Coastal Development Permit 2023-2082

2024040202

City of Laguna Beach

NOE - Notice of Exemption

4/4/2024

4/4/2024

Martina Caron

City of Laguna Beach

Principal Planner

Lead/Public Agency

505 Forest Avenue
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

(949) 464-6629

mcaron@lagunabeachcity.net

31151 Coast Highway

92651

California

Laguna

Categorical Exemption

Section 15301, Class 1 and Section 15302, Class 2

In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). the recommended action is exempt from further review per State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, Class 1 (e), Existing Facilities. Class 1 (e) allows for the repair, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing structures or topographical features, involving negligible or not expansion of existing or former use, including additions to existing structures that will not result in an increase of more than 50 percent of the floor area of the structure. In addition, the project is also exempt pursuant to Section 15302 of the State CEQA Guidelines (Class 2 -Replacement or Reconstruction of Existing Structures or Facilities) because it consists of the "replacement ... of existing structures and facilities where the new structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced." Here, Aliso Beach previously had fire pits which were owned and maintained by the County of Orange, and which were removed in early 2023. The new replacement c-(') pits will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the prior fire pits and will be located on the same ~ beach. 3. Further, the project is also exempt pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15303 (Class:.3 Construction, Installation, or Conversion of Small Structures, Facilities, or Equipment), which exempts - certain projects from CEQA that "consists of construction and location of limited numbers of new, small 0 facilities; installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures ... " The project falls under the I Class 3 exemption because it consists of the installation of seven (7) new fire pits, which are small in size and Q will result in a minor modification to Aliso Beach. 4. Lastly, the project is also exempt pursuant to State ('(°"\ CEQA Guidelines Section (Class 4- Minor Alterations to Land) because it "consists of minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation." Here, the fire pits are and will not be anchored, sitting on top of the sand surface. Installation of the fire pits will not involve any grading or landform alteration. Therefore, the project will incur only minor alterations to Aliso Creek Beach, and will not involve removal of healthy, mature scenic trees.