County of San Benito 2023-2031 Housing Element
Summary
SCH Number
2025061054
Public Agency
San Benito County
Document Title
County of San Benito 2023-2031 Housing Element
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/23/2025
Document Description
The Project is the County of San Benito Housing Element 2023 – 2031, which represents the County’s policy program for the 2023-2031 6th Cycle Planning Period. The Project involves adoption of the Housing Element Update, amending the General Plan to update the Housing Element for the current cycle, and certification of the CEQA document (i.e., Notice of Exemption).
Pursuant to State law, the County is required to update their Housing Element every eight years. Each eight-year planning cycle, the County is allocated a specific number of housing units (i.e., Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA)). The RHNA quantifies current and future housing need within a County. The Housing Element establishes the County’s official housing policies and programs to accommodate the County’s RHNA goals and identifies available candidate housing sites to meet those goals.
On May 20, 2025, the County of San Benito adopted the 2023-2031 Housing Element and found that the 2023-2031 Housing Element was exempt under State CEQA Guidelines §15061(b)(3) because it involves the County’s policies and programs to update its Housing Element and meet its RHNA allocation that either would not cause a significant effect on the environment. Additionally, the Housing Element was found to be exempt pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 because it is a feasibility or planning study for possible future actions by the County and exempt pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15283 as an action to implement a regional housing needs determination. Therefore, it has been determined that a Notice of Exemption is the appropriate CEQA documentation.
The County of San Benito found that the 2023-2031 Housing Element programs and policies would not result in physical environmental impacts. Additionally, the 2023-2031 Housing Element does not grant any development entitlements or authorize development beyond what is allowed under the County’s current General Plan and Zoning Code (Title 25). The 2023-2031 Housing Element includes benchmarks and milestones for future programmatic actions that would not result in physical environmental impacts or direct housing construction.
Contact Information
Name
Stephanie Reck
Agency Name
Resource Management Agency - Planning Department
Job Title
Senior Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Bryant de la Torre
Agency Name
Consultant
Job Title
AICP
Contact Types
Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Location
Cities
Unincorporated San Benito County
Counties
San Benito
Regions
Southern California
Other Location Info
County-wide Housing Element 6th Cycle of the 2035 General Plan
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
State CEQA Guidelines §15061(b)(3) Common Sense Exemption, State CEQA Guidelines §15262, State CEQA Guidelines §15283
Reasons for Exemption
The Project is exempt under the Common Sense Exemption because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the 2023-2031 Housing Element programs and policies would have a significant effect on the environment. Neither the Project nor the 2023-2031 Housing Element’s programs and policies would result in physical environmental impacts or direct housing construction. Additionally, the 2023-2031 Housing Element does not grant any development entitlements or authorize development beyond what is allowed under the County’s current General Plan and Zoning Code (Title 25).
County Clerk
San Benito
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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