title
Approve the Improvement Agreement with the City of Fairfield and the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District for proposed utility and infrastructure improvements associated with the Downtown Justice Campus Security Project; Authorize the Director of General Services, with concurrence of the County Administrator and County Counsel, to finalize the Improvement Agreement, including revisions deemed necessary and appropriate by County Counsel; and, Authorize the Director of General Services to execute the Improvement Agreement and any subsequent modifications or amendments, with County Counsel concurrence
body
Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of General Services recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve the Improvement Agreement with the City of Fairfield and the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District for proposed utility and infrastructure improvements associated with the Downtown Justice Campus Security Project;
2. Authorize the Director of General Services, with concurrence of the County Administrator and County Counsel, to finalize the Improvement Agreement, including revisions deemed necessary and appropriate by County Counsel; and,
3. Authorize the Director of General Services to execute the Improvement Agreement and any subsequent modifications or amendments, with County Counsel concurrence.
SUMMARY:
Approval of the Improvement Agreement with the City of Fairfield (City) and the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District (FSSD) (Attachment A) is necessary to meet permitting requirements for planned underground utility and infrastructure work on the Downtown Justice Campus. The Agreement outlines responsibilities related to utility relocation, easement modifications, and access rights for third-party utility providers. These terms are a condition for the City’s abandonment of the Clay Street public right-of-way (ROW).
While the Agreement supports coordination with other nearby County-managed construction, it does not create any financial or contractual dependency between projects. The proposed utility work under this Agreement will allow the Downtown Justice Campus Security Improvement Project to move forward independently, with construction funding to be requested separately at future dates.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Initial funding for design of the Downtown Justice Campus Security Improvement Project was previously appropriated in Budget Unit (BU) 1981, with $1,192,470 from the Capital Renewal Reserve Fund. These funds supported consultant design work and project management for both Phase 1 - Underground Utilities (Attachment B) and Phase 2 - Aboveground Security Improvements (Attachment C). Staff will return to the Board with a request to fund Phase 1 construction. A separate funding request for Phase 2 will be brought forward at a later date once scope, timing, and resource needs are confirmed.
The costs associated with preparing this agenda item are nominal and absorbed by the department’s FY2025/26 Working Budget.
DISCUSSION
The Downtown Justice Campus Security Improvement Project is two-phased effort to address long-standing security vulnerabilities around critical County operations. The project aims to restrict unauthorized access to secure areas, including parking lots, the County co-generation plant, the Justice Center Detention Facility (JCDF) loading dock and sally port, and other operational areas. The campus has previously experienced incidents involving vandalism, drive-by shooting, and unauthorized individuals. A key feature of the projects is the closure of Clay Street to public access, enabling the establishment of a fully secured perimeter around the campus.
The County has submitted a request to the City to abandon the City’s right-of-way (ROW) on Clay Street between Texas and Delaware Streets, remove public utility easements from County lands, and begin the process of disconnecting the new Hall of Justice from shared utilities. As part of this process, the County must preserve essential utility access while eliminating other utility easements that conflict with the secure perimeter design. To satisfy these requirements, Phase 1 includes modifications to sewer lines along Texas Street, Washington Street, Clay Street, and Union Avenue to eliminate easements across Downtown Justice Campus property that could otherwise constrain future development envisioned in the approved 2017 Downtown Campus Master Plan. Phase 2 will implement the aboveground security improvements, including fencing, gates, and access controls, and will be pursued at a later date.
Clay Street is a City of Fairfield public ROW that once served residential uses that no longer exist. Since the County’s acquisition of surrounding properties to develop the Downtown Justice Campus, Clay Street has functioned almost exclusively for County operations. Ongoing unrestricted public access presents security risks, especially to the Sheriff’s Office, Courts, judges, and nearby County facilities, including Emergency Services, Radio Communications, Facilities Operations, and the cogeneration plant. The street is also frequently used by motorists to bypass the signalized Union Avenue/Texas Street intersection. Once abandoned by the City, the County will assume full maintenance responsibility and control of Clay Street.
A key condition for the City’s abandonment of Clay Street is preserving utility access for third parties (e.g., PG&E and FSSD) while eliminating any conflicting utility easements on County properties. It also outlines the County’s responsibility to complete necessary utility relocation, including limited work that remain under City jurisdiction.
While these improvements are being coordinated with other nearby County-managed construction efforts for efficiency, this Agreement stands alone. Approval of the Agreement supports permitting condition and does not commit the County to pursue any additional utility or security improvements not already funded or approved. The Agreement is also scheduled to be considered by the FSSD Board in January 2026 and the Fairfield City Council in February 2026.
The Board previously approved a design contract with KSN, Inc. on June 24, 2025, for Phase 1 utility work. Engineering work is now complete, and the project is ready for bidding. Staff will return to the Board with a formal construction funding request once timing is aligned with nearby County-led construction.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. The Board could choose to not approve the Improvement Agreement. This is not recommended as it would delay Phase 1 of the Downtown Justice Campus Security Project, prevent utility easement resolution, and block the County from obtaining building and encroachment permits from the City.
2. The Board could direct staff to exclude Clay Street from the access control perimeter. This is not recommended because controlling access along Clay Street is critical to securing the east side of the Justice Campus and preventing unauthorized entry. Additionally, the City of Fairfield has indicated its willingness to abandon the ROW to the County, making inclusion of Clay Street both feasible and beneficial.
3. The Board could choose to cancel the Downtown Justice Campus Security Project entirely. This is not recommended because existing safety and security concerns would remain unmitigated. The County would also lose the opportunity to coordinate Phase 1 work with nearby County-managed underground construction, which could reduce costs compared to undertaking the work independently. In addition, public utility easements would remain on County property, potentially constraining future development or requiring relocation at higher, escalated costs.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Sheriff’s Office, Resource Management Department, local Courts, City of Fairfield Public Works Department, Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District, and PG&E have been consulted on, or have contributed to, the development of the proposed security plan and/or utility relocation concepts. County Counsel has reviewed the Agreement as to form with City of Fairfield (Public Works Department) and Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION