Indio Probation Field Services Parking Lot Pavement Project

2025050250

Riverside County

NOE - Notice of Exemption

5/7/2025

5/7/2025

Mike Sullivan

Riverside County

Facilities Operations Manager

Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project

3450 14th Street Suite 307
RIverside, CA 92501

(951) 955-8009

msullivan@rivco.org

: 47940 Arabia Street, north of Avenue 48

92201

614150032

I-10

Categorical Exemption

Section 15301 Existing Facilities

This Class 1 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, as proposed, is limited to the re-pavement of the parking lot at the existing Indio Probation Field Services facility. The new parking lot would result in the continued provision public services and would not result in a significant increase in capacity or intensity of use. 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.

Categorical Exemption

Section 15302 Replacement or Reconstruction

This Class 2 categorical exemption consists of the replacement or reconstruction of existing structures and facilities where the new structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced. Under (c), replacement or reconstruction of existing utility systems and/or facilities involving negligible or no expansion of capacity. The project, as proposed, is the replacement of the existing parking lot of similar size and capacity. The parking lot is an existing facility that supports the provision of public services and the replacement would have the same purpose as the existing infrastructure. Therefore, the project is exempt as it meets the scope and intent of the Categorical Exemption identified in Section 15302, Article 19, Categorical Exemptions of the CEQA Guidelines

Other

Section 15061(b)(3) Common Sense

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 15061(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 re-pavement of the parking lot at the Indio Probation Field Services facility will not result in any direct or indirect physical environmental impacts. The repaving of the parking lot would not alter the footprint and is being completed to provide for safe and efficient operation of the public facility. The use of the facility would remain unchanged. 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.