Riverside County Administrative Center (CAC) Annex Boiler Replacement Project
Summary
SCH Number
2025020103
Public Agency
Riverside County
Document Title
Riverside County Administrative Center (CAC) Annex Boiler Replacement Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
2/5/2025
Document Description
On December 5, 2024, Facilities Management maintenance team discovered the burner on the working Boiler 1 failed, and Boiler 2 had recently gone into disrepair causing a loss of heat to the CAC Annex Facility. Both units are beyond their useful life and can no longer be repaired and must be replaced. The existing boilers have been shut down as a means to mitigate any damages including potential flooding to the building. With the winter months approaching, we must resolve this issue to provide heat to all areas of the CAC Annex and avert any disruption to County operations.
Facilities Maintenance (FM) issued an emergency declaration pursuant to the authority delegated in Resolution 2003-23 by the Board of Supervisors (Board) to take immediate action so a HVAC company could be procured to provide emergency replacement of the boilers and restore the property to its pre-loss condition. The replacement of the boilers at the CAC is identified as the proposed project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The operation of the facility will continue to provide public services and will not result in an expansion of existing use. No additional direct or indirect physical environmental impacts are anticipated.
Contact Information
Name
Mike Sullivan
Agency Name
Riverside County
Job Title
Facilities Operations Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Riverside
Counties
Riverside
Regions
Countywide
Cross Streets
Lemon/10th Streets
Zip
92501
Parcel #
215-131-001
State Highways
SR-91
Other Location Info
4080 Lemon Street, south of 10th Street, Riverside, APN: 215-131-001, 215-131-002, 215-131-004, 215-131-011, 215-131-005, 215-131-010, 215-131-006, 215-131-009, 215-131-008, 215-131-007, 215-310-001
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Section 15301 Class 1 Existing Facilities
Reasons for Exemption
This Class 1 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 the replacement of the existing boilers to keep the building functioning and operating efficiently. The use of the facility would continue to provide public services and would not result in a significant increase in capacity or intensity of use. Therefore, the project is exempt as it meets the scope and intent of the Categorical Exemption identified in Section 15301, Article 19, Categorical Exemptions of the CEQA Guidelines.
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
Section 15061 (b)(3) Common Sense
Reasons for Exemption
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 improvements will not result in any direct or indirect physical environmental impacts. The use of the facility would remain unchanged, continuing to provide public services. 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.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Section 15302 Replacement or Construction Exemption
Reasons for Exemption
This Class 2 categorical exemption consists of the 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. Under (c), replacement or reconstruction of existing utility systems and/or facilities involving negligible or no expansion of capacity. The project, as proposed, is the replacement of two existing boilers of similar size and capacity. The system is an existing facility that supports the provision of public services and the replacement would have the same purpose as the existing infrastructure. Therefore, the project is exempt as it meets the scope and intent of the Categorical Exemption identified in Section 15302, Article 19, Categorical Exemptions of the CEQA Guidelines.
County Clerk
Riverside
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. For more information, please visit LCI’s Accessibility Site.