Ventura County Broadband Infrastructure Project
Summary
SCH Number
2024090160
Public Agency
Ventura County
Document Title
Ventura County Broadband Infrastructure Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
9/5/2024
Document Description
The purpose of the project is to implement the first phase of a County regional broadband plan to spur economic development and deliver internet services to underserved communities within the county. The project consists of a middle-mile and last mile fiber construction project aligning along the Highway 126 from Santa Clarita to the City of San Buenaventura, and direct connections to over 1,800 households. A significant portion of the route will utilize the Ventura County Transportation Commission’s Santa Paula Branch Line Right of Way. The project also includes a 2.25 mile portion along Highway 118 utilizing aerial fiber cable placed along existing utility poles. This project provides capacity for cities along the route for their own broadband projects.
Contact Information
Name
Terrence Theobold
Agency Name
Ventura County
Job Title
Chief Information Officer
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Counties
Los Angeles, Ventura
Regions
Citywide
Other Location Info
44 miles from the northern edge of the City of Oxnard at U.S. Highway 101 and running east all the way to the City of Santa Clarita, largely following State Highway 126 and the Santa Paula Branch Line Railway, and 2.25 miles along U.S. Highway 118 from Donlon Rd. to Balcon Canyon Rd.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Public Resources Code section 21080.51 (a.k.a. SB 156)
Reasons for Exemption
The project is statutorily exempt pursuant to SB 156, because CEQA does not apply to a project funded by Item 7502-062-8506 of the Budget Act of 2021 (which this project is) or any entity, including a public entity or private or nonprofit corporation, that consists of linear broadband deployment in the right-of-way if the project meets the following five conditions (which the project does for the reasons further explained in the administrative record):
(1) The project is located in an area identified by the Public Utilities Commission as a component of the statewide open-access middle-mile broadband network pursuant to Section 11549.54 of the Government Code.
(2) The project is constructed along, or within 30 feet of, the right-of-way of any public road or highway.
(3) The project is either deployed underground where the surface area is restored to a condition existing before the project or placed arterially along an existing utility pole right-of-way.
(4) The project incorporates, as a condition of project approval (which this project does), measures developed by the Public Utilities Commission or the Department of Transportation to address potential environmental impacts. At a minimum, the project shall be required to include monitors during construction activities and measure to avoid or address impacts to cultural and biological resources.
(5) The project applicant agrees to comply with all conditions otherwise authorized by law, imposed by the planning department of a city or county as part of a local agency permit process, that are required to mitigate potential impacts of the proposed project, and to comply with the Keene-Nejedly California Wetlands Preservation Act (Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 5810) of Division 5), the California Endangered Species Act (Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 2050) of Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code), as applicable, other applicable state laws, and all applicable federal laws.
County Clerks
Los Angeles, Ventura
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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