CITY OF FRESNO
CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION
DETERMINATION FOR THE GRANT AGREEMENT WITH STORYLAND AND PLAYLAND, INC
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: City of Fresno
2600 Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93721
PROJECT LOCATION: 890 W. Belmont Ave, located inside Roeding Park , near the intersection of Belmont Avenue and West Avenue, though it's directly accessible via the main park entrance at 890 W Belmont Avenue in Fresno, California
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The City of Fresno is appropriating $1,000,000 to the Storyland and Playland, Inc. (Storyland) to be used for improvements to the interior and exterior of Storyland. The proposed project would entail ADA bathroom remodel upgrade, 550’ lineage footage for perimeter fencing, ADA path of travel for pirate ship and climbing structure, procuring tables and umbrellas, and updating the landscaping.
This project is exempt under Section 15301/Class 1 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines as follows:
Under Section 15301/Class 1, the proposed project is exempt from CEQA requirements when the project 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 key consideration is whether the project involves negligible or no expansion of use.
The project is exempt from CEQA because the City of Fresno is approving a Grant Agreement to provide $1,000,000 in funding to the Storyland and Playland, LLC for interior and exterior improvements on the Fresno Storyland premises that consist of approximately 3.35 acres. The improvements consist of updating the park’s bathroom to meet ADA standards , replacing the remaining chain link fence that surrounds the park for wrought iron, totaling 550’ LF, identifying a path of travel to the pirate ship and climbing structures by ensuring the mapped layout meets ADA compliance, adding tables and umbrellas to the park, and updating the landscaping by going through landscape design/specifications for irrigation sustainability to an existing facility . The project does not involve new construction, ground disturbance, or increased capacity beyond existing facilities and previously approved operations. Accordingly, the project will not have a significant impact on the environment, as it involves minor repairs of the existing Storyland and Playland facility with negligible or no expansion of the existing use.
None of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions outlined in the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 apply to the project. Furthermore, the proposed project is not expected to have a significant effect on the environment. A categorical exemption, as noted above, has been prepared for the project and the area is not environmentally sensitive.
Date: December 2, 2026
Prepared By: Joanne Ramirez
Submitted by:
Elizabeth Fraire
Business Manager
City of Fresno
PARCS Department
(559) 621-2988