Staff defends CEQA exemption for Driver Avenue addition; commissioners seek clarity

Staff told commissioners the proposed addition at 28245 Driver Avenue meets the CEQA exemption for existing facilities under CEQA Guidelines §15301. Angela Jura said the 1988 addition received a certificate of occupancy, making the residence an existing facility for exemption analysis, and that the current addition is about 1,500 square feet, below the 2,500-square-foot threshold.

"So what is before us today: the addition is just over 1500 square feet which is under that 2500 square foot requirement for the exemption or 50% of the residence," Angela Jura said, walking through the staff’s CEQA reasoning. Commissioners asked follow-up questions to ensure the exemption was applied correctly and to respond to a written public comment that raised concerns about the exemption process. Staff explained that if the addition had not been previously permitted, the exemption might not apply, but here the prior work had records and the project met the numerical criteria.

The commission accepted staff’s explanation before moving to deliberation. The CEQA finding was included as part of the motion to adopt the resolution approving the site-plan and architectural review permit.