Clarke Annex Property Surplus
Summary
SCH Number
2023070357
Public Agency
City of Eureka
Document Title
Clarke Annex Property Surplus
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
7/19/2023
Document Description
The City of Eureka declared an approximately 3,145-square-foot parcel containing the Clarke Historical Museum Annex (Clarke Annex; also known as Nealis Hall) as surplus land under the California Surplus Land Act. The property was developed, and is currently used, as an annex to the Clarke Historical Museum. The City has leased the property to the Clarke Historical Museum for decades, but now wishes to transfer ownership and maintenance responsibilities to the Clarke Historical Museum. The City is pursuing this surplus because the City can no longer afford the maintenance costs associated with the property after reviewing the Facility Master Plan that was recently completed. Public use of other City-owned facilities must be prioritized within the City's financial capacity.
Contact Information
Name
Caitlin Castellano
Agency Name
City of Eureka Development Services - Planning
Job Title
Senior Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Eureka
Counties
Humboldt
Regions
Northern California
Cross Streets
E Street between 3rd Street and Opera Alley
Zip
95501
Total Acres
0.7
Parcel #
001-093-013
State Highways
101
Waterways
Humboldt Bay
Township
5N
Range
1W
Section
22
Base
Humboldt
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 12
Reasons for Exemption
The sale of surplus property is a “project” pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). However, CEQA Guidelines §15312 (Class 12 Categorical Exemption) exempts the sale of surplus property. To be eligible for a Class 12 exemption in the Coastal Zone, the property cannot have significant value for wildlife habitat or other environmental purposes, and one or more of the following conditions must exist:
(1) The property is of such size, shape, or inaccessibility that it is incapable of independent development or use; or
(2) The property to be sold would qualify for an exemption under any other class of categorical exemption in these guidelines; or
(3) The use of the property and adjacent property has not changed since the time of purchase by the public agency.
The Clarke Annex parcel is located in the Coastal Zone, but is covered by the annex building and therefore does not have significant value for wildlife habitat or other environmental purposes. Also, any project on the property to be sold is likely to be exempt under a Class 1 exemption (§15301 Existing Facilities), as operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing facilities (the Clarke Annex), involving negligible or no expansion of use. And the use of the subject parcel and adjacent parcel to the south has been for museum purposes since the time the City took ownership in the late 1970s. Therefore, the sale of the property is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §15312.
County Clerk
Humboldt
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. You may also contact the OPR via email at state.clearinghouse@opr.ca.gov or via phone at (916) 445-0613. For more information, please visit OPR’s Accessibility Site.