Weeks Ranch North fee title acquisition
Summary
SCH Number
2023120341
Public Agency
Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District
Document Title
Weeks Ranch North fee title acquisition
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
12/13/2023
Document Description
The District proposes to purchase of the 888-acres property in fee and transfer fee title to Sonoma County Regional Parks, conditioned on an amendment to an existing conservation easement, as well as recordation of a recreation covenant ensuring the property is made available for public access once a management plan has been prepared in accordance with CEQA.
Contact Information
Name
Curtis Kendall
Agency Name
Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District
Job Title
Acquisition Specialist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Counties
Sonoma
Regions
Countywide
Cross Streets
2300 Weeks Ranch Road, Santa Rosa
Total Acres
888
Parcel #
APNS 028-170-079, 030-050-014, and 030-090-004
Other Location Info
Santa Rosa in Sonoma County, California. The property is located along the north side of Los Alamos Road west of Hood Mountain Regional Park. The property is in the Fountaingrove District Viticultural Area.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
pursuant to Section(s) 15378 & 15317, title 14, of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Reasons for Exemption
The provision of funding towards the acquisition of fee title, as well as the District’s amendment of the Conservation Easement and acquisition of the Recreation Covenant, is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code Sections 21000 and following) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.28(a)(1)(A) & (C) and Cal. Code of Regs. Tit. 14, § 15325(a) & (b)), which exempts from CEQA the acquisition, sale, or other transfer of interest in land by a public agency for the preservation of natural conditions existing at the time of acquisition, including plant and animal habitat, even if physical changes to the environment or changes in the use of the land are a reasonably foreseeable consequence of the acquisition, sale, or other transfer of the interests in land, or of the granting or acceptance of funding, provided that environmental review otherwise required by the Public Resources Code occurs before any project approval that would authorize physical changes being made to the land. This project is also exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15317 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, because the purpose of the acquisition is to maintain the open space character of the area.
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.28(a)(1)(A) & (C)
Reasons for Exemption
The provision of funding towards the acquisition of fee title, as well as the District’s amendment of the Conservation Easement and acquisition of the Recreation Covenant, is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code Sections 21000 and following) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.28(a)(1)(A) & (C) and Cal. Code of Regs. Tit. 14, § 15325(a) & (b)), which exempts from CEQA the acquisition, sale, or other transfer of interest in land by a public agency for the preservation of natural conditions existing at the time of acquisition, including plant and animal habitat, even if physical changes to the environment or changes in the use of the land are a reasonably foreseeable consequence of the acquisition, sale, or other transfer of the interests in X X land, or of the granting or acceptance of funding, provided that environmental review otherwise required by the Public Resources Code occurs before any project approval that would authorize physical changes being made to the land. This project is also exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15317 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, because the purpose of the acquisition is to maintain the open space character of the area.
County Clerk
Sonoma
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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