Reso23-02 0009 PC Reso Adopt CEQA

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Findings and Statements Required by the California Environmental Quality Act Focused General Plan Update 51 Final Environmental Impact Report January 2023 – not develop a Safety Element that meets all the requirements under Government Code Section 65302(g), and which reflects State and local regulations for specific hazards, with the intent of protecting people and key infrastructure from damage resulting from an environmental hazard as required by recently passed State Law. Findings Relating to the RHNA +15% Residential Buffer Alternative Findings. The RHNA +15% Residential Buffer Alternative is described and discussed on pages 5-13 to 5-17 of the DEIR. The RHNA +15% Residential Buffer Alternative would not provide as many housing opportunities as the Project and, consequently, the New Housing and Housing Choice objectives are better met by the proposed Project because the proposed Project locates more housing in places close to services, transit, and jobs and in existing high opportunity residential neighborhoods. In addition, this Alternative would not include any of the updated goals and policies in the Housing, Public Safety, Built Environment elements, and the Environmental Justice policies as proposed by the Project. Explanation. Under the RHNA +15% Residential Buffer Alternative, residential development opportunities (5,276 units) would exceed the City’s 6th Cycle RHNA (4,588 units) by 15 percent. This Alternative assumes that policies and goals associated with the proposed Built Environment Element (Urban Form and Land Use Chapter), Housing Element, Public Safety Element, and the Environmental Justice policies and programs, would apply. With regard to aesthetics, the amount of residential development potential would be reduced by 38 percent compared to the Project. As with the Project, aesthetic impacts are anticipated to be less-than-significant, however new development associated with the RHNA +15% Residential Buffer Alternative could be taller and more dense than currently exists at certain locations, though the new development would be consistent with the urban character. New development may result in an increase in the number of lighting sources and nighttime lighting within the area; however, given that the area is already developed, such increases are not expected to be substantial. The RHNA +15% Residential Buffer Alternative would result in a similar less- than-significant impact, when compared to the Project. With regard to agriculture and forestry resources, the Planning Area is developed with urban and suburban uses and no land in the Planning Area is considered Prime Farmland, Farmland of Statewide Importance, or Unique Farmlands nor zoned for agricultural use. In addition, no Williamson Act contracts exist. There is no Timberland, land zoned for Timberland Production, or forest land. As with the Project, this alternative would have a similar no impact on agriculture and forestry resources. With regard to air quality, the RHNA +15% Residential Buffer Alternative decreases the development potential when compared to the Project; however, it is likely that air quality mitigation measures needed for the Project would also be required for this Alternative. Construction emissions may exceed BAAQMD thresholds; the RHNA +15% Residential Buffer Alternative would still provide policy to reduce air quality impacts on disadvantaged communities. The RHNA +15% Residential Buffer Alternative is considered to have reduced impacts but they would remain significant and unavoidable, when compared with the Project.