Consider Resolution 2023-04 authorizing the City of Woodland to provide out of agency water and sewer services to APN 027-270-074 located on the southeast corner of County Road 99 and County Road 19A and find the project is categorically exempt from CEQA (LAFCo No. 23-04)

Adopt Resolution 2023-04 authorizing the City of Woodland to provide out of agency water and sewer services to APN 027-270-074 located on the southeast corner of County Road 99 and County Road 19A and find the project is categorically exempt from CEQA (LAFCo No. 23-04)

None. LAFCo will be reimbursed for staff time associated with processing this request in accordance with the adopted fee schedule.

In accordance with the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act Section 56133, the Commission may authorize the City to provide extended services outside its jurisdictional boundary to an area within its sphere of influence in anticipation of a later change of organization. In May 2022, LAFCo approved an extension of City of Woodland water and sewer services for the construction of the Yolo Cold Storage Facility, a 224,000 square foot regional-serving cold storage facility used for the cold and dry storage of palletized agricultural commodities that require controlled temperatures to serve the region. LAFCo is now being asked to approve an additional extension of City services to the adjacent vacant parcel for future development per existing zoning. There are no additional parcels at this interchange zoned for development that are not already served by City services and the surrounding parcels are all zoned Agriculture-Intensive, therefore it would not be growth inducing. 

The Out of Agency Services approval is consistent with Yolo LAFCo's Project Policies, specifically its Standards of Evaluation (Section 3.3), and the City of Woodland Sphere of Influence. Extended services already serve the adjacent parcel to the southeast, would only serve this 4.0 +/- parcel already zoned C-H (Highway Services Commercial), and would not be considered growth-inducing. LAFCo anticipates an application for annexation in 3-5 years. Yolo County Department of Community Services staff supports this request as its General Plan policies strongly encourage water and sewer services over individual well and septic systems and would result in a more desirable development if connected to municipal services. Water and sewer supply would be provided by the City of Woodland through connections to existing water and sewer mains extended for the adjacent Yolo Cold Storage Facility. The City of Woodland has agreed to provide services and has provided LAFCo with a will-serve letter contingent upon the developer and the City agreeing to terms for construction and connection, specifically the payment of impact fees and agreeing to future annexation.

CEQA
Staff has reviewed the project and recommends that the project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Guidelines Section 15303(d) (New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures) of the CEQA Guidelines, including “water main, sewage, electrical, gas, and other utility extensions, including street improvements, of reasonable length to serve such construction.” It is also exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15304(f) (Minor Alterations to Land) including “minor trenching and back filling where the surface is restored”. Yolo LAFCo’s approval authorizes extension of water and sewer services to the subject parcel for future development per existing C-H (Highway Services Commercial) zoning and CG (Commercial General) designation in the Yolo County General Plan. Yolo County General Plan policies also strongly encourage water and sewer services over individual well and septic systems for environmental reasons. Therefore, the proposed project qualifies for the exemption under CEQA Guidelines Sections 15303(d) and 15304(f).