Calistoga Elementary School Napa River Bank Restoration Project
Summary
SCH Number
2024020477
Public Agency
Calistoga Joint Unified School District
Document Title
Calistoga Elementary School Napa River Bank Restoration Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
2/13/2024
Document Description
The Calistoga Joint Unified School District (CJUSD) proposes to stabilize and restore a 0.23-acre portion of the south bank of the Napa River that falls within their Calistoga Elementary School property limits. CJUSD previously completed a separate bank stabilization project adjacent to the project area in 2017. A spring 2023 geomorphic assessment characterized the project area bank conditions and recommended stabilization measures that would reduce the risk of continued bank erosion and protect school facilities near the top of the bank. The assessment concluded that stabilization and riparian habitat restoration could be achieved through removing existing concrete debris and large rock armoring, grading the steep slope areas to a gentler slope, and establishing native vegetation. The primary project objectives are to stabilize the bank to ensure long-term protection for school facilities near the top of the bank and to restore native riparian forest habitat. The secondary goal is to improve water quality within the Napa River by stabilizing the bank. As discussed in this report, the project qualifies for an exemption from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Article 19, Section 15330 (Categorical Exemption or CatEx). Specifically, the project qualifies for the exemptions afforded to small habitat restoration projects, as provided under CEQA Guidelines Sections 15330(d) (Small Habitat Restoration Projects).
Contact Information
Name
Chris Ochs
Agency Name
Calistoga Joint Unified School District
Job Title
Director of Facilities
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Calistoga
Counties
Napa
Regions
San Francisco Bay Area
Cross Streets
Berry and Washington
Zip
94515
Total Acres
0.62
State Highways
CA
Schools
Calistoga Elementary and Calistoga Jr/Sr High
Waterways
Napa River
Township
Calist
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 33 Section 15333
Reasons for Exemption
The State CEQA Guidelines Section 15333 states that a Class 33 categorical exemption is applicable for small habitat restoration projects of five or less acres in size and include culvert replacement and stream or riverbank stabilization with native vegetation or other bioengineering techniques, the primary purpose of which is to reduce or eliminate erosion and sedimentation, provided that:
a. The project would have no significant adverse impact on endangered, rare, or threatened species or their habitat.
b. There are no hazardous materials at or around the site that may be disturbed or removed.
c. The project will not result in impacts that are significant when viewed in connection with the effects of other past, current, and reasonably foreseeable future projects.
d. Examples of small restoration projects may include, but are not limited to:
(1) revegetation of disturbed areas with native plant species;
(2) wetland restoration, the primary purpose of which is to improve conditions for waterfowl or other species that rely on wetland habitat;
(3) stream or river bank revegetation, the primary purpose of which is to improve habitat for amphibians or native fish;
(4) projects to restore or enhance habitat that are carried out principally with hand labor and not mechanized equipment.
(5) stream or river bank stabilization with native vegetation or other bioengineering techniques, the primary purpose of which is to reduce or eliminate erosion and sedimentation; and
(6) culvert replacement conducted in accordance with published guidelines of the Department of Fish and Game or NOAA Fisheries, the primary purpose of which is to
improve habitat or reduce sedimentation.
The project area including staging and access areas is approximately 0.62 acre in size and is a small habitat restoration project. This is below the five-acre maximum threshold specified in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15333 for a Class 33 categorical exemption and clearly satisfies criterion ‘d.’ Therefore, the proposed project meets this requirement.
County Clerk
Napa
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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