Approval of Fifth Amendment to Joint Use Agreement with Lake Elsinore Unified School District for Joint Use of Facilities at Lakeside High School, Lake Elsinore

2025010208

Riverside County

NOE - Notice of Exemption

1/8/2025

1/8/2025

Michael Sullivan

County of Riverside Facilities Management

Facilities Operations Manager

Lead/Public Agency

3450 14th Street
riverside, CA 92501

(951) 955-8009

MSullivan@rivco.org

92530

379-050-067

32593 Riverside Drive

south of Le Harve Street

Categorical Exemption

15301

This categorical exemption includes the operation, repair, maintenance, leasing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures or facilities, provided the exemption only involves negligible or no expansion of the previous site’s use. The project, as proposed, is limited to an amendment to a Joint Use Agreement for continued use of an existing library facility and would include the continued maintenance and repairs of the facility to keep the library functional. The use of the facility by the County would be consistent with the current land use, and would not require any expansion of public services and facilities; therefore, the project is exempt as the project meets the scope and intent of the Class 1 Exemption identified in Section 15301, Article 19, Categorical Exemptions of the CEQA Guidelines. The proposed project is categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA specifically by the State CEQA Guidelines as identified below. The project will not result in any specific or general exceptions to the use of the categorical exemption as detailed under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2. The project will not cause an impact to an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern nor would the project involve unusual circumstances that could potentially have a significant effect on the environment. The project would not result in impacts to scenic highways, hazardous waste sites, historic resources, or other sensitive natural environments, or have a cumulative effect to the environment. No significant environmental impacts are anticipated to occur with the Agreement, permitting continued use of an existing library. Therefore, the County of Riverside Facilities Management hereby concludes that no physical environmental impacts are anticipated to occur and the project as proposed is exempt under CEQA. No further environmental analysis is warranted.

Other

15061 (b) (3)

In accordance with CEQA, the use of the Common Sense Exemption is based on the “general rule that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment.” State CEQA Guidelines, Section 15061(b) (3). The use of this exemption is appropriate if “it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” Ibid. This determination is an issue of fact and if sufficient evidence exists in the record that the activity cannot have a significant effect on the environment, then the exemption applies and no further evaluation under CEQA is required. See No Oil, Inc. v. City of Los Angeles (1974) 13 Cal. 3d 68. The ruling in this case stated that if a project falls within a category exempt by administrative regulation or 'it can be seen with certainty that the activity in question will not have a significant effect on the environment', no further agency evaluation is required. With certainty, there is no possibility that the project may have a significant effect on the environment. The proposed Joint Use Agreement is limited to a contractual transaction to continue use of an existing facility. The indirect effects would be limited to existing maintenance and use of an existing building containing a library. The Joint Use Agreement will not result in any direct or indirect physical environmental impacts. The use and operation of the facility will not differ from the existing use and will not create any new environmental impacts to the surrounding area. No impacts beyond the minor maintenance and continued use of the facility would occur. Therefore, in no way, would the project as proposed have the potential to cause a significant environmental impact and the project is exempt from further CEQA analysis. The proposed project is categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA specifically by the State CEQA Guidelines as identified below. The project will not result in any specific or general exceptions to the use of the categorical exemption as detailed under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2. The project will not cause an impact to an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern nor would the project involve unusual circumstances that could potentially have a significant effect on the environment. The project would not result in impacts to scenic highways, hazardous waste sites, historic resources, or other sensitive natural environments, or have a cumulative effect to the environment. No significant environmental impacts are anticipated to occur with the Agreement, permitting continued use of an existing library. Therefore, the County of Riverside Facilities Management hereby concludes that no physical environmental impacts are anticipated to occur and the project as proposed is exempt under CEQA. No further environmental analysis is warranted.