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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Statement 1980/05/06 Item 07 COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT Item . 7 ITEM TITLE: Meeting Date 5/6/80 Resolutionltft18'O- Certifying environmental impact report, EIR-79-8 and adopting CEQA findings for development of Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area SUBMITTED BY: A. BACKGROUND Director of Planning ~ (4/5ths Vote: Yes NoL) 1. It is the policy of the State of California that every public agency, such as the City of Chula Vista, should not approve a project if it would result in a significant impact and it is feasible to substantially mitigate the impact. Only when there are specific economic, social or technical reasons which make it infeasible to mitigate an impact can a project with significant impact be approved. (See attached candidate CEQA fi nd i ngs . ) Therefore, when an EIR has been completed which identifies one or more significant environmental impacts, one of the following findings must be made: a. Changes or alternatives have been required of, or incorporated into the project which mitigate or avoid the significant environmental effects identified in the final EIR. b. Such changes or alternatives are within the responsibility and jurisdiction of another public agency and not the agency making the finding. Such changes have been adopted by such other agency or can and should be adopted by such other agency. c. Specific economic, social or other considerations make infeasible the mitiga- tion measures or project alternatives identified in the final EIR. 2. The Planning Commission certified EIR-79-8 on October 10, 1979 and on March 19, 1980 adopted CEQA findings and findings of overriding considerations. B. RECOMMENDATION '1. Certify that EIR-79-8 has been prepared in accordance with CEQA, the State EIR Guidelines and the Environmental Review Policy of the City of Chula Vista, and that the .City Council will review and consider the information contained in the EIR prior to consideration of the project. 2. Find that, in accordance with the attached Candidate CEQA findings the implementa- tion of specific mitigation measures recommended in the final EIR will avoid significant adverse environmental effects in the following areas: (Note - The number in parenthesis . .._ following each heading refers to the respective section number of the EIR.) a. Geology (3.3) b. Soils (3.4) c. Drainage (3.6) d. Archaeology (3.8) e. Transportation (3.JO) "f. Noise - Short-term (3.11) Form A-113 (Rev. 11/79) /0($0 Continued EXHIBITS Agreement_____ Resolution~ Ordinance_____ Plat_____ Notification List Report on Other CEQA findinqs ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT: Attached X Submitted on Page 2, Item Meeting Date5/6/80 7 3. Find that, in accordance with the attached Candidate CEQA findings the mitigation of the following impacts is within the responsibility and jurisdiction of other public agencies: a. Water Qua1ity,- Regional (3.7) b. Air Qua 1 i ty (3,12) c. Schools (3.16) d. Sewage - Regional (3.21) 4. Find that in accordance with the attached Candidate CEQA findings there are specific economic, social, and technical considerations which make infeasible the full mitigation of the following impacts as specified in the attached Candidate CEQA findings: a, Land form (3.2) b. Biology (3,9) c. Aesthetics (3.13) 5. Adopt the following statements as considerations which warrant approval of the project and therefore override environmental considerations identified' in EIR-79-8: a. The project, in general, implements the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area of the E1 Rancho del Rey Specific Development Plan as previously adopted by the City Council. b. The project will result in a more compact urban form and the resultant reduction in energy consumption, air pollutants, and a greater ease in providing urban services than if located at a more remote site. c. The project will provide for an increase in the housing stock in an area close to the center of metropolitan San Diego. This increase will include hous i ng for low and moderatei ncomefami1 i es. Thi s will be of soci a 1 benefi t to the community. d. The extension of a major element of the city's traffic circulation system (East "H" Street) will occur as a result of project implementation. e. The project will promote alternate forms of energy saving transportation, such as car pooling and bus transportation; with the installation of a park-and-ride faci1 ity at the intersection of 1-805 and East "H" Street. f. It is infeasible' to fully mitigate project-related impacts to land form modification to a level of insignificance while, at the same time, imple- menting the adopted land use objectives of the E1 Rancho del Rey Specific Plan, and provide for the extension of East "H" Street 'in accordance with that plan. Alternative alignments of East "H" Street were considered, some with less impact to land form modification, however, public safety (fire and emergency vehicles) and traffic engineering concerns dictated a rejection of those alternative alignments as infeasible (reference: Rice Canyon Development/Conservation Guide, Sedway/Cooke Report, September 1977). The provision of safety services and adequate access is an overriding considera- tion. /OD~O Page 3, Item Meeting Date 5/6/80 7 C. DISCUSSION The attached memo presents a full discussion of the EIR findings on the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area Plan. At the Planning Commission hearing controversy and discussion focused primarily' on the sections dealing with land form alteration, drainage and archaeology. The sections on schools and traffic also merit close atten- tion so that Council may' wish to concentrate on those portions of the memo. ~lr. Cra i g Lorenz, of Advance PI ann i ng and Resea rch, prepa rers of the EI R, wi 11 be nl':€sent to answer any questions Council may have. ~il?f Cilula Vista, California Dated ~ c" - &-0 100'60 RESOLUTIOf'l OF THE CITY PLANNING COt1~~ISSIml CERTI FYING AN ENVI ROr;r-1UITI\L IMPACT REPORT WHEREAS, a Master Environmental Impact Report (EIR-78-2) was prepared and certified prior to the approval of the El Rancho del Rey Specific Plan, and WHEREAS, that Master Environmental Impact Report is to be used as a primary reference document for more detailed environmental analyses for development proposals within each Sectional Planning Area, and WHEREAS, W & G Development Company wishes to file a Sectional Area Pla~ for the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area of El Rancho del Rey, and WHEREAS, the Environmental Review Committee of the City of Chula Vista, Advanced Planning and Research Associates, and W & G Development Company reached an agreement , , for the preparation of the Environmental Impact Report on the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area, and WHEREAS, the Environmental Review Committee of the City of Chula Vista issued a draft Environmental Impact Report for public and agency review on August 9, 19JY, and WHEREAS, legal notice of the availability of the draft Environmental Impact Report was 9iven through publication in a newspaper of general circulation on August l~, 1979 and a notice of completion was filed with the Secretary of Resources of thp. State of California, and WHEREAS, theo Planning Commission of the City of Chuia Vista held a puhlic hearing on the adequacy of the draft Environmental Impact Report on September 12, 1979, and WHEREAS, a response to all letters of input and testimony at th~ public hearing was i ncorpora ted into the Envi ronmenta 1 Impact Repor t. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS: From the facts presented to the Planning Commission, the Commission finds that Environmental Impact Report EIR-79-8 on the proposed development of the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area has been prepared in accordance with California Environmental Quality Act of 1970, as amended, the California Administrative Code and the Environmenta-I Review Policy of the City of Chula Vista, and the Planning Commission hereby certifies that it will consider the information in the Environmental Impact Report as it makes a recommendation on the project. PASSED At-ID APPROVED BY THE CITY PLANNING COl':rHSSION OF CHULA VISTA, CALIFORrIIA, this 10th day of October, 1979 by the fo11Cl-ling vote, to-Ylit: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: ABSE~!T : Commissioners R. Johnson, Pressutti, Comeli ss i oners Wi 11 i ams and 0' Neill Commissioner Smith I~one G. Johnson and Stevenson ATTEST: ?k L..--?,,--, /1'i1 c~f~~<z-- / Secretary tuctftY1A-( ;;~.u ttJ CI Chairman IIY X:"/) To: Lane F. Cole, City Manager Via: W. J. Robens, Development Services Administrator From: D. J. Peterson, Director of Planning Subject: Report on CEQA findings for the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area The environmental impact report on the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area Plan describes a number of environmental impacts which will result from the implemen- tation of the project. Some of those impacts cannot be fully mitigated but that was recognized at the time of preparation of the Specific Plan for El Rancho del Rey. A major thoroughfare simply cannot be extended through undeveloped, rugged territory without significantly affecting the environment. When a shopping center, housing developments and schools are also called for, the environmental effect will be increased. However, the environmental impact should be less severe as we move easterly, away from 1-805. It is t~e purpose of this memo to discuss the environ- mental impact report findings with regard to twelve areas, beginning with land form alterations and ending with liquid waste/water quality impacts. These findings are described below. 1. Land Form Alterations. Land form modification is expected to be a significant impact which cannot be Fully mitigated. Reduction of the impact to an insignificant level would involve dramatic reduction in the scope of development and, therefore, is not considered feasible. The entire site is proposed to be graded in one phase and certain utilities, such as the &ajor drainage facilities, would be installed. Development of structures would take place in various phases over several years. Fill in the portion of Rice Canyon proposed for commercial development would be about 40-45 feet and the ridge 1 ine along the northern portion of the site would be lowered as much as 45-50 feet. 2. Geology/Soils. Seismic hazard and its potential impact on the proposed project are considered to be potentially significant, although the likelihood of a major earthquake impacting structures built on or near the Sweetwater Fault zone is considered.small. The geologic features on the property are considered to be "planes of weakness" rather than true faults. Several investigations have shown that offset or separation of Holocene age materials (10,000 years +) onsite, and in the nearby areas, has not occurred. The most recent movement on the Sweetwater Fault is thought to have occurred during Pleistocene times (1.5-2 million years ago) and thus the fault zone is thought to be only potentially active. As discussed in the environmental impact report, proper planning, design and construction can, for the most part, alleviate the potential for seismic damage. As the actual area of expansive materials on the property is small, the signif- icance of shrink-swell is, likewise, small. Mitigation measures can readily prevent foundation damage due to expansive soil materials. If -/00 fo Report on CEQA findings for the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area Page 2 The significance of compressible materials impacts onsite is somewhat higher. ~'itigation measures would have to be employed to properly prepare the compressible areas for construction of permanent structures. 3. Drainage. The natural Rice Canyon drainage has been blocked by the 1-8D5j"H" Street interchange and water is conveyed under the interchange through pipes with a carrying capacity of 1600 cubic feet per second (cfs). There is a discrepancy between this capacity and the ultimate 50 year flood of about 2100 cfs predicted by the Fogg report of 1964. Erosion of the Otay and San Diego formations, which form the sides of the canyon, has been rapid where runoff from buildings and paved surfaces have been allowed to run down the unprotected canyon sides. Erosion of the alluvium along the bottom of Rice Canyon has also been rapid, particularly during the recent wet years. The downstream culverts have functioned adequately since their construction, although a considerable amount of sediment was deposited downstream from the culvert outlet during the recent wet winters. This sediment has choked the culvert beneath Bonita Road and increases the likelihood of flooding of that road. The project drainage and facilities must be designed to interface with the culvert at the 1-805j"H" Street interchanges to prevent sediment from being deposited over the intake of this existing culvert. A retention basin at the eastern boundary of the project could decrease the rate of runoff as well as trap sediments before they enter the project site. Drainage on and off the project site is a potentially significant impact which can be mitigated through a carefully planned system of drainage control and trans- port system. 4. Archaeology. Archaeological resources on the property appear to be of .only limited signifi- cance. The resources found on the property are mostly shell scatters, which are geographically separated from each other. No artifacts were found in the vicinity of the shell scatters and no subsurface deposits (midden) appear to be associated with any of these scatters. Preservation of these sites appears incompatible with the proposed development and therefore a more indepth subsurface testing probram is warranted to determine the significance of the resources present. A salvage or recovery program could be required in the event that sufficient significance appears to be related to the various archaeological resources present on the property. This testingjsalvage program could include: collection and mapping of surface artifacts, posthole series, test pit excavation and analysis and cataloging of recovered information. /00?;0 , Report on CEQA findings for the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area Page 3 5. Paleontology. During the public hearing on related items on February 27, 1980, the question of fossilized remains in Rice Canyon was raised. The Natural History Museum was subsequently contacted. They were not aware that the environmental impact report was a supplement to a master environmental impact report which did have a section on paleontology. That analysis was based on a survey of the site done for the Sports World environmental impact report. That survey found only fossil mullyscs which were noted as being common and widespread, and not unique or unusual. 'It was also noted that in the event of unique or unusual finds, alternatives or mitiga- tion could be required. The recent identification of marine mammal fossils on the site is of such importance to require appropriate mitigation. This mitigation would include an initial survey of the property and the presence of a monitor during grading of the site. This is noted in the Candidate CEQA findings and described in detail in the proposed conditions of approval. 6. Biology. The density allowed under the El Rancho del Rey development plan and the'loca- tions specified for development cannot occur without the complete destruction of the biologic habitat of that area. Internal access would be along Rice Canyon and its tributaries, which would preclude their usefulness as a wildlife habitat. Little mitigation is available for impacts within the area to be developed. The transplanting of sensitive plant species in the path of grading will allow their continued existence within the project boundaries. However, transplantation is a difficult process. Certainty of complete success cannot be assured and few long term case histories are available for the plants which would be transplanted. The importance of some elements of the onsite vegetation cannot be underplayed; however (one plant has been nominated by the Smithsonian Institute for the Federal Rare and Endangered list). Appropriate transplantation efforts should be under- taken to mitigate this impact' because it is feasible and could substantially reduce the adverse impact, but not to a level of insignificance. 7. Traffic. · I The 419 acre development of Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area would generate about 35,000 weekday vehicular trips after full occupancy. The 1985 traffic volume estimates, with and without the extension of East "H" Street easterly of the project site, are graphically represented in Figures 13 and 14 of the environmental impact report. Under the condition proposed without the extension of East "H" Street and Ridgeback Road easterly, the projected 1985 traffic volumes on the project circu- lation system would increase from zero at the eastern boundary of the tract to 28,650 on "H" Stre~t just east of the 1-805 interchange. Under the second condition, with the extens ion of East "H" Street and Ri dgeback Road easterly, the projected 1985 traffic volumes would increase to 3,300 ADT on Ridgeback Road and 37,000 on East "H" Street just east of 1-805 interchange. ! 00 'it. () Report on CEQA findings for the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area Page 4 In 1995, assuming the El Rancho del Rey development plan area would develop as planned by the City, the accumulated traffic volumes on the eastern boundary of the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area are projected to be about 10,300 on Ridgeback Road and 26,400 on East "H" Street. With the addition of the traffic generated by the Rice Canyon Sectional Pl~nning Area (35,000), the ~rojected traffic volumes on East "H" Street east of 1-805 interchange would be abbut 63,'000 daily on an average week day. /, The impacts resulting from development of the Rice Canyon S~ctional Planning ~rea are not expected to be significant. However, as the remaining Sectional n 'Planning Areas within El Rancho del Rey are developed, additional trips would~occur along Ri dgeback Road, East "H" Street and, poss i b ly "Street K". Future traffi c along East "H" Street within the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area as it is' presently designed, would be expected to approach and possibly exceed design capacity. This impact is not a direct cause and effect relationship inherent in the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area but is rather a long term cumulative impact which would be generated offs~te. Mitigation, specifically widening of rights-of-way, ha 5 been suggested to mitigate this expected long term impact. The intent is to allow East "H" Street, within the project, to be constructed to specifications which would provide for future traffic. . 8. Noise. Noise levels within the project site would be completely dominated by traffic noise generated on and offsite and represents a major long tefm noise source. Other noise sources, such as stationary sources and population, would not have much effect on the area. Construction noise would have a significant short term impact on the adjacent property, especially residential areas along Vista Nacion Drive, Vista Coronado Drive and the northern extension of Floyd Avenue. The Noise Element of the General Plan for the City of Chula Vista establishes 65 d8A as the highest noise level along the roadways which is considered acceptable. 8y 1995, segments of East "H" Street and Ridgeback Roaa crossing the project site would exceed the 65 d8A limit; East "H" Street is expected to exceed 70 dBA. An examination of the noise contour maps indicates that it would be possible to locate all dwelling units outside the area which would exceed 65 dBA. Therefore, ilthe adverse impact of residences within the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning A~ea is I potentially insignificant. These contour maps also show that the commercial \1 center would be subjected to levels which exceed 65 dBA; however, commercial land uses are not addressed by the Noise Element with regard to restrictions as a noise receptor. Commercial areas, are only reyiewed as noise generators. No significant noise generation would be produced by the retail/office development proposed in the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area. 9. Air Quality. Completion of the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area I'{ould have an incremental effect on the local and regional air quality. In and of itself, the project would not significantly impact air quality. It would, however, increase emissions, partic- ularly from traffic, in the Chula Vista and the San Diego air sheds. /oO(;D Report on CEQA findings for the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area Page 5 Mitigation available for limiting the impact of the project on air quality is limited. The Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area does include features which would minimize its effect on air quality, including the park-and-ride lot, bike and pedestrian paths and proximity of schools, recreation and shopping facilities for residents. 10. Aesthetics. . Development of the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area would have a significant effect on the aesthetics of the project site. A major land use change would take ~ place. Manufactured cut-and-fi 11 banks woul d replace natural contours. Buil)di ngs and street improvements would destroy much of the existing vegetation. The impact of development on the aesthetic resources can be partially mitigated through contour grading and landscaping. Several landscaping plans will be required. The first will be a master slope and erosion control plan. This plan must be approved prior to the issuance of any grading permit and implemented concurrent with the grading of the site. A master landscaping concept plan will also be required for the developed portion of the pro- ject site. This will include a description of the types of vegetation to be used and a phasing program. As each phase of the project is implemented a more detailed landscaping plan will be required. This partial mitigation will not totally avoid the significant aesthetic effects which will 'result from the project. , l 11 . Sc hoo 1 s . I. Local school districts are already operating above their respective design capacities. Implementation of the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area could generate a relatively large number of students depending on project phasing. This would have a significant impact on local school facilities and quality of education. Construction of interim facilities would be necessary to accommodate students. Ultimately, new school buildings may be required, especially in the case of elementary grades. These impacts would be offset by contribution of fees, dedication of improved school site, or some combination of the two. The construction of new school facilities required by the project would represent a significant fiscal impact upon the community. ~ 12. Liquid waste/water quality. . The carrying capacity of the local sewer system as planned is adequate to serve the Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area. The metro System, though contractually liable to treat the sewage generated, is reaching its physical capacity and serious problems could result in the near future if additional facilities are not provided. The potential problem of effluent seepage in the cut slope abutting Lynwood Hills was identified during the public hearing. This potential has been evaluated by the project engineer and it was his opinion that the probability of this seepage occurring was very low. However, to guard against any such problem, an effluent cut-off subdrain to intercept this potential seepage and dispose of it in the sewer system has been proposed. This will avoid any such significant impact. When the sewer system for the project is designed, efforts will be made to make it c(pa,ble.) ot SYCi ng the Lynwood Hill s nei ghborhood as well as the new development. D. J. Peterson Director of Planning DJP:DDR:hm /DC/ifO ._.".~....~: t ~-- ~ .