Title
Consider recommendations regarding an Alternate Care Site Agreement with Best Western Plus Encina Inn and Suites, Second District, as follows:
a) Approve and authorize the Chair to execute an Alternate Care Site Agreement between the County of Santa Barbara and the Best Western Plus Encina Inn and Suites for use of a hotel located at 2220 Bath Street, Santa Barbara, on a month-to-month basis as an alternate care site as needed due to increases in cases and hospitalizations due to COVID-19;
b) Authorize the Director of Emergency Services, or designee, after consultation with the County Public Health Department, until otherwise ordered by the Board, to activate use of the hotel as an alternate care site and to incur rent and other expenses under the Agreement in an amount not to exceed $500,000.00; and
c) Determine that the recommended actions are not the acceptance and approval of a project that is subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4), finding that the project is a creation of government funding mechanisms or other government fiscal activities, which do not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment; and that the actions are exempt from CEQA pursuant to Guidelines Section 15269(c) as they consist of specific actions necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency and direct staff to file a Notice of Exemption on that basis.