Fairmont School Agricultural Education Facility

Summary

SCH Number
2023050662
Public Agency
Sanger Unified School District
Document Title
Fairmont School Agricultural Education Facility
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
5/26/2023
Document Description
Sanger Unified School District's Fairmont School Agricultural Education Facility project will provide agriculture-related educational facilities, programming, and activities for students at Fairmont Elementary School and the District. The project site encompasses 2.0 acres of District-owned land located immediately north of the Fairmont Elementary School campus on the west side of N. Greenwood Avenue between Shields and Cortland Avenues in unincorporated Fresno County (Assessor's Parcel Number 309-410-29). The facilities proposed for the project include: 102' x 40' lab building (wet/plant science), 82' x 40' lab building (innovation/makerspace), 36' x 28' farmers market building, 50' x 24' greenhouse, 75'x 50' livestock barn, 30' x 30' livestock shelter, 30' x 30' shade structure, an area for planter boxes, an area for pasture, and an area for row crops. Additionally, parking areas and ornamental fencing would be added along the south and east sides of the parcel, and the northwestern corner of the parcel would be used as a drainage area. Activities planned to take place at the facility include classroom instruction related to agriculture, cultivation of plants and produce, rearing of livestock and poultry, farmers market activities, and occasional special events related to agriculture. The facility would generally be in operation during the District's regular instructional calendar, which includes weekdays from early August to early June. The facility may host special events and classes during evenings, on weekends, and during the summer recess.

Contact Information

Name
Ryan Kilby
Agency Name
Sanger Unified School District
Job Title
Chief Operations Officer
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project

Name
Scott Odell
Agency Name
Odell Planning & Research
Job Title
Principal Planner/President
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency

Location

Counties
Fresno
Regions
Unincorporated
Cross Streets
Greenwood Avenue between Shields Avenue and Cortland Avenue
Zip
93657
Total Acres
2.0
Parcel #
309-410-29
Schools
Yes
Waterways
Yes
Township
13S
Range
22E
Section
22
Base
MDB&M

Notice of Exemption

Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Section 15314, Minor Additions to Schools
Reasons for Exemption
The project can be found exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15314 (Minor Additions to Schools). Section 15314 provides an exemption for minor additions to existing schools where the addition does not increase the original student capacity by more than 25% or ten classrooms, whichever is less. The project would not effectively increase student capacity at Fairmont because the classroom space added would be for special agricultural education purposes rather than general educational instruction. However, if the lab spaces were considered as classrooms, which would amount to an additional three classrooms spaces, the project would not increase the original student capacity by more than 25%. The original capacity of Fairmont, not counting added portables, is 500 and an additional three classrooms, loaded at 25 each, would increase capacity by 75. This would be an increase of 15% over the original capacity. The project does not meet any of the exemption exceptions specified in Section 15300.2 in that there is no cumulative impact associated with the project; the project would not have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances; the project will not result in damage to scenic resources; the project is not located on a hazardous waste site; and the project will not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource.
County Clerk
Fresno

Attachments

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