0.21-acre Park

2022100567

City of Fowler

NOE - Notice of Exemption

10/26/2022

10/26/2022

Thomas Gaffery

City of Fowler

Community Development Director

Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project

128 S. Fifth Street
Fowler, CA 93625

(559) 636-1166

tgaffery@ci.fowler.ca.us

APN: 343-300-66T, City of Fowler, County of Fresno

Categorical Exemption

15304

Class 4 consists of minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees except for forestry or agricultural purposes. Examples include new gardening or landscaping, including the replacement of existing conventional landscaping with water efficient or fire resistant landscaping. The project proposes a park with landscaping and trees in a vacant, graded lot. The exceptions to CEQA exemption listed in Section 15300.2 do not apply to this project: (a) Location. Classes 3, 4, 5, 6, and 11 are qualified by consideration of where the project is to be located – a project that is ordinarily insignificant in its impact on the environment may in a particularly sensitive environment be significant. Therefore, these classes are considered to apply all instances, except where the project may impact on an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern where designated, precisely mapped, and officially adopted pursuant to law by federal, state, or local agencies. The project is not located in an area where the project may impact on an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern where designated, precisely mapped, and officially adopted pursuant to law by federal, state, or local agencies. (b) Cumulative Impact. All exemptions for these classes are inapplicable when the cumulative impact of successive projects of the same type in the same place, over time is significant. The project consists of the construction of a park. Noise generated from the park is exempt from the noise ordinance. It is not logical for multiple parks to be placed in the same location. Therefore, the proposed project will not create significant impacts due to successive projects of the same type in the same place. (c) Significant Effect. A categorical exemption shall not be used for an activity where there is a reasonable possibility that the activity will have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances. There is not a reasonable possibility that the construction of the park would have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances. The project as proposed is unlikely to create circumstances unusual for the area. Project implementation will not have a significant impact on air or water quality, traffic, or noise, so the overall effect on the area’s environment is anticipated to be insubstantial. (d) Scenic Highways. A categorical exemption shall not be used for a project which may result in damage to scenic resources, including but not limited to, trees, historic buildings, rock outcroppings, or similar resources, within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway. This does not apply to improvements which are required as mitigation by an adopted negative declaration or certified EIR. The project site is not located near a scenic highway. The closest scenic highway is State Route 180 where it crosses Alta Main Canal, approximately 15 miles northeast of the project site. The project will not result in damage to scenic resources. (e) Hazardous Waste Sites. A categorical exemption shall not be used for a project located on a site which is included on any list compiled pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the Government Code. According to the websites EnviroStor, maintained by the Department of Toxic Substances Control, and GeoTracker, from the State Water Resources Control Board, the project site is not included on any list described in Section 65962.5 of the Government Code. (f) Historical Resources. A categorical exemption shall not be used for a project which may cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. The proposed location of the park is not on a designated local, state, or federal register. Therefore, there are no historical resources on the site, and thus the project could not cause a substantial adverse change in the significant of a historical resource.