Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Ann M. Stillman, Director of Public Works
Subject: Certification of the Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration for Wurr Road, Pescadero Creek Road, and Cloverdale Road Culverts Repair Project [County Project No. RW308; Project File No. E5084]
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution:
A) Certifying the Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration, dated November 2025, together with the Responses to Comments, as the Final Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Wurr Road, Pescadero Creek Road, and Cloverdale Road Culverts Repair Project; and
B) Authorizing the Director of Public Works to proceed with preparing plans and specifications for the Wurr Road and Pescadero Creek Road Culverts Improvement Project; and
C) Authorizing the Director of Public Works to proceed with advertising for bids on the Wurr Road and Pescadero Creek Road Culverts Improvement Project and report back to this Board with recommendations on awarding a contract.
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BACKGROUND:
On March 9, 2021, this Board adopted Resolution No. 078059, which authorized the execution of a Memorandum of Understating (MOU) with the San Mateo Resource Conservation District (RCD) for watershed protection and enhancement services in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 and for a period of five (5) years through March 8, 2026.
On November 18, 2025, this Board adopted Resolution No. 081523, which authorized an amendment to the MOU with the RCD incorporating climate resilience activities, extended the agreement term through March 8, 2028, and increased the not-to-exceed amount by $4,000,000 to a new not-to-exceed amount of $5,000,000.
Wurr Road, Pescadero Creek Road, and Cloverdale Road are County maintained roads in the unincorporated Loma Mar Area, within the Pescadero-Butano Watershed (Watershed). There are 12 culvert (pipe) work locations to be improved, which were identified as priority locations in the Pescadero-Butano Watershed County Road Inventory and Sediment Assessment conducted in 2022 (Assessment Report). These improvements are required to comply with Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the Sediment and Habitat Enhancement Plan adopted in 2018 by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board.
The TMDL is a regulatory requirement issued under the federal Clean Water Act and implemented by the State Water Resources Control Board through the Regional Water Quality Control Boards. It establishes legally enforceable limits on the amount of sediment that can be discharged within the Watershed to protect water quality, aquatic habitat, and endangered species, including salmonids. Because specific drainage infrastructure associated with County maintained roads has been identified as sources of sediment delivery to the Watershed, the County is required to prioritize and correct sediment-producing facilities as part of its responsibilities as a permittee to the Municipal Regional Permit dated May 11, 2022. Failure to implement the required corrective actions could result in continued impairment of the Watershed, noncompliance with State water quality regulations, and potential enforcement actions by regulatory agencies.
An Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) has been prepared for the Wurr Road, Pescadero Creek Road, and Cloverdale Road Culverts Repair Project (Master Project), that includes 12 culvert (pipe) work locations proposed for improvement, as identified in the Assessment Report (Sites 94, 102, 119, 128.1, 190, 263, 265, 265.1, 266, 268, 270, and 270.1) pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements.
The Department of Public Works (Department) will construct nine of the twelve sites as part of the Wurr Road and Pescadero Creek Road Culverts Improvement Project (County Project) (Sites 94, 102, 119, 128.1, 265, 265.1, 266, 270, and 270.1). The remaining three sites (Sites 190, 263, and 268) will be implemented by the RCD under the MOU previously adopted by this Board. These sites were included in a prior Board action amending the MOU with the RCD, and work at these sites by the RCD remains in the County’s best interest due to the complexity of the locations, RCD’s established relationships with adjacent property owners, and the cost-effective delivery of the work.
DISCUSSION:
The Master Project will reduce erosion and sediment delivery, improve stormwater conveyance and local drainage along Wurr Road, Pescadero Creek Road and Cloverdale Road, enhance water quality by repairing or replacing failing culverts (pipes), stabilize eroded culvert outfall areas, and improve fish passage and habitat in Little Butano Creek in San Mateo County.
The County Project will replace or repair nine (9) existing culverts and install additional improvements to reduce erosion and protect the roadways, such as new headwalls and rock protection at the pipe entrances/inlets, and pipe outfall energy dissipation.
The IS/MND for the Master Project has been completed and identified potential adverse effects during construction. Those effects will be reduced to less than significant levels through the implementation of specific mitigation measures as identified in the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP), pursuant to Section 21081.6 of the California Public Resources Code. A 30-day public review period was completed in compliance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), comments were received from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and responses to all comments received have been prepared.
Certification of the IS/MND together with the “Responses to Comments Mitigated Negative Declaration” as the Final IS/MND and adopting the MMRP as conditions of Project approval will ensure compliance with all CEQA requirements. The IS/MND is available for review at:
<https://www.smcgov.org/publicworks/wurr-roadpescadero-creek-roadcloverdale-road-culverts-repair-project>
A hard copy of the IS/MND is available for review in the Department of Public Works. The responses to the comments received on the IS/MND are attached as Exhibit “A” to the Resolution and the MMRP is attached as Exhibit “B” to the Resolution.
The County Attorney has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
The Department is committed to fostering access to reliable infrastructure for all residents and visitors. This Master Project enhances drainage management, improves roadway integrity, improves fish habitat, and helps ensure uninterrupted access for the community. These improvements support emergency response capabilities and maintain essential mobility for a diverse range of users, reinforcing the Department’s dedication to building resilient and inclusive public infrastructure.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with certifying the IS/MND. The County Project will be financed with the Senate Bill 1 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (SB 1) and through a California Water Boards Nonpoint Source Program 319 (h) Grant.
There is no impact to the General Fund.