations.
Obtaining a TAC Permit involves submitting to the THC a permit application and a proposed
Scope of Work that is signed by the archeologist, project sponsor, and landowner. Horizon will
prepare these materials and submit them to you for the appropriate signatures. Horizon will
then submit the completed application to the THC in order to acquire a TAC Permit number.
Subsequent to the acquisition of the TAC Permit, Horizon will conduct an intensive pedestrian
survey of the 7.0 -acre Project Area. This will entail intensive surface inspection as well as
subsurface shovel testing efforts. It will also include the reassessment of previously recorded
site 41 WM442 that is present within the Project Area. The Texas State Minimum Archeological
Survey Standards (TSMASS) require a minimum of 2 shovel tests per acre on projects between
3.0 and 10.0 acres in size. Horizon will conform to these minimum survey standards and
excavate a minimum of 14 shovel tests across the Project Area. Should a shovel test indicate
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
1507 South IH 35 * Austin, Texas 78741 * 512.328.2430 * Fax 512.328.1804 * �.horizon-esi.com
Certified WBE/DBE/HUB
C"-aat'4-(.013
Horio-
Environmental Services, Inc.
the presence of subsurface cultural deposits, additional shovel tests may also be implemented
to determine the horizontal and vertical extent of the subsurface deposits.
During the investigations, field notes will be maintained on terrain, vegetation, soils, land forms,
shovel tests, cultural material observed, etc. Digital photographs with a photo log will also be
completed as appropriate. If any new sites are recorded, standard site forms will be completed
and filed at the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL) for permanent housing.
Similarly, site revisit forms will be completed for any previously recorded sites that are assessed
during the field efforts. Only temporally diagnostic cultural materials will be collected and
eventually curated at an approved facility. Non-diagnostic artifacts will be tabulated and
assessed in the field and placed back where they were found.
A report of investigations will be produced in conformity with the CTA Guidelines for Cultural
Resources Management Reports. This report will detail the archival research, methodology,
and results of the cultural resources investigations. It will also report the assessed eligibility of
any recorded sites for formal designation as State Archeological Landmarks (SALs). A PDF of
the draft report will be provided for your review. Once you approve, a hard copy will be
submitted on your behalf to the THC for review. The final report will include 1 hard copy and 1
digital copy for the THC and 10 copies for distribution to various state libraries in compliance
with the requirements of the TAC Permit.
Any recovered cultural materials will be temporarily housed at Horizon until they are processed
and ready for curation. These materials will then need to be permanently curated at an
approved curation facility in accordance with the requirements of the TAC Permit.
COST
Horizon will conduct all services on a Time and Materials Basis not to exceed $3,900.00. This
cost covers the archival review, fieldwork, mileage, report completion, and report copies for the
7.0 -acre Project Area.
COSTS NOT COVERED
1) Any artifacts collected during the survey would need to be curated at an approved
curational facility according to THC guidelines and the requirements of the TAC permit.
Curation includes standardized preparation and labeling of field notes, photographs, and
cultural materials. This Scope of Work does not cover the costs of processing artifacts
for curation, the negotiation of a curation agreement with an approved facility, or the
facility's curation fees.
2) This Scope of Work covers only an initial cultural resources assessment of the 7.0 -acre
Project Area and the re-evaluation of previously recorded site 41 WM442. Should the
field endeavors document potentially significant archeological sites whose SAL eligibility
Horizon
Ernironmental Services, Inc.
statuses cannot be fully determined via survey -level data alone and these sites cannot
be avoided during the improvements to the Project Area, the THC may require additional
investigations such as SAL eligibility testing. If such investigations are required, a new
proposal and costs will need to be submitted.
3) The cost above does not include an in-depth review of historical documents, maps, or
oral interviews by an architectural historian that may be necessary to adequately define
any historic -age cultural resources that might be present within the Project Area. As
such, if any historic -age structures or historic -age sites are documented and cannot be
adequately defined per THC standards based on the currently available data, a new
proposal and costs that would cover a detailed review of historic records such as deeds,
chains -of -title, etc. will need to be submitted.
4) According to the THC guidelines, mechanical trenching efforts may be required in areas
of deep alluvium. If deep alluvial settings that cannot be adequately assessed via shovel
testing are found to be within the Project Area, additional trenching efforts may be
required. Such efforts are not included in this scope and cost estimate. However, they
are also not anticipated for this project.
SCHEDULE
Horizon stands ready to commence fieldwork within 1 week of the signed Notice to Proceed.
The survey of the Project Area should take 1 day to complete. The formal report of the
investigations will be completed within 1 week of the completion of the fieldwork.
Please call if you have any questions. If this proposal is acceptable, please sign and return a
copy as Horizon's Notice to Proceed.
Sincerely, Signature an Resl,onsible tion and Payment
For Horizon Environmental Services, Inc. L&kxrie- Wa&e...t
Printed Name and Date
V• �J aat E. %An,r. ��rce..�.'
Russ Brownlow, MA, RPA Billing Address
Principal I Cultural Resources Director
(512) 328-2430 ciry, state zip
russ brownlow@horizon-esi.com CSta_I �atR-5�t�1 t52a�a�S-`to�l�
PhaFax•
Terms: All invoices are net 30 days. A late charge of 1.50/0 may be added to any unpaid
balance after 30 days.