CITY OF FRESNO
CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
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.
CONTACT: Joseph De George, Project Manager
City of Fresno – Department of Public Utilities
1626 E Street
Fresno, CA 93706
Phone: 559-621-1619
Email: [email protected]
PROJECT TITLE: Site Improvements at the Department of Public Utilities Operations & Maintenance Facility
PROJECT LOCATIONS: 1626 E Street, Fresno, CA 93706
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: To accommodate increased staffing, traffic, and equipment, critical site improvements at the Department of Public Utilities Operations and Maintenance Facility are necessary. The Project entails: upgrades to fencing, access control gates, landscaping, irrigation, concrete surface and structural work, removal and replacement
of the asphalt layer, speed bumps, gate, handrail
extension, ramp, wheel stops, concrete curb and gutter, train tracks on-site; the removal of train tracks on site and a small building, and crack fill and seal coat
application.
The Project is exempt under Section 1530 2/Class 2 (c) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
Under Section 15302/Class 2, projects are exempt from CEQA requirements when they 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 substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced, including but not limited to: The subsection relevant to this Project is (c), which is listed below:
(c) Replacement or reconstruction of existing utility systems and/or facilities involving negligible or no expansion of capacity.
The Project described herein represents the minor alteration of the already existing facility. The Project consists of the following site improvements:
1. Upgrade to fencing and access control gates, landscaping, and irrigation , which includes removal, relocation, or reinstallation.
2. Concrete and structural work:
a. Removal and replacement of:
i. Asphalt layer
ii. Speed bumps
iii. Gate
iv. Handrail extension
v. Ramp
vi. Wheel stops
vii. Concrete curb & gutter
b. Removal of:
i. Train tracks on-site
ii. Small building
c. Crack fill and seal coat application
All work will occur within existing and publicly -owned Department of Public Utilities’ Operations and Maintenance Facility. The Project will not expand the use of the existing facility, nor will it relocate any existing facilities or structures. It involves negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. Once the site improvements are completed, the City will be able to continue using the facility originally intended. These site improvements described here are essential to enhance site security, improve personnel safety, and ensure the protection of City assets. The work is exempt under Section 15302/Class 2 (c).
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 at an existing
facility.
(b) Cumulative Impact The Project will not have a cumulative negative impact over time that is significant. The Project
merely entails site improvements at an 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 existing facility.
(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 officially designated as a state
scenic highway. The Project is not located near
scenic highways.
(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 existing site is not considered historical
resources.
Furthermore, the proposed project 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 16, 2025
Prepared by: Debbie Khounsavath, Planner II