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

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8.A. - Page 92 Section 4: Evaluation of Environmental Impacts Table 5 Human Reaction to Vibration Vibration Velocity Level Human Reaction 65 VdB Approximate threshold of perception for many people. 75 VdB Approximate dividing line between barely perceptible and distinctly perceptible. Many people find that transportation - related vibration at this level in unacceptable. 85 VdB Vibration acceptable only if there are an infrequent number of events per day. Source: Federal Transit Administration, Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment, May 2006 a) Less than Significant Impact. The primary contributor to ambient noise in the planning area is automobile, air, and rail traffic. Several major transportation routes traverse Redwood City: U.S. Highway 101 (U.S. 101), Interstate 280 (1 -280), Caltrain, State Route 84 (Woodside Road within the City), and State Route 82 (El Camino Real). Caltrain, operated by the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, is a commuter rail service that traverses the city, parallel to and northeast of El Camino Real, with a station in Downtown between Jefferson Avenue and Broadway. The San Carlos Airport, which separates Redwood Shores from the rest of Redwood City, is the closest airport to the city. The Redwood City Noise Ordinance (Chapter 24) specifies the allowable noise levels in the city depending primarily on the background noise level in the area. Section 24.21 prohibits noise increases of 6 dB above local ambient measured noise at any point within a residential district due to an assembly of three or more people during the hours of 8:00 pm and 8:00 am. Section 24.32 of the Noise Ordinance establishes that noise levels generated by construction are prohibited between the hours of 8:00 pm and 7:00 am weekdays, or at any time on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Noise Ordinance standards indicate that normally acceptable noise levels of up to 55 dBA CNEL and conditionally acceptable levels of up to 70 dBA CNEL will be allowed for residential use. Noise is regulated by numerous codes and ordinances across Federal, State, and local agencies. The General Plan Noise Chapter in the Public Safety Element references noise standards from other agencies such as the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Railroad Administration, and the California Department of Health Services (DHS). In addition, the Noise Chapter of the Redwood City General Plan includes goals and policies related to the abatement of transportation and non - transportation related noise sources. Since the proposed Housing Element will not increase any of the impacts as analyzed in the General Plan EIR, with the implementation of the General Plan policies and the Noise Ordinance, impacts will be Tess than significant. b) Less than Significant Impact. Groundborne vibration can result in impacts from minor annoyances to people to major shaking that damages buildings. The primary source of groundborne vibration within the City is rail traffic (from Caltrain and the single freight line that runs from the port through the city) and heavy construction activities. A few will be located in proximity to existing rail.; rail - related vibration impacts are considered Tess than significant. According to the Caltrans Transportation- and Construction - Induced Vibration Guidance Manual, transportation sources are not a significant source of vibration and therefore are not discussed below. Vibration impacts are temporary and rare except in cases where large equipment is used near existing, occupied development. Construction noise and associated vibration will be controlled through the time restrictions currently established in the City's Noise Control requirements. Section 24.32 of the Municipal Code requires that construction activity and equipment maintenance is limited to the hours between 7:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. on weekdays and no construction activity occur on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. These restrictions will minimize potential annoyance from vibration impacts to nearby residential development during sensitive evening and noise hours. Noise impacts were evaluated as part of the General Plan EIR and Mitigation Measures 4.10. Impacts related to exposure to groundborne vibration will be Tess than significant with implementation of local environmental review procedures. Redwood City Housing Element Initial Study 53