To: Board of Directors
From: Lewis Broschard, Chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Report Title: Purchase of Property Located at 1300 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief or designee to execute on behalf of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, a purchase and sale agreement to purchase the real property located at 1300 Civic Drive, in Walnut Creek, from Meals on Wheels Diablo Region at a purchase price of $2,830,000 for administrative and classroom training purposes.
2. DETERMINE that the purchase of the property is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to Article 5, Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this activity will have a significant effect on the environment.
3. ACCEPT the Grant Deed from Seller for the purchase of the property.
4. AUTHORIZE the Auditor-Controller to wire approximately $2,845,000, payable to Chicago Title Company, 1676 N. California Blvd., Suite 117, Walnut Creek, for credit to Escrow Number 36304340-363-LB-JJ, Attn: James Jack, which amount is equal to the purchase price and estimated closing costs.
5. AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief or designee to file a Notice of Exemption (NOE) with the County Clerk and the State Clearinghouse.
6. AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief or designee to arrange for payment of a $50 fee to the County Clerk for filing the NOE.
7. DIRECT the Real Estate Division to have this staff report and a certificate of acceptance delivered to Chicago Title Company for recording in the Office of the County Recorder.
FISCAL IMPACT:
100% CCCFPD Fund Balance, through a Budget Amendment that will be submitted later in the year.
BACKGROUND:
This property is adjacent to Fire Station No. 1, which is located at 1330 Civic Drive, and is improved with an approximately 10,280 square foot, two-story office building and a parking lot. In the near term, the building will be used by the Fire District for administration and classroom training. These uses are consistent with the present use of the building.
The long-term strategic, conceptual plan is to use this property to replace Fire Station No. 1 with a modern fire station capable of housing multiple crews in the rapidly developing downtown Walnut Creek area. However, at this time, those plans are conceptual and not developed with sufficient detail to enable meaningful environmental review of those potential future uses. Therefore, the only activity that can be reviewed for CEQA purposes is the property acquisition and the use of the building for administrative and classroom training purposes. If the conceptual future use as a fire station is further planned and developed to enable the Fire District to complete meaningful environmental review of that project, the Fire District will evaluate that project under CEQA and satisfy all applicable requirements of CEQA before proceeding to approve the project.
The acquisition of the property is not subject to CEQA pursuant to Article 5, Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this activity will have a significant effect on the environment.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
The Fire District will not be able to take advantage of this strategic purchase, which would enable short-term, much-needed classroom and office space at this location, as well as long-term potential benefits.