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1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 INTRODUCTION
This Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) has been prepared to provide an
assessment of the potential environmental impacts of the proposed 494 Forbes
Boulevard Office/R&D project and related discretionary actions. The project
applicant (applicant) proposes the development of approximately 7.48 acres of
land in the City of South San Francisco's East of 101 Area into an office and
research and development (Office/R&D) complex. The project applicant is
requesting approval of the proposed project by the City of South San Francisco.
This DEIR has been prepared by the City of South San Francisco (City), which is
serving as Lead Agency for the environmental review of the proposed project.
This document will be used to inform city decision makers, responsible and
trustee agencies as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
and CEQA Guidelines, other public agencies, and members of the public of the
potential environmental effects associated with the development of the 494
Forbes Boulevard Office/R&D project. A summary of the permit and review
requirements for this project, as currently identified by the City of South San
Francisco, is presented in Table 1.0-1, Permit and Review Requirements, on the
following page.
The proposed project would develop an Office/R&D complex on approximately
7.48 acres of land in the East of 101 Area. The project site is located within the
Planned Industrial Zone District (P-I) and therefore, would not require any
changes to the existing R&D Overlay District. Additionally, the site is situated
within the "Business and Technology Park" General Plan Land Use designation
which supports Office/R&D projects. Major project entitlements would include:
. Use Permit to ensure the project complies with zoning requirements for the
proj ect area;
. Design Review Board approval to ensure that the project's design is
compatible with surrounding development;
. Adoption of a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program;
. Adoption of the project by the South San Francisco City Council;
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. Approval for on-site flood control design; and
. Issuance of a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit
(NPDES).
These actions constitute the "project" as defined by the CEQA Guidelines and
assessed in this DEIR.
Table 1.0-1
Permit and Review Requirements
Use Permit.
City of South San Francisco
Design Review Board approval.
Adoption of the proposed project (and the TDM plan).
City/County Association of
Governments of San Mateo County
(C/CAG)
Adoption of a Transportation Demand Management plan
developed to meet City/County Association of Governments
of San Mateo County (C/CAG) requirements.
San Mateo County Flood Control
Bay Area Regional Water Quality
Control Board (RWQCB)
Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA)
Design approval for on-site flood control.
Issuance of a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System Permit (NPDES) for construction activities disturbing
more than 1 acre, permit for dewatering during construction,
and approval of operational storm water treatment.
Height limits and noise contours relative to the site operation
of the San Francisco International Airport.
Source: Impact Sciences, Inc. 2007
1.2 PURPOSE OF THIS EIR
As the Lead Agency for the environmental review of this project, the City of
South San Francisco has prepared this DEIR to assess the environmental impacts
of implementing the project. The DEIR has been prepared pursuant to CEQA
(Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq.) and the CEQA Guidelines
(California Code of Regulations, Section 15000 et seq.), as amended. CEQA
requires that all State and local government agencies consider the consequences
of projects over which they have discretionary authority.
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This DEIR is a public document that identifies the potential significant
environmental impacts associated with the proposed 494 Forbes Boulevard
Office/R&D project and mitigation measures to reduce these effects; significant
impacts that cannot be avoided; and growth-inducing impacts; effects found not
to be significant; and significant cumulative impacts of present and reasonably
foreseeable future projects. This DEIR is an informational document to be used
in the planning and decision-making process. It is not the purpose of a DEIR to
recommend approval or denial of a project. CEQA requires decision makers to
balance the benefits of a proposed project against the environmental risks.
1.3 SCOPE OF THIS EIR
The City of South San Francisco completed a preliminary review of the
application for the proposed project, as described in Section 15060 of the CEQA
Guidelines, and determined that an EIR should be prepared. The City completed
a Notice of Preparation (NOP) on September 6, 2006 which is included as an
appendix (Appendix 1.0) to this DEIR. The NOP proposed that the EIR evaluate
several environmental topics and noted that the City would consider comments
received in response to the NOP in determining the final scope and content of the
EIR.
Based on the preliminary review conducted by the City and responses to the
NOP, issues addressed in this DEIR include the following:
. Aesthetics,
. Air Quality,
. Geology and Soils,
. Hazards and Hazardous Materials,
. Hydrology and Water Quality,
. Land Use and Planning,
. Noise,
. Transportation and Circulation, and
. Utilities and Service Systems.
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1.4 REPORT ORGANIZATION
This DEIR is organized into the following sections:
Section 1.0, Introduction, summarizes the purpose and organization of the
D EIR.
Section 2.0, Summary, summarizes environmental consequences that would
result from the proposed 494 Forbes Boulevard Office/R&D project, provides a
summary table that identifies significant environmental impacts, describes
mitigation measures, and indicates the level of significance of impacts before and
after mitigation.
Section 3.0, Project Description, describes the proposed 494 Forbes Boulevard
Office/R&D project and related entitlement approvals.
Section 4.0, Environmental Setting, Impacts and Mitigations, describes the
environmental setting, including applicable plans and policies, provides an
analysis of the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project and
cumulative impacts, and identifies mitigation measures to reduce any significant
impacts.
Section 5.0, Other CEQA Required Considerations, provides discussion of the
following CEQA-mandated subjects: growth inducement, significant irreversible
environmental changes, unavoidable significant effects, and effects found not to
be significant.
Section 6.0, Alternatives to the Project, presents alternatives to the proposed
project that would reduce significant environmental impacts and evaluates the
comparative environmental consequences and benefits of each alternative. This
section includes an analysis of the No Project Alternative as required by CEQA.
Section 7.0, Report Preparation, identifies the Lead Agency and consultants
involved in the preparation of this EIR.
Section 8.0, References, identifies the references, organizations, and persons
consulted during preparation of this EIR.
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1.5 ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS
The City of South San Francisco has filed a Notice of Completion (NOC) with the
Governor's Office of Planning and Research (State Clearinghouse), indicating
that this DEIR has been completed and is available for review and comment by
the public (SCH No. 2006092054).
The DEIR will be available for review by the public and interested parties,
agencies, and organizations for a review period of at least 45 days, as required by
California law. In reviewing the DEIR, reviewers should focus on the
document's adequacy in identifying and analyzing significant effects on the
environment and ways in which the significant effects of the project might be
avoided or mitigated (see CEQA Guidelines Section 15204(a)). Comments on the
DEIR may be submitted in writing during the 45-day public review period to:
Mr. Gerry H. Beaudin
Associate Planner
315 Maple Avenue
South San Francisco, CA 94080
gerry. [email protected]
Although pursuant to State law (Public Resources Code Section 21091(d)(3)) the
City will accept e-mail comments in lieu of mailed or hand-delivered comments,
reviewers are encouraged to follow up any email comments with letters.
Following the close of the review period, responses to comments on the DEIR
will be prepared and published as a separate document. The DEIR text and
appendices, together with the responses to comments document and any text
changes to the original DEIR made in response to comments or other new
information, will constitute the Final EIR (FEIR).
The City of South San Francisco will review the FEIR for adequacy and will
exercise its independent judgment regarding certification pursuant to the
requirements of Section 15090 of the CEQA Guidelines. If the City certifies the
FEIR, it will then consider the project separately for approval or denial. If the
City chooses to approve the project, findings on the feasibility of avoiding or
reducing significant environmental effects will be made and, if necessary, a
Statement of Overriding Considerations will be prepared.
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If the City certifies the FEIR, a Notice of Determination (NOD) will also be
prepared and will be filed with the State Clearinghouse. The NOD will include a
description of the project, the date of approval, and an indication of whether
Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations were prepared. The NOD
will also provide the address where the EIR and record of project approval are
available for review.
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