REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: BROCK D. BUCHE, PE, PLS, Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: PAUL AMICO, PE, Assistant Director
Department of Public Utilities - Administration
DEBBIE KHOUNSAVATH, Planner II
Department of Public Utilities - Utilities Planning & Engineering
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the Orange and Central Avenues Water Consolidation Project (Unincorporated Fresno County):
1. Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption per staff determination pursuant to Class 1, Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
2. ***RESOLUTION - Authorizing the Director of Public Utilities or designee(s) to prepare and submit grant applications, accept funds, and execute any financial assistance agreements and amendments with the California State Water Resources Control Board on behalf of the City of Fresno for the planning, design, and construction of the Orange and Central Avenues Water Consolidation Project. (Subject to Mayor’s veto)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that City Council adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Class 1, Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines; and adopt the resolution authorizing the Director of Public Utilities or designee(s) to prepare and submit applications, accept funds, and execute the financial assistance agreements and any amendments thereto with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) on behalf of the City of Fresno (City) for the planning, design, and construction of the Orange and Central Avenues Water Consolidation Project.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Community of Orange and Central Avenues (Community) is a small, disadvantaged community (DAC) outside City limits but within the City’s Sphere of Influence. The Community is currently served by several shallow, private wells that are susceptible to fluctuating water levels and near surface contamination. The Community desires to connect to the City’s drinking water distribution system and has been found eligible for grant funding under the SWRCB’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program. The application process requires the adoption of this resolution that will authorize the Director of Public Utilities, or designee(s), to prepare and submit the necessary applications, accept funds, and execute the financial assistance agreements and any amendments thereto on behalf of the City.
BACKGROUND
The Community is located along a frontage road parallel to E. Central Avenue, between S. Orange Avenue and S. Cedar Avenue, outside City limits but within the City’s Sphere of Influence. There are 12 residential houses in the Community.
Residents of the Community are presently relying on private wells for water supply. A primary concern regarding the Community’s water supply is an overall lack of reliable water infrastructure. Each home has a private well for their own water supply and relies entirely on groundwater and each home is at risk of losing water supply if their private well goes dry or otherwise fails. Without a community water system, there is no capacity or water storage to provide fire protection for the Community.
The Community is part of the South Fresno Community Alliance and is party to the Northpointe Settlement Agreement, in which the City committed to seeking appropriate state and/or federal funding to pay 100 percent of costs for the extensions and connections of City water and sewer services.
The Community is identified as a DAC per SWRCB Division of Financial Assistance Criteria, which allows them to be eligible for 100 percent grant funding through the SWRCB DWSRF program. The Department of Public Utilities intends to apply for DWSRF funding to fund the installation of the water extensions to serve the Community.
The City will install a new potable water pipeline loop to serve the Community. A 16-inch water main will be installed along S. Orange Ave, south of E. Central Avenue, and 8-inch water main will be installed along E. Central Avenue (Project).
Pursuant to California Government Code section 56133(c), Fresno Local Area Formation (LAFCo) has the authority to authorize a city or special district to provide new or extended services outside of its jurisdictional boundaries to respond to an existing or impending threat to the health or safety of the public or residents of the affected territory. The City initiated the process of obtaining approval from LAFCo to extend services to the Community and received approval on November 5, 2024.
As part of the application process, and prior to any potential award, the SWRCB requires that the governing body of the applicant submit a resolution that designates an authorized representative or their designee(s) to prepare and submit applications, accept funds, and execute the financial assistance agreements and any amendments thereto.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed the resolution and approved as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Staff have performed an environmental assessment for the Project and have determined it is consistent with Categorical Exemption pursuant to Class I, set forth in the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Sections 15301(b). Under Section 15301/Class 1, projects are exempt from CEQA requirements when they consist of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. This exemption includes work on existing facilities of both investor and publicly owned utilities used to provide electric power, natural gas, sewerage, or other public utility services.
The Project will connect the Community to the City’s water system so that the City can provide water service to the 12 single family homes within the Community. Once the connection is complete, the City will provide service pursuant to extraterritorial agreements executed with each of the individual property owners.
Connection of the Community to the City’s water system will be accomplished through the installation of approximately:
1. 2,600 feet of 8-inch water main along E. Central Avenue
2. 400 feet of 16-inch water main along S. Orange Avenue
3. 12 1-inch water meters and connections
4. Six (6) fire hydrants
These new pipelines will connect to the City’s existing water system infrastructure, which includes a 16-inch water main at the intersection of S. Orange Avenue and E. Central Avenue and a 14-inch water main along S. Cedar Avenue, south of E. Central Avenue. The addition of 3,000 feet of new water mains is a minor alteration to the City’s water system which consists of 10,127,023 linear feet of water mains; this will result in a negligible expansion of use. The installation of the water meters and fire hydrants is a minor alteration to the infrastructure that does not significantly expand the system’s capacity.
The Community’s water demand comes entirely from the 12 single family residential homes. The installation of new pipelines does not significantly increase the Community’s demand or expand the water system’s service area. The Project is designed to serve the existing 12 homes, and their water demand will remain the same. The existing public water system has enough capacity to meet this demand.
The Project also involves the destruction and abandonment of up to twelve (12) private wells. The private wells are part of the existing infrastructure in the Community. Their destruction and abandonment are necessary as the Community transitions from private wells to the public water system. The removal of the wells constitutes a minor alteration to existing water supply infrastructure. The process of abandoning the wells will follow established regulatory procedures to ensure environmental safety, with no anticipated significant environmental impacts. Since the wells are part of the existing infrastructure, their abandonment is not expected to trigger new environmental concerns.
While the Project will disturb existing streets for the installation of the water mains along S. Orange Avenue and within a Public Utilities Easement along E. Central Avenue, these areas will be restored to their original condition once construction is complete. There will be no disturbance of previously undisturbed land. The work is being conducted within existing facilities and will not lead to significant environmental changes or to an expansion of any existing use.
The entirety of the Project qualifies for an exemption under Section 15301/Class 1 of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines.
Furthermore, none of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in the CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 apply to this Project.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
The local preference was not implemented because adoption of this resolution does not involve the bid or award of a construction or services agreement.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund or other City debt service obligations. No matching funds are required under this financial assistance agreement. Should the grants be awarded, the funds will be accounted for in a separate fund within the Water Enterprise Fund and designated specifically for this Project. The Project is in unincorporated Fresno County, bordering Council District 3.
Attachments:
Environmental Assessment Orange Central Water
Notice of Exemption Orange Central Water
Authorizing Resolution Orange Central Water
LAFCo Resolution No. OS-24-14
Vicinity Map & Water Plan