Roadside Fuel Reduction Escape Routes (1. Page Mill Road, 2. Alpine Road, 3. Portola State Park Road)
Summary
SCH Number
2024101122
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Roadside Fuel Reduction Escape Routes (1. Page Mill Road, 2. Alpine Road, 3. Portola State Park Road)
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
10/25/2024
Document Description
The purpose of this project is to improve ingress and egress safety, reduce wildfire risk, and aid in fire suppression activities through the creation of a shaded fuel break. This project begins on Page Mill Road in Santa Clara County and continues west over Highway 35 into San Mateo County on Alpine Road, eventually turning onto Portola State Park Road. Roadside treatments will occur 20 feet from both sides of the existing road prism along ~6.9 miles of road, resulting in a project area of 31.9 acres. Manual and mechanized treatments will be used to remove understory vegetation, dead or downed material, prune trees and woody vegetation, and remove hazard trees and small-diameter trees (less than 8 inches DBH). Manual treatments include the use of hand tools and hand operated power tools (i.e. Chainsaws, loppers, or pruners to cut, clear or prune herbaceous and woody species. All heavy equipment used for and mechanized treatments, including mastication by an excavator with a masticating head on a boom, mowers, and chippers, will operate only from existing road surfaces and established turnouts. All biomass will remain on site to be dispersed within the project area, where chipped material should average a depth of 3 inches and not exceed approximately 6 inches. Herbicides are proposed for use, specifically spot treatments for invasive species that aggressively resprout after cutting (i.e. broom, acacia, eucalyptus). This project will contribute to the developing shaded fuel break system in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, offering opportunities to protect and manage watersheds from future fires. Additionally, reducing competition in the understory and treating hazard trees where feasible will promote a healthier, more vigorous forest, increasing forest resiliency and preparing these areas for future climate change conditions.
Contact Information
Name
Sarah Collamer
Agency Name
CAL FIRE
Job Title
Forester I
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Address
Phone
Location
Coordinates
Counties
San Mateo, Santa Clara
Regions
Northern California
Cross Streets
Page Mill Road, Alpine Road, Portola State Park Road
Total Acres
31.9
Township
7, 8S
Range
3,8W
Section
15-32
Base
MDBM
Other Location Info
USGS 7.5-minute quadrangle: Mindego Hill
T07S, R08W Portion of sec. 15,16,21,22,28,29 and 32 MDBM;
T08S, R03W portions of sec. 5 MDBM
Other Information
37.323067N, 122.186672W to 37.265503N, 122.210988W
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). Sarah Collamer (CAL FIRE Forester), Shelby Kranich (RPF #3249), and Charlie Hillis (Assistant Forester) have reviewed the Environmental Review Report and conclude that no exceptions stated in CCR 15300.2 apply to this project that would prevent the use of a “Notice of Exemption.” Project review, including field verification, determined that no significant environmental impacts would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland/timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, energy, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use planning, mineral resources, noise, populations and housing, public services, recreation, transportation/ traffic, utilities and service systems or to wildfire. Documentation of the environmental review completed is kept on file at CAL FIRE San Mateo Santa Cruz Unit Headquarters located at: 6059 Hwy 9, Felton, CA 95018
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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