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HomeMy WebLinkAbout!Ch 08.00 IrrevChapter 8 Significant Unavoidable Environmental Effects/ Irreversible Changes Otay Ranch Village 8 West EIR CV EIR 10-03; SCH No. 2010062093 Page 8-1 City of Chula Vista November 2013 Chapter 8 Significant Unavoidable Environmental Effects/ Irreversible Changes CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.2 (b) and (c) require that the significant, unavoidable impacts of the project, as well as any significant irreversible environmental changes that would result from project implementation, be addressed in the EIR. 8.1 Significant Environmental Effects Which Cannot Be Avoided if the Project Is Implemented In accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.2 (b), any significant unavoidable impacts of a project, including those impacts that can be mitigated but not reduced to below a level of significance despite the applicant’s willingness to implement all feasible mitigation measures, must be identified. Implementation of the SPA Plan and TM would result in impacts associated with air quality (air quality violations, air quality plans), noise (short-term increase in traffic noise), global climate change (potential effects of global climate change), agricultural resources (direct conversion of agricultural resources), aesthetics/landform alteration (visual character or quality), cultural resources (cumulative impacts to unknown archaeological resources and human remains), and public utilities (demand for water, demand for wastewater capacity, demand for energy, and cumulative demand for recycled water) which are significant and unavoidable. All other significant impacts identified in Chapters 5 and 6 of this EIR are determined to be less than significant or can be reduced to below a level of significance with the mitigation measures identified. 8.2 Irreversible Environmental Changes Which Would Result if the Project Is Implemented CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.2(c) indicates that: “[u]ses of non-renewable resources during the initial and continued phases of the project may be irreversible since a large commitment of such resources makes removal or non-use thereafter unlikely. Primary impacts and, particularly, secondary impacts Chapter 8 Significant Unavoidable Environmental Effects/ Irreversible Changes Otay Ranch Village 8 West EIR CV EIR 10-03; SCH No. 2010062093 Page 8-2 City of Chula Vista November 2013 (such as highway improvement which provides access to a previously inaccessible area) generally commit future generations to similar uses. Also irreversible damage can result from environmental accidents associated with the project. Irretrievable commitments of resources should be evaluated to assure that such current consumption is justified.” Implementation of the project would necessarily consume limited, slowly renewable and non-renewable resources. This consumption would occur during the construction phase of the project and would continue throughout its operational lifetime. The project would require a commitment of resources that would include: 1) building materials, 2) fuel and operational materials/resources, and 3) the transportation of goods and people to and from Village 8 West. Construction of the project would require the consumption of resou rces that are not renewable or which may renew so slowly as to be considered non-renewable. These resources would include the following construction supplies: certain types of lumber and other forest products; aggregate materials used in concrete and asphalt such as sand, gravel and stone; metals such as steel, copper, and lead; petrochemical construction materials such as plastics; water; and fossil fuels such as gasoline and oil. The resources that would be committed during operation of the project would include water for drinking and bathing, and fossil fuels for electricity, natural gas, and transportation. Fossil fuels would represent the primary energy source associated with both construction and ongoing operation of the project, and the existing, finite supplies of these natural resources would be incrementally reduced. However, the project includes a Non-Renewable Energy Conservation Plan that identifies feasible methods to reduce the consumption of non-renewable energy resources. The three main categories identified in the plan where reductions in energy use may occur are land use and community design, building siting and construction techniques, and transit facilities and alternative transportation modes. Additionally, the SPA Plan includes a WCP that includes mandatory water reduction measures for residential and non-residential land uses that would reduce water use by approximately 202,490 gpd. The Non-Renewable Energy Conservation Plan and WCP are described in detail in Section 5.10, Global Climate Change, and Section 5.15, Public Utilities. As indicated in Section 5.10, Global Climate Change, the project’s design and features, would reduce vehicle miles traveled by approximately 20 percent compared to the regional average trip length, and total GHG emissions for the GPA/GDPA area would be reduced by 32 percent compared to the business-as-usual conditions. The project would involve an unquantifiable, but limited, use of potentially hazardous materials typical of residential, office, and commercial uses, including cleaning solvents, fertilizers and/or pesticides for landscaping. These materials would be contained, stored, and used on site in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions, applicable standards and regulations. Compliance with regulations w ould serve to protect against a significant and irreversible environmental change that could result from the accidental release of hazardous materials. Village 8 West has historically been used for agricultural uses, specifically cattle grazing and dry farming including barley, wheat, and oat hay (Gallegos & Associates 2009). Development within Village 8 West would contribute to the incremental and cumulative loss of agricultural lands (Farmland of Local Importance). This would be an irreversible consequence of converting Village 8 West to urban uses. However, this site has been planned as part of the Otay Ranch GDP to serve as an urban village to provide single-family and multi-family residential units, a town center containing commercial uses, parks, community purpose facility uses, schools, affordable housing and a transit stop. No additional loss of agricultural land would occur beyond what was planned for in the GDP. Chapter 8 Significant Unavoidable Environmental Effects/ Irreversible Changes Otay Ranch Village 8 West EIR CV EIR 10-03; SCH No. 2010062093 Page 8-3 City of Chula Vista November 2013 In summary, construction and operation of the project would result in the irretrievable commitment of limited, slowly renewable, and non-renewable resources, which would limit the availability of these particular resources for future generations or for other uses during the life of the project. However, the SPA Plan includes requirements for future development so that continued use of such resources would be of a relatively small scale compared to similar development. Additionally, the project would accommodate growth forecasted for the Otay Ranch area. The loss of such resources would not be highly accelerated when compared to existing conditions and growth projections for the city. Therefore, although irretrievable commitment of resources would result from the project, such changes would be considered less than significant. Chapter 8 Significant Unavoidable Environmental Effects/ Irreversible Changes Otay Ranch Village 8 West EIR CV EIR 10-03; SCH No. 2010062093 Page 8-4 City of Chula Vista November 2013 This page intentionally left blank.