Hemet Ryan Airport Taxiway B, Hangar Taxilanes, and East/West Apron Pavement Rehabilitation Project

2025080043

Riverside County

NOE - Notice of Exemption

8/1/2025

8/1/2025

Mike Sullivan

County of Riverside Facilities Management

Facilities Operations Manager

Lead/Public Agency

3450 14th Street
Riverside, CA 92501

(951) 955-4820

msullivan@rivco.org

456-020-002

4200 Walden Weaver Road, east of Warren Road, Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) 456-020-002, Hemet, California, 92545

Categorical Exemption

15301

The proposed project will not result in any specific or general exceptions to the use of the categorical exemption as detailed under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2. The project will not cause an impact to an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern nor does the project involve any unusual circumstances that could potentially have a significant effect on the environment. The project would not result in impacts to scenic highways, hazardous waste sites, historic resources, or other sensitive natural environments, or have a cumulative effect to the environment. The replacement and rehabilitation of the taxilanes and aprons at the airport would have no effects on the environment. 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 approval of Assignment of Lease which will allow for the transfer of use of property at Hemet Ryan. The changes are limited to the change in ownership and responsibility for the terms of the Lease. The Assignment Agreement will have the same purpose and substantially similar capacity on the existing facilities at the airport and would be consistent with the existing land use and contractual requirements for the use of the site. 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. Based upon the identified exemptions above, the County of Riverside hereby concludes that no physical environmental impacts are anticipated to occur and the project as proposed is exempt under CEQA and excluded under NEAP. No further environmental analysis is warranted.

Categorical Exemption

15302

The proposed project will not result in any specific or general exceptions to the use of the categorical exemption as detailed under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2. The project will not cause an impact to an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern nor does the project involve any unusual circumstances that could potentially have a significant effect on the environment. The project would not result in impacts to scenic highways, hazardous waste sites, historic resources, or other sensitive natural environments, or have a cumulative effect to the environment. The replacement and rehabilitation of the taxilanes and aprons at the airport would have no effects on the environment. 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 and rehabilitation of existing pavement at the Hemet Ryan Airport. The pavement is existing infrastructure at the airport that has degraded under routine use by aircraft. The replacement pavement will be of similar size and capacity on the same footprint. The replacement pavement 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. Based upon the identified exemptions above, the County of Riverside hereby concludes that no physical environmental impacts are anticipated to occur and the project as proposed is exempt under CEQA and excluded under NEAP. No further environmental analysis is warranted.

Other

15061(b)(3)

The proposed project will not result in any specific or general exceptions to the use of the categorical exemption as detailed under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2. The project will not cause an impact to an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern nor does the project involve any unusual circumstances that could potentially have a significant effect on the environment. The project would not result in impacts to scenic highways, hazardous waste sites, historic resources, or other sensitive natural environments, or have a cumulative effect to the environment. The replacement and rehabilitation of the taxilanes and aprons at the airport would have no effects on the environment. 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 Assignment Agreement is an administrative function, that is required as part of the terms of the Lase at the existing airport and would result in the continued operation of the airport on the leased premises under a different owner. No significant direct or indirect environmental impacts would occur. 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. Based upon the identified exemptions above, the County of Riverside hereby concludes that no physical environmental impacts are anticipated to occur and the project as proposed is exempt under CEQA and excluded under NEAP. No further environmental analysis is warranted.

Categorical Exemption

NEPA FAA Section 5-6.4e

The proposed project will not result in any specific or general exceptions to the use of the categorical exemption as detailed under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2. The project will not cause an impact to an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern nor does the project involve any unusual circumstances that could potentially have a significant effect on the environment. The project would not result in impacts to scenic highways, hazardous waste sites, historic resources, or other sensitive natural environments, or have a cumulative effect to the environment. The replacement and rehabilitation of the taxilanes and aprons at the airport would have no effects on the environment. This category includes the list of CATEXs for FAA actions involving acquisition, repair, replacement, maintenance, or upgrading of grounds, infrastructure, buildings, structures, or facilities that generally are minor in nature. Section (e) includes construction repair, resurfacing, extending, strengthening, or widening of a taxiway, apron, loading ramp or runway safety area or reconstruction, resurfacing, extending, strengthening, or widening of an existing runway. The improvements consist of the repair, resurfacing and restriping of taxilanes and apron areas which are included in this section. The improvements would not alter local traffic levels or increase noise or air quality emissions as no increase in operations would occur with the replacement. No other extraordinary circumstances exist and the Project would meet the scope and intent of the Categorical Exclusion identified in Section 5-6.4e of the FAA Categorical Exclusion. Based upon the identified exemptions above, the County of Riverside hereby concludes that no physical environmental impacts are anticipated to occur and the project as proposed is exempt under CEQA and excluded under NEAP. No further environmental analysis is warranted.