REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
August 20, 2024
FROM
NOEL CASTILLO, Chief Flood Control Engineer, Flood Control District
SUBJECT
Title
Agreement with the City of Twentynine Palms for Drainage Improvements to the Twentynine Palms Channel
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the San Bernardino Flood Control District, approve the Agreement with the City of Twentynine Palms under which the City of Twentynine Palms will design and construct drainage improvements for the Twentynine Palms Channel, in a not-to-exceed amount of $4,700,000, for a contract term of August 20, 2024, through August 20, 2027.
(Presenter: Noel Castillo, Chief Flood Control Engineer, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF FLOOD CONTROL ENGINEER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The San Bernardino County Flood Control District (District) is funded by property tax revenue and fee revenue. The costs, in the not to exceed amount of $4,700,000, associated with the drainage improvements for the Twentynine Palms Channel in the City of Twentynine Palms (Channel Project) will be incurred by the City of Twentynine Palms as the lead agency of the Project. The District will reimburse the City on a quarterly basis, which will be funded by property tax revenue. Sufficient appropriation and revenue have been included in the District’s 2024-25 budget (1960002540 F02879) and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Utilizing federal funds, the City of Twentynine Palms (City) is undertaking the replacement of an existing dip crossing with a bridge at Split Rock Avenue across the District’s Twentynine Palms Channel (Bridge Project). The Bridge Project will span over a 100-year flood water surface elevation, thereby enhancing safety for motorists.
The Bridge Project necessitates drainage improvements to the District’s Twentynine Palms Channel Project. The Channel Project improvements include construction of approximately 767 linear feet of grouted, rock-lined trapezoidal channel within the Twentynine Palms Channel.
Because the City’s Bridge Project will receive federal funding, California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) staff reviewed the Bridge Project under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and determined that the Bridge Project is a Categorical Exclusion under 23 CFR 771.117(c): activity (c)(28), of NEPA and will not have a significant impact on the environment. Caltrans adopted and issued a Categorical Exclusion for the Bridge Project on March 27, 2018.
The City is the lead agency for both the Bridge Project and the Channel Project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and will be responsible for completing CEQA and State regulatory permit requirements and any required mitigation. As the responsible agency under CEQA for the Channel Project, the District will return to the Board of Supervisors (Board) at a later date to consider responsible agency findings based on the City’s CEQA documents developed for the Channel Project and, if applicable, authorize the Channel Project to proceed.
The proposed Agreement makes the commencement of construction of the Channel Project contingent on the City’s completion of CEQA, the City’s satisfaction of any and all regulatory requirements, including mitigation, the Board’s responsible agency findings, and the Board’s authorization to move the Channel Project forward.
The Channel Project is consistent with the County and the Chief Executive Officer’s goals and objectives to provide for the safety, health, and social service needs of county residents by conveying flows to reduce the potential for roadway flooding during storm events and to provide flood protection for the existing structures and residences within the Channel Project area by improving drainage.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Sophie A. Curtis, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 4, 2024; Finance (Jessica Trillo, Administrative Analyst III, 387-4222) on August 2, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on August 5, 2024.