BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Government Code § 84308 Applies: Yes ☐ No ☒
(If “YES” Complete Attachment A - Gov. Code § 84308)
SUBJECT: Title
Adopt a Resolution Setting Time and Date of a Public Hearing on the Engineer’s Report and CEQA Exemption Determination for the Valley Water Demonstration Garden Project, Under the Headquarters Operations Building Project, Project No. 60204032,(San Jose, District 4).
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RECOMMENDATION: Recommendation
Adopt the Resolution SETTING TIME AND DATE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ENGINEER’S REPORT AND CEQA EXEMPTION DETERMINATION FOR THE VALLEY WATER DEMONSTRATION GARDEN PROJECT, to occur on October 27, 2026, at 1:00 PM, in the Boardroom at Santa Clara Valley Water District, Headquarters Building, 5700 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, California.
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SUMMARY:
The objective of the Valley Water Demonstration Garden Project (Project) is to construct a functional, public demonstration garden on Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water) grounds outside of the Headquarters building at 5700 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, CA. The Valley Water Demonstration Garden will highlight a watershed approach to landscaping and provide a community gathering and educational space. Specifically, the garden will showcase Valley Water’s Landscape Rebate Program, serving tangible examples of water efficient landscaping, rainwater capture, and high efficiency irrigation for the public to engage with and to learn from.
The Project’s scope of work entails the relandscaping of approximately 26,000 square feet of struggling, existing landscape with water efficient plants and mulch, constructing an educational gathering space including a shade structure, concrete seat walls, and public art, re-grading the area, installing permeable hardscape, installing a rain cistern, renovating the existing stormwater drainage system in the landscape, installing outdoor lighting, and installing interpretative signage. The construction work is tentatively scheduled to begin in Spring of 2027 and conclude in Winter of 2027.
Attachment 1 contains the resolution to set the time and date for the public hearing.
Engineer’s Report
Section 12 of the District Act requires the Valley Water Board of Directors (Board) to conduct a public hearing to consider all written and oral objections to the proposed Project when: 1) the Project is new construction; and 2) the Project is funded by a single or joint zone of benefit. Since the construction of the Project is both new construction and would be partially funded by all four groundwater benefit zones, staff has prepared an Engineer’s Report (Attachment 2) for the purpose of public disclosure.
In addition, staff determined that the proposed Project would be exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review because it qualifies for a Class 3 Categorical Exemption for New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures (CEQA Guidelines §15303) and Class 4 Categorical Exemption for Minor Alterations to Land (CEQA Guidelines §15304). The Project would not result in significant environmental impacts and the applicable exceptions in CEQA Guidelines §15300.2 do not apply.
Staff are recommending that the Board set a public hearing for October 27, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. to hear public comments on the Engineer’s Report and CEQA exemption determination. Following the public hearing, the Board will consider the CEQA exemption determination, the Engineer’s Report, and the proposed Project. The Notice of Public Hearing for the Engineer’s Report is provided in Attachment 3.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IMPACT:
There are no environmental justice impacts associated with the Valley Water Demonstration Garden Project. This action is unlikely to or will not result in disproportionate impacts on any specific community(s) relative to the general population from the implementation of this project/program. The constructed garden is expected to benefit all community members by providing a community gathering and educational space.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact associated with staff’s recommendation to set a public hearing on the Engineer’s Report to consider the Project.
The Valley Water Demonstration Garden Project is part of the Headquarters Operations Building Project, Project No. 60204032, and is included in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Fiscal Years (FY) 2027-31 Five-Year Plan and in the FY 2026-27 Adopted Budget.
CEQA:
The recommended action does not constitute a project under CEQA because it does not have the potential to result in direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Resolution
Attachment 2: Engineer’s Report
Attachment 3: Notice of Public Hearing
UNCLASSIFIED MANAGER: Manager
Kirsten Struve, 408-630-3138