Reso25 16295 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

52 standard policies, and conditions of approval applicable to development would ensure best practices for protecting wetlands and regulated waters are followed. For this reason, the proposed project component is expected to have no effect on any wetlands or regulated waters. Therefore, the Housing Component would have no impact. This component is consistent with the analysis in the Focused GPU EIR because it would not create new impacts or increase impacts and there is no new information of substantial importance for CEQA purposes. d. The Focused GPU program EIR (Focused GPU program EIR pp. 4.4-32 through 4.4-35 and 4.4-36 through 4.4-37) concluded that development facilitated by the Housing Element Update could impact nesting birds and habitat providing roosting habitat for bats, representing a potentially significant impact. Mitigation Measure BIO-5 of the Focused GPU program EIR provides protection for burrowing owl nesting and wintering burrows; Mitigation Measure BIO-7 requires that all tree removal and trimming take place outside of the breeding season or that a qualified biologist conduct a survey for nesting birds prior to tree removal or trimming; and Mitigation Measure BIO-8 requires bat habitat assessments prior to any demolition or construction activities. In addition, Mitigation Measure BIO-13 requires uniformly applied design standards for housing projects to reduce the risk of avian collision. The impacts were reduced to less than significant with mitigation. The Housing Component, as a housing project that would require building demolition and tree removal, is subject to the requirements of Mitigation Measures BIO-5, BIO-7, BIO-8a, BIO-8b, and BIO-13 of the Focused GPU program EIR. These mitigation measures, which shall be required as a condition of approval for this project component, would reduce the potential impacts of this project component on migratory wildlife, including movement of species and on established wildlife corridors, to a less-than-significant level. This Housing Component is consistent with the analysis in the Focused GPU EIR because it would not create new impacts or increase impacts and there is no new information of substantial importance for CEQA purposes. e. The Focused GPU program EIR (Focused GPU program EIR p. 4.4-48) concluded that development facilitated by the Focused GPU would be consistent with relevant General Plan policies and the City’s Tree Preservation Ordinance (Chapter 35 of the Municipal Code), resulting in no impact. Also, street trees in Redwood City are regulated under Chapter 29 of the Municipal Code. According to the arborist report prepared for the Housing Component by HortScience/Bartlett Consulting (1/9/23), there are seven trees on site and four trees located immediately off site (for a total of 11 trees assessed in the arborist report): one cherry, four Coast redwood, and six Chinese elm. According to the arborist report, eight of the existing trees are in poor condition, and the three remaining trees are in fair condition. The Housing Component proposes to remove the seven on-site trees (i.e., Chinese elm and cherry), and retain the four immediately adjacent trees (i.e., Coast redwoods). The Housing Component proposes 21 new street, courtyard, accent, and buffer trees at ground level, including a combination of trident maple, silverleaf oak, California fan palm or Queen palm, crimson bottlebrush, city sprite zelkova, fruitless olive, after dark peppermint, sweet bay, forest pansy redbud, Dr. Hurd manzanita, dark shadows tea tree, and frontier elm; 10 new trees on the Level 2 podium courtyard; and one tree on the Level 5 sky deck (Plan Sheets LC1 and LC2;10/6/2023). As described in the previous paragraph, the four off-site redwoods to the east would be preserved. These redwood trees may experience impacts from the project component’s on-site demolition and building construction activities. It is likely that the redwoods would also require pruning to accommodate the planned building. The arborist report for the Housing Component includes tree preservation guidelines, including project design recommendations, pre- demolition and pre-construction period recommendations, and recommendations for tree protection during construction to reduce impacts to off-site trees from development and maintain their health and structural stability through the Housing Component clearing, grading, and construction phases (HortScience/Bartlett Consulting, pp. 7- 8). The Housing Component’s implementation of the tree preservation guidelines included in the arborist report, which is required as a project component condition of approval, along with implementation of applicable tree preservation standards set forth in the City’s Tree Preservation Ordinance, would ensure potential impacts to the off-site redwood trees would be less than significant. According to the arborist report, all existing on-site trees are considered “protected” by the City of Redwood City. The Housing Component would be required to comply with the City’s Street Tree Ordinance (which require the planting, pruning, or removal of trees in the public right-of-way to secure a permit from the City) and Tree Preservation Ordinance (which require the pruning or removal of “protected” trees to secure a permit from the City), as a condition of approval. Compliance with this Ordinance would reduce the potential impacts of the Housing Component related to conflict with local policies or ordinances protecting biological resources to a less-than-significant level. In addition, the Housing Component proposes a courtyard for residents, with a play area for children, planters, built- in seating, low concrete plinths for seating/climbing, and related amenities, at podium level (Plan Sheet LC2; 10/6/23). ATTY/RESO.0028/CC RESO CEQA GUIDLINES (920 SHASTA) - EXHIBIT A REV: 04-22-25 VR Page 52 of 148