REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DENIX D. ANBIAH, PE, Director
Capital Projects Department
PAUL AMICO, PE, Director
Public Utilities Department
BY: ANTONIO M. BUELNA, PE, Assistant Director
Capital Projects Department, Capital Administration Division
NANCY BRUNO, Right of Way Manager
Capital Projects Department, Capital Administration Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the acquisition of property from a portion of a parcel to benefit the Pump Station 102A Wellhead Treatment Project (Council District 5):
1. Adopt Mitigated Negative Declaration State Clearinghouse Number 2023050144, dated May 5, 2023, prepared for the Pump Station 102A Wellhead Treatment Project pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA);
2. Approve the Agreement for Purchase and Sale of Real Property and Escrow Instructions to acquire fee title interest of a 0.37-acre (16,000 square feet) portion of the property identified as Assessor’s Parcel Number 313-890-06S, in the amount of $168,000, plus applicable title and escrow costs.
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends the City Council 1) adopt a finding of the Mitigated Negative Declaration dated May 5, 2023, prepared for the Pump Station 102A Wellhead Treatment Project, and 2) approve the Agreement for Purchase and Sale of Real Property and Escrow Instructions to acquire fee title interest of a 0.37-acre (16,000 square feet) portion from property located at 845 North Laverne Avenue, identified as a portion of Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) 313-890-06S, owned by Fancher Creek Properties, LLC, a California limited liability company, for an amount of $168,000.00, plus applicable title and escrow costs, for the Pump Station 102A Wellhead Treatment Project, and authorize the City Manager or designee to sign all documents necessary to complete the subject acquisition.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The acquisition of a portion of APN 313-890-06S will provide the City with fee title interest in real property located at 845 North Laverne Avenue in Fresno, California (Subject Property). Fee title ownership of this portion of the parcel is necessary for the Pump Station 102A Wellhead Treatment Project (Project). The Subject Property is owned by Fancher Creek Properties, LLC, a California limited liability company (Owner). It consists of vacant land contiguous to the Owner’s other parcels - APNs 313-890-07S, 313-890-08S, and 313-980-65S - collectively considered the “larger parcel.”
The Owner and the City mutually agreed upon a total amount of $168,000.00 as Just Compensation for the acquisition of the Subject Property. The Owner executed the Purchase and Sale of Real Property and Escrow Instructions on December 15 and December 19, 2025.
BACKGROUND
The City maintains a water supply network consisting of more than 270 municipal groundwater wells that provide the primary source of City’s potable water supply. There are currently 19 well sites with wellhead treatment systems that treat regulated contaminants or naturally occurring compounds that affect taste or impart odor. Construction of wellhead treatment facilities at new well sites where regulated contaminants or naturally occurring compounds are present in the groundwater is necessary to commission and operate the new groundwater production wells.
City staff identified the Subject Property as a suitable location to support the treatment facility for Pump Station 102A. The City has proposed to purchase the 0.37-acre (16,000 square feet) portion of APN 313-890-06S. APN 313-890-06S is approximately 2.32 acres (101,059.2 square feet) and is part of the Owner’s larger parcel totaling 6.58 acres. The larger parcel consists of multiple contiguous parcels identified as APNs 313-890-06S, 313-890-07S, 313-890-08S, and 313-980-65S. The Subject Property is zoned IL (Light Industrial).
The City retained The Doré Group to prepare an appraisal report to determine the fair market value (FMV) of the portion to be acquired. The appraisal report, dated November 6, 2025, concluded that the FMV of the Subject Property is $168,000.
On December 1, 2025, City staff sent a formal offer in the amount of $168,000 via USPS First-Class Mail and email to the Owner, offering to purchase the real property for the Project. The Owner agreed to the amount of Just Compensation and signed the Purchase and Sale Agreement and associated deed on December 15 and December 19, 2025.
This acquisition is funded through the Water Enterprise Fund and will have no impact on the General Fund. All funds necessary for the acquisition are included in the current fiscal year budget as previously adopted by the City Council.
Staff recommends the City Council approve the Purchase and Sale of Real Property and Escrow Instructions in the amount of $168,000, plus applicable title and escrow costs and authorize the City Manager or designee to sign all documents necessary to complete the subject acquisition.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the Purchase and Sale Agreement as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Pursuant to Section 15063 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) was prepared for the City assessing the proposed Wellhead Treatment Improvements at Pump Station 102A project, describing the degree of potential environmental impacts of the Project. Pursuant to California Public Resources Code (PRC) § 15070 to 15075, this Project has been evaluated with respect to each item in the Environmental Checklist to determine whether this Project may cause any additional significant effect on the environment.
This process includes the required posting of a Draft IS/MND for public review and comment for a period of not less than 20-days, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15105. The Draft IS/MND was posted from May 5, 2023 to June 5, 2023. During the public review period, no public comments were received that would require further environmental analysis, implementation of new or additional mitigation measures, or otherwise cause revisions to or recirculation of the Draft IS/MND.
The Initial Study considers the actions associated with the proposed Project to determine the short-term and long-term effects associated with their implementation. The Initial Study finds that by implementing Project-specific mitigation measures, any potentially significant impacts will be avoided or reduced to less than significant.
The finding is, therefore, made that the proposed Project will not have a significant adverse effect on the environment. Public notice has been provided as prescribed by § 15072 of the CEQA Guidelines and by § 21092 of the PRC Code (CEQA provisions).
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not considered because this agreement does not include a bid for or an award of a construction or services contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Pump Station 102A Wellhead Treatment Project is located within Council District 5. Property acquisition for the Project will have no impact to the General Fund. The Project will be funded utilizing appropriations from the Fiscal Year 2026 Water Enterprise Fund.
Attachments:
Mitigated Negative Declaration #2023050144
Purchase and Sale Agreement
Location Map
Vicinity Map
Levine Act Disclosure Statement