REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
October 21, 2025
FROM
NOEL CASTILLO, Chief Flood Control Engineer, Flood Control District
TERRY W. THOMPSON, Director, Real Estate Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Relinquishment and Sale of a Portion of Easement in Chino
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the San Bernardino County Flood Control District:
1. Adopt Resolution finding that relinquishing a portion of an easement held by the San Bernardino County Flood Control District, which portion contains approximately 1.404 acres, over real property located at the southwest corner of Francis and East End Avenues in the City of Chino (portion of Assessor’s Parcel Number 1013-271-17-0000) is categorically exempt from further environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines, California Code of Regulations sections 15312 (Surplus Government Property Sales) and 15061(b)(3) Common Sense Exemption, declaring that the portion of easement area to be relinquished is no longer necessary for the uses and purposes for which it was acquired, and that relinquishing it will not substantially conflict or interfere with the use of the retained portion of the easement area, and authorizing the relinquishment by quitclaim deed for said portion, upon payment of $1,000 plus reimbursement of administrative costs, estimated at $16,640, by the underlying landowner, Chino East End Industrial, LLC, in accordance with the Water Code Appendix, Section 43-6 and County Policy 12-17 - Surplus Real Property.
2. Approve the Partial Easement Relinquishment Agreement between San Bernardino County Flood Control District and Chino East End Industrial, LLC, for the relinquishment and sale of said portion of easement upon payment of $1,000, plus reimbursement of administration costs, estimated at $16,640, with the total reimbursement amount to be calculated upon execution of the Quitclaim Deed by the Chair of the Board of Supervisors.
3. Approve the Quitclaim Deed to Chino East End Industrial, LLC for the relinquishment of said portion of the easement.
4. Authorize the Chair of the Board of Supervisors to execute the Quitclaim Deed to relinquish said portion of the easement to Chino East End Industrial, LLC.
5. Authorize the Director of the Real Estate Services Department to execute any non-substantive documents necessary to complete this transaction, subject to County Counsel review.
6. Direct the Real Estate Services Department to file the Notice of Exemption in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
(Presenter: Terry W. Thompson, Director, 387-5000)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
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 (FCD) is funded by property tax revenue, fee revenue, and other local, state, and federal funding. FCD will receive revenue for Zone 1 (1910002518; FCSUR2024-00003) in the amount of $1,000, plus reimbursement of administrative costs related to this request, estimated at $16,640, with the total reimbursement amount to be calculated upon execution of the Quitclaim Deed by the Chair of the Board of Supervisors.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
FCD controls and operates the San Antonio Creek Channel that runs along the westerly portion of real property located at the southwest corner of Francis and East End Avenues in the City of Chino [Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) 1013-271-17-0000] (Property), which Property is owned by Chino East End Industrial, LLC (Landowner). FCD currently holds two separate easements at the Property, one that was obtained in 1943 (1943 Easement) and another in 1957 (1957 Easement). The Landowner contacted FCD requesting the relinquishment of a 1.404-acre portion of the 1943 Easement to facilitate future development on the Property.
FCD reviewed this request and determined that the western portion of the 1943 Easement within the San Antonio Creek Channel is currently being utilized for water preservation purposes and cannot be relinquished. However, the 1.404-acre portion of 1943 Easement (Relinquished Portion) is not needed to accommodate the channel. Therefore, FCD determined that the Relinquished Portion is no longer necessary for the uses and purposes for which it was acquired and relinquishing it will not substantially conflict or interfere with the use of the retained portion of the 1943 Easement and, therefore, may be relinquished and quitclaimed to the Landowner, in accordance with the Water Code Appendix, Section 43-6, and County Policy 12-17. This item will not affect the retained portion of the 1943 Easement nor any portion of the 1957 Easement, each of which will remain in place.
FCD requested the Real Estate Services Department (RESD) assist with the sale of the Relinquished Portion at fair market value. RESD staff reviewed the appraisal provided by the Landowner for said portion and by using an acceptable valuation method, which complies with County Policy 12-17, determined that the appraised value of $0 is consistent with fair market value and is supported. However, the transfer of any property rights has a minimum threshold, or nominal, value, so FCD and the Landowner agreed to a nominal purchase price of $1,000 for the Relinquished Portion, plus payment of administrative costs, estimated at $16,640, but the total shall be calculated upon execution of the Quitclaim Deed by the Chair of the Board of Supervisors.
The relinquishment and sale of the Relinquished Portion was reviewed pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and was determined to qualify for a Class 12 Categorical Exemption (Surplus Government Property Sales) under Section 15312 of the CEQA Guidelines. Class 12 consists of sales of surplus government property except for parcels of land located in an area of statewide, regional, or areawide concern identified in Section 15206(b)(4). Additionally, the conveyance is determined to be categorically exempt from further environmental review under California Code of Regulations section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the CEQA Guidelines, where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment. FCD will have fulfilled its obligation under CEQA for this relinquishment with the posting of the Notice of Exemption by RESD.
PROCUREMENT
Water Code Appendix, Section 46-3 and County Policy 12-17 provide that the Board of Supervisors may authorize the relinquishment and sale of the Relinquished Portion.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Agnes Cheng, and Sophie A. Curtis, Deputies County Counsel, 387-5455) on October 9, 2025; Flood Control District (Noel Castillo, Director, 387-7906) on August 26, 2025; Purchasing (Ariel Gill, Supervising Buyer, 387-2070) on September 5, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Kathleen Gonzalez, 387-5412, and Eduardo Mora, 387-4376, Administrative Analysts) on October 3, 2025.
(BO: 659-4676)