REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL October 19, 2017 FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director Public Works Department BY: RANDALL W. MORRISON, PE, Assistant Director Public Works Department, Engineering Division JASON A. CAMIT, PLS, Chief Surveyor Public Works Department, Chief Surveyor Section SUBJECT ..Title RESOLUTION - Dedicating a portion of City-owned property for the purpose of a public street and trail easements to accommodate the construction of Veterans Boulevard between West Herndon Avenue and West Sierra Avenue. (Council District 2) ..Body RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends the Council adopt the attached resolution dedicating a portion City-owned property for the purpose of a public street and trail easements to accommodate the construction of Veterans Boulevard between West Herndon Avenue and West Sierra Avenue. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The City of Fresno Public Works Department is requesting this dedication as a part of the Veterans Boulevard Interchange and Extension Project. The project will consist of the construction of a new interchange to State Route 99 as well as a new super arterial roadway that provides additional access to the mainline State Route 99 and enhances the local circulation network. The City is in the process of acquiring public street and trail easements to accommodate the construction of these improvements. A portion of these land acquisitions are owned in fee title by the City of Fresno as described in Exhibit "A" and Exhibit "C", and shown in Exhibit "B" and Exhibit "D" of the attached resolution. BACKGROUND The Veterans Boulevard Interchange and Extension Project will construct public street and trail improvements on the approved Veterans Boulevard alignment between West Herndon Avenue and West Shaw Avenue. This project will improve accessibility to State Route 99 and circulation to roads adjacent to the proposed interchange in northwest Fresno. It will provide congestion relief and improve traffic flow in northwest Fresno. The project will also enhance the local circulation network to accommodate local development and provide consistency with existing and planned local and regional development. City staff have determined that the proposed public street and trail easement dedications as described in Exhibit "A" and Exhibit "C," and shown in Exhibit "B" and Exhibit "D" of the attached resolution are adequate for the proposed utilities, street, and trail improvements. The City Attorney's Office has approved the attached resolution as to form. ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS An initial study and EIR (SCH No. 2010021054) was prepared for this project and adopted on June 7, 2013. This approval is to implement a portion of the project. An analysis has been performed pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 to determine whether subsequent environmental review is required for this project. Based upon this analysis the following findings are made to support the determination that no subsequent environmental review is required: 1. No substantial changes are proposed in the project which will require major revisions to the EIR due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects because the project is being implemented as planned. 2. No substantial changes occurred with respect to the circumstances under which the project was undertaken which will require major revisions to the EIR due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects. The project will not have any significant effects not discussed in the EIR, and there are no mitigation measures or alternatives previously found not to be feasible that are now feasible. 3. There is no new information, which was not known and could not have been known at the time of the EIR that was not discussed in the EIR. Based upon these findings, it has been determined that no further environmental documentation is required for this project. LOCAL PREFERENCE Local preference does not apply because the dedication of a public street and trail easement does not involve bidding or contracting. FISCAL IMPACT This action will have no impact to the general fund. All costs associated with this action are covered in the Veterans Boulevard Interchange and Extension Project budget, which are included in the adopted City budget. Attachments: Veterans Boulevard Dedication - Vicinity Map Veterans Boulevard Final -EIR Veterans Dedication Resolution