Attachment 1.pdf — Rialto City Council, August 13, 2024

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 Proj ect: ________________________________________________ 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
ATT ACHMENT 1:

CEQA - Notice of Exemption
Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project

1. Introduction
The City of Rialto and its Engineering Services Department (City) has jointly prepared this technical memorandum in support of an Exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the proposed Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project (proposed project). The City is the lead agency under CEQA.

This technical memorandum describes the proposed project, including project location and background, project objectives, project characteristics (including construction details), and an evaluation of the environmental issues associated with the proposed project. This technical memo contains the following sections:

1. Introduction

2. Project Location

3. Project Background and Objectives

4. Project Description

5. Environmental Evaluation

6. Conclusions Supporting CEQA Exemption for Proposed Project

7. References

8. Appendices

1. Project Location
The proposed project would provide important roadway, utility relocation, and American with Disabilities Act (ADA) access improvements for a 1.5-mile-long section of Locust Avenue from Riverside Avenue to Casmalia Street, within the northern portion of the City of Rialto in southern San Bernardino County, California (Figure 1). The project site is located within the 1994 Rialto Airport Speciﬁc Plan area and the proposed section of Locust Avenue is a designated truck route according to the City’s approved 2010 General Plan and the updated 2023 Circulation Element. Land parcels surrounding the project site are designated as “Planned Industrial Development” or “General Manufacturing,” under the Rialto Airport Speciﬁc Plan Land Use and Zoning Maps (1994), with existing land uses comprised of industrial, commercial, and manufacturing uses, with some interspersed vacant and residential parcels.

2. Project Background and Objectives
The proposed 1.5-mile-long section of Locust Avenue is designated as a secondary arterial. Presently, the existing arterial is a two-lane roadway with a yellow center stripe and one travel lane in the north and south direction. A 6-foot Class II bike lane and on-street parking exist at some portions of the roadway City of Rialto
Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project

City of Rialto
Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project

along this section. Left turn and right turn lanes exist on Locust Avenue at Riverside Avenue and Casmalia Street intersections. The existing right of way width varies from 63 to 100 feet. The built roadway width varies from 23 to 64 feet.

The proposed project would meet the growth needs projected along this section of Locust Avenue, which includes accommodating the assigned truck route and pavement rehabilitation according to the City’s planning and engineering recommendations. Based on the typical street section standard for secondary arterial per city standard plan No. S-100, the right-of-way width and roadway travel way widths would be 88 and 64 feet, respectively. The proposed project would result in a 4-lane roadway (12- and 14- foot lane, each direction) with one painted median/left turn lane/two-way left turn lane and a 6- foot-wide sidewalk and 6-foot wide landscaping/parkway area on both sides. Other improvements include upgrading curb ramps to meet or exceed the ADA standards, installing new driveways and sidewalk, and relocating utilities including power poles and right-of-way frontage acquisitions.

Speciﬁcally, the proposed project is needed because this existing section of Locust Avenue requires important roadway improvements, ADA access improvements, and utility relocations to meet growth needs projected along this reach of Locust Avenue. The project objectives are as follows:
• upgrade the roadway to accommodate the assigned truck routes, • upgrade curb ramps to meet ADA standards,
• install new driveways and sidewalks, and
• relocate utilities.

3. Project Description

3.1. Roadway Improvements
Figure 2 presents the site locations and associated project features in ten sheets (see Appendix A).

Overall, the proposed project would include the following roadway improvements:
• roadway widening and excavation; and
• removal and replacement of (asphalt/concrete (AC) and Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) curbs, gutters, cross-gutters, spandrel, curb ramps, driveways, and sidewalk; a PCC bus pad, catch basins, reinforced concrete pipe, cold milling, crack sealing, hot mix asphalt (HMA); rubberized hot mix asphalt (RHMA) surface course, paving mats, and geogrid improvements.

3.2. Utility and Traffic Circulation Improvements
Related utility and traﬃc circulation improvements Include the following:
• adjustment of surface utilities to grade,
• relocation of surface utilities, parkway drain system, traﬃc striping, pavement markings and signing, detectable warning surfaces, traﬃc signal loop replacement, traﬃc signal modiﬁcations, traﬃc control,
• implementation and maintenance of storm water pollution prevention plan best management practices, and
City of Rialto
Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project

• construction staking/monument perpetuation.

3.3. Temporary Construction Easements and Project-Related Roadway Easements Implementation of the proposed project would require temporary construction access easements from 23 parcels and permanent roadway easements (edge of parcel) from the 38 parcels identiﬁed in Table 1.

Table 1. Project-Related Parcel Easements and Acquisitions APN Property Owner and Address Present Use Proposed Easement 239-301-47 Green Tree Investment Partners
No Situs Address
Vacant Lot Roadway Easement
239-301-46 Green Tree Investment Partners
5143 N Locust Avenue
Vacant Commercial Roadway Easement /
Temporary Construction
Easement
239-301-42 Joseph A Noriega
3335 N Locust Avenue
Commercial Roadway Easement /
Temporary Construction
Easement
239-301-57 Gloria Pound (2 units)
PTI US Towers II LLC
3344 N Locust Avenue
Light Industrial
Communications
Temporary Construction
Easement
239-301-58

Multiple Owners
AAA Paving Co
SBA 2012 TC Assets LLC
3330 N Locust Avenue
Light Industrial
Communications
Roadway Easement /
Temporary Construction
Easement
239-301-04 AAA Paving Co
3330 N Locust Avenue
Misc/Communications Roadway Easement /
Temporary Construction
Easement
239-301-05 Sammie L Vick
5248 N Locust Avenue
Single Family Residential Roadway Easement /
Temporary Construction
Easement
239-301-06 Delores Reggio
5250 N Locust Avenue
Singel Family Residential Roadway Easement /
Temporary Construction
Easement
239-301-52 Batfish Holdings LLC
No Situs Address
Vacant Roadway Easement /
Temporary Construction
Easement
239-301-23 Metropolitan Water District of
Southern California
2130 N Locust Avenue
Vacant Roadway Easement
239-301-44 Esteban Agredano
3197 N Locust Avenue
Commercial Roadway Easement
239-192-16

Locust Casa Grande LLC
Casa Grande Drive
Light Industrial
Communications
Roadway Easement /
Temporary Construction
Easement
239-192-15 Locust Casa Grande LLC
No Situs Address
Vacant Industrial Roadway Easement /
Temporary Construction
Easement
239-192-14 Locust Casa Grande LLC
No Situs Address
Industrial/Public Storage
Mini Warehouse
Roadway Easement
City of Rialto
Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project

APN Property Owner and Address Present Use Proposed Easement 239-301-51 Rialto Springs LLC
18145 W Coast Boulevard
Vacant Industrial Temporary Construction
Easement
239-301-56 Rialto Locus Land Co
No Situs Address
Vacant Industrial Temporary Construction
Easement
239-301-55 Rialto Locus Land Co
5361 N Locust Avenue
Misc/School Temporary Construction
Easement
239-491-41 Trex Property Investments LLC
3047 N Locust Avenue #B
Industrial/Public Storage
Mini Warehouse
Temporary Construction
Easement
239-193-10 Ramesh Dolwani
2941 N Locust Avenue
Light Industrial Roadway Easement /
Temporary Construction
Easement
239-193-1 Locust XC LLC
No Situs Address
Vacant Temporary Construction
Easement
239-192-23 BT Property LLC
No Situs Address
Vacant Temporary Construction
Easement
239-193-16

Spartan Industries
2823 N Locust Avenue
Industrial/Public Storage
Mini Warehouse
Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-091-19

Reina Holding Company LLC
2775 N Locust Avenue
Light Industrial Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-091-20

Reina Holding Company LLC
2775 N Locust Avenue
Light Industrial Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-031-01

Tubular Steel Inc
2750 N Locust Avenue
Light Industrial Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-091-22 MBAR Properties LLC
2745 N Locust Avenue
Light Industrial Roadway Easement /
Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-091-23 MBAR Properties LLC
No Situs Address
Light Industrial Roadway Easement /
Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-091-24 MBAR Properties LLC
No Situs Address
Light Industrial Roadway Easement /
Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-091-06 Luis Cordero
No Situs Address
Vacant
Residential
Roadway Easement /
Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-041-02

Robert Frank Zadina
No Situs Address
Miscellaneous Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-061-02

Ken & Tel Properties LLC
1910 Stonehurst Drive
Light Industrial Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-081-01 Golden Land Real Estate LLC
No Situs Address
Vacant Roadway Easement
1133-081-02 Golden Land Real Estate LLC
No Situs Address
Vacant Roadway Easement
1133-081-04

John Benhart
SBA 2012 TC Assets LLC
2438 N Locust Avenue
Light Industrial
Communications
Roadway Easement /
Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-201-20 Josephine Marie Gonzales
No Situs Address
Vacant Roadway Easement
City of Rialto
Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project

APN Property Owner and Address Present Use Proposed Easement 1133-191-11 Pusan Pipe America Inc
No Situs Address
Miscellaneous Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-191-12 Pusan Pipe America Inc
No Situs Address
Miscellaneous Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-191-02 Burlingame Industries Inc.
2352 N Locust Avenue
Light Industrial Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-191-23 Burlingame Industries Inc.

No Situs Address
Vacant Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-191-24 Burlingame Industries Inc.

No Situs Address
Vacant Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-191-25 Burlingame Industries Inc.

No Situs Address
Vacant Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-221-04 2271 Locust XC LLC
2271 Locust Avenue
Light Industrial Temporary Construction
Easement
1133-221-05 2271 Locust XC LLC
No Situs Address
Vacant Temporary Construction
Easement
0239-192-12 Locust Springs LLC
No Situs Address
Vacant Temporary Construction
Easement
0239-192-13 Balrazar Mejia
3040 N Locust Ave
Light Industrial Temporary Construction
Easement
0239-301-26 Juan Luis Chavez Robles
3315 N Locust Avenue
Commercial Parking Lot Roadway Easement
Notes: APN – Assessors Parcel Number, LLC – Limited Liability Corporation, N – North,

3.4. Construction Process and Schedule
Construction of the proposed improvements would not require large-scale ground excavation work, importing/exporting (trucks) soil, or use of vibratory/pile-driving equipment. Construction equipment use would include excavators, bulldozers, loaders, dump trucks, and concrete mixers; however, average daily use would be limited to three or four pieces of equipment.

Ground disturbance would also be limited to an estimate depth of 7 or 10 inches (excavation). During ground disturbance, standard construction practices would include the training of construction workers to identify any suspected or impacted soils (due to past site uses or contaminates) that may be encountered during site grading and the appropriate management of any impacted soils (e.g., dust control and stockpile management) until they can be removed to an appropriate disposal location.

The construction process is anticipated to occur over a 12- to 15-month period; although, construction work would be limited to weekday, standard week-day hours, with some construction phases requiring greater intensity of work than others.

The staging area is identiﬁed at the southeast corner of Locust Ave/Riverside Ave intersection (see Figure 2). While the entire parcel is identiﬁed in the ﬁgure, staging would likely only be necessary for a portion of the parcels. The staging area would be used for the storage of construction-related equipment and materials such as vehicles and stockpiles. Employee or construction worker parking would also occur at the staging location/area.

City of Rialto
Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project

3.5. Project Operations and Maintenance
Operations and maintenance of the proposed project would be the same as for the existing roadway and appurtenant facilities under existing conditions.

4. Environmental Evaluation

4.1. Introduction
The proposed project site is located within a developed area of the city. Existing land uses consist of predominately industrial, commercial, and manufacturing uses (Table 1, above); however, a number of vacant parcels and a residence are also located within the study area (or project site). There is the potential for the proposed project to have a signiﬁcant impact on the following environmental resources:
• Aesthetics and Land Use
• Biological Resources
• Cultural (Historic Resources)
• Hazards and Hazardous Materials
Each of these environmental resources is evaluated below for the potential to be substantially aﬀected such that the proposed project would result in a signiﬁcant environmental impact.

Furthermore, the proposed project was evaluated to ascertain whether the proposed project would substantially degrade the quality of the environment, substantially reduce the habitat of a ﬁsh or wildlife species, cause a ﬁsh or wildlife population to drop below self-sustaining levels, threaten to eliminate a plant or animal community, substantially reduce the number or restrict the range of a rare or endangered plant or animal, eliminate important examples of the major periods of California history or prehistory; make a cumulatively considerable incremental contribution to a signiﬁcant cumulative impact; or have environmental eﬀects which would cause substantial adverse eﬀects on human beings, either directly or indirectly.

Environmental resource issues that would have no potential to be signiﬁcantly or substantially impacted by the proposed project in any of the manners described above are as follows:
• Agricultural Resources
• Air Quality/Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Hydrology and Water Quality
• Mineral Resources
• Noise and Traﬃc
• Public Services, Recreation, or Utility Systems.

There would be no impacts from operations and maintenance of the proposed project, which would remain essentially the same as for the existing roadway, so no further analysis is needed or provided.

City of Rialto
Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project

4.2. Aesthetics and Land Use
The project site and the surrounding properties in the City of Rialto are not designated as a scenic vista by the 2010 Rialto General Plan. The nearest State Scenic Highway to the project site is Route 2 near La Canada Flintridge, located approximately 45 miles northwest of the site (California Department of Transportation, 2019), and project implementation would not impact a state scenic resource.

Additionally, there are no scenic resources such as trees, rock outcroppings, or historic buildings within a state scenic highway either adjacent to or in direct view from the site that would be removed or altered by the roadway or utility improvements under the proposed project. Under the proposed project, ground disturbance would be minimal. Additionally, the corresponding roadway/utility improvements (including roadway paving, curbs, etc.) would be at a scale consistent with existing infrastructure/development in the study area and would not conﬂict with City General Plan Goal 2-14:
“Protect Scenic Vistas and Scenic Resources” and supporting policies.

As previously described, land uses in the study area consists of predominately industrial, commercial, and manufacturing uses. The proposed project meets the circulation, pedestrian, and safety goals and objectives of the 1994 Rialto Airport Speciﬁc Plan and is consistent with the City’s General Plan circulation and mobility objectives including:
• Goal 4-1: Provide transportation improvements to reduce traﬃc congestion associated with regional and local trip increases.

• Policy 4-1.1: Establish and maintain standards for a variety of street classiﬁcations to serve both local and regional traﬃc, including Major Arterial Highways, Major Arterials, Secondary Arterials, Collector Streets, and Local Streets.

• Measure 8.71: New and Replacement Sidewalks, Curbs, and Gutters.

The proposed project would not physically divide an established community and would not conﬂict with an applicable land use plan, policy, or regulation adopted for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating an environmental eﬀect.

During the construction process, land uses adjacent to the proposed project would experience temporary increases in construction noise, traﬃc, and particulate or dust impacts during periods of ground disturbance or roadway improvement installation. However, implementation of the proposed project would ensure consistency with City General Plan Implementation Measure 8.25: “Control of Dust During Construction” which requires the construction contractor to implement a variety of dust suppression measures during the construction of all projects to reduce the amount of dust and other sources of particulate matter (PM), in accordance with South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) rules. Construction traﬃc and noise impacts are also expected to be both short-term and temporary in nature and the proposed project would ensure consistency with City General Plan Implementation Measure 8.93: “Noise Ordinance.”
In conclusion, there is no potential for a signiﬁcant impact to aesthetics and land use from implementation of the proposed project.

City of Rialto
Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project

4.3. Biological Resources
A Biological Resources Technical Memorandum (GEI Consultants, Inc. 2024a) was prepared for the proposed project that included background research (including a review of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) (CDFW 2024) and the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) online Inventory of Rare and Endangered Vascular Plants of California (CNPS 2024)) and a reconnaissance-level ﬁeld survey of the project site by a GEI Consultants, Inc. (GEI) biologist that characterized general habitat conditions, determined that no sensitive habitats occur onsite, and evaluated suitability of habitat to support sensitive plant and wildlife species. The following section is based on information from the Biological Resources Technical Memorandum (Appendix B).

The project site is within the City of Rialto urban area and ranges in elevation from approximately 1,500 feet above mean sea level at the south end to 1,700 feet at the north end. Remnant open space habitat associated with the Lytle Creek drainage occurs to the north but is separated from the project by the 4- lane Riverside Avenue. Development on and adjacent to the project site is primarily commercial and light industrial, with several residential properties in the northern portion. Several undeveloped parcels, including the staging, are at the north end, also occur on the project site.

Vegetation along the roadway is very sparse and is primarily limited to ornamental shrubs and small trees. Edges of the vacant parcels that overlap the project site are dominated by nonnative grasses and forbs. At the time of the ﬁeld survey, vegetated portions of the staging area were dominated by tall (1-4 feet) forbs, including black mustard (Brassica nigra), wild oats (Avena fatua), sunﬂower (Helianthus spp.), and deerweed (Acmispon glaber); several Eucalyptus trees occur along the western edge of the area and a small pepper tree (Schinus molle) and tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) are in the middle.

Unvegetated portions of the staging area have been highly disturbed and include old and recent debris piles, small gravel stockpiles, and areas of loose, recently disturbed soil.

Value of the project site to wildlife is very low due to the minimal availability of undeveloped habitat and high levels of disturbance from traﬃc and industrial and residential land uses. However, some wildlife species, particularly birds, are highly adapted to urban environments and can persist in these areas. Bird species detected at the staging area during the site visit included western kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis), Bullock’s oriole (Icterus bullockii), lesser goldﬁnch (Spinus psaltria), and house ﬁnch (Haemorhous mexicanus). A California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi) was observed in the southern portion of the site, adjacent to recent ground disturbance; however, the approximately ﬁve burrow openings were all in areas of dense ground cover.

The project study area does not support any sensitive habitats (including critical habitats, waters of the United States subject to regulation under Clean Water Act Sections 401 and 404, waters of the state subject to the Porter-Cologne Act, or habitat subject to California Fish and Game Code Section 1602).

Implementing the proposed project would result in temporary disturbance during construction and a small amount of permanent land conversion of currently undeveloped parcels. However, the impact of these eﬀects of biological resources would be minor, due to the highly disturbed, urban conditions.

Chapter 11.08 – Street Trees of the City Code of Ordinances includes measures to protect public trees and requires permission for removal of street trees. Project construction may require removal of existing street trees. However, the project will comply with all existing regulations, include the City Code.

City of Rialto
Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project

Therefore, project implementation would not conﬂict with any local policies or ordinances protecting biological resources.

The project site is not within the boundary of an adopted Habitat Conservation Plan, Natural Community Conservation Plan, or other approved local, regional, or state habitat conservation plan and therefore project implementation would not conﬂict with the provisions of such a plan.

Common resident and migratory birds that are adapted to urban environments could nest on or adjacent to the project site. Because project activities would occur predominantly in developed and highly disturbed areas and would infringe only slightly onto vacant parcels, potential for the project to result in direct destruction of active nests is relatively low. However, if active nests are present in ornamental or other vegetation on or very near the project site, construction activities could result nest destruction, nest abandonment, reduced care of eggs or young, or premature ﬂedging. Loss of active nests of common species would not substantially reduce their abundance or cause any species to drop below self-sustaining levels but could be considered a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and CFGC Section 3503, both of which protect birds and their nests. Implementation of the proposed project outside of the nesting bird season (February to July) or pre-construction surveys and monitoring would ensure compliance with these requirements.

In conclusion, there is no potential for a signiﬁcant impact to biological resources from implementation of the proposed project.

4.4. Cultural Resources
A Cultural Resources Technical Memorandum (GEI Consultants, Inc. 2024b) was prepared for the proposed project that included records searches at the South Central Coastal Information Center (SCCIC) of the California Historical Resources Information System. The Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) was also contacted for a search of their Sacred Lands File (SLF) and a contact list of Native American Tribes associated with the area (April 2024) was provided to GEI. The following section is based on information from the Cultural Resources Technical Memorandum (Appendix C). (Note: conﬁdential cultural resource details are not for general public release.) Potential impacts to cultural resources were evaluated based on a review of record search results obtained by the SCCIC, as well as a review of historic maps and aerials, and ethnographic and historic documents available online. The cultural resources investigation did not identify any archaeological resources in the study area. Identiﬁed built environment resources include a water conveyance structure, the Canaigre Ditch, which is considered ineligible for the California Register of Historical Resources (CRHR) or the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Implementation of the project would include impacts or property takes to parcels located along the existing roadway; however, these impacts would be minor in width and would be located several yards away from the existing buildings and structures. In summary, the proposed project would result in no impact to known historical or archaeological resources.

It is possible, if unlikely, that historical or archaeological resources would be inadvertently discovered during ground-disturbing activities associated with the proposed project. Additionally, while not anticipated that human remains, including those interred outside of dedicated cemeteries, would be City of Rialto
Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project

discovered during ground-disturbing activities, inadvertent discovery during project construction activities is possible. This potential impact would be addressed through compliance with City General Plan Goal 7-3, “Identify, Document, and Protect Signiﬁcant Archaeological Resources in Rialto,” which includes policies to identify and avoid impacts to archaeological, historical, or Native American human remains consistent with State law.

The NAHC Sacred Lands database indicates that there are known Tribal Cultural Resources located within the same U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Township, Range, and Section as the proposed project.

Consultation between the City and interested Tribes is encouraged to understand the possibility that Tribal Cultural Resources are in the study area and the possible construction techniques that may be implemented to reduce potential impacts to any unknown and undiscovered Tribal Cultural Resources, should any be discovered during construction. At present, there is no substantial evidence to support a conclusion that there is a potential for a signiﬁcant impact to cultural resources.

In conclusion, there is no potential for a signiﬁcant impact to cultural resources from implementation of the proposed project.

4.5. Hazards and Hazardous Materials
A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Report (Phase I) was prepared for the proposed project (Partner Engineering and Science Inc., 2024a). The report includes extensive background research with local and State date sources (such as State Water Resources Control Board’s Geotracker database) and a ﬁeld reconnaissance or site visit of the study area. The following section is based on information from the Phase I (Appendix D).

Background research conducted for the Phase I report identiﬁed a “Superfund” site running along a portion of the western side of the study area (including the parcels 239-192-14 through -16 and -23). As more fully described in the Phase I, the United States Army historically (dating back to 1941) occupied a site on approximately 2,800 acres of land that includes a portion of the study area. The facility was identiﬁed as the Rialto Ammunition Storage Point (RASP) and is a Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS).

After 1945, the base was sold and occupied by defense contractors and private corporations for a variety of uses including ﬂare and ﬁrework manufacturing, storage, and distribution. Associated areas have since been added to the National Priorities List (NPL) as the Rocket’s, Fireworks, and Flares (RFF) Superfund site.

The Superfund site’s primary issue is perchlorate in groundwater (documented as greater than 400 feet below ground surface), which may result in related soil impacts for associated areas around the Superfund site (including the project site). Additional hazardous material issues identiﬁed for the Superfund site included volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and arsenic. While construction-related ground disturbance and earth- moving activities are minor, soil impacts may result in a construction worker safety concern as a result of potential exposed or blowing particulate from construction areas on the noted parcels. The Phase I report provided the following recommendations to address these potential hazardous material or worker safety issues:
• A limited subsurface investigation should be conducted, to determine the presence or absence of soil contamination related to the RFF Superfund site.

City of Rialto
Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project

• A soil management plan should be implemented should any soil contamination be encountered during construction.

A limited Shallow Soil Investigation was prepared for a sampling area limited to North Locust Street (west side only), between West Coast Boulevard and Tudor Streets (Partner Engineering and Science Inc., 2024b). The soil investigation was prepared in conformance with the requirements of the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Up to 11 soil sampling locations were collected (at least 6 to 12 inches below ground surface) in early July 2024 and a State-certiﬁed laboratory analyzed the soil samples. Laboratory results were compared to DTSC/EPA Regional Screening Levels (RSLs) and San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board Environmental Screening Levels (ESLs). The limited Shallow Soil Investigation concluded a “non- detection” result for perchlorate and arsenic results below State of California background levels (consistent with similar soils in the region). No further actions other than implementation of standard construction-related safety measures (including soil identiﬁcation and management) to ensure construction worker safety during construction-related activities is recommended.

Land-based emergency response routes and plans would not be aﬀected by the proposed project. The proposed project would not add structures that could be exposed to ﬁre risk.

In conclusion, there is no potential for a signiﬁcant impact from hazards and hazardous materials from implementation of the proposed project.

5. Conclusions Supporting CEQA Exemption for Proposed Project A project qualiﬁes for a City CEQA Class 1, Category 3 and State CEQA Class 1(c) exemption if it consists of operation, repair, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing street, sidewalk and gutter involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that previously existing; and does not involve the removal of a scenic resource. The proposed project would involve low-impact roadway, utility, and circulation improvements (including ADA circulation improvements); however, implementation of the proposed project would not expand or include incompatible uses or changes to the existing purpose of the roadway facility. In addition, pursuant to Section 15300.2 (c) and 15301 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, there are no unusual circumstances in respect to the proposed project for which staﬀ would anticipate a signiﬁcant eﬀect on the environment and the environmental analyses conducted above provide substantial evidence that there is no potential for any signiﬁcant impacts from implementation (planning, construction, operations, and maintenance) of the proposed project.

6. References
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). 2024. RareFind Version 5. Commercial version.

California Natural Diversity Database, Wildlife and Habitat Data Analysis Branch. Sacramento, CA. Available at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Data/CNDDB/Maps-and-Data#43018407-rarefind-5.

Accessed May 2024.

California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). 2019. List of Eligible and Officially Designated State Scenic Highways. August 2019. Available: https://dot.ca.gov/programs/design/lap-landscape- architecture-and-community-livability/lap-liv-i-scenic-highways. Accessed: May 16, 2024.

City of Rialto
Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project

GEI Consultants, Inc. 2024a. Biological Resources Technical Memorandum for the Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project. Prepared for the City of Rialto. Rancho Cordova, CA.

GEI Consultants, Inc. 2024b. Cultural Resources Technical Memorandum for the Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project. Prepared for the City of Rialto. Rancho Cordova, CA.

Partner Engineering and Science Inc., 2024a. Modified Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Report for the Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project. Prepared for GEI. Carlsbad, CA.

Partner Engineering and Science Inc., 2024b. Limited Shallow Soil Investigation for the Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project. Prepared for GEI. Carlsbad, CA.

7. Appendices
Appendix A Figure 2: Project Site (10 panels or sheets) Appendix B Biological Resources Technical Report
Appendix C Cultural Resources Technical Report
Appendix D Modiﬁed Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Report

City of Rialto
Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project

Appendix A Project Site (Figure 2)

City of Rialto
Locust Avenue Widening and Reconstruction Project

Rialto City CouncilAugust 13, 2024

Rialto City Council
August 13, 2024