Blosser Basin Drainage Improvements

The Blosser Basin Drainage Improvements project is a minor enhancement to an existing stormwater detention facility located near North Blosser Road, Canal Street, and North Western Avenue in Santa Maria, California, managed by the Santa Barbara County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. The scope of work includes installing a dual-pump station at the basin’s base to lift water to an existing 48-inch reinforced concrete pipe, enabling gravity flow downstream to a ditch, along with subsurface piping connecting the pump station to the pipe and the installation of a control panel. The project does not expand the boundaries or change the functional use of the facility and is classified as a minor alteration under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 15301, which provides a categorical exemption for such activities due to their negligible environmental impact. The work is intended to improve drainage efficiency while maintaining the facility’s original flood control purpose. Administrative requirements for the project center on compliance with CEQA procedural mandates rather than traditional federal procurement processes. A Notice of Exemption must be filed with the Santa Barbara County Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, triggering a 35-day statute of limitations for legal challenges, and supporting documentation—including a CDFW No Effect Determination, a certified exemption finding, and proof of a $50 administrative handling fee—must be submitted with the filing. No formal solicitation number, contract type, or monetary contract value is specified, and no federal contracting clauses, evaluation factors, payment offices, or contractor eligibility criteria are included in the documentation. The project is managed as a local public works activity with Heather Moine, Engineering Environmental Planner, serving as the primary point of contact. All physical work will occur at the existing facility site, and no electronic invoicing systems, federal accounting codes, or contractor certifications such as UEI or CAGE codes are required or referenced. The submission process is administrative and documentation-based, with filings accepted in hard copy at the County Clerk’s office in Santa Barbara.