Felton Elementary School Closure and Consolidation Plan

2026050489

Lennox School District

NOE - Notice of Exemption

5/13/2026

5/13/2026

Gabriela Tavitian

Lennox School District

Superintendent

Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant

10319 Firmona Avenue
Lennox, CA 90304

(310) 695-4060

gabriela_tavitian@lennoxk12.org

33°56'27"N 118°22'2.4"W

90304

I-405, I-105

LA Metro

LAX, Hawthorne Municipal Airport

See Below.

3S

14W

Lennox School District, Los Angels Unified School District, Inglewood Unified School District

10417 Felton Avenue, Lennox, CA 90304 (cross street W. 104th Street), 4919 W. 109th Street, Lennox, CA 90304 (cross streets Buford Avenue and S. Felton Avenue), 4125 W. 105th Street, Lennox, CA 90304 (cross street S. Freeman Avenue), 11050 Larch Avenue, Lennox, CA 90304 (cross streets W. 111th Street. and S. Freeman Avenue) and 10322 Condon Avenue, Lennox, CA 90304 ( cross streets Condon A venue and Firrnona A venue)

Categorical Exemption

15314 (Class 14 Minor Additions to Schools)

The District reviewed the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") (Pub. Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.) and the State CEQA Guidelines (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15000 et seq.). Public Resources Code section 21080.18 (Application of Division to Closing of Public School Maintaining Kindergarten or any of Grades I through 12) provides: "This division does not apply to the closing of any public school in which kindergarten or any of grades I through 12 is maintained or the transfer of students from that public school to another school if the only physical changes involved are categorically exempt under Chapter 3 ( commencing with Section 15000) of Division 6 of Title 14 of the California Administrative Code." The closing and redistribution of students qualifies for a categorical exemption under CEQA Guidelines section 15314 (Class 14 Minor Additions to Schools), which applies to minor additions to existing schools within existing school grounds where the addition does not increase original student capacity by more than 25% or 10 classrooms, whichever is less. CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2 sets forth the following exceptions to categorical exemptions: "(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 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. (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. (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. (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. (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. (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 District determined that the Project does not increase the original student capacity of any of the District's schools by more than twenty-five percent (25%) or ten (10) classrooms. The District also determined that the Project is exempt from CEQA under Public Resources Code section 21080.18 and is categorically exempt from CEQA under CEQA Guidelines section 15314. The District also determined that none of the exceptions to categorical exemption set forth in CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2 apply.

Statutory Exemption

Public Resources Code section 21080.18

The District reviewed the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") (Pub. Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.) and the State CEQA Guidelines (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15000 et seq.). Public Resources Code section 21080.18 (Application of Division to Closing of Public School Maintaining Kindergarten or any of Grades I through 12) provides: "This division does not apply to the closing of any public school in which kindergarten or any of grades I through 12 is maintained or the transfer of students from that public school to another school if the only physical changes involved are categorically exempt under Chapter 3 ( commencing with Section 15000) of Division 6 of Title 14 of the California Administrative Code." The closing and redistribution of students qualifies for a categorical exemption under CEQA Guidelines section 15314 (Class 14 Minor Additions to Schools), which applies to minor additions to existing schools within existing school grounds where the addition does not increase original student capacity by more than 25% or 10 classrooms, whichever is less. CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2 sets forth the following exceptions to categorical exemptions: "(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 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. (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. (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. (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. (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. (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 District determined that the Project does not increase the original student capacity of any of the District's schools by more than twenty-five percent (25%) or ten (10) classrooms. The District also determined that the Project is exempt from CEQA under Public Resources Code section 21080.18 and is categorically exempt from CEQA under CEQA Guidelines section 15314. The District also determined that none of the exceptions to categorical exemption set forth in CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2 apply.