Agenda Item #13.8
For Council Meeting of: June 2, 2026
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DAN HENNESSEY, TRANSPORTATION & PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF GRANT OF UTILITY EASEMENT FOR HEARN COMMUNITY HUB AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
The Transportation and Public Works Department and Real Estate Services recommend that the Council, by resolution: 1) approve the grant of an easement over a portion of City owned property located at 976, 980 and 1004 Hearn Avenue, APN 043-191-025 (formerly known as APNs 043-191-018, -019, and -020) (collectively, the “Property”), to Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Pacific Bell Telephone Company, Sonic Telecom, LLC, Comcast Cable Communications, LLC, and CENIC Broadband Initiatives LLC, or any of their affiliates (collectively, the “Grantees”), and authorize the Director of Transportation and Public Works to negotiate non-substantive changes to the easement deed, subject to approval by the City Attorney, and to execute the easement deed; and 2) authorize the grant of future utility easements within the same area of the Property to any utility as may be necessary to support City facilities, and authorize the Director of Transportation and Public Works to negotiate such easement deeds, subject to approval by the City Attorney, and to execute the same. This item has no impact on current fiscal year budget.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A utility easement over a portion of the future Hearn Community Hub (“Project”) is necessary for installing and connecting utility infrastructure to support the fire station and public library that will be constructed at the Property. The resolution will approve the grant of an easement to multiple entities that will allow for the installation of electric, gas, communication and other utilities in the portion of the Property which will be constructed as the extension of Dutton Avenue.
GOAL
This item relates to Council Goal #2 - Invest in the Development and Maintenance of the City's Infrastructure as it will allow for the installation of infrastructure to support the future fire station and public library planned for construction at the Property.
BACKGROUND/PRIOR COUNCIL REVIEW
On October 22, 2024, Council by Resolution No. RES-2025-169:
Found pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15168 and 15162 that the Hearn Community Hub Project is within the scope of the previously certified 2016 Program Environmental Impact Report for the Roseland Area/Sebastopol Road and Roseland Area Annexation Projects Specific Plan and that no further environmental review is required as documented in the CEQA checklist prepared for the Hearn Community Hub Project; Awarded Design-Build Contract, Hearn Community Hub Phase 1, to the best value Design-Build entity, Swinerton Incorporated of Sacramento, California; and Approved the Agreement for Development and Construction of a Regional Library Branch in Southwest Santa Rosa with the Sonoma County Library.
ANALYSIS
In the design build process for the Project, the team has been working with representatives of the utility companies to prepare a joint trench plan within the area of the Project that is designated as the future Dutton Avenue extension. Within the Dutton Avenue extension, several utilities will need to be placed to support construction and operation of the Hearn Community Hub facilities. PG&E and the other Grantees require the City to grant an easement to them over a portion of the Property designed to be the road for the purposes of underground and aboveground facilities, appurtenances, and associated equipment, for the distribution of electric energy, conveyance of gas, communication, and other public utility purposes. It is anticipated that there may be some additional utilities that may need to be installed in the same easement area once the project is more fully designed. Staff seeks Council approval to grant future easement deeds for utility purposes, in the same designated area, and authorization for the Director of Transportation and Public Works to negotiate such deeds, subject to approval by the City Attorney, and execute same.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this action does not have a fiscal impact on the General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The proposed easement action is within the scope of the 2024 CEQA Checklist, based on the 2016 Program EIR, approved on October 22, 2024. The Notice of Determination was filed with the Sonoma County Clerk and the State Clearinghouse on October 24, 2024. The proposed easement action does not result in any new or substantially more severe environmental impacts.
CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 states that no subsequent environmental review is required unless proposed project changes result in new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in previously identified significant effects; substantial changes occur with respect to the circumstances under which the project is undertaken that would result in new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in previously identified significant effects; or new information of substantial importance shows that the project would result in new or substantially more severe impacts not previously analyzed, or that mitigation measures or alternatives previously found infeasible are now feasible. There are no changes to the project, circumstances, or new information demonstrating new or substantially more severe impacts. Therefore, no additional CEQA review is required.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution/Exhibit A (Easement Deed)
PRESENTER(S)
Jill Scott, Real Estate Manager
APPROVAL OF GRANT OF UTILITY EASEMENT FOR HEARN COMMUNITY HUB PAGE 3 OF 3