DATE: January 10, 2017
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Request by City of Fresno to Obtain Road Easements in the County
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
TITLE
Approve City of Fresno’s request to acquire a road easement without eminent domain action from two parcels adjacent to existing County road right-of-way in unincorporated areas of the County as needed in conjunction with the City’s capital improvement project for a traffic signal at the intersection of Clinton and Valentine Avenues.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will facilitate the City’s request to acquire additional road easement along the westerly sides of Valentine Avenue at its intersection with Clinton Avenue. (See Vicinity Map and attached Exhibit A for the right-of-way acquisition area). The City has been advised that the Board’s approval of this item will not include approval to undertake eminent domain proceedings. The City is proposing to install the traffic signals at their ultimate location based upon the streets’ General Plan classification.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION:
There is no alternative that is viable for this action. Denial of this action will result in the inability of the City to construct the road improvements as required for the installation of the traffic signal.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There will be no Net County Cost for this recommended action. The City has initiated this request per letter (see attached Exhibit B) and paid $320 for processing of this request in accordance with the Master Schedule of Fees. The City will acquire an easement for road right-of-way from private property owners. The City, through its contractor, will construct the road improvements with no fiscal impact to the County. Construction management of the work will be performed by the City, and County personnel will provide oversight inspection of the improvements through application of an encroachment permit for the work. Maintenance of the traffic signal improvements within the acquired area will be provided by the City’s Department of Public Works.
DISCUSSION:
The City developed a Traffic Signal Mitigation Impact (TSMI) fee that is assessed to new developments to help offset costs for traffic signals in the expanded City boundary. Based upon traffic signal warrants, the City has determined that the construction of this traffic signal is needed at this time to mitigate traffic delays currently being experienced at the intersection. As part of the traffic signal improvements, the City will be widening the roadway pavement at the intersection, but curb and gutter will not be installed at this time. However, the traffic signals will be placed at their ultimate location and set to finish grade of the future roadway improvements.
The current street improvements along Valentine and Clinton Avenues include two-way streets on each road with a four-way stop-controlled intersection. There are designated left turn lanes on Clinton Avenue, and yellow (school) crosswalks on all four legs on the intersection. The proposed road improvements will add right turn lanes on Clinton Avenue and left turn lanes on Valentine Avenue, along with associated transition paving. The right-of-way being acquired is needed for these additional turn lanes and associated transition paving.
Section 1810 of the Streets and Highways Code provides the basis for the City to request this action by the Board of Supervisors. The newly acquired road right-of-way will be maintained by the City in accordance with the code section.
The proposed right-of-way acquisition is consistent with the project improvement plans provided by the City. County Department of Public Works and Planning staff has reviewed the plans for the street improvements, and any work within the County road right-of-way will be processed through an encroachment permit.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
This item has been initiated at the written request of the City of Fresno (See Exhibit B). A copy of this Agenda Item has been provided to the City per their request.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Vicinity Map
Exhibit A
Exhibit B
CAO ANALYST:
John Hays