Environmental Assessment No. PW01011: Shaw Avenue Roadway Improvements from Fruit Avenue to 950 Feet East of Palm Avenue

2026071292

City of Fresno

NOE - Notice of Exemption

7/31/2026

7/31/2026

Isaac Campos

City of Fresno

Project Manager

Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant

747 R. St
FRESNO, CA 93721

(559) 621-8657

Isaac.Campos@fresno.gov

Shaw Avenue Roadway Improvements from Fruit Avenue to 950 Feet East of Palm Avenue

Categorical Exemption

CEQA Guidelines §15301/Class 1

Staff has performed a preliminary environmental assessment of this project and determined that it falls within the Categorical Exemption set forth in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301/Class 1, which exempts repairs or minor alterations to existing facilities. Staff found that the conditions are met: Section 15301/Class 1 consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. The types of "existing facilities" itemized below are not intended to be all-inclusive of the types of projects which might fall within Class 1. The key consideration is whether the project involves negligible or no expansion of an existing use. Specifically included in this class of exemption are: c) Existing highways and streets, sidewalks, gutters, bicycle and pedestrian trails, and similar facilities (this includes road grading for the purpose of public safety), and other alterations such as the addition of bicycle facilities, including but not limited to bicycle parking, bicycle-share facilities and bicycle lanes, transit improvements such as bus lanes, pedestrian crossing, street trees, and other similar alterations that do not create additional automobile lanes; and d) Restoration or rehabilitation of deteriorated or damaged structures, facilities, or mechanical equipment to meet current standards of public health and safety, unless it is determined that the damage was substantial and resulted from an environmental hazard such as earthquake, landslide, or flood. The proposed project would be consistent with the provisions of a Class 1 Categorical Exemption because it would be limited to the rehabilitation of existing pavement and replacement of failing segments of pavement to optimal conditions along an existing roadway segment in a developed portion of the city. The project would not increase the number of travel lanes nor increase roadway capacity. State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 identifies exceptions that would disqualify a project from being exempt under the State CEQA Guidelines. According to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2, a project that would be located within an environmentally sensitive area, result in significant cumulative impacts, result in a significant effect on the environment, damage scenic resources within the viewshed of a state scenic highway, be located on a hazardous waste site compiled pursuant to Government Code Section 65962.5, or cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource would not qualify for an exemption under State CEQA Guidelines. The project site extends along Shaw Avenue, between Fruit Avenue and 950 feet east of Palm Avenue and consists entirely of previously developed areas containing existing roadways and frontages with some areas of ruderal vegetation and/or scattered landscaped trees. The project site is located in an urbanized area and is surrounded by commercial, office, and single-family residential land uses within both the City and County jurisdiction. The project would be limited to work within the existing roadway prism and would not extend into previously undisturbed areas or native soils. The project would not require any alteration or removal of structures from the parcels proposed for partial ROW acquisition and would not have the potential to impact historical buildings or structures if present on surrounding properties. The project would be limited to small changes to an existing roadway and surrounding streetscape and would not result in potentially significant environmental impacts associated with its location, cumulative impacts, scenic resources, hazardous waste sites, historical resources, or energy demand, or otherwise have the potential to result in a significant effect that could constitute an exception to a Categorical Exemption pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2.