Fiscal Year 2022-B Pavement Maintenance Overlay Project -Anacapa

2025100988

City of Santa Barbara

NOE - Notice of Exemption

10/21/2025

10/21/2025

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

Anacapa and Anapamu & Anacapa and Figueroa

N/A, Public Right-of-Way

Categorical Exemption

15301 (c) Existing Facilities

CEQA Categorical Exemption 15301 Existing Facilities. This Project meets the § 15301 (c) Existing Facilities categorical exemption for existing streets, sidewalks, gutters and pedestrian crossings because the Project involves minor alterations of existing facilities (road repairs and maintenance) to improve public safety and comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards and will not result in an expansion of use. All work will be limited to the public right-of-way (ROW). Archaeology. The City’s Master Environmental Assessment (MEA) archaeological sensitivity map identifies the Project to be located within the American Period, Early American Transition Period, and Spanish Colonial and Mexican Period. All work associated with the Project is proposed within areas of the City’s existing public roadway. Existing roadway development at depths of approximately four feet below surface is considered previously disturbed roadway, and the potential for discovery of archaeological resources is typically found at shallower depths. In conformity with previous adjacent Phase I Archaeological studies, and in accordance with the MEA Guidelines (2025), archaeological monitoring of the initial ground disturbing excavations by a City approved archaeologist is recommended for the four signals that are in areas that have not been disturbed to a total depth of four feet. The Project is subject to standard provisions per City Ordinance (Santa Barbara Municipal Code [SBMC] 22.12), MEA Guidelines, and standard City permit conditions, specifying procedures in the event of unanticipated discovery of archeological resources during earthwork in order to protect any important resources encountered. Procedures provide for temporarily redirecting or suspending activities until a qualified archaeologist is retained to evaluate the find and consult with a qualified Barbareño Chumash representative, and as needed any measures are implemented to protect important resources (such as mapping or collecting resources, preserving in place, and/or monitoring further earthwork). In the event human remains are encountered, State regulations also apply. With adherence to the Ordinance, archaeological monitoring during native ground disturbing activities at depths greater than two feet, MEA Guidelines, and standard permit conditions, the effect on archaeological resources is considered less than significant. Geology. The MEA maps indicate that the Project site may be subject to potential geologic and soil hazards associated with expansive soils, moderate liquefaction potential, and moderately shallow ground water. 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 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. Hazards. The Project limits are adjacent to three known Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Cleanup Sites. The three known LUST cases are closed and are located on private property. All work is proposed within the existing public ROW, and no excavation work will occur on parcels listed on the Cortese List; therefore, the effect of hazardous materials is considered less than significant. Historic Sites/Structures. The Project limits are adjacent to four identified historic structures. The proposed Project construction is located within the City’s public ROW and will not occur on the parcels identified with a historic resource. 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 contained 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 Project is not located in areas of noise greater than 65 dBA (A-weighted decibels) nor or there any nearby sensitive noise receptors. However, construction activities will include subsurface excavation with the potential to create noise or vibration. 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 above ground safety features of the Project include placement of new traffic signal poles. The Project is located within the historic El Pueblo Viejo District. 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. The safety improvements are consistent with the rest of local street aesthetics (signals, hardscape) within the city and will utilize City Standard equipment approved by the Historic Landmarks Commission. Given that the visual changes will improve safety, the effect on surrounding visual resources is considered less than significant. In conclusion, the Project is a maintenance and repair project that will improve pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle roadway safety. The 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.