REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: BROCK D. BUCHE, PE, PLS, Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: PAUL AMICO, PE, Assistant Director
Department of Public Ut ilities - Administration
CASSIE L. SCHOLZ, PE, Licensed Engineer Manager
Department of Public Utilities - Utilities Planning & Engineering
SUBJECT
..Title
Actions pertaining to the emergency repair of the se wer trunk main located at North First Street and East Olive Avenue (Council District 7):
1. Adopt a finding of Categoric al Exemption pursuant to Class 1, Section 15301(b) (Existing Facilities) and Section 15301(d) (R estoration or Rehabilitation) of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines
2. ***RESOLUTION – Declaring an urgent necessity for the preservation of life, health, property, and authorizing the City Manager or designee, to enter into agreements without advertised competitive bidding for the emergency repair of the sewer trunk main located at North First Street and East Olive Avenue (Requires 5 Affirmative Votes) (Subject to Mayor’s Veto)
..Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that City Counc il adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Class 1, Section 15301(b) (Existing Facilities) and Section 15301(d) (Restoration or Rehabilitation) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Gu idelines; and adopt a Resolution declaring an urgent necessity for the preservation of life, health, pr operty, and authorizing the Cit y Manager or designee, to enter into agreements without advertised competitive bidding for the emergency repair of the sewer trunk main located at North First Street and East Olive Avenue (Project).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On April 19, 2025, the sewer trunk main located in East Olive Avenue just east of First Street experienced collapse due to structural failure. This discovery prompted the immediate placement of a temporary road closure while an a ssessment of the sewer main was conducted. Subsequent, video inspection of the sewer trunk found it to be severely deteriorated, showing aggregate and rebar exposed and hanging. Such a characterization indicates imminent additional catastrophic failure.
A Declaration of Urgent Necessity is now necessary for the preservation of the health and safety of the surrounding area. The Resolution will allow the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to procure services without advertising for competitive bids and enter into various agreements for performing the necessary emergency repair which is estimated at an amount not to exceed $2,500,000.
BACKGROUND
The existing sewer trunk main in East Olive Avenue conveys an average flow of 2.9 million gallons of wastewater per day to the Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility. On April 19, 2025, a large depression in the roadway was observed. Th is discovery prompted th e immediate placement of a temporary road clos ure while an assessment of the sewer main was conducted. The sewer experienced full structural failure s hortly thereafter, result ing in a twelve-foot di ameter cavity in the roadway. This same evening, the collapsed area was temporarily stabilized and the roadway remained closed to avoid further collapse of the sewer and adjacent roadway.
Subsequent inspection of the main identified severely deteriorated pipe adjacent to the point of failure.
With additional collapse imminent, partial closure of the road was continued. The existing sewer failure, along with imminent additional collapse, presents a risk to the health and safety of the community and the essential operations of the DP U, and will require a Declaration of Urgent Necessity (Declaration).
The Declaration will authorize dis pensing of the competit ive bid process in or der to expedite the procurement of contractor services for replacement of the sewer trunk and manholes.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Staff has reviewed the scope and nature of the Project in accordance with the requirements of CEQA and has determined it to be exempt under Class 1, Section 15301(b) (Existing facilities of both investor and publicly-owned utilities) and Section 15301(d) (Res toration or rehabilitation of deteriorated or damaged structures, facilities, or mechanical equipment to meet current standards of public health and safety), because this Project involves the rehabilitation of an existing structure which has deteriorated to a point where it requires repairs, in order to uphold public health and safety standards.
Staff has determined that no adverse environmental impacts would occur because of the proposed Project and none of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in the CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 apply.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented because this action is being performed on an emergency basis.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund. The Project is located in Council District 7. Funding for this Project has been identified in the Fiscal Year 2025 Capital Improvement Budget within the Wastewater Management Division’s, Sewer Enterprise Fund 4500-4501.
Attachments:
Environmental Assessment
Notice of Exemption
Resolution of Urgent Necessity
Vicinity Map
Photos Exhibit
CITY OF FRESNO
CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
THE PROJECT DESCRIBED HEREIN IS DETEMINED TO BE CATEGORICALLY
EXEMPT FROM THE PREPARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS
PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 19 OF THE STATE CEQA GUIDELINES.
CONTACT: Angel Borjas, Engineer I
City of Fresno – Department of Public Utilities
1626 E Street
Fresno, CA 93706
Phone: 559-621-1632
Email:
PROJECT TITLE: Emergency Repair of the East Olive Avenue Sewer Main
PROJECT LOCATIONS: Olive Avenue between First St reet and Fisher Street in Fresno, California
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Project entails the removal and replacement of the existing sewer main and appurtenances in Olive Avenue
between First Street and Fisher Street.
The Project is exempt under Section 15301/Class 1 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
Under Section 15301/Class 1, projects are exem pt from CEQA requirements when they consist of the operation, repai r, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilit ies, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. The subsection relevant to this Project are (b) and (d), which are listed below:
(b) Existing facilities of both investor and publicly-owned utilities used to provide electric power, natural gas, sewerage, or other public utility services;
(d) Restoration or rehabilitation of deteriorated or damaged structures, facilities, or mechanical equipment to m eet current standards of public health and safety, unless it is determined that the damage wa s substantial and resulted from an environmental hazard such as earthquake, landslide, or flood;
The Project described herein represents the nec essary emergency repair to an existing public owned sewer main, as described in subs ection (b), to rehabi litate deteriorated structures to allow continued use of the sewer system to meet standards for public health, as described in subsection (d). The specific work tasks may include the following:
Installing bypass pumps to carry se wage around the deteriorate sewer line, thereby allowing repairs to take place with no interruption in service to wastewater customers
Open cutting the road to access the underly ing sewer, the trench for which may encompass the width of the road
Making point repairs to sewer ma in, manholes, and appurtenances, as needed Removing and replacing segments of the sewer main, manholes, and appurtenances, as needed
Reconstructing and repaving the road in the areas disturbed for the purposes of the Project
All work will occur within existing improved roadways to existing publicly-owned sewerage facilities. The Project will not expand the use of the existing facility, nor will it relocate any existing facilities or structures. The Project is merely to repair and rehabilitate an existing damaged sewer line and appurtenances. As su ch, replacement work and software upgrade for the programmable logic control are exempt under Section 15301/Class 1 (b/d).
None of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2, apply:
(a) Location The Project is not located in a sensitive environment or an environmental resource of hazardous or critical
concern as designated by federal, state, or local
agencies. The work is entirely located in an existing
roadwa
y.
(b) Cumulative Impact The Project will not have a cumulative negative impact over time that is significant. The Project
merel
y entails repair to existing facilities.
(c) Significant Effect The Project will not have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances. All work
will be limited to the existin
g road and sewer lines.
(d) Scenic Highways The Project will not result in damage to scenic resources, including but not limited to, trees, historic buildings, rock outcroppings, or similar resources,
within a highway official ly designated as a state
scenic highway. The Project is not located near
scenic hi
ghways.
(e) Hazardous Waste Sites The Project is not located on a hazardous waste site which is included on any list compiled pursuant to
Section 65962.5 of the Government Code.
(f) Historical Resources The Project will not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource.
The roadway where the emergency repair is
occurrin
g is not considered historical resources.
Furthermore, the proposed proj ect is not expected to have a significant effect on the environment. Accordingly, a categorical exemption, as noted above, has been prepared for the project.
Date: April 21, 2025
Prepared by: Angel Borjas
Statutory Exemptions. State code number:
_______________________________________________
Print Form
Notice of Exemption Appendix E
From: (Public Agency): ____________________________
To: Office of Planning and Research
P.O. Box 3044, Room 113 _______________________________________________Sacramento, CA 95812-3044 County Clerk
(Address)
___________________________
___________________________
County of: __________________
Project Title: ____________________________________________________________________________ Project Applicant: ________________________________________________________________________ Project Location - Specific:
Project Location - City: ______________________ Project Location - County:
Description of Nature, Purpose and Beneficiaries of Project:
_____________________
Name of Public Agency Approving Project: _____________________________________________________ Name of Person or Agency Carrying Out Project: ________________________________________________ Exempt Status: (check one):
Ministerial (Sec. 21080(b)(1); 15268);
Declared Emergency (Sec. 21080(b)(3); 15269(a));
Emergency Project (Sec. 21080(b)(4); 15269(b)(c));
Reasons why project is exempt:
Lead Agency
Contact Person: ____________________________
Area Code/Telephone/Extension: _______________
If filed by applicant:
1. Attach certified document of exemption finding.
2. Has a Notice of Exemption been filed by the public agency approving the project? Yes No
Signature: ____________________________ Date:
Signed by Lead Agency
Signed by Applicant
Authority cited: Sections 21083 and 21110, Public Resources Code. Date Received for filing at OPR:
Reference: Sections 21108, 21152, and 21152.1, Public Resources Code. _______________
Categorical Exemption. State type and section number: ____________________________________ ______________________________________________
______________ Title: _______________________
Revised 2011
City of Fresno
1626 E Street
Fresno, CA 93706
Fresno
2220 Tulare Street
Fresno, CA 93721
Emergency Repair of the East Olive Avenue Sewer Main
City of Fresno
Olive Avenue between First Street and Fisher Street in Fresno, California Fresno
Fresno
The Project entails the removal and replacement of the existing sewer main and appurtenances in Olive Avenue between First Street and Fisher Street.
City of Fresno
City of Fresno
X
Section 15301(b), Section 15301(d)
The nature of the emergency repair has determined that it is CEQA exempt as it falls within Section 15301 (b) (Existing Facilities) and 15301(d) (Restoration or Rehabilitation) of the CEQA Guidelines. The work solely entails the replacement of an existing sewer line and appurtenances, involving no expansion of use.
None of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 apply.
Angel Borjas
559-621-1632
■
Engineer I
■
4/25/25
City of Fresno
Department of Public Utilities
Vicinity Map
0 25 5012.5
Feet
Existing Sanitary Sewer Mains
Project Boundary
Emergency Repair of Olive Avenue
Sewer Main
180
168
41 99
180
168
41 99
180
168
41 99
Whites Bridge
Maple
Brawley
Herndon
Bullard
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Palm
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Fowler
Temperance
De WolfHighland
McCall
Shields
McKinley
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AmericanCedar
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California
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Minnewawa
International
Teague
CaliforniaStateUniversityFresno
FresnoInternationalAirport
Fresno-Clovis Regional WastewaterReclamation Facility
Project Location
Olive Ave
First St
City of Fresno
Department of Public Utilities
Photo Exhibits
Emergency Repair of
Olive Avenue Sewer Main
City of Fresno
Department of Public Utilities
Photo Exhibits Emergency Repair of
Olive Avenue Sewer Main