City Council
MEETING DATE: 7/13/2016
TITLE:
Title
Addendum to the Cathedral City Whitewater River Bike Path CEQA Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration.
End
FROM:
John A. Corella, P.E. - City Engineer
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff is recommending that the City Council adopt a Resolution for the Addendum to the Cathedral City Whitewater River Bike Path CEQA Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Whitewater River Bike Path Project.
Body
BACKGROUND:
The Cathedral City Whitewater River Bike Path (Project) proposes the construction of a 14-foot wide concrete bike and pedestrian path along the top of the existing Riverside County Flood Control District (RCFCD) Channel western levee of the Whitewater River Channel between Vista Chino on the north and Ramon Road on the south for a total distance of approximately 2.2 miles.
An initial study was completed in January 2016 and presented to City Council in February 2016. The City Council of Cathedral City adopted a Resolution ordering the filing of a Mitigated Negative Declaration and approving Conditional Use Permit 16-001 for the Project.
In January 2016 the plans for the project were approximately 50% complete. Plans for the Project are now 100% complete and some minor modifications have been added to the Project. Advertisement for the construction of this Project is planned for September 2016 with construction required to be completed by March 2016.
DISCUSSION:
The Project plans have been refined and provide elaboration on the details to be able to construct the overall approved Project design. These refinements provide design details on the rest areas, path widths, path loop additions, benches, water fountains, path lighting, path look additions, rest areas with shade structures, wayfinding and other design details. Rest areas are planned at the Vista Chino and Ramon Road termini of the Project. The Project stays within the existing RCFCD right of way and no impacts to existing land use policy and regulation are expected.
Specifically, the two rest areas will have planned amenities that were not addressed in the original document. These planned amenities include the specific design of the shade structures, water fountains, map kiosk, bike racks, trash bins, recycling bin and benches. In addition for safety, the design includes pathway lighting on the edges and centerline of the path at various intervals and railing along the retaining wall in the vicinity of the Desert Water Agency well site at Ramon Road. In addition there are three locations where the path separates along the existing channel levees within the current right of way to accommodate width limitations.
The analyses and determinations in the January 2016 Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for this Project and the subsequent Resolution adopting a MND remain current and valid. Revisions to the original Project are in the form of limited route refinements and added amenities. No change has occurred in the MND that would create new significant effects not identified in the MND nor aggregate the level of effect to substantial or significant level, and thus no new mitigation measures will be necessary to reduce significant effects. No changes with regard to the circumstances surrounding the proposed Project that would cause new or substantially adverse significant effects to the environmental were identified in the January 2016 IS/MND. For this reason, there is no need for further environmental reviews. The application of programmatic conditions of approval to the Project ensure that community design issues associate with the Project are adequately addressed.
The applicable mitigation measures outlined in the January 2016 IS/MND have been incorporated by reference into the Addendum. The proposed Project will still be within the physical and regulatory context assessed for the original Project design, as detailed in the January 2016 IS/MND and this Addendum.
Purpose and Rationale of an IS/MND Addendum: The consideration of the need for and appropriateness of preparing the subject Addendum was conducted in accordance with the CEQA Guidelines, including Section 15164. This Addendum analyzed the potentially significant environmental effects associated with the refined and elaborated plans for the subject Whitewater River Bike Path, which includes limited extensions to levee slopes, addition of branch paths and inclusion of shade structures, railing and other amenities.
CEQA Findings:
Based on the above information and analysis set below in the attached Addendum, the following findings are recommended.
A. Construction of the refined and elaborated plans for the Whitewater River bike path project will not result in the generation of new significant environmental effects or substantially increase the severity of significant impacts identified in the project IS/MND.
B. Neither have the circumstances within which the project was originally analyzed substantially changed.
C. No new information of substantial importance, including new or more intense significant effects, was identified in the preparation of this Addendum.
D. No considerably different mitigation measures or project alternatives were required to reduce identified significant effects. As required by CEQA, this Addendum analyzes the whole of the action.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The adoption of an Addendum for the Project IS/MND is not a fiscal action. The proposed Project will be funded through the Transportation Account Funds that have been allocated by Local Agency - State Agreements No. BTA 08/09-08-RIV-01 and No. BTA 09/10-08-RIV-05 to the City of Cathedral City for the Bicycle Transportation Account projects defined as Whitewater River Bike Path Phase 1 and Phase 2.
No General Funds are allocated to implement this project.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Addendum to the Whitewater River Bike Path CEQA Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration.
2. Adopted Whitewater River Bike Path CEQA Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration.
3. Resolution.