Forest Lakes Firewise Fuel Break
Summary
SCH Number
2024081413
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Forest Lakes Firewise Fuel Break
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
8/30/2024
Document Description
The Project proposes removal of vegetation growing within 15 feet either side of Lakeview Drive, beginning at Highway 9 and running westerly for about .75 miles to the junction of Fern Ave at the community park. The Project will involve use of equipment situated on an existing, paved road surface. There are no ground disturbing activities proposed or anticipated. The subject section of Lakeview Dr. is the primary evacuation route for the majority of the homes in the Forest Lakes Subdivision. Vegetation treatments will focus on the manual removal of woody vegetation <12” dbh in diameter, except for 12 individual trees which were evaluated and determined necessary for removal due to existing tree damage and safety risk. Lakeview Drive will be rerouted during tree removal operations since the hazard trees are directly adjacent to the road and equipment will be positioned there to load out the logs and process the debris. Smaller trees (<12” dbh) and brush will be removed by hand and chipped into a truck and hauled offsite. Larger trees (>12” dbh) will be pieced down with a bucket truck, crawler lift, or crane positioned on Lakeview Drive. Residual trees will be limbed to a vertical clearance of 13 feet. Portions of the project are adjacent to a perennial stream; however, no removal of riparian vegetation is proposed, and equipment will stay on the existing paved road surface. Fueling and maintenance will occur offsite. Future grant funding will be sought for project maintenance and expansion, and individual landowners will be encouraged to maintain treatments on their properties.
Contact Information
Name
Brett Agler
Agency Name
CAL FIRE
Job Title
Forester I
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Address
Phone
Email
Location
Counties
Santa Cruz
Regions
Northern California
Township
10s
Range
2w
Section
27
Base
MDBM
Other Location Info
Lakeview Drive, beginning at Highway 9 and running westerly for about 3/4 of a mile to the junction of Fern Ave at the community park.
Other Information
quad: felton
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4/15304 Minor Alterations to Land
Reasons for Exemption
The project meets the requirements of a CEQA Article 19 Class 4 Categorical exemption “Minor Alterations to Land” (Section 15304, Public Resources Code) as the proposed fuel management activities entail removal of understory brush, 12 “DBH or less tree removal, thinning, pruning, chipping, from an existing roadway, and hazard tree removal within 15 feet on an existing road to improve ingress/egress as well as access for fire engines and to reduce volume of flammable vegetation. CAL FIRE has concluded that no significant environmental impacts would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland/timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use planning, mineral resources, noise, population and housing, public services, recreation, transportation/traffic, or to utilities and service systems or wildfire.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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