Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Habitat Enhancement Project
Summary
SCH Number
2025081191
Public Agency
Santa Barbara County
Document Title
Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Habitat Enhancement Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
8/26/2025
Document Description
The project proposes to enhance five acres of dune habitat at Rancho Guadalupe Dunes County Park, which supports the endangered California least tern (Sternula antillarum), western snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus), and other California rare plants. The project includes planting 500 California-native and rare dune species selected for their habitat relevance and ecological compatibility, removing almost five acres of invasive species, primarily iceplant (Carpobrotus spp) and narrowleaf iceplant (Conicosia pugioniformis), and establishing post-project monitoring of plant survival and dune stability. The project will also install up to 300-ft of sand fencing to protect newly planted native dune vegetation from wind erosion and sand burial.
The project directly addresses impacts from the Related-Transportation Facility, which involved replacing a 600-foot new road and 1,400-foot repaired segment, resulting in approximately 0.48 acres of temporary and 0.25 acres of permanent impacts to dune habitat. The project will provide additional habitat mitigation and enhancement efforts beyond mitigation measures required per Permit No. 23EMP-00004/24CDH-00034 to further restore habitat functionality and resilience.
The project aims to increase biodiversity by reintroducing native species suited to foredune conditions and enhance ecological resilience, which will help buffer against and recover from future natural disturbances and climate change.
This project was submitted for funding under the California Natural Resources Agency’s Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program for the 2025 grant cycle.
Contact Information
Name
Kalani Durham
Agency Name
County of Santa Barbara Public Works
Job Title
Engineering Environmental Planner/Coordinator
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Guadalupe
Counties
Santa Barbara
Regions
Unincorporated
Cross Streets
6999 W Main St
Zip
93434
Total Acres
5
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15333 Small Restoration Projects
Reasons for Exemption
Class 33 consists of projects not to exceed five acres in size to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of habitat for fish, plants, or wildlife provided that (a) There would be no significant adverse impact on endangered, rare or threatened species or their habitat pursuant to section 15065, (b) There are no hazardous materials at or around the project site that may be disturbed or removed, and (c) The project will not result in impacts that are significant when viewed in connection with the effects of past projects, the effects of other current projects, and the effects of probable future projects. Examples of small restoration projects include but are not limited to, as listed under ( d): ( 1) revegetation of disturbed areas with native plant species and ( 4) projects to restore or enhance habitat that are carried out principally with hand labor and not mechanized equipment.
Consistent with this exemption, the proposed small restoration project does not exceed five acres in size to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of habitat for fish, plants, or wildlife. The project includes planting 500 California-native species, removing invasive species, and installing a 300-ft maximum sand fence that are all within the 5-acre restoration area. The project will not result in impacts that are significant when viewed in connection with the effects of past projects, the effects of other current projects, and the effects of probable future projects. There are no unusual circumstances that would suggest the potential for a significant environmental impact. As such, the project qualifies for a categorical exemption under CEQA.
County Clerk
Santa Barbara
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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