Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2 - Attch 3 - Addendum to EIRATTACHMENT 3 ADDENDUM TO FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FEIR UPD 83356-EIR-658 PROJECT NAME: PROJECT LOCATION: Chula Vista Bayside Hotels 789 E Street, Chula Vista, CA PROJECT APPLICANT: City of Chula Vista Property, LLC CASE NO: FEIR UPD 83356-EIR-658 DATE: July 1, 2017 1. BACKGROUND The purpose of this Addendum is to discuss a proposed Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan (CVBMP or Bayfront Master Plan) Amendment and General Plan Amendment, in order to change the zoning of the l -a parcel (referred to as S4 in the Final Enviromnental Impact Report and CVBMP documents) from its current designation of Commercial — Professional and Administrative (C -P) to Commercial — Visitor Limited (C -VL) (hotel only). No other changes to the CVBMP are proposed with this application. All other land use requirements would remain in. place as originally approved in the CVBMP. On May 18, 2010, the San Diego Unified Port District, as Lead Agency (as such term is defined in California Public Resources Code Section 21067), certified a Final Environmental Impact Report for the CVBMP, Port Master Plan Amendment and Local Coastal Program Amendment (UPD No. 83356-EIR- 658; SCH No. 2005081077) (the "FEIR"). The FEIR contains a comprehensive disclosure and analysis of potential environmental effects associated with the implementation of the CVBMP, Port Master Plan Amendment and Local Coastal Program Amendment. On May 18, 2010, the City, as a Responsible Agency (as such tern is defined in California Public Resources Code Section 21069) after having considered and relying on the FEIR, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (California Public Resources Code, Sec. 21000 et seg.), made certain Findings of Fact; adopted a Statement of Overriding Considerations and adopted a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the CVBMP, and Local Coastal Program Amendment. The approved Bayfront Master Plan calls for the development and revitalization of the Chula Vista Bayfront. The Chula Vista Bayfront encompasses approximately 550 acres of land along the western edge of the City adjacent to the San Diego Bay. The CVBMP was approved by the California Coastal Commission on August 9, 2012. The project designates approximately 238 acres (43%) of the site as open space, creates a pedestrian circulation plan of approximately 54,000 linear feet of shoreline promenade, trails, and sidewalks, improves public access and recreation opportunities, and establishes new public parks for passive and active uses, including a 40 -acre Signature Park. The CVBMP is expected to stimulate significant economic growth within the San Diego Unified Port District (Port) jurisdiction, City of Chula Vista (City), the South Bay area, and the overall region, with new sources of revenue generation, increased employment opportunities, increased affordable housing, and private sector participation. Prominent characteristics of the CVBMP include the development of a resort conference center and other hotels, a Signature Park and other park and open space areas, a large ecological buffer, up to 1,500 residential units, mixed-use office/commercial recreation, retail, cultural uses, and reconfiguration of the existing Chula Vista Harbor. Addendum to Final FEIR UPD 83356-EIR-658 The proposed project, which is the subject of this Addendum, does not result in any new significant impacts beyond those previously identified in FEIR UPD 83356-EIR-658, nor an increase in severity of any previously identified impacts. The environmental analysis presented in FEIR UPD 83356-EIR-658 addresses all potential impacts at the programmatic level associated with the development of the project site. Because the Project, which is located within the Bayfront Master Plan area, would not result in any new potentially significant impacts at the programmatic level, nor increase the severity of any impacts identified in the FEIR, the project is considered to be adequately covered under FEIR UPD 83356-EIR- 658. No further environmental analysis is warranted. II. PROPOSED PROJECT The property that is the subject of the proposed amendment is located at 789 E Street, north of E Street, west of Interstate 5 and east of the SDG&E Right of Way (Site). The Site consists of two lots with an approximate area of 4.81 acres and is located in the CVBMP Sweetwater District. The Site currently has a General Plan land use designation of Professional &Office and a Local Coastal Program land use designation/zoning of Commercial - Professional and Administrative (CP). The proposed amendment (the "Project") would change the GP and Bayfront Master Plan designation (zoning) to Commercial - Visitor Limited (the "Amendment"). The Amendment, however, would be unique and customized to this Site in that it would only allow hotels along with the typical uses that are ancillary to hotels such as limited retail and restaurant. All other land use regulations for the Site such as height, setbacks, parking, and floor area ratio, would remain unchanged. The Project does not involve approvals of any building or site design drawings. Actual building and site plan approvals would be subject to separate fixture application/approval and Project specific environmental review pursuant to the California. Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The State CEQA Guidelines (§15162) establish the conditions under which a subsequent EIR shall be prepared. A. When an EIR has been prepared for a project, no subsequent EIR shall be prepared for that project unless the lead agency detennines, on the basis of substantial evidence in light of the whole record, one or more of the following: 1. Substantial changes are proposed in the project which will require major revisions of the EIR due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects; 2. Substantial changes occur with respect to the circumstances under which the project is undertaken which will require major revisions to the EIR due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects; or, 3. New information of substantial importance, which was not known and could not have been known with the exercise of reasonable diligence at the time the EIR was prepared. B. If changes to a project or its circumstances occur or new information becomes available after preparation of an EIR, the lead agency shall prepare a subsequent EIR if required under 2 Addendum to Final. FEIR UPD 83356-EIR-658 Subsection A. Otherwise the lead agency shall determine whether to prepare a subsequent Negative Declaration, an addendum or no further documentation (Guidelines § 15162). Section 15164 of the State CEQA Guidelines provides that: A. The lead agency shall prepare an addendum to a previously certified EIR if some changes or additions are necessary but none of the conditions described in Section 15162 calling for preparation of a subsequent EIR have occurred. B. An addendum need not be circulated for public review but can be included in or attached to the final EIR. C. The decision-making body shall consider the addendum with the final EIR prior to making a decision on the project. D. A brief explanation of the decision not to prepare a subsequent EIR pursuant to Section 15162 should be included in an addendum to an EIR, the lead agency's required findings on the project, or elsewhere in the record. The explanation must be supported by substantial evidence. This Addendum has been prepared pursuant to the requirements of Sections 15162 and 15164 of the State CEQA Guidelines. The proposed Project does not constitute a substantial change to the previously approved Bayfront Master Plan. The proposed Project would not result in any environmental effects that were not previously considered, nor would the changes increase the severity of any of the impacts identified in FEIR UPD 83356-EIR-658. There has been no material change in circumstances relative to the Bayfront Master Plan, and no new information of substantial importance has become available after the preparation of the FEIR. The mitigation measures identified in FEIR UPD 83356-EIR-658 would be equally applicable to the Bayfront Master Plan. Therefore, in accordance with Sections 15162 and 15164 of the State CEQA Guidelines, the City has prepared this Addendum to FEIR UPD 83356-EIR-658. III. ANALYSIS Summarized below are issue areas potentially affected by the proposed Project. As the discussion outlined below indicates, however, the proposed Project does not result in any impacts beyond those identified in FEIR UPD 83356-EIR-658. Technical studies have been prepared for the Project to identify any potential environmental impacts. No new significant impacts were identified in the technical studies regarding the proposed Project. The technical studies demonstrate and substantiate that the proposed Project does not result in any new significant impacts, nor increase in severity of any previously identified significant impacts. 3 Addendum to Final FEIR UPD 83356-EIR-658 Land Use Compatibility The proposed Project only involves the change in allowable land use from Commercial — Professional and Administrative (C -P) to Commercial — Visitor Limited (C -VL) (hotel only). The 44 foot height limit that is currently in effect for the Site will remain. An existing 100 foot -wide wildlife habitat buffer at the north of the Site would also remain. All other development requirements that are applicable to the Site would remain in place as previously adopted. Existing land uses for properties surrounding the subject parcel vary from open space to commercial. Directly north of the 1-a parcel is the Sweetwater Marsh, which will be protected by the above mentioned required 100 -foot "no touch" buffer provided onsite along the property's norther lot line. Contiguous land uses to the west are an abandoned segment of Bay Boulevard (E Street to D Street), an inactive rail line owned by the San Diego and Eastern Arizona Railway (MTS) and directly west of the rail line is a 150 -foot wide utility transmission alignment owned and operated by San Diego Gas & Electric. Along the east perimeter of the Site is the Bayshore Bikeway trail that runs parallel to hnterstate 5 (I-5). Approximately 415 feet from the eastern property line, on the east side of the I-5 are a mix of freeway commercial and multi- family residential uses. On the south side of the property is the current Living Coast Discovery Center parking lot, E Street, vacant land (between E St. and F St.) and the UTC Aerospace Systems (industrial) campus, located on the south side of F St. The change in the allowable land use from professional office to hotel will not adversely affect any of the land uses noted above. Also, the adjacency requirements of the Multi Species Conservation Plan (MSCP) will apply to the Project (incorporated as mitigation measures in the Bayfront Master Plan FEIR), insuring that there are no adverse impacts from such project edge effects as lighting and noise. Landform/Aesthetics: Visual Character Potentially significant impacts with respect to visual character would be avoided by requiring that the Project adhere to regulations and design policies of the Bayfront Master Plan, as well as conforinance with the Mitigation Measures of FEIR UPD 83356-EIR-658. Bayfront Master Plan policies address bulk, massing, glare, and architectural character. The City of Chula Vista Design Guidelines are applicable to the Site, and future projects involving hotel construction would be reviewed by the Chula Vista Planning Commission for conformance with the Bayfront Master Plan and City Design Guidelines. Project massing, materials, colors, architectural styling, and lighting would be subject to design review and approval by the Chula Vista Planning Commission. The Project would be required to incorporate bird strike avoidance measures as outlined in the FEIR. No impacts beyond those identified in the FEIR would occur. Light and Glare Effects As noted in the FEIR's, Summary of Environmental Analysis Results, the Bayfront Master Plan allows for substantial intensification of existing land uses by allowing taller building heights and more building massing. Potential light or glare impacts could affect surrounding sensitive wildlife areas and, therefore, appropriate mitigation measures were identified to reduce light and glare effects. The proposed Project 4 Addendum to Final FEIR UPD 83356-EIR-658 is required to comply with mitigation measure 4.8-6 of FEIR UPD 83356-EIR-658 addressing lighting impacts. Therefore, no additional significant light and glare impacts would result from this Project. Traffic/Circulation: A traffic study dated October 26, 2015 was prepared by a registered traffic engineer (Federhart) to assess the impact on traffic generation for the site as a result of the Project. All figures used in this analysis were derived from the 2010 CVBMP FEIR, Appendix 4.2.1 and SANDAG'S "Guide of Vehicular Traffic Generation Rates for the San Diego Region, 2002." For the purposes of this analysis, a business class, select service hotel development was considered based on the subject parcel size, maximum room count and the limitation of amenities, such as pools, personal services and onsite restaurants. It was also determined that comparison building programs would be equal based upon the CVBMP approved development envelope (140,000 sq. 1/44 ft. ht.). The traffic analysis identified significant traffic related benefits along the E Street corridor from the proposed change in use over the existing office designation for the 1-a parcel. In particular, peak hour traffic impacts are reduced an average of 45% in the morning hours and 47% during evening periods. Overall, traffic generation for the proposed hotel use is 27% lower than the allowed office use. No significant traffic impacts beyond those identified in the Bayfront Master Plan FEIR would result from this Project. Sewer and Water Demand A Sewer and Water Demand report was prepared by Dexter Wilson Engineering on December 21, 2015 to determine the level of change in forecast wastewater generation and potable water demand as a result of the proposed General Plan amendment and rezoning. The analysis considered the current projections for the utilities as stated in the CVBMP FEIR for a commercial office development. That projection data was compared to estimates for a proposed hotel contained in the same environmental document. The comparison assumed that both developments would observe existing buildout scenarios allowed in the CVBMP (120,000 s.f/44 ft.). Wastewater Based on the analysis prepared by the consultant, the hotel use would result iti a net reduction of 2,600 Gallons Per Day (GPD) when compared to the office use. As a result of the proposed land use change, Parcel 1-a will have a net benefit by reducing total wastewater flows and account for only 2.2% of the total projected flows for the entire Sweetwater District as projected in the 2008 Sewer Technical Study. Water The consultant analyzed projected demand for potable water for the proposed land use changes and compared that demand to the projected impacts for an office use contained in the FEIR. Based on the review, the change in use will add approximately 9,250 GPD. The consultant analyzed the capacity of existing underground facilities (sewer/water) and those planned to adequately serve the Sweetwater District, which includes the subject site. This increase is will not result in the need for additional facilities beyond those identified in the FEIR. Based on that analysis, no changes to the planned 5 Addendum to Final FEIR UPD 83356-EIR-658 infrastructure is required or recommended. Therefore, the increase in GPD is considered less than significant and there are no impacts beyond those identified in the FEIR. IV. CONCLUSION Pursuant to Section 15162 and 15164 of the State CEQA Guidelines, and based upon the above discussion and substantial evidence in the record supporting said discussion, I hereby find that the proposed project will result in only minor technical changes or additions which are necessary to make the Environmental Impact Report adequate under CEQA. Stephen Power, AICD Principal Planner Attachment 1 —Project site plan Attachment 2 —Executive Summary to FEIR 06-01 References: General Plan, City of Chula Vista Zoning Ordinance, Title 19/City of Chula Vista Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan L