Agenda Item No: J.8
AGENDA REPORT
DATE: July 7, 2026
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: David Gassaway, City Manager
SUBJECT: Resolution 202 6-154 PW Sacramento and San Joaquin Drainage Property Abatement Program Agreement with Central Valley Flood Protection Board
Authorizing City Manager to Execute a Sacramento and San Joaquin Drainage District Property Abatement Program Agreement with the Central Valley Flood Protection Board
Funding Source: N/A
Contact: Sanjay Mishra, (707) 428-7477
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Adopt resolution.
STATEMENT OF ISSUE
Approval of the attached resolution will authorize the city manager to execute a Sacramento and San Joaquin Drainage District (SSJDD) Property Abatement Program Agreement (Agreement) with the Central Valley Flood Protection Board (CVFPB). The Agreement will allow the City of Fairfield to perform vegetation management, homeless encampment abatement, debris removal, and related maintenance activities on fourteen Sacramento and San Joaquin Drainag e District properties within the city limits and receive reimbursement for eligible services.
DISCUSSION
The CVFPB is responsible for managing and controlling the SSJDD and enforcing standards for flood control facilities that are part of California's State Plan of Flood Control. These responsibilities include maintaining flood control properties, remediating damage, and removing debris and other hazards that may impair flood control operations or impact public safety.
The SSJDD owns fourteen parcels throughout the City of Fairfield that support regional flood management infrastructure and provide access to drainage channels, floodways, and other flood control facilities . Maintaining these properties is essential to protecting public safety, water quality, and the long-term effectiveness of the regional flood control system.
In response to the increasing activity of encampments on State -owned properties and in alignment with Governor Newsom's Executive Order N -7-24 issued in March 2022, the CVFPB adopted the SSJDD Property Abatement Policy on March 27, 2026. This policy established the SSJDD Property Abatement Program, which provides a structured framework for local agenc ies to collaborate with the State in removing debris, hazardous waste, and encampments from SSJDD-owned properties, while also enabling reimbursement for eligible abatement activities.
The SSJDD properties within Fairfield have experienced recurring homeless encampment activity, illegal dumping, vegetation growth, and accumulation of debris. These activities create public safety concerns and increase demand for City resources.
The Fairfield Police Department, Fairfield Fire Department, and Public Works Operations Department routinely respond to issues occurring on these parcels. Typical responses involve Police Department enforcement actions and posting of notices, notification of outreach services, and subsequent Public Works Operations cleanup activities to remove encampments, debris, and hazardous materials.
Police and Fire personnel have also coordinated with the Sacramento and San Joaquin Drainage District regarding enforcement concerns related to illegal encampments, fires, and criminal activity occurring on District-owned properties.
While Fairfield has not experienced significant impacts on flood control operations or drainage maintenance resulting from these activities, the continued presence of encampments and illegal dumping presents several concerns, including:
Increased risk of vegetation and debris fires
Accumulation of trash and pollutants within drainage corridors Potential damage to flood control and drainage infrastructure Increased demand for Police, Fire, and Public Works resources Degradation of natural resources and public spaces
Public health and safety concerns associated with illegal dumping and encampment activity
In the absence of this Agreement, the City would continue to respond to emergency public safety incidents on SSJDD properties; however, the City would not conduct cleanup or abatement activities. Consequently, debris, hazardous waste, and encampment -related materials may remain on -site, potentially leading to increased risks of pollution, fire hazards, and adverse effects on waterways and flood control infrastructure.
The SSJDD Property Abatement Program was established to assist local agencies in addressing unauthorized encampments, vegetation overgrowth, illegal dumping, and related public safety issues occurring on State-owned flood control properties.
The proposed Agreement would authorize the City of Fairfield to perform eligible abatement services on SSJDD properties located within the city limits. Work would be performed on an as - needed basis and may include:
Vegetation management and weed abatement
Homeless encampment cleanup and debris removal
Removal of illegally dumped materials.
Hazard mitigation activities necessary to protect public safety and flood control infrastructure
Related maintenance activities approved under the program
All work would be subject to authorization and reimbursement procedures established by the CVFPB. Specific abatement activities would be coordinated through a work order approval process to ensure eligibility and compliance with program requirements.
The primary goal of the Agreement is to improve public safety, reduce fire hazards, and protect flood control and drainage infrastructure. Under the Agreement, the City would submit documentation of completed work and associated costs to the C VFPB for reimbursement in accordance with program requirements and available funding.
By entering into this Agreement, the City will be better positioned to proactively remove debris, hazardous waste, and encampments before they can impact waterways, contribute to flooding hazards, or create additional public safety concerns, while recovering eligible costs incurred for these activities.
Upon approval of the resol ution, the city manager will negotiate and agree to any minor modification, finalize, and execute the agreement. Public Works Operations Division will submit the completed application package to the CVFPB for consideration and approval.
If approved by the CVFPB, the Agreement will remain in effect for a three -year term unless terminated in accordance with the Agreement provisions. City staff will coordinate with the CVFPB to identify eligible projects, obtain required work authorizations, perform approved abatement activities, and seek reimbursement for eligible costs.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with approval of the Agreement. The Agreement establishes a reimbursement mechanism through which the City may recover eligible costs associated with abatement activities performed on SSJDD properties.
Participation in the program may reduce the City's unreimbursed costs associated with responding to encampments, illegal dumping, vegetation management, and related public safety concerns on State-owned properties.
PUBLIC CONTACT/ADVISORY BODY RECOMMENDATION
N/A
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
The City Council may choose not to approve the attached resolution, and the city would continue responding to public safety concerns and cleanup activities on an as -needed basis without a formal agreement or reimbursement.
STAFF CONTACT
Valerie Standfill, Management Analyst
(707) 428-7055
[email protected]
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 2: Proposed Resolution
Attachment 3: Proposed Sacramento and San Joaquin Drainage District Property Ab atement Program Agreement