REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: NICHOLAS D. MASCIA, PE, Assistant City Manager
Interim Director-Capital Projects Department
SCOTT MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
BY: SCOTT SEHM, PE, Assistant Director
Capital Projects Department, Design Services Division
JONATHAN MARAVILLA, Engineer I
Capital Projects Department, Transportation Project Management Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the Southbound Polk Avenue Widening Project from Gettysburg Avenue to Shaw Avenue (Council District 1):
1. Adopt Environmental Assessment No. P18-02753, an addendum to the Negative Declaration for Environmental Assessment No. P18-02753, prepared in accordance with Section 15164 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
2. Approve a Facilities Maintenance Agreement between the City of Fresno and the Fresno Irrigation District, and authorize the Director of Public Works or designee to sign the Facilities Maintenance Agreement on behalf of the City.
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends the City Council (1) Adopt Environmental Assessment No. P18-02753, an addendum to the Negative Declaration for Environmental Assessment No. P18-02753, prepared in accordance with Section 15164 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines; (2) Approve the Facilities Maintenance Agreement between the City of Fresno and the Fresno Irrigation District for the maintenance of irrigation pipeline facilities impacted by the street widening and improvements and authorize the Director of Public Works or designee to sign the maintenance agreement on behalf of the City of Fresno.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City is proposing to construct street improvements and widen southbound Polk Avenue from Shaw Avenue to Gettysburg Avenue. These improvements impact existing Fresno Irrigation District (FID) facilities, including two portions of the Teague School No. 46 pipeline. It is not feasible to acquire additional right-of-way to relocate the impacted FID facilities outside of the project area. In coordination with FID, it has been determined that the proposed FID Facilities Maintenance Agreement will allow the project to move forward. Staff is seeking City Council approval for the Fresno Irrigation District Facilities Maintenance Agreement, which governs the relocation and maintenance of irrigation pipeline facilities required for the street widening and improvements on the Southbound Polk Avenue Widening Project from Gettysburg Avenue to Shaw Avenue project. The relocation and the redesign of the Fresno Irrigation District Facilities are not specified in the approved Environmental Impact Report. Since these are minor technical changes or additions that are necessary and are considered findings pursuant to section 15162 of the CEQA guidelines, an Addendum may be added. The proposed Addendum addresses the necessary additions, including reconstructing the existing Fresno Irrigation District (FID) pipeline crossing Polk Avenue, north of Acacia Avenue. New surge chambers with vents may be constructed on the east side of Polk Avenue and at the connection point with the existing FID pipeline within the proposed planter area on the west side of Polk Avenue. As well as, relocating an existing FID pipeline parallel to Polk Avenue along the east side of the street, north of Rialto Avenue. The project is funded with federal Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) and Highway Infrastructure Program Fund (HIP) grant funds. The local match requirements are being funded by Measure C flexible funds, New Growth Area Major Street Impact Fee funds, and a local contribution from Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District (FMFCD).
Approval of this agreement will ensure proper coordination between the City and the FID, clarifying the responsibilities for relocation, liability, and maintenance of the affected facilities.
BACKGROUND
Polk Avenue currently is a two-lane roadway in need of curbs, gutters, sidewalks and drainage facilities. As a result, bottlenecks exist between the newer, fully improved subdivisions and older areas that developed in the County. In accordance with the 2035 General Plan, Polk Avenue is to ultimately be constructed as a four-lane divided arterial between Shaw Avenue and Belmont Avenue, as development occurs west of State Route 99.
The City of Fresno was awarded a federal Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) that provides construction funding for the Southbound Polk Avenue Widening Project. The STBG grant application was part of a package of grants adopted for submission and execution per Resolution No. 2017-288 adopted by the City Council on October 19, 2017.
The City of Fresno seeks to construct street improvements and widen southbound Polk Avenue from Shaw Avenue to Gettysburg Avenue. The design consultant is currently preparing the plans, specifications and construction documents for the widening of Polk Avenue between Shaw Avenue and Gettysburg Avenue, including curb and gutter, paving, sidewalks, street lighting and a High intensity Activated crosswalk (HAWK) type pedestrian crossing near Teague Elementary School.
The City of Fresno is working in coordination with FID to relocate two portions of the Teague School No. 46 pipeline facilities as part of the Southbound Polk Avenue Widening Project from Gettysburg Avenue to Shaw Avenue project. The project aims to widen southbound Polk Avenue to improve traffic flow and accommodate future development. The relocation of FID’s irrigation facilities is a necessary step in facilitating this construction.
Staff is requesting City Council approve the Fresno Irrigation District Maintenance Agreement for the relocation and maintenance of irrigation pipeline facilities affected by the street widening and improvements along southbound Polk Avenue from Shaw Avenue to Gettysburg Avenue and authorize for the Capital Projects Director or designee to sign the maintenance agreement on behalf of the City of Fresno.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the Facilities Maintenance Agreement as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
An Initial Study/Negative Declaration was prepared for Environmental Assessment No. P18-02753 to evaluate the Southbound Polk Widening Project in accordance with the land use and environmental policies and provisions of the City of Fresno’s General Plan adopted by the Fresno City Council on December 18, 2014, and the related Master Environmental Impact Report (MEIR) SCH Number 2012111015. The project was determined to have a less than significant effect on the environment and is prepared in accordance with Sections 15070 to 15075 of the CEQA Guidelines and the Negative Declaration was adopted by Council on December 7, 2023.
This approval concerns the relocation of portions of the Teague School No. 46 pipeline, in connection with the Southbound Polk Avenue Widening Project, which involves reconstructing an existing Fresno Irrigation District (FID) pipeline crossing Polk Avenue, north of Acacia Avenue as well as relocating an existing FID pipeline parallel to Polk Avenue along the east side of the street, north of Rialto Avenue. These minor technical changes will not have an impact on the overall widening project.
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15164, a Lead Agency shall prepare an addendum to a previously adopted Negative Declaration if some changes or additions are necessary but none of the conditions described in Section 15162 calling for preparation of a subsequent Negative or Mitigated Negative Declaration have occurred. An analysis has been performed pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 to determine whether a subsequent environmental review is required for this project. Based upon this analysis, the following findings are made to support the determination that no subsequent environmental review is required:
1. No substantial changes are proposed in the project that will require major revisions to the Negative Declaration due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects. The relocation of portions of the Teague School No. 46 pipeline, in connection with the Southbound Polk Avenue Widening Project, does not involve any new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects that would require major revisions of the previous Negative Declaration because the subject site was already analyzed for street improvements to North Polk Avenue including roadway widening, street rehabilitation and repair between West Shaw Avenue and West Rialto Avenue as well as the need to relocate utility facilities along Polk Avenue.
2. No substantial changes occurred with respect to the circumstances under which the project is undertaken that will require major revisions to the Negative Declaration due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects. There have been no substantial changes to the surrounding area or project site which would otherwise affect the circumstances under which the project is undertaken. The severity of environmental issues identified in the Negative Declaration adopted on December 7, 2023, have not substantially increased since the preparation of the Addendum.
3. There is no new information, which was not known and could not have been known at the time of the previous EIR, showing that:
a. The project will have one or more significant effects not discussed in the previous Negative Declaration;
b. Significant effects previously examined will be substantially more severe than shown in the previous Negative Declaration;
c. Mitigation measure or alternatives previously found to be not feasible are now feasible and would substantially reduce one or more significant effects of the project.
Based upon these findings, it has been determined that a subsequent Negative Declaration is not required for this approval, and staff have prepared an addendum to the Negative Declaration to assess the pipeline relocation component of the project.
This project is also subject to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Caltrans has determined that the project is a Categorical Exclusion under 23 CFR 771.117(c): activity (c)(23i).
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented because this item does not include a bid for or an award of a construction or service contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed Southbound Polk Avenue Widening Project from Gettysburg Avenue to Shaw Avenue is within Council District 1. This agreement will have no impact to the General Fund. The project is funded with federal Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) and Highway Infrastructure Program Fund (HIP) grant funds. The local match requirements are being funded by Measure C flexible funds, New Growth Area Major Street Impact Fee funds, and a local contribution from Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District (FMFCD).
Attachments:
Addendum to Negative Declaration for Environmental Assessment No. P18-02753
Fresno Irrigation District Maintenance Agreement
Vicinity Map