Title
a. Approve Project Specific Maintenance Agreement with California State Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for the Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement (CRFREE) Project, for a term effective the execution date of the Agreement until mutually terminated; and
b. Authorize the Director of Public Works, Facilities and Parks (PWFP) to execute the Project Specific Maintenance Agreement and submit the fully executed Agreement to the County Recorder for filing.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve Project Specific Maintenance Agreement (Agreement) with California State Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for the Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement (CRFREE) Project, for a term effective the execution date of the Agreement until mutually terminated; and
b. Authorize the Director of Public Works, Facilities and Parks (PWFP) to execute the Project Specific Maintenance Agreement and submit the fully executed Agreement to the County Recorder for filing.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement (CRFREE) Project is a comprehensive effort to improve flood control and restore native riparian habitat, floodplain habitat, and hydrologic function to a portion of the lower floodplain along the Carmel River. Key aspects of the CRFREE Project are to create notches in the levees along the south bank of the lower Carmel River, restore the south lower Carmel River floodplain, and build a causeway, called an overflow bridge by Caltrans, along Highway 1 (causeway component), restoring connectivity between the lower Carmel River Floodplain and the south arm of the Carmel Lagoon. The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was approved in January 2020, and the Project and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan (MMRP) was approved in June 2021 by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Monterey.
Cooperative Agreement 05-023...
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