PPT230025

2024051140

Riverside County

NOE - Notice of Exemption

5/24/2024

5/24/2024

Haide Aguirre

County of Riverside

Contract Planner

Lead/Public Agency

4080 Lemon Street, 12th floor
riverside, CA 92501

(951) 955-1006

haguirre@rivco.org

19907 Temescal Canyon Road

92881

0.47

5

Categorical Exemption

15301 (Existing Facilities) and 15061 (b)(3) Common Sense

This proposed Project is exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Article 5 - Preliminary Review of Projects and Conduct of Initial Study, Section 15061, which states: Once a lead agency has determined that an activity is a project subject to CEQA, a lead agency shall determine whether the project is exempt from CEQA. The Project is a proposed industrial business that will be occupying a lot that has been historically utilized for the operations of a contractor’s office and storage yard. The Project is exempt pursuant to Article 19, Section 15301 (Existing Facilities), which states: Class I consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. The existing site has historically been utilized for the operation of a contractor’s office and storage yard under Plot Plan No.16109. The Project, as proposed, does not seek to expand the existing use, nor does it propose any significant construction or grading to the Project site. As such, the Project qualifies for Class 1 exemption because the site will continue to be utilized as a contractor’s office and storage yard. Minor alterations would only include negligible infrastructure upgrades (destruction of OSWT and connection to the sewer line). These and other minor upgrades are considered negligible and would not result in expansion of existing use. In addition, the Project will not result in any specific or general exceptions to the use of the categorical exemptions as detailed under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2. The Project would not lead to cumulative impacts that overtime would be significant since the contractor’s office and storage yard would operate on a lot historically permitted to be utilized for such purposes. The Project does not propose any new grading and no expansions. The Project is proposing minor alterations including the destruction of OSWT and connection to the sewer line. Therefore, the Project would not create a greater level of potential impacts beyond what already exists, and all future projects that are similar to or are located within the same area will be evaluated pursuant to CEQA. The Project’s proposed use does not qualify as an unusual circumstance since the land uses and zoning classifications allow the use with proper entitlements. Pursuant to the applicable sections of the General Plan and Ordinance No. 348 for these designations. As such, the Project has been conditioned to comply with all applicable General Plan policies. County Ordinances, and State law for the proposed use. In addition, the Project is required to maintain any applicable permits from the Riverside County Fire Department, the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health, the Riverside County Transportation Department, and the State throughout the duration of its operations. Furthermore, the Project site is not located within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway, it is not located on a site deemed as a hazardous waste site, and it is not located near significant historical resources. Therefore, no foreseeable specific or general exceptions to the use of the categorical exemptions would result with approval of this Project. The Project is also exempt under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 per Section (b)(3). which states: The activity is covered bv the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in Question may have a significant effect on the environment. the activity is not subject to CEQA. The proposed Project will continue to operate as a contractor’s storage yard similar to the activity that has historically been present on-site. Given that the site has already been developed for this use, and no new structures are proposed, there would be no significant grading or construction impacts that would occur. In addition, there are no potential impacts related to noise. traffic, aesthetics, biological and cultural resources, hydrology, or other similar potential impacts. Therefore, the Project meets the reguirements for CEQA exemption per Section 15061(b)(3) as there is no potential that the Project would have a significant physical impact on the environment. Based on these findings, the Project, as proposed, complies with the guidelines of the California Environmental Quality Act Article 19. Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) and Section 15061 (bX3> (Common Sense Exemption). Therefore, the Project is exempt.