Fiscal Year 2025 Wastewater Rehabilitation Project

2025050558

City of Santa Barbara

NOE - Notice of Exemption

5/14/2025

5/14/2025

Kaitlin Mamulski

City of Santa Barbara

Project Planner

Lead/Public Agency

630 Garden Street PO Box 1990
Santa Barbara, CA 93102-1990

(805) 897-2685

kmamulski@santabarbaraca.gov

75 Locations throughout the City (Foothill, San Roque, Hitchcock, East San Roque, Cielito, Eucalyptus Hill, Eastside, Lower East, Laguna, Lower Riviera, Upper East, Riviera, Est Beach, and Alta Mesa Neighborhoods)

Categorical Exemption

15301 (b) & (d)

CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 Existing Facilities. This Project meets § 15301 (b) & (d) Existing Facilities categorical exemption because the repair and maintenance of existing sewer main to maintain the structural integrity of the City’s aging sanitary sewer system will not result in an increase in use or capacity. Air Quality. The proposed Project has the potential to create odors during construction. Short-term odor nuisances would occur during liner curing only. The odor typically lasts about 2-4 hours. Contractors are required to apply for, obtain, and comply with County APCD permits related to odors, therefore given compliance with APCD permits and the short-term nature of the odors, the effect on air quality is considered less than significant. Archaeology. The proposed Project is located in several areas of archaeological sensitivity including the Prehistoric Sites and Watercourses, American Period, Early 20th Century, Hispanic-American Transition Period, Spanish Colonial & Mexican, and the Mission Complex and Waterworks. Although the proposed Project is located in these areas, there is no ground disturbance proposed, however, if point repairs are needed, they would occur in areas of previously disturbed soils to the same depth of disturbance. An open trench construction method would be utilized to excavate a four to eight-foot section of the pipe for repair in length. The proposed Project will adhere to General Conditions as noted in the Specifications (7.18 Historic or Archaeological Items) and standard unanticipated discovery language for any potential historic or archaeological items would apply. Therefore, given the low potential for ground disturbing activities in previously disturbed soils, and adherence to the Unanticipated Discovery General Conditions, the effect on archaeological resources is considered less than significant. Coastal Zone. One segment of the proposed Project is located in the Appealable Jurisdiction of the Coastal Zone and will require a Coastal Exemption from the City’s Community Development Department. Given that the Project qualifies for the Repair or Maintenance Exemption of the Coastal Exemption criteria and does not involve a risk of adverse environmental effects, the effect on Coastal Zone resources is considered less than significant. Creeks. Some of the Project segments are located within 200’ of a creek, however, the Contractor will adhere to the City’s Specifications listed for Procedures for the Control of Runoff into Storm Drains and Watercourses, City Specifications (Attachment 3 – Project Specifications, Procedures for the Control of Runoff into Storm Drains and Watercourses [page 300]). Therefore, because the proposed Project work is limited to the existing ROW and the Contractor will comply with City Specifications, the proposed Project would have a less than significant effect on creeks. Fire. Portions of the proposed Project are located within the High Fire Hazard Area Foothill Zone. The Contractor will adhere to the City’s specifications listed for Work in High Fire Hazard Areas, City Specifications (Attachment 3 – Project Specifications, Special Conditions Section 6 [page 99]). Given that Contractor will adhere to specifications for working in High Fire Hazard Areas, the repair and maintenance activities are not anticipated to have an effect on fire hazards. Floodway. Portions of the proposed Project are located in the floodway zones X, AH, and AE. The proposed repair and maintenance activities on existing sewer main pipes are not anticipated to increase any floodway risk, therefore, the effects of the proposed Project are considered less than significant. Geology. Portions of the Project are located within 200’ of the Apparently Active – Holocene age and Potentially Active – early to late Pleistocene age earthquake fault zones. Some segments of the Project are located within areas of moderate and high liquefaction potential. The repair and maintenance of existing sewer main pipes is anticipated to have a less than significant effect on geological resources. Hazardous Materials. The proposed Project is within 200’ of known LUFT sites and the associated soils may contain hazardous materials. All work would occur in the ROW and would not be on any parcel on the Cortese List. Per the General Conditions, any impacted soils encountered would be managed per Health and Safety code section 25117 as follows: (a) Except as provided in subdivision (d), “hazardous waste” means a waste that meets any of the criteria for the identification of a hazardous waste adopted by the department pursuant to Section 25141. (b) “Hazardous waste” includes, but is not limited to, RCRA hazardous waste. (c) Unless expressly provided otherwise, “hazardous waste” also includes extremely hazardous waste and acutely hazardous waste. (d) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), in any criminal or civil prosecution brought by a city attorney, county counsel, district attorney, or the Attorney General for violation of this chapter, when it is an element of proof that the person knew or reasonably should have known of the violation, or violated the chapter willfully or with reckless disregard for the risk, or acted intentionally or negligently, the element of proof that the waste is hazardous waste may be satisfied by demonstrating that the waste exhibited the characteristics set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 25141. With adherence to the Health and Safety Code section 25117, the effect on hazardous materials is considered less than significant. Historic Structures. Portions of the proposed Project are within 50’ of historic resources, however, the scope of work consists of maintenance and repair to existing sewer mains and will not have a negative effect on adjacent historic resources. Noise. Some segments of the proposed Project are located in areas with ambient noise levels greater than 65 dBA, and the short-term noise-related impacts associated with construction are considered less than significant. The work will take place within regular daytime working hours from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, no night work is anticipated. In conclusion, the Project rehabilitates existing sewer main to maintain the structural integrity of the City’s aging sanitary sewer system will not result in an increase in use or capacity. The Project is not anticipated to result in any significant impacts towards environmental resources, therefore, the Public Works Department recommends that the Case Planner consider this Project as exempt, as defined in the CEQA review process classified under the 15301 (b) & (d) Existing Facilities categorical exemption of the CEQA Guidelines.