Ordinance Amending Chapter 17 of the County Code for Mandatory Service in Isla Vista - Second Supervisorial District

2026031139

Santa Barbara County Public Works Department Resource Recovery and Waste Management Div.

NOE - Notice of Exemption

3/26/2026

3/26/2026

John Viggianelli

Santa Barbara County Public Works Resource Recovery and Waste Managment

Engineering Environmental Planner

Lead/Public Agency

130 East Victoria Street, Suite 100
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

(805) 957-7382

jvig@countyofsb.org

Unincorporated Community of Isla Vista, Second Supervisorial District

Categorical Exemption

State CEQA Guidelines Section 15308 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment) and 15321 (Enforc

State CEQA Guidelines Section 15308 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment) exempts actions taken by regulatory agencies, as authorized by state or local ordinance, to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of the environment and Section 15321 (Enforcement Actions by Regulatory Agencies) exempts actions by regulatory agencies to enforce or revoke a lease, permit, license, certificate, or other entitlement for use issued, adopted, or prescribed by the regulatory agency or enforcement of a law, general rule, standard, or objective, administered or adopted by the regulatory agency. The unincorporated community of Isla Vista has the highest population density in Santa Barbara County (County), which creates unique challenges related to solid waste services. The high population density leads to more waste generated per household and requires more programs and services to manage increased waste generation effectively. Isla Vista is the only community in the unincorporated area of the County that requires all residents to subscribe to solid waste services (also known as "mandatory service"). This requirement for Isla Vista was established in 1992 to address chronic undersubscription of solid waste services in the community and has remained unchanged since 1995. Undersubscription of solid waste services leads to littering, neighborhood disputes, and illegal dumping which can affect public health and safety and the environment. These problems have been exacerbated by the continuous rise in Isla Vista's population density since the 1990s. The proposed revisions to Chapter 17 in the attached Ordinance amendment aim to further reduce undersubscription in Isla Vista, as well as reduce the related problems of littering, inconsistent waste service, and indirect administrative costs related to solid waste code enforcement for this community. Consistent with CEQA Guidelines Sections 15308 and 15321, the proposed revisions to Chapter 17 are being undertaken by the County of Santa Barbara Public Works Department Resource Recovery and Waste Management Division. Pursuant to Chapter 17 Section 17-22. Authority of resource recovery and waste management division, the RR&WM Division is authorized to make all necessary and reasonable rules and regulations, subject to the approval of the Board of Supervisors, regarding all aspects of solid waste handling services as necessary for the effective and reasonable administration of Chapter 17. The proposed revisions to Chapter 17 are designed to further protect the environment by reducing undersubscription of solid waste services in Isla Vista and the related problems of littering and illegal dumping which can adversely affect public health and safety and the environment. Therefore, the project can be found to be categorically exempt from CEQA. The proposed project does not involve unusual circumstances, including future activities, resulting in or which might reasonably result in significant impacts which threaten the environment. The exceptions to the categorical exemptions pursuant to Section 15300.2 of the State CEQA Guidelines are: (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 all instances, except where the project may 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 applicable exemptions are Class 8 and Class 21. Therefore, this exception does not apply.(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. The project involves additional ordinance amendments to address undersubscription of refuse and recycling collection services which can lead to litter and illegal dumping. Other programs and ordinance amendments have been adopted over the past few decades to continually address the evolving solid waste challenges facing the Isla Vista community. The revisions proposed in the Ordinance to change Chapter 17 would not result in cumulative impact but are necessary to address changing circumstance of higher population, more tenants per unit (including increased numbers per bedroom), and higher per capita waste generation in the area. Therefore, this exception does not apply. (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. The ordinance amendments are for a densely populated and developed area in the unincorporated south coast area of Santa Barbara County to ensure residential property owners provide adequate solid waste collection. The provision of adequate service will reduce litter and illegal dumping and result in a beneficial environmental impact. Therefore, this exception does not apply. (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 EIR. The ordinance amendments are for a densely populated and developed area in the unincorporated south coast area of Santa Barbara County to ensure property owners obtain and maintain adequate solid waste collection service. The amendments would not result in physical impacts. Therefore, this exception does not apply. (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. The project involves ordinance amendments to address undersubscription of refuse and recycling collection services which can lead to litter and illegal dumping. No impact to hazardous waste sites would occur. Therefore, this exception does not apply. (f) Historical Resources. A categorical exemption shall not be used for a project which may cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. The project involves ordinance amendments to address undersubscription of refuse and recycling collection services which can lead to litter and illegal dumping. No impact to historical resources would occur. Therefore, this exception does not apply.