Reso PC22-06 0079 PC Reso Recommending Certification of the SEIR

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Findings and Statements Required by the California Environmental Quality Act Redwood City Transit District DTPP Amendments 48 ESA / 202100421.00 Subsequent Environmental Impact Report October 2022 The Altered Land Use Mix Alternative would provide 36 percent more housing (+500 units) within the Transit District area than which would occur under the proposed Transit District DTPP Amendments, and consequently would serve to better achieve housing-related project objectives than the proposed Transit District DTPP Amendments and the Reduced Development Alternative. However, the Altered Land Use Mix Alternative would provide for only approximately one-half the new office development (850,000 square feet, or 780,000 square feet under the development cap) within the Transit District area compared to that which would occur under the Transit District DTPP Amendments. As such, this alternative would not fully meet key project objectives for establishing office uses adjacent to the Redwood City Transit Center; responding to market demands for office uses; and maximizing the development potential of the Transit District Area for job opportunities. As a result, the Reduced Development Alternative would not achieve the City’s office land use-related objectives for the Project to the same degree as the proposed Transit District DTPP Amendments. Because the Altered Land Use Mix Alternative would not be expected to substantially reduce or avoid any of the significant effects that are expected from the mitigated Project, and because this alternative would not achieve the City’s office development-related objectives for the Project to the same degree as the proposed Transit District DTPP Amendments, the City hereby rejects the Altered Land Use Mix Alternative from further consideration. Findings Relating to the Reduced Office Alternative Findings. The Reduced Office Alternative was added as a revision to the Draft SEIR in response to comments received. The Reduced Office Alternative would reduce the cap on office development in the Transit District to 1.23 million square feet instead of 1.63 million square feet (i.e. about 75 percent of the office space in the proposed Transit District DTPP Amendments). Given that the Reduced Office Alternative would only lower the cap on office uses and would not otherwise affect the proposed housing, the Reduced Office Alternative would have similar impacts as those of the proposed Transit District DTPP Amendments, including the same significant effects as the proposed Transit District DTPP Amendments, albeit to a lesser degree. This alternative would still achieve the City’s objectives for the Project, including the office development-related objectives, by providing 1.23 million square feet of office space and the same number of residential units as the proposed Transit District DTPP Amendments. Explanation. Under the Reduced Office Alternative, impacts related to the intensity of development—traffic; criteria air pollutants, toxic air contaminants, and greenhouse gas emissions; noise and vibration; population or employment; and demand for public services and utilities—would generally be reduced, compared to those of the proposed Transit District DTPP Amendments. All transportation impacts of the Reduced Office Alternative would be less than significant, as with the proposed Transit District DTPP Amendments. In fact, the Reduced Office Alternative would result in 16 percent fewer daily vehicle trips and a similar decrease in daily VMT, compared to the proposed Transit District DTPP Amendments. The Reduced Office Alternative would generate incrementally greater VMT per resident but incrementally lesser VMT per employee than would the proposed Transit District DTPP Amendment, although both the residential and office