Yosemite Valley Elementary School Safety Fencing Installation

The proposed project includes installation of a new chain link fence around the drainage swale located near Yosemite Valley Elementary School. The proposed chain link fence shall be black in color and 4 feet in height with an estimated perimeter length of 300 feet. The fence shall include multiple gates for maintenance and emergency access. The project is a short-term solution to an immediate health and life safety issue, where the long-term solution will address land use and drainage during the development of a stormwater plan as part of the Yosemite Village planning process. The proposed safety fencing is actually an extension of the previous PEPC project (2005-037 Yosemite School Yard Drainage Culvert Replacement). Shortly after completion of the drainage swale school administrators and residence voiced safety concerns with children playing so near this water source. During a site visit, the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (CVRWQB) also recommended installation of a safety fence due to the nearby school playground. The reason a safety fence was not included in the original drainage design is because there was hope that after the CVRWQB completed their water analysis they would allow it to drain into Yosemite Creek as it had done for many years. The CVRWQB denied this request.
Cultural resources staff from the park's History, Architecture, and Landscape branch will meet with the project manager regarding final design. This project was discussed with park Archeology staff (Sonny Montague & Jessica Middleton) and they concurred that they do not anticipate this work to have any impact on any known archeological resources, however it may require an initial monitor during placement of posts. This proposal is short-term by nature of the project to address immediate health and life safety issues.