Council OKs road repair coordination; Yuba City addresses traffic, RV ordinance, and police building expansion

May 8—The Yuba City City Council unanimously approved an overlay agreement with Sutter County on Tuesday to perform road improvements on roadways shared between both jurisdictions.

In 2023, the Sutter County Engineering Division approached Yuba City regarding a county paving project that would install overlays on roads that share jurisdictional boundaries. City and county staff have since met multiple times to discuss road segments, pavement rehabilitation methods and design standards.

By entering into a cooperative agreement, Sutter County will manage the construction of the projects with Yuba City and facilitate reimbursement for the city's share of the work. According to city staff, reimbursement costs will be based on line-item prices given by the lowest responsible bidder and actual materials installed within city right-of-ways.

"In the past, when we annexed property, we went to the centerline of the road. We've learned over time through (Local Agency Formation Commission) ... that maintaining that is not a great idea. When you see future annexations, we take the whole road; that way we clearly know who's responsible," Yuba City Public Works Director Ben Moody said.

Shared roads for this project include Harding Road, Vernon Avenue and Bogue Road. Roadways split between the city and county can be prone to neglect due to confusion regarding maintenance responsibilities, Moody said.

"They get into this area where they get neglected because whose road is it? What's the timing? How do you coordinate it? The city and county have made an effort over the last five years to — when we have a project — coordinate," he said.

Project costs are currently estimated at over $4 million, with Yuba City's share of the cost being just over $400,000. An additional $60,000 was recommended to cover the city's costs for construction management and contingencies.

Sutter County is expected to sign the agreement during the Board of Supervisors meeting on May 28, the city said.

Traffic ad hoc

Also on Tuesday, Councilmembers Marc Boomgaarden and Dave Shaw were appointed to an ad hoc committee to discuss traffic solutions in the Tierra Buena community.

Last year, Tierra Buena residents approached the city with concerns regarding Henson Farms Apartments, a proposed multi-family development near North Colusa Frontage Road in Yuba City. According to the city, many expressed that "detrimental traffic impacts" would occur on surrounding streets, along with an overall increase in speeding vehicles in the community.

City staff coordinated a community workshop in February to discuss traffic circulation, congestion, and overall development for Tierra Buena. From there, officials were able to outline five potential traffic improvement projects to reduce congestion.

These include installing a cul-de-cac at Royo Ranchero Drive and Libby Lane; Colusa Frontage Road closure with an extension to George Washington Boulevard; a signalized intersection at El Margarita and Highway 20; or a connection of Jefferson Avenue to Harter Parkway.

City staff presented a follow-up report to the council regarding community feedback in March, where some members of the public expressed that they did not support the report's proposed solutions and urged the city to look into other options. Because of this, the City Council directed staff to establish an ad hoc committee in order to further discuss traffic concerns for Tierra Buena.

Shaw and Boomgaarden will serve on the committee for up to one year and will look to select community members to join.

Boats, trailers,

and RVs

After gathering feedback from Yuba City Code Enforcement and residents, the Yuba City City Council considered an update to an ordinance regarding boat, trailer and RV parking in residential areas.

According to Deputy Director of Development Services Doug Libby, the issue regarding recreational vehicle parking was discussed during two City Council workshops in 2023, and the council unanimously initiated an amendment to the municipal code in October the same year.

Section 8-5.6104 currently states that recreational vehicles may only be parked on portions of a lot behind the front wall of the residence and must be screened to a height of six feet from view of a public right-of-way.

Libby said that the revisions to this ordinance would generally allow for the parking of a single boat, trailer or RV in the front yard area. Residents who wish to park two vehicles would be able to store one in the front yard space while keeping the other behind a front wall.

However, city staff explained that the revisions will not accommodate larger vehicle parking under most circumstances.

Most homes constructed in the last 30 years have a 20-foot front yard setback from the sidewalk to the garage. If a resident wanted to park an RV in this space, the largest model it could hold is approximately 15 feet in length. Large units will still be required to park in a side yard and be screened according to existing code, if the ordinance is updated, the city said.

If approved at a later date, the revised ordinance will go into effect 30 days after its adoption, the city said.

Evidence storage building contract

Also on Tuesday, the City Council unanimously awarded a construction contract to Frank Webb Construction in Wheatland to build a new evidence storage facility for the Yuba City Police Department.

Plans for a police department facility expansion were approved in 2017, according to Associate Civil Engineer Josh Wolfe. A new evidence building is designed as a 40-by-60-foot climate-controlled metal facility, featuring automatic doors, hardscaping around the building and an interior chain link fence with a rolling gate.

Wolfe said that the project was advertised for bid in March. In early April, the city received four bids, and Frank Webb Construction was identified as the lowest responsible bidder at $797,110. However, the total cost for construction is approximately $925,000, which covers the construction contract, management, contingency and inspection.

Contract administration, construction management, and quality assurance inspection will be performed by the city Public Works Department and Community Services Department, officials said.

Construction is estimated to begin in late June and last through August.