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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 02131996 - SD1 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE DATE: February 5, 1996 SUBJECT: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT CONVERTING TO METRIC UNITS SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION I. Recommended Action: A. ADOPT SI Metric Units as the standard for the Public Works Department, and AUTHO- RIZE the Public Works Director to require the following first submittal items be in metric units effective: 1. January 1, 1996 Road, Subdivision and Flood Control Improvement Plans; all engineering reports needed to review the above-mentioned improvement plans; Parcel ,and Final Maps; Right of Way drawings and documents; and all correspon- dence. 2. January 1, 1997 Road and Flood Control Encroachment Permits; FEMA Flood Plain Permits; B. AUTHORIZE the Community Development Director to require all tentative maps to be in dual units (English and Metric) effective January 1, 1996. C. AUTHORIZE the Director of Building Inspection to require all grading plans to be in metric units effective January 1, 1996. D. ADOPT the U.S. Survey Foot of 1 meter = 39.37 inches for converting coordinates for the counties base mapping program. Directors of the above departments have the authority to waive the metric requirement for specific requests based upon evidence of financial hardship. Continued on Attachment: X SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMI STRATO RECOMMENDATION OF BO CO IT EE . APPROVE _OT E SIGNATURE (S): Jeff Smith: Tom Torlakson: l�Vry /� ✓� + ACTION OF BOARD ON 02/k3/1996 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER_ VOTE OF SUPERVISORS �g UNANIMOUS(ABSENT IV ) AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: 1 hereby certify that this Is a true and Correct Copyof Orig.Div: Public Works(EIS) an action taken and entered on the== of the CONTACT: Bob Faraone(313-2252) Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: FRBRTTARY 13. 1(396 cc: V.Alexeeff,GMEDA Director PHIL BATCHELOR,Clerk of the Board J.M.Walford,Public Works Director of SuPervlsors and County Administrator H.Bragdon,Community Development Director F.Lew,Building Inspection Director By ,Deputy RVF:mw g:lengsvc\bolbomet.tl SUBJECT: Public Works Department Converting to Metric Units DATE: February 5, 1996 PAGE: -2- 11. Financial Impact: We do not expect any impact to the County General Fund. Nevertheless, we expect additional costs to educate staff and to revise the Grading and Subdivision Ordinances. III. Reasons for Recommendations and Background: At this time, the United States is the only industrialized country in the world not officially using the metric system. With the increasing competition of other nations in the global marketplace, the need for a United States conversion to the metric system is even more important. The American Auto Industry has changed to metric parts because of global demand and competition. Many items in supermarkets have changed to metric units because of global demand. Realizing the financial and competitive importance in the world market, Congress, in 1988, legislated that all federal agencies use the metric system in business activities by October 1992. In 1991, President Bush ordered all projects using federal highway funds and all projects on Federal and State Highways use metric units by October 1, 1996. By July 1995, the California Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administra- tion fully converted to the metric system at a considerable cost. The Congress, in November 1995, extended the metric conversion mandate until October 2000. The California Department of Transportation and most other states have decided to continue using the metric system. Caltrans has recently published all their manuals in metric units. Effective October 1, 1996, all permits, construction plans and engineering reports on State Highways will have to be in metric units. Since the County has a large involvement in the planning and implementation of the State Highway System, we recommend that all transportation and drainage work be done in metric units. Most of the County Public Works Departments in the Bay Area have decided to follow Caltrans lead in converting to metric now. PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT The Public Works Department (PWD) has conducted classes for all its employees in the use of the metric system and is now designing all new construction projects in metric units. Over the past year PWD has twice informed all Engineers, Developers, Utilities and Cities of the metric conversion requirements becoming effective January 1, 1996. Several cities say they will follow the County lead provided the Board of Supervisors approves the conversion. The Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors of California, East Bay Chapter has advised PWD they support the metric conversion and urge cities to follow the County lead and use metric units for consistency. Caltrans metric projects are now being advertized and many contractors will make the change to metric units. Most of the construction material suppliers will or have changed to metric units or dual units because of the Caltrans construction demand. PWD is in the process of converting the Standard Plans and applicable portions of the Ordinance Code to metric units. BUILDING INSPECTION DEPARTMENT The Board of Supervisor recently approved the 1994 Uniform Building Code as a basis for the Building Inspection Department to conduct its daily review, approval and inspection operations. This code is printed in dual units (both metric and imperial units). Indications are that the Uniform Building Code format with dual units will not be changing in the 1997 edition. Therefore, the Building Inspection Department will not be changing to metric units in the near future. The grading plans, however, should be done in metric units now to be consistent with utility and road improvements plans. This will require revising the Grading Ordinance to metric units. SUBJECT: Public Works Department Converting to Metric Units DATE: February 5, 1996 PAGE: -3- COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT Subdivision tentative maps will be done in dual units. Community Development will not need to revise the planning ordinances to metric units at this time. By using dual units, planning commissions and the public will understand the impact of the application. The PWD, using metric units, can easily compare the improvement plan and map to the approved application. IV. Consequences of Negative Action: There will be very little consequence at this time if the Board denies this request except that the PWD bases much of its real property acquisition, project design and standards on CALTRANS procedures manuals and standards, which are all now in metric. If the County opts not to convert public works activities to metric until 2000, it will be necessary to develop our own documents or continue to use old, out of date editions of the state documents. Metric conversion will happen, and due to Caltran's decision to move forward now, a similar decision by the County will be the most economical and least disruptive course of action over the long term.