Ukiah West Hills Lookout Peak - Restoration of Existing Fuel Breaks
Summary
SCH Number
2026041169
Public Agency
Mendocino County Resource Conservation District
Document Title
Ukiah West Hills Lookout Peak - Restoration of Existing Fuel Breaks
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
4/24/2026
Document Description
The project involves the restoration of existing ridgeline fuel breaks in the western hills area of the City of Ukiah. These fuel breaks were originally constructed by CAL FIRE during the 2019–2020 winter season. Recent CAL FIRE activities have re-established the core fuel break width (approximately 100 feet in width), and the proposed project will restore the full operational width of the original fuel breaks (approximately 200 feet).
Treatment activities will occur within and immediately adjacent to the previously treated fuel break corridors and will consist of removing encroaching vegetation to restore horizontal separation, reduce ladder and surface fuel continuity, and improve the effectiveness of these existing strategic features. Treatment methods will include mastication and hand crew work, as appropriate to site conditions. Mastication will be conducted from existing, well-established roads, and no off-road mechanized equipment use is proposed. Areas beyond the reach of mechanized equipment will be treated using hand crews. Treatment will be limited to the minimum area necessary to restore the intended function of the original fuel breaks and is anticipated to encompass approximately 70 acres.
The purpose of the project is to improve ecosystem resilience and public safety by restoring the functionality of an existing ridgeline fuel break system. Specifically, the project will enhance wildfire response effectiveness, improve emergency access and egress, and reduce the potential for wildfire spread in the wildland-urban interface, while maintaining overall vegetation structure and function to the extent feasible.
The primary beneficiaries of the project include nearby residents, emergency responders, and the broader Ukiah community through improved wildfire response capability, reduced wildfire risk, and enhanced public safety.
Contact Information
Name
Doug Turk
Agency Name
Mendocino County RCD
Job Title
Forestry Program Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Ukiah
Counties
Mendocino
Regions
Citywide
Cross Streets
Helen and Redwood Avenues
Zip
95482
Total Acres
70
Parcel #
1570300305, 1570501600, 1570700500, 1570600305, 1570501400, 1570300205, 0031901500, 0031901700,
State Highways
101
Airports
Ukiah Municipal Airport
Schools
Nokomis, Grace Hudson, Yokayo Elementary Schools
Waterways
Doolan Creek
Township
T15N
Range
R13W
Section
25
Base
MDM
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 1 – Existing Facilities (Section 15301) and Class 4 – Minor Alterations to Land (Section 15304)
Reasons for Exemption
the maintenance and restoration of an existing fuel management system. The ridgeline fuel breaks were originally constructed by CAL FIRE during the 2019–2020 winter season, and CAL FIRE has recently re-established the core fuel break width. The proposed project will restore the full operational width of these existing fuel breaks within their previously disturbed footprint. Activities are limited to the removal of encroaching vegetation and the reduction of fuel continuity to maintain the intended function of these established features.
The project also qualifies for a Class 4 Categorical Exemption (CEQA Guidelines Section 15304 – Minor Alterations to Land) because it involves minor alterations to vegetation that do not result in substantial disturbance of land or natural resources. Treatment activities include mastication conducted from existing roadways and hand crew work to remove or reduce vegetation within the previously treated fuel break corridors. No grading or excavation is proposed, and mechanized equipment will not operate off-road. Treatment is limited to the minimum area necessary to restore the function of the original fuel breaks.
The project will not result in significant impacts to environmental resources. Vegetation treatment is limited in extent and occurs within previously disturbed or managed areas and is designed to maintain overall vegetation structure and function to the extent feasible. The project will not cause substantial soil disturbance, erosion, or slope instability due to the restriction of mechanized equipment to existing roads and the limited use of hand treatments in surrounding areas. The project will not adversely affect sensitive habitats due to the targeted and restorative nature of the work.
The project site is located within a wildland-urban interface setting characterized by chaparral and mixed woodland vegetation, where fuel management activities are common and expected. The restoration of existing ridgeline fuel breaks in this setting does not constitute an unusual circumstance but rather reflects typical land management practices for wildfire resilience and public safety in fire-prone landscapes. Project activities are limited in scope and intensity and are constrained to previously disturbed or managed areas, further reducing the potential for environmental impacts. Even if the site were considered to present unusual circumstances, there is no reasonable possibility that the project would result in a significant effect on the environment. Accordingly, none of the exceptions to the use of categorical exemptions identified in CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 apply.
County Clerk
Mendocino
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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