Fremont City Council Meeting: 11/18/25 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Public Works
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Public Projects
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5570) DOC ID: 5570
Updated: 11/14/2025 9:34 AM by Susan Gauthier Page 1
MORRISON CANYON ROAD STORM REPAIR PROJECT - Public Hearing (Published Notice) to Consider Adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Prepared and Circulated for the Morrison Canyon Road Storm Repair and Mitigation Project in Accordance with the Requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act; and Approval of the Project (PWC9105)
Contact Persons:
Name: Mirabel Aguilar Hans Larsen
Title: Senior Civil Engineer Public Works Director
Div/Dept: Public Works Public Works
Phone: 510-494-4761 510-494-4722
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: The purpose of this report is to facilitate the repair of Morrison Canyon Road in an area west of Ridge Terrace. During the severe storm events in early 2023, Morrison Canyon Road was damaged by rock and mudslides. A $4 million project to repair Morrison Canyon Road is being developed with funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This report recommends approval of environmental clearance to repair the damaged roadway, provide structural stabilization, and incorporate applicable hazard mitigation measures.
BACKGROUND: The purpose of the Morrison Canyon Road Storm Repair and Mitigation Project is to implement repairs and hazard mitigation measures along a section of Morrison Canyon Road, west of Ridge Terrace (a private driveway), that was heavily damaged during the extreme storm events of December 2022 and January 2023.
The scope includes repair of the damaged roadway, installation of a retaining wall to provide structural stabilization of the section of roadway, and installation of hazard mitigation measures intended to protect the roadway from potential future landslides and rockslides from the uphill slope.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: In December 2022 and January 2023, a series of severe storms impacted large areas of California resulting in a “state of emergency” being declared and prompting support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES). The City has been coordinating with FEMA and CalOES to use public assistance disaster relief grants to fund the repair and mitigation costs associated with the damage sustained along Morrison Canyon Road.
The City engaged the services of EMC Planning Group, Inc. to facilitate the environmental clearance and regulatory agency permit coordination for the project. Final design for the project is on-going and expected to be completed by March 2026. Construction is anticipated to begin in June 2026 and with completion planned for Fall 2026.
At this time, staff recommends the City Council consider the potential environmental impacts, proposed mitigation measures, and approve the project.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5570) Meeting of November 18, 2025 Updated: 11/14/2025 9:34 AM by Susan Gauthier Page 2
FISCAL IMPACT: For the Morrison Canyon Road Storm Repair and Mitigation Project (PWC9105), funds for environmental clearance, regulatory agency permits, and final design have been previously appropriated by the City Council in the amount of $665,000.
Additional funding required for construction will be appropriated at time of approval of the construction contract. It is anticipated that approximately 90% of total project costs will be available for reimbursement from FEMA and CalOES public assistance disaster relief funds.
The total estimated cost of the project is approximately $4 million.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Environmental Review and Mitigation Measures
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), an Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (Exhibit “A”) have been prepared for this project. The environmental analysis identified concerns regarding potentially significant project impacts related to biological resources (from special-status plant species, Alameda Whipsnake, Worker Environmental Awareness Program (WEAP) requirements, Special-Status Amphibians, San Francisco Dusky-Footed Woodrat, Special-Status Bumblebees, Special-Status Bat Species, Protected Nesting Birds and Raptors, Sensitive Natural Communities, and Jurisdictional Wetlands/Waterways). These potentially significant impacts eliminate the possibility of project CEQA clearance through an exemption, but analysis has shown that they can be reduced to a less than significant level with mitigation.
The Mitigated Negative Declaration includes recommended mitigation measures, which, if adopted and implemented in accordance with staff’s recommendation, reduce all identified potentially significant impacts to less-than-significant levels. A summary of the mitigation measures includes the following: focused plant surveys, implementation of avoidance, minimization and compensatory mitigation measures for the aforementioned special-status species as required by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW); and conducting environmental awareness training. These mitigation measures will be required to be implemented as conditions of approval for this project and are provided in the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) included as part of Exhibit “B.” The MMRP outlines the process for implementation of the mitigation measures and responsibility for reporting.
Standard Measures Incorporated During Construction (Not Mitigation)
The City of Fremont has established standard development requirements to address resource protection (Fremont Municipal Code (FMC) Chapter 18.218). These requirements apply to air quality (construction-related emissions), cultural resources (notification of affiliated California Native American Tribes and procedures for accidental discovery of cultural resources), a construction management plan, and noise (construction-related noise best practices). The proposed project would comply with these standard development requirements which are described in greater detail in the relevant topical area of the Initial Study (Exhibit “A”).
Public Review and Coordination
Council Staff Report (ID # 5570) Meeting of November 18, 2025 Updated: 11/14/2025 9:34 AM by Susan Gauthier Page 3
The Draft IS/MND was circulated for public review from September 2, 2025 to October 2, 2025, in accordance with the requirements of CEQA. Notice was mailed to property owners within 300 feet of the project site, immediately adjacent properties, and interested parties, and the documents were posted to the City’s environmental review webpage, the City’s Development Services Center and the State Clearinghouse in the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. During the public review period, two letters were received from Union Sanitary District and Pacific Gas & Electric, acknowledging receipt of Initial Study.
Neither letter includes comments that raise environmental topics, as noted in the response to comments from EMC Planning Group (Exhibit C).
ATTACHMENTS:
• Exhibit A – Mitigated Negative Declaration and Final Initial Study, PWC9105 • Exhibit B – Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program • Exhibit C – Morrison Canyon Road Response to Comments • Exhibit D - Draft Resolution - Morrison Canyon Rd MND
RECOMMENDATION: Approval of the following actions related to the Morrison Canyon Road Storm Repair and Mitigation Project:
1. Conduct the public hearing; and
2. Adopt a Resolution that:
a. finds that the Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration have been completed in compliance with CEQA and reflect the independent judgment and analysis of the City Council regarding environmental effects of the Project;
b. finds that there is no substantial evidence that the Project as mitigated will have a significant effect on the environment; and
c. approves the Project.