REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 01/17/2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Public Works Department
SUBJECT:
Title
ACCEPTANCE OF A PUBLIC ACCESS EASEMENT FROM THE ORCHARD GLEN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION FOR A PORTION OF LOT “M” OF TRACT MAP 31955
End
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to accept an easement for a portion of property needed to construct the Skyline Trail Access Bridge, Capital Improvement Project No. FC-2022-21 to connect the existing paved portion of Skyline Trail to Corona-owned property which has access to the Skyline Trail and the Cleveland National Forest.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute the easement for Public Access from the Orchard Glen Community Association for a portion of Lot “M” of Tract Map 31955 for the construction and maintenance of the Skyline Trail Access Bridge, Capital Improvement Project No. FC-2022-21.
Body
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The City of Corona (City) Strategic Plan commits to sound infrastructure and enhancing parks and recreation facilities. Several years ago, the City purchased approximately 292 acres of property adjacent to the Cleveland National Forest to preserve and improve access to the many trails that are in and around Corona.
A portion of Skyline Trail is an asphalt access road from Foothill Parkway south towards City-owned parcel APN 275-090-013. The access road is owned by the Orchard Glen Community Association, but the City holds a public access easement to allow for emergency, bike, and pedestrian access as well as maintenance purposes. Lot “M” sits between the paved Skyline Trail access road and the City property. Currently, access to City property is achieved by a makeshift bridge consisting of several logs placed across Lot “M."
To improve access between Skyline Trail and City property, the City intends to construct an access bridge from the asphalt portion of Skyline Trail to City property. To do so, the City requires an easement from the Orchard Glen Community Association to construct the bridge across Lot “M.” The proposed bridge will span approximately 60 feet across Tin Mine Canyon Creek and Lot “M” and will facilitate access to Hagador Canyon in the Cleveland National Forest.
ANALYSIS:
The Skyline Trail Access Bridge, Capital Improvement Project No. FC-2022-21, will construct an access bridge from Skyline Drive to City-owned property adjacent to the Cleveland National Forest. The bridge will span an area owned by the Orchard Glen Community Association. Obtaining the public easement from the Orchard Glen Community Association will allow the City to proceed with the construction of the bridge and improve access for residents to the Skyline Trail and City-owned property for hiking and other recreational activities.
An “Easement Deed for Emergency Access, Bike, and Pedestrian Access and Maintenance Purposes” was prepared by the City Attorney’s office and approved as to form. The Orchard Glen Community Association has approved this easement deed, which is attached as Exhibit 2.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Approval of the recommended action does not have a financial impact to the City.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Action (CEQA), as the action is not a “project” as defined by CEQA (PRC Section 21065 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15378), guidelines which define a “project” as the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or reasonable foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and that is an activity directly undertaking by any public agency including public works construction and related activities. This action involves the approval of a public easement. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required at this time. After approval of the recommended action herein, staff will proceed with the design and environmental document phase of this project. Any applicable documentation will be prepared and filed at that time.
PREPARED BY: TRACY MARTIN, SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: SAVAT KHAMPHOU, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 - Location Map
2. Exhibit 2 - Easement Deed