Moody Gulch/ Summit Road Vegetation Treatment Project
Summary
SCH Number
2024041286
Public Agency
Santa Clara County
Document Title
Moody Gulch/ Summit Road Vegetation Treatment Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
4/30/2024
Document Description
The proposed project consists of treatments to improve forest health and increase fire resilience of the forest by manually thinning underbrush and small trees. The project is funded by a CAL FIRE Forest Health Grant (#8GG20604). The proposed treatment area within the Moody Gulch portion of the project encompasses approximately 19.2 acres, whereas the Summit Road portion of the project covers approximately 3.6 acres. Both areas are located within Santa Clara County, and total approximately 22.8 acres of treatment. In general, forest health fuels reduction activities would include retaining a mosaic of understory that considers retention standards for shrubs, herbaceous vegetation, and hydrophytic species depending on topography and fuel load, as discussed under shrub and herbaceous species retention below. In addition, a mosaic of trees would be retained to achieve approximately 75 to 150 healthy trees per acre, first removing dead, dying, and diseased trees, as well as invasive and non-native trees, and then select live trees less than or equal to 8 inches diameter at breast heigh (DBH) as needed to meet fuels reduction targets. No live trees greater than 8 inches DBH would be removed except for select dead, dying, or invasive and non-native trees. Snags and woody debris greater than 12 inches DBH that are at least 100 feet from roads and infrastructure depending on topography and fuel load may be retained; generally, target retention minimum per acre is 1 to 2 snags prioritizing snags with cavities for wildlife habitat and 1 to 4 downed logs at least 15 feet in length outside of defensible space as defined in the Public Resources Code (Division 4, Part 2, Section 4291 (a)(1)(A))
Contact Information
Name
Shelan Zuhdi
Agency Name
County of Santa Clara, Parks and Recreation
Job Title
Natural Resource Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Los Gatos
Counties
Santa Clara
Regions
Countywide
Cross Streets
Summit Road, Santa Cruz Highway
Zip
95033
Parcel #
55-85-6014,54-44-9023,54-43-5012,54-44-9002
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
State CEQA Guidelines Section 15304 (Class 4 – Minor Alterations to Land)
Reasons for Exemption
The proposed project is categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15304 (Class 4). Class 4 is applicable to projects that consist of minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation which do not involve removal of mature, scenic trees except for forestry and agricultural purposes. The minor alterations to vegetation proposed by the project involve manual vegetation removal within 22.8 acres and chipping of biomass. Although tree removal would occur, it would be limited to trees where removal is necessary for forestry purposes to reduce wildfire risk and improve forest health, consistent with the criteria of qualifying projects under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15304 (Class 4). The evaluation of potential impacts of the project has been conducted and exceptions to the exemption based on location, cumulative impact, a reasonable possibility of significant effects to the environment due to unusual circumstances, scenic highways, hazardous waste sites, and historical resources do not apply to the project.
County Clerk
Santa Clara
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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