CITY OF FRESNO
CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT NO. PW00903
THE PROJECT DESCRIBED HEREIN IS DETERMINED TO BE CATEGORICALLY
EXEMPT FROM THE PREPARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS
PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 19 OF THE STATE CEQA GUIDELINES.
APPLICANT: City of Fresno
Department of Public Works
2600 Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93721
PROJECT
LOCATION:
Intersections of Butler Avenue and Eighth Street, and Orange Avenue and Lowe Avenue within the jurisdiction of the City of Fresno.
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The City of Fresno Department of Public Works proposes making improvements to the offset intersec tion of Butler Avenue and Eighth Street, and the offset intersection of Orange Avenue and Lowe Avenue.
The improvements at Butler Avenue and Eighth Street will provide a new traffic signal, curb, gutter, resident ial drive approaches, and sidewalk construction from the southerly segment of Eighth Avenue to the east by approximately 360 feet; the replacement of accessible ramps at all four corners of the project location at Butler Avenue and Eighth Street; roadway grind and overlay for the s outherly segment of Eighth Street; and restriping of the project intersection. These Butler Avenue and Eighth Street improvements will require minor acquisitions of rights-of-way from properties such as 3742 E Butler Ave (APN 471-051-08), 1065 S Orange Ave (APN 470-131-25), 1040 S Orange Ave (APN 4 70-116-12), 3742 E Butler Ave (APN 471-051-01), and a temporary construction easement at 3804 E Butler Ave (APNs 471-052- 01 and 471-052-02). The temporary construction easement will be used to permit construction to conform the land to the roadway. The improvem ents at Orange Avenue and Lowe Avenue will provide a new traffic signal, approximately 300ft of curb and gutter along Orange Avenue, a residential drive approach, approximately 80ft of sidewalk along Orange Avenue, the replacement of accessible ramps at all five corners of the pr oject location at Orange Avenue and Lowe Avenue; and restripin
g of the project intersection.
This project is exempt under Section(s) 15301/Class 1 and 15302/Class 2 of the State of California CEQA Guidelines.
EXPLANATION:
Class 1 exemptions, for projects pertaining to Existing Facilities, consist of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, l easing, licensing, or minor alte ration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical e quipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expans ion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency’s determination. Examples includ e but are not limited to: Existing facilities of publicly owned utilities used to provide electric power, natural gas, sewerage, or other public utility services; existing highways and streets, sidewalks, gu tters, bicycle and pedestrian trails, and similar
facilities (this includes road grading for the purpose of public safety); Rehabilitation of existing facilities to meet current standar ds of public health and safety; an d, the Addition of safety or health protection devices for use in conjunction with existing facilities, including navigational devices.
Class 2 exemptions, for projects involving R eplacement or Reconstruction, consist of replacement or reconstruction of existing structures and facilities where the new structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have su bstantially the same purpose and capacity as the struct ure replaced. Examples in clude but are not limited to:
Replacement or reconstruction of existing utilit y systems and/or facilities involving negligible or no expansion of capacity; and, Conversion of overhead electric utility distribution systems to underground including connection to existing overhead electric utility distribution lines where the surface is restored to the condition existing prior to the undergrounding.
The proposed Butler Avenue and Eight h Street improvements involve minor alteration to the rights-of-way with intersection improvements to improve public safety (vehicles and pedestrians). These improvements include a new tr affic signal, curb, gutter, residential drive approaches, and sidewalk construction. Additionally, the accessible ramps at this intersection will be replaced, and the road will be repaved and restriped. This will require the City to obtain a temporary construction easement along a portion of Butler Avenue to conform the existing land to the roadway. The proposed Orange Avenue and Lowe Avenue improvements consist of a traffic signal with inters ection and roadway improvements, including 300ft of curb and gutter along Orange Avenue, a resi dential drive approach, approximately 80ft of sidewalk along Orange Avenue, the replacem ent of accessible ramps at all five corners of this intersection, and restriping at the intersection. These updates will impr ove the public safety (vehicles and pedestrians) at the intersection of Orange Avenue and Lowe Avenue. Because these intersections already exist and these changes will only update the existing facilities and improve public safety, this project is exem pt from CEQA review pursuant to Section 15301/Class 1 of the CEQA Guidelines. Addi tionally, because the improvements will be located on the same site as the existing inte rsections and will serve s ubstantially the same purpose, this project is exempt from CEQA review pursuant to Section 15302/Class 2 of the CEQA Guidelines
None of the exceptions to Categorical Exempti ons set forth in the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 apply to this project. Furthermore, the proposed project is not expected to have a significant effect on the environment. Accordingly, a categorical exempti on, as noted above, has been prepared for the project.
No adverse environmental impacts will occur as a result of the proposed project.
Date: July 18, 2023
Prepared By: Steve Delsid, Professional Engineer
Submitted By: ______ Steve Delsid, Professional Engineer
City of Fresno
Planning & Development Department
(559) 621-8725