Background:
The District has developed the Mariano Castro Elementary School Pavement and Facilities Project (“Proposed Project”), which consists of: (1) the demolition of approximately 7,000 square feet of existing pedestrian paving and replacement with vehicular paving and striping for parking, (2) the construction of an approximately 500 square foot standalone storage building, and (3) the construction of a 250 square foot restroom building.
The Proposed Project is located at Mariano Castro Elementary School at 500 Toft St. Mountain View, CA 94041 (“Site”). At this time, the District does not have the precise location of where the Proposed Project will be located on the Site, however CEQA Guidelines section 15062(a)(2) only requires the location of the Proposed Project to be described using either the address or cross streets, thus this requirement is satisfied by listing the address.
Before the District may determine to carry out the Proposed Project, it must complete environmental review under CEQA, which exempts certain defined projects from completing a negative declaration or environmental impact report. District staff has determined that the Proposed Project meets the definitions of the Class 1, Class 3, Class 11, and Class 14 Categorical Exemptions set forth in CEQA Guidelines sections 15301, 15303, 15311, and 15314.
RATIONALE:
The Class 1 Categorical Exemption exempts a project that consists of the repair, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing public facilities or topographical features involving negligible or no expansion of the former use. Here, removing and replacing the existing pavement at the Site is a minor repair and alteration of an existing public school campus involving no expansion of use.
The Class 3 Categorical Exemption exempts a project that consists of construction and location of limited numbers of new, small facilities or structures. The Class 11 Categorical Exemption exempts a project that consists of construction of minor structures accessory to existing institutional facilities. Here, the Proposed Project consists of the construction of a standalone storage building and restroom building, which are new, relatively small, accessory structures and facilities that will be located on an existing public school campus, and is therefore exempt from further CEQA review.
The Class 14 Categorical Exemption applies to minor additions to existing schools that do not increase student capacity by more the 25% or 10 classrooms, whichever is less. The storage building and restroom building are minor additions to the existing public school campus that do not increase the school’s student capacity because students will not be housed in the structures. Thus, the Proposed Project would be also categorically exempt from further CEQA review under the Class 14 Categorical exemption.
Once a project is determined to be exempt, it is no longer subject to either the procedural or substantive requirements of CEQA. Thus, CEQA review would be complete should the Board determine that the Proposed Project is exempt and to carry out the Proposed Project.
CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2 provides six exceptions that would disqualify a project from being exempt. These are: (1) for a Class 3 and Class 11 categorical exemption, a project located within a particularly sensitive environmental location; (2) where the cumulative impact of successive projects of the same type in the same place would be significant over time; (3) a significant environmental impact would occur due to unusual circumstances; (4) a project that would cause damage to scenic elements with a designated state scenic highway; (5) a project that is on a site designated as a Hazardous Waste Site; or (6) a project that causes a substantial adverse change to a historical resource.
1. The Proposed Project is not within a particularly sensitive environmental location; it is within an already established school campus.
2. The Proposed Project is the only project of the same type at the same place. No other similar, successive projects are proposed.
3. There are no known unusual circumstances that would be caused by the construction of a carport and small accessory storage building.
4. The Proposed Project is not within or near a designated state scenic highway. (https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=2e921695c43643b1aaf7000dfcc19983)
5. The campus and Proposed Project Site are not on a site designated as a Hazardous Waste Site.
6. As there are no historical resources on the Campus and no buildings will be demolished or altered as a result of the Proposed Project, the Proposed Project would not cause a substantial adverse change to a historical resource.
Accordingly, there is no exception that would disqualify the Proposed Project from the Class 1, Class 3, Class 11, and Class 14 Categorical Exemptions.
Should the Board adopt the Resolution, District staff will file a Notice of Exemption with the Santa Clara County Clerk and the State Clearinghouse.
Fiscal Implication:
None.
Recommended Action:
It is recommended that the Board adopt Resolution No. 06-060321 Determining that the Mariano Castro Elementary School Pavement and Facilities Project is Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act, Approving the Project, and Directing the Filing of a Notice of Exemption.