City of Monterey Corp Yard EV Chargers

2026011103

City of Monterey

NOE - Notice of Exemption

1/30/2026

1/30/2026

Christy Sabdo

City of Monterey

Principal Planner

Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant

580 Pacific Street
Monterey, CA 93940

(831) 646-3758

sabdo@monterey.org

Ryan Ranch Road

93940

23-27 Ryan Ranch Road

Categorical Exemption

Article 19, Section 5303 and 15304

The City of Monterey Planning Office determined the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Article 19, Sections 15303, Class 3; and Section 15304, Class 4 (f). The project would involve the installation of new electric vehicle charging stations and associated power conditioning equipment, which would also require trenching for electrical conduits. Installation of new EV charging stations is exempt under Article 19, Section 15303, Class 3 - New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures as this exemption includes the installation of small new equipment such as EV charging stations. Minor trenching for the project is exempt under Class 4 (f) - Minor Alterations to Land as the project involves minor trenching and backfilling where the surface is restored. Furthermore, the project does not qualify for any of the exceptions to the categorical exemptions found at CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2. Exception a - Location. Classes 3, 4, 5, 6, and 11 are qualified by consideration of where the project is to be located -a project that is ordinarily insignificant in its impact on the environment may in a particularly sensitive environment be significant. Therefore, these classes are considered to apply in all instances, except where the project may have an impact on an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern where designated, precisely mapped, and officially adopted pursuant to law by federal, state, or local agencies. The EV chargers would be installed in an urbanized area on a lot with existing improvements, specifically the City's corporation yard that includes storage buildings and parking lot. Exception b - Cumulative Impact. All exemptions for these classes are inapplicable when the cumulative impact of successive projects of the same type in the same place, over time is significant. There would be no cumulative impact because the project involves minor improvements to an existing corporation yard. Exception c - Significant Effect. A categorical exemption shall not be used for an activity where there is a reasonable possibility that the activity will have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances. No unusual circumstances are anticipated due to the limited scope and distinct locations of the improvement. Exception d - Scenic Highways. A categorical exemption shall not be used 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. This does not apply to improvements which are required as mitigation by an adopted negative declaration or certified Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The project would be located approximately ½ mile from a State Scenic Highway, Highway 68; therefore, would not be visible from this scenic highway. Exception e - Hazardous Waste Sites. A categorical exemption shall not be used for a project located on a site which is included on any list compiled pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the Government Code. No impact to sites included on any list compiled pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the Government code would occur. Exception f - Historical Resources. A categorical exemption shall not be used for a project which may cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of historic resources. There are no historic buildings located on the property, only storage buildings for the City's corporation yard. The project is not located in a sensitive archeological area as shown on the General Plan Environmental Impact Report Figure 8; therefore, there would be no impacts to historic or archeological resources.