The Bridge Academy Temporary Portables Project

2025021089

San Mateo Union School District

NOE - Notice of Exemption

2/27/2025

2/27/2025

Yancy Hawkins

San Mateo Union High School District

Associate Superintendent, CBO

Lead/Public Agency

650 N Delaware Street
SAN MATEO, CA 94401

(650) 558-2201

yhawkins@smuhsd.org

N Delaware Street, E Poplar Ave, N Humbolt Street

94401

CA 101

n/a

San Francisco international

San Francisco Bay

789 E Poplar Ave, San Mateo CA 94401

Categorical Exemption

Class 14 Exemption (Guidelines Section 15314)

Class 14 Exemption The CEQA Class 14 Exemption (18.36.160 Class 14-Minor additions to schools (CEQA Guidelines, Section 15314) applies to minor additions to existing schools within existing school grounds where the addition does not increase original student capacity by more than twenty-five (25) percent or ten (10) classrooms, whichever is less. The addition of portable classrooms is included in this exemption. The project is two classrooms and therefore would increase school capacity. The two new classrooms would add 2 classrooms to the school's existing 9 classrooms (about 22%). This would conform to the exemption's requirements.

Categorical Exemption

Class 3 CEQA Categorical Exemption (Guidelines Section 15303)

Class 3 Exemption The CEQA Class 3 Exemption (Class 3-New Construction [CEQA Guidelines, Section 15303) applies to construction and location of limited numbers of new, small facilities or structures; installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures; and the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure. In urban areas, structures of up to 10,000 sq. ft and garages (and presumably parking lots) would be subject to this exemption (per CEQA Guidelines Sections 15303(c) and (e)). The project would construct two modular 960 sq. ft. classrooms. These would be small facilities well within the exemption's 10,000-sq. ft. structure size limitations. Analysis of Possible Exceptions to Class 3 and 14 Exemption The exemptions are subject to the following exceptions: • Cumulative Impact. This exception would apply if the project were to contribute to significant impacts to a resource in combination with other proposed new development nearby. There is ongoing construction of the gym and solar panel projects at the school. However, the proposed project would involve minor construction work at the existing school that would not have the potential to result in any cumulatively considerable impacts. • Scenic Highways. This exception would apply if the project were to result in damage to scenic resources within a scenic highway corridor. There are no highways or roadways in the project area or from which the project area can be seen that are designated as Scenic or are eligible for scenic designation. The City of San Mateo General Plan does not designate any roadways in the project vicinity as locally scenic. The project facilities would not be visible from off site. Therefore no significant impact would occur. • Hazardous Waste Sites. This exception would apply if the project were to be located on a hazardous waste site listed pursuant to California Government Code Section 65962.5. A search of the State Envirostor database conducted on April 29, 2024, found no listed hazardous wastes sites on or near the school site.1 A School Investigation was conducted but no action was required. In addition, no past uses that caused contamination, or actual potential contamination, are known for the school. Therefore, although the site is listed, it is not a hazardous waste site. • Historical Resources. This exception would apply if the project were to potentially significantly adversely affect an historical resource. The project would be limited to construction of small temporary buildings on an open lawn area. This would not have the potential to adversely affect any historic resources. Therefore it would not significantly alter the school's historical architectural characteristics. • Significant Effect. The exception would apply if the project would have the potential for a significant effect to the environment due to unusual circumstances. Unusual circumstances may include historic structures, hazardous materials contamination, protected species or habitats, and other similar conditions. There are no unusual circumstances on the site and there is no potential for significant effect, therefore this exception would not apply.