AgdaPkt 2014-06-23 Closed and Joint SA

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7.1.G. - Page 2 TRA prepared an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for the California Water Tank and Pump Station project. This document was circulated for public review in August of 2013. The project design included a number of features to reduce the visual impacts of the project and it incorporated Best Management Practices to reduce short-term air quality impacts related to construction, avoidance of cultural resources, and management of storm water runoff. The IS/MND incorporated mitigation into the project to reduce all potentially significant impacts to less than significant levels in several areas including biology, hazards, and noise. A Planning Commission hearing was held on the project on October 1, 2013. The Planning Commission did not adopt the IS/MND. The Planning Commission requested additional information on alternative designs to the proposed project in order to better assess the options for reducing the project's visual impact on adjacent residences. ANALYSIS After a period of careful deliberation with public input and direction from the Utilities Committee, Staff has determined that the preparation of an EIR for the project would be the appropriate California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) document. An EIR will allow further consideration of the project's visual impact and will provide project alternatives for consideration. The proposed project has changed in only minor ways as the design of the water tank, pump station and new pipeline connections have been refined. Since the EIR will consider essentially the same project that was presented in the IS/MND, TRA will use the findings of the IS/MND as a means to focus the EIR on the issue of aesthetic impacts, the topic that received the most public comment. The alternatives analysis will be a key section of the EIR as it will describe each alternative in detail and describe environmental impacts associated with constructing and operating that alternative. It will also provide design, construction, and maintenance costs for each alternative. Staff recommends the approval of Amendment No. 1, which would allow TRA to continue with all pertinent work to complete the CEQA process for the project. ALTERNATIVES Council may choose not to approve the proposed amendment with TRA Environmental Sciences, Inc. to prepare an EIR for the project, and adopt the project IS/MND that was completed and presented to the Planning Commission on October 1, 2013 for adoption. Hard copies of the staff report to the Planning Commission and associated IS/MND report and Mitigation Monitoring Reporting Program, and the proposed adoption resolution are available for review at the City Clerk Office. As a second alternative, Council may choose not to approve the proposed amendment, and direct Staff to return to the Planning Commission to present the latest changes and upgrades made to screen the site and seek an adoption of the project IS/MND by the Commission.