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10/11/2010 Attachment 1.A that implementation of the No Project Alternative would not substantially reduce or avoid the potential impact relating to conflicts with the air quality planning efforts of BAAQMD. Rather, for the foregoing reasons, the City concludes that implementation of the New General Plan, including the various policies and programs therein relating to improved air quality and conformance with BAAQMD and other regional air quality planning efforts, would result in greater consistency with BAAQMD's air quality planning efforts than implementation of the No Project Alternative. As explained in Chapter 5 of the DEIR, the No Project Alternative is also not expected to avoid or substantially reduce the New General Plan's potentially significant and unavoidable impacts relating to traffic congestion, water supply deficiency, or rising sea levels, because the slight decrease in development allowed under the No Project Alternative would not result in substantial vehicle trip reductions, would not substantially reduce anticipated water demands, and would not affect the likelihood or risks associated with rising sea level. (See DEIR at 5 -12 to 5 -13) In addition, the 1990 General Plan does not include many of the policies and programs designed to reduce vehicle trips (see DEIR at pp. 4.14 -35 through 4.14 -57), conserve water and reduce water demands (see New General Plan at pp. NR -6 to NR -18), and respond to the risks of rising sea level (see DEIR at p. 4.8 -24, New General Plan at pp. PS -5 to PS -6, PS -12 to PS -13, PS -15 to PS -18, PS -28 to PS -33, PS -51 to PS -52, PS -55, and PS -58 to PS -63). As a result, the No Project Alternative would be expected to have impacts that are similar to, or greater than, the impacts expected from the New General Plan relating to traffic congestion, water supplies, and rising sea level. Finally, the No Project Alternative would not achieve the objectives of the New General Plan to the same degree as the New General Plan, and also would not provide most of the benefits of the New General Plan. Among the City's objectives for the project are to plan for sustainability in the use of its finite resources, acknowledge and preserve the City's historic character, balance the number of jobs available in the City with anticipated increases in the available housing in a manner that enables the City to accommodate its fair share of regional housing needs, encourage neighborhood and community participation in community development and government, and promote alternatives to motor vehicle use and reduce the number of vehicle trips that occur in the City. As described in Chapter 3 of the DEIR, the New General Plan contains numerous new policies and programs specifically designed to achieve all of these objectives, nearly all of which are not included in the 1990 General Plan. As described in Section IV below (Statement of Overriding Considerations), these policies and programs are expected to generate substantial benefits for the City and its residents, in terms of improved infrastructure and services, enhanced community character, and a safer and higher quality of life in Redwood City. Because the vast majority of these new policies are programs that would not be implemented under the No Project Alternative, the No Project Alternative would not achieve the City's goals and objectives for the project or produce the benefits for City residents to the same degree as the New General Plan. Because the No Project Alternative would not be expected to reduce or avoid any significant impacts from implementation of the No Project Alternative, and because the AM /RESO /RESO.2055 /ATTACHMENT1.A 32 #15059 10/13/10 MUFF # 601