AgdaPkt 2011-01-24 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

8.0 Ex�B�3 protections for the downtown area's historic resources. (Draft EIR at pp. 19-4 to 19-5 and Final EIR at pp. 19-4 to 19-SA) These supplementary regulations are intended to better ensure that new development under the proposed DPP would comply with the federal Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Historic Resource Preservation. (Draft EIR at p. 19-4) All other regulations proposed under Alternatives 4 and 5 are the same under the project described in the EIR. The modified Downtown Precise Plan would not increase the number or severity of any of the significant effects of the proposed DPP, and in fact, would be expected to reduce the severity of certain effects. The modifications pursuant to Alternative 4 would lower the cap on new retail development, and increase the cap on new office development, that would be pertnitted in the downtown area. As explained in Section 19 of the Draft EIR (pp. 19-14 to 19-17 and 19-24 to 29-26), these differences are expected to result in similar ]evels of environmental effects in all categories of impacts evaluated in the EIR. Of the three categories of significant environmental effects ideritified in the EIR, historic resources, transportation and climate change, the modified Downtown Precise Plan is not expected to result in any change in two of those potential impacts, historic resources and climate change. (Draft EIR, pp. 19-16 to 19-17 (Table 19.3) and pp. 19-24 to 19-26) With respect to the third category, transportation impacts, the reduction in retail uses and the increase in office uses is expected to modify traffic patterns in a manner that produces substantially fewer vehicle trips per day, thereby reducing overall traffic in the downtown area and the City. (Draft EIR at 19-15 (Table 19.2)) Although the increased office uses and reduced retail uses would be expected to slightly increase the number of vehicle trips generated by the project during the morning commute time, these changes would also be expected to result in a greater decrease in vehicle trips during the afternoon-evening commute time. Thus, overall, the modifications under Alternative 4 are expected to slightly reduce the severity of traffic impacts as compared to the project described in the EIR, although those impacts would be expected to remain significant and unavoidable. As noted above, the modifications under Alternative 5 would impose additional historic resources protections within the DPP area. (Draft EIR at pp. 19-4 to 19-5 and Final EIR at pp. 19-4 to 19-SA) Like Alternative 4, Alternative 5 would be expected to result in similar levels of environmental effects in all categories of impacts evaluated in the EIR. Of the three categories of significant effects identified in the EIR, Alternative 5 would not result in any change in the severity of the transportation or climate change effects. (Draft EIR, pp. 19-16 to 19-17 (Table 19.3) and pp. 19-26 to 19-28) With respect to the potentially significant historic resources effects, Alternative 5 would be expected to slightly reduce those effects due to the additional historic resources protections that would be imposed under that alternative, although those effects wouId be expected to remain significant and unavoidable. In addition, the City finds that the modified Downtown Precise Plan would better achieve the City's goals and objectives for the Project, than the Downtown Precise Plan described as the project in the EIR. Specifically, the increase in pernlitted new office uses and the corresponding reduction in permitted new retail uses would be expected to better promote investment in the downtown area, due to the current availability of existing retail space S:',KESULUTIONS\Resa 2092 CF.QA Findings for DPP E-xhibit }3 .doc �5 012011