Building plans at prison sites topic of forum
By Danny Bernardini/Staff Writer
Article Launched: 11/29/2007 06:09:09 AM PST
Proposed construction of two buildings at Vacaville's two state prison
sites
will be discussed Friday at a special public forum.
Before starting work on environmental studies and documents for the
two
buildings, the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation wants
to
hear residents' concerns and questions.
Friday's meeting, set for 1 p.m. In the Vacaville City Council Chamber,
650
Merchant St., will focus on issues citizens and public agencies would
like
considered before environmental impact reports begin on the projects
proposed to be built within the boundaries of California State
Prison,
Solano, and the California Medical Facility in Vacaville.
Construction would include a 64-bed intermediate care facility at CMF and
a
100-bed administrative segregation unit at CSP Solano. The intermediate
care
facility, a 50,962-square-foot building, would be built in an
abandoned
orchard on the northwest corner of CMF property.
The segregation unit would be a 27,550-square-foot building
constructed
within CSP Solano's existing secure perimeter.
The construction proposal comes while the California Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation tries to deal with bed shortages in
prisons
statewide. Because of overcrowding, facilities are becoming difficult
to
administer and are unable to offer sufficient medical attention,
according
to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Currently, both prisons face overcrowding and CSP Solano is housing
prisoners in alternate locations, such as gymnasiums and day rooms.
The
proposed intermediate care facility at CMF would include two small
outdoor
recreation yards and two group yards totaling 8,400 square feet. To
allow
for this, the fence line around CMF will need to be extended 11
acres.
The care facility fence line would include two additional guard towers,
each
34 feet tall, and a vehicle gate along the north or south fence line.
For the proposed building at CSP Solano, no extension of fencing would
be
needed, but an evaluation of the project's water and wastewater
impacts
would be necessary.
Some of the potential impacts of the construction include the
following:
• Agriculture resources - The issue will be looked at because the
proposal
calls for construction in an orchard.
• Visual resources, light and glare - Site lighting may cause
impacts.
• Biological resources - Because the facility uses an electric fence,
the
issue of animals being injured must be evaluated.
• Noise - Any construction noise will be examined.
• Traffic - A traffic study will be conducted.