Community Safety Element, Open Space and Conservation Element, and Circulation Element Update
Summary
SCH Number
2026060886
Public Agency
City of Atherton
Document Title
Community Safety Element, Open Space and Conservation Element, and Circulation Element Update
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/18/2026
Document Description
The proposed project provides a policy framework for addressing provision of emergency services and emergency preparedness, seismic and soil-related hazards, flooding, dam failure, fire hazards, drought, extreme heat, and human health hazards related to climate change. An Existing Conditions Background Report, which discusses the natural and human-caused hazards that can affect the town, and a Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment, which includes an analysis of how climate-related hazards may harm the community, have been prepared, and will be included as appendices to the General Plan. The focus of the updates to the Community Safety Element is to address safety-related topics. There are limited updates to the other elements where they contain topics that are relevant to safety issues (e.g., stormwater infrastructure, open space protection, and evacuation routes). Updates to the Community Safety Element and the other focused updates were made so that all safety-related topics are up to date and consistent with State law, per California Government Code Sections 65302(g) and 65302.15.
Contact Information
Name
Brittany Bendix
Agency Name
Town of Atherton
Job Title
Town Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Atherton
Counties
San Mateo
Regions
Citywide, Northern California, San Francisco Bay Area
Cross Streets
Citywide
Zip
94027
Total Acres
3584
Parcel #
Various
State Highways
SR 82, U.S 101, SR 84, I-280
Railways
Caltrain
Airports
N/A
Schools
Various
Waterways
N/A
Township
T05S
Range
R03W
Section
N/A
Base
N/A
Other Location Info
Citywide
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
Section 15061(b)(3)
Reasons for Exemption
The proposed project establishes a framework for how to achieve its goals through policies and actions to improve public health and safety by complying with new State laws. The proposed project does not include land use or zoning changes that would result in direct or indirect growth or changes in building density and intensity. No provisions implemented under the proposed project would result in direct or indirect population growth and thus would not place additional demands on natural resources, public services, or infrastructure. In addition, the proposed project does not include any site-specific designs or proposals to develop specific projects, nor does it grant any entitlements for development projects. Although the proposed project contains policies that direct the Town to explore amending land use or zoning regulations that would improve public safety and community resilience, the proposed project itself does not include these amendments. Until the details and scope of any such amendments are known, it is too speculative and premature to evaluate environmental impacts. Subsequent amendments to the Town's land use or zoning regulations would be subject to a separate CEQA review at the time the amendments are prepared, if required. Therefore, the proposed project would not have a significant effect on the environment and is exempt from CEQA review.
County Clerk
San Mateo
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. For more information, please visit LCI’s Accessibility Site.