County Animal Shelter Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration

The project consists of the construction of an approximately 21,250-square-foot animal shelter on a four-acre portion of vacant, undeveloped County-owned land within the boundaries of the City of Santee. The project approval is to modify the project from the original approval by expanding the boundary 0.4 acres to include necessary sidewalk improvements along Riverview Parkway. The Board of Supervisors adopted the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) for the New County Animal Shelter Project, on July 13, 2021 (Item 34). Addendums to the MND completed in January 2024 and May 2024, on file with the Department of General Services, determined that, consistent with CEQA Guidelines Section 15162, an Addendum to the Final MND was sufficient and appropriate, as the revised project would not result in significant new impacts or substantially increase the severity of impacts previously identified in the Final MND. Additionally, applicable mitigation measures set forth in the Final MND still apply to the County Animal Shelter Project. The proposed boundary change for this project is consistent with the project described and analyzed in the MND and first and second addendums. There are no significant changes in the project or the circumstances under which the project will be undertaken that involve significant new environmental impacts which were not considered in the previously adopted MND and addendums. In addition, there would be no substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects. An Environmental Review Update Checklist, dated December 16, 2025, was prepared in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15162(b) as supporting analyses for the determination to rely on the previous MND without preparing additional environmental documentation. No new information of substantial importance has become available since the MND was adopted.