By Eric Curl / Savannahagenda.com
Aug. 26, 2022 update – The Chatham County Commission approved the dredging contract and supplemental general funds for the project during today’s meeting.
Aug. 25, 2022 – The amount of sales-tax revenue available for a $3.36 million dredging contract won’t cover the cost of the voter-approved project, which will accommodate a marina being developed as part of a $400 million mixed-use community on Hutchinson Island.
As a result, the Chatham County Commission will consider using $2.5 million in general funds to supplement the sales-tax revenue and allow for the award of the contract with Michels Construction going before the commission Friday.
The dredging was included as a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax III project, with revenues raised between 1998-2003, but there is an insufficient budget to complete the work, according to the county staff report. Funding from the SPLOST III project was previously used for the now completed extension of the riverwalk around the slip.
Slip 1 is an open body of water located to the east of the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa that has historically been used as a wharf area. As part of the development of the area, Chatham has been involved in the Hutchinson Island Riverwalk project in cooperation with private developers. Part of the overall project is the development of the slip as a commercial marina. While the marina will be developed by private entities, Chatham has committed to removing the soil materials within the slip area to a depth that allows use by boats. The work covered by the proposed contract includes the removal of accumulated sediment and native soils by hydraulic dredging and off-site disposal.
Michel’s was the lowest of two bids received for the project, with TIC – The Industrial Company bidding $7.5 million to perform the dredging.
The commission will also consider a $30,010 contract reduction with TIC for a prior Slip 1 debris removal project. The work, which was completed in July, included the removal of wood and stone from the old wharf that could be accessed from the surface to provide better conditions for the soil dredging project. The change order reduces the total cost of the contract to $796,390.
The dredging will accommodate the marina proposed as part of the The Savannah Harbor parcel 5 development, which is underway. The 27-acre site along the Savannah River and east of Slip 1 is where the Savannah Harbor Partners development group is developing housing, retail and lodging, along with a public waterfront park, medical complex and marina.
The developer’s request to rezone the site and create the planned development was approved by the Savannah City Council in November 2019. During the same meeting, the mayor and aldermen also approved a development agreement to help fund public infrastructure such as streets and sidewalks using tax revenue generated by the development.
The Chatham County Commission meets at 9:30 a.m. at 124 Bull St. on Friday.
The agenda for the Aug. 26 meeting is now available to view. The meeting can be viewed online here.
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