Lynwood Pump Station Replacement Project FAQs

What is the general concept of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (pronounced “SEE-kwuh”)?

CEQA requires state and local government agencies to inform decision makers and the public about the potential physical environmental impacts of proposed projects, and to reduce any “significant” environmental impacts to the extent feasible. You can find more information on the CEQA process by visiting https://opr.ca.gov/ceqa/getting-started/ .

What is the CEQA process for a capital improvement project?

CEQA generally takes up to three-steps to decide which documents to prepare.

• For projects that require discretionary actions by the Lead Agency (District), the District then determines if the project is statutorily or categorically exempt from CEQA. If the project is exempt, the District may document that exemption and then proceed with the project design and construction.
• If the project is not exempt, the District conducts an Initial Study (IS) to determine what level of impact the project may have on the environment. The IS is developed by CEQA professionals and their findings are supported by facts, technical studies, and/or other substantial evidence to document its findings.
• If the IS concludes that there is no substantial evidence that the project may have a “significant impact” or, that mitigation measures can be implemented to reduce project impacts to “less than significant”, the District may then prepare and adopt a Negative Declaration or Mitigated Negative Declaration before proceeding with design and construction. If the District finds that the project may have a “significant impact” on the environment or, that mitigation measures cannot be implemented to reduce project impacts to “less than significant”, CEQA requires that an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) be prepared and certified before proceeding with design and construction.

CEQA requires that these documents (IS, negative declaration, mitigated negative declaration and Environmental Impact Report) be made available for public review and comment prior to adoption or certification by the Lead Agency. Conducting a public meeting during the public review period is not a requirement of CEQA.

How did you select the various Alternative Pump Station Sites?

A desktop study was conducted to determine the potential pump station locations. Factors considered in the study included: parcel ownership, 100-year floodplain proximity, potential sea level rise, and hydraulic compatibility (both geographically and topographically) within the existing water system.  For more information on the siting study, see Appendix C of the Engineering Assessment for the Lynwood Pump Station Replacement Project at https://nmwd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Technical-Report-Lynwood-PS-Replacement-APPENDICES-ONLY.pdf.

How will architectural and landscape design be integrated at the selected pump station location(s)?

The existing conditions at each of the site alternatives being considered vary from primarily residential land uses to a combination of undeveloped with adjacent residential land uses. Section 4.2.1 Aesthetics from the IS/MND evaluates the potential visual impacts of a pump station at each of the five sites. In addition to the findings and mitigation listed in the IS/MND, the District is committed to implementing a combination of architectural and landscape treatments that will be consistent with and complement existing conditions at the selected site(s). Once a site(s) is selected, the pump station design team will include an architect and landscape architect to meet these goals.

What area of land needs to be acquired to construct the PS?

The District estimates that 2,000 square feet of land needs to be acquired to accommodate the footprint of a new pump station and adjacent parking area. Property setback requirements are not included in this estimate. In addition, the District estimates that a temporary construction easement(s) would be needed ranging from 2,500 square feet to 14,000 square feet.

What is the size of the proposed pump station? Can it be partially buried or fully buried?

The size of the proposed pump station(s) varies depending on the alternative selected, but the larger (4-pump) alternative requires a structure with approximate dimensions of 44 feet long by 27 feet wide, or approximately 1,200 square feet. The height of the structure will vary depending on the roof system selected, but will generally be between 10-14 feet above finished floor. Refer to the Engineering Assessment report, Appendix F for more information (link here).

The pump station can be partially buried, to a similar depth to that of the existing Lynwood station. If partially buried, the size of the pump station would need to be increased to accommodate stairs. However, for health and safety reasons the pump station’s electrical equipment will need to be located above grade and enclosed in a secure structure.

For the health and safety reasons stated above, the District is not considering a fully buried pump station design that includes below grade electrical equipment.

Will the noise from the new Pump Station operation be disruptive?

The IS/MND noise evaluation for the proposed pump station operation is based on the City of Novato Municipal Code Division 19.22.070. The Municipal Code establishes maximum allowable noise levels based on the Land Use Type or by a not-to-exceed, measured ambient noise levels. For the Lynwood PS initial study, existing ambient noise levels were established using both 24-hour monitoring as well as one short-term (15 minute) study at all five sites. The proposed pump station projected noise levels resulting from long-term operation at each of the five alternatives sites is presented in Table 17 of the IS/MND and confirms that the project’s anticipated operational noise levels will not exceed the Noise Standard established consistent with the Municipal Code.

How long will the overall project take to construct? The pump station portion? The pipeline potions?

For Alternatives A or B (construction of one pump station at one site), the construction duration is estimated to take 17 months.  The estimated duration includes construction of the pump station structure for approximately 14 months while the pipeline portion of the project is anticipated to take between 3 to 6 months to install. For more information on schedule see section 3.3.1 of the IS/MND. Alternative sites C, D, and E (two pump stations at two separate sites) construction durations are equivalent on a site by site comparison.

How will traffic impacts during the construction duration be mitigated?

Construction activities at any of the five alternative sites will include work within vehicle travel lanes. However, work within the travel lanes will not occur during the entire construction duration. Work within travel lanes will be performed in accordance with encroachment permits from the City of Novato that will require implementation of approved traffic control plans during construction hours consistent with the City of Novato Municipal Code 19.22.070.A.4. The quantity of work within travel lanes depends on the selected pump station site but is not anticipated to exceed a duration of 3 to 6 months. The remainder of the construction activities will take place on-site at the selected location(s) and will not generally impact the vehicle travel lanes. Material deliveries and general construction site ingress/egress will have short duration impacts on travel lanes.

Will the Pump Station reduce my property value?

In general, claims of diminished property value through decreased marketability are based on the reported concern about visual impacts, hazards/public health, and increased noise associated with living in proximity to the proposed pump station. These issues are analyzed extensively in Section 4.2.1 Aesthetics, 4.2.11 Land Use and Planning and Section 4.2.13 Noise of the IS/MND.

Did the District evaluate the potential for the project to impact biological resources?

The District engaged a specialist to prepare a Biological Resources Technical Report (BRTR) and an Arborist Report to evaluate the potential biological resources at each of the five alternatives sites. The IS/MND includes the BRTR in Appendix D and the Arborist Report in Appendix E. Key findings presented in Section 4.2.4 Biological Resources of the IS/MND include:

• No special-status plant species were observed at any of the five sites and, based on the existing conditions at each of the sites, special-status species are unlikely to occur.
• No special-status wildlife species were observed at any of the five sites and, based on the existing conditions at each of the sites, there is not any suitable habitat to support any of the 54 special status species documented in the general vicinity of the project sites.
• For the two project sites that are within 50 feet of riparian vegetation, the proposed project will not impact the riparian vegetation because the proposed work areas are outside of the riparian vegetation dripline.
• The District has established a performance standard to implement tree protection requirements in general conformance with City of Novato Tree Ordinance. If any trees are required to be removed, the District will replace the tree on a one-to-one ratio in general conformance with the City of Novato Tree Ordinance.
• Prior to beginning any construction activities during the February 15 to September 1 nesting season, a qualified biologist will perform a nesting bird survey and, if a nest is found, establish a work exclusion zone that will remain in place until all young have fledged or the nest becomes inactive.

How is the Lynwood project budgeted?

The District’s annual budget includes a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) which forecasts infrastructure investments for the next five years. Funding for the Lynwood Pump Station Replacement project is budgeted in the District’s CIP. For more information on the annual budget, visit: https://nmwd.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Budget-Final-FY-23.24.pdf

What is the purpose of the Novato Water System Master Plan?

The Novato Water System Master Plan was originally developed by the District in 2002 to document a long-range strategic plan for identifying and implementing capital improvement projects within the water transmission and distribution system. Since that time, the District has updated the Master Plan three times, in 2007, 2012, and 2018. A fourth update is in progress and will be completed in 2025. For more information on the 2018 Novato Water System Master plan, visit:  https://nmwd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2018WMP.pdf

Is the Lynwood Pump Station Replacement Project identified in the most recent (2018) Novato Water System Master Plan?

The Lynwood Pump Station Replacement Project is not explicitly listed as a project in the District’s 2018 Master Plan, although the first phase of the project is reflected in two separate studies on Page 9-8 of the 2018 Master Plan (link here):

1. Project S-01 (Pump Efficiency/Hydraulic Study), and
2. Project S-07 (Lynwood and San Marin Zone 2 Pumping Capacity Study)

Studies S-01 and S-07 were prioritized by the District following a routine condition assessment of the Lynwood Pump Station in May 2022, where noticeable pump shaft vibrations on two of the three pumps and excessive pipeline corrosion pinholes were observed. As a result of those observations, the District accelerated the schedule to begin studying options in fall 2022.

Is construction prohibited at the Site No. 2 location?

Site No. 2 (near Ignacio Blvd and Palmer Dr) is located on a portion of the City-owned parcel identified as APN 160-150-73 and ‘Parcel M’ on the City of Novato Assessor’s Map Book 160, Page 15.  The City of Novato General Plan assigns a land use designation of “Open Space” and the Novato Zoning Ordinance assigns a zoning designation of “Planned District” for this parcel. Neither of those designations prohibit construction of public utility infrastructure. For more information refer to Page 2-19 of the General Plan and Section 19.140.020 of the Zoning Ordinance.

What is the preferred alternative for this project?

CEQA requires that Environmental Impact Reports include an analysis of alternatives to the project that would avoid or reduce any significant impacts associated with the project. While CEQA does not require an IS/MND to analyze project alternatives, a CEQA Lead Agency can consider alternatives in an IS/MND so long as the level of analysis is commensurate for each alternative, as done by the IS/MND prepared for the project. CEQA also requires that Environmental Impact Reports identify the environmentally superior alternative be identified. The term “preferred alternative” or “environmentally superior alternative” is not required by CEQA for an IS/MND. For this reason, the project’s IS/MND does not use the designation of “preferred alternative”, but rather identifies an array of alternatives that meet most or all of the project objectives, including efficiency, effectiveness and cost implications while minimizing environmental impacts.

From a technical perspective, Site No. 2 offers more benefit to the District’s distribution system than Sites No. 1, 3, 4 or 5. For this reason, staff has used the term “preferred alternative” to describe Site No. 2.

For both site No. 1 and Site No. 2, can the Pump Station be located adjacent to or within a commercial area closer to Hwy 101?

Because the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 100-year mapped flood zone is located immediately east of the existing Lynwood pump station, the District has currently ruled out the option of relocating the pump station eastward towards Hwy 101 on Sunset Parkway.

The District is revisiting the siting study, using the original scoring criteria with the goal of identifying additional primary sites and associated alternatives. This effort could result in an alternative that includes a different site closer to Hwy 101.