Durley Park Improvement Project
Summary
SCH Number
2024120130
Public Agency
City of Oxnard
Document Title
Durley Park Improvement Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
12/4/2024
Document Description
Project Background/Description
The Durley Park Improvement Project (Project) is located at 950 Hill Street in the City of Oxnard (City), Ventura County, California. Durley Park is currently improved on an 11-acre parcel (APN 203-0-101-280) as an existing park. Current improvements include four baseball fields, two basketball courts, two surface parking lots, two abandoned aboveground storage tanks, one playground structure area, and four buildings for restroom, classroom and educational, meeting, and storage purposes. The Project proposes to expand and renovate existing park facilities through the following improvements:
• Construct two new picnic/barbeque areas;
• Construct a new parking lot with stormwater benefits;
• Construct a new basketball court with lighting;
• Construct a new mural;
• Renovate existing landscaping throughout the park;
• Renovate four existing baseball fields including fields, backstops, and
construction of lighting;
• Construct a new walking track around the park with lighting;
• Construct a new LED safety lighting throughout the park;
• Construct new LED lighting at two existing basketball courts
• Renovate existing irrigation with water conserving irrigation and control system;
• Construct a new public restroom;
• Construct a new play area with new landscaping, new trail, and new gathering
space in the park expansion area;
• Construct a new bike pump track and skate park.
As shown on Figure 1 – Schematic Design, the Project will feature a walking trail with
new LED lighting and exercise equipment throughout the Project site to promote
pedestrian connectivity and safety. Existing mature trees located throughout the
Project site are protected in place. The walking trail will wrap around the perimeter of
the Project site and around the proposed four baseball fields. The existing four baseball fields will remain at their current locations but will include new improvements. Helen Lopez Field, located at the northwest corner of the site, will be re-oriented to face the northeast towards the intersection of Hill Street and the alleyway (western site boundary). Helen Lopez Field will also feature new LED lighting, dugout, 45 feet by 20 feet bullpen area, open play/gathering space, small bleachers, and California native plant landscaping and planting. The northeastern baseball field will also be re-oriented to face outwards towards Hill Street and South G Street. The northeastern baseball field will feature new LED lighting, small bleachers, dugout, and 45 feet by 20 feet bullpen area. The remaining two baseball fields located at the southeastern corner of the site will remain in place. The larger baseball field at the southeast corner will include new LED lighting, open play/gathering space, 45 feet by 20 feet bullpen area, two dugouts, two 65 feet by 20 feet bullpen areas, and large bleachers. The smaller baseball field at the southeast corner will include a new backstop and LED lighting.
Durley Park’s existing buildings will remain in place. The Project proposes to add a new dual-stall, all gender, ADA accessible restroom located at the center of the site,
immediately south of the existing playground structure area. The basketball court
located at the northeastern corner of the site will remain in place while the second
basketball court, located along the western site boundary, will be replaced with
asphalt pavement. The second basketball court will be relocated towards the east,
directly north of the proposed skate park and pump track and west of the new
accessible restroom. The asphalt pavement will extend the existing surface parking lot
and will include new LED lighting and a landscape buffer. The Project also proposes two new access points via the alleyway to allow for additional vehicular access. The
driveway includes a vehicular drop-off zone and a new surface parking lot with 13 stalls and accent trees. The abandoned tanks are to remain in place. Immediately east of the abandoned tanks will be a new skate park, pump track, and grassy mound for spectators. The skate park will include spectator concrete benches, shade structure, access ramp, and stairs.
Contact Information
Name
Petros Gazazyan
Agency Name
City of Oxnard - Public Works
Job Title
Construction Project Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Address
Phone
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Oxnard
Counties
Ventura
Regions
Citywide
Cross Streets
G st and Hill St
Zip
93030
Total Acres
10.96
Parcel #
203010128
State Highways
0
Railways
1
Airports
1
Schools
16
Waterways
0
Township
1N
Range
21W
Section
00
Other Location Info
950 Hill Street, Oxnard, CA 93033
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15301, 15302, 15303, 15304
Reasons for Exemption
Exemption Analysis
The below analysis describes how the Project is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines § 15301, 15302, 15303, and 15304. Per Section 21804 of the Public Resources Code, the CEQA Guidelines include a list of classes of projects which have been determined not to have a significant effect on the environment and which shall, therefore, be exempt from the provisions of CEQA.
CEQA Guidelines § 15301 – Existing Facilities
“Class 1 consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alterations of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical
equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. The types of ‘existing facilities’ itemized [in CEQA Guidelines § 15301] are not intended be all-inclusive of the types of projects which might fall within Class 1... Examples include but are not limited to…. b) existing facilities of both investor and
publicly owned utilities used to provide electric power, natural gas, sewerage, or other
public utility services; c) existing highways and streets, sidewalks, gutters, bicycle and
pedestrian trails, and similar facilities…. d) restoration or rehabilitation of deteriorated or damaged structures, facilities or mechanical equipment to meet current standards of public health and safety… e) additions to existing structures provided that the addition will not result in an increase of more than 50 percent of the floor area of the structures before the addition, or 2,500 square feet; or 10,000 square feet if: the project is in an area where all public services and facilities are available to allow for maximum development permissible in the General Plan and the area in which the project is located is not environmentally sensitive…”
The scope of the Project involves adding new LED lighting throughout the Project site
and renovating the existing four baseball fields, landscaping, and the existing irrigation system. Renovation of the existing four baseball fields and landscaping as well as adding new lighting for safety throughout the Project site constitute minor alterations of existing public structures and facilities at Durley Park. The renovation improvements will not provide for new, or expanded, use of the system. Additionally, renovation of the existing irrigation system with water conserving irrigation and control system constitutes minor alterations to an existing publicly owned utility that result in negligible or no expansion of use and therefore meets the requirements of CEQA Guidelines § 15301.
CEQA Guidelines § 15302 – Replacement or Reconstruction
“Class 2 consists of replacement or reconstruction of existing structures and facilities
where the new structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and
will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced.”
The scope of the Project includes the replacement of a basketball court, renovation of
the four existing baseball fields, and renovation of the existing irrigation system. The
existing basketball court located at the western site boundary will be shifted towards
the east and replaced with a new basketball court. The new basketball court will be
the same size and does not propose new features from the existing basketball court.
Additionally, the four baseball fields will remain the same size and therefore will have
the same capacity. The proposed improvements associated with the baseball fields,
such as the re-orientation, bullpen area, and bleachers, do not substantially affect the
baseball field’s purpose or capacity. Therefore, the new structure will have the same
purpose and capacity as the structure replaced.
The Project consists of replacement or reconstruction of existing structures and facilities where the new structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced. Therefore, the Project meets the requirements of CEQA Guidelines § 15302.
CEQA Guidelines § 15303 – New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures
“Class 3 consists of construction and location of limited numbers of new, small facilities or structures; installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures; and the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure. The numbers of structures described in [CEQA Guidelines § 15303] are the maximum allowable on any legal parcel.”
The Project proposes to construct new, small facilities or structures: two new
picnic/barbecue areas, parking lot with stormwater benefits, mural, public restroom,
play/gathering area, and skate park and bike pump track. The proposed
improvements do not exceed the maximum allowable number of structures as
described in CEQA Guidelines § 15303. Therefore, the Project qualifies under CEQA
Guidelines § 15303.
CEQA Guidelines § 15304 – Minor Alterations to Land
“Class 4 consists of minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, water,
and/or vegetation which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees
except for forestry or agricultural purposes. Examples include, but are not limited to a)
grading on land with a slope of less than 10 percent, except that grading shall not be
exempt in a waterway, in any wetland, in any officially designated scenic area, or in
any officially mapped areas of severe geologic hazard… b) new gardening or
landscaping, including the existing of conventional landscaping with water efficient or
fire-resistant landscaping…”
The Project scope includes renovation of the existing landscaping and the addition of
new landscaping, open play/gathering areas, and walking trails throughout the Project
site. Existing mature trees will be protected in place. The Project scope consists of minor public alterations in the condition of land and vegetation and does not involve the removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees. Therefore, the Project qualifies under CEQA Guidelines § 15303.
County Clerk
Ventura
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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