Compassionate Emergency Solutions and Pathways to Housing Project: Grantville Safe Parking

2024050065

San Diego County

NOE - Notice of Exemption

5/2/2024

5/2/2024

Marcus Lubich

County of San Diego

Project Manager

Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project

5560 Overland Avenue, Ste 410
San Diego, CA 92123

(858) 414-4593

marcus.lubich@sdcounty.ca.gov

Mission Gorge Road and Glacier Avenue

92120

0.4

458-531-26

Emergency Project

Sec. 21080(b)(4); 15269(b)(c)

The County of San Diego Board of Supervisor’s declared a Shelter Crisis on September 11, 2018 (6) and subsequently declared homelessness a public health crisis on September 27, 2022 (21). Taken together, the unexpected and dramatic increase in homelessness without the ability to obtain shelter, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, hepatitis A outbreaks, and recent flooding events, is an emergency in unincorporated San Diego County. San Diego County had a 20% increase in homelessness 2023, and currently for every person that is housed 6 new persons become homeless. This situation presents documented dangers to health, life, and property and a burden on, and loss of access to, essential public services, which presents an emergency as defined by CEQA. The health and safety of unsheltered persons in the unincorporated area of San Diego County is threatened by a lack of shelter. The development of the Grantville Safe Parking site is statutorily exempt from environmental review pursuant to CEQA Section 15269 (c) because it is a specific action necessary to prevent or mitigate San Diego County’s shelter crisis. The project is necessary to avoid and prevent the emergency by providing shelter and services to the homeless occupants of the safe parking site, and by facilitating their transition from the homelessness to this shelter, and then on to long-term housing. The County’s Grantville Safe Parking site is a critical short-term project that will address the high-risk issues facing people experiencing homelessness. The Project, therefore, is statutorily exempt from CEQA under Public Resources Code, Section 21080(b)(4), as a specific action necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency, and as reflected in Article 18 of the Sate CEQA Guidelines, Section 15269(c). The

Categorical Exemption

15301

The operation of a safe parking lot on an existing parking lot involving no expansion of the existing parking lot is exempt pursuant to CEQA Section 15301. Additionally, the project would not have the potential to trigger any of the exceptions identified in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 prohibiting the use of a categorical exemption. We assume that compliance with existing regulations and project design features will avoid any potential impacts to resources, such as biological resources and cultural resources. The project is not located within a sensitive environment, the effects would not combine with other potential projects that could contribute to a cumulative effect, there is no evidence that a significant effect would occur, the site is not located near a scenic highway, it is not located on a hazardous waste site pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the Government Code, and there are no historical resources onsite. Additionally, the project site is not considered environmentally sensitive, there would not be successive projects of the same type in the same place that would result in cumulative impacts, no unusual circumstances that create the reasonable possibility of significant effects, no impacts to scenic resources, site is not identified as being affected by hazardous wastes or clean-up problems, and would not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource.

Categorical Exemption

15303

The installation of portable restrooms or trailer, handwashing stations, security stand, trailer or small structure to administer services, fencing around permitter, vehicle and pedestrian gate, signage, lighting, storage structures, daily meal delivery service, and trash enclosure are exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15303: New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures (Class 3), as these structures would involve the installation of temporary, small trailers or structures totaling less than 10,000 square feet that would support the safe parking facility to provide security, services, administration, storage, and restrooms. Additionally, the project would not have the potential to trigger any of the exceptions identified in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 prohibiting the use of a categorical exemption. We assume that compliance with existing regulations and project design features will avoid any potential impacts to resources, such as biological resources and cultural resources. The project is not located within a sensitive environment, the effects would not combine with other potential projects that could contribute to a cumulative effect, there is no evidence that a significant effect would occur, the site is not located near a scenic highway, it is not located on a hazardous waste site pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the Government Code, and there are no historical resources onsite. Additionally, the project site is not considered environmentally sensitive, there would not be successive projects of the same type in the same place that would result in cumulative impacts, no unusual circumstances that create the reasonable possibility of significant effects, no impacts to scenic resources, site is not identified as being affected by hazardous wastes or clean-up problems, and would not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource.

Categorical Exemption

15304

The development and operation of the Safe Parking site is also exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15304: Minor Alterations to Land (Class 4), as it would be considered a minor, temporary use of land having negligible or no permanent effects on the environment, thereby qualifying for this exemption. The project will operate for a timeframe of approximately one to three years. Additionally, the project would not have the potential to trigger any of the exceptions identified in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 prohibiting the use of a categorical exemption. We assume that compliance with existing regulations and project design features will avoid any potential impacts to resources, such as biological resources and cultural resources. The project is not located within a sensitive environment, the effects would not combine with other potential projects that could contribute to a cumulative effect, there is no evidence that a significant effect would occur, the site is not located near a scenic highway, it is not located on a hazardous waste site pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the Government Code, and there are no historical resources onsite. Additionally, the project site is not considered environmentally sensitive, there would not be successive projects of the same type in the same place that would result in cumulative impacts, no unusual circumstances that create the reasonable possibility of significant effects, no impacts to scenic resources, site is not identified as being affected by hazardous wastes or clean-up problems, and would not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource.

Categorical Exemption

15311

Accessory structures including privacy fencing with pedestrian and vehicle entry gates, security lighting, administrative trailers, security stand, and restrooms and hand washing stations would be appurtenant to the safe parking project and, therefore, exempt under CEQA Section 15311. Additionally, the project would not have the potential to trigger any of the exceptions identified in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 prohibiting the use of a categorical exemption. We assume that compliance with existing regulations and project design features will avoid any potential impacts to resources, such as biological resources and cultural resources. The project is not located within a sensitive environment, the effects would not combine with other potential projects that could contribute to a cumulative effect, there is no evidence that a significant effect would occur, the site is not located near a scenic highway, it is not located on a hazardous waste site pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the Government Code, and there are no historical resources onsite. Additionally, the project site is not considered environmentally sensitive, there would not be successive projects of the same type in the same place that would result in cumulative impacts, no unusual circumstances that create the reasonable possibility of significant effects, no impacts to scenic resources, site is not identified as being affected by hazardous wastes or clean-up problems, and would not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource.