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15 <br />Impact 1: Noise from Project Operations. Noise levels generated by the new and replacement <br />sports lighting at Red Morton Community Park would not exceed the standards <br />established by the City’s General Plan. After dusk, the noise levels would potentially <br />increase above the measured ambient levels by up to 4 dBA, which would not exceed <br />the noise regulation established in the Municipal Code. This is a less-than- <br />significant impact. <br />The existing noise environment is dominated by traffic noise from the surrounding residential <br />streets, as well as nearby Jefferson Avenue. In addition to the local traffic noise, Red Morton <br />Community Park currently has baseball, softball, and soccer games and practices, as well as other <br />recreational activities at the picnic areas, playground facilities, and tennis courts, which would <br />generate sporadic noise. Under the conditions of the proposed project, the existing sports lighting <br />surrounding the Bechet/Griffin Field and the tennis courts, located in the southern portion of the <br />Red Morton Community Park, would be replaced with new sports lighting. The new sports lighting <br />fixtures would not alter the noise environment, seeing as the nature of the activities and the hours of <br />operation would not change with the proposed project. The noise environment in the southern <br />portion of the park would remain approximately 60 dBA CNEL under future conditions, which <br />meets the noise threshold for recreational areas. This is a less-than-significant impact. <br />Additionally, new sports lighting would be installed at Mitchell Field, located in the northern <br />portion of the park. While the nature of activities at Mitchell Field would not change under the <br />proposed project, the hours of operation would. Currently, activities on the field stop at dusk, but <br />with the new sports lighting, activities could continue until 10:30 p.m. up to seven days per week. <br />From the noise study, the existing noise environment at Mitchell Field is approximately 58 dBA <br />CNEL. The measured noise levels during the hours of existing activities on Mitchell Field were <br />used to estimate the levels expected during the future extended hours from dusk to 10:30 p.m. <br />Under the proposed project, the future noise environment would potentially increase to 60 dBA <br />CNEL. This would not exceed the City’s General Plan conditionally acceptable threshold of 60 <br />dBA CNEL at residential land uses. Compared to the existing ambient conditions, which ranged <br />from 56 to 60 dBA CNEL in the vicinity of Mitchell Field, there would potentially be up to a 4 dBA <br />increase in noise levels after dusk attributable to activities occurring on the lighted field. This <br />increase would not exceed the City’s Municipal Code Section 24.20A regulation of 6 dBA for <br />excessive and unreasonable noises. This would be a less-than-significant impact. <br />Mitigation Measure 1: None required. <br />Impact 2: Exposure to Excessive Groundborne Vibration. Construction-related vibration <br />would not be excessive at nearby residential land uses. This is a less-than- <br />significant impact. <br />The construction of the project may generate perceptible vibration in the immediate vicinity of the <br />project site when heavy equipment or impact tools are used. The installation of the proposed sports <br />lighting system would require minor excavation to construct foundations for the lighting standards <br />8.A. - Page 131