Midwest Guardrail System Countywide

2026041430

Santa Barbara County

NOE - Notice of Exemption

4/30/2026

4/30/2026

Kalani Durham

County of Santa Barbara

Engineering Environmental Planner

Lead/Public Agency

132 E Anapamu St
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

(805) 568-3310

kdurham@countyofsb.org

2nd District Location: • Las Palmas Dr, 220’ north of Las Olas Drive 4th District Location: • Harris Grade Rd, 14,200’ south of State Route 135 5th District Locations: • Betteravia Rd, 800’ southeast of Simas Road • Dominion Road at Palmer Rd • Foxen Canyon Rd, 3,800’ northwest of Santa Maria Mesa Road • Foxen Canyon Rd, 1,600’ southeast of Dominion Road

Categorical Exemption

15301(c) Existing Facilities

Consistent with this exemption, this proposed project involves activities related to the repair and maintenance activities of existing facilities. Current road sections with guardrail at select locations are not up to current engineering standards or having a high collision rate. The proposed project would upgrade existing guardrail to current guardrail standards, Midwest Guardrail System, and incorporate safety improvements. Further, there are no unusual circumstances which would create a possibility that there would be a significant effect. Therefore, this project can be found to be categorically exempt from CEQA. There is no substantial evidence that there are 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. CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 is a Class 1 exemption; 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 upgrading existing non-compliant guardrail to current engineering standards to improve public safety. In addition, there are no other identified projects which would contribute to cumulative impacts. 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 project involves upgrading existing non-compliant guardrail to current engineering standards to improve public safety. The projects will occur at specific locations where there are no sensitive resources located. 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 project does not involve a scenic highway or a project which may result in damage to a scenic resource, removal of trees, rock outcropping, or similar resources. 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. There are no hazardous waste sites or permitted facilities located on public roads. 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 maintenance locations involved are not identified as a historical resource. Therefore, this exception does not apply.