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8. B. - Page 19 <br /> Maurec�n Riordan <br /> 4ctc�ber 26, 2011 <br /> Pa�� � <br /> p�ovi.de an aclequate description of the �nvzronm�nl;a1 settang s€� that the Piojec�'� <br /> impacts can be �z�ea�ured against the r�a� conc�iti€�ns c�n the �rc��nd, f�i�s tc� i�en�ify <br /> the Prt�j�ct's po�e�ztially significa�� e��vi�onmen�al impacLs and fails to include an <br /> anaiysis of'r�asonably foreseeable P�ajec� impacts. As a resu.it, �he D�I�'s <br /> concl�zsions wi�h regard ta the Pioj�ct°s environz�aental impac�s are unsupported. <br /> The technical erro�s and significan� informational gaps i.n �he Ci��'s analysis <br /> pr�clude any �eaningful eva�uatior�. a£ the Project's potentiially si�nificant impact;s. <br /> There�'oxe, the DE�R fails to info� zn decision mak�rs and f�he public o� th� Project's <br /> po�en�;i.ally s3gnifican� environ�ental effec�s and to re�uce damage to the <br /> environment bef�re it occurs. <br /> TII. T�E D�Z�, FA�LS '�O ��SCRI�§� T�� ���'�`i�� <br /> ENN`T��,ONM�NT��. �E'�"�`IIoTG AS R,E�U�RED B� C�� <br /> Th� D��R's failure to desciik�e the �xisting s�i;ting contravenes the <br /> fund.arnental purpase of the enviranzz�enta� review process, which is tio determane <br /> whethex �here is a potientiall.y substantial, adverse char�ge carnpared t�o �h� existing <br /> settin�. CE(�A requires that a lead agency include a�escriptic�n af the physzcal <br /> environmental cai�ditians in the �Ticinity of a praject, as they exist at the time <br /> environm�ntal review commences.�z The desciiption of the envz�onmental. setting <br /> coi�s�itutes the baseline physica� candit�.ans by which a Iead agency m�y assess �he <br /> szgz�ificance of a project's i�npacts. <br /> �. �he �E�R ��ils t� describ� tk�e exastisag �n�ir�rr�r�e�atal se����ag <br /> ag�inst w�as��a �o measLaare �ra�fic i�npac�s <br /> 1. The �:�IR, �ai�s to desc�ibe ��ra���c �o�ad�tioaa� a� t�ae ta�ne <br /> �xxv��a�a�a�enta� revi�w comat���ced <br /> The DEI�, fa.xls to de,�cribe tra.ffic condii�io�s a� the time environmenta]. <br /> revie��v comxnenced. Insteac�, the City �ases its impact ana.Iysis on �raffi.c counts <br /> from 2008. The Czty's approach vialates CEQA for t��o reasans. <br /> Fi�st, the City issued a No�ice of Preparation o�' a�EIR fo� the Praj�ct in. <br /> 2011.� Therefore, �raffic condi.tions in 2�}08 are no� "the physical environm�n�:al <br /> �� CEfZ:� Guideline-s, § 15125, subd. (a). <br /> 1z Ibid. <br /> �' Redwaad Gity, Notice of I'reparation Notice af Aublic Scopi�ig �essio�� Me�tin�, Feb. 24, 2011. <br /> 25GG.U(18j <br />