Rancho Sonado Outdoor Science Education Center Fire Restoration Project
Summary
SCH Number
2025070701
Public Agency
Orange County Department of Education
Document Title
Rancho Sonado Outdoor Science Education Center Fire Restoration Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
7/17/2025
Document Description
The Orange County Department of Education proposes to renovate, repair, and reconstruct facilities for the Inside the Outdoors Environmental Education Program at Rancho Sonado, which were damaged by a wildfire in 2020, and resume previous school and public operations. The Project will consist of the renovation of seven (7) outdoor teaching stations on existing graded pads along the hiking trails, five(5) of which would be covered, picnic areas, a multipurpose educational building containing restrooms, an administrative building, a covered lunch area, and an outdoor amphitheater, all constructed with non-combustible materials. The Project will also include sitework that includes improvement of the existing driveway/access road to provide adequate access to firefighting trucks/engines and other emergency vehicles to the property, installation of a new on site fire hydrant, renovation of landscaping with drought-tolerant and native plant specles, an improved parking lot, and new wayfinding signage.
Contact Information
Name
Patricia McCaughey
Agency Name
Orange County Department of Education
Job Title
Executive Director, Business Operations
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Orange
Counties
Orange
Regions
Southern California
Cross Streets
Santiago Canyon Road and Ridgetop Road
Zip
92676
Total Acres
110
Jobs
3
Parcel #
105-201-32 -35, and 89, and 576-013-05
Township
5S
Range
7W
Section
18
Base
SBM
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Sections 15301(Class 1), 15302 (Class 2), Class 3 and 15314 (Class 14)
Reasons for Exemption
Classes 1 and 2 apply because the project would involve the repair and reconstruction/replacement of the project site facilities after being damaged by a wildfire in December 2020 which resulted in the closure of the Rancho Sonado Outdoor Science Education Center. Class 3 applies because the project would, in part, involve the construction of approximately 2,400 sq.ft. of new facilities/structures that were not present onsite prior to the 2020 wilfire, and the project would not involve the use of significant amounts of hazardous substances. Class 14 applies because the project would involve the renovation, repair and reconstruction/replacement of the onsite facilities since being damaged by the wildfire, and once reopened, the outdoor school would continue to allow the same number of students on-site pre-fire conditions. Additionally, none of the exceptions listed in the CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 apply to this project, nor are there any unusual circumstances that could result in significant environmental effects.
County Clerk
Orange
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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