Exhibit E - Environmental Assessment
CITY OF FRESNO
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDING OF NO POSSIBILITY OF SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT P21-05809
THE PROJECT DESCRIBED HEREIN IS DETERMINED TO HAVE NO
SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 20 OF THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) GUIDELINES
APPLICANT: City of Fresno
Planning and Development Department,
2600 Fresno Street Room 3043
Fresno, California 93721
PROJECT LOCATION: Areas within the jurisdiction of the City of Fresno, generally located within the corporate boundaries
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
A Text Amendment is proposed to Section 15-2010 of the Citywide Development Code which prescribes development and site regulations for Electric Fences. The Developme nt Code currently permits Electrified Fences to be installed in all non -residential districts including Commercial Districts, Industrial Districts, and areas where livestock is c ontained. The proposed text amendment would expand where Electrified Fences ca n be installed, which includes all non-residential zones including all Mixed-Use Districts, all Commercial Districts, all Employment Districts, the Public and Institutional District, and all Downtown Districts with the exception of the Downtown Core.
This project is exempt under Section 15061(b)(3) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
Finding:
Staff has conducted a preliminary review of the project and has determined that it is exempt from CEQA pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA ) Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) under the common sense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Because the proposed Text Amendment is for Council to consider approval to mo dify the Zone Districts where Electrified Fences are permitted and does not commit the City to any specific project, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that accepting the text amendment may have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, this action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3).
Evidence:
The proposed Text Amendment modifies where Elec trified Fences can be installed, which includes all non-residential zones including all Mixed-Use Districts, all Commercial Districts, all Employment Districts, the Public and Institutional District, and all Downtown Districts with the exception of the Downtown Core.
There will be no physical change to the environment as a result of the adoption of this Text Amendment as it is an amendment to the Zone Districts where Electrified Fences are permitted. The Text Amendment does not relate to any physical project.
The r egulations of the proposed Text Amendment will not intensify the use of any establishment. The application process already exists within the Fresno Municipal Code and the proposed Text Amendment expands the Zone Districts where Electrified Fences can be installed. As such, the proposed Text Amendment will not intensify any existing uses.
All individual projects under the proposed Text Amendment will be subject to discretionary review. Each individual application will be evaluated pursuant to the requirements of CEQA and the appropriate level of environmental review will be completed when the scope and impacts of each individual entitlement are known.
Approval of this Text Amendment does not automatically permit the installation of electric fences in any district. Rather, it expands the Zone Districts where Electrified Fences can be installed. Because this Text Amendment does not effectuate any approvals and does not result in any changes in use or intensity, it can be seen with cert ainty that there is n o possibility that approval of this Text Amendment will have a significant effect on the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect effect on the environment.
Therefore, Text Amendment P21-05809 is exempt from CEQA pursuant to the common sense exemption set forth in Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines.
Date: May 20, 2022
Submitted By: __________________
Drew Wilson
City of Fresno
Planning and Development
Department