REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director Public Works Department AARON AGUIRRE, Director Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services BY: WILLIAM C. HERR, Assistant Director Public Works Department, Facilities and Construction Management Divisions DEBBIE BERNARD, Project Manager Public Works Department, Facilities Management SUBJECT ..Title Actions pertaining to the Street Improvements at N. Van Ness Boulevard & Weldon Avenue project: (District 1) 1. Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration as prepared for Environmental Assessment No. P22-02156 dated April 2022 for the proposed project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines 2. Approve the Agreement for Purchase and Sale to acquire a 9,339 square foot parcel located at 2004 N. Van Ness Boulevard (APN 444-153-28S), owned by Scott Speaks for $315,000 3. Award a construction contract with Avison Construction, Inc. of Madera, CA, for $457,222 (Bid File 3864) ..Body RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends that Council adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration; approve the Agreement for Purchase and Sale to acquire a 9,339 square foot parcel located at 2004 N. Van Ness Boulevard (APN 444-153-28S), owned by Scott Speaks for $315,000 and award a construction contract with Avison Construction, Inc. for $457,222 for Street Improvements at N. Van Ness Blvd. and Weldon Ave. and authorize the Public Works Director or designee to sign and execute the standardized contract on behalf of the City of Fresno. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purchase of the property at 2004 N. Van Ness Boulevard, and construction of the street improvements at N. Van Ness Boulevard and Weldon Avenue will enable a new pocket park project to move forward. The new Van Ness & Weldon Park will incorporate the existing property and triangular median island into the new park location. The triangular median island, as well as the median islands on westbound Weldon and northbound Van Ness, will be reconfigured to accommodate additional street parking as well as emergency vehicle traffic flow. The design for on-site park amenities will be completed by early Fall 2022, with a planned date of December 1, 2022 for award of the on-site park construction contract. BACKGROUND The City has engaged Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group, Inc. to design a new park at the northeast corner of N. Van Ness Blvd. and E. Weldon Ave. The new park will provide green space, tree canopy, play amenities, and informal gathering space for residents to utilize in a convenient location accessible to youth, neighbors, and visitors to the area. The purchase of 2004 N. Van Ness Blvd., and construction of the street improvements at N. Van Ness Blvd. & Weldon Ave. will enable the City to incorporate the property, the vacated right turn lane, and the triangular median island into a new 0.36-acre park location. The street improvements will include roadway paving and striping; crosswalk striping; concrete curb ramp; concrete curb and gutter; concrete sidewalk; median island curb; landscaping and irrigation; and additional median island trees. Plans and specifications were prepared by Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group, Inc. A Notice Inviting Bids was published on March 21, 2022, distributed to nine building exchanges, and posted on the City's website. The specifications were distributed to fifteen prospective bidders. Two on-line bid proposals were received and opened in a public bid opening on April 12, 2022, with the bid amounts ranging from $457,222 to $587,368.70. Staff is recommending that Council adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration; approve the purchase and sale agreement with Scott Speaks for the acquisition of 2004 N. Van Ness Boulevard; award the construction contract to Avison Construction, Inc. of Madera, CA, for $457,222 for the Street Improvements at N. Van Ness Blvd. & Weldon Ave.; and authorize the Public Works Director or designee to sign and execute the standardized contract on behalf of the City of Fresno. ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS An environmental assessment initial study was prepared for this project in accordance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines. This process included the distribution of requests for comment from other responsible or affected agencies and interested organizations. Preparation of the environmental assessment necessitated a thorough review of the proposed project and relevant environmental issues and considered previously prepared environmental and technical studies pertinent to the Fresno General Plan Program Environmental Impact Report SCH No. 2019050005 ("PEIR"). The proposed project has been determined to be a subsequent project that is not fully within the scope of the PEIR as provided by the CEQA, as codified in the Public Resources Code (PRC) Section 21157.1(d) and the CEQA Guidelines Section 15177(c). Therefore, the Public Works Department proposes to adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the proposed project, which is tiered off the PEIR. It has been further determined that all applicable mitigation measures of the PEIR have been applied to the project, together with project specific mitigation measures, as necessary to assure that the project will not cause significant adverse cumulative impacts, growth inducing impacts and irreversible significant effects beyond those identified by the PEIR as provided by CEQA Section 15178(a). In addition, pursuant to Public Resources Code, Section 21157.6(b)(1), staff has determined that no substantial changes have occurred with respect to the circumstances under which the PEIR was certified and that no new information, which was no known and could not have been known at the time that the PEIR was certified as complete, has become available. Therefore, it has been determined based upon the evidence in the record that the project will not have a significant impact on the environment and that the filing a mitigated negative declaration is appropriate in accordance with the provisions of CEQA Section 21157.5(a)(2) and CEQA Guidelines Section 15178(b)(1) and (2). Based upon the attached environmental assessment and applicable mitigation measures, staff has determined that there is no evidence in the record that the project may have a significant effect on the environment and has prepared a Mitigated Negative Declaration for this project. A public notice of the attached Mitigated Negative Declaration was published in the Fresno Bee on May 17, 2022, with no comments received to date. LOCAL PREFERENCE Local preference was not utilized as the apparent low bid is from a local company. FISCAL IMPACT Funding for the street improvement construction contract amount of $457,222 and property acquisition amount of $315,000 are included in the adopted FY2022 budget for the PARCS Department. Attachments: Mitigated Negative Declaration Agreement for Purchase and Sale of Real Property Bid Evaluation Fiscal Impact Statement Standard Contract