Lease and Minor Interior Renovations of Property at 16075 Vineyard Boulevard, Morgan Hill, CA

2025041104

Santa Clara County

NOE - Notice of Exemption

4/22/2025

4/22/2025

Yarden Elhanan

County of Santa Clara

Principal Planner

Lead/Public Agency

2310 N 1st St
San Jose, CA 95131

(408) 993-4600

yarden.elhanan@faf.sccgov.org

Lesley Pak

County of Santa Clara

Deputy County Counsel

Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant

70 West Hedding Street East Wing, 9th Floor
San Jose, CA 95110

(408) 299-5966

lesley.pak@cco.sccgov.org

817-05-044

Categorical Exemption

Section 15303; Section 15320

The Project meets the requirements of the Class 3 Categorical Exemption (conversion of small structures, CEQA Guidelines Section 15303), which expressly exempts “the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure.” The Project involves minor internal renovations to facilitate the conversion of a small structure—specifically, an approximately 1,834 square-foot office space—to serve as a temporary fire station. The Fire District will also have access to a patio area, seven unreserved vehicle parking spaces, and one reserved vehicle parking space for the Engine 67 fire engine or equivalent, and nonexclusive access to a shared storage warehouse. Only minor modifications will be made to the exterior of the structure. Specifically, modifications to the exterior of the structure will be limited to (1) replacing an existing three-sided wooden fence around the patio area for added privacy and (2) replacing three windows of the office space. The property owner also approved the addition of a standard door on the east side of the shared storage warehouse. All work will comply with the California Building Standards Code. Hazardous materials will not be stored or used at the Project site. The Project also meets the requirements of the Class 20 Categorical Exemption (reorganization of local agencies, CEQA Guidelines Section 15320), which expressly exempts “reorganization of local governmental agencies where the changes do not change the geographical area in which previously existing powers are exercised.” The Project is necessary to allow the Fire District to continue to perform the existing services and powers of the South County Fire District in the annexed territory, after the District Reorganization. Specifically, it will allow the Fire District to continue to operate Engine 67—or a comparable replacement—to provide services to the same territory that the engine currently serves, namely the former South County Fire District and portions of the City of Morgan Hill. Because the Fire District will not have access to the Morgan Hill Fire Station, it will provide services from the Project site at 16075 Vineyard Boulevard, which is approximately 2,297 feet from the Morgan Hill Fire Station. Accordingly, the Project will not change the geographical area in which existing fire protection services are provided and in which fire protection district powers are exercised. There is no reasonable possibility that the Project will have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances that would preclude the use of a categorical exemption for this Project, and Project implementation will not damage scenic resources. The Project will not impact an officially mapped and designated environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern. Finally, the Project is covered by the common-sense exemption under CEQA Guidelines § 15061(b)(3), because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the Project may have a significant effect on the environment. As outlined above, the Project will allow the Fire District to maintain existing services out of a temporary station less than 2,297 feet from the station that currently serves this territory and will serve as a replacement use to the existing fire station use for Engine 67 that will serve the same territory. There is no possibility that this change or the minor renovations to the office space may have a significant impact on the environment.

Other

15061(b)(3)

The Project meets the requirements of the Class 3 Categorical Exemption (conversion of small structures, CEQA Guidelines Section 15303), which expressly exempts “the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure.” The Project involves minor internal renovations to facilitate the conversion of a small structure—specifically, an approximately 1,834 square-foot office space—to serve as a temporary fire station. The Fire District will also have access to a patio area, seven unreserved vehicle parking spaces, and one reserved vehicle parking space for the Engine 67 fire engine or equivalent, and nonexclusive access to a shared storage warehouse. Only minor modifications will be made to the exterior of the structure. Specifically, modifications to the exterior of the structure will be limited to (1) replacing an existing three-sided wooden fence around the patio area for added privacy and (2) replacing three windows of the office space. The property owner also approved the addition of a standard door on the east side of the shared storage warehouse. All work will comply with the California Building Standards Code. Hazardous materials will not be stored or used at the Project site. The Project also meets the requirements of the Class 20 Categorical Exemption (reorganization of local agencies, CEQA Guidelines Section 15320), which expressly exempts “reorganization of local governmental agencies where the changes do not change the geographical area in which previously existing powers are exercised.” The Project is necessary to allow the Fire District to continue to perform the existing services and powers of the South County Fire District in the annexed territory, after the District Reorganization. Specifically, it will allow the Fire District to continue to operate Engine 67—or a comparable replacement—to provide services to the same territory that the engine currently serves, namely the former South County Fire District and portions of the City of Morgan Hill. Because the Fire District will not have access to the Morgan Hill Fire Station, it will provide services from the Project site at 16075 Vineyard Boulevard, which is approximately 2,297 feet from the Morgan Hill Fire Station. Accordingly, the Project will not change the geographical area in which existing fire protection services are provided and in which fire protection district powers are exercised. There is no reasonable possibility that the Project will have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances that would preclude the use of a categorical exemption for this Project, and Project implementation will not damage scenic resources. The Project will not impact an officially mapped and designated environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern. Finally, the Project is covered by the common-sense exemption under CEQA Guidelines § 15061(b)(3), because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the Project may have a significant effect on the environment. As outlined above, the Project will allow the Fire District to maintain existing services out of a temporary station less than 2,297 feet from the station that currently serves this territory and will serve as a replacement use to the existing fire station use for Engine 67 that will serve the same territory. There is no possibility that this change or the minor renovations to the office space may have a significant impact on the environment.