Zayo Group Minor Use Permit / Coastal Development Permit C-DRC2024-00017 / ED24-159

2024120265

San Luis Obispo County

NOE - Notice of Exemption

12/6/2024

12/6/2024

Mason Denning

County of San Luis Obispo

Planner

Lead/Public Agency

976 Osos Street, Room 200
San Luis Obispo, CA 93408

(805) 781-1298

mdenning@co.slo.ca.us

93402

Public Right-of-Way; South Bay Boulevard between Santa Ysabel Avenue and Quintana Road, Los Osos, CA 93402

Categorical Exemption

Section 15301; Class 1

Additionally, this project qualifies for a Class 1 Categorical Exemption pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities). Class 1 consists of no or negligible expansion to existing public or private facilities, including, per subsection (b), “Existing facilities of both investor and publicly owned utilities used to provide electric power, natural gas, sewerage, or other public utility services”, and per subsection (c) “existing alterations to highways and streets that do not create additional automobile lanes”. The project proposes the installation of fiber optic cable along a linear length of approximately 12,663 feet entirely in paved portions of the right-of-way within an existing County maintained arterial road. A temporary laydown yard will be utilized at the intersection of South Bay Boulevard and Turri Road during construction activities. The proposed installation will connect two existing fiber optic cables at the terminus of either side of the project route. Installation will be completed using bore pits spaced intermittently throughout the project area completed via hand trenching and horizontal directional drilling. Additionally, the project encompasses pavement repair and installation of manhole covers along the project route. The proposed installation is a negligible expansion of a reasonable length aimed to connect existing facilities. The project is immediately adjacent to or traverses (via bridge) several Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas (ESHA), including wetland, terrestrial, coastal streams, and is located within a County mapped Sensitive Resource Area (SRA) for the Morro Shoreline. The project has been revised several times to reduce impacts to ESHA and any potential special status species and their associated habitat. The project proposes a minimal 672 square-feet of disturbance for construction activities, and an approximately 5,000 square-foot area of disturbance for a temporary laydown yard located within the disturbed area on the shoulder at the intersection of South Bay Boulevard and Turri Road. There are no visual impacts associated with the project as the installation is entirely located underground and will not result in a further intensification of use along the project route. Therefore, there are no special circumstances associated with the project that would create a significant adverse effect on the environment (i.e., no mitigation measures were identified for sensitive species or habitats). No exceptions to the categorical exemption, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 are triggered as the project does not impact any scenic resources for officially designated scenic highways, is not located on a site which is included on any hazardous waste site list compiled pursuant to Government Code § 65962.5. The proposed project does not involve or does not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource.

Other

Section 15061 (b)(3)

This project is covered by the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. It can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this project may have a significant effect on the environment; therefore, the activity is not subject to CEQA. [Reference: State CEQA Guidelines sec. 15061(b)(3), General Rule Exemption].