ਕਾپਰ ਰਿਵਰ ਰੈਂਚ ਵਾਟਰ ਸਪਲਾਈ ਇਮਪਲੀਮੈਂਟੇਸ਼ਨ ਨਾਲ ਸਬੰਧਤ ਕਾਰਵਾਈਆਂ (ਕਾਉਂਸਲ ਡਿਸਟ੍ਰਿਕਟ 6) 1. ਐਨਵਾਇਰਨਮੈਂਟਲ ਅਸੈਸਮੈਂਟ ਨੰ. P26-02769 ਲਈ ਤਿਆਰ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਐਡੈਂਡਮ ਅਪਣਾਓ ਜੋ 4 ਸਤੰਬਰ, 2026 ਨੂੰ ਪ੍ਰਮਾਣਿਤ ਹੈ, ਸਬਸੈਕਵੈਂਟ ਐਨਵਾਇਰਨਮੈਂਟਲ ਇਮਪੈਕਟ ਰਿਪੋਰਟ (SEIR) ਸਟੇਟ ਕਲੀਅਰਿੰਗ ਹਾਉਸ (SCH) ਨੰ. 2000021003 ਲਈ ਇੱਕ ਐਡੈਂਡਮ, ਕੈਲੀਫੋਰਨੀਆ ਐਨਵਾਇਰਨਮੈਂਟਲ ਕੁਆਲਿਟੀ ਐਕਟ (CEQA) ਗਾਈਡਲਾਈਨਜ਼ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ 2. CRD East, Inc., ਇੱਕ ਕੈਲੀਫੋਰਨੀਆ ਕਾਰਪੋਰੇਸ਼ਨ ਨਾਲ ਕਾپਰ ਰਿਵਰ ਰੈਂਚ ਵਾਟਰ ਸਪਲਾਈ ਇਮਪਲੀਮੈਂਟੇਸ਼ਨ ਐਗਰੀਮੈਂਟ ਦੇ ਅੱਠਵੇਂ ਸੰਸ਼ੋਧਨ ਨੂੰ ਮਜ਼ਬੂਤ ਕਰੋ, ਐਕਸਪੈਂਡਿਡ ਕਾپਰ ਰਿਵਰ ਰੈਂਚ ਪ੍ਰੋਜੈਕਟ ਐਰੀਆ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਾਟਰ ਈਕੁਇਵੈਲੈਂਟ ਡਓਲਿੰਗ ਯੂਨਿਟਸ ਦੀ ਪਾਤ੍ਰਤਾ ਨੂੰ ਵਾਧੂ 109 ਏਕੜ ਤੱਕ ਵਧਾਉਣ ਲਈ, ਅਤੇ ਡਾਇਰੈਕਟਰ ਆਫ ਪਬਲਿਕ ਯੂਟਿਲਿਟੀਜ਼, ਜਾਂ ਨਾਮਜ਼ਦ, ਨੂੰ ਇਸ ਆਈਟਮ ਨਾਲ ਸਬੰਧਤ ਸਾਰੇ ਡਾਕੂਮੈਂਟਸ ਨੂੰ ਐਕਜ਼ੀਕਿਊਟ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਅਧਿਕਾਰ ਦਿਓ।

REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: PAUL AMICO, PE, Director Department of Public Utilities BY: AHMED ALY, PE, Assistant Director Department of Public Utilities - Utilities Planning & Engineering SUBJECT ..Title Actions pertaining to the Copper River Ranch Water Supply Implementation (Council District 6) Adopt Addendum prepared for Environmental Assessment No. P26-02769 dated September 4, 2026, an Addendum to Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) State Clearinghouse (SCH) No. 2000021003, pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Approve the Eighth Amendment to the Copper River Ranch Water Supply Implementation Agreement with CRD East, Inc., a California corporation, to extend the eligibility of Water Equivalent Dwelling Units to an additional 109 acres within the expanded Copper River Ranch Project Area, and authorize the Director of Public Utilities, or designee, to execute all documents related to this item. ..Body RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends City Council adopt the Addendum prepared for Environmental Assessment No. P26-02769 dated September 4, 2026, an Addendum to Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) State Clearinghouse (SCH) No. 2000021003, pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines and approve the Eighth Amendment to the Copper River Ranch Water Supply Implementation Agreement to extend the eligibility of Water Equivalent Dwelling Units (EDUs) to an additional 109 acres within the expanded Copper River Ranch Project Area, and authorize the Director of Public Utilities, or designee, to execute the Eighth Amendment on behalf of the City of Fresno (City). EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In 2003, a Final Environmental Impact Report filed for the Copper River Ranch (Project) identified the construction of additional groundwater supply wells and the use of Surface Water as potential sources of water supply for the Project. On November 17, 2016, the City entered into a Water Supply Implementation Agreement (Agreement) with CRD East, Inc., a California corporation (Developer) to supply potable water and fire flow to the Project to support a maximum of 3,682 Water EDUs within the project area through the construction of four (4) water supply wells and a fair share fee for the Northeast Surface Water Treatment Plant (NESWTP). The project area included approximately 760 acres located between Friant Road, Willow Avenue, Copper Avenue, and the alignment of Silaxo Road (Project Area). This Agreement has been amended seven times between March 28, 2017, and December 1, 2021, and Amendments one through seven are summarized herein. One through six extended the timeline for the Developer to fulfill its water supply obligations and created limits on the ability of the developer to process maps and entitlements and access the total amount of EDUs available to the project. The seventh amendment removed the obligation to install the 4th well, removed the limits upon maps and entitlements and gave the Developer full access to all 3,682 EDUs. On December 9, 2021, the City certified a Subsequent Final EIR (encompassing the Draft EIR, all appendices, all responses to comments, and all revisions) for the Copper River Ranch Project analyzing certain land use changes and an addition of 109 acres to the Project Area. However, based upon analysis in support of the Subsequent EIR (SEIR), the additional 109 acres were specifically excluded from portion of the Project Area permitted to use Project Water EDUs and were subject to a requirement to pay the City’s Water Capacity Fee, as set forth in Mitigation Measure MM HYD-2B. Since certification of the 2021 SEIR, development of the Project Area has resulted in a demand for water service below that anticipated in the 2021 SEIR. On August 25, 2026, Gary McDonald Homes filed Environmental Assessment No. P26-02769, an Addendum to the 2021 SEIR to revise mitigation measure MM HYD-2B to read as follows: HYD – 2B: The total Project area considered for water supply requirements consists of an original Project area of 706 acres and new Project area of 109 acres.  The City has previously established water supply requirements for the original Project area of 706 acres and memorialized them in a Water Supply Implementation Agreement.  For the new Project area, the Developer shall pay the Water Capacity Fee as specified in the City’s Master Fee Schedule, or present Equivalent Dwelling Units in lieu of payment, for all new connections to the City’s water system. The revision proposes to allow for the use of Project Water EDUs for water service within the 109 acres area, in addition to the existing option of paying the Water Capacity Fee. In support of the Addendum, Provost and Pritchard Consulting Group prepared a water demand memorandum, showing that development within the overall Project, including the additional 109 acres area, would not exceed 3,682 EDUs and that EDUs may be used for water service within the 109 acres area. The adoption of Environmental Assessment No. P26-02769 and the approval of the Eighth Amendment (Amendment) to the Agreement will expand the eligibility to utilize Water EDUs to an additional 109 acres within the Project Area. BACKGROUND The Developer, as the anticipated primary developer of the Project, secured entitlements for the Project including but not limited to Master Conditional Use Permit No. C-04-153 (the Master CUP), Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 5205 (Tract Map), and Conditional Use Permit No. C-05-247 (CUP). The conditions of approval for the Tract Map and CUP (Conditions of Approval) set forth several requirements related to wastewater service. Pursuant to the Conditions of Approval, the Developer was required to design and construct several water supply wells and contribute to the anticipated Surface Water Treatment Plant to provide water supply to the Project. On November 17, 2016, the City entered into an Agreement with CRD East, Inc., a California corporation (Developer) to supply potable water and fire flow to Copper River Ranch to support a maximum of 3,682 Water EDUs within the Project Area through the construction of four (4) water supply wells and a fair share fee for the construction of Northeast Surface Water Treatment Plant (NESWTP). The Agreement was subsequently amended seven times between March 28, 2017, and December 1, 2021. Amendment 1 extended the timeline for the construction of PS 369, 370, the Disposal Bypass Line and the second fair share payment obligation. Amendment 2 further extended the timelines for PS 330, PS 370 and the Disposal Bypass Line to December 1, 2017, the timeline for PS 370 to December 1, 2018, and the timeline for the second payment to December 1, 2018. Amendment 2 also added language replacing the EDU language in the original agreement. Amendment 3 further extended the timelines for PS 330, 370, and the Disposal Bypass Line to September 1, 2018, and the timeline for PS 371 to December 1, 2019, and it created construction thresholds for certain EDU limits (e.g. 2209 EDUs are available initially, 2,577 EDUs will be available after the construction of PS 330, 370, and the Disposal Bypass Line, etc.), and it restricted the submission of maps and entitlements within the project limits without the existence of sufficient water supply. Amendment 4 extended the timelines for PS 330, 370 and the Disposal Bypass to December 1, 2018. Amendment 5 further extended the timelines for PS 330, 370 and the Disposal Bypass to March 1, 2019. Amendment 6 extended the timeline for PS371 to December 1, 2021. Amendment 7 removed the requirement to build PS 371, removed any restrictions on maps and entitlements, and made all 3,682 EDUs available to the Project. On December 9, 2021, the City certified a Subsequent Final EIR (encompassing the Draft EIR, all appendices, all responses to comments, and all revisions) for the Project analyzing certain land use changes and an addition of 109 acres to the Project Area. The 2021 Subsequent EIR (SEIR) concluded that there are not adequate water EDUs to serve full buildout of the Copper River Ranch Development, with the inclusion of the additional 109 acres analyzed by the Subsequent EIR. On August 25, 2026, Will Amador, on behalf of Gary McDonald Homes, filed Environmental Assessment No. P26-02769 which proposes to revise Mitigation Measure HYD-2 of the 2021 SEIR. The specific mitigation measure is MM HYD-2B, which currently requires for the new Project area (a 109 acres area), that the Developer pay the Water Capacity Fee, as specified in the City’s Master Fee Schedule, for all new connections to the City’s water system. The applicant proposes to add to this mitigation measure, specifically, to allow for the use of Project Water Equivalent Dwelling Unit’s (EDUs) to be used to provide water service within the 109 acres area, in addition to the existing option of paying the Water Capacity Fee. The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) has identified that adequate water services are available to serve the project site subject to implementation of the Fresno General Plan policies and the mitigation measures of the noted SEIR; and, the construction and installation of public facilities and infrastructure in accordance with Department of Public Works Standards, specifications and policies. Additionally, in order for EDUs to be used for water service within the 109 acres area, a water demand memorandum associated with the SEIR was required to be updated as part of the proposed project.  Provost and Pritchard Consulting Group prepared a water demand memorandum, dated August 31, 2026, using current information about the Copper River Ranch development. The memorandum shows that development within the overall Copper River Ranch project, including the additional 109 acres area, would not exceed 3,682 EDUs. Therefore, EDUs may be used for water service within the 109 acres area. As of September 4, 2026, the City and Developer agree that exclusion of the additional 109 acres in the expanded area from eligibility for water EDUs is no longer necessary. This Amendment will expand the eligibility of Water EDUs to the New Project Area. The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved as to form this Eighth Amendment to the Agreement. Upon approval by the City Council, the Agreement will be executed by the City Manager. ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS An environmental assessment was prepared for this project in accordance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines. 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, specifically the Final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report State Clearinghouse (SCH) No. 2000021003 (“SEIR”). Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15164(a), a Lead Agency shall prepare an addendum to a previously certified EIR if some changes or additions are necessary but none of the conditions described in Section 15162 calling for preparation of a subsequent EIR have occurred. An analysis has been performed pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 to determine whether a subsequent environmental review is required for this project. Based upon this analysis, it has been determined that no subsequent EIR is required. LOCAL PREFERENCE Local preference was not implemented because this amendment does not include a bid, an award of a construction contract, or approval of a services contract. FISCAL IMPACT There is no financial obligation for the General Fund for this Agreement and entering into this Amendment will not impact the General Fund. Attachments: Addendum to the SEIR for the Copper River Ranch Development Project (SCH#2000021003) Eighth Amendment to the Copper River Ranch Water Supply Implementation Agreement Water Supply Implementation Agreement & Amendments 1 through 7 Provost and Pritchard Memorandum dated August 31, 2026 Location Map Vicinity Map