Agenda Item Wording:
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Certify Environmental Document - Stonebrook Street Culvert - a resolution to adopt the Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Stonebrook Street Culvert Crossing at Packwood Creek (City of Visalia Project Number 2520-72000/CP0043-99, also referring to State Clearinghouse No. 2022020164). (Resolution No. 2024-01 required).
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Deadline for Action: 1/16/2024
Submitting Department: Engineering & Building
Contact Name and Phone Number:
Adrian Rubalcaba, Associate Engineer, adrian.rubalcaba@visalia.city, (559)713-4507
Frank Senteno, City Engineer, frank.senteno@visalia.city, (559) 713-4331
Jason Huckleberry, Dept. Director, jason.huckleberry@visalia.city, (559) 713-4495
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 2024-01 adopting the Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration, which finds that the proposed project will have no significant environmental impacts with the identified mitigation measures applied to the project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (ref: State Clearinghouse No. 2022020164).
Background Discussion:
The purpose of the Stonebrook Street Culvert Crossing at Packwood Creek (“Project”) is to provide a crucial component to the future construction of the roadway improvements for Stonebrook Street. This segment of Stonebrook Street, a collector street between Caldwell and Cameron Avenues, remains largely unimproved and is slated to be constructed as the surrounding vacant commercial parcels develop. The City can streamline construction of the future street improvements by the City or private developers by completing the design and construction of the culvert, which is 100% funded by the Transportation Impact Fee fund (241). The future street improvements will be built over the culvert and streambed alterations, which require regulatory review, would not be required as they would have been completed as part of the culvert installation.
On November 16, 2020, Council approved the design contract award to Lars Anderson & Associates for the design of the Stonebrook Street Culvert Crossing at Packwood Creek. The Project objectives were to complete the necessary design plans, construction documents, and regulatory permitting to construct the culvert in Packwood Creek. The installation of the culvert would allow for the future construction of Stonebrook Street, completing the connection from Caldwell to Cameron Avenues (see Location Map attached hereto for reference). Council approved funding for the Stonebrook Street Culvert Crossing at Packwood Creek (CP0043) as part of the adoption of the FY 2018-19 and FY 2019-20 two-year budget cycle.
The Project is at approximately 95% design completion. The environmental phase is complete and requires final permitting submittals to their respective regulatory agencies. Construction is anticipated in the late summer of 2024, weather permitting, when there are no more releases of water within the creek channels.
An Initial Study & Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) was prepared for this Project consistent with CEQA guidelines. The IS/MND concluded that although the Project could have a significant impact on the environment, there would be no significant effect in this case with the incorporation of mitigation measures that address potential impacts to biological and cultural resources.
The Initial Study identified potential significant environmental impacts, all of which the Initial Study determined could be reduced to less than significant with the adoption of mitigation measures as part of the construction requirements for the Project. These include impacts to nesting or migratory birds, which can be avoided by restrictions on the timing of construction, conducting nesting surveys by a qualified biologist if construction must occur during the nesting season, monitoring of any nests that are found prior to construction, establishing buffers around any identified nests if necessary, protect valley oak trees in compliance with relevant City requirements, establish requirements that shall apply if cultural or historical resources are uncovered during ground disturbing activities, and establish requirements that shall apply if human remain are uncovered during ground disturbing activities.
A Notice of Intent (NOI) to adopt the IS/MND was filed and published for public comment from February 8, 2022, to March 10, 2022; no comments were received in response to the IS/MND.
Following adoption of this resolution certifying the IS/MND, also referred to as Mitigated Negative Declaration No. 2023-63 in reference to the Declaration made by City staff in preparing and filing the IS/MND with the State Clearinghouse, a Notice of Determination (NOD) must be filed with the Tulare County Clerk-Recorder’s office. Staff will file the NOD with the Clerk-Recorder’s office within five (5) days of the City Council’s action. Filing the NOD pursuant to Section 15075 of the CEQA starts the 30-day statute of limitations on court challenges to the approval under CEQA.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact with action of this agenda item.
The Stonebrook Street Culvert Crossing at Packwood Creek (CP0043) funding total of $1.046M is funded by the Transportation Impact Fee (TIF) Fund (241).
Prior Council Action:
November 16, 2020
Authorize the City Manager to execute a professional design services contract with Lars Anderson and Associates, Inc., for the design of the Stonebrook Street Culvert Crossing at Packwood Creek in the amount of $119,230.05 (Project Number 2520-72000/CP0043-99).
Other:
None.
Alternatives:
None recommended.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to adopt Resolution No. 2024-01 certifying the Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration for Stonebrook Street Culvert Crossing at Packwood Creek and requiring the identified mitigation measures be incorporated into the Project.
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Environmental Assessment Status:
See Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration attached to this report.
CEQA Review:
An Initial Study & Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) was prepared for this Project consistent with CEQA guidelines. The IS/MND concluded that although the Project could have a significant impact on the environment, there would be no significant effect in this case with the incorporation of mitigation measures that address potential impacts to biological and cultural resources. A Notice of Intent (NOI) to adopt the IS/MND was filed and published for public comment from February 8, 2022 to March 10, 2022; no comments were received in response to the IS/MND.
Attachments:
1. Resolution No. 2024-01 for Mitigated Negative Declaration No. 2023-63
2. Mitigated Negative Declaration No. 2023-63
3. Project Location Map
4. Aerial Exhibit