HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09152009 - C.6RECOMMENDATION(S):
APPROVE the Balfour Road Shoulder Widening Project (Sellers Avenue to Bixler Road)
and AUTHORIZE the Public Works Director, or designee, to advertise the project.
[DCD-CP# 09-37] Project No.: 0662-6R4002, and
FIND the project is a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Class 1c Categorical
Exemption, pursuant to Article 19, Section 15301(c) of the CEQA Guidelines, and
DIRECT the Director of Conservation and Development to file a Notice of Exemption with
the County Clerk, and
AUTHORIZE the Public Works Director to arrange for payment of $25 fee to Conservation
and Development for processing, and a $50 fee to the County Clerk for filing the Notice of
Exemption, and
FISCAL IMPACT:
The estimated project construction cost is $9,300,000.00 funded by the Discovery Bay West
APPROVE OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY
ADMINISTRATOR
RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD
COMMITTEE
Action of Board On: 09/15/2009 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
Clerks Notes:
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Gayle B. Uilkema, District II
Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor
Susan A. Bonilla, District IV
Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V
Supervisor
Contact: Claudia Gemberling
(925) 313-2192
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: September 15, 2009
David J. Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
By: EMY L. SHARP, Deputy
cc: Patricia Hofherr, DCD, John Pulliam, Design, Leigh Chavez, Engineering Services, Marlon Epps, Environmental / Special District
C. 6
To:Board of Supervisors
From:Julia R. Bueren, Public Works Director/Chief Engineer
Date:September 15, 2009
Contra
Costa
County
Subject:APPROVE the Balfour Road Shoulder Widening (Sellers Avenue to Bixler Road) Project
Traffic Mitigation Fee.
BACKGROUND:
Contra Costa County Public Works Department (CCCPWD) plans to widen Balfour
Road between Sellers Avenue (City of Brentwood) and Bixler Road (Discovery Bay) in
eastern Contra Costa County. The project consists of widening the existing 18- to 20-foot
pavement width to 36 feet wide (two 12-foot wide travel lanes with two 6-foot wide
paved shoulders/bike lanes and 2-foot wide shoulder backing on each side). The project
does not increase the number of travel lanes and will therefore not increase the capacity of
the roadway.
This 3-mile segment is a narrow, two-lane road that receives substantial traffic as it is
used as a thoroughfare between Brentwood and Discovery Bay as well as a commuter
route to State Route 4. The purpose of the project is to bring the shoulders up to current
design standard to provide a driver recovery area and a bike lane. Adjacent land uses are
primarily agricultural including vineyards, orchards, cropland, pasturelands, vacant fields,
and rural residential development.
The existing County road right-of-way varies from 40 feet to 100 feet. CCCPWD will
need to acquire land in those areas where the existing right-of-way cannot accommodate
the shoulder widening and utility relocations. Therefore, real property transactions will be
necessary in support of the project. Strips of land varying between 5 to 8 feet will need to
be acquired along the north side of Balfour Road from various parcels and strips of land
varying between 5 to 44 feet would need to be acquired from various parcels along the
south side of the road. The East Contra Costa Irrigation District (ECCID) holds
easements and fee titles within some of the parcels that have their canal and underground
pipe facilities. The ECCID does not allow for any agricultural uses within their
easements. Aside from the acquisitions from ECCID, a total of 3.96 acres will need to be
acquired from parcels that do not contain ECCID easements. Approximately 0.5 acre of
the 3.96 acres will be acquired from a parcel that is preserved under the Williamson Act
Contract. According to the California Department of Conservation (CDC), contracted
lands can be acquired for a public improvement if there is no other land within or outside
the preserve on which it is reasonably feasible to locate the public improvement.
However, public agencies are required to advise the CDC Director and the local
governing body responsible for the administration of the agricultural preserve of its
intention to consider the location of a public improvement within the preserve. In
accordance with the requirement, the CCCPWD will notify both the CDC and the Contra
Costa County Department of Conservation and Development (local agency administering
Williamson Act Program) of its intent to locate public improvements within a parcel
currently under a Williamson Act contract. The purpose of the project is to improve the
safety of the roadway, which is consistent with the Traffic and Circulation Element of the
Contra Costa County General Plan.
The project is located within the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation
Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan (HCP/NCCP) inventory area and is a
covered activity (Road Safety Improvements). A habitat assessment was conducted by a
qualified biologist to determine the potential presence of sensitive resources. While no
sensitive resources were identified within the project area, there is the potential for
nesting birds to occur within the project area. Since residential landscape trees will need
to be removed, pre-construction surveys will be conducted within 14 days prior to tree
removals and/or start of construction during the nesting season (February 15-July 31).
If active nests are identified, the California Department of Fish and Game and/or the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service will be contacted to determine an appropriate
buffer zone.
Traffic control will be in place for westbound traffic to accommodate morning commute
traffic, whereas eastbound traffic will be directed to a detour route. The Phase I detour
route for eastbound traffic on Balfour Road would be via Byron Highway to the north, to
Orwood Road to the east, and Bixler Road to the south. The Phase II detour route for
eastbound traffic on Balfour Road would be via Sellers Avenue to the north, to Chestnut
Street to the east, and to Byron Highway to the south. Construction area notification signs
indicating the dates and times of construction as well as detour route signs will be placed
throughout the area prior to start of construction. Emergency vehicles will be allowed
access at all times.
No other potential environmental impacts were identified including cultural and historical
resources.
General Plan Conformance has been requested from the City of Brentwood.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Delay in approving the project will result in a delay of design and construction and may
jeopardize funding.
ATTACHMENTS
G:\engsvc\ENVIRO\BO\2009\BO Balfour CEQA 9-15-09.pdf