Sheffield Pump Station Electrical, Instrumentation and Controls Replacement Project

2024050897

City of Santa Barbara

NOE - Notice of Exemption

5/20/2024

5/20/2024

Kaitlin Mamulski

City of Santa Barbara

Project Planner

Lead/Public Agency

PO Box 1990
Santa Barbara, CA 93102-1990

(805) 897-2685

kmamulski@santabarbaraca.gov

Foothill Road

023-240-012

Categorical Exemption

15301 (b) & (d) & 15302 (c)

CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (b) & (d) Existing Facilities. This Project meets Section 15301 Existing Facilities (b) & (d) categorical exemption, because the Project replaces aging and obsolete existing electrical, instrumentation and controls equipment at an existing drinking water public utility pump station facility with no increase in capacity. CEQA Guidelines Section 15302 (c) Replacement or Reconstruction. This Project meets Section 15302 Replacement or Reconstruction (c) categorical exemption, because the replacement of aging existing electrical facilities will not result in an expansion of capacity. Archaeology – The site is located within the Mission Archeological zone and the Prehistoric Water Course Buffer zone. Ground disturbance is limited to the digging and installation of the temporary power pole within an existing asphalt area to be 3-6 feet deep. A Phase I Archaeological Resources Report was prepared for the Project by Rincon Consultants. The report concluded that due to the limited nature of the project’s proposed ground disturbances and high levels of past disturbance, the potential for encountering intact archaeological materials is low; however, the lack of surface evidence of archaeological materials does not preclude their subsurface existence. Consistent with the City’s Master Environmental Assessment (MEA) Guidelines for Archaeological Resources and Historic Structures and Sites (City of Santa Barbara 2002), Rincon presented the following standard best management practice for the unanticipated discovery of archaeological resources during project construction. With adherence to the recommended best management practice provided below, Rincon recommends a finding of less than significant impact to archaeological resources under CEQA. Unanticipated Discovery of Archaeological Resources. In the event archaeological resources are unexpectedly encountered during ground-disturbing activities, work in the immediate area should halt and the City Environmental Analyst should be notified. An archaeologist from the most current City of Santa Barbara Archaeological Consultants List should be contacted to assess the nature, extent, and significance of the discovery and to develop the appropriate management recommendations. Consistent with the City’s MEA, appropriate management recommendations for the treatment of archaeological resources may include, but are not limited to, redirection of grading and/or excavation activities, and consultation and/or monitoring with a Barbareño Chumash representative from the most current City Qualified Native American Site Monitors List. Human Remains. No human remains are known to be present within the project site; however, the discovery of human remains is always a possibility during ground disturbing activities and the project is required to adhere to existing state health and safety codes regarding the unanticipated discovery of human remains. With adherence to existing state health and safety codes, Rincon recommends a finding of less than significant impact to human remains under CEQA. Biological – The site is located within a “Special Wildlife Area” and within “Riparian Woodland or Forest.” The Project is limited to equipment replacement within and around the Sheffield Pump Station area, and work is limited to daytime hours. Given the work is primarily occurring within an enclosed building, the effect on biological resources is considered less than significant. If any vegetation or tree removal and/or trimming are proposed between February 1st and September 30th, a pre-construction nesting bird survey should be conducted within one week of the proposed work. Creeks – The site is located within 100 feet of a tributary to Mission Creek. The work will follow the City’s Standards and Specifications, which includes best management practices for storm water pollution prevention and control. The Project is not anticipated to have an effect on nearby creeks as a majority of the work is proposed with an existing structure and any ground disturbance shall be limited to installation and removal of the temporary power pole therefore impacts to the creek are considered less than significant. Fire – The site is located within the Foothill High Fire Hazard Area. The work will follow the City’s Standards and Specifications, which includes best management practices for red flag fire days and reducing the threat of fire. By following the City’s Standards and Specifications, the impact to High Fire Hazard Areas is considered less than significant. Flood – The site is located with the FEMA Flood 2021 Map Area. The site historically has not experienced significant flooding. The design includes deployable dry-floodproofing equipment to protect against flooding damage. Therefore, flooding is considered to have a less than significant effect on the Project. Geology – The site is located within the following geologic areas: Moderate Liquefaction Potential, Apparently Active Fault Hazard Zone (less than or equal to 11,000 years), and High Relative Landslide Potential Areas. The equipment is being designed to meet current seismic and safety standards, including the California Electric Code and National Electric Code (NEC), which includes standards for seismic and geologic risk. Given that the Project will meet current seismic and safety standards, the effect on geology is considered less than significant. In conclusion, the Project replaces aboveground electrical, instrumentation, and controls equipment at the Sheffield Pump Station (drinking water), owned and managed by the Water Resources Division. The Project is not anticipated to result in any significant impacts towards the environmental resources, therefore, the Public Works Department recommends that the Case Planner consider this Project as exempt, as defined in the CEQA review process classified under the §15301 (b) and (d) Existing Facilities and §15302 (c) Replacement or Reconstruction categorical exemptions of the CEQA Guidelines.