24STM1-3L10 Alisal Rd Storm Damage Repairs
Summary
SCH Number
2025081198
Public Agency
Santa Barbara County
Document Title
24STM1-3L10 Alisal Rd Storm Damage Repairs
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
8/27/2025
Document Description
On February 8, 2024, a significant storm event, down poured throughout the County of Santa Barbara. Alisal Road and the surrounding area experienced intense rainfall. The storm event caused unusually high runoff volumes due to the high precipitation. The increase in stormwater flow exceeded the capacity of the existing 48" CMP culvert and caused it to clog and led to the excess stormwater to overtop onto Alisal Road. This caused localized flooding and created unsafe driving conditions. The event was designated as emergency event "24STM1" and immediate emergency work was required to restore Alisal Road and the natural alignment of Nojoqui Creek.
To prevent or mitigate a future emergency event at Alisal Road, a hydraulic analysis determined that the existing single 48" culvert needs to be replaced with four 48" diameter reinforced concrete pipes to allow the expected stormwater volumes to flow through this area of Nojoqui Creek. Concrete headwalls will be constructed at both the inlet and outlet of the new culvert system, to provide structural support and protect against erosion.
These design improvements will be done by open trench excavation, meaning that Alisal Road will be fully closed during construction. Full closure of the road will allow the construction crew to complete the culvert replacements more efficiently and safely, therefore minimizing the construction duration and long-term disruption to traffic.
Immediate emergency repair work that was completed previously was statutorily exempt on May 10, 2024, a Notice of Exemption was filed on that basis, and the approved action can be found below: https://santabarbara.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6662545&GUID=F7A15D32-BE74-4DD0-AE55-28E07FE744E5.?
Contact Information
Name
Morgan Jones
Agency Name
County of Santa Barbara Public Works
Job Title
Engineering Environmental Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15301(c)
Reasons for Exemption
Cal. Code Regs. tit. 14, § 15301(c) Existing Facilities - "... consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that previously existing, including but not limited to: ... ( c) Existing highways and streets, sidewalks, gutters, bicycle and pedestrian trails, and similar facilities (this includes road grading for the purpose of public safety), except where the activity will involve removal of a scenic resource including a stand of trees, a rock outcropping, or an historic building."
Cal. Code Regs. tit. 14, § 15269( c): "Specific actions necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency. This does not include long-term projects undertaken for the purpose of preventing or mitigating a situation that has a low probability of occurrence in the short-term, but this exclusion does not apply (i) if the anticipated period of time to conduct an environmental review of such a long-term project would create a risk to public health, safety or welfare, or (ii) if activities (such as fire or catastrophic risk mitigation or modifications to improve facility integrity) are proposed for existing facilities in response to an emergency at a similar existing facility."
Consistent with this exemption, this proposed project involves an activity related to the repair, replacement and maintenance activities for an existing road facility near creeks and creek banks. The project allows for a public safety activity designed to maintain a safe working condition of the roadway facilities as they were constructed. Further, there are no unusual circumstances which would create a possibility that there would be a significant effect. Therefore, this project can be found to be categorically exempt from CEQA.
County Clerk
Santa Barbara
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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