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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 10062009 - C.01RECOMMENDATION(S): APPROVE the Camino Tassajara Road Shoulder Widening project, south of Highland Road, (San Ramon) 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 a $25 fee to the Department of Conservation and Development for processing, and a $50 fee to the County Clerk for filing the Notice of Exemption, and AUTHORIZE the Public Works Director, or designee, to advertise the project. FISCAL IMPACT: APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 10/06/2009 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: Kimani Birden (925) 313-2190 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: October 6, 2009 David J. Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: EMY L. SHARP, Deputy cc: Emma Kuevor, Affirmative Action Officer, Karen Fernandez, Finance, Bill Fernandez, Design, Marlon Epps, Engineering Services C. 1 To:Board of Supervisors From:Julia R. Bueren, Public Works Director/Chief Engineer Date:October 6, 2009 Contra Costa County Subject:APPROVE the Camino Tassajara Road Shoulder Widening project South of Highland Road and make related findings under CEQA (CP#08-14) Project No.:6P4023 The estimated project cost is $933,000. This project is funded by Prop 1B (40%) and South County AOB (60%). BACKGROUND: Contra Costa County Public Works Department (CCCPWD) is planning to implement the Camino Tassajara Shoulder Widening South of Highland Road Project to provide a new shoulder recovery area for drivers along Camino Tassajara Road and to bring the shoulders up to current design standards. The project will begin approximately 520 feet south of Highland Road and will extend 3,900 feet to the south of Highland. The existing pavement section is approximately 24 feet wide with two 12 foot lanes. The new pavement section will be widened to 34 feet with two 12 foot wide lanes, 5 foot wide shoulders, and 3 foot wide shoulder backing on both sides of the roadway. In addition, approximately 1,400 feet of the roadway will be realigned to the west to avoid further undercutting associated with Tassajara Creek to the east. In most locations, areas that currently sheet flow to adjacent properties will continue to do so after the project is completed. In those areas where the roadway is flanked on both sides by drainage ditches (approximately 1500 linear feet), it will be necessary to create new ditches or relocate existing ditches further from the road to accommodate the widening. Once the ditches are relocated they will be reconnected to existing ditches. The project will address the following erosion related damage associated with Tassajara Creek and the drainage ditches that run parallel to Camino Tassajara Road: • At a location midway along the project area, the roadway embankment adjacent to Tassajara Creek on the east side of the project is experiencing erosion damage. A hot mixed asphalt (HMA) dike will be installed along the edge of the pavement to redirect runoff away from the damage and towards a shallow depression area a short distance away. Redirection of the drainage to this stable area will correct the erosion problem. No work will occur within Tassajara Creek. • A rock and/or concrete spillway will be constructed between an existing roadside ditch and a small unnamed drainage. The spillway will stop the erosion that is occurring between the edge of the roadway and the small drainage, which if left unimproved could erode into the road. Additionally, a small gabion weir structure will be installed just upstream of the new spillway to dissipate the energy that is creating substantial erosion in this small drainage, which could also endanger the road if not addressed. Approximately 50,000 square feet of new right-of-way will be required (between 5 to 20 feet on either side of the roadway) in order to accommodate the widening, provide room for joint utility pole relocation, accommodate the spillway and drainage modifications, and the new ditches. Existing home owner fencing will be relocated where right-of-way is acquired for widening. A gate will be installed in the existing fence adjacent to the spillway for maintenance access. A driveway culvert will be installed under an existing driveway. Another driveway culvert which has been crushed and is not functioning properly will be replaced. Six existing mailboxes that conflict with the proposed widening will be relocated further from the road. Once the widening is complete, the road will be slurry sealed and striped. Approximately 18 trees lining the roadway that conflict with the proposed widening will need to be removed. None of the trees are riparian as they are separated from Tassajara Creek by Camino Tassajara Road. Tree removal will not cause a significant aesthetic impact, as there are large numbers of trees in the surrounding area and lining Tassajara Creek and the trees do not constitute a stand. Approximately 3 single trunk Southern California black walnut trees (approximately 25” dbh), 9 multi-trunk Southern California black walnut trees (<48” dbh), 6 valley oak (<24” dbh) will be removed to accommodate realignments to the western side of the roadway. In order to ensure compliance with the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the trees will be removed outside of the nesting season (March 1 through August 31), or if that is not feasible, a nesting bird survey will be conducted by a qualified biologist to ensure no active nests. If active nests are identified, construction will be delayed until the young have fledged. The project area contains potential red-legged frog (RLF) habitat. CCCPWD staff met with staff from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) at the project site. USFWS staff indicates that the project qualifies for coverage under the programmatic consultation for RLF between USFWS and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Based on this preliminary consultation, the CCCPWD will implement avoidance and minimization measures outlined in the programmatic consultation that includes conducting a preconstruction survey within two weeks of the start of construction, presenting an education program to the contractor’s crews, and contracting with a qualified biologist to monitor all habitat disturbances during construction to ensure impacts to RLF are avoided. In order to minimize impacts to surrounding environmentally sensitive areas, the project has been designed to include Best Management Practices (BMPs) such as: 1. Implementation of permanent BMPs for long-term erosion prevention and sediment control, including minimizing the amount of disturbed area and preserving existing vegetation to the maximum extent possible. 2. Daily trash removal from the site will ensure the area is maintained in a clean condition. 3. Fueling and maintenance of equipment at designated areas outside the creek channel, and assurance that machinery is properly maintained so as to not allow deleterious fluids to enter the creek. 4. Following completion of the project; any exposed areas will be seeded with a mix including native grasses prior to winter rains. In addition, the project area was also reviewed via detailed records search and pedestrian survey by a qualified archeological consultant (Condor Country Consulting Inc.). Based on the records search and field work, no archeological resources or architectural structures will be directly or indirectly impacted by the project. No work that interferes with traffic flow will be performed during commute hours between 6:30 am to 8:30 am Monday through Friday with no p.m. or weekend limitations. During non-commute times only, one lane of traffic will be closed for construction with flagmen controlling traffic during construction activities. At least one lane of traffic will be open at all times during construction activities and emergency vehicles will have access at all times. Real property transactions, including right-of-way acquisition may be necessary in support of this project. Utility relocations may be necessary in support of the project. CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION: Delay in approving the project will result in delay of design and construction and may jeopardize funding. ATTACHMENTS S:\ENG Services\BO Camino Tassajara Shoulder Widening Proj..pdf S:\ENG Services\Camino Tassajara Notice of Exemption.pdf