FROM:
Engineering
SUBJECT:
City of Fontana Sewer Master Plan and Storm Drainage Master Plan Updates
Title
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution No. 2025-013, finding that the City of Fontana 2023 Sewer Master Plan Update is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act and approving the Update and Resolution No. 2025-014 finding that the City of Fontana 2025 Storm Drain Master Plan Update is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act and approving the Update.
End
COUCIL GOALS:
• To invest in the city's infrastructure (streets, sewers, parks, etc.) by maintaining and improving the city's existing infrastructure.
• To invest in the city's infrastructure (streets, sewers, parks, etc.) by providing for the development of new infrastructure
DISCUSSION:
On September 13, 2022, City Council approved two professional services agreements. The service agreements adopted are as follows:
• An agreement with David Evans and Associates, Inc to prepare a new Storm Drainage Master Plan (2025 SDMP) for the City to provide an analysis of the existing storm drain system and recommendations for future Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) projects to improve the storm drain system and reduce the potential for flooding in areas that have experienced development and areas that are currently undeveloped.
• An agreement with Albert A. Webb and Associates to prepare a new Sewer Master Plan (SMP) for the City. The SMP provides the City with an analysis of the existing sewer collection and conveyance system and includes recommendations on future CIP projects to address deficiencies in the existing system and expansion to address future needs where new development and redevelopment that significantly increases waste discharge above existing conditions.
Storm Drain
The City maintains a large storm drain network that includes more than 150 miles of storm pipes and box culverts. These storm drain facilities capture storm water and conveys it to regional channels maintained by the San Bernardino County Flood Control District and Caltrans.
In 1992, the Fontana Storm Drain Master Plan (SDMP) was prepared and included most, but not all, of the geographical area of the City as it existed at the time. The purpose of the SDMP was to provide a comprehensive framework for managing the City’s storm water draining system and protecting habitable structures from the effects of heavy storm events and flooding. Generally, a storm drain master plan includes estimating the runoff rate from developed properties during the “100-year storm” (a storm with rainfall intensity or volume that has a 1% chance of occurring each year but is statistically expected to occur once every 100 years) and determining the size of infrastructure to convey these flow rates. In a typical watershed, the most upstream conveyance facility are streets. Further downstream, the land area contributing to the surface runoff increases, adding more stormwater to the street. Eventually, the accumulation of stormwater flow reaches the capacity of the streets. At this location, first minor and then major subregional underground facilities are introduced to convey stormwater. The minor subregional facilities are as small as 24” diameter pipes. The major facilities include pipes as large as 12 feet in diameter and even larger box storm drains. These subregional facilities drain to regional facilities that are owned by other public agencies.
The focus of the SDMP is on the subregional underground facilities down to a diameter of 36 inches. Storm drain pipes smaller than 36 inch diameter are an important element of the conveyance system, but are considered the obligation of individual development projects and are not included in the SDMP.
As land development occurs and new buildings and parking lots are constructed, stormwater runoff from a site increases and is concentrated, increasing the potential for flooding to downstream properties. In most cases, developers are required to mitigate these potential impacts. Mitigation can be obtained in several ways. Applicants are encouraged to construct conveyance systems including streets and master plan drainage facilities downstream of the project where none exist. Many areas of the City have fully developed storm drain systems and aside for minor local pipes, no further improvements are needed. Conversely, many areas have very little storm drain improvements. In these areas, land development projects could install storm drains and construct curb and gutter to mitigate the project impacts. In many cases, the City can offset some of the cost associated with the construction of master planned drainage facilities by applying fee credits against the storm drain development impact fee.
However, in some cases, the cost of the master planned facilities far exceeds the credit available for the project. In such cases, interim private detention basins can be demonstrated to mitigate the impacts to downstream properties by storing appropriate volumes of stormwater during the peak rainfall periods and releasing the flows after the peak rainfall occurrence has passed. Both the 1992 Master Plan and the new SDMP include a policy for implementing and sizing detention facilities. The new SDMP detention basin policy largely replicates the 1992 policy. However, with the passing of time, demands on development for addressing stormwater quality concerns and costs for construction of offsite infrastructure rising faster the seen in the past, the new SDMP detention basin policy has adjustments that provide more flexibility for smaller projects and allowances for interim private detention facilities, but also clarifies the City’s position for the use of infiltration as a means for “dewater” basins.
The 2025 SDMP divides the City into three service areas based on significant non-city maintained (regional) drainage facilities. As shown on Exhibit A, Area of Service (AOS) #1 is located between SR 210 and I-10 and is characterized by its large regional drainage facilities including the I-10 channel, East and West Fontana Channels, and the “Baseline Box” storm drain, but lacking many major and minor sub regional storm drain systems. For drainage study purposes, this area includes the West Sphere of Influence which is currently under the jurisdiction of San Bernardino County.
AOS #2 is located south of I-10 and is characterized by its main drainage facility, the DeClez Channel. The service area has experienced significant development over the past 40 years when the first houses in the Southridge Specific Plan were constructed in 1982. The DeClez Channel and most of sub-regional storm drains exists today due to this growth. However, pockets of this service area are lacking sub-regional storm drains.
AOS #3 is located north of SR 210 and is characterized by a few large regional drainage facilities including the Highland Channel (aka SR 210 Channel) and the Hawker-Crawford Channel. The service area has experienced significant development over the past 25 years when the first houses in Sierra Lakes were constructed. At about the same time, SR 210 together with the Highland Channel was constructed. Since then, many sub-regional storm drains have been constructed. Significant growth in AOS #3 will bring many more sub-regional storm drain systems to the area.
Sub-regional storm drain infrastructure quantities and the estimated cost associated for the construction these facilities are:
|
AOS #1 |
87 miles |
$ 898,928,000 |
|
AOS #2 |
14 miles |
$ 131,702,000 |
|
AOS #3 |
12 miles |
$ 137,433,000 |
|
TOTAL |
113 miles |
$1,168,063,000 |
The storm drain master plan update provides a basis for adopting development impact fees for new storm drain facilities, making improvements to existing storm drain facilities, and prioritizing such facility improvements, none of which can proceed prior to compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (Pub. Resources Code, §§ 21000 et seq.) ("CEQA").
Sewer
The City sewer system includes more than 450 miles of sewer lines, 8 lift stations and 9 inverted siphons. The system conveys untreated sewage to 4 Inland Empire Utility Agency connection points and 1 Rialto connection point for treatment and discharge. The average wastewater generation is approximately 14.6 million gallons per day (MGD). The projected average wastewater flow is estimated to be 25 MGD upon buildout of the City.
The current Sewer Master Plan was adopted in 2000. Since that time, State regulations have changed to restrict the use of onsite septic systems and now require most new developments to discharge to offsite treatment systems. For example, in areas that typically experience no more than 15 inches of rainfall, the average density of a single-family house that can be fitted with an onsite septic system has changed from 0.5 acres per unit to 2.5 acres per unit. State regulations have also changed land use and now allow for greater density of residential units than previously allowed by the City’s General Plan. Additionally, the City has approved land use changes that will generate wastewater in greater amounts previously expected. Consequently, the need for a more expansive and greater capacity wastewater collection system is needed.
The new 2023 Sewer Master Plan (2023 SMP) addresses these changes and makes recommendations for new CIP projects as it relates to the expansion and upsizing of the City’s sewer collection system. Some of these recommendations include a) addressing the expected development in the Downtown Core Project area that will include multi-floor mixed use buildings, b) bringing sewer mains into unserved and underserved areas such as the residential area located north of San Bernardino Ave and east of Alder Ave, and c) adding the Westgate Specific Plan area and the unincorporated west annexation area north of Arrow Blvd.
The CIP projects are presented as either near-term or long-term projects, with near-term projects expected to complete in the next six years. The estimated costs for these CIP facilities are:
|
CIP Near-Term Improvements |
$23,767.000 |
|
CIP Long-Term Improvements |
$16,414,000 |
|
Total of All CIP Improvements |
$40,181,000 |
The proposed sewer master plan update provides a basis for adopting development impact fees for new storm drain facilities, making improvements to existing storm drain facilities, and prioritizing such facility improvements, none of which can proceed prior to compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (Pub. Resources Code, §§ 21000 et seq.) ("CEQA")
CEQA:
Both of the proposed Updates are exempt from environmental review pursuant to CEQA because they are not “projects” as defined in section 15378(b)(4) of the California Code of Regulations, which provides that a project for purposes of CEQA does not include “[t]he creation of government funding mechanisms or other government fiscal activities, which do not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment.” This is because, consistent with Sustainable Transportation Advocates of Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (2010) 179 Cal.App.4th 113, prior to commencement of any project included in the Sewer and Storm Drain Master Plans, any necessary environmental review required by CEQA must be completed and nothing in the Updates will significantly further the referenced projects in a manner that forecloses alternatives or mitigation measures that would ordinarily be part of CEQA review given that the lack of details and specifications regarding these projects allows flexibility to meet mitigation measures set forth in environmental review documents. Moreover, the City may amend the Updates, including to delete or amend a project, such that the City has not committed itself to any project as a whole or to any particular features, so as to effectively preclude any alternatives or mitigation measures that CEQA would otherwise require to be considered, including the alternative of not going forward with the project.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is financial impact at this time; however, funding of future CIP improvements will be required.
MOTION:
Adopt Resolution No. 2025-013 finding that the City of Fontana 2023 Sewer Master Plan Update is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act and approving the Update and Resolution No. 2025-014 finding that the City of Fontana 2025 Storm Drain Master Plan Update is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act and approving the Update.