Tank 7 Access Road and Mesa Verde Road Asphalt Concrete Overlay Project
Summary
SCH Number
2025101475
Public Agency
Central Coast Water Authority
(CCWA)
Document Title
Tank 7 Access Road and Mesa Verde Road Asphalt Concrete Overlay Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
10/30/2025
Document Description
The Central Coast Water Authority (CCWA) is a joint powers agency formed to construct, own, and operate certain facilities needed to treat, convey, and deliver State Water Project (SWP) water to its project participants - retail water providers and end users located within the County.
To access its facilities, CCWA must maintain its roads to such facilities. The Project seeks to rehabilitate two existing private roads: Tank 7 access road and Mesa Verde Road. This Project work does not include expansion of existing uses or roads, and instead includes, but is not limited to, removal of asphalt berm, asphalt concrete dig-outs and replacements, performing crack seals, performing asphalt concrete overlays, replacement of existing asphalt concrete berm.
Contact Information
Name
Ray A. Stokes
Agency Name
Central Coast Water Authority
Job Title
Executive Director
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Counties
Santa Barbara
Regions
Countywide
Cross Streets
Approximately 1,880 feet Southeast of the Domingos Road and Highway 246 intersection
Other Location Info
Two roads are involved in this Project: Tank 7 access road and Mesa Verde Road located in Santa Barbara County (County). The Tank 7 access road is in Buellton, California, along Highway 246, approximately 1,880 feet Southeast of the Domingos Road and Highway 246 intersection. The address to the beginning of the Tank 7 access road is 7631 W Highway 246 Buellton, CA 93427. Mesa Verde Road is in Santa Ynez, California, along the Santa Ynez River. The address to the road is 2800 Mesa Verde Road, Santa Ynez, CA 93427.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Sections 15301, 15302, 15304, and 15311
Reasons for Exemption
Class 1 - Existing Public Facilities Categorical Exemption: The Project consists of operation, repair, and maintenance of existing public or private roads that involves negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. Therefore, the Existing Public Facilities Categorical Exemption applies. (CEQA Guidelines § 15301.)
Class 2 - Replacement or Reconstruction Categorical Exemption: The Project consists of replacement and reconstruction of existing roads where the roads will be located on the same site and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the roads replaced. Therefore, the Replacement or Reconstruction Categorical Exemption applies. (CEQA Guidelines§ 15302.)
Class 4 - Minor Alterations to Land Categorical Exemption: The Project consists of 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 or agricultural purposes. Therefore, the Minor Alterations to Land Categorical Exemption applies. (CEQA Guidelines § 15304 (f) ("minor trenching and backfilling where the surface is restored" is exempt).)
Class 11 -Accessory Structures Categorical Exemption: The Project consists of construction, or placement of minor structures accessory to (appurtenant to) existing commercial, industrial, or institutional facilities." This includes "[o]n-premise signs." Therefore, the Accessory Structures Categorical Exemption applies. (CEQA Guidelines§ 15311.)
Exceptions to the Categorical Exemptions:
None of the exceptions to the Categorical Exemptions apply, as the project will not: impact a designated, mapped, and officially adopted environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern; result in a significant cumulative impact of successive projects of the same type in the same place over time; have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances; damage a scenic highway or scenic resources within a state scenic highway; be located on a site which is included on any list compiled pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the Government Code; nor cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. (CEQA Guidelines § 15300.2.)
Common Sense Exemption:
This Project is also determined to be exempt based upon the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects that have a potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. (Guidelines § 15061 (b)(3).) A public agency may determine an activity to be exempt where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA.
Here, there will be no expansion of existing uses, and the roads will operate in the same manner and at the same capacity as the existing roads. As such, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, and therefore, the activity is not subject to CEQA.
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
Section 15061(b)(3)
Reasons for Exemption
This Project is also determined to be exempt based upon the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects that have a potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. (Guidelines § 15061 (b)(3).) A public agency may determine an activity to be exempt where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA.
County Clerk
Santa Barbara
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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