For City Council Meeting March 25, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Tanya Williams, City Manager
AUTHOR: John Rossi, Interim Utilities Director
Toyasha Sebbag, Assistant to the City Manager
Title
Request City Council/Rialto Utility Authority set a Public Hearing for May 13, 2025, to consider public comments and adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Dr. June Hayes and Deborah Robertson Habitat Nature Center.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council/Rialto Utility Authority set a Public Hearing for May 13, 2025, to consider public comments and adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Dr. June Hayes and Deborah Robertson Habitat Nature Center.
BACKGROUND
This Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) has been prepared by the City of Rialto (City) to evaluate potential environmental effects resulting from the proposed Dr. June Hayes and Deborah Robertson Habitat Nature Center (Nature Center) Project.
The Nature Center involves constructing approximately 13-acres of outdoor public space including an approximately 10-acre non-contact/non-watercraft lake consisting of two connected lakes, 1 mile of pedestrian perimeter trails, passive recreation, environmental education programming, and public outreach on a vacant portion of the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) property. The lakes would be created by intercepting fully treated (primary, secondary, and tertiary) effluent from the WWTP that is currently discharged into the lined Rialto Channel and routing a portion of the effluent flow into the proposed lake. The treated water from the WWTP would be reclaimed and temporarily stored in the lakes prior to being discharged back into the concrete-lined channel at the existing location. The City currently discharges treated effluent into the concrete-lined Rialto Channel that flows downstream and changes into an unlined portion of the channel south of Agua Mansa Road prior to flowing into the Santa Ana River. Agua Mansa Road is located approximately 0.25 miles and the Santa Ana River approximately 0.65 miles down channel from the discharge point. The proposed Project would not change the discharge location of effluent into the Rialto Channel and Santa Ana River and will be operated to ensure that effluent discharged to the Rialto Channel remains within the daily and seasonal historical variability already experienced at the City’s WWTP.
The IS/MND document was prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq.) and the State CEQA Guidelines (California Code of Regulations Section 15000 et seq.).
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
A comprehensive staff report will follow once the hearing has been set.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The City of Rialto/RUA has prepared an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration in accordance with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15070. The Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration represents the City/RUA’s independent judgment and analysis. Based upon the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration, the proposed Project will not have a significant effect on the environment with the implementation of mitigation measures. Further, the City/RUA did not identify any significant, unavoidable impacts that require further analysis in an Environmental Impact Report.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
Approval of this action complies with the following:
Rialto Is an Active Community: Our community will support the creation and maintenance of attractive parks, recreational facilities, and gathering places that meet the needs of our residents.
This action also aligns with the City’s following goals:
Goal 2-24: Take advantage of opportunities to increase and enhance open spaces throughout Rialto.
Goal 2-26: Maximize open spaces in urban areas.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney's Office has reviewed the staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
Adopting the IS/MND does not have a direct impact on the RUA operating budget. Moreover, on September 26, 2023, the RUA Board approved the First Amendment to Professional Services Agreement with Enplanners, Inc. for additional CEQA services for the WIFIA Application and the Nature Center in the Amount of $119,586.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
RUA has secured $8.2 million to fund the full construction cost of the Nature Center Project: (1) $3 million from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamations’ WaterSMART program; (2) $2.15 million from the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority; (3) $2 million in federal funding through U.S. Representative Pete Aguilar; and (4) $1.05 million in state funding through State Senator Connie Leyva.
Licensing
A Business License application and payment of a Business License tax is not required for this action.