Installation of Groundwater Monitoring Wells at the Paso Robles Landfill

2026060642

City of Paso Robles

NOE - Notice of Exemption

6/15/2026

6/15/2026

Darren Nash

City of Paso Robles

City Planner

Lead/Public Agency

1000 Spring Street
Paso Robles, CA 93446

(805) 237-3970

dnash@prcity.com

Highway 46 East

93446

80

12

25-491-001

SR46E

Paso Robles Municipal Airport

Estrella River

26S

13E

13

9000 Highway 46 East

Categorical Exemption

Class 3 Section 15303

The project consists of the installation of new groundwater monitoring wells (MW-4) and (MW-8R) located at the Paso Robles Landfill on City-owned property. The purpose of these wells is to comply with additional groundwater quality monitoring network at the landfill. Installation activities would include drilling, well construction, and site restoration consistent with applicable regulatory requirements. Project includes the installation of a 1,200 foot by 10-foot-wide gravel access road. The project is exempt from CEQA under CEQA’s Class 3 exemption, which applies to new construction of small structures. As stated within the CEQA Guidelines: 15303. NEW CONSTRUCTION OR CONVERSION OF SMALL STRUCTURES Class 3 consists of construction and location of limited numbers of new, small facilities or structures; installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures; and the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure. The numbers of structures described in this section are the maximum allowable on any legal parcel. Examples of this exemption include, but are not limited to: (a) One single-family residence, or a second dwelling unit in a residential zone. In urbanized areas, up to three single-family residences may be constructed or converted under this exemption. (b) A duplex or similar multi-family residential structure, totaling no more than four dwelling units. In urbanized areas, this exemption applies to apartments, duplexes and similar structures designed for not more than six dwelling units. c) A store, motel, office, restaurant or similar structure not involving the use of significant amounts of hazardous substances, and not exceeding 2500 square feet in floor area. In urbanized areas, the exemption also applies to up to four such commercial buildings not exceeding 10,000 square feet in floor area on sites zoned for such use if not involving the use of significant amounts of hazardous substances where all necessary public services and facilities are available and the surrounding area is not environmentally sensitive. (d) Water main, sewage, electrical, gas, and other utility extensions, including street improvements, of reasonable length to serve such construction. (e) Accessory (appurtenant) structures including garages, carports, patios, swimming pools, and fences. (f) An accessory steam sterilization unit for the treatment of medical waste at a facility occupied by a medical waste generator, provided that the unit is installed and operated in accordance with the Medical Waste Management Act (Section 117600, et seq., of the Health and Safety Code) and accepts no offsite waste. The replacement monitoring wells proposed for installation are small structures being added to serve existing developments and operations at the landfill. Thus, it is similar to other utilities described in subsection (d) as being exempt from CEQA. Further, there are also no applicable exceptions to this exemption, in that there will be: (1) No significant effect on a particularly sensitive environment, as the proposed location does not contain any sensitive habitat; (2) No significant cumulative impacts resulting from successive projects like this over time, as there are no further plans for expansion of well capacity; (3) No significant effects due to unusual circumstances, as the proposed wells are an expansion of existing groundwater monitoring system at the landfill using similar technologies; (4) No effects on scenic highways, as there are none in close proximity to the proposed location; (5) No effects on hazardous waste sites, as the proposed location is not a hazardous waste site; (6) No substantial adverse effects on a historical resource, as there are none located on the proposed site.

Other

CEQA Guidelines 15061(b)(3)

The project is also exempt from CEQA under CEQA’s “common sense” exemption, which states that CEQA shall only apply to projects that have the potential for causing a “significant impact on the environment” (CEQA Guidelines 15061(b)(3).). As the proposed wells are not located on a site that has a sensitive habitat or wetlands, and are an expansion of existing groundwater monitoring conditions using similar technology compared to current on-site conditions, it can be said with certainty that there is little possibility of the project having a significant impact on the environment.