AgdaPkt 2017-04-03 Joint SA PFA - Laserfiche WebLink

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16 Other Traffic Comments The use of shuttles by large employers (“tech shuttles”) to carry employees to and from work is a form of transit that reduces the number of vehicle trips on the transportation network. Although shuttles are physically larger than personal vehicles, the space that they occupy is significantly smaller than would be the equivalent number of personal vehicles. Any drivers of shuttles or personal vehicles who stop illegally and may disrupt traffic are subject to citation. In our observations, tech shuttles typically have informal ‘bus stops’ (such as at loading zones next to Sequoia Station) where they pick up passengers rather than at individual apartment buildings. Stanford in Redwood City Assumptions In the TIA prepared by Hexagon, the background conditions scenario included Phase 1 of the Stanford in Redwood City project. “Background” traffic volumes were estimated by adding existing volumes with estimated trips generated by those developments that are approved but not yet completed and proposed developments. Phase 1 of the Stanford in Redwood City project has been approved and is under construction – as such it is included in the background conditions. No subsequent phases of the project have been proposed and therefore are not included in the background analysis. The complete Stanford in Redwood City project was included in the cumulative scenario analysis of the DTPP EIR. As shown in Table 2, the Project adds a fraction (3 - `16%) of the trips anticipated from the full DTPP, and therefore would have been sufficiently analyzed in the DTPP EIR. For all of these reasons, there are no changed traffic circumstances resulting in traffic impacts that require a new or supplemental EIR. (b) Appellant’s Contention: Since the adoption of the DTPP there has been a disproportionate amount of market-rate residential units produced as compared to affordable unit production, resulting in gentrification and traffic and transportation impacts. (Appeal, pp. 4, 8-9.) City Response: First, as a preliminary matter, socio-economic impacts standing alone are not environmental impacts. CEQA only applies to gentrification and other socio-economic issues to the extent that they relate to environmental impacts, such as increased traffic or the construction of additional housing. This is addressed in more detail below. Second, staff offers the following explanatory and clarifying information with respect to the development of housing pursuant to the DTPP. All of the DTPP area, with exception of a few parcels southwest of El Camino, fell within the Downtown Subarea of the Redwood City Redevelopment Agency. Being in a Redevelopment area would have required that 15% of the housing constructed be affordable housing, and would have resulted in millions of dollars of tax increment be dedicated to affordable housing. Unfortunately, the State eliminated Redevelopment Agencies in the months following the adoption of the DTPP. The first phase of housing built under the DTPP, therefore, 8.A. - Page 16