AgdaPkt 2020-11-09 Joint SA PFA - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ms. Lindy Chan, Principal Planner City of Redwood City, Planning Services July 13, 2020 Page 14 24. The average square footage for anticipated dwelling units, broken down by type of unit, indirectly resulting from the Project. 25. The estimated amount of development fees to be generated by development in accordance with implementation of the Project. 26. The phasing of residential and development over time from inception to build -out of the Project. 27. The anticipated number of units available for low-income housing. While the Draft EIR noted the District's current enrollment and enrollment capacity at Sequoia High School, noted the anticipated square footage range of Project residential units, and noted the anticipated number of low-income housing units, the Draft EIR otherwise fails to adequately address the above categories of information. As explained in the Prior Comment Letters, population growth or shrinkage is a primary consideration in determining the impact that development may have on a school district, as a booming population can directly impact the District and its provision of educational services, largely because of resulting school overcrowding, while a,district with declining enrollment may depend on new development to avoid school closure or program cuts. Overcrowding can constitute a significant impact within the meaning of the CEQA. (See, Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, §§ 15064(e).) This is particularly true where the overcrowding results in unsafe conditions, decreased quality of education, the need for new bus routes, and a need for new school construction. (See, Chawanakee, supra, 196 Cal.AppAth 1016.) The foregoing categories of information are critical for determining the extent of both physical and fiscal impacts on the District caused by increased population growth. As discussed above, California school districts are dependent on developer fees authorized by the provisions of Government Code sections 65995, et seq., and Education Code sections 17620, et seq., for financing new school facilities and maintenance of existing facilities. The developer fees mandated by section 65995 provide the District the bulk of its local share of financing for facilities needs related to development. The adequacy of the statutory development fees to offset the impact of new development on local school districts can be determined only if the types of housing and average square footage can be taken into consideration. For instance, larger homes often generate approximately the same number of students as smaller homes. At the same time, however, a larger home will generate a greater statutory development fee, better providing for facilities to house the student being generated. It is for these reasons that the Government Code now requires a school district to seek — and presumably to receive — such square footage information from local planning departments. (Gov. Code § 65995.5(c)(3).) While the foregoing funding considerations present fiscal issues, they translate directly into physical, environmental impacts, in that inadequate funding for new school construction can result in overcrowding of existing facilities. Furthermore, fiscal and social considerations are relevant to an EIR, particularly when they either contribute to or result from physical impacts.