Lower Eel River Wetlands Acquisition
Summary
SCH Number
2025040950
Public Agency
California State Coastal Conservancy
(SCC)
Document Title
Lower Eel River Wetlands Acquisition
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
4/18/2025
Document Description
An acquisition to the City of Fortuna to complete pre-acquisition tasks and acquire 237 acres along the Lower Eel River in Fortuna, Humboldt County; and to prepare plans and designs for a park on a portion of the property, and to prepare a management plan for the other portion of the property. The City of Fortuna will retain 7.2 acres for open space, public access, and recreation, and the remaining 230 acres will be transferred to the Wiyot Tribe for the preservation of open space; protection, restoration, and enhancement of natural resources and habitat for fish and wildlife; protection of cultural resources; and to the extent compatible with habitat protection, providing public access and California Native American tribal cultural use and access.
Contact Information
Name
Morgan Wright
Agency Name
State Coastal Conservancy
Job Title
Project Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Name
Amy Nilsen
Agency Name
City of Fortuna
Job Title
City Manager
Contact Types
Parties Undertaking Project
Address
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Fortuna
Counties
Humboldt
Regions
Northern California
Cross Streets
Riverwalk Drive
Zip
95540
Total Acres
237
Parcel #
106-091-040, 106-091-044, 200-362-005
State Highways
Highway 101
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Public Resources Code, Section 21080.28, 14 CCR California Code of Regulations Section 15262
Reasons for Exemption
Public Resources Code Section 21080.28, which exempts transfers of ownership in land in order to preserve and restore natural conditions and to preserve open space or lands for park purposes. The proposed project will preserve, and allow restoration of, the existing natural resources and habitats of the property and it will preserve open space and lands for park purposes. This statutory exemption applies even if physical changes to the environment or changes in the use of land are a reasonably foreseeable consequence of the acquisition, provided that environmental review otherwise required by this division occurs before any project approval that would authorize physical changes being made to that land. In this case, there will be compliance with CEQA before any physical changes are made to the property.
CCR California Code of Regulations Section 15262, which exempts planning and feasibility studies for possible future actions that have not yet been approved, adopted, or funded. The proposed planning consists of preparing (1) initial plans and designs for the future park on the City’s 7.2 acres of upland; and (2) a management plan for access and future restoration on the Tribe’s 230 acres.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Section 15306, 14 CCR Section 15316
Reasons for Exemption
Section 15306 exempts data collection and resource evaluation activities that do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. Consistent with Section 15306, the data collection and resource evaluation components of the project will not cause major or serious disturbance to the environment.
The proposed acquisition is also exempt from CEQA review pursuant to 14 CCR Section 15316, which exempts transfers of ownership in land to establish a park where the land is in a natural condition and the management plan for the park has not yet been prepared. The proposed project will transfer land in its natural condition to the City of Fortuna to plan a park for which a management plan has not yet been prepared.
County Clerk
Humboldt
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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