CITY OF FRESNO
CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT NO. PC00422
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: Capital Projects Department
City of Fresno
747 R Street, 2nd Floor
Fresno, CA 93721
Attn: Raymundo Casillas
PROJECT LOCATION: The Project site consists of an approximately 0.99-acre parcel located at the southwest corner of North Veterans Boulevard and North Bryan Avenue/West Barstow Avenue in the City of Fresno, Fresno County, California.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The City of Fresno Capital Projects Department (City) is proposing the Veterans-Barstow Acquisition Project (Project) for the acquisition of a 0.99-acre parcel (Assessor’s Parcel Number [APN] 505-220-59; Project site) located in the northwestern portion of the City to allow for the development of a passive park and associated amenities . The park is intended to provide a protected path of travel and rest area for pedestrians and bicyclists.
The Project site is within the Residential – Medium Low Density (RS-4) zone district and the West Area Community Plan within the West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan area.
The Project site is located in a semi -urbanized area and is surrounded by single -family residences within the Residential Single -family Medium Density (RS -5) zone district to the west; vacant land within the Residential Multi -Family, Medium High Density (RM-1) and RS-4 zone districts to the south; and single -family residences within the RS-4 zone district to the north and east. In addition, the Project site is immediately bound by North Veterans Boulevard to the southeast and North Bryan Avenue to the northeast. The parcel is graded for use as a ponding basin and enclosed in a fenced area. The Project site is currently owned and maintained by De Young Properties.
The Project would result in a new passive park and associated amenities . The specific park amenities are currently not known; however, the amenities are intended to complement a passive park and are expected to include Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) benches and tables, landscaping, irrigation, ADA paths of travel, open g reen space, and a bike rack. The Project would not include the establishment of new vehicle parking areas. Operational activities would include the operation of a passive park to serve existing residents in the area and scheduled maintenance trips conducte d by existing City employees; therefore, the Project would not result in a substantial number of new employment opportunities, residents, or vehicle trips. The park would operate during daylight hours and does not include components that could generate a substantial increase in noise (e.g., amplified speakers, sport courts, play equipment, etc.).
Construction activities would require filling of the existing ponding basin and construction of the park amenities using typical construction equipment. Project construction would be limited to daytime hours (7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.).
This project is exempt under Section 15303/Class 3 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
Staff has performed a preliminary environmental assessment of this project and determined that it falls within the Categorical Exemption set forth in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15303/Class 3 (New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures), which exempts existing facilities under certain conditions. Staff found that the conditions are met.
Section 15303/Class 3 consists of construction and location of limited numbers of new, small facilities or structures; installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures; and the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only min or modifications are made in the exterior of the structure. The numbers of structures described in this section are the maximum allowable on any legal parcel.
Examples of this exemption include, but are not limited to:
a) One single -family residence, or a second dwelling unit in a residential zone. In urbanized areas, up to three single -family residences may be constructed or converted under this exemption.
b) A duplex or similar multi -family residential structure, totaling no more than four dwelling units. In urbanized areas, this exemption applies to apartments, duplexes and similar structures designed for not more than six dwelling units. c) A store, motel, office, restaurant or similar structure not involving the use of significant amounts of hazardous substances, and not exceeding 2 ,500 square feet in floor area. In urbanized areas, the exemption also applies to up to four such commercial buildings not exceeding 10,000 square feet in floor area on sites zoned for such use if not involving the use of significant amounts of hazardous substances where all necessary public services and facilities are available and the surrounding area is not environmentally sensitive.
d) Water main, sewage, electrical, gas, and other utility extensions, including street improvements, of reasonable length to serve such construction. e) Accessory (appurtenant) structures including garages, carports, patios, swimming pools, and fences.
f) An accessory steam sterilization unit for the treatment of medical waste at a facility occupied by a medical waste generator, provided that the unit is installed and operated in accordance with the Medical Waste Management Act (Section 117600, et seq., of the Health and Safety Code) and accepts no offsite waste.
The proposed project would be consistent with the provisions of a Class 3 Categorical Exemption because it would include the new construction of small facilities or structures to create a passive park on an existing parcel. The park is intended to provide a protected path of travel and rest area for pedestrians and bicyclists . Proposed structures for the park would include ADA benches and tables, landscaping, irrigation, ADA paths of travel, open green space, and a bike rack. In addition, the project includes the installation of new irrigation connections to serve the proposed project. The project would be limited to the existing footprint of the parcel and would be consistent with the scale of the project site and surrounding are a. Further, t he project would not requir e the storage of significant amounts of any hazardous materials. The project site is located in a developed portion of the City and is not located near any environmentally sensitive areas or resources.
This project does not meet the exceptions for a categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15300.2 of the State CEQA Guidelines.
Staff has performed a preliminary environmental assessment of this project and determined that it does not meet the exceptions for a categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15300.2 of the State CEQA Guidelines. Staff found that the conditions are met.
Section 15300.2 identifies exceptions that would disqualify a project from being exempt under the State CEQA Guidelines. According to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2, a project that would be located within an environmentally sensitive area, result in significant cumulative impacts, result in a significant effect on the environment, damage scenic resources within the viewshed of a state scenic highway, be located on a hazardous waste site compiled pursuant to California Government Code Section 65962.5, or cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource would not qualify for an exemption under State CEQA Guidelines.
The proposed passive park is intended to provide a protected path of travel and rest area for pedestrians and bicyclists. The Project site is not located in the viewshed of a scenic vista or near or within any natural areas, surface waters, wetlands, or other environmentally sensitive areas. Project construction would be limited to daytime hours (7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.) and would not result in new sources of nighttime noise or lighting. Construction activities would require fill of the existing ponding bas in and construction of the park amenities using typical construction equipment and associated emissions would fall below established San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD) air emissions thresholds. Further, the Project would not includ e the establishment of vehicle parking areas or other components that would promote new operational vehicle trips to and from the Project site or otherwise increase long -term air or greenhouse gas emissions. Ground disturbing activities would be limited in scale, primarily to the placement of fill material, and would not be expected to disturb cultural or paleontological resources. In addition, ground disturbing activities would be conducted in accordance with City Municipal Code Chapter 6, Article 7 (Urban Storm Water Quality Management and Discharge Control), which requires the implementation of best management activities (BMPs) to reduce and/or eliminate pollutant discharge during construction. Further, the Project would implement storm wa ter quality cont rols recommended in the Fresno-Clovis Storm Water Quality Management Construction and Post-Construction Guidelines to address long-term drainage conditions. The Project does not include the construction of new buildings or structures that could increase lo ng-term seismic, geologic, or wildfire risk at the Project site. Operational activities would be limited to scheduled maintenance trips conducted by existing City employees and would not result in a substantial number of new employment opportunities or residents; therefore, the Project would not induce population or other associated growth or otherwise substantially increase demand on existing public services or utilities.
Date: May 6, 2025
Prepared by:
Annika Kiemm
Project Environmental Planner
SWCA Environmental Consultants
(805) 243-9389
Submitted by:
Raymundo Casillas
Engineer II
City of Fresno
Utilities and On-Site Project Management,
Capital Projects Department
(559) 621-8658