Ranchita Canyon Truck Trail
Summary
SCH Number
2023030494
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Ranchita Canyon Truck Trail
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
3/17/2023
Document Description
This project involves recurring maintenance and repair of the 8-mile Ranchita Canyon Truck Trail and fuel break, following Ranchita Canyon Road, on the border between San Luis Obispo County and Monterey County. The truck trail serves as an ingress and egress route during wildland fires for residents and emergency responders. The project is on private property located in the southern end of the Diablo Mountain Range. Ranchita Truck trail is a one lane gravel and native surface road that serves as an access route through the Diablo Range from Parkfield to San Miguel. The project area is approximately 373 acres.
The project will reduce woody vegetation less than 12” DBH within 10 feet of a road or structure in oak woodland areas, which is the primary vegetation type in the project area. Vegetation will be reduced by approximately 80-100% within and up to 200 feet of a road or structure in areas with dense and decadent brush; which occur in the northeast portion of the project area near the town of Parkfield. Dead, diseased, and dying trees that may impact a road or structure will be felled and consumed using pile burning to reduce the fuel load; lop and scatter will be allowed where fuel loading is light. All remaining trees near a road or structure will be pruned up to 16 feet or 50% of the live crown (whichever is less) within 200 feet of a road or structure. The vegetation will be reduced by a combination of hand crews and mechanical means.
Contact Information
Name
Tim Montgomery
Agency Name
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Job Title
Forester
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
San Miguel, Parkfield
Counties
Monterey, San Luis Obispo
Regions
Citywide, Countywide
Cross Streets
Ranchita Canyon Road
Total Acres
373
Township
T23S
Range
R14E
Section
32
Base
MDB&M
Other Location Info
T23S R14E Sec 32, 33, 34; T24S R13E Sec 24; T24S R14E Sec 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, MDBM
Stockdale Mtn, Parkfield, Cholame Hills, Ranchito Canyon USGS Quads
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4 §15304 Minor Alterations to Land
Reasons for Exemption
This project fits under portions of 14 CCR §15304 Minor Alterations to Land. After consulting with responsible agencies, conducting archaeological and biological research and implementing archeological and biological surveys, the Department has determined this project will have no significant impact on the environment.
Field review by CAL FIRE staff confirmed that no exceptions apply that would preclude the use of a notice of exemption for this project. The Department has concluded that no significant environmental impact would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland/timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, energy, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use planning, mineral resources, noise, populations and housing, public services, recreation, transportation/ traffic, utilities and service systems, or to wildfire. Documentation of the environmental review completed by the Department is kept on file at CAL FIRE BEU Headquarters in Monterey.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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