Orr Springs Road Fuels Reduction Project
Summary
SCH Number
2025100098
Public Agency
Mendocino County
Document Title
Orr Springs Road Fuels Reduction Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
10/2/2025
Document Description
Notice of Exemption for Orr Springs Road Fuels Reduction Project. The goals of the project are to establish emergency ingress and egress routes by creating a shaded fuel break 30 feet from the road edge. Benefits of this project will also include preservation of biodiversity, improvement of forest health and increased forest resilience by removing excess fuel loads. Improvements to road visibility will benefit residents of the project area and traffic on Orr Springs and Comptche-Ukiah Roads during emergencies.
The project area is within 30 feet of the road in two alignments. Alignment 1 is from Ukiah to Orr Springs and Alignment 2 is Comptche to Ukiah. Project specifications prescribe the removal of shrubs and trees 10 inches in diameter at four and half feet above the ground and smaller. Trees larger than 10 inches in diameter will be pruned to 6 feet above the ground, and 15 feet above the paved surface of the road. Work will be completed using manual and manual-mechanical treatment methods (no ground disturbing activities are proposed). Cut material will be dragged by hand to a chipper. Chips will be broadcast on-site or hauled to an appropriate location. Hand crews will use chainsaws, pole-saws, hand tools, and all broadcast chipping will be done from established roads away from drainages and watercourses. Operations will comply with local traffic control requirements defined by the Mendocino Department of Transportation.
Contact Information
Name
Christy Gard
Agency Name
Mendocino County Executive Office
Job Title
Administrative Analyst
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Address
Phone
Name
Julia Krog
Agency Name
Mendocino County Planning & Building Services
Job Title
Director
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Comptche, Ukiah
Counties
Mendocino
Regions
Northern California, Unincorporated
Parcel #
See Exhibits 1 and 2 for list of parcels.
Other Location Info
Alignment 1, Ukiah to Orr Springs
Eastern terminus: 39.178514, -123.5917277
Western terminus: 39.299118, -123.364231
Alignment 2, Comptche to Mendocino
Eastern terminus: 39.264614, -0123.5917
Western terminus: 39.279759, -123.734906
Other Information
See Exhibits 1 and 2 for additional location details.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
21080.49(b)
Reasons for Exemption
This project qualifies for a Statutory Exemption under Public Resources Code Section 21080(b)1, as this is a Statutory project proposed to be carried out or approved by the County of Mendocino, which is a public agency.
The planned activities proposed for this project comply with Public Resources Code Section 21080.49(b)2 which describes a “project consisting of ‘defensible space’ fire clearance of up to 100 feet, as measured from the center line of the roadway, for a public roadway identified as an egress and evacuation route for a subdivision or community of 30 or more dwelling units, to remove flammable vegetation or trees of less than 12 inches in diameter as measured at chest height.” The County of Mendocino has identified that the Comptche Community contains “approximately 50 homes and 5 commercial buildings” in the Mendocino Community Evacuation Plan3, thus meeting the requirements for this Statutory Exemption.
An archeological record check was completed, though no ground disturbing operations are proposed for this project. Sites that require avoidance have been identified and excluded from the project area.
County Clerk
Mendocino
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. For more information, please visit LCI’s Accessibility Site.