Sunnyvale awards $235,820 engineering contract to study erosion threatening Falls Edition Trail

The Sunnyvale Town Council voted 5-0 Monday to award an engineering design contract to Grantham and Associates LLC for $235,820 to perform floodplain modeling and design work to stabilize stream erosion on Tributary 6 of Long Creek, a FEMA-mapped tributary that is undermining the Falls Edition Trail.

Town engineer Matt Holz told the council the work is primarily floodplain modeling and design for structural measures such as a drop structure or a box culvert; the package includes about $17,000 in FEMA review fees and will require FEMA modeling, a conditional letter of map revision, and possibly a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wetland permit. "When I first got here, in October of '23, it was one of the first things that Jeff brought me out to, to look at that problem. We started monitoring it at that point, erosion had gotten close enough to the trail that the town took action to close the trail in order to safeguard the trail users," Holz said.

Why it matters: The trail is heavily used by walkers and bicyclists and connects to the town's larger trail network; council members said the trail serves the public beyond the immediate homeowners in the Falls Edition HOA. Councilors also raised concerns about precedent if the town uses taxpayer funds to repair infrastructure on HOA-owned land, and staff said the town holds a drainage easement over the open-space lots and retains an option to take the property under the original plat covenants.

Holz described the regulatory timeline: FEMA review of the town's model and conditional letter of map revision typically takes about four to six months after submission; the town hopes to qualify for a Corps nationwide permit to shorten wetlands permitting, but staff said some permitting could still be lengthy. He estimated it would be at least 12 months before construction could begin and said the basic structural design element of the project would likely be on the order of $120,000 within the contract scope.

Council debated recusal because one council member lives in the Falls and is an HOA member; that member volunteered to recuse from the vote. Council member Allen moved to approve the contract; Mayor Pro Tem Finch seconded. The motion passed 5-0 with Council member Eldridge recused and Council member Clark absent.

The contract directs Grantham and Associates to produce FEMA-compliant modeling, design alternatives, and supporting materials for permits and construction. Staff said the town will manage submittals to FEMA and the Corps and later return to council for construction authorization and any needed appropriations.