Muniz Ranch Road to PPI Driveway
Summary
SCH Number
2026030247
Public Agency
Sonoma County
Document Title
Muniz Ranch Road to PPI Driveway
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
3/5/2026
Document Description
The County of Sonoma proposes to fund a 50-acre roadside shaded fuel break on Padmasambhava Peace Institute (PPI) property, connecting a network of roadside fuel reduction treatments along Fort Ross Road and Muniz Ranch Road. These three roads (Fort Ross Road, Muniz Ranch Road, and PPI’s internal road) are critical Potential Operational Delineation (POD) roads that provide the most direct emergency services ingress route from two nearby fire stations to the Muniz Ranches and Jenner coast. Shaded fuel break work will be implemented along 2.17 miles of a pre-existing road, up to 100 feet from road edge on both sides of the road, as requested by CAL FIRE. The objectives of the project are to reduce fire hazards along the roadway, reduce the vertical and horizontal continuity of vegetative fuel, improve ingress for emergency response services, improve retained tree health, and enhance resilience to future wildfire. Mechanical and manual treatment will remove or reduce dead/dying/diseased vegetation, hazardous vegetation, ladder fuels, some young/healthy trees, and invasive non-native species in the project footprint to increase horizontal and vertical canopy separation. Vegetation to be removed will be cut at grade, with stumps remaining in place. Heavy equipment will be operated primarily from the road prism, and up to 35% slopes, where minimal ground disturbance will occur. A fuel reduction prescription has been developed by a Registered Professional Forester. Work may be done during nesting bird season if nesting surveys are performed prior to commencement of operations. Targeted herbicide hand application may be used to treat invasive broom species and native basal sprouting species. Project-generated and preexisting biomass will be piled, chipped, and/or lopped and scattered to specifications.
Contact Information
Name
Courtney Gutman
Agency Name
Sonoma County
Job Title
Senior Environmental Specialist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Padmasambhava Peace Institute
Agency Name
Permit Sonoma
Job Title
Project Applicant
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Cazadero
Counties
Sonoma
Regions
Countywide
Cross Streets
Muniz Ranch Road, near Fort Ross Road
Zip
95421
Total Acres
50
Parcel #
107-180-012, 107-180-014, 107-190-001, 107-190-045
State Highways
Hwy 1
Township
08N
Range
012W
Section
23, 25
Base
MDBM
Other Location Info
Section: 26
Other Information
RRD – Resources and Rural Development, RC – Riparian Corridor Combining District, OAK – Oak Woodland Combining District
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Section 15304(i) Minor Alterations to Land
Reasons for Exemption
The project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Sections, Section 15304 (i) Minor Alteration to Land – involving understory fuel management activities within 30 to 100 feet of structures to reduce the volume of flammable vegetation, provided that the activities will not result in the taking of endangered, rare, or threatened plant or animal species or significant erosion and sedimentation of surface waters. Work may be done during nesting bird season if nesting surveys are performed prior to commencement of operations. None of the exceptions in CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 apply to the project.
County Clerk
Sonoma
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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