HomeMy WebLinkAboutRevalidation Letter changed to Addendum to the MND
Corporate Office – Orange County Telephone: 949.788.4900
16431 Scientific Way Facsimile: 949.788.4901
Irvine, CA 92618-4355 Website: www.ultrasystems.com
February 5, 2025
Christopher Smethurst, Senior Engineer VIA EMAIL
City of Fontana – Public Works
8353 Sierra Avenue
Fontana CA 92335
E: csmethurst@fontanaca.gov
T: (909) 350-6649
SUBJECT: CITY OF FONTANA – CIVIC CENTER RENOVATION PROJECT
CEQA IS/MND ADDENDUM AND REVALIDATION
Dear Mr. Smethurst:
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Pursuant to Section 15164 of the CEQA Guidelines, UltraSystems has reviewed the current plans for
Phase II of the City of Fontana Civic Center Renovation Project (Project). This Technical
Memorandum serves as an Addendum to the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared
by UltraSystems Environmental, as adopted by the City of Fontana on January 16, 2024.
In its entirety, the project consists of: (1) demolition of Annex and City Hall buildings; (2) utility
improvements; (3) construct Annex (Phase I) and City Hall (Phase II) buildings, including adding
parking garages on the first level of each new building; (4) reconfiguration of surface parking
adjacent to the two buildings; and (5) landscaping.
At the time of adoption of the IS/MND, the Concept Plan for the Project included the following specific
elements:
Table 1.0-1
PRIOR CONCEPT PLAN
Demolition New Construction Proposed
Uses/Features
Square Feet No. of
Stories
Approximate
Building
Height (feet)
Annex
Building
(13,500 SF)
Annex Building/
Parking Garage
Two stories with the first
floor being a garage to
accommodate 56
parking spaces and the
second story an office
area.
30,000
(excluding
parking
level)
2 30
City Hall
Building
(31,500 SF)
City Hall
Building/Parking
Garage
Two stories, first floor
being a mix of garage and
office space, as well as
City Council chambers.
25,000 to
30,000 per
floor,
2 + 3rd
story
vaulted
ceiling for
40
Christopher Smethurst, Senior Engineer
City of Fontana
February 5, 2025
Page 2
Demolition New Construction Proposed
Uses/Features
Square Feet No. of
Stories
Approximate
Building
Height (feet)
Second floor offices. 65
parking spaces would be
provided.
including
parking area
Council
Chambers
The Annex Building (Phase I) portion of the Project is expected to be completed in August 2025.
In anticipation of construction start for the City Hall Building (Phase II), an Entitlement Package dated
December 16, 2024, was prepared by Sillman Architects. In that package, the Phase II site boundaries
remain unchanged but building plans have been revised to include the following elements. (See
Table 1.0-2, below)
Table 1.0-2
CHANGES FROM CONCEPT PLAN
Adopted IS/MND Entitlement Package Environmental Impact
Conclusion
Single rectangular building,
oriented north/south
Two buildings, one a rectangle oriented
east/west (north building) and the other an
irregular shape oriented diagonally from north
to south (south building)
No Change
Parking on level one Parking on level one of north building; no
parking on level one of south building
No Change
Offices on level two Offices on level two of north building and
levels one and two of south building
No Change
25,000 to 30,000 square feet
per floor (50,000 to 60,000
total)
42,072 square feet Less Impact
65 parking spaces 75 parking spaces Less than Significant Impact
3-story height, including
Council Chambers
2-story height, including Council Chambers Less Impact
Based on Initial Study findings, the proposed project would have no impact or a less than significant
impact on the following environmental categories listed below in Table 1.0-3.
Table 1.0-3
TOPICAL ISSUES NOT REQUIRING MITIGATION
Topical Issues Prior Conceptual Site
Plan Result Mitigation Required
Aesthetics
No Impact
Considered Less than
Significant
NO
Agriculture and Forestry Resource
Air Quality
Biological Resources
Energy
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Hazards and Hazardous Materials
Christopher Smethurst, Senior Engineer
City of Fontana
February 5, 2025
Page 3
Hydrology and Water Quality
Land Use and Planning
Mineral Resources
Noise
Population and Housing
Public Services
Recreation
Utilities and Service Systems
Wildfire
Based on Initial Study findings, the project would have a less than significant impact on the following
environmental categories shown in Table 1.0-4 and listed in Appendix G of the CEQA Guidelines
when proposed Mitigation Measures are implemented.
Table 1.0-4
TOPICAL ISSUES REQUIRING MITIGATION
Topical Issues Prior Conceptual Site
Plan Result Mitigation Required
Cultural Resources (Arch, Historical, Paleo)
Potential Impact w/o
Mitigation
YES
Geology and Soils
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Transportation and Traffic
Tribal Cultural Resources
2.0 CEQA REVALIDATION
UltraSystems has reviewed plans in the Entitlement Package dated December 16, 2024 prepared by
Sillman Architects, and compared those plans to the August 2023 Conceptual Plans on which the
IS/MND adopted January 16, 2024, was based.
Based on the information provided, it is our opinion that changes or additions are necessary but none
of the conditions described in Section 15162 of the CEQA Guidelines calling for the preparation of a
subsequent MND have occurred.
This Addendum addresses those changes and no further analysis under CEQA is required.
Betsy A. Linday, MURP Robert Reicher, MBA
Founder/CEO Senior Project Manager