Whitaker Forest Roadside Fuel Reduction Project
Summary
SCH Number
2025030558
Public Agency
Tulare County
Document Title
Whitaker Forest Roadside Fuel Reduction Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
3/13/2025
Document Description
The Whitaker Forest Roadside Fuel Reduction Project is located adjacent
to the community of Badger in Tulare County, along Whitaker Forest Road. This Project will focus on the modification of vegetation along the roadway by reducing the available fuel, securing the vital ingress and egress route for residents and visitors for the Hartland Christian Camp evacuating from fast moving wildland fires, and reducing the spread of fire from the wildland into the wildland-urban
interface. Whitaker Forest Road is a County maintained road that spans 16 miles and is a secondary ingress and egress for 65 permanent habitable residential structures. Additionally, Whitaker Forest Road is located directly adjacent to the community of Bader with a population of 208. 27 acres of this proposed Project are in the High Fire Severity Zone.
This Project will remove fuel approximately 40 feet on either side of the roadway, creating an approximately 110 feet wide area and securing a secondary evacuation route. The project will also have a minimum of two public chipper days that should have a positive effect on the community’s defensible space. The fuel along Whitaker Forest Road consists of medium brush, and invasive trees ranging from 3-18 DBH. This evacuation route is identified in the Tulare County Community Evacuation plan as a secondary route of travel for 65 habitable residential structures. The removal of hazardous fuel will span 27 acres and will be treated by chipping. This Project includes approximately 9 miles of roadway. A Project area map is included herein at Attachment “A”.
Contact Information
Name
Jesse Renteria
Agency Name
Tulare County Fire Department
Job Title
Division Chief Operation TCFD
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant
Phone
Name
Gary Mills
Agency Name
County of Tulare, Resource Management Agency
Job Title
Chief Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Jessica Wills
Agency Name
County of Tulare, Resource Management Agency
Job Title
Environmental Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
unincorporated area, near Badger
Counties
Tulare
Regions
Unincorporated
Township
15S
Range
27E
Section
11
Other Location Info
Unincorporated area along 16 miles of Whitaker Forest Road near Badger in Tulare County, CA
Other Information
See Project
Location Map, Attachment “A”, incorporated herein by reference.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
CEQA Guidelines Article 19 Class 4 Section 15304 Minor Alterations to Land
Reasons for Exemption
The Project meets the requirements of a CEQA Article 19 Class 4 Categorical Exemption “Minor Alterations to Land” (Section 15304), Class 7 Categorical Exemption “Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of Natural Resources (Section 15307), and Class 8 Categorical Exemption Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment (Section 15308) as the proposed fuel
management activities entail understory brush removal, invasive trees ranging from 3-18” DBH, thinning, pruning, chipping, from an existing roadway, and dead/tree removal to improve access for fire engines and reduce volume of flammable vegetation. Class 4 consists of minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees except for forestry or agricultural purposes; Class 7 includes actions taken by regulatory agencies as authorized by state law or local ordinance to assure the maintenance, restoration, or enhancement of a natural resource where the regulatory process involves procedures for protection of the environment; and Class 8 entails actions taken by regulatory agencies, as authorized by state or local ordinance, to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of the environment where the regulatory process involves procedures for protection of the environment.
As such, Tulare County has concluded that no significant environmental impact would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland/timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, energy, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use planning, mineral resources, noise, population and housing, public services, recreation, transportation/traffic, utilities, and service systems, or to wildfire. No exceptions apply (Section 15300.2) which would preclude the use of a Notice of Exemption for this Project.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
CEQA Guidelines Article 19 Class 7 Section 15307 Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of Natural Resources
Reasons for Exemption
The Project meets the requirements of a CEQA Article 19 Class 4 Categorical Exemption “Minor Alterations to Land” (Section 15304), Class 7 Categorical Exemption “Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of Natural Resources (Section 15307), and Class 8 Categorical Exemption Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment (Section 15308) as the proposed fuel
management activities entail understory brush removal, invasive trees ranging from 3-18” DBH, thinning, pruning, chipping, from an existing roadway, and dead/tree removal to improve access for fire engines and reduce volume of flammable vegetation. Class 4 consists of minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees except for forestry or agricultural purposes; Class 7 includes actions taken by regulatory agencies as authorized by state law or local ordinance to assure the maintenance, restoration, or enhancement of a natural resource where the regulatory process involves procedures for protection of the environment; and Class 8 entails actions taken by regulatory agencies, as authorized by state or local ordinance, to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of the environment where the regulatory process involves procedures for protection of the environment.
As such, Tulare County has concluded that no significant environmental impact would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland/timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, energy, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use planning, mineral resources, noise, population and housing, public services, recreation, transportation/traffic, utilities, and service systems, or to wildfire. No exceptions apply (Section 15300.2) which would preclude the use of a Notice of Exemption for this Project.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
CEQA Guidelines Article 19 Class 8 Section 15308 Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment
Reasons for Exemption
The Project meets the requirements of a CEQA Article 19 Class 4 Categorical Exemption “Minor Alterations to Land” (Section 15304), Class 7 Categorical Exemption “Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of Natural Resources (Section 15307), and Class 8 Categorical Exemption Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment (Section 15308) as the proposed fuel
management activities entail understory brush removal, invasive trees ranging from 3-18” DBH, thinning, pruning, chipping, from an existing roadway, and dead/tree removal to improve access for fire engines and reduce volume of flammable vegetation. Class 4 consists of minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees except for forestry or agricultural purposes; Class 7 includes actions taken by regulatory agencies as authorized by state law or local ordinance to assure the maintenance, restoration, or enhancement of a natural resource where the regulatory process involves procedures for protection of the environment; and Class 8 entails actions taken by regulatory agencies, as authorized by state or local ordinance, to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of the environment where the regulatory process involves procedures for protection of the environment.
As such, Tulare County has concluded that no significant environmental impact would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland/timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, energy, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use planning, mineral resources, noise, population and housing, public services, recreation, transportation/traffic, utilities, and service systems, or to wildfire. No exceptions apply (Section 15300.2) which would preclude the use of a Notice of Exemption for this Project.
County Clerk
Tulare
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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