Riverside University Health System Corona Community Health Center (RUHS Corona CHC) Flood Remediation
Summary
SCH Number
2026070573
Public Agency
Riverside County
Document Title
Riverside University Health System Corona Community Health Center (RUHS Corona CHC) Flood Remediation
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
7/15/2026
Document Description
The RUHS Corona CHC facility is located at 2813 South Main Street in Corona. On May 14, 2026, the facility experienced flooding within the first and second floor due to an overflowing toilet located on the 2nd floor of the facility. Facilities Management (FM) issued an emergency declaration pursuant to the authority delegated in Resolution 2003-23 by the Board of Supervisors (Board), allowing immediate action to procure contracts to provide emergency work without competitive bidding.
An approved Job Order Contractor (JOC) remediation and restoration vendor, BluSky Restoration Contractors, LLC (BluSky), was immediately procured to assess, mitigate, and remediate the flood damage that had occurred in the building and to prevent further damage within the facility. Failure to immediately address the flooding posed a clear and imminent danger to the health and safety of the clinics, customers, and staff.
The RUHS Corona CHC facility sustained water damage in about 12 percent of the building area, comprising approximately 3,000 sq. ft. of occupied clinic space, and included 4,900 sq. ft. of wall surfaces, 1,600 sq. ft. of flooring materials, and 800 sq. ft. of ceiling area. The remediation vendor, BluSky, has mitigated the immediate flood by securing damaged areas, completing water extraction, and drying wet ceilings, insulation, drywall, and flooring. GM Business Interiors (GMBI) disassembled, placed in temporary storage, and reassembled the furniture in the areas affected by the flood. BluSky has completed the remediation efforts, ensuring all environmental impacts have been addressed and the facility no longer poses an imminent danger to customers and staff, and has started the restoration work. GMBI has completed the reinstallation of the furniture in the building. The remediation at the RUHS Corona CHC is identified as the proposed project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The operation of the facility will continue to provide public services and will not result in a change or expansion of existing use. No additional direct or indirect physical environmental impacts are anticipated.
Contact Information
Name
Mike Sullivan
Agency Name
Riverside County
Job Title
Senior Environmental Planner/Facilities Operations Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Corona
Counties
Riverside
Regions
Citywide
Cross Streets
2813 South Main Street, north of East Chase Drive
Zip
92882
Parcel #
113-340-078
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Section 15301 Class 1 Existing Facilities
Reasons for Exemption
This Class 1 categorical exemption includes the operation, repair, maintenance, leasing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures or facilities, provided the exemption only involves negligible or no expansion of the previous site’s use. The project, as proposed, is limited to the emergency water remediation at the RUHS Corona CHC. The use of the facilities would continue to provide public services and would not result in a significant increase in capacity or intensity of use. Therefore, the project is exempt as it meets the scope and intent of the Categorical Exemption identified in Section 15301, Article 19, Categorical Exemptions of the CEQA Guidelines.
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Section 15269 (b)(c) Emergency Projects
Reasons for Exemption
This statutory exemption consists of emergency projects that are exempt under CEQA. Under (b), emergency repairs to publicly or privately owned service facilities necessary to maintain service essential to the public health, safety or welfare are exempt. Under (c), specific actions necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency are exempt. The remediation of the domestic water leak at the RUHS Medical Center satisfies both of these conditions, as the RUHS Corona CHC is an essential public facility that provides health and medical services to those in need. The flood at the Corona CHC posed a risk to infectious contamination that could have potentially resulted in the loss of the facility's ability to provide critical health services to the public. Emergency remediation was required to avoid a threat to the public health, safety and welfare. In addition, the risk of contamination necessitated immediate action in the form of remediation to maintain public health, as people in medical facilities contain sensitive populations, including the sick and elderly, who are more susceptible to threats to public health. Therefore, the project is exempt as it meets the scope and intent of the Statutory Exemption identified in Section 15269, Article 18, Statutory Exemptions of the CEQA Guidelines.
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
Section 15061 (b)(3) Common Sense
Reasons for Exemption
In accordance with CEQA, the use of the Common Sense Exemption is based on the “general rule that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment.” State CEQA Guidelines, Section 15061(b) (3). The use of this exemption is appropriate if “it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” Ibid. This determination is an issue of fact and if sufficient evidence exists in the record that the activity cannot have a significant effect on the environment, then the exemption applies and no further evaluation under CEQA is required. See No Oil, Inc. v. City of Los Angeles (1974) 13 Cal. 3d 68. The ruling in this case stated that if a project falls within a category exempt by administrative regulation or 'it can be seen with certainty that the activity in question will not have a significant effect on the environment', no further agency evaluation is required. With certainty, there is no possibility that the project may have a significant effect on the environment. The proposed flood remediation will not result in any direct or indirect physical environmental impacts. The improvements would occur within existing facility, would not alter the footprint and is being completed to create a compliant and safe health facility. The use of the facility for public health services would remain unchanged. Therefore, in no way, would the project as proposed have the potential to cause a significant environmental impact and the project is exempt from further CEQA analysis.
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
Section 15300.2
Reasons for Exemption
The proposed project is categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA specifically by the State CEQA Guidelines as identified below. The project will not result in any specific or general exceptions to the use of the categorical exemption as detailed under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2. The project will not cause an impact to an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern nor would the project include unusual circumstances which could have the possibility of having a significant effect on the environment. The project would not result in impacts to scenic highways, hazardous waste sites, historic resources, or other sensitive natural environments, or have a cumulative effect to the environment. No significant environmental impacts are anticipated to occur with the emergency flood remediation and clean-up at the RUHS Corona CHC.
County Clerk
Riverside
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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