TO: Chair and Members of the Planning Commission
THRU: Anna Pehoushek, Assistant Community Development Director
FROM: Robert Garcia, Senior Planner
1. Subject
title
General Plan conformance finding for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 through 2028-2029 Five-Year Capital Improvement Program and finding of CEQA exemption.
body
2. Summary
The Capital Improvement Program (CIP) serves as a single comprehensive plan of proposed capital improvement projects for the budget year Fiscal Year 2024-2025 and the four years thereafter. In accordance with State law, the City must determine that the CIP is consistent with the General Plan.
3. Recommended Action
recommendation
1. Find that the projects identified within the proposed five-year Capital Improvement Program are consistent with the City’s General Plan.
2. Find that the action is categorically exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per State CEQA Guidelines Section 15378.
end
4. AUTHORIZING GUIDELINES
California Government Code Section 65401 requires the City to prepare a coordinated program (i.e., Capital Improvement Program) identifying projects recommended for planning, initiation or construction during the following fiscal year. In accordance with State law, the Planning Commission must review and report on the conformity of the CIP with the adopted General Plan.
5. project background
In accordance with State law, the City must determine that the CIP is consistent with the General Plan. This is an annual report of the staff analysis for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 and the four years thereafter.
6. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The CIP serves as a single comprehensive plan of proposed capital improvement projects for the budget year Fiscal Year 2024-2025 and the four years thereafter. The CIP is a budgeting and fiscal planning tool used to determine the extent of future funding needs and existing sources of funding for City capital projects. The CIP identifies seven newly added projects to the previous CIP, for a total of 134 projects being proposed for the five year period. Of the projects identified in the previously adopted Fiscal Year 2023-2024 through 2027-2028 five-year CIP, 20 have been either completed, eliminated, or put on hold.
The new projects planned during the upcoming five-year planning period encompass a range of City projects identified in Attachment 1 and are summarized as follows:
• Replacement of equipment including:
o Reservoir 7 Hydropneumatics Tank Replacement
• Park facility improvements including:
o El Camino Real Exercise Equipment
o Serrano Park Lodge Pole Fencing Installation
• Public Works infrastructure improvements and studies such as:
o Citywide Bicycle Lane Enhancements
o Citywide Active Transportation Plan
o Pixley Neighborhood and Walnut Street Rehabilitation
o Riverdale Avenue Complete Street Improvements
7. analysis and statement of the issues
Staff has reviewed the new projects identified within the proposed five-year CIP for conformance with the City’s General Plan (a summary of new CIP projects is provided as Attachment 1). The projects identified in the CIP are consistent with City of Orange General Plan policy and further the implementation of the General Plan. A matrix presenting project conformance with the General Plan and the anticipated environmental review is provided as Attachment 2 to this report. A complete draft of the proposed five-year CIP project sheets is provided as Attachment 3.
8. public notice
The CIP General Plan conformity determination does not require public notice other than for the public meeting of the Planning Commission.
9. environmental review
Staff has reviewed the list of projects identified in the CIP and determined that a number of projects will likely involve the need for preparation of environmental documentation in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Appropriate CEQA documents will be prepared after a specific project scope is defined but prior to City Council approval of construction contracts.
The CIP General Plan conformity determination report is not a project per CEQA Guidelines Section 15378. The CIP is a budgeting and fiscal planning tool. It does not commit the City to construction or implementation of any specific project.
10. ADVISORY BOARD ACTION
The CIP itself is not reviewed by either the inter-departmental Staff Review Committee or Design Review Committee. Individual CIP projects may go before one or both bodies, as appropriate, at the time the project moves forward toward approval and implementation.
11. ATTACHMENTS
• Attachment 1 New Projects for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 through 2028-2029 Five-Year Capital Improvement Program
• Attachment 2 Capital Improvement Program General Plan Conformity Matrix
• Attachment 3 Draft Fiscal Year 2024-2025 through 2028-2029 Five-Year Capital Improvement Program Project Sheets