HomeMy WebLinkAbout5 0 Other CEQA Required Discussion
5.0 OTHER CEQA REQUIRED DISCUSSIONS
5.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter is provided to meet the requirements of Section 21100 of the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines that an EIR include in a
separate section or sections the following discussions: (1) unavoidable significant
effects; (2) significant irreversible and irretrievable effects, including a discussion
regarding irretrievable commitments of nonrenewable resources; (3) growth
inducing impacts; and (4) effects found to be not significant. These topics are
explained and analyzed in this chapter.
5.2 UNAVOIDABLE SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS
As required by the Section 15126.2(b) of the CEQA Guidelines, an EIR must
describe any significant impacts that cannot be avoided, including those that can
be mitigated but not reduced to a level of insignificance. Chapter 4 of this EIR
provides a description of the potential environmental impacts of the project and
recommends mitigation measures to reduce impacts to the extent feasible. After
implementation of the recommended mitigation measures, most of the impacts
associated with the project would be reduced to a less than significant level.
The following significant effects may not be mitigated to a less than significant
level and, therefore, could be considered unavoidable.
5.2.1 Traffic/Circulation
As shown in Table 5.0-1, Future Freeway Mainline Levels of Service, the
following U.S. 101 mainline segments would experience a significant impact due
to the addition of project traffic to 2015 Future Without Project volumes.
. U.S. 101 Southbound (to the north of the Oyster Point interchange)
. U.S. 101 Northbound (to the north of the Sierra Point On-Ramp)
During the AM peak hour at the U.S. 101 Southbound segment (to the north of
the Oyster Point interchange) the project would increase volumes by 1.1 percent
at a location with unacceptable 2015 Future Without Project LOS F operation.
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During the PM peak hour at the u.s. 101 Northbound (to the north of the Sierra
Point On-Ramp), the project would increase volumes by 1.1 percent at a location
with unacceptable 2015 Future Without Project LOS F operation.
Table 5.0-I
Future Freeway Mainline Levels of Service
North of Oyster Point Boulevard
Northbound 7,794 D 32.9
Southbound 9,892 F
North of 1-380
Northbound
Southbound
32.0
25.1
38.2
Source: Crane Transportation Group (2015 Future Without Project), Korve Engineering (2015 Future With Project)
LOS = Level of Service
Density is shown in passenger cars per lane per mile.
Bold indicates unacceptable freeway segment operating conditions.
Mitigation of this impact would require widening the current freeway or
construction of a new freeway. Given the location of the mainline freeway and
its close proximity to surrounding development, such mitigation is not feasible.
Additionally, such mitigation would be prohibitively expensive in relation to the
types of land uses it would benefit.
Given these specific concerns, mitigation of Impact 4.8-6 is not feasible as
defined by CEQA. (See Pub. Resources Code ~21061.1 defining "feasible" as
"capable of being accomplished...taking into account economic...and
technological factors.") Under CEQA, the City in this matter has an obligation to
balance public objectives, including specific economic concerns, against the
benefits of the project. (See Pub. Resources Code ~21081. subd. (a)(3); CEQA
Guidelines, ~15021. subd. (d)) Where economic concerns render a particular
mitigation measure infeasible, the lead agency may reject the measure. (See Pub.
Resources Code ~21081. subd. (a)(3).) As there are no feasible mitigation
measures that can reduce the significance of this impact to a less than significant
level, this impact would be considered a significant and unavoidable.
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5.3 SIGNIFICANT IRREVERSIBLE AND IRRETRIEVABLE ENVIRONMENTAL
EFFECTS
Uses of nonrenewable resources during the initial and continued phases of a
proposed project may be irreversible if a large commitment of these resources
makes their restoration thereafter unlikely. According to Section 15126.2(c) of
the CEQA Guidelines, irretrievable commitments of such resources are to be
evaluated to ensure that their consumption by a proposed project is justified. In
addition, this section must also identify any irreversible damage that can result
from environmental accidents associated with the proposed project.
Development of the proposed project would represent a long-term commitment
to a more intensive land use than has occurred on the project site previously,
with a higher density of development at the site. The proposed project would
involve an irreversible commitment to the use of non-renewable resources
during the construction and operation phases in the form of refined petroleum-
based fuels, natural gas for heating, and mineral resources used in construction
materials. Once transformed into fuel or other energy forms, or into construction
materials, these resources cannot be recovered. Some reuse of construction
materials after the useful life of this project may be possible. It is anticipated that
these resources would likely be committed to other projects, if not used for this
one and as a result, the use of these materials would not be wasteful.
5.3.1 Introduction of New Hazards and Hazardous Materials
The CEQA Guidelines also require a discussion of the potential for environmental
damage caused by an accident associated with the project. The following
discussion identifies the characteristics of the site and proposed future uses,
which could be sources of potential accidents.
As described in Section 3.0, Project Description and Section 4.4, Hazards and
Hazardous Materials, the primary function of the 494 Forbes Blvd. Office/R&D
Project would be to provide facilities for commercial and research and
development activities. Products such as cleaning agents, paints, and solvents
may contain hazardous materials that would be used in varying amounts during
construction and operation of the project. However, given the multitude of
federal, State, and local regulations governing the use of such substances, project
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development is not expected to involve activities that would damage the
environment or pose a risk to public health.
Conformance with the regulatory provisions of the Uniform Building Code
(UBC) pertaining to construction standards would minimize, to the extent
feasible, damage and injuries in the event of an accident during construction of
the project. Geotechnical hazards would be mitigated by compliance with
standard engineering and geotechnical practices, and no significant impacts on
the site would be expected.
Within the project area, no Proposition 65 pesticides, such as insecticides,
herbicides, and fungicides, would be used in the common and public areas.
Humans would not be subject to either acute overexposure or chronic exposure
to these substances if used and handled according to State and federal
regulations.
5.4 GROWTH INDUCEMENT
Section 15126.2(d) of the CEQA Guidelines requires that an EIR include a
discussion of the potential for a proposed project to foster economic or
population growth, or the construction of additional housing, either directly or
indirectly, in the surrounding environment. The CEQA Guidelines also state that
it must not be assumed that growth in an area is necessarily beneficial,
detrimental, or of little significance to the environment. This section of the EIR
provides an analysis of such potential growth-inducing impacts, based on
criteria suggested in the CEQA Guidelines.
In general terms, a project may foster spatial, economic or population growth in
a geographic area if the project meets anyone of the criteria that are identified
below:
. The project removes an impediment to growth through the establishment of
an essential public service or the provision of new access to an area;
. Economic expansion and population growth through changes in revenue
base, employment expansion, etc.;
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. Establishment of a precedent-setting action, an innovation, removal of a
restrictive zoning requirement, or general plan amendment approval; or
. Development or encroachment in an isolated or adjacent area of open space.
If a project meets anyone of these criteria, it may be considered growth
inducing. Generally, growth inducing projects are either located in isolated,
undeveloped, or underdeveloped areas, necessitating the extension of major
infrastructure such as sewer and water facilities or roadways, or are projects that
encourage premature or unplanned growth.
For the purposes of this discussion, a project is considered growth inducing if it
results in any of the actions identified in the criteria above. An evaluation of the
494 Forbes Blvd. Office/R&D Project and how it is related to these growth-
inducing criteria is provided below.
The CEQA Guidelines also require that consideration be given to potential
impacts on community services facilities resulting from increases in population.
Section 4.9, Utilities and Service Systems, addresses potential impacts on
utilities resulting from the projected increase in population that would result
from the project.
It must be emphasized that the CEQA Guidelines require that an EIR to "discuss
the ways" a project could be growth-inducing and to "discuss the characteristics
of some projects that may encourage.. . activities that could significantly affect the
environment." However, the CEQA Guidelines do not require that an EIR predict
or speculate specifically where such growth would occur, in what form it would
occur, or when it would occur.
5.4.1 Removal of an Impediment to Growth
Growth in an area may result from the removal of physical impediments or
restrictions to growth, as well as the removal of planning impediments resulting
from land use plans and policies. In this context, physical growth impediments
may include non-existent or inadequate access to an area or the lack of essential
public services and utilities (e.g., water supply), and planning impediments may
include restrictive zoning and/or general plan designations.
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Water and wastewater systems, as proposed, are planned and sized to serve the
immediate project site and would not have the capacity to serve other growth in
the area.
The proposed project would not require a General Plan Amendment because the
project is consistent with the existing zoning set forth in the General Plan
(Business and Technology Park), the more specific East of 101 Area Plan, and the
City's Zoning ordinance.
5.4.2 Population Growth
5.4.2.1
Construction
Construction of the proposed project would result in a temporary increase in
construction-related job opportunities within the local area. During peak
construction periods, the project is expected to generate a maximum of 260 jobs,
and on average would employ approximately 150 workers at any given time. In
relation to the overall workforce in this commercial area, the increase in jobs
created by the project would be considered small. Furthermore, due to the
existing land uses in the vicinity of the project area (light industrial, research and
development), the project would not result in household relocation by
construction workers to the vicinity of the project site. The construction industry
differs from most other industry sectors in several ways, including the following:
. Construction employment has no regular place of business. Rather,
construction workers commute to job sites that may change several times a
year;
. Many construction workers are highly specialized (e.g., crane operators, steel
workers, masons) and move from job site to job site as dictated by the
demand for their skills; and
. The work requirements of most construction projects are also highly
specialized, and workers are employed on a job site only as long as their
skills are needed to complete a particular phase of the construction process.
Additionally, construction workers would likely be drawn from the construction
employment labor force already present in nearby communities, such as San
Francisco, San Mateo, and Brisbane, as well as those workers from the City of
South San Francisco. It is not likely that construction workers would
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permanently relocate their place of residency as a consequence of working on the
proposed project.
5.4.2.2 Project Operation
Due to the commercial nature of the project area, the 494 Forbes Blvd.
Office/R&D Project would not contribute to any residential population growth
on the project site or in the immediate vicinity. While the exact mix of occupants
for the project site is still unknown, it is estimated that the project would result in
approximately 1,000 new jobs.
5.4.3 Precedent-Setting Action
Approval of the requested discretionary actions and development of the uses
and supporting facilities that would be part of the proposed project would not be
considered precedent-setting actions. The project site is presently designated
Business and Technology Park. Because the project site is included in the larger
East of 101 Area and would be consistent with the land uses set forth in that
plan, the project would not constitute a precedent-setting action.
5.4.4 Development of Open Space
Implementation of the proposed project would not encourage growth through
the urbanization of open space lands. The proposed project is located in an
urbanized industrial area of South San Francisco, bordered by rail lines on the
west and northwest, connected to the Caltrain station to the west, and located
roughly one mile north of the San Francisco International Airport.
Consequently, because the proposed project would not develop current open
space and is not located in a remote area, no growth inducing impacts would
occur.
5.4.5 Conclusion
As discussed above, the proposed project would not be growth inducing and
would not be expected to result in economic expansion and population growth.
Additionally, the project would not involve a precedent-setting action that could
foster growth in the project area.
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5.5 EFFECTS FOUND NOT TO BE SIGNIFICANT
Section 15128 of the CEQA Guidelines requires an EIR to contain a statement
briefly indicating the reasons that various possible significant effects of a project
were determined to be not significant and are not discussed in detail in the EIR.
The project was determined to result in less than significant impacts in the
following areas:
. Biological Resources. Impact Sciences, Inc. conducted a site visit on January
11, 2007. Additionally, the most recent version of the California Natural
Diversity Data Base (CNDDB) was reviewed to identify documented
occurrences of special-status plant and wildlife species in the project area.
The field visit and database review were conducted to determine if the
project site could support any special-status plant or wildlife species, if any
jurisdictional wetlands, riparian habitats, or other sensitive natural
communities are present, and if the project site is part of a regional wildlife
movement corridor.
Based on the review of the CNDDB, several special-status species have been
documented near (i.e., within two miles of) the project site including San
Francisco owl's-clover, bent-flowered fiddleneck, San Francisco collinsia, San
Bruno manzanita, Diablo helianthella, California clapper rail, Alameda song
sparrow, Mission blue butterfly, and callippe silverspot butterfly. However,
the habitat types and land uses on the project site do not provide suitable
habitat for any of these special-status plant or wildlife species or other
special-status species known to occur in the greater project region.
Specifically, as the grasses on the site were planted to control erosion, there
are no natural habitats present and the site does not provide suitable habitat
for any special-status plant species. Given the disturbed condition of the
project site and the absence of natural habitats, the site does not provide
suitable habitat for any special-status wildlife species.
The project site does not contain any jurisdictional wetlands, riparian
habitats, or other sensitive natural communities. Further, given the site's
location and surrounding land uses, the project site is not part of a regional
wildlife movement corridor. Therefore, development of the proposed project
would not be expected to result in any significant impacts to biological
resources.
. Cultural Resources. A records search was conducted using the California
Historical Resources Information System (CHRIS) (December 2006) for the
project site. The search included the review of pertinent Northwest
Information Center (NWIC) data maps, historic-period maps, and literature
for San Mateo County. Review of the existing information indicated that the
proposed project area contains no recorded Native American or historic-
period archaeological resources. Additionally, the CHRIS office had no
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record of any archaeological studies of the project area, and State and federal
inventories listed no historic properties within the project area.
Construction of the 494 Forbes project would require compliance with State
and local policies aimed at protecting these resources in the event finds are
made during construction.
. Mineral Resources. The project site does not contain any identified mineral
resources that would be of value to the region and the residents of the State,
and the project would not result in the loss of availability of a locally
important mineral resource recovery site as delineated in the City of South
San Francisco General Plan.
. Population and Housing. Creation of approximately 1,000 new
employment opportunities would not be expected to result in major
population growth in the project area, this due to the fact that there are a
number of established communities close to the project area. Because the
project is being constructed in an industrial area of the city, no displacement
of existing housing would occur, and as a result, no replacement housing
would need to be constructed elsewhere.
. Public Services - Parks/Schools. Because the project is commercial and not
residential, it would not directly add residents to the area who would use
the City's park facilities. Additionally, this project would not directly result
in population growth in the City of South San Francisco since it is not a
residential project. While the project would employ approximately 1,000
people, the majority of the employees are expected to be from the
surrounding San Francisco Bay Area. Therefore, impacts to parks and
schools are considered less than significant.
. Public Services - Fire/Police. Because fire and police services already occur
in the project area, and the project would no alter emergency response
routes, the project would not affect service ratios or response times.
Additionally, the proposed project would not result in the production of
transportation of hazardous materials, and as a result, no further fire or
police personnel would be required for the area.
For these reasons, these issues are not addressed in this EIR.
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