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HomeMy WebLinkAbout!Ch 02.00 IntroChapter 2 Introduction Otay Ranch Village 8 West EIR CV EIR 10-03; SCH No. 2010062093 Page 2-1 City of Chula Vista November 2013 Chapter 2 Introduction 2.1 Project Background Otay Ranch is a master-planned community that provides a broad range of residential, commercial, retail, and industrial development interwoven with civic and community uses, such as libraries, parks, and schools. The community is 23,000 acres in size, and includes an open space preserve system consisting of approximately 11,375 acres. Otay Ranch Village 8 West is one of the designated fourteen villages within the Otay Ranch General Development Plan (GDP) area. The history of Otay Ranch planning documents that affect the project site are summarized in Table 2-1, and described in detail below. Table 2-1 Past and Present Planning Documents for Otay Ranch Planning Document Associated Environmental Impact Report 1993 Otay Ranch General Development Plan/ Subregional Plan (adopted October 28, 1993)(1) 1993 Otay Ranch General Development Plan EIR (EIR 90-01) (SCH #89010154) 2005 City of Chula Vista General Plan Update 2005 Chula Vista General Plan Update Final Program EIR (EIR 05-01) (SCH #2004081066) 2005 Otay Ranch General Development Plan Update 2013 Chula Vista General Plan Amendment/Otay Ranch General Development Plan Amendment (GPA/GDPA) (approved 2013) 2013 Chula Vista General Plan Amendment/Otay Ranch General Development Plan Amendment SEIR (SEIR 09-01) (SCH #2004081066) Otay Ranch Village 8 West SPA Plan Otay Ranch Village 8 West EIR (EIR 10-03) (SCH #2010062093) (1) The GDP was amended in 2001 for land use changes within the Village 11 SPA; however, the changes associated with this amendment did not affect Village 8 West. 2.1.1 1993 Otay Ranch General Development Plan and EIR The Otay Ranch GDP/Subregional Plan (SRP) was originally adopted by the Chula Vista City Council and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on October 28, 1993, and was accompanied by Environmental Impact Report (EIR) 90-01 (SCH #89010154). In addition to establishing community-wide land use policies, the Otay Ranch GDP includes an Overall Design Plan, which presents a design context for Otay Ranch that serves as a basis for individual Sectional Planning Area (SPA) Plans. The Otay Ranch GDP groups residential areas into “Villages.” Village cores are strategically located, mixed-use areas designed to contain essential facilities and services. The GDP has been amended since 1993, most recently in 2013, as described below. Chapter 2 Introduction Otay Ranch Village 8 West EIR CV EIR 10-03; SCH No. 2010062093 Page 2-2 City of Chula Vista November 2013 2.1.2 2005 Chula Vista General Plan Update/Otay Ranch General Development Plan Amendment and Program EIR In 2005, the City of Chula Vista completed a comprehensive update of its General Plan, which included an amendment to the GDP. California law requires that each county and city adopt a general plan “for the physical development of the county or city, and of any land outside its boundaries which…bears relation to its planning” (Government Code Section 65300). The Chula Vista General Plan outlines goals, policies and objectives for land uses within Chula Vista in response to the community’s vision for the city. The General Plan includes specific requirements in the Land Use and Transportation Element for master planned communities and resource management plans for water, air quality, recycling, solid waste management, and energy. Specific policies for the central district of the Otay Ranch area, including Village 8 West, were included in the 2005 General Plan Update. The 2005 GDP Amendment (GDPA) revised regional information, added a discussion of the Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP), clarified plans and policies for several villages, and introduced the town center concept. Although the 2005 General Plan Update included land use designations for the entire city, the City Council did not take action on the proposed land use designations and policies in the “Deferral Area,” which included several village sites, including Village 8 West. The City Council certified the 2005 General Plan Update Final Program EIR (EIR 05-01; SCH #2004081066) on December 13, 2005 (hereinafter referred to as the 2005 GPU EIR [EIR 05-01]). The EIR assessed the environmental impacts of growth and development in the city associated with the general plan update and associated actions. While no action was taken by the City Council on the land uses within the Deferral Area, the certified EIR analyzed the impacts of the proposed amendments within the deferred area as part of the 2005 GPU Preferred Alternative. 2.1.3 2013 City of Chula Vista General Plan Amendment/Otay Ranch General Development Plan Amendment and SEIR In 2013, a General Plan Amendment and General Development Plan Amendment (GPA/GDPA) were approved that established land use designations for the Deferral Area, and re-designated land uses in the surrounding area. The GPA/GDPA land use change area includes Village 8 West, Village 9, the University site and the Regional Technology Park (RTP). The GPA/GDPA includes policy revisions to the 2005 General Plan Update and 2005 GDPA, revisions to the General Plan Circulation Plan, reconfiguration of village boundaries, and land use designation amendments. As amended and approved in 2013, the General Plan and GDP are the applicable land use documents for the Village 8 West SPA Plan. Unless stated otherwise, all references to the General Plan or GDP in this EIR refer to these documents as amended in 2013. In 2013, a Supplemental EIR (SEIR 09-01) was certified for the GPA/GDPA in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the guidelines of the City of Chula Vista. As a supplement, SEIR 09-01 only included an analysis of environmental topics that resulted in new or additional impacts compared to the land use assumptions made for the project area in the 2005 GPU EIR (EIR 05-01). The 2013 GPA/GDPA analyzed an additional 880 residential units within the Deferral Area, of which Village 8 West accounted for an additional 494 residential units from the 2005 GPU EIR. The topics included in the SEIR were land use, landform alteration/visual quality, energy resources, transportation, air quality, noise, public services, public utilities, housing and population, and global climate change. The environmental topics that did not require supplemental analysis were biological Chapter 2 Introduction Otay Ranch Village 8 West EIR CV EIR 10-03; SCH No. 2010062093 Page 2-3 City of Chula Vista November 2013 resources, cultural resources, geology and soils, paleontological resources, agriculture, hydrology and water quality, hazards, and mineral resources because the proposed land use designations would not change the resource information or conclusions in the GPU EIR for these issue areas. 2.2 Otay Ranch Village 8 West SPA Plan and Tentative Map The Otay Ranch GDP is implemented through individual SPA plans that specify the development standards, land plans, goals, objectives, and policies of the GDP for a particular planning area. SPA plans establish design criteria and define precisely the type and amount of development permitted. The plans also establish city standards including open space provisions and major improvements to be constructed by the project applicant. The proposed Otay Ranch Village 8 West SPA Plan is based on the provisions for this area included in Section E.1.a of the Otay Ranch GDP, as amended in 2013. The GDP designates Village 8 West as an “Urban Village” with a mixed-use “Town Center” and low-medium density residential uses to the south of the town center. Urban villages are planned for transit-oriented development with higher densities and mixed uses within a quarter mile of a transit stop or station. The SPA plan identified planned transit stops in the Town Center. The proposed SPA Plan for Village 8 West includes the following components: 1. Village 8 West SPA Plan 2. Planned Community District Regulations 3. Public Facilities Finance Plan/Fiscal Impact Analysis 4. Air Quality Improvement Plan 5. Non-Renewable Energy Conservation Plan 6. Water Conservation Plan 7. Affordable Housing Plan 8. Community Purpose Facility Master Plan 9. Preserve Edge Plan 10. Park, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails Plan 11. Agricultural Plan 12. Fire Protection Plan The tentative map (TM) that accompanies the SPA Plan establishes the subdivision of the site into planning areas, street standards and alignment, grading design, and infrastructure requirements, including alignment and improvements of the off-site utility corridor. The TM includes more detailed grading specifications compared to the overall grading plan, design and phasing of public facilities, storm drain locations in the Neighborhood Edge Zone, the actual location and design of interior slopes, the alignment of parkway residential streets in Planning Areas N, P, and V, the alignment of public pathways, and the alignment of common lanes, which are public alleyways that provide access to rear-loaded garages and parking. The TM may be further refined as grading plans and other development plans are finalized. Ultimately, a final map will be submitted to the city for approval. Otay Land Company (OLC), which owns the property and is the project applicant, is responsible for applying for and obtaining necessary approvals from the City of Chula Vista to implement the Village 8 West SPA Plan. Chapter 2 Introduction Otay Ranch Village 8 West EIR CV EIR 10-03; SCH No. 2010062093 Page 2-4 City of Chula Vista November 2013 2.3 Subdivisions and Building Permits Upon the approval of SPA plans, property may be subdivided in accordance with the California Subdivision Map Act and the applicable Subdivision Ordinances. Thereafter, building permits may be issued. As described earlier, the Village 8 West project includes a TM for development of the site. The action to which this EIR applies is the approval of the SPA Plan and TM. Final maps and development permits needed for project implementation shall be examined in the light of this EIR to determine whether additional environmental review will be required. 2.4 Purpose and Legal Authority This document is a Second Tier EIR that addresses the environmental effects of the proposed Village 8 West SPA Plan and TM (hereafter referred to as the project) of the Otay Ranch GDP. The project requires the discretionary approval of the Chula Vista City Council. As such, the project is subject to the requirements of the CEQA. This EIR has been prepared in accordance with CEQA (Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq.) and the City of Chula Vista’s environmental review procedures. Pursuant to Section 21067 of CEQA and Section 15367 and Sections 15050 through 15053 of the CEQA Guidelines, the City of Chula Vista is the Lead Agency under whose authority this EIR has been prepared. As such, the analysis and findings in this document reflect the independent judgment of the City of Chula Vista. In accordance with Section 15121 of the CEQA Guidelines, the purpose of the EIR is to serve as an informational document that “will inform public agency decision makers and the public generally of the significant environmental effect of a project, identify possible ways to minimize the significant effects, and describe reasonable alternatives to the project.” This EIR provides decision-makers, public agencies, and the public with detailed information about the potential for significant adverse environmental impacts to occur as a result of the project. Pursuant to CEQA Statute Section 21093, the analysis in this EIR tiers from the Supplemental EIR (SEIR 09-01) to the 2005 GPU EIR (EIR 05-01; SCH #2004081066). As stated in the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15152(a), the term tiering refers to “using analysis of general matters contained in a broader EIR (such as a previous EIR prepared for a general plan or policy document) with later EIRs and negative declarations on narrower projects incorporating by reference the general discussions from the broader EIR; and concentrating the later EIR or negative declaration solely on the issues specific to the later project." Due to the size and complexity of Otay Ranch, both the planning and environmental documentation for the specific planning areas or villages within the Otay Ranch have been tiered. As specific villages and planning areas are proposed for development, second-tier documentation is required for more precise or project-level planning and project-specific environmental documentation. As a second tier document, this EIR relies upon several previously certified EIRs, to determine whether or not the project is consistent with previously approved polices or ordinances. The 2013 SEIR was a supplemental analysis that updated the 2005 GPU EIR (EIR 05-01). The SEIR only included an environmental analysis of those issues that were affected by the updated policies and land use designations in the 2013 GPA/GDPA. Other environmental issues that were adequately addressed in the 2005 GPU EIR were not included in the 2013 SEIR analysis. Information that is not covered by either the 2005 GPU EIR or 2013 SEIR is tiered from EIR 90-01, the original EIR prepared in 1993 for the GDP. Table 2-2 lists the environmental topics included in this EIR and the environmental document from which the analysis was tiered. Chapter 2 Introduction Otay Ranch Village 8 West EIR CV EIR 10-03; SCH No. 2010062093 Page 2-5 City of Chula Vista November 2013 Table 2-2 Tiered Analysis by Environmental Issue Environmental Topic Documents Utilized in Tiered Analysis Land Use and Planning 2013 GPA/GDPA SEIR (09-01) Landform Alteration/Aesthetics 2013 GPA/GDPA SEIR (09-01) Transportation/Traffic 2013 GPA/GDPA SEIR (09-01) Air Quality 2013 GPA/GDPA SEIR (09-01) Noise 2013 GPA/GDPA SEIR (09-01) Biological Resources 2005 GPU EIR (EIR 05-01) 1993 GDP Program EIR (EIR 90-01) Cultural Resources 2005 GPU EIR (EIR 05-01) 1993 GDP Program EIR (EIR 90-01) Geology and Soils 1993 GDP Program EIR (EIR 90-01) Public Services 2013 GPA/GDPA SEIR (09-01) Global Climate Change 2013 GPA/GDPA SEIR (09-01) Hydrology and Water Quality 1993 GDP Program EIR (EIR 90-01) Agricultural Resources 2005 GPU EIR (EIR 05-01) 1993 GDP Program EIR (EIR 90-01) Hazards and Hazardous Materials 2005 GPU EIR (EIR 05-01) and 1993 GDP Program EIR (EIR 90-01) Housing and Population 2013 GPA/GDPA SEIR (09-01) Public Utilities 2013 GPA/GDPA SEIR (09-01) 2005 GPU EIR (EIR 05-01) Mineral Resources 2005 GPU EIR (EIR 05-01) 1993 GDP Program EIR (EIR 90-01) In accordance with CEQA Section 21094, those effects which the Lead Agency determined were either mitigated or avoided pursuant to the findings of these EIRs, or examined in sufficient detail to enable those effects to be mitigated or avoided through implementation of mitigation measures or standard conditions, do not need to be addressed in this second tier EIR docume nt. Rather, this EIR focuses on the environmental effects associated with development of the proposed Village 8 West SPA Plan that were not evaluated at a project level in the 2013 SEIR 09-01. Where appropriate, this EIR also updates information in the 1993 Otay Ranch GDP EIR 90-01 and the 2005 GPU EIR 05-01. Each of these prior certified EIRs are herein incorporated by reference. All referenced documents are available for review at the City of Chula Vista, Development Services Department, located at 276 Fourth Avenue, Chula Vista, California 91910. Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15161, this document has been prepared as a “Project EIR” and is “focused primarily on the changes in the environment that would result from the development” (i.e., the project). Where environmental impacts have been determined to be potentially significant, this EIR presents mitigation measures directed at reducing those adverse environmental effects. The development of mitigation measures provides the Lead Agency with ways to substantially lessen or avoid the significant effects of the project on the environment, to the degree feasible. Alternatives to the project are evaluated that could minimize or avoid significant impacts associated with the project. Chapter 2 Introduction Otay Ranch Village 8 West EIR CV EIR 10-03; SCH No. 2010062093 Page 2-6 City of Chula Vista November 2013 2.5 Environmental Review Process This Draft EIR was prepared following input from the public, responsible, and affected agencies through the EIR scoping process. In accordance with Section 15082 of the CEQA Guidelines, a Notice of Preparation (NOP) was prepared and distributed to responsible and trustee agencies, affected agencies, and other interested parties on June 29, 2010. Per Section 15381 of the CEQA Guidelines, the term “responsible agency” includes “all public agencies other than the Lead Agency which have discretionary approval power over the project,” such as the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) for storm water permits and the California Department of Fish and Game for biological resources permits. A “trustee agency” is identified in Section 15386 of the CEQA Guidelines as “a state agency having jurisdiction by law over natural resources affected by a project which are held in trust for the people of the State of California.” The NOP is a document that is required to be submitted to the State Clearinghouse to officially solicit participation in determining the scope of the EIR. The State Clearinghouse distributed the Otay Ranch Village 8 West SPA Project EIR NOP to state agencies, including the Office of Historic Preservation, Department of Fish and Game, Department of Transportation, Air Resources Board, and RWQCB. The NOP was also sent directly by the City of Chula Vista to federal, other state, county, and local agencies, as well as to other persons of interest (Appendix A). In addition, the NOP was posted at the Office of the San Diego County Clerk for 30 days. A public scoping meeting was held on July 8, 2010 to further solicit public input. A copy of the NOP is provided in Appendix A of this EIR. Eleven letters were received in response to the issuance of the NOP. The NOP and comment letters are included in Appendix A. Comments covered a variety of topics, including water supply availability, increases in traffic within Chula Vista and surrounding jurisdictions, potential hazards from Brown Field airport, potential hazardous materials impacts, impacts to the Otay Valley Regional Park, impacts to biological resources, and wildfire hazards. These issues are addressed under the applicable environmental topic in Chapter 5, Environmental Impact Analysis. This Draft EIR is being circulated for 45 days for public review and comment in accordance with Section 15087 of the CEQA Guidelines. Interested parties may provide comments on the Draft EIR in written form. The EIR and all related technical appendices are available for review at the offices of the City of Chula Vista, Development Services Department, located at 276 Fourth Avenue, Chula Vista, California 91910 and the Chula Vista Public Library, 365 F Street, Chula Vista, California 91910. Upon completion of the public comment period, a Final EIR will be prepared that will provide written responses to comments received on the Draft EIR. Responses to written comments received from any public agencies will be made available to those agencies at least ten days prior to the public hearing, during which the certification of the Final EIR will be considered. These comments and their responses will be included in the Final EIR for consideration by the Chula Vista City Council. Prior to approval of the project, the City of Chula Vista, as the Lead Agency and decision-making entity, is required to certify that the EIR has been completed in compliance with CEQA, that the project has been reviewed and the information in this EIR has been considered, and that this EIR reflects the independent judgment of the city. As defined by Public Resource Code (PRC) Section 21081, CEQA also requires the city to adopt “findings” with respect to each significant environmental effect identified in the EIR. For each significant effect, CEQA requires the approving agency to make one or more of the following findings: Chapter 2 Introduction Otay Ranch Village 8 West EIR CV EIR 10-03; SCH No. 2010062093 Page 2-7 City of Chula Vista November 2013 ■ The project has been altered to avoid or substantially lessen significant impacts identified in the Final EIR; ■ The responsibility to carry out the above is under the jurisdiction of another agency; or ■ Specific economic, legal, social, technological, or other considerations, including provision of employment opportunities for highly trained workers, make infeasible the mitigation measures or project alternatives identified in the Final EIR. When approving a project, public agencies must adopt a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP), describing the changes that were incorporated into the project or made a condition of project approval in order to mitigate or avoid significant effects on the environment in compliance with PRC Section 21081.6. The MMRP is adopted at the time of project approval and is designed to ensure compliance with the EIR mitigation measures during project implementation. Upon approval of the project, the City of Chula Vista would be responsible for the implementation of the project’s MMRP. Environmental impacts may not always be mitigated to a less than significant level. When this occurs, impacts are considered significant and unavoidable. If the city concludes that the project would result in significant and unavoidable impacts, which are identified in this Draft EIR, the city must adopt a “statement of overriding considerations” prior to approval of the project in compliance with PRC Section 21081. Such statements are intended under CEQA to provide a written means by which the Lead Agency balances the benefits of the project and the significant and unavoidable environmental impacts. Where the Lead Agency concludes that the economic, legal, social, technological, or other benefits outweigh the unavoidable environmental impacts, the Lead Agency may find such impacts “acceptable” and approve the project. 2.6 Scope and Content of this EIR This EIR addresses the potential physical environmental impacts that could result from implementation of the Village 8 West SPA Plan and TM. Based on the review of past environmental documents, the analysis of the project by city staff, and the comments received in response to the NOP, the following issues were determined to result in potentially significant impacts and are discussed in detail in Chapter 5 of this EIR: ■ Land Use and Planning ■ Aesthetics/Landform Alteration ■ Transportation/Traffic ■ Air Quality ■ Noise ■ Biological Resources ■ Cultural and Paleontological Resources ■ Geology and Soils ■ Public Services ■ Global Climate Change ■ Hydrology and Water Quality ■ Agricultural Resources ■ Hazards and Hazardous Materials ■ Housing and Population ■ Public Utilities ■ Mineral Resources The content and format of this EIR are designed to meet the current requirements of CEQA and the CEQA Guidelines. The EIR is organized into the chapters as summarized below. Chapter 1, Executive Summary: Presents a summary of the project and alternatives, potential impacts and mitigation measures, and impact conclusions regarding significant unavoidable adverse impacts and effects not found to be significant. Chapter 2 Introduction Otay Ranch Village 8 West EIR CV EIR 10-03; SCH No. 2010062093 Page 2-8 City of Chula Vista November 2013 Chapter 2, Introduction: Describes the purpose and use of the EIR, provides a brief overview of the environmental review process, and outlines the organization of the EIR. Chapter 3, Project Description: Includes a discussion of the project location, the objectives of the project, details of the project, and a listing of the discretionary actions and approvals required to implement the project. Chapter 4, Environmental Setting: Describes the existing physical conditions for the project site at the time of the distribution of the NOP. Chapter 5, Environmental Impact Analysis: Includes an analysis of each of the environmental issues outlined above and consists of a description of the existing conditions or setting for each issue area before project implementation, methods and assumptions used in the impact analysis, thresholds for determining the significance of impacts, impacts that would result from the project prior to mitigation, applicable mitigation measures that would eliminate or reduce significant impacts, and the level of significance after implementation of mitigation measures. This EIR utilizes the following categories to describe the level of significance of impacts identified in the environmental analysis: ■ Less than Significant. This term is used to refer to: 1) impacts resulting from implementation of the project that are not likely to exceed the defined standards of significance, and 2) potentially significant impacts that are reduced to a level that does not exceed the defined standards of significance after implementation of mitigation measures. ■ Significant. This term is used to refer to impacts resulting from implementation of the project that exceed the defined standards of significance before identification of mitigation measures. A “significant effect” is defined by Section 15382 of the CEQA Guidelines as “a substantial, or potentially substantial, adverse change in any of the physical conditions within the area affected by the project including land, air, water, minerals, flora, fauna, ambient noise, and objects of historic or aesthetic significance. An economic or social change by itself shall not be considered a significant effect on the environment [but] may be considered in determining whether the physical change is significant.” ■ Significant and Unavoidable. This term is used to refer to significant impacts resulting from implementation of the project that cannot be eliminated or reduced to below stand ards of significance through implementation of feasible mitigation measures. Chapter 6, Cumulative Impacts: Discusses the potentially significant cumulative impacts that may result from the project when taking into account the related or cumulative impacts resulting from other reasonably foreseeable past, present and future projects within and surrounding the Otay Ranch GDP area. Chapter 7, Growth-Inducing Impacts: Discusses the potential growth-inducing impacts of the project, including the potential of the project to foster economic or population growth or the construction of additional housing, either directly or indirectly, in the surrounding environment. Chapter 8, Significant Irreversible Environmental Changes: Provides a discussion of the irreversible environmental changes to the natural environment resulting from the project. Furthermore, the significant unavoidable impacts that would result from project implementation are summarized in this section. Chapter 2 Introduction Otay Ranch Village 8 West EIR CV EIR 10-03; SCH No. 2010062093 Page 2-9 City of Chula Vista November 2013 Chapter 9, Effects Found Not to Be Significant: Contains a summary of the issue areas that were determined to result in less than significant environmental impacts. Chapter 10, Alternatives: Evaluates the environmental effects of feasible project alternatives, including the No Project Alternative. It also identifies the environmentally superior project. Chapter 11, References: Identifies the documents (printed references) and individuals (personal communications) consulted in preparing this EIR. Chapter 12, EIR Preparation: Lists the individuals involved in preparation of this EIR. Chapter 13, Persons and Organizations Contacted: Identifies the organizations and persons consulted to ascertain supporting information to support the EIR analyses. Appendices: Presents data supporting the analyses or contents of this EIR. The appendices include the following: ■ Appendix A: Notice of Preparation, Comment Letters and Scoping Meeting Materials ■ Appendix B: Traffic Impact Analysis ■ Appendix C: Air Quality Technical Report ■ Appendix D: Noise Technical Report ■ Appendix E: Biological Resources Report ■ Appendix F1: Cultural Resources Survey ■ Appendix F2: Paleontological Resources Assessment ■ Appendix G: Geotechnical Report ■ Appendix H1: Global Climate Change Analysis ■ Appendix H2: Project Specific Greenhouse Gas Calculations ■ Appendix I1: Water Quality Report ■ Appendix I2: Drainage Study ■ Appendix I3: Hydromodification Study ■ Appendix J: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment ■ Appendix K1: Water Supply Assessment Verification ■ Appendix K2: Overview of Water Service ■ Appendix L: Overview of Sewer Service Chapter 2 Introduction Otay Ranch Village 8 West EIR CV EIR 10-03; SCH No. 2010062093 Page 2-10 City of Chula Vista November 2013 This page intentionally left blank.