DATE: February 6, 2018
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Request by City of Clovis to Obtain Road Easements
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
TITLE
Approve City of Clovis’ request to acquire road easements without eminent domain action from two parcels adjacent to existing County road right-of-way in the unincorporated areas of Fresno County for construction of a left turn lane on Auberry Road at the entrance road for the Clovis Landfill.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will facilitate the City of Clovis’ (the City) request to acquire additional road easements along the southerly side of Auberry Road at their landfill entrance (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. This item pertains to a location in District 5.
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 left turn lane on Auberry Road as required by the project plans.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is 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 one of the easements for road right-of-way from a private property owner. The City owns the second parcel that will be a part of the final right of way dedication to the County.
The City, through their contractor, will construct the road improvements for the left turn lane addition 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 in the County’s right-of-way. The County will be responsible for the maintenance of the road improvements within the acquired areas.
DISCUSSION:
The project is being proposed by the City of Clovis in an effort to improve traffic safety movements into the landfill facility. Based upon the City’s traffic analyses, it has determined that a left turn lane would promote safety for their truck turning movements into the landfill property. The project plans provide for the construction of the left turn lane, and road right-of-way is needed along the southerly side of Auberry Road to facilitate this construction.
Currently, turning movements into the landfill site are performed from the eastbound travel lane of Auberry Road. The construction of the left turn lane will mitigate delays experienced by vehicle traffic and promote safety at this intersection. The acquisition of right-of-way will allow the City to construct the left turn lane within a road right-of-way. It is anticipated that this construction will take place in the summer of 2019.
Section 1810 of the Streets and Highways Code provides the basis for the City to request this action by the Board of Supervisors. The proposed right-of-way acquisition is consistent with the project improvement plans provided by the City, and is consistent with the County’s General Plan and Improvement Standards for the ultimate build-out of Auberry Road. County Department of Public Works and Planning staff has reviewed the plans for the road 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 Clovis (see Exhibit B). A copy of this Agenda Item has been provided to the City of Clovis per their request.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Vicinity Map
Exhibit A
Exhibit B
CAO ANALYST:
John Hays