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CITY OF FRESNO
ADDENDUM TO MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION (MND) FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT NO. A-17-06
(As adopted by the Fresno City Council on January 25, 2018) Addendum prepared in accordance with Section 15164 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines
This addendum was
not circulated for
public review
pursuant to Section
15164(c) of the
CEQA Guidelines.
The full Initial Study and the MND are on
file in the Planning and Development
Department,
Fresno City Hall, 3rd Floor
2600 Fresno Street
Fresno, California 93721
(559) 621-8277
ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT NUMBER:
P24-03198
APPLICANT:
Jennifer Soliz
City of Fresno, PARCS Department
1515 East Divisadero Street
Fresno, CA 93721
PROJECT LOCATION:
Citywide in the City of Fresno, California
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The City of Fresno Parks Master Plan (Parks Master Plan) Technical Amendment is an amendment that updates narrative and information to incorporate Measure P and updated 2020 Census information. The technical amendment does not change goals and recommendations defined in the Parks Master Plan.
The City of Fresno prepared a Mitigated Negative Declaration for Environmental Assessment No. A -17- 016 (MND), adopted by the Fresno City Council on January 25, 2018. The MND analyzed the impacts of the Parks Master Plan which articulated a vision for improving Fresno’s park and open space system based on a robust community engagement process and thorough analysis. The planning process began with a detailed needs assessment conducted by consultants, City of Fresno staff, residents, and stakeholders to eval uate Fresno’s individual parks and the park system as a whole. This included examining the City’s General Plan park land acreage goals, population growth, and demographic Addendum to a Mitigated Negative Declaration for EA No. A-17-016 Environmental Assessment No. P24-03198
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information as part of a comprehensive level of service evaluation. Mapping and analysis and their service areas revealed how well or inadequately each neighborhood was being served by parks and recreation amenities. Recreational programs were also evaluated. The financial health of the park system was studied, including benchmarking Fresno’s expenditures with comparable cities. Overall, from vision through recommendations, the Par ks Master Plan reflected priorities of Fresno community members, institutional leaders, and City Council members who have the common goal of wanting to see their park system thrive. The Parks Master Plan included guidelines and programs that direct the maintenance and development of park facilities and programs.
The proposed amendment to the Parks Master Plan only updates narrative and information to incorporate Measure P and updated 2020 Census information and will not change the goals and recommendations defined in the Parks Master Plan. The proposed amendment includes the following revisions to the Parks Master Plan:
• Census Data: Updated population growth and park acreage needs figures to reflect more current estimates.
• Measure P Integration: Incorporated references to Measure P and updated funding source from a 3/8- cent sales tax approved in 2018, and how it impacts park funding, maintenance, and improvements.
• Maintenance and Funding: Emphasized the need for increased annual funding for park maintenance and lifecycle replacement costs, updating figures to reflect current needs. • Strategic Enhancements: Updated the list of parks targeted for strategic enhancements and redevelopment, reflecting current priorities.
• Equity and Access: Continued focus on addressing park deserts and improving access in high- need areas, incorporating urban greening strategies to enhance underserved neighborhoods. • Community Partnerships: Expanded strategies for partnering with local agencies, school districts, and community organizations to maximize recreational opportunities and support park development.
The proposed amendment, as described above, will not result in a change of the goals and recommendations defined in the Parks Master Plan and is functionally a minor technical change, within the meaning of CEQA Guidelines Section 15164. The proposed amendment to the Parks Master Plan still provides consistency with the goals and recommendations from the original Plan, which its environmental impacts were analyzed under the MND. The proposed amendment to the Parks Master Plan consists of a minor technical change such that an addendum to the MND is appropriate pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15164 and Public Resources Code Section 21166.
Addendum to a Mitigated Negative Declaration for EA No. A-17-016 Environmental Assessment No. P24-03198
September 5, 2024
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Therefore, the City of Fresno has determined that an Environmental Assessment No. P24 -03198, an addendum to the MND for Environmental Assessment No. A-17-016 is appropriate given that none of the findings described in Section 15162 of the CEQA Guidelines calling for preparation of a subsequent Environmental Impact Report or negative declaration have occurred; and, new information added is only for the purposes of providing minor changes or additions, in accordance with Section 15164 of the CEQA Guidelines.
CEQA Section 15162 provides that when an Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”) or Negative Declaration (ND) has been adopted for a project, no subsequent EIR or ND shall be prepared for that project unless the lead agency determines, on the basis of substantial evidence in the light of the whole record, one or more of the following:
FINDINGS PURSUANT TO SECTION 15162 OF THE CEQA GUIDELINES. (1) Substantial changes are proposed in the project which would require major revisions of the previous Subsequent Environmental Impact Report due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects;
Finding
(1):
The proposed amendment to the City of Fresno Parks Master Plan (Parks Master Plan) does not involve any new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects that would require major revisions of the previous Mitigated Negative Declaration (“MND”) because the amendment does not change the goals and recommendations of the Parks Master Plan previously analyzed under the MND. (2) Substantial changes occur with respect to the circumstances under which the project is undertaken which will require major revisions of the previous EIR or negative declaration due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects; or,
Finding
(2):
There have been no substantial changes to the surrounding area or project site (citywide) which would otherwise affect the circumstances under which the project is undertaken. The severity of environmental issues identified in the MND have not substantially increased since the preparation of the Addendum. Additionally, updated census information reveals an estimated 8.7% population growth between 2023 to 2038 (552,604 in 2023 to 600,407 in 2038) as opposed to the previously analyzed estimated population growth of 22% between 2017 to 2035 (525,750 in 2017 to 656,323 in 2035). The prior MND anal yzed a larger
population growth than what is currently estimated.
(3) New information of substantial importance, which was not known and could not have been known with the exercise of reasonable diligence at the time the previous SEIR was adopted, shows any Addendum to a Mitigated Negative Declaration for EA No. A-17-016 Environmental Assessment No. P24-03198
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of the following: (A) The project will have one or more significant effects not discussed in the previous EIR or Negative Declaration ; (B) Significant effects previously examined will be substantially more severe than shown in the previous EIR; (C) Mitigation measures or alternatives previously found not to be feasible would in fact be feasible and would substantially reduce one or more significant effects of the project , but the project proponents decline to adopt the mitigation measure or alternative; or, (D) Mitigation measures or alternatives which are considerably different from those analyzed in the previous EIR, would substantially reduce one or more significant effects on the environment , but the project proponents decline to adopt the mitigat ion measure or
alternative.
Finding
(3):
No new information of substantial importance regarding the Parks Master Plan analyzed within the MND which was not known and could not have been known with the exercise of reasonable diligence at the time the MND was adopted has been discovered since adoption of the MND on January 25, 2018. This addendum is relative to the MND and assesses the amendment to the Parks Master Plan which only updates narrative and information to incorporate Measure P and updated 2020 Census information and will not change the goals and recommendations defined in the Parks Master Plan. This addendum did not identify new information regarding significant effects not previously discussed in the MND , and potential effects previously examined are not substantially more severe than originally discussed. No mitigation measures which were previously identified as infeasible have been determined to now be feasible . No mitigation measures have been added or modified, nor are there any which are considerably different from those analyzed in the previous MND.
This addendum contains no additional information regarding proposed mitigation measures and does not change or affect the previous findings of the MND . Therefore, no new
information identifies significant or substantially more severe effects than originally discussed.
ADDENDUM PREPARED BY:
Rob Holt, Supervising Planner
SUBMITTED BY:
Robert Holt, Supervising Planner
CITY OF FRESNO PLANNING AND
DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
DATE: September 30, 2024