Milpas Street Crosswalk Safety and Sidewalk Widening and Pavement Maintenance Projects

2025040940

City of Santa Barbara

NOE - Notice of Exemption

4/18/2025

4/18/2025

Kaitlin Mamulski

City of Santa Barbara, Public Works Engineering

Project Planner

Lead/Public Agency

630 Garden Street PO Box 1990
23329, CA 93102

(951) 212-3521

kmamulski@santabarbaraca.gov

N/A

Milpas Stret ROW between Canon Perdido Street to Carpinteria Street Roundabout

City of Santa Barbara/County of Santa Barbara

Categorical Exemption

15301 (c) & 15303

CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 Existing Facilities. This Project meets § 15301 (c) Existing Facilities categorical exemption for streets, sidewalks, bicycle-share facilities and bicycle lanes, pedestrian crossings, and street trees because the Project involves minor alterations of existing facilities to improve public safety and comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards and will not result in an expansion of use. CEQA Guidelines Section 15303 New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures. This Project meets the § 15303 New Construction categorical exemption for the construction of road facilities and new equipment for street improvements which will improve public safety. Archaeology. Portions of the project area are proposed within the Prehistoric Watercourse buffer area, the American Period, the Early 20th Century, and the Hispanic American Transition Period. All work is proposed within the City’s existing ROW that has been previously disturbed. Additional Archaeological analysis is recommended as the proposed depth of disturbance could be potentially deeper than previously disturbed for installation of traffic signals. The consultant archaeologist (Applied Earthworks) is under contract for archaeological review. Given the Project scope and past archaeological studies in the Project vicinity, an Archaeological Letter Report is required. Applied Earthworks prepared a Letter Report for the Project. Based on the data review, the low archaeological sensitivity, and proposed construction methods, Æ recommends the adoption of the MEA guidelines (City of Santa Barbara 2002; Municipal Code: 22.12) for all locations within the Project area: Archaeological and Paleontological Resources: Unknown sites. Where a grading permit has been issued with respect to an area not known at the time of issuance to include archaeological or paleontological resources, and where it is subsequently learned, either by representatives of the City or by any persons doing development pursuant to a grading permit, that significant archaeological or paleontological resources may be encompassed within the area to be graded or being graded, all grading which has substantial potential to damage archaeological or paleontological resources shall cease and the grading permit deemed suspended to that extent. The finding of a site which may contain significant archaeological or paleontological resources shall be reported to the Chief of Building and Zoning, or the Public Works Director if a public project, and the Community Development Director within 72 hours from the time such archaeological or paleontological resources are found. The Chief of Building and Zoning, or the Public Works Director if a public project, upon receiving such a report, shall cause a preliminary investigation of the site to be made by qualified experts at the permittee’s expense within five working days after the time such a report is received. If the preliminary investigation should confirm that the site does or may contain significant archaeological or paleontological resources, the grading permit shall be suspended for a period not to exceed 45 days after the date the finding of the resources was first reported to or learned by the City. During the period of suspension, and as promptly as reasonably possible, the Chief of Building and Zoning, or the Public Works Director if a public project, shall develop conditions to be included in the grading permit pursuant to the provisions of Section 22.12.020.A. When such conditions are developed and included in the grading permit, said permit shall be deemed reissued subject to such conditions, and the suspension shall be deemed terminated. In extraordinary circumstances, the suspension may be extended beyond 45 days if the Chief of Building and Zoning, or the Public Works Director if a public project, makes application to the City Council for such an extension and the Council shall approve extension of the suspension. Given the conclusions of the Letter Report, the effect on archaeological resources is considered less than significant. Coastal Zone. The majority of the Project is outside of the Coastal Zone. Only the southern portion of the roundabout (at Carpinteria Street) is located within the Non-Appealable Jurisdiction of the coastal zone. The Project proposes to add pedestrian activated RRFBs to the Carpinteria Street crosswalk, to the US Highway 101 Northbound offramp, and the US Highway 101 Northbound onramp. The work consists of excavations of approximately 18 to 24 inches depth for the conduit and 7 feet for the foundations. The proposed scope of work is located within areas of previously disturbed ROW. An application for a Coastal Exemption will be submitted for the work within the Coastal Zone. Given the limited work in the Coastal Zone and the Project’s qualification for a Coastal Exemption, the effects on coastal resources are considered less than significant. Hazardous Materials. There are 13 known Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Cleanup Sites. One open Cleanup Program Site is located at 523 N Milpas, (former Good Year Tire Company) with the California State Water Resources Control Board between US 101/Milpas and Milpas/De La Guerra Street, as indicated in Attachment 5 - GeoTracker (September 3, 2024). The remaining 12 known LUST cases are closed and are located on private property. All work is proposed within the existing ROW and no excavation work will occur on parcels listed on the Cortese List; therefore, the effect of hazardous materials is considered less than significant. Flood Zone. A segment of the Project is located within the AH flood zone, located between Cota Street (south) to De La Guerra (north), indicating potential higher risk of flooding (1% annual chance flood event with shallow flooding or areas of ponding, average depths of 1-3 feet). The Project involves incremental physical changes to the existing roadway facilities. Project components are required to meet applicable engineering design standards for flood zone conditions. As with current conditions on the existing transportation facilities, following project installation, temporary water ponding on the transportation facilities may occur during heavy downpours. The project would not change or exacerbate existing flood risk conditions. Project flood hazard impacts would be less than significant. Geological. The project is limited to reconfiguration of existing public roadway facilities that involve standard engineering design standards for geophysical conditions. The MEA identifies that most of the Project locations are potentially subject to geologic and soil hazards associated with expansive soils, soil erosion, and/or shallow ground water. The project is limited to surface reconfigurations of existing roadway facilities and installation of curb extensions/realignments, RRFBs, and streetlights. Soil and groundwater conditions are feasibly addressed with standard engineering techniques, and applicable City Building Code provisions to meet standards for public safety. The code also requires best management practices to minimize any potential erosion effects during construction. The project does not have the potential to exacerbate geologic or soil hazards. No significant impact associated with geology and soil issues would result from the project. Historical Sites/Structures. There are approximately seven identified historic structures adjacent to the Milpas Street project corridor. The proposed Project construction is located within the City’s ROW and will not occur on the parcels identified with a historic resource. Per the City Architectural Historian, because the project is not touching any of the historic resources and will not be obscuring or overwhelming the resource, but only altering flat street work in the public-right-of-way, the project will not cause any negative impacts to the historic resources. Noise. The proposed Project intersects the following areas of noise greater than 65 dBA: between Cota Street (south) to Quinientos (south), and greater than 70 dBA within the roundabout at the intersection of Milpas and Carpinteria Streets (freeway adjacent). The noise receptors (nearby schools, parks, library) are located greater than 200 feet from the project site. The Noise Ordinance (Chapter 9.16 of the SBMC) governs short-term or periodic noise, such as construction noise, operation of motorized equipment or amplified sound, or other sources of nuisance noise. The ordinance establishes limitations on hours of construction and motorized equipment operations and provides criteria for defining nuisance noise in general. The Project will comply with Noise Ordinance regulations, therefore the short-term construction related noise impacts are considered less than significant. Trees. There are 96 existing street trees within the Project Corridor, from Quinientos Street to Canon Perdido Street. Of the 96 trees, the Project proposes to protect and preserve 83 trees, and remove 13 trees. Of the 13 trees proposed for removal, eight Laurel Fig (Ficus) trees would be removed in advance of the Project construction due to intersection sight line obstructions and/or accessibility issues. The five remaining (non-Ficus) trees are located within the proposed intersection improvements and therefore are proposed for removal with the Project construction. Approximately 37 locations have been identified for potential new street trees, pending further site evaluation. The consultant arborist (Bill Spiewak Consulting Arborist) is under contract to inventory and assess the street trees along Milpas Street, and work in collaboration with Chris Taylor, the consultant certified access specialist. The Project team evaluated the consultant reports, the condition of the existing street trees (within the Project corridor) and the proposed safety improvements to minimize the need for tree removal while improving safety for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. The phasing of removals and new plantings will benefit the replacement of tree canopy. Provided the overall minimal number of trees proposed for removal along with the number of potential new tree planting opportunities, resulting in a net increase of total trees, the impacts to trees are considered less than significant. Visual. The above ground features of the Project include placement of new street lighting and pedestrian activated RRFBs along the Milpas Street corridor. The addition of the traffic safety elements will improve circulation safety within the existing Milpas Street corridor. The Project is not located within the historic El Pueblo Viejo District or the hillside district, nor does it include an important open space or unique hillside or shoreline visual resource. Therefore, the Project is anticipated to have a less than significant impact on visual resources.