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<br /> <br />City of Redwood City 14 Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration <br />Sandpiper Elementary School Facilities Expansion November 2016 <br />SECTION 4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING, CHECKLIST & <br />DISCUSSION OF IMPACTS <br /> <br />This section describes the existing environmental conditions on and near the project area, as well as <br />environmental impacts associated with the proposed project. The environmental checklist, as <br />recommended in the CEQA Guidelines, identifies environmental impacts that could occur if the <br />proposed project is implemented. <br /> <br />The right-hand column in the checklist identifies the source(s) for the answer to each question. The <br />sources cited are listed at the end of this section. Mitigation measures are identified for all <br />significant project impacts. “Mitigation Measures” are measures that will minimize, avoid, or <br />eliminate a significant impact (CEQA Guidelines §15370). Measures that are required by the Lead <br />Agency or other regulatory agency that will reduce or avoid impacts are categorized as “Standard <br />Project Conditions.” <br /> <br /> <br />Important Note to the Reader: The California Supreme Court in a December 2015 opinion <br />[California Building Industry Association v. Bay Area Air Quality Management District, 62 Cal. <br />4th 369 (No. S 213478)] confirmed that CEQA, with several specific exceptions, is concerned with <br />the impacts of a project on the environment, not the impact the existing environment may have on <br />a project. Therefore, the evaluation of the significance of project impacts under CEQA in the <br />following sections focuses on impacts of the project on the environment, including whether a <br />project may exacerbate existing environmental hazards. <br /> <br />One exception relates to school projects. Public Resources Code section 21151.8 requires <br />agencies to evaluate a project site’s environmental conditions to determine if school sites are <br />located on or near sources of hazardous substances or waste or in close proximity to freeways or <br />other operations that might emit hazardous emissions. <br /> <br /> <br />4.1 AESTHETICS <br /> <br />4.1.1 Existing Setting <br /> <br />4.1.1.1 Visual and Aesthetic Character of the Project Area <br /> <br />The project site is located in a flat, urbanized area of Redwood City called Redwood Shores. <br />Redwood Shores is located on the Redwood Peninsula, which is bounded by Belmont Slough to the <br />north, San Francisco Bay to the east, Steinberger Slough to the south, and US 101 to the west. <br />Levees ring Redwood Shores, since the ground elevations are below that of high tides. Redwood <br />Shores Lagoon lies within the interior of Redwood Shores, and is lined with residential and <br />commercial development. Redwood Shores Lagoon is located along the western boundary of the <br />project site. <br /> <br />Development in Redwood Shores began in the 1960s, with the project site and surrounding area <br />eventually being developed in the 1990s. The project site is developed with the Sandpiper <br />Community Center, Sandpiper Park, and Sandpiper Elementary School, which includes <br />contemporary buildings up to two stories in height, asphalt outdoor recreation areas, and a synthetic <br />7.A. - Page 45