AgdaPkt 2014-10-20 Closed and Special Joint with SA_Revised_10_17_2014

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8.A. - Page 86 Section 4: Evaluation of Environmental Impacts General Plan Policies Goal NR -7 Reduce pollution from stormwater runoff in our creeks and the San Francisco Bay. Policy NR -7.1 Support appropriate stormwater pollution mitigation measures. Policy NR -7.2 Encourage the use of site and landscape designs that minimize surface runoff and retain or detain stormwater runoff, minimizing volume and pollutant concentrations. e) Less than Significant Impact. Residential developments typically do not generate significant water pollutants through point discharges but do contribute to water quality impacts due to community -wide and regional urban runoff. New development projects associated with the implementation of the proposed Housing Element will be required to ensure project- specific and citywide drainage systems have adequate capacity to accommodate new development. The majority of the Opportunity Sites are vacant or underutilized. Thus, runoff from future development of the Opportunity Sites will be expected to increase runoff to the existing storm drain system. However, all new housing or redevelopment projects are required to construct the necessary drainage improvements to adequately accommodate any additional runoff, in compliance with existing City requirements. Thus, the Housing Element Update will not create or contribute to water runoff water. Impacts will be less than significant. f) No Impact. The proposed Housing Element does not authorize construction or redevelopment of any particular property and will not result in any new or more extensive sources of water pollutants. No other impacts to water quality will occur. g -h) Less than Significant. Flooding represents a potential hazard in Redwood City, especially at the low lying Friendly Acres area north of U.S. 101. Portions of the City are located within a 100 -year flood plain, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency Flood Insurance Rate Maps (shown as General Plan EIR Figure 4.8 -2). Opportunity Sites located along the Veterans /Broadway Corridor of the City could be subjected to flooding. General Plan policy NR -5.3, shown previously in Section 4.4e, prohibits land use development and /or the construction of any structure intended for human occupancy within the 100 -year flood plain as mapped by FEMA unless adequate mitigation is provided against flood hazards. The General Plan limits potential for development of residential structures in flood prone areas thus impacts related to 100 -year flood hazards will be less than significant. i) Less than Significant Impact. The central portion of Redwood City is located within the Emerald Lake dam inundation area. The Emerald Lake dam inundation area runs in an approximate north -south direction, between Woodside Road and Farm Hill Boulevard /Jefferson Avenue. The dam inundation area extends through the center of the city to the southern portion of Downtown, where many of the Opportunity Sites are located. As part of the City's involvement in the National Flood Insurance Program, all new developments within designated flood hazard zones, including both the 100 -year and 500 -year floodplains, will be required to meet specific flood damage avoidance requirements. With adherence to and implementation of the General Plan policies and implementation programs, impacts related to flooding and dam /levee failure will be less than significant. The National Dam Safety Act of 2006 authorized a program to reduce the risks to life and property from dam failure by establishing a safety and maintenance program. The program requires regular inspection of dams to reduce the risks associated with dam failures. Impacts due to risk of loss, injury or death involving flooding, due to dam inundation will be less than significant pursuant to existing regulations on dam safety. j) Less than Significant Impact. A tsunami is a large wave that generates in the ocean, generally from an earthquake, and builds intense strength and height before impacting a coast. Redwood City is located approximately 10 mile east of the Pacific Ocean shoreline and is approximately 25 miles of the Golden Gate, where San Francisco Bay meets the Pacific Ocean. A seismic sea wave generated in the ocean could have effects on Redwood City Housing Element Initial Study 47