HomeMy WebLinkAboutAppendix A_part 2
July 17, 2009
Gerry Beaudin, AICP
Senior Planner
City of South San Francisco
Economic and Community Development Department,
Planning Division
P. O. Box 711
South San Francisco, CA 94083
Subject: Draft Environmental Impact Report, South El Camino Real General
Plan Amendment (P08-0076: GPA08-0001 & EIR08-0004), City of
South San Francisco – Scope and Content of EIR
Dear Mr. Beaudin:
Thank you for notifying San Francisco International Airport (the Airport) of the intent to
prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the South El Camino Real General
Plan Amendment (GP Amendment). We appreciate this opportunity to coordinate with
the City of South San Francisco (the City) in considering and evaluating potential land use
compatibility issues that this and similar development projects may pose.
With regard to the scope and content of the EIR, the Airport requests that three specific
areas of study be included in the EIR: (1) An analysis of the location and impacts of the
GP Amendment study area in relation to existing CNEL noise contours resulting from
aircraft operations associated with the Airport, (2) an analysis of the location and impacts
of the GP Amendment study area and the proposed building height zoning standards in the
study area in relation to existing airspace protection surfaces, and (3) an analysis of the
location and impacts of the GP Amendment study area in relation to existing safety zone
compatibility areas associated with runways at the Airport. More discussion regarding
each of these study areas is presented below.
CNEL Noise Contours
The Airport requests that the EIR provide information, including maps, showing the
location of GP Amendment study area in relation to the 60, 65, and 70 CNEL noise
contours resulting from aircraft operations associated with the Airport. The EIR should
analyze whether the proposed land uses within the noise contours will be compatible with
local, state and federal regulations for noise compatibility, such as the San Mateo County
Gerry Beaudin, AICP
July 17, 2009
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Airport Land Use Plan for SFO, Title 21 of the California Code of Regulations and
Federal Aviation Regulations Part 150, as well as FAA grant assurances. The EIR should
analyze the impacts of new residential development within the 60 dB CNEL contour and
higher, both on the residents and on SFO, and provide information on the number of
development units and residents exposed to airport and aircraft noise; as well as analyze
the impacts of single-event noise. Furthermore, the Airport is interested in seeing that the
EIR contain adequate noise mitigation measures, including grant of avigation easements to
SFO, notification requirements of proximity of dwellings to SFO and to aircraft noise, and
other measures.
Our initial analysis of the GP Amendment study area indicates that the southernmost
portion of the area is within the 70 dBA CNEL contour and that a large portion of the area
is within the 65 dBA CNEL contour. In accordance with local, state and federal land use
compatibility regulations, residential land uses within the 70 dBA CNEL noise contour are
not compatible land uses. Residential land uses within the 65 dBA CNEL noise contour
are also typically not compatible. The Airport would like to see these issues fully
analyzed in the EIR.
Building Heights
The Airport requests that the EIR evaluate the location of the GP Amendment study area
and the proposed building height zoning standards in the study area and the existing
airspace protection surfaces associated with runways and operations at the Airport. The
proposed increase in height limits would allow for 80 feet as of right, and up to 120 feet
with additional review and approval. This is an increase from the existing 50 foot height
limit that currently exists for most of the properties on South El Camino Real. The
Airport is interested in assuring that proposed developments within the GP Amendment
study area will be limited in height so as not to penetrate existing airspace surface
protection areas.
The EIR analysis should consider and include information from the recently completed
airspace protection surface mapping study prepared by SFO. This study included an
examination and consolidation of airspace protection surfaces associated with runways,
approach and departure procedures, and one-engine inoperative procedures for aircraft
operations at the Airport. Airspace protection surfaces are areas of airspace that must be
kept clear of obstructions such as buildings so that aircraft conducting operations to and
from the Airport will have unobstructed flight paths, including a safety buffer between
flight paths and any potential obstructions.
In addition to a composite map of existing airspace protection surfaces associated with
Airport operations, the study also included an analysis of the distance between the
airspace protection surfaces and the ground level in areas within San Mateo County,
including the GP Amendment study area. Based on a comparison of the findings of this
analysis with the proposed zoning heights in the GP Amendment study area, most of the
areas proposed for mixed-use development with heights up to 120 feet above ground level
would likely not conflict with airspace protection surfaces with two possible exceptions:
Gerry Beaudin, AICP
July 17, 2009
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1.At the northeast corner of Noor Avenue and El Camino Real, buildings over
90 feet tall on the corner of the parcel marked in blue on the attached exhibit
could potentially conflict with existing airspace surfaces;
2.In areas within the South El Camino Real General Plan Update boundary north of
Noor Avenue on the east side of El Camino Real and near Brentwood Drive on
the west side of El Camino Real (marked in purple on the attached exhibit),
buildings over 100 feet tall could potentially conflict with existing airspace
surfaces.
To limit potential conflicts between zoning heights and airspace protection surfaces, the
Airport proposes that zoning heights within the southernmost area of the GP Amendment
study area be allowed to 80 feet as of right and limited to 90 feet and 100 feet with
additional review and approval as outlined in 1 and 2 above and as shown on the attached
exhibit.
Safety Zones
The Airport is interested in assuring that the proposed land uses within runway safety
zones are compatible with State guidelines. The Airport requests that the EIR compare
the location of the GP Amendment study area with the location of the Outer Approach and
Departure Zones (OADZ) associated with Runways 10L and 10R at the Airport. It
appears based on an initial analysis of the OADZs that the southernmost portion of the GP
Amendment study area just north of Noor Avenue lies within the OADZ for Runway 10L
at the Airport (see Figure 2B in Working Paper 2 – Airport Land Use Compatibility
Alternatives; Comprehensive Airport Land-Use Compatibility Plan for the Environs of
San Francisco International Airport, September 2008 prepared by Jacobs Consultancy).
The Airport appreciates your consideration of these comments. If I can be of assistance as
the City considers noise contours, building heights, or safety zones as they relate to this
project or future projects, please do not hesitate to contact me at (650) 821-7867 or at
[email protected].
Sincerely,
John Bergener
Senior Aviation Planner
San Francisco International Airport
Bureau of Planning and Environmental Affairs
Attachment
Gerry Beaudin, AICP
July 17, 2009
Page 4 of 4
cc: James Ilnicki, SFO, Planning Director
Nixon Lam, SFO, Manager of Environmental Affairs
Michael McCarron, SFO, Community Affairs
Bert Ganoung, SFO, Noise Abatement
Melba Yee, SFO, Legal
Dave Carbone, C/CAG
Terry Barrie, Caltrans Aeronautics
Elisha Novak, FAA ADO
Camille Garibaldi, FAA ADO