REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 14, 2022
FROM
BRENDON BIGGS, Director, Department of Public Works - Transportation
SUBJECT
Title
California Environmental Quality Act Finding for the Mountain Avenue and Other Roads Project in the San Antonio Heights Area
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Find that the Mountain Avenue and Other Roads Project in the San Antonio Heights area is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines, Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations Section 15301(c) Class 1 (existing facilities) and Section 15302(c) Class 2 (replacement or reconstruction).
2. Approve the Mountain Avenue and Other Roads Project in the San Antonio Heights area as defined in the Notice of Exemption and direct the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors to file and post the Notice of Exemption.
(Presenter: Brendon Biggs, Director, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
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 Mountain Avenue and Other Roads Project in the San Antonio Heights area (Project) will be funded with Senate Bill 1 (SB1) Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) funds and by the City of Upland. The requested actions are administrative in nature with minimal financial impact. Sufficient appropriation is included in the Department of Public Works (Department) 2021-22 Road Operations budget (6650002000 34H15017) and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Project involves pavement rehabilitation on approximately 20 miles of roads in the San Antonio Heights area. Other improvements include constructing new or updating existing curb ramps at various locations in accordance with current design standards and pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines as well as repairing or reconstructing sidewalks, spandrels and cross-gutters and replacing guardrail at various locations on Mountain Avenue. Minimal work for the Project, consisting of a sidewalk panel repair, will be done outside the existing right-of-way and will require permission from property owners; however, no acquisitions will be required.
The Project was prioritized by the Board of Supervisors (Board) as part of the 2019-20 SB 1 RMRA project list approved on April 21, 2020 (Item No. 45). Updating of existing ADA compliant curb ramps or installation of new ADA compliant curb ramps in the Project area are required for the subject road improvements under the federal “2013 Department of Justice/Department of Transportation Joint Technical Assistance on the Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act Requirements to Provide Curb Ramps when Streets, Roads, or Highways are Altered thorough Resurfacing” guidelines.
The Department’s environmental staff has reviewed this Project and determined that a categorical exemption in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, Section 15301(c) Class 1 and Section 15302(c) Class 2 is appropriate. The Class 1 exemption allows for repair and maintenance activities on existing roads, sidewalks, gutters, and similar facilities that involve negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency’s determination. The Class 2 exemption allows for the replacement or reconstruction of existing structures and facilities where the new structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced. When the Board considers the environmental finding, the filing and posting of a Notice of Exemption is recommended.
The Project aligns with the County and the Chief Executive Officer’s goals and objectives of ensuring development of a well-planned, balanced and sustainable County by preserving and improving the structural integrity of existing road surfaces and providing for the safety of County residents by improving access for all pedestrians.
PROCUREMENT
The Department plans to bring the Project’s plans and specifications, as well as a recommendation to advertise for competitive bids, to the Board for consideration in Fall 2022.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Aaron Gest, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 17, 2022; Finance (Carl Lofton, Administrative Analyst, 387-5404) on May 27, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on May 30, 2022.