Barragan Minor Use Permit N-DRC2025-00026 / ED 25-0251

2026080280

San Luis Obispo County

NOE - Notice of Exemption

8/11/2026

8/11/2026

Lane Sutherland

County of San Luis Obispo

Senior Planner

Lead/Public Agency

976 Osos Street RM 200
San Luis Obispo, CA 93408

(805) 788-9470

Lsutherland@co.slo.ca.us

Ben and Ashley Barragan

Property Owners

Applicants

Project Applicant

PO Box 653
Templeton, CA 93465-0653

(805) 391-1824

ashleybarragan@gmail.com

0.37

041-101-057

Forest Avenue, Templeton, CA 93444

Other

15061(b)(3)

The project includes construction of a new single-family residence and associated site improvements on an approximately 0.37-acre vacant parcel within the Residential Single Family land use category and Templeton Urban Reserve Line. The project is located within an existing residential area and would be served by Templeton Community Services District for water, sewer, and fire protection. The project includes a limited amount of grading and site disturbance associated with construction of the residence, driveway/access improvements, utility connections, drainage improvements, and landscaping. The proposed residence has been sited on the less sensitive portion of the property, adjacent to existing residential development and outside of the Toad Creek corridor to the extent feasible. The applicant provided a Biological Resources Assessment and Botanical Report dated May 21, 2026, prepared by Susan V. Christopher, Ph.D., Biological Consulting Services, for the proposed single-family residence at 0 Forest Avenue. The report evaluated the project site for special-status biological resources, including special-status plants and wildlife, sensitive natural communities, riparian habitat, jurisdictional drainages and wetlands, and oak trees. The report was based on a background review and focused, seasonally timed botanical surveys conducted on March 8, 2026 and April 14, 2026. The project site contains riparian habitat associated with Toad Creek, which extends across the western and southern portions of the property. The biological report identifies the riparian habitat as a sensitive natural community and indicates that the stream channel and riparian habitat would likely be subject to state and/or federal jurisdiction. However, no direct project impacts are expected within the jurisdictional areas. The proposed residence would be located outside of the creek setback area, and the project has been designed to avoid direct disturbance to Toad Creek and the associated riparian corridor. Existing riparian vegetation along Toad Creek is proposed to remain, and no trees are proposed for removal. Although no trees are proposed for removal, portions of the proposed improvements would occur within the critical root zone of existing oak trees. The biological report recommends measures to avoid and minimize potential impacts to biological resources, including protective construction fencing, preconstruction surveys, erosion and sediment control, stormwater protection, worker environmental awareness training, wildlife-friendly lighting, oak tree protection, and oak tree compensatory mitigation. These measures have been incorporated into the project as conditions of approval. The focused botanical surveys did not identify any special-status plant species within the study area. The project site is relatively small, is located within a developed residential context, and the permanent development area would affect primarily disturbed grassland and ruderal areas with low biological value. The project would not remove riparian habitat, would not directly impact jurisdictional waters, and would not remove native trees. With implementation of the recommended biological protection measures as conditions of approval, the project would not result in a significant adverse effect on biological resources, riparian habitat, jurisdictional waters, oak trees, or other environmental resources. The project site includes a Flood Hazard combining designation associated with Toad Creek; however, the mapped flood hazard area appears to only minimally overlap the southwest corner of the property, and the proposed residence and associated site improvements are located outside of this limited flood hazard area. The project has also been reviewed for consistency with applicable Templeton Community Standards, including standards related to creek preservation, setbacks, exterior lighting, landscaping, height, underground utilities, and site design. As conditioned, the project would preserve the existing riparian corridor and would not preclude future habitat restoration or enhancement within the Toad Creek corridor. Based on the limited scale of the proposed residential development, the disturbed and residential context of the surrounding area, the location of the residence outside of the creek corridor, and incorporation of the recommended biological protection measures as conditions of approval, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the project may have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, the project qualifies for the General Rule Exemption under CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3). The project is not located in an area with known archaeological resources; therefore, impacts to cultural resources are not anticipated. In the unlikely event resources are uncovered during grading activities, implementation of County Code Section 22.10.040 (Archaeological Resources) would be required, which states: A. Construction activities shall cease, and the Department shall be notified so that the extent and location of discovered materials may be recorded by a qualified archaeologist, and disposition of artifacts may be accomplished in accordance with state and federal law. B. In the event archeological resources are found to include human remains, or in any other case when human remains are discovered during construction, the County Coroner shall be notified in addition to the Department so proper disposition may be accomplished.