County of Riverside, Riverside University Health System Department of Behavioral Health (RUHS-BH) Safehaven Lease Amendment with City of Riverside
Summary
SCH Number
2025040877
Public Agency
Riverside County
Document Title
County of Riverside, Riverside University Health System Department of Behavioral Health (RUHS-BH) Safehaven Lease Amendment with City of Riverside
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
4/17/2025
Document Description
The County of Riverside (County) has been under lease with the City of Riverside (City) since September 2006 for use of a facility by the RUHS-BH Safehaven Permanent Housing Program (Safehaven Program). The facility is 4,680 square-feet and continues to meet RUHS-BH's program location requirements. However, the size and worn condition of the premises after 15 years occupancy requires improvements to continue and adequately provide the necessary services to the community.
Facilities Management - Real Estate Division (FM-RE) negotiated new terms with the City of Riverside to remain under lease at the current City-owned location and new IO-year lease was approved by the board on November 16, 2021 Minute Order (M.O.) 3.4. The new lease at the time provided provisions for an expansion of the Premises from 4,680 square feet to 8,760 square feet and increase residence rooms from 13 to 33. Included in the lease was a County contribution of $2,338,176 to fund design and tenant improvements, performed by City of Riverside, the Lessor.
Upon completion of design and bidding, it was discovered that the approved funding would be insufficient for the proposed project and a new estimated project budget of $5,000,000 would be needed. In exchange for this proposed additional commitment, the lease term will be extended to thirty years total commencing upon completion of the tenant improvements. The Amendment of the Lease Agreement with the City of Riverside is identified as the proposed project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The proposed project would involve a lease for an existing facility with interior tenant improvements. No substantial increase in capacity or physical expansion beyond what was previously planned for the existing building would occur. No significant physical changes would occur as a result of the Amendment to the Lease Agreement.
Contact Information
Name
Mike Sullivan
Agency Name
County of Riverside Facilities Management
Job Title
Facilities Operations Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Riverside
Counties
Riverside
Regions
Southern California
Parcel #
210-130-025
Other Location Info
2800 Hulen Place, north of Massachusetts Avenue, Riverside, CA 92507; Assessor's Parcel Number (APN) 210-130-025
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15301
Reasons for Exemption
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 would not result in impacts to scenic highways, hazardous waste sites, historic resources, or other sensitive natural environments, or have a cumulative effect to the environment. No significant environmental impacts are anticipated to occur with the Amendment to the Lease Agreement.
This 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 is limited to the extension of the Lease Term. The extension of term would not result in a significant increase in capacity beyond the former industrial use of the facility. 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.
Therefore, the County of Riverside Facilities Management hereby concludes that no physical environmental impacts are anticipated to occur and the project as proposed is exempt under CEQA. No further environmental analysis is warranted.
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
15061(b)(3)
Reasons for Exemption
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 would not result in impacts to scenic highways, hazardous waste sites, historic resources, or other sensitive natural environments, or have a cumulative effect to the environment. No significant environmental impacts are anticipated to occur with the Amendment to the Lease Agreement.
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 1506l(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 Amendment to the Lease Agreement will not result in any direct or indirect physical environmental impacts. The use and operation of the facility will be substantially similar to the existing use and will not create any new environmental impacts to the surrounding area. No impacts beyond the ongoing, existing use of the site 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.
Therefore, the County of Riverside Facilities Management hereby concludes that no physical environmental impacts are anticipated to occur and the project as proposed is exempt under CEQA. No further environmental analysis is warranted.
County Clerk
Riverside
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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