Proposed Purchase of Property as an addition to Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve

2022020078

Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District

NOE - Notice of Exemption

2/2/2022

2/2/2022

Aaron Peth

Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District

Real Property Planner III

Lead/Public Agency

330 Distel Circle
Los Altos, CA 94022

(650) 690-1200

apeth@openspace.org

562-10-003

Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve

Categorical Exemption

15301, 15316, and 15325

Section 15301 exempts the repair, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency’s determination. The PUMP will maintain the Property as status quo with no expansion or changes to its existing uses. The PUMP includes minor erosion control work as necessary, wildland fuel management, and minor natural resource management activities, covered under the District’s adopted Resource Management Policies, Integrated Pest Management Program Guidance Manual, Wildland Fire Resiliency Program, the mitigation measures adopted pursuant to Final Environmental Impact Reports of the cited plans and policies, and the District’s Open Space Maintenance and Restoration Program and Mitigated Negative Declaration, and regulatory permits as applicable. Section 15316 exempts the acquisition of land to create parks if the land is in a natural condition and the management plan proposes to keep the area in a natural condition. The PUMP specifies that the land will remain in a natural condition and will be designated as an addition to the District’s Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve. Section 15325 exempts transfer of ownership of interests in land in order to preserve open space. This acquisition will transfer fee ownership of the Property to the District and ensure that the open space will be preserved. The Property will be preserved as open space by incorporating it into the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve.