Adoption of an Open Space Zoning Ordinance
Summary
SCH Number
2025120048
Public Agency
City of Ukiah
Document Title
Adoption of an Open Space Zoning Ordinance
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
12/2/2025
Document Description
The City of Ukiah (the Applicant and Lead Agency) proposes the legislative adoption of the Open Space (O-S) Zoning District Ordinance. This ordinance establishes a regulatory mechanism intended to implement the open space conservation goals and policies of the Ukiah 2040 General Plan. The purpose of the O-S district is to conserve natural resources, preserve ecological systems, protect scenic and cultural landscapes, and provide opportunities for passive recreation and public access where appropriate.
The ordinance applies City-wide, specifically to lands designated for open space preservation, including areas designated as Public (P), Recreational (REC), Open Space (OS), and Agriculture (AG). The O-S land use designation in the General Plan identifies lands that are intended to remain largely undeveloped due to conservation value or environmental constraints (such as flood risk, unstable soils, high fire hazard, or poor access). The limited allowed uses within the O-S district are inherently low-intensity and non-residential, such as habitat restoration and public trails.
The adoption of the ordinance fulfills the intent of state law (Government Code Sections 65302 and 65560–65570) requiring the City to adopt measures to implement the Open Space and Conservation Elements of the General Plan. The ordinance does not propose or authorize specific development projects.
Contact Information
Name
Katherine Schaefers
Agency Name
City of Ukiah
Job Title
Planning Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Ukiah
Counties
Mendocino
Regions
Citywide
Zip
95482
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
California Code of Regulations Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3, Article 12, Section 15183
Reasons for Exemption
The proposed Ordinance qualifies for streamlined environmental review and is exempt from preparing additional CEQA environmental documentation pursuant to the Statutory Exemption provided by CEQA Guidelines Section 15183 and Public Resources Code Section 21083.3. This exemption applies because the regulatory action is consistent with the development density established by the Ukiah 2040 General Plan policies, for which an EIR was previously certified. Specifically, the General Plan’s Open Space (OS) designation defines both Minimum/Maximum Density and Floor Area Ratio as N/A (not applicable), reflecting the intent to conserve natural resources and restrict development on these environmentally sensitive lands. The O-S Zoning District is designed to enforce this restrictive intent, permitting only low-intensity, non-residential uses such as habitat restoration and public trails, thereby fully conforming to the designated density requirements. The City Council has found that there are no project-specific environmental effects peculiar to the adoption of this regulatory ordinance or its general location that the Ukiah 2040 EIR failed to analyze as significant effects. Finally, the findings confirm that no substantial new information has been identified showing that this protective measure would result in environmental impacts that are more severe than those disclosed in the certified EIR. Since the ordinance functions to conserve resources and mitigate inherent hazards, it supports the environmental baseline assumed in the General Plan EIR, limiting further CEQA review as prescribed by statute.
County Clerk
Mendocino
Attachments
Final Document(s) [Approved_Certified draft environmental documents]
Notice of Exemption
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