REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
BY: Randall W. Morrison, PE, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Engineering Division
JASON A. CAMIT, PLS, Chief Surveyor
Public Works Department, Engineering Division, Right of Way Section
SUBJECT
Title
***RESOLUTION - Rescinding Resolution Number 2017-332 and ordering the vacation of a portion of North Carnegie Avenue, between West Bullard Avenue and Union Pacific Railroad (Subject to Mayor’s Veto) (Council District 2)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council adopt a resolution rescinding Resolution Number 2017-332 and order the vacation of a portion of North Carnegie Avenue, between West Bullard Avenue and Union Pacific Railroad.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno Public Works Department requested the vacation of a portion of North Carnegie Avenue, between West Bullard Avenue and Union Pacific Railroad as a part of the Veterans Boulevard Grade Separation Project. On December 7, 2017, a public hearing was held and Resolution Number 2017-332 was adopted by City Council. This resolution was never recorded because the conditions of approval were not satisfied. Through coordination with the adjacent business owner and Council District 2, the street design for this area has been revised and therefore the limits of the street vacation, as shown on Resolution Number 2017-332, need to be revised. The proposed resolution will rescind Resolution Number 2017-332 and adopt a new resolution showing the revised public street vacation limits.
BACKGROUND
The Veterans Boulevard/State Route 99 Interchange and Extension Project is constructing public street and trail improvements on the approved Veterans Boulevard alignment between West Herndon Avenue and West Shaw Avenue. The new roadway will have six travel lanes, a Class I bicycle lane/pedestrian trail on one side, Class II bicycle lanes on both sides and will include the construction of a new partial cloverleaf interchange connecting State Route 99 and Veterans Boulevard. The project will improve accessibility to State Route 99 and circulation to roads adjacent to the proposed interchange in northwest Fresno. It will provide congestion relief and improve traffic flow in northwest Fresno. The project will also enhance the local circulation network to accommodate local development and provide consistency with existing and planned local and regional development.
The Veterans Boulevard Project has been coordinated with the California High Speed Rail Project. The newly constructed Veterans Boulevard grade separation now carries traffic up and over the existing Union Pacific Railroad and future High Speed Rail corridors. The North Carnegie Avenue at-grade crossing at Union Pacific Railroad has since been removed to eliminate the at-grade crossing and allow for the future High Speed Rail corridor to be access restricted. A portion of North Carnegie Avenue is currently being reconstructed as a modified local street to maintain access to the residents in the area and the storage facility on the north side of Carnegie Avenue. On December 7, 2017, a public hearing was held and Resolution Number 2017-332 was adopted by City Council to reflect the needs for the street design plans at that time. The design plans have since been revised and the public street vacation needs to be revised consistent with the updated street improvement plans. This proposed resolution will rescind Resolution Number 2017-332 and adopt a new resolution that reflects the street design revisions.
City staff have also coordinated the Carnegie Avenue street improvements and proposed vacation with the adjacent business, Empire Storage, and the adjacent resident on the south half of the proposed vacation. These coordination efforts will continue until all of the work on the project is completed.
The Public Works Department, other City departments and utility agencies have reviewed the proposed vacation and determined that the public street easement proposed for vacation is unnecessary for present or prospective public street purposes, as described in Exhibit A and as shown on Exhibit B, subject to the reservation of a public utility easement over the entire area proposed to be vacated, said exhibits are made part of the attached resolution to vacate.
The City is not disposing of any land and therefore the Surplus Land Act is not applicable.
The City Attorney’s Office has approved the attached Resolution as to form.
The vacation, if approved by Council, will become effective when the vacating resolution is recorded in the office of the Fresno County Recorder.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
An initial study and EIR (SCH No. 2010021054) was prepared for this project and adopted on June 7, 2013. This approval is to implement a portion of the project. An analysis has been performed pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 to determine whether 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 which will require major revisions to the EIR due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects because the project is being implemented as planned.
2. No substantial changes occurred with respect to the circumstances under which the project was undertaken which will require major revisions to the EIR due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects. The project will not have any significant effects not discussed in the EIR, and there are no mitigation measures or alternatives previously found not to be feasible that are now feasible.
3. There is no new information, which was not known and could not have been known at the time of the EIR that was not discussed in the EIR.
Based upon these findings, it has been determined that no further environmental documentation is required for this project.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference does not apply because the vacation of a public street easement does not involve bidding or contracting.
FISCAL IMPACT
This street vacation located in Council District 2 will have no impact to the General Fund. All costs associated with this action are covered in the Veterans Boulevard Interchange and Extension Project budget, which is included in the adopted City budget.
Attachments:
Carnegie Vacation Vicinity Map
Resolution Number 2017-332
Carnegie Resolution to Vacate