NOTICE OF EXEMPTION
FROM: City of Fresno Planning and Development Department 2600 Fresno Street
Fresno, California 93721-3604
TO: X Fresno County Clerk
2220 Tulare Street – First Floor Lobby
Fresno, California 93721
Office of Planning & Research
P.O. Box 3044, Room 212
Sacramento, California 95812-3044
Project Title: Environmental Assessment No. P23-01228
Project Location : 5005 East Dakota Avenue; located on the north side of East Dakota Avenue between North Blattella Lane and Peach Avenue in Fresno, California. (APN: 493- 063-45S)
Project Location – city: City of Fresno Project Location- county: County of Fresno Description of Nature, Purpose and Beneficiaries of Project: Development Permit No. P23-01228 was filed by Don Pickett of Don Pickett & Associates and pertains to ±2.16 acres located on 5005 East Dakota Avenue. The applicant proposes to develop the property in two phases. Phase one will consist of a ±19,800 square- foot warehouse building with ±1,477 square feet allocated for office space identified as the “west building.” Phase two proposes a ±23,700 square- foot warehouse building with ±1,477 square feet allocated for office space identified as the “east building.” Both buildings will be secured with a chain link fence and rolling gates, with drought tolerant landscaping at the building frontages. The proposed parking lot will encompass 41 standard parking stalls and eight (8) electric vehicle charging stations.
Name of Public Agency Approving Project: City of Fresno Name of Person or Agency Carrying Out Project: Don Pickett of Don Pickett & Associates 7395 North Palm Buffs Suite 101
Fresno CA, 93711
Exempt Status: (check one)
Ministerial - PRC § 21080(b)(1); CEQA Guidelines §15268 Declared Emergency - PRC § 21080(b)(3); CEQA Guidelines §15269(a) Emergency Project - PRC § 21080(b)(4); CEQA Guidelines §15269(b) and (c) Categorical Exemption – CEQA Guidelines §15332/Class 32 Statutory Exemption – PRC §_____________
Reasons why project is exempt:
This project is exempt under Section 15332/Class 32 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines as follows:
Under Section 15332/Class 32, the proposed project is exempt from CEQA requirements when the project is characterized as in-fill development meeting the following conditions:
a) The project is consistent with the applicable general plan designation and all applicable general plan policies as well as with applicable zoning designation and regulations.
By current standards, the subject site is identified as “in- fill” within an urban setting. This project is located on a site within the City limits and is consistent with the Fresno General Plan designation, policies, and zoning. The existing IL (Light Ind ustrial) zone districts are consistent with the Employment – Light Industrial planned land use designations approved for this site by the Fresno General Plan, McLane Community Plan, and the Fresno County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan.
b) The proposed development occurs within city limits on a project site of no more than five acres substantially surrounded by urban uses.
The subject property is located on a site of approximately ±2.16 acres, which is less than the five - acre maximum, and is surrounded by other urban developments and uses.
c) The project has no value as habitat for endangered, rare, or threatened species.
The project site contains previously disturbed land and surrounding developments consists of a Speed Engineering, Tech Crete, Turf Star and The Moose Fresno Lodge 445 (therefore, the site has no value as habitat for endangered, rare, or threatened species.
d) Approval of the project would not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality.
Traffic
Senate Bill (SB) 743 requires that relevant CEQA analysis of transportation impacts be conducted using a metric known as vehicle miles traveled (VMT) instead of Level of Service (LOS). VMT measures how much actual auto travel (additional miles driven) a proposed project would create on California roads. If the project adds excessive car travel onto our roads, the project may cause a significant transportation impact.
The State CEQA Guidelines were amended to implement SB 743, by adding Section 15064.3.
Among its provisions, Section 15064.3 confirms that, except with respect to transportation projects, a project’s effect on automobile delay shall not constitute a significant environmental impact.
Therefore, LOS measures of impacts on traffic facilities are no longer a relevant CEQA criteria for transportation impacts.
CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3(b)(4) states that “[a] lead agency has discretion to evaluate a project’s vehicle miles traveled, including whether to express the change in absolute terms, per capita, per household or in any other measure. A lead agency may use models to estimate a project’s vehicle miles traveled and may revise those estimates to reflect professional judgment based on substantial evidence. Any assumptions used to estimate vehicle miles traveled and any revision to model outputs should be documented and explained in the environmental document prepared for the project. The standard of adequacy in Section 15151 shall apply to the analysis described in this section.”
On June 25, 2020, the City of Fresno adopted CEQA Guidelines for Vehicle Miles Traveled Thresholds, dated June 25, 2020, pursuant to Senate Bill 743 effective on July 1, 2020. The thresholds described therein are referred to herein as the City of Fresno VMT Thresholds . The City of Fresno VMT Thresholds document was prepared and adopted consistent with the requirements of CEQA Guidelines Sections 15064.3 and 15064.7. The December 2018 Technical Advisory on Evaluating Transportation Impacts in CEQA (Technical Advisory) published by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR), was utilized as a reference and guidance document in the preparation of the Fresno VMT Thresholds.
The City of Fresno VMT Thresholds adopted a screening standard and criteria that can be used to screen out qualified projects that meet the adopted criteria from needing to prepare a detailed VMT analysis.
The City of Fresno VMT Thresholds Section 3.0 regarding Project Screening discusses a variety of projects that may be screened out of a VMT analysis including specific development and transportation projects. For development projects, conditions may exist that would presume that a development project h as a less than significant impact. These may be size, location, proximity to transit, or trip ‐making potential. For transportation projects, the primary attribute to consider with transportation projects is the potential to increase vehicle travel, sometimes referred to as “induced travel.”
Staff conducted research using the Fresno Council of Governments (COG) Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Screening Tool to determine the VMT for the proposed project. The adopted threshold of significance is 13%, which means that projects that generate VMT in excess of 13% than the existing regional VMT per capita or per employee would have a significant environmental impact; projects that meet the 13% threshold are determined to have a less than significant effect on regional VMT.
Based upon the City of Fresno’s adopted VMT thresholds and guidelines, screening of projects is permitted if a project qualifies as a low trip generator (less than 500 daily trips generated). The proposed light industrial project consists of approximately ±43,500 square feet of light industrial building area. Approximately ±2,954 square feet of will be dedicated for office space. the ITE Trip Generation Rates 9th Edition, using ITE Code General Warehousing 150 and General Office 710, the project wi ll generate approximately 188 Average Daily Trips. Given the adopted significance threshold criteria of the City of Fresno, staff determined that the proposed project can be screened out from further VMT impact analysis and therefore would not result in any significant traffic impacts based upon the City of Fresno’s adopted thresholds and guidelines for VMT analyses.
Noise
The project is a new Indoor Warehousing and Storage and Offices development. The project site is located in a developed neighborhood adjacent to Speed Engineering, Tech Crete, Turf Star and The Moose Fresno Lodge 445; therefore, the project would not result in a significant amount of noise compared to other adjacent uses and would be conditioned to comply with any applicable noise standards of the Citywide Development Code.
Air Quality
The project is conditioned to comply with any applicable regulations from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and the project is subject to review by the agency regarding air quality during construction and operation. The project as described will not occur at a scale or scope with potential to contribute substantially or cumulatively to existing or projected air quality violations or impacts.
Water Quality
The project is further conditioned to comply with any applicable conditions from Public Works or Utilities Department to ensure the project won’t have an effect on water quality.
e) The site can be adequately served by all required utilities and public services.
Given the surrounding properties and neighborhoods have been substantially developed and utilities and public services already exist in the area, the site can be adequately served by all required utilities, including sewer, water, and solid waste, as well as public services.
None of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 apply to the project. Furthermore, the proposed project is not expected to have a significant or cumulative effect on the environment. The project is not located on a hazardous waste site, a historical resource, or adjacent to a scenic highway. A categorical exemption, as noted above, has been prepared for the project and the area is not environmentally sensitive.
Lead Agency Contact Person: Steven Lieng, Planner
City of Fresno Planning and Development Department
Full telephone no. (559) 621-8007
If filed/signed by applicant:
Attach certified document of exemption finding
(check if attached)
Has a Notice of Exemption been filed by the public agency approving the project? Yes No
Signature: Date:
Printed Name and Title: Jose Valenzuela, Supervising Planner City of Fresno Planning and Development Department
Signed by Lead Agency Signed by applicant
A
ttachments: Vicinity Map & Categorical Exemption
8/31/2023
VICINITY MAP/SITE LOCATION
5005 East Dakota Avenue
LEGEND
Subject Property
Planning and Development Department
2600 Fresno Street, Room 3043 · Fresno, CA 93721 · Phone (559) 621-8277 Project Location
CITY OF FRESNO
CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR
DEVELOPMENT PERMIT APPLICATION NO. P23-01228
THE PROJECT DESCRIBED HEREIN IS DETERMINED TO BE CATEGORICALLY
EXEMPT FROM THE PREPARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS
PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 19 OF THE STATE CEQA GUIDELINES.
APPLICANT: Don Pickett of Don Pickett & Associates (559) 431-3535
[email protected]
PROJECT LOCATION: 5005 East Dakota Avenue; located on the northeast corner of East Dakota Avenue and North Blattella Lane in Fresno, California. (APN:
493-063-45S)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Development Permit No. P23-01228 was filed by Don Pickett of Don Pickett & Associates and pertains to ±2.16 acres located on 5005 East Dakota Avenue. The applicant proposes to develop the property in two phases. Phase one will consist of a ±19,800 square- foot warehouse building with ±1,477 square feet allocated for office space identified as the “west building .” Phase two proposes a ±23,700 square-foot warehouse building with ±1,477 square feet allocated for office space identified as the “east building.” Both buildings will be secured with a chain link fence and rolling gates, with drought tolerant landscaping at the building frontages. The proposed parking lot will encompass 41 standard parking stalls and eight (8) electric vehicle charging stations. The parcel is zoned IL (Employment - Light Industrial).
This project is exempt under Section 15332/Class 32 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines as follows:
Under Section 15332/Class 32, the proposed project is exempt from CEQA requirements when the project is characterized as in-fill development meeting the following conditions:
a) The project is consistent with the applicable general plan designation and all applicable general plan policies as well as with applicable zoning designation and regulations.
By current standards, the subject site is identified as “in-fill” within an urban setting. This project is located on a site within the City limits and is consistent with the Fresno General Plan designation, policies, and zoning. The existing IL (Light Industrial ) zone districts are consistent with the Employment – Light Industrial planned land use designations approved for this site by the Fresno General Plan, McLane Community Plan, and the Fresno County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan.
b) The proposed development occurs within city limits on a project site of no more than five acres substantially surrounded by urban uses.
The subject property is located on a site of approximately ±2. 16 acres, which is less than the five - acre maximum, and is surrounded by other urban developments and uses.
Development Permit Application No. P23-01228
EA - Categorical Exemption
August 31, 2023
c) The project has no value as habitat for endangered, rare, or threatened species.
The project site contains previously disturbed land and surrounding developments consists of a Speed Engineering, Tech Crete, Turf Star and The Moose Fresno Lodge 445 (therefore, the site has no value as habitat for endangered, rare, or threatened species.
d) Approval of the project would not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality.
Traffic
Senate Bill (SB) 743 requires that relevant CEQA analysis of transportation impacts be conducted using a metric known as vehicle miles traveled (VMT) instead of Level of Service (LOS). VMT measures how much actual auto travel (additional miles driven) a proposed project would create on California roads. If the project adds excessive car travel onto our roads, the project may cause a significant transportation impact.
The State CEQA Guidelines were amended to implement SB 743, by adding Section 15064.3.
Among its provisions, Section 15064.3 confirms that, except with respect to transportation projects, a project’s effect on automobile delay shall not constitute a significant environmental impact.
Therefore, LOS measures of impacts on traffic facilities are no longer a relevant CEQA criteria for transportation impacts.
CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3(b)(4) states that “[a] lead agency has discretion to evaluate a project’s vehicle miles traveled, including whether to express the change in absolute terms, per capita, per household or in any other measure. A lead agency may use models to estimate a project’s vehicle miles traveled and may revise those estimates to reflect professional judgment based on substantial evidence. Any assumptions used to estimate vehicle miles traveled and any revision to model outputs should be documented and explained in the environmental document prepared for the project. The standard of adequacy in Section 15151 shall apply to the analysis described in this section.”
On June 25, 2020, the City of Fresno adopted CEQA Guidelines for Vehicle Miles Traveled Thresholds, dated June 25, 2020, pursuant to Senate Bill 743 effective on July 1, 2020. The thresholds described therein are referred to herein as the City of Fresno VMT Thresholds . The City of Fresno VMT Thresholds document was prepared and adopted consistent with the requirements of CEQA Guidelines Sections 15064.3 and 15064.7. The December 2018 Technical Advisory on Evaluating Transportation Impacts in CEQA (Technical Advisory) published by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR), was utilized as a reference and guidance document in the preparation of the Fresno VMT Thresholds.
The City of Fresno VMT Thresholds adopted a screening standard and criteria that can be used to screen out qualified projects that meet the adopted criteria from needing to prepare a detailed VMT analysis.
The City of Fresno VMT Thresholds Section 3.0 regarding Project Screening discusses a variety of projects that may be screened out of a V MT analysis including specific development and transportation projects. For development projects, conditions may exist that would presume that a development project has a less than significant impact. These may be size, location, proximity to transit, or trip‐making potential. For transportation projects, the primary attribute to consider with Development Permit Application No. P23-01228
EA - Categorical Exemption
August 31, 2023
transportation projects is the potential to increase vehicle travel, sometimes referred to as “induced travel.”
Staff conducted research using the Fresno Council of Governments (COG) Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Screening Tool to determine the VMT for the proposed project. The adopted threshold of significance is 13%, which means that projects that generate VMT in excess of 13% than the existing regional VMT per capita or per employee would have a significant environmental impact; projects that meet the 13% threshold are determined to have a less than significant effect on regional VMT.
Based upon the City of Fresno’s adopted VMT thresholds and guidelines, screening of projects is permitted if a project qualifies as a low trip generator (less than 500 daily trips generated). The proposed light industrial project consists of approximately ± 43,500 square feet of light industrial building area. Approximately ± 2,954 square feet of will be dedicated for office space. the ITE Trip Generation Rates 9th Edition, using ITE Code General Warehousing 150 and General Office 710, the project will generate approximately 188 Average Daily Trips. Given the adopted significance threshold criteria of the City of Fresno, staff determined that the proposed project can be screened out from further VMT impact analysis and therefore would not result in any significant traffic impacts based upon the City of Fresno’s adopted thresholds and guidelines for VMT analyses.
Noise
The project is a new Indoor Warehousing and Storage and Offices development. The project site is located in a developed neighborhood adjacent to Speed Engineering, Tech Crete, Turf Star and The Moose Fresno Lodge 445; therefore, the project would not result in a significant amount of noise compared to other adjacent uses and would be conditioned to comply with any applicable noise standards of the Citywide Development Code.
Air Quality
The project is conditioned to comply with any applicable regulations from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and the project is subject to review by the agency regarding air quality during construction and operation. The project as described will not occur at a scale or scope with potential to contribute substantially or cumulatively to existing or projected air quality violations or impacts.
Water Quality
The project is further conditioned to comply with any applicable conditions from Public Works or Utilities Department to ensure the project won’t have an effect on water quality.
e) The site can be adequately served by all required utilities and public services.
Given the surrounding properties and neighborhoods have been substantially developed and utilities and public services already exist in the area, the site can be adequately served by all required utilities, including sewer, water, and solid waste, as well as public services.
None of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 apply to the project. Furthermore, the proposed project is not expected to have a significant or cumulative effect on the environment. The project is not located on a hazardous waste site, a historical resource, or adjacent to a scenic highway. A categorical exemption, as noted above, has been prepared for the project and the area is not environmentally sensitive.
Development Permit Application No. P23-01228
EA - Categorical Exemption
August 31, 2023
Date: August 31, 2023
Prepared By: Steven Lieng, Planner
Submitted by:
Jose Valenzuela
Supervising Planner
City of Fresno
Planning & Development Department
(559) 621-8070