REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
July 30, 2015
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
THROUGH: ANDREW J. BENELLI, PE, City Engineer/Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Traffic and Engineering Services Division
CRAIG L. HANSEN, Supervising Real Estate Agent
Public Works Department, Real Estate Services Section
BY: CATHY RODRIGUEZ, Senior Real Estate Agent
Public Works Department, Real Estate Services Section
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the acquisition of 36,507 square feet of property owned by Ronald P. and Paulette Lorenzetti:
1. ***RESOLUTION to the 2nd Amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution No. 2015-104 appropriate funds for the purchase of the property for permanent Fire Station 18 (Requires 5 affirmative votes)
2. Adopt the Categorical Exemption Environmental Assessment No. EA 15-019, dated June 3, 2015.
3. Approve the acquisition of 36,507 square feet of property owned by Ronald P. and Paulette Lorenzetti, APN 512-030-33 for $192,000.00 for the construction of a new fire station on the south side of West Shaw Avenue between North Bryan and North Grantland Avenues.
4. Authorize the Public Works Director, or designee, to sign all documents necessary to complete the transaction.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Council approve the 2nd Amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution No. 2015-104 to appropriate funds for the purchase of property for the permanent Fire Station 18, approve the Categorical Exemption Environmental Assessment No. EA-15-019, dated June 3, 2015, and approve the acquisition of property owned by Ronald P. and Paulette Lorenzetti for the construction of a new fire station on the south side of West Shaw Avenue between North Bryan and North Grantland Avenues.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This acquisition is required for the construction of a new fire station. Upon acquiring the site, the Fire Department will construct a new fire station for improved fire response and service to the northwest area of Fresno. Real Property Analysts, Dave Hamilton, MAI appraised the property at $192,000. Staff engaged the property owners on June 11, 2015, and presented the first written offer. The owners accepted the offer at the appraised value of $192,000. The property will be purchased using unexpended bond proceeds. In addition to the purchase price of $192,000, staff has included additional estimated expenditures for closing costs and staff time in the requested AAR of $205,000.
BACKGROUND
In late 2006, the Public Works Real Estate Division began looking for vacant properties in the area west of Highway 99 that would be suitable for the construction of a new fire station to replace temporary Fire Station 18, which is located just off of Bullard Avenue, east of Grantland Avenue. Taking into consideration the location of Fire Station 16 at Clinton and Polk, and the goal of a four-minute (or less) response time, the search was focused along, or near, Shaw Avenue, west of Highway 99. This area was further enhanced as an ideal location for Fire Station 18 in light of the proposed construction of Veterans Boulevard, which will intersect Grantland Avenue not far south of Shaw.
In 2007, a vacant parcel on West Shaw was acquired for the construction of the new fire station. Preliminary plans were prepared for a two-story building. It was determined that the two-story fire station would be expensive to build and would require an elevator to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The site was not large enough for a single-story fire station. An adjacent parcel was identified that belongs to Ronald P. and Paulette Lorenzetti. The property was appraised by Dave Hamilton, MAI. Hamilton estimated the value of the property at $192,000. City staff made an offer in that amount to the Lorenzetti’s accepted the proposal.
There is approximately $2.2 million in unexpended bond proceeds remaining from a $17.56 million 2009 bond issuance for fire station renovations and the construction of several new fire stations. The attached AAR will provide the necessary funding mechanism in the FY 2016 budget to complete this transaction.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Staff has performed a preliminary environmental assessment of this project (EA 15-019) and has determined that it falls within the Categorical Exemption set forth in Sections 15301/Class 1 and 15332/Class 32 of the State of California CEQA Guidelines, which exempt minor alterations to existing public structures and facilities and projects characterized as in-fill development; the proposed project consists of obtaining a vacant lot and altering existing on-site landscaping and a small outbuilding associated with an adjacent use, in order to construct a new fire station. Furthermore, Staff has determined that none of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in the CEQA Guidelines, section 15300.2 apply to this project.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT
This expenditure will not have any impact to the General Fund. This purchase will be funded under Project ID XC00036, and Org 169901, utilizing unexpended bond proceeds.
Attachments:
APN vicinity map
2nd Amendment to the AAR No. 2015-104
Environmental Assessment No. EA-15-019