Approval of the Blythe Airport Lease Agreement between the County of Riverside (“County”), as Lessor, and Blythe 10, Inc., a California corporation (“Blythe 10”

2025021006

Riverside County

NOE - Notice of Exemption

2/26/2025

2/26/2025

Jose Ruiz

County of Riverside Transportation Department- Aviation Division

Supervising Development Specialist

Lead/Public Agency

4080 Lemon Street
riverside, CA 92501

(951) 955-5746

jruiz@rivco.org

17970 W Hobson Way

824-020-002

Categorical Exemption

15301

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 approval of a Lease agreement. The approval of the Lease will result in the same purpose and substantially similar capacity on the existing facilities at the airport and would be consistent with the existing land use and contractual requirements for the use of the site. 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. 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 is limited to the Lease of a Fuel and Truck Stop and does not include a new development or improvements to the property. Furthermore, this project would not result in any physical direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect impacts to the environment.

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. Approval of the Lease is an administrative function, that is required as part of the terms, and would result in the continued operation of the Fuel and Truck Stop. No significant direct or indirect environmental impacts 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 is limited to the Lease of a Fuel and Truck Stop and does not include a new development or improvements to the property. Furthermore, this project would not result in any physical direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect impacts to the environment.