DATE: October 8, 2019
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Request by City of Fresno to Obtain Right-of-Way in the County
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
TITLE
Approve request by City of Fresno to acquire right-of-way, excluding eminent domain condemnation action, from three parcels adjacent to existing County right-of-way in identified unincorporated areas of the County as needed in conjunction with the Sanger Unified School District’s traffic signals with associated components and lane widening project at the intersection of S. Armstrong and E. Jensen Avenues.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will approve the request by the City of Fresno (City) to acquire additional right-of-way (ROW) in unincorporated areas of the County at the intersection of S. Armstrong and E. Jensen Avenues, see Exhibit A for the ROW acquisition area. The City has been advised that your Board’s approval of the recommended action does not include approval to undertake eminent domain proceedings. The City requires acquisition of ROW to complete the signalization and lane widening of the intersection. The easements are over private property and will be owned and maintained by the City, but are within the County’s area of jurisdiction. The proposal does not alter access to any County parcels. The item pertains to a location in District 5.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION:
There is no viable alternative action; denial will result in the City’s inability to construct the road improvements required for installation of the traffic signals with associated components and lane widening project.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The City initiated this request and paid $352 for processing in accordance with the Master Schedule of Fees. The City will acquire easements for road ROW from private property owners and will construct the road improvements with no fiscal impact to the County. Construction management of the work will be performed by the City and Department of Public Works and Planning staff will provide oversight inspection of the improvements through application of an encroachment permit for the work in county areas. Maintenance of the traffic signals with associated components will be provided by the City’s Department of Public Works.
DISCUSSION:
The acquisition of ROW in the unincorporated areas of the County to complete the traffic signals with associated components and lane widening project is located at intersection of S. Armstrong and E. Jensen Avenues.
The Sanger Unified School District intends to construct a new educational center project consisting of an intermediate and high school at the northeast corner of Jensen and Fowler Avenues, on approximately 116 acres.
The project will be constructed in separate phases. The initial phase will consist of the intermediate and high school buildings and infrastructure, followed with parking areas and sports fields.
The traffic signals with associated components and lane widening on S. Armstrong and E. Jensen Avenues are part of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Traffic Study, performed by City contracted vendors. Full traffic signalization with associated components will be installed on permanent locations at all four corners of the intersection, along with widening and transition paving.
The total ROW needed at the intersection, for both the City’s portion [11,617 square feet (sq.)] and the County’s portion (20,329 sf) is 31,946 sf or 0.73-acre.
Section 1810 of the Streets and Highways Code provides the basis for the City to request to obtain road easements in the County from the Board of Supervisors. The proposed right-of-way ROW acquisition is consistent with the project improvement plans provided by the City. The ROW will be maintained by the City in accordance with the code section.
Department staff has reviewed the plans for lane widening, and any work within the County ROW will be processed through an encroachment permit.
The construction completion will be in fall 2020.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
The recommended action was initiated at the written request of the City of Fresno (See Exhibit B). A copy of this Board Agenda Item has been provided to the City per their request.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Exhibit A - B
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa