Fremont City Council Meeting: 06/03/25 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Public Works
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Presentations
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5465) DOC ID: 5465 A
Updated: 5/29/2025 3:43 PM by Dina Lewis A Page 1
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM - First Public Hearing (Published Notice) on the Proposed Five-Year Capital Improvement Program for Fiscal Years 2025/26 Through 2029/30 and Two-Year Capital Budget
Contact Persons:
Name: Hans Larsen Kim Beranek
Title: Public Works Director Community Services Director Div/Dept: Public Works Community Services
Phone: 510-494-4722 510-494-4330
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: The purpose of this report is to facilitate the process to approve an updated five-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for fiscal years (FY) 2025/26 through 2029/30 (referred to as the 2025 CIP) and adopt a two-year Capital Budget for FY 2025/26 and FY 2026/27. An initial discussion of the 2025 CIP occurred at the City Council meeting on April 1, 2025. A Proposed CIP was presented for public review and comment at the City Council meeting on May 13, 2025. The CIP approval process includes two public hearings, the first public hearing is scheduled for June 3, 2025. The second public hearing is scheduled for June 10, 2025 and includes consideration to adopt the CIP. A copy of the Proposed CIP document is available on the City’s Financial Reports web page.
BACKGROUND: The City’s CIP addresses Fremont’s public infrastructure needs and investments, primarily in the areas of Transportation, Parks, Building Facilities, Capital Maintenance, and General Government. The CIP includes a five-year program of planned investments with the first two years representing a two-year Capital Budget. The CIP is updated every two years. The sources of funds that support the CIP include County and State transportation taxes; grants; City development impact fees; and allocations from the City General Fund.
On April 1, 2025, the City Council received a presentation about the preparation of the City’s five-year CIP. Staff reviewed current investments, program accomplishments, funding projections, results from a community survey (posted on My Fremont from December 2024 through January 2025), and the consideration of a local ballot measure to enhance revenues. Also at the meeting, public comments were received and the City Council provided direction to staff.
On May 13, 2025, staff presented to the City Council the Proposed 2025 CIP with a full list of projects and expenditures having a total investment value of $236 million. City Council input on the Proposed CIP was supportive and no changes have been made to the Proposed CIP.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: As presented and discussed at the City Council meeting on May 13, 2025, the following provides a summary of the CIP investment highlights.
General Fund Annual Transfers to the CIP
Council Staff Report (ID # 5465) Meeting of June 3, 2025 Updated: 5/29/2025 3:43 PM by Dina Lewis A Page 2
The proposed CIP includes a $3.775 million annual transfer (a total of $18.875 million over five years) of funding from the General Fund for capital maintenance activities. The investments are allocated as follows:
• $2.0 million annually to building maintenance
• $0.6 million to capital replacement for parks
• $0.3 million to playground resurfacing
• $0.45 million for ADA facility improvements
• $0.325 to the 50/50 sidewalk repair/ street tree replacement program • $0.1 million to water conservation and median islands
Transportation Investment Highlights
The proposed Transportation CIP includes program and project allocations (totaling $181 million) focused in the areas of: pavement and sidewalk maintenance; traffic operations and signal system improvement; bicycle and pedestrian facilities; major projects; and new projects.
• Basic Maintenance Projects – The highest level of funding in the Transportation CIP is allocated to ongoing annual projects to repave City streets; repair sidewalks, curbs, and gutters in the worst condition; and build ADA curb ramps. The overall funding amount for basic maintenance is $75.6 million.
• Traffic Operations and Signal Projects – The proposed investments in traffic operations and signal projects include annual expenditures to maintain existing traffic signals (195 signals); maintain or expand fiber optic communication network within the roadway; modernize equipment for more efficient operations; construct new traffic signals at priority locations to improve safety and operation; and to respond to community interests and concerns related traffic operations. The overall funding amount for traffic operations and signal projects is approximately $20.3 million. Key traffic operation projects included in this CIP budget cycle include the continued development of reliable signal coordination timing along major corridors to manage traffic speeds and minimize the number of red lights experienced by motorists.
• Bike/Pedestrian Projects – The City receives dedicated funds from the County Measure BB program and State grants for improvements and expansion to the City’s bicycle and pedestrian facilities as identified in the City’s Active Transportation Plan and Safe Routes to Schools program. The overall funding amount for the bike/ped projects is approximately $8.6 million. It is noted that other Transportation CIP programs and projects (e.g., complete street roadway projects) may also include bicycle and pedestrian facility elements that are in addition to these bike/ped projects.
• Major Grant Projects – A significant portion of the City’s Transportation CIP is oriented toward major and regional projects funded by grant sources. This includes the City’s support for developing the new Irvington BART Station and the new bridges for bicycling and walking over freeways at 680/Sabercat Trail and 880/Innovation District. Additionally, the City is leading the planning and design for modernizing freeway interchanges at 680/Mission and 880/Decoto. The City is Council Staff Report (ID # 5465) Meeting of June 3, 2025 Updated: 5/29/2025 3:43 PM by Dina Lewis A Page 3
expecting to receive future grant revenues for the following projects:
Dumbarton/Decoto Multimodal Corridor ($35 million); Peralta/Mowry Pavement Rehabilitation and Compete Street Project ($17 million); and Fremont Boulevard Multimodal Corridor ($10 million). The overall amount of new funding for major grant projects in the proposed CIP is $62 million. Based on actions by the California Transportation Commission, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and Alameda County Transportation Commission, these funds are specifically programmed to the City of Fremont and can be obtained once the projects are ready for construction and/or other conditions have been met.
• Proposed New Projects – Two new projects are proposed to be added to the Transportation CIP based on interest expressed through the recent community survey. Funding in the amount of $200,000 is allocated to the Scott Creek/ Zinfandel Traffic Safety project and $200,000 is allocated to the Walnut/ Gomes Railroad Quiet Zone project. Both investments are for project planning in order to determine the scope and cost of these projects for future funding consideration and potential grant funding opportunities.
Park Investment Highlights
The proposed Parks CIP includes project allocations totaling approximately $20 million over five years focused in the following areas: funding prior project commitments; park planning and ongoing park improvement funding; additional funding for existing major projects underway; and finally funding affordable identified community needs based on available funds. The Recreation Commission considered proposed projects in three meetings during October and December of 2024, and February 2025. During the Commission’s review, they considered the proposed projects consistent with the Parks and Recreation Master Plan that was adopted in 2022. All proposed project allocations would be funded by Parks Development Impact Fees. The Recreation Commission also addressed decreasing revenues and project funding shortfalls of prior approved projects. On February 5, 2025, the Recreation Commission voted 6-0-0-1 to forward the proposed Parks CIP to the City Council for consideration. Significant goals in the proposed Parks CIP include the following:
• Honoring Prior Funding Commitment to New Central Park Community Center Project: The previous CIP cycle funded $2 million of the total $5 million commitment of Parks Development Impact Fees for site improvements associated with the Community Center. On July 9, 2024, City Council approved the initial phase of construction. The final $3 million is proposed for FY 2025/26.
• On-Going Park Improvement Projects and Park Planning Efforts: Funding for on-going park planning efforts, CIP costs/scope work, park emerging projects, CIP management, security in parks, ADA upgrades in parks, and adding benches to existing parks in support of the Age Friendly Fremont Action Plan, over the five years total $3.6M.
• Funding Shortfalls for Already Approved Park Projects and Improvements:
Much of FY 2025/26’s capital investment is allocated toward additional funding for on-going park projects. In addition to funds to the new Central Park Community Center mentioned above, approximately $3.6 million will be allocated to other ongoing projects. Shortfalls could be due to expanded scope, additional project requirements along with the high inflationary pressures and other increasing costs in Council Staff Report (ID # 5465) Meeting of June 3, 2025 Updated: 5/29/2025 3:43 PM by Dina Lewis A Page 4
the construction industry and throughout the economy. Staff estimates that the proposed allocations in this CIP will complete funding for the following projects:
1) Centerville Community Park for the addition of Pickleball courts and expanded utility requirements ($1.46 million)
2) Patterson Ranch Dog Park for improvements to site access ($300,000) 3) Vallejo Mill Historic Park for expanded environmental review process ($445,000) 4) Central Park Babbling Brook Bridge Renovation for increased cost and scope change ($339,000)
5) Central Park Knoll Pickleball Court Lighting to accommodate community need by expanding operating hours after sunset ($1.1 million)
• Funding New and Long-Term Projects: With the limitations on available funding, only a few new projects are proposed, most with only partial funding:
1) Cricket Batting Cages at a Community Park has been identified as a high need and will assist Recreation Services in meeting the community demand for Cricket practice space until Cricket Fields are expanded. One project ($1.1 million) is proposed to be funded in FY 2026/27, with lower levels of fund savings planned in the program years (FY 2027/28-2029/30. ($1.8 million) 2) Lake Elizabeth Renovation Management will establish initial funding to explore, develop and potentially implement solutions for improved long-term lake water quality and potential recreational uses. ($1.8 million) 3) Niles Dock Renovations or Replacements has historically been funded one dock at a time. This project will not be specific to any one dock and will give staff the flexibility to address issues or concerns as they arise. ($547,000) 4) Hetch Hetchy Bike/Ped Trail at Warm Springs supports the community priority to expand trails and pedestrian facilities. The proposed funding will reinitiate the long-term savings for a future trail that will connect four parks in Warm Springs. ($1.5 million)
General Government/Public Facilities Investment Highlights The proposed General Government/Public Facilities CIP allocations total $16.52 million. Of this amount, $5 million is allocated to pay debt on public facilities completed in the past and $10 million is programmed to support the development agreement for the Age Well Center in South Fremont. Other funding supports the development permitting system, red -light photo enforcement program, Capital Improvement Program management, and the Development Impact Fee program management.
Carryover Projects Funded from the 2023 Capital Budget
In addition to new expenditures proposed in the 2025 CIP, other capital improvement projects will be implemented based on prior funding allocations in the 2023 Capital Budget.
Noted below is a summary of these previously funded projects:
• General Fund Projects: Citywide Park Restroom Improvements (some projects under construction; multi-year program), HVAC System Replacements (some projects under construction; multi-year program), EV Charging for City Fleet Electrification (some projects under construction; multi-year program), Central Park Community Center (Phase 1 construction to start in 2026), and Auto Mall Parkway Median Landscaping (construction to start in 2026).
Council Staff Report (ID # 5465) Meeting of June 3, 2025 Updated: 5/29/2025 3:43 PM by Dina Lewis A Page 5
• Transportation Projects: Traffic Signal at Mission/Sullivan (construction to start in 2025); Paseo Padre Safe Street Improvements (design to start in 2025); Centerville Railroad Quiet Zone Corridor (design underway; not yet funded for construction); and Dusterberry and Peralta Intersection Improvements (design to start in 2025; not yet funded for construction).
Park Projects: California Nursery Entry Plaza and Rose Garden, Central Park Fitness Equipment, Booster and Azevada Playgrounds (all in construction); Palm Avenue Park (community outreach to be completed in June 2025). General Plan Conformity Findings in compliance with State law, the proposed CIP has been reviewed by the Community Development Department and found to conform with the City’s General Plan. Attached is a letter documenting the General Plan conformity findings.
FISCAL IMPACT: The 2025 CIP programs approximately $236 million in projects over the five-year life of the plan. Approximately $75 million is proposed for appropriation in FY 2025/26 and FY 2026/27 as part of a 2-year Capital Budget.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: This agenda item is not subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per CEQA Guidelines Section 15378 as it is not defined as a “project.” The CIP is a planning tool used to identify future capital projects, anticipated time for implementation, and funding sources.
WEBLINK: The FY 2025/26-2029/30 Proposed Capital Improvement Program is posted on the City’s website at https://www.fremont.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/18009
ATTACHMENTS:
• General Plan Conformity Findings Letter Dated May 13, 2025
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Hold a public hearing.
2. Accept staff report and consider all capital improvement projects proposed for the Five-Year Capital Improvement Program for Fiscal Years 2025/26 through 2029/30 and the two-year Capital Budget.