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Page 11 of 12 <br />City of Redwood City 1017 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA. 94063 Tel: 650-780-7000 www.redwoodcity.org <br />FISCAL IMPACT <br />The staff work associated with advancing the Housing Incentive Program and suspending the Green <br />Infrastructure Development Standards for commercial remodels was completed using existing staff <br />resources; no budget modification is required. <br /> <br />If the Affordable Housing Incentive Program is approved, the City will likely see an increase in impact fees, <br />which would help fund much-needed infrastructure improvements. <br />ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW <br />Affordable Housing Incentive Program <br />The Affordable Housing Incentive Program is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act <br />(“CEQA”). The proposed Program is not considered a project under Public Resources Code Section 21605, <br />and Guidelines Section 15378, and even if it were a project, it would be categorically exempt under CEQA <br />Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), as the Affordable Housing Incentive Program does not have potential for <br />a direct physical effect in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect effect on the environment. <br />Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4), the creation of government funding mechanisms or <br />other government fiscal activities which do not involve any commitment to any specific project which may <br />result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment is not considered a project under <br />CEQA. The proposed Affordable Housing Incentive Program involves the adoption or amendment of <br />certain fees and/or charges imposed by the City, does not commit the City to any specific project, and said <br />fees and/or charges are applicable to Pipeline Projects which have been approved and undergone CEQA <br />review or are applicable to future development projects and/or activities, each of which future projects <br />and/or activities will be fully evaluated in full compliance with CEQA when sufficient physical details <br />regarding said projects and/or activities are available to permit meaningful CEQA review (see CEQA <br />Guidelines, Section 15004(b)(1)). Therefore, approval of the Affordable Housing Incentive Program for <br />reduced fees and/or charges is not a “project” for purposes of CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Section <br />15378(b)(4); and, even if considered a “project” under CEQA, is exempt from CEQA review pursuant to <br />CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that <br />approval of the reduced fees and/or charges may have a significant effect on the environment. <br />Green Infrastructure Development Standards for Commercial Remodels <br />The suspension of the Green Infrastructure Development Standards for commercial remodels is not <br />subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”). The proposed suspension is not considered <br />a project under Public Resources Code Section 21605, and Guidelines Section 15378 as it does not have <br />potential for a direct physical effect in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect effect on the <br />environment. Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(2), administrative activities such as general <br />policy and procedure making is not considered a project under CEQA. Suspending the Green Infrastructure <br />Development Standards for commercial remodels is a policy decision and commercial remodels would <br />still be subject to the regulations under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System’s MRP, so <br />therefore approval of the suspension is not a “project” for purposes of CEQA, pursuant to CEQA <br />10.A. - Page 11 of 31 <br />220