REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
SITTING AS THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE FOLLOWING:
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
December 3, 2024
FROM
NOEL CASTILLO, Director and Chief Flood Control Engineer, Department of Public Works and San Bernardino County Flood Control District
SUBJECT
Title
California Environmental Quality Act Emergency Finding for Repairs on County Roads, Bridges, and Flood Control Facilities Due to Line and Bridge Fire Local Emergencies
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Acting as the governing body of San Bernardino County:
a. Find that the local emergency declared by the Chief Executive Officer, while serving as the Director of Emergency Services, on September 7, 2024, and ratified by the Board of Supervisors on September 10, 2024 (Item No. 87), proclaimed the existence of a local emergency within San Bernardino County as a result of the Line Fire and continued the emergency.
b. Find that the local emergency declared by the Chief Executive Officer, while serving as the Director of Emergency Services, on September 10, 2024, and ratified by the Board of Supervisors on September 12, 2024 (Item No. 1), proclaimed the existence of a local emergency as a result of the Bridge Fire and continued the emergency.
c. Find that emergency repair work due to the Line and Bridge Fire Local Emergencies to various County roads and bridges is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines, Section 15269, Subdivisions (a), (b), (c), and (d) Emergency Projects.
d. Direct the Department of Public Works to file Notice of Exemptions in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
2. Acting as the governing body of San Bernardino Flood Control District:
a. Find that the local emergency declared by the Chief Executive Officer, while serving as the Director of Emergency Services, on September 7, 2024, and ratified by the Board of Supervisors on September 10, 2024 (Item No. 87), proclaimed the existence of a local emergency within San Bernardino County as a result of the Line Fire and continued the emergency.
b. Find that the local emergency declared by the Chief Executive Officer, while serving as the Director of Emergency Services, on September 10, 2024, and ratified by the Board of Supervisors on September 12, 2024 (Item No. 1), proclaimed the existence of a local emergency as a result of the Bridge Fire and continued the emergency.
c. Find that emergency repair work due to the Line and Bridge Fire Local Emergencies to various San Bernardino County Flood Control District facilities is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines, Section 15269, Subdivisions (a), (b), (c), and (d) Emergency Projects.
d. Direct the Chief Flood Control Engineer to file Notice of Exemptions in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
(Presenter: Noel Castillo, Director and Chief Flood Control Engineer, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Focus on Recovery and Resiliency Following Major Emergency Responses.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost) as this item is nonfinancial in nature.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On September 10, 2024 (Item No. 87) and September 12, 2024 (Item No. 1), the Board of Supervisors (Board) ratified the existence and the continuance of the Line and Bridge Fire local emergencies.
The extensive vegetation loss from the Line and Bridge fires has greatly increased the risk of flooding, debris flows, and mudslides in the burned areas during storm events, which will persist until the vegetation recovers to stabilize the soil. Additionally, due to the scale of the fires, these flooding hazards could impact downstream County communities.
To mitigate these risks, the Department of Public Works (Department) and the San Bernardino County Flood Control District (District) have been proactively working to ensure flood control basins, channels, culverts, and bridges have adequate capacity to convey storm flows. However, due to the potential for post-fire winter storms, there remains a need for emergency actions to address debris and sediment removal, bridge replacement and repair, erosion repair, and asphalt damage. To protect the health and safety of County residents, it may be necessary for the Department and District to take immediate emergency actions to repair and restore facilities impacted by the Line and Bridge Fires.
Given the urgent nature of these repairs and need for emergency work, the Department and the District have determined these actions to repair roads, bridges, and flood control infrastructure due to the Line and Bridge Fire local emergencies is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines section 15269, subdivisions (a), (b), (c), and (d), which address emergency repairs to publicly owned facilities essential for public health, safety, and welfare. As specific emergency actions are identified, the Department and the District will prepare, process, and file Notices of Exemption for the emergency work in accordance with the CEQA.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Aaron Gest, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on November 13, 2024; Finance (Jessica Trillo, Administrative Analyst, 387-4222) on November 14, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on November 14, 2024.