To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Permit Sonoma
Staff Name and Phone Number: Tennis Wick (707) 565-1925, Jonathan R. Olin (707) 565-7385
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Fifth
Title:
Title
1:40 P.M. - Right-Of-Way Vacation of a portion of Labath Avenue located near 195 Millbrae Avenue, Rohnert Park; RWV24-0002
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Hold a public hearing and adopt a resolution (1) finding that the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3)); and (2) ordering vacation of a portion of Labath Road, shown as Labatt Road on the map titled “SANTA ROSA FARMS No. 2”, recorded March 7, 1910, in Book 21 of Maps, Page 14, Sonoma County Records. (Fifth District)
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Executive Summary:
The application is a petition to vacate (permanently abandon) a portion of Labath Road, shown as Labatt Road on the map titled “SANTA ROSA FARMS No. 2”, recorded March 7, 1910, in Book 21 of Maps, Page 14, Sonoma County Records. Approval of the resolution would authorize the vacation. The vacation would be complete when County staff records the attached resolution.
Discussion:
On March 14, 2024, Permit and Resource Management Department (Permit Sonoma) received a petition from Ron Dering, Esquire, on behalf of Benham Arshi (Petitioner), for Vacation of Public Right-of-Way (Petition). The Petition requests that the Board vacate a portion of Labath Avenue (Vacation Petition Area) that lies north of Millbrae Avenue between Lot numbered 117 and Lots numbered 140 & 141 of said map titled “SANTA ROSA FARMS No. 2”, (APNs 045-033-028 & 032). Attachments 1 and 2 respectively are general and specific location maps of the Vacation Petition Area which is near 195 Millbrae Avenue. The subject portion of Labath Avenue requested to be vacated was created on the map titled “SANTA ROSA FARMS No. 2”, recorded March 7, 1910, in Book 21 of Maps, Page 14, Sonoma County Records and the streets, roads, alleys and highways offered on the map were accepted by the Board of Supervisors on the map. However, the Vacation Petition Area does not contain any physical street and is not maintained by the County. The southerly portion of the Vacation Petition Area, north of Millbrae Avenue, is a private driveway which is gated. Aerial photos indicate a small shed is located in the Vacation Petition Area about 400 feet north of Millbrae Avenue.
Vacation is the complete or partial abandonment of the public right to use a street or public service easement. Under State law, the Board may vacate any public street, highway, lane or public service easement within its jurisdiction provided the Board makes the following findings:
(1) the interest proposed to be vacated is unnecessary for present or prospective public use;
(2) the proposed vacation is in the public interest;
(3) the proposed vacation is consistent with the General Plan; and
(4) the road proposed for vacation is not useful as a non-motorized transportation facility (bike trail).
County survey staff reviewed public records and the materials submitted on behalf of petitioner to determine the nature of the County’s interest in the Vacation Petition Area. Staff verified that the County has a public right-of-way interest in the Vacation Petition Area. Staff determined that the portion of Labath Avenue, (Vacation Petition Area), was not being used by the public and there is no prospective public use.
County survey staff conducted a field review to verify the facts presented in the petition. Staff did not observe any present public use of the Vacation Petition Area.
Planning Division staff prepared a General Plan Consistency Analysis, as required by Streets and Highways Code Section 8313 and Government Code Section 65402 and determined that the proposed vacation is consistent with the General Plan and with the County’s Complete Streets Policy.
Survey Staff referred the Petition to all County Departments and Public Agencies with a potential interest in the Vacation Petition Area, including the Sonoma County Public Infrastructure (SCPI), Emergency Services, Law Enforcement, Sonoma County Regional Parks and Sonoma Water. Staff did not receive any objections.
Staff notified all public and private utilities with potential interest in the Vacation Petition Area. Staff did not receive any objections from them.
Notice was given to all owners of neighboring parcels located within 300 feet of the parcels containing the Vacation Petition Area. Staff did not receive any objections.
Staff determined that the proposed general vacation is exempt from CEQA pursuant to the “common sense exemption” of CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 (b)(3), which provides that CEQA applies only to projects that have potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. The proposed vacation would merely terminate a “paper street” that was never used by the public. No change in the existing use of the Vacation Petition Area is proposed. There is no possibility that the proposed vacation may have a significant effect on the environment, and therefore the project is exempt from CEQA.
Staff concludes that the Board may make all of the required findings to approve the Petition.
(1) The Vacation Petition Area is unnecessary for present or prospective public use.
(2) Granting the vacation will serve the public interest by returning land not needed for public use to private ownership, thereby eliminating any potential County liability related to the unused right-of-way.
(3) The requested vacation is consistent with the General Plan.
(4) The Vacation Petition Area is not useful as a non-motorized transportation facility (bike trail).
Based on these factors, staff recommends the Board adopt the Resolution finding the action exempt from CEQA and ordering the vacation of the right-of-way.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
Not Applicable
Fiscal Summary
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Not Applicable
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
Not Applicable
Attachments:
Attachment 1: Board Resolution
Attachment 2: Legal Description, Exhibit A to the Resolution
Attachment 3: Vacation Petition Area Map, Exhibit B to the Resolution
Attachment 4: Location Map
Attachment 5: Assessor’s Parcel Map
Attachment 6: Staff PowerPoint
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
Not Applicable