Vienna council authorizes NVTA agreement to fund Carter Library parking garage

The Vienna Town Council voted unanimously on May 5 to authorize the town manager to execute a Standard Project Agreement (SPA) with the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) to fund commuter parking at the Vienna Carter Library.

Mayor Linda J. Colbert read the SPA item into the record and asked staff to present the details. Director Brad Baer told council the SPA is the next step in securing transportation funding for the library parking garage: the town’s maximum construction payment for its share of the garage is $4,800,000 to cover 84 of the 209 commuter spaces. "This standard project agreement will enable the town to secure and receive $2,300,000 in funding to offset our share of the costs," Baer said. He added that the remaining $2,500,000 of the town’s share would be funded by previously approved bond funding.

The director said the project has long been under consideration and that the design was completed in January following a site-plan modification last fall. He said the county will manage the construction contract for the library and accessory garage and that the SPA formalizes the town’s participation in the transportation component tied to commuter parking.

Council members asked staff to clarify several numbers and documents. Council member Allen pointed to differing figures on the paperwork and asked how the $4.8 million cap arose; the town attorney and director explained an addendum approved in a prior council action raised the maximum to account for design and cost escalations. Baer told council the $12,298,279 number for the garage appears in the SPA appendix as a county estimate used for procurement, while the county’s overall project budget for the library was listed at $26,000,000 in the documents provided to council.

Members also pressed staff about post-construction operations and maintenance costs. Council member Baldwin cited Exhibit D of the design-and-construction agreement, which allocates responsibility for janitorial work, elevator maintenance and routine repairs. Baer and Town Manager Mercury Payton said the county would handle day-to-day library operations while the town would account for its allocated share of garage maintenance in the public-works operating budget. "We do not feel like this is an undue burden on the town fiscally," the town manager said, while also acknowledging the town has limited direct experience operating a structure of this type and will seek project-specific operating estimates once construction bids and design details are finalized. Council member Anderson offered a rough estimate based on prior study of structured parking, noting an approximate annual maintenance figure of about $7,000 for the structure as a whole, with roughly half of that attributable to the town’s share—an estimate staff said would be refined.

After discussion, Council member Springsteen moved to authorize execution of the SPA and to authorize the town manager to sign all documents necessary to effect the agreement; Council member Anderson seconded the motion. The clerk called the roll and each member present voted "Aye": Council members Allen, Anderson, Baldwin, Brill, Ramakas, Springsteen and Mayor Colbert. The mayor declared the motion passed unanimously.

The SPA will be presented to the NVTA board at its June meeting for final approval; if approved by NVTA, the SPA will secure the $2.3 million NVTA allocation and finalize the town’s participation in the parking component of the Vienna Carter Library project. Mayor Colbert noted the project’s long history and said the garage will support Church Street businesses, town festivals and commuter access.

Votes at a glance: the council approved authorization for the town manager to execute the Standard Project Agreement with the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority; outcome: approved unanimously.

What’s next: staff said the county will advertise for construction bids this summer and that the town will incorporate maintenance-cost estimates into the operating budget as more detailed project costs become available.