Woods End Wilderness Preserve Trail Drainage and Improvement Project

2025100925

City of Laguna Woods

NOE - Notice of Exemption

10/21/2025

10/21/2025

Justin Faylona

City of Laguna Woods

Senior Planner

Lead/Public Agency

24264 El Toro Road
Laguna Woods, CA 92637

(949) 639-0500

jfaylona@cityoflagunawoods.org

92637

622-071-22

Categorical Exemption

California Code of Regulations, Title 14, (Class 1)Section 15301 and (Class 4)Section 15304

CLASS 1 The project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to California Code of Regulations, Title 14 (the State CEQA Guidelines) Section 15301 (Class 1, Existing Facilities). Section 15301 exempts from environmental review the “the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use.” Subsection (a) of Section 15301 provides the following as non-exclusive examples of types of “existing facilities”: “Interior or exterior alterations involving such things as interior partitions, plumbing, and electrical conveyances.” Subsection (d) of Section 15301 provides the following as non-exclusive examples of types of “existing facilities”: “Restoration or rehabilitation of deteriorated or damaged structures, facilities, or mechanical equipment to meet current standards of public health and safety, unless it is determined that the damage was substantial and resulted from an environmental hazard such as earthquake, landslide, or flood.” Subsection (f) of Section 15301 provides the following as non-exclusive examples of types of “existing facilities”: “Addition of safety or health protection devices for use during construction of or in conjunction with existing structures, facilities, or mechanical equipment, or topographical features including navigational devices.” The project location is Woods End Wilderness Preserve, a parcel that serves as an entryway into, and part of, the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. Due to the wilderness setting and limitations placed upon the parcel by way of a lease agreement with the County of Orange for inclusion in the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, the project will make only limited, targeted modifications for the purposes of (1) improving drainage and managing stormwater runoff from the Woods End Wilderness Preserve trail and (2) enhancing the safety, visibility, and condition of City of Laguna Woods-maintained park areas. The project does not include any expansion of the existing use. The project location has been only minimally improved since approximately 2011, when the parcel become subject to lease by the County of Orange. The project will remove and replace existing, deteriorated amenities such as fencing and gates. The deterioration being addressed is principally a product of wear and tear, not damage from an environmental hazard. The project includes the construction of three drainage dips and grading on a small portion of the parcel to control erosion and prevent sediment and other materials from entering El Toro Road and the public storm drain system. The grading is minor in nature and will not significantly alter the use or appearance of the parcel. The grading will largely occur within existing trail surfaces and is anticipated to reduce future erosion- and stormwater runoff-related deterioration of graded surfaces, thereby better maintaining the existing trail use. The project also includes the construction of a new catch basin and related piping and stencil. The improvements will improve drainage and manage stormwater runoff and, by doing so, protect public health, safety, and welfare. The project also includes the removal and replacement of signage, landscaping, and fencing, as well as related electrical and plumbing utilities. The new signage will enhance wayfinding and the visibility of rules and information necessary for safe use of the project location. The new signage includes a new monument sign that will be integrated into a new concrete wall of varying height. The concrete wall will act as a barrier to control erosion and prevent sediment and other materials from entering El Toro Road and the public storm drain system. The new landscape palette was coordinated with the County of Orange for environmental appropriateness and with the Orange County Fire Authority’s Fuel Modification Zone Plan List (Guideline C-05) due to the project location being within a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. For example, five new Coast Live Oak trees will be planted; the Coast Live Oak tree appears on the Orange County Fire Authority’s Fuel Modification Zone Plant List (Guideline C-05) with the following notation: “Plant species native to Orange County Acceptable in all fuel modification wet and dry zones in all locations.” The new landscaping is designed to comply with the City of Laguna Woods’ Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (Laguna Woods Municipal Code Chapter 10.03). The Laguna Woods City Council adopted the City of Laguna Woods’ Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance to be at least as effective as the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance included in Title 23, Division 2, Chapter 2.7, of the California Code of Regulations. New lighting will be installed as part of the project; however, such lighting will be limited to a small portion of the parcel and serve to promote safety by enhancing wayfinding and the visibility of the parcel, including to traffic on nearby El Toro Road and Aliso Creek Road. The new lighting will be principally ambient in nature. The lighting will not support any expanded use of the parcel. Based on the scope of work, the project meets the criteria for Class 1 categorical exemption. CLASS 4 The project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to California Code of Regulations, Title 14 (the State CEQA Guidelines) Section 15304 (Class 4, Minor Alterations to Land). Section 15304 exempts from environmental review “minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees except for forestry and agricultural purposes.” Subsection (b) of Section 15304 provides the following as non-exclusive examples of types of “minor alterations to land”: “New gardening or landscaping, including the replacement of existing conventional landscaping with water efficient or fire resistant landscaping.” Section 15300.2 of the State CEQA Guidelines prohibit the use of a categorical exemption “for a project which may result in damage to scenic resources, including but not limited to, trees, historic buildings, rock outcroppings, or similar resources, within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway.” The project location is not designated as a state scenic highway. Based on the scope of work, as well as the analysis pertaining to the Class 1 exemption in this Notice of Exemption, the project meets the criteria for Class 4 categorical exemption.