TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Steven Lederer - Director of Public Works
REPORT BY: James Reese, Associate Engineer
SUBJECT: Napa County Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Chiles Pope Valley Road Bridge Replacement Project (21C0075), RDS 15-23
RECOMMENDATION
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Director of Public Works requests the following actions regarding the Chiles Pope Valley Road Bridge over Chiles Creek Replacement Project (21C0075):
1. Approval of the bridge replacement design; and
2. Adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan, which will allow staff to obtain necessary permits and take other actions needed to advance the project to construction.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On January 1, 2017, the Board approved an agreement with Biggs Cardosa Associates (BCA) to design the replacement of the Chiles Pope Valley Road Bridge (21C0075). The consultant completed the geotechnical and environmental studies, applied for environmental permits, and are developing the 95% design plans, specifications and estimates. Staff is waiting for Caltrans approval to begin the appraisal process for the required right-of-way.
The BCA team prepared an Initial Study (IS) for the project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and determined that a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) should be prepared. A Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) was circulated for public review and comment. Comments received from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife were addressed in the file IS/MND. According to the Mitigated Negative Declaration, the proposed project will have less than significant environmental impacts with the planned mitigation measures.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
No |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
Yes |
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Where is it budgeted? |
Fund 2040, Org 2040500 and Project 14010. |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
The Board of Supervisors needs to accept this design and adopt the IS/MND for the project to proceed to the construction phase. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
If this project is not allowed to move forward Napa County may be required to return all funds that have previously been reimbursed by Caltrans. If the project moves forward, the project will proceed at an 88.53% federal reimbursement. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
The regulatory agencies will not issue permits, and the project will not move forward to construction. |
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County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Livable Economy for All |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: Consideration and possible adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration. According to the Mitigated Negative Declaration, the proposed project would have, if mitigation measures are not included, potentially significant environmental impacts in the following areas: biological resources, hydrology and water quality, transportation, and tribal cultural resources. This project site is not on any of the lists of hazardous waste sites enumerated under Government code section 65962.5
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Napa County Public Works Department is responsible for maintaining 78 bridges that are included in the National Bridge Inventory. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides Highway Bridge Program (HBP) funding to replace bridges when needed and the State of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) administers the HBP in California.
On August 20, 2012, Caltrans issued a letter requesting that local agencies review their public highway bridges for potential replacement, rehabilitation, or preventive maintenance and to take necessary actions to address any public safety issues and to extend the life of our bridge inventory. County staff evaluated fourteen (14) bridges and prioritized eight (8) bridges for the first phase of the HBP.
Caltrans and the FHWA programmed HBP funding to replace the following bridges:
1. Dry Creek Road Bridge over Dry Creek (21C-0056);
2. Chiles Pope Valley Road Bridge over Chiles Creek (21C-0075);
3. Greenwood Avenue Bridge over Garnett Creek (21C0042);
4. Loma Vista Drive Bridge over Soda Creek (21C-0080);
5. Hardin Road Bridge over Maxwell Creek (21C-0058);
6. Soda Canyon Road Bridge over Soda Creek (21C-0088);
7. Conn Valley Road Bridge over Conn Creek (21C-0077); and
8. Berryessa-Knoxville Road Bridge over Eticuera Creek (21C-0074).
The County built the Chiles Pope Valley Road Bridge in 1907 and widened it in 1950. The Bridge is approximately two miles north of Highway 128 and Caltrans identified the bridge as Structurally Deficient and Scour Critical. The Sufficiency Rating (SR) rating of 53.9 (on a scale of 100). Caltrans designated Chiles Pope Road Bridge Replacement as eligible for 88.53% HBP funding and the County is using Measure T funding for the 11.47% the match for local funds. The purpose of the project is to provide a safe, functional, and reliable crossing over Chiles Creek on Chiles - Pope Valley Road.
After reviewing statements of qualifications from seven consultants, Public Works staff identified the team led by BCA as the most qualified team to provide the design services. The scope of services includes geotechnical studies, environmental studies, assistance with environmental permit applications, preparation of plans, specifications and estimates, and bid support.
BCA subcontracted with Galvin Preservation Associates (GPA) to prepare the documents for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review, Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) and regulatory permit applications. The consultant completed the geotechnical and environmental studies, applied for environmental permits, and are developing the 95% design plans, specifications and estimates. We are waiting for Caltrans approval to begin the appraisal process for the required right-of-way.
The environmental permit application phase requires completion of the CEQA study process, adoption of the Mitigated Negative Declaration and filing of a Notice of Determination with the County Clerk of Napa County and with the State Office of Planning and Research. The BCA team prepared an Initial Study for the project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and determined that a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) should be prepared.
The IS/MND includes a project description, the environmental setting for the site, environmental impacts, mitigation measures, images of the structures, maps and representative site photographs. As required by the 2013-14 Assembly Bill 52, Planning staff consulted with Native American tribal representatives about cultural resources in the area of the sites and the mitigation measures in the IS/MND. A Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) was circulated for public review and comment from September 11th through October 11th.
During that comment period a list of concerns were received from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The concerns were addressed in the IS/MND attached to this board letter, and it is also noted that a CDFW agreement is required for this project to move into construction by way of a 1602 Streambed Alteration Agreement.
According to the Mitigated Negative Declaration, the proposed project will have less than significant environmental impacts with the planned mitigation measures.