CITY OF FRESNO
CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT NO. CP00004
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, 2
ND Floor
Fresno, CA 93721
PROJECT LOCATION: Street Work at Tuolumne and Van Ness, Tuolumne Street between Broadway Street and Van Ness Avenue in F resno, California
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The City of Fresno proposes to reconstruct the sidewalk and install a new curb and gutter along Tuolumne Street between Broadway Street and Van Ness Avenue, including the Congo and Federal Alley approaches. The project would also involve the installation of new streetlights, street trees, and drainage inlets. The project would include the removal of existing drainage inlets and the demolition of a portion of the old Tuolumne Diverter Road, improving overall infrastructure in the area. The existing street easement (old Tuolumne Diverter Road) on City- owned property would be vacated after all the street work is completed. Additionally, the project would require a street dedication for an extension of the Federal Ally.
This project is exempt under Section 15301 (c)/Class 1 and Section 15302 (c)/Class 2 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 CEQA Guidelines Class 1 exemption Section 15301(c) for Existing Facilities which exempts projects from repair and maintenance of existing public structure, and facilities , and Class 2 exemption Section 15302 (b) for Replacement or Reconstruction which exempts minor alterations, or replacement or reconstruction of existing facilities under certain conditions. Staff found that the following conditions are met:
Section 15301 (c)/Class 1 consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency's determination. The types of "existing facilities" itemized below are not intended to be all-inclusive of the types of projects which might fall within Class
1. The key consideration is whether the project involves negligible or no expansion of an existing use.
Specifically included in this class of exemption are:
(c) Existing highways and streets, sidewalks, gutters, bicycle and pedestrian trails, and similar facilities (this includes road grading for the purpose of public safety, and other alterations such as the addition of bicycle facilities, including but not limited to bicycle parking, bicycle- share facilities and bicycle lanes, transit improvements such as bus lanes, pedestrian crossings, street trees, and other similar alterations that do not create additional automobile lanes).
The propos
ed project will involve the replacement of the existing sidewalks and install a new curb and gutter along Tuolumne Street between Broadway Street and Van Ness Avenue , including the Congo and Federal Alley approaches, the installation of streetlights and street trees, and drainage inlets. No additional traffic capacity of Tuolumne and Van Ness Avenue or associated traffic impacts will result from the proposed improvements. The project is consistent with the Fresno General Plan and complies with all conditions described in Section 15301 (c)/Class 1 of the California CEQA Guidelines.
Section 15302 (c)/Class 2 consists of the 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. The key consideration is whether the project involves relocation of the existing facility, and/or negligible or no capacity expansion of an existing use.
Specifically included in this class of exemption are:
(c) R
eplacement or reconstruction of existing utility systems and/or facilities involving negligible or no expansion of capacity.
This
project is exempt from CEQA under CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301 and 15302.
Specifically, the project consists of operation, repair, maintenance, and minor alterations to existing streets, sidewalks, and gutters. The project would involve negligible or no expansion of use and is consistent with the prior and existing uses of the area. The project is consistent with the Fresno General Plan and complies with all conditions described in Section 15302/Class 2 of the California CEQA Guidelines.
None of
the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions 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 exemption, as noted above, has been prepared for the project.
Date: April 3, 2025
Prepared By:
Ky
le Simpson, Principal
LSA Associates, Inc.
Subm
itted By:
Gustavo Rangel, Project Manager
City
of Fresno, (559) 621-8634
Gustavo Rangel