Orange County Firesafe Council CAR Community Hardening Phase 1 Project
Summary
SCH Number
2025060428
Public Agency
Orange County Fire Authority
Document Title
Orange County Firesafe Council CAR Community Hardening Phase 1 Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/10/2025
Document Description
The California Sustainability Group proposes to remove 953 eucalyptus trees on interior neighborhood slopes to reduce the fuel load and protect 1,228 homes within the Robinson Ranch and Trabuco Highlands neighborhoods. Additional hazardous fuel will be removed from the neighborhood's external/perimeter slopes to meet Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) standards for defensible space.
Contact Information
Name
Scott Hatch
Agency Name
Orange County Fire Authority
Job Title
Wildland Resource Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Name
Bethany Ross
Agency Name
California Sustainability Group
Job Title
President
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Phone
Location
Cities
Rancho Santa Margarita
Counties
Orange
Regions
Southern California
Other Location Info
Robinson Ranch and Trabuco Highlands
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15304
Reasons for Exemption
The proposed fuel reduction project is consistent with CEQA Guidelines Categorical Exemption Class 4 in that the project will not take threatened, endangered, or rare species or cause sedimentation into surface waters. The project consists of a manipulated and exotic-dominated land cover type characterized primarily by ornamental vegetation that is unlikely to support any threatened, endangered, or rare species. The project also consists of native Lemonade Berry scrub, which is also unlikely to support any threatened, endangered, or rare species. There are no state or federal jurisdictional areas and no surface waters, and therefore the project will not result in erosion or sedimentation into surface waters. In addition, the trees will be remove with hand tools and will be chipped and disposed of at a licensed green waste facility, making the project exempt from CAL FIRE's cultural resources review.
County Clerk
Orange
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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