REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
March 21, 2019
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
BY: ANDREW J. BENELLI, PE, City Engineer/Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Traffic Operations and Planning Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions Pertaining to Sierra Sky Park:
1. BILL - (For Introduction) - Modifying Sections 1901 and 1905 of Chapter 14 of the Fresno Municipal Code relating to use of aircraft and parking of aircraft on public streets in Sierra Sky Park (District 2)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Council introduce the attached Ordinance modifying Section 1901, and 1905 of Chapter 14, of the Fresno Municipal Code to prohibit aircraft from taxiing on Spaatz Avenue from Blythe Avenue to a point 200 feet west of Doolittle Avenue and also prohibit aircraft parking on all City streets in Sierra Sky Park.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The attached Ordinance to modify Sections 1901 and Section 1905, of Chapter 14, is presented for introduction. Ginder Development has requested that the Municipal Code be changed to prohibit aircraft from taxiing on sections of Spaatz Avenue in Sierra Sky Park Airport. They have also requested (by separated action) that portions of Doolittle Avenue and Spaatz Avenue be vacated. The developer has received approval for a retail development on the south side of Spaatz (see attached site plan). The retail development will increase traffic on Spaatz to a level that will make it unsuitable for aircraft to taxi on this roadway. Staff is also recommending the modification of Section 1905, of Chapter 14 to prohibit aircraft from parking on all City streets within Sierra Sky Park.
BACKGROUND
Ginder Development submitted an application to the City to vacate sections of Spaatz Avenue and Doolittle Avenue in the area west of the Sierra Sky Park Airport Runway. Both Spaatz and Doolittle have very wide right-of-ways (150 feet) to accommodate taxiing aircraft. Most local streets have between 50 and 60 feet of right-of-way. The developer’s request is to reduce the right-of-way on Spaatz from the current 150 feet down to 109 feet. The city limits follow the centerline of Spaatz and all of the right-of-way north of the center of Spaatz is outside of the City. The entire area that is requested for vacation is within the City. The developer is requesting to vacate all of Doolittle, south of the Spaatz intersection. Doolittle did intersect Herndon in the past, but 100 feet was vacated in 2017 by the Council for a Public Works improvement project to improve traffic safety and to facilitate street and trail improvements on Herndon Avenue.
Doolittle Avenue, south of Spaatz, will be fully vacated. Ginder’s proposal is to include this property in the shopping center being developed. Most of the vacated right-of-way will be used for additional parking. Spaatz Avenue will remain in place and be open to vehicle traffic. The developer, and City staff, recommend prohibiting aircraft from taxiing on Spaatz, for safety reasons. There is an existing hanger on Spaatz, which is located on the second parcel west of Doolittle (see attached aerial). There are no other hangers or aircraft related uses west of the second parcel. Staff is recommending allowing aircraft to taxi on Spaatz to provide access to the existing hanger. The driveway for the new commercial development will be west of the hanger, so the shopping center traffic will not use the section of Spaatz that will remain open to aircraft. Most of the Sierra Sky Park development is outside of the City, in Fresno County. This small section of Spaatz, is the only street within the City, where aircraft will be allowed to taxi on a City street. The County allows aircraft to taxi on the other streets within the Sierra Sky Park development.
Chapter 14, Section 1901 of the Fresno Municipal Code, designates that vehicles and aircraft can concurrently use the streets within Sierra Sky Park. The Code allows aircraft on all of the streets except for that portion of the following:
(a) Herndon Avenue.
(b) Blythe Avenue.
(c) Brawley Avenue heretofore named on said map as Braley Avenue.
(d) Doolittle Drive from Herndon Avenue to a point 100 feet northerly thereof.
(e) McCampbell Drive, save and except the following portions of said street wherein the point use by vehicles and aircraft are permitted:
(i) That portion within the intersections of Fallon, Kelly and Alluvial Avenues, and that portion fronting on Lots 48, 49, 50 and 114;
(ii) An area 60 feet in width fronting on Lots 78 and 106 <https://library.municode.com/ca/fresno/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MUCOFR_CHFR_ARTIINSU_S106GERE> to be specifically determined at such time as the improvements are developed thereon.
City staff is recommending modifying the code to prohibit aircraft on all of Spaatz, except for the east 200 feet, and all of Doolittle. North of Spaatz, Doolittle is in the County. The County allows aircraft to taxi Doolittle. These changes will modify the code to match the street vacation and will improve traffic safety on Spaatz due to the increased traffic volumes.
Chapter 14, Article 1905, of the Fresno Municipal Code, states that aircraft and vehicles shall not park on any streets designated for joint use except for Spaatz Avenue between Blythe and Doolittle, and Doolittle Avenue between Spaatz Avenue and a point 100 feet north of Herndon Avenue. Staff is recommending prohibiting aircraft parking from all City streets within Sierra Sky Park.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
The City of Fresno has conducted an initial study and proposes to adopt a Negative Declaration for the above-described project. The environmental analysis contained in the Initial Study and this Negative Declaration is tiered from the Master Environmental Impact Report (SCH # 2012111015) prepared for the Fresno General Plan (“MEIR”). A copy of the MEIR may be reviewed in the City of Fresno Development and Resource Management Department as noted above. The proposed project has been determined to be a subsequent project that is not fully within the scope of the Master Environmental Impact Report ("MEIR) prepared for the Fresno General Plan. Pursuant to Public Resources Code § 21157.1 and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines § 15177, this project has been evaluated with respect to each item on the attached environmental checklist to determine whether this project may cause any additional significant effect on the environment which was not previously examined in the MEIR. After conducting a review of the adequacy of the MEIR pursuant to Public Resources Code, Section 21157.6(b)(1), the Development and Resource Management Department, as lead agency, finds that no substantial changes have occurred with respect to the circumstances under which the MEIR was certified and that no new information, which was not known and could not have been known at the time that the MEIR was certified as complete, has become available.
This completed environmental impact checklist form, its associated narrative, and proposed mitigation measures reflect applicable comments of responsible and trustee agencies and research and analyses conducted to examine the interrelationship between the proposed project and the physical environment. The information contained in the project application and its related environmental assessment application, responses to requests for comment, checklist, initial study narrative, and any attachments thereto, combine to form a record indicating that an initial study has been completed in compliance with the State CEQA Guidelines and the CEQA.
All new development activity and many non-physical projects contribute directly or indirectly toward cumulative impacts on the physical environment. It has been determined that the incremental effect contributed by this project toward cumulative impacts is not considered substantial or significant in itself, and/or that cumulative impacts accruing from this project may be mitigated to less than significant with application of feasible mitigation measures.
Based upon the evaluation guided by the environmental checklist form, it was determined that there are no foreseeable impacts from the Project that are additional to those identified in the MEIR, and/or impacts which require mitigation measures not included in the MEIR Mitigation Measure Checklist.
The completed environmental checklist form indicates whether an impact is potentially significant, less than significant with mitigation, or less than significant.
For some categories of potential impacts, the checklist may indicate that a specific adverse environmental effect has been identified which is of sufficient magnitude to be of concern. Such an effect may be inherent in the nature and magnitude of the project, or may be related to the design and characteristics of the individual project. Effects so rated are not sufficient in themselves to require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report, and have• been mitigated to the extent feasible. There is no substantial evidence in the record that this project may have additional significant, direct, indirect or cumulative effects on the environment that are significant and that were not identified and analyzed in the MEIR. The MEIR mitigation checklist measures will be imposed on this project.
The initial study has concluded that the proposed project will not result in any adverse effects which fall within the "Mandatory Findings of Significance" contained in Section 15065 of the State CEQA Guidelines.
The finding is, therefore, made that the proposed project will not have a significant adverse effect on the environment.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented because this item is not an award of a construction or services contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of the Ordinance will have no immediately or forecasted negative impact on the General Fund.
Attachments:
Ordinance
Aerial Photograph of Development Area
Ginder Development Site Plan