Brown Parking Modification

2024121126

Santa Barbara County

NOE - Notice of Exemption

12/24/2024

12/24/2024

Kevin De Los Santos

County of Santa Barbara

Planner

Lead/Public Agency

Planning and Development 123 E. Anapamu Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

(805) 884-8051

santosk@countyofsb.org

93067

0.25

005-185-007

Categorical Exemption

15305

The proposed project is exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15305 [Minor Alterations in Land Use Limitations]. Section 15305 exempts minor alterations in land use limitations that do not result in any changes in land use or density. This exemption applies to the Project because the Modification will allow the standard land use limitation of four on-site commercial spaces to be accommodated off-site within the ROW and will not allow a change in land use or density. The proposed project does not involve unusual circumstances, including future activities, resulting in or which might reasonably result in significant impacts which threaten the environment. The exceptions to the categorical exemptions pursuant to Section 15300.2 of the State CEQA Guidelines are: (a) Location. Classes 3, 4, 5, 6, and 11 are qualified by consideration of where the project is to be located – a project that is ordinarily insignificant in its impact on the environment may in a particularly sensitive environment be significant. Therefore, these classes are considered to apply all instances, except where the project may impact on an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern where designated, precisely mapped, and officially adopted pursuant to law by federal, state, or local agencies. The Project is a request for a Modification that will allow the on-site parking requirement to be waived and to accommodate the required four parking spaces within the ROW. There are no mapped environmentally sensitive habitats or sensitive plant or animal species on the subject parcel, or other environmental resources of hazardous or critical concern. Therefore, this exception to the categorical exemptions does not apply. (b) Cumulative Impact. All exemptions for these classes are inapplicable when the cumulative impact of successive projects of the same type in the same place, over time is significant. The Modification will allow the on-site parking requirement to be waived and to accommodate four parking spaces within the ROW for a lot that is constrained by two front setbacks. Approval of the Modification will allow two nonconforming residential structures to be legally permitted to a conforming use of the C-1 Zone District under a separate Coastal Development Permit (22CDP-00000-00073). Additional new parking Modifications, that would result in the required on-site parking spaces being accommodated within the ROW, and are developed in conformance with applicable ordinance and policy regulations on parcels in the vicinity, would not result in a cumulatively significant impact. Therefore, this exception to the categorical exemptions does not apply. (c) Significant Effect. A categorical exemption shall not be used for an activity where there is a reasonable possibility that the activity will have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances. There is no substantial evidence that the proposed project involves unusual circumstances, including future activities, resulting in or which might reasonably result in significant impacts which threaten the environment. Accordingly, this exception to the Categorical Exemption is not applicable to the proposed project. (d) Scenic Highways. A categorical exemption shall not be used for a project which may result in damage to scenic resources, including but not limited to, trees, historic buildings, rock outcroppings, or similar resources, within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway. This does not apply to improvements which are required as mitigation by an adopted negative declaration or certified EIR. The Project will not be visible from any highway officially designated as a state scenic highway. The project site is located approximately 120 feet from Highway 101, but Highway 101 is not a designated state scenic highway in this location of the County. Additionally, no structural development is proposed and the Project won’t have any impact on visual resources. Therefore, the Project will not degrade scenic resources. (e) Hazardous Waste Sites. A categorical exemption shall not be used for a project located on a site which is included on any list compiled pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the Government Code. The proposed project is not located on a site that is included on any list compiled pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the Government Code. Therefore, this exception to the categorical exemption does not apply. (f) Historical Resources. A categorical exemption shall not be used for a project which may cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. There are no known historical resources in the project vicinity that would be affected by the proposed project. The Parking Modification will allow the on-site parking requirement to be waived and to accommodate four parking spaces within the ROW for a lot that is constrained by two front setbacks. Therefore, this exception to the Categorical Exemption is not applicable to the proposed project.