HSIP Cycle 12 Hope School District Crosswalk Safety Project

2025090804

City of Santa Barbara

NOE - Notice of Exemption

9/18/2025

9/18/2025

Kaitlin Mamulski

City of Santa Barbara, Public Works Engineering

Project Planner

Lead/Public Agency

630 Garden Street PO Box 1990
Santa Barbara, CA 93102

(805) 897-2685

kmamulski@santabarbaraca.gov

N/A, City Right-of-Way

Hope Neighborhood

Categorical Exemption

15301 (c) Existing Facilities

CEQA Categorical Exemption 15301 Existing Facilities. This Project meets §15301 (c) Existing Facilities categorical exemption for streets, sidewalks, and pedestrian crossings, because the Project involves minor alterations of existing facilities to improve safety and comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards and will not result in an expansion of use. Geology. The MEA maps indicate that portions of the Project site may be subject to potential geologic and soil hazards associated with low relative landslide potential area, high expansive soils, and moderately shallow groundwater. The Project is limited to surface reconfigurations of existing roadway facilities, and soil conditions are feasibly addressed with standard engineering design techniques to address any liquefaction, or other seismic issues and will be consistent with State standards for public safety. Best Management Practices (BMPs) included in the construction specifications will be implemented to minimize any potential erosion effects during construction. Therefore, with adherence to BMPs and standard engineering techniques, the effect on geological hazards is considered less than significant. Historic Structures. The Project limits are adjacent to Hope Elementary School, an identified City historic structure. The City’s Architectural Historian has reviewed the proposal and concludes the Project as proposed would not compromise or significantly alter any of the contributing elements or setting of the adjacent historic resource. Considering the Project’s safety improvements are proposed within the public ROW, on streets and sidewalks that have existing modern materials, and the Project will not encroach onto the property of the historic resource, the Project would not have a significant impact on important historic resources. Given the minor nature of the Project’s safety improvements, contained within the public ROW, the effect on the adjacent historic resource is considered less than significant. Noise. The proposed Project is not located within any area areas of noise greater than 65 dBA (A-weighted decibels); however, it is located adjacent to Hope Elementary School and Monte Vista Elementary School, which are sensitive noise receptors. The Noise Ordinance (Chapter 9.16 of the SBMC) governs short-term or periodic noise, such as construction noise, operation of motorized equipment or amplified sound, or other sources of nuisance noise. The ordinance establishes limitations on hours of construction and motorized equipment operations and provides criteria for defining nuisance noise in general. The Project will comply with Noise Ordinance regulations, therefore the short-term construction related noise impacts are considered less than significant. Visual. The proposed Project contains aboveground features such as RRFBs, light fixtures, and signage. The visual changes are related to safety improvements, and the safety improvements are proposed within the public ROW, on streets and sidewalks that have existing modern materials. Given that the visual changes will improve safety, the effect on surrounding visual resources is considered less than significant. In conclusion, the Project’s proposed safety enhancements are not anticipated to result in any significant impacts towards the environmental resources, therefore, the Public Works Department recommends that the Case Planner consider this Project meet the exemption criteria, as defined in the CEQA review process classified under the 15301 (c) Existing Facilities categorical exemption per the CEQA Guidelines.