Napa County Resiliency Project #1
Summary
SCH Number
2025040080
Public Agency
Napa County
Document Title
Napa County Resiliency Project #1
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
4/2/2025
Document Description
The project aims to utilize various fire mitigation strategies including, mechanized equipment/techniques, "pile burning", "broadcast burning", etc. with minimal to no ground disturbance to manage and maintain approximate 350 acres of vertical and horizontal fire fuels throughout the County. Out of the 350 acres, approximately all of the 350 acres is within the High Fire Hazard Zone (VHFHZ). The project will manage and maintain fire fuels within the project footprint. This fuel reduction treatment is located in fire prone areas of the County to moderate the movement of wildfire, improve defensible space, provide safe egress for evacuating citizens, provide safe ingress for emergency resources, protect critical infrastructure and ultimately facilitate in the protection of life and property from catastrophic wildfire events. Additionally, the project will implement Best Management Practices (BMPs) and restoration efforts with non-invasive species to restore natural habitats and help prevent and/or reduce the amount of sediment and runoff into nearby drainages/waterways. Further details are provided in the CEQA memo attached to this NOE
Contact Information
Name
Dana Morrison
Agency Name
County of Napa
Job Title
Supervising Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
JR Rogers
Agency Name
Napa County Fire Administrator
Job Title
Assistant Fire Administrator
Contact Types
Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Location
Coordinates
Cities
unincorporated area
Counties
Napa
Regions
Unincorporated
Cross Streets
Rocky Ridge Road and Wildhorse Valley Road; Wappo Hill Road and Silverado Trail
Zip
94559
Total Acres
350
Jobs
1
Parcel #
052-190-029 052-190-028, 052-190-025, 052-190-027, 032-400-027 and 032-400-016
State Highways
None
Railways
None
Airports
None
Schools
None
Waterways
Hagan Creek, Murphy Creek, Spencer Creek-North Fork; Soda Creek and Napa River
Township
07;05N
Range
04;03W
Section
33;5
Base
MDM
Other Location Info
GPS Coordinates: 38 19 7.16 N, 122 12'52.51 W (Silverado)
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4 15304 (Minor Alterations to Land) and Class 8 15308 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of Nat. Res.)
Reasons for Exemption
Staff has reviewed the approved project to determine the required level of review under the CEQA and has determined the project to be Categorically Exempt from the CEQA pursuant to the following CEQA Guidelines:
• The project meets the requirements of CEQA Article 19 Class 4 (Section 15304) Categorical Exemption "Minor Alterations to Land" as the project aims to utilize mechanized equipment/techniques, including "pile burning" and "broadcast burning" with minimal to no ground disturbance to manage and maintain approximately 350 acres of vertical and horizontal fire fuels in the County. Out of the 350 acres, approximately 350 acres is within the High Fire Hazard Zone (HFHZ). The managing and maintaining of vertical and horizontal fire fuels is a common practice within communities. The project will manage and maintain fire fuels throughout the project area. This fuel reduction treatment is strategically located to improve defensible space, provide safe egress for evacuating citizens, provide safe ingress for emergency resources, protect critical infrastructure and ultimately facilitate in the protection of life and property from catastrophic wildfire events. Additionally, the project will implement Best Management Practices (BMPs) and restoration efforts with non-invasive species to restore natural habitats and help prevent and/or reduce the amount of sediment and runoff into nearby drainages/waterways. By
managing and maintaining wildfire intensity and severity, it will improve our defensible space, provide safer egress for evacuating citizens, provide safer ingress for emergency resources, and ultimately facilitate in the protection of life and property. Also, project activities will not result in the taking of endangered, rare, and/or threatened plant or animal species, or cause sedimentation to surface waters. The project will implement Best Management Practices (BMPs), including restoration efforts with noninvasive species to restore natural habitats and help prevent and/or reduce the amount of sediment and runoff into nearby drainages/waterways.
• The project meets the requirements of CEQA Article 19 Class 8 (Section 15308) Categorical Exemption "Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of Natural Resources" as the project consist of actions by regulatory agencies as authorized by state laws or local ordinances. The project will utilize mechanized equipment/techniques, including "pile burning" and "broadcast burning" with minimal to no ground disturbance to manage and maintain approximately 350 acres of vertical and horizontal fire fuels throughout the County. Out of the 350 acres, approximately 350 acres is within the High Fire Hazard Zone (HFHZ). The managing and maintaining of vertical and horizontal fire fuels is a common practice within communities. This fuel reduction treatment is strategically located to moderate the movement of wildfire, improve defensible space, provide safe egress for evacuating citizens, provide safe ingress for emergency resources, protect critical infrastructure, and ultimately facilitate in the protection of life and property from catastrophic wildfire events. The project will implement Best Management Practices (BMPs) and restoration efforts with non-invasive species to restore natural habitats and help prevent and/or reduce the amount of sediment and runoff into nearby drainages/waterways. Additionally, the referenced agencies confirmed the hazardous fuel reduction clearance is mandatory to moderate the movement of wildfire, improve defensible space, provide safe egress for evacuating citizens, provide safe ingress for emergency resources, protect critical infrastructure, adhere to PRC 4291 / local ordinances and ultimately facilitate in the protection of life and property from catastrophic wildfire events.
County staff also reviewed all potential exceptions (Section 15300.2) to the categorical exemptions and determined that no exceptions would apply: (a) because there are no project impacts and/or no cumulatively significant impacts; (b) There would be no significant effects due to unusual circumstances because the routine maintenance and/or removal of hazardous forest/fire fuels to reduce wildfire intensity/severity, including the protection of life and property from catastrophic events is a common practice in communities; (c) There would be no damage to scenic resources, historic buildings, and/or rock outcroppings; (d) The project is not located on a hazardous waste site; and (e) The project is designed to require minimal to no ground disturbance. Furthermore, there are no known special circumstances that exist which would create a reasonable possibility that the project will have a significant adverse effect on the environment. Therefore, the project meets the criteria outlined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15304 and 15308 and would be categorically exempt from the requirements of CEQA. No further CEQA review is required.
This determination is solely based on information provided by the Napa County Fire Department and Mike Wink, CAL FIRE Sonoma Lake Napa Unit. Should the proposed project be modified, or new evidence be presented that environmental impacts have not been fully disclosed, this determination would not be valid.
County Clerk
Napa
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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