City of Fort Bragg Municipal Broadband Utility Project
Summary
SCH Number
2025020091
Public Agency
City of Fort Bragg
Document Title
City of Fort Bragg Municipal Broadband Utility Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
2/4/2025
Document Description
Deployment of underground digital infrastructure with existing right-of-way serving as a municipal utility.
Contact Information
Name
Sarah McCormick
Agency Name
City of Fort Bragg
Job Title
Economic Development Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Fort Bragg
Counties
Mendocino
Regions
Citywide
Cross Streets
city-wide
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 1 Section 15301(b); Class 2 Section 15302(c); Class 4 Section 15304(f)
Reasons for Exemption
This project is a public utility service alongside water/wastewater utilities within existing right-of-way. Primary construction method is horizontal drill boring. Surfaces will be restored to condition existing prior to under grounding.
Class 1: CEQA Section 15301 provides examples of existing facilities including (b) “existing facilities of both investor and publicly-owned utilities to provide electric power, natural gas, sewerage, or other public utility services”. The proposed project is a public utility service – one of three public utilities provided by the City of Fort Bragg (water, wastewater, broadband).
Class 2: Should replacement or reconstruction of water and/or wastewater utilities be necessary, CEQA Guidelines Section 15302(c) allows for the such work so long as work involves negligible or no expansion of capacity.
Class 4: The primary construction method involves Horizontal Directional Drilling with little impact to street, alley and sidewalk surfaces. Any damaged surfaces will be restored to condition existing prior to the undergrounding. Should minor trenching and backfill be necessary, Section 15304 exempts minor alterations to land including subsection (f) ”minor trenching and backfilling where the surface is restored”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CEQA Section 15300.2 lists several exceptions to Categorical Exemptions, which do not apply to this project because:
a) The project location is within a previously disturbed area (existing street/alley/sidewalk), NOT within a particularly sensitive environment;
b) There is not a cumulative impact concerning projects of the same type in the same place because the project has a single scope with design considerations to accommodate future unknown needs, which will avoid disruption to street infrastructure and traffic impacts at a later date;
c) The proposed project will not have a significant effect because it involves minor alterations to existing streets, alleys, and sidewalks within existing right-of-way, and within existing disturbed areas;
d) The project is not occurring within an officially designated state scenic highway because California Department of Technology is taking the lead on the State’s Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure being deployed along CA Route 1;
e) The project will not be deployed on a hazardous waste site;
f) The proposed project will be underground and not cause substantial adverse change in the significance of historical resources. The City coordinates with Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians on projects with ground disturbance to arrange tribal monitoring for tribal resources.
County Clerk
Mendocino
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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