Final Environmental Impact Report San Marcos General Plan

Transcription

1 Final Environmental Impact Report San Marcos General Plan State Clearinghouse # February 2012 Lead Agency: City of San Marcos 1 Civic Center Drive San Marcos, CA V A L L E Y O F D I S C O V E R Y Garth Koller, Principal Planner and General Plan Project Manager gkoller@san-marcos.net. INCORPORATED JANUARY 28, 1963 CHARTERED JULY 4, 1994 Consultants to City of San Marcos: AECOM 1420 Kettner Boulevard, Suite 500 San Diego, CA

2

3 Draft Final Environmental Impact Report San Marcos General Plan State Clearinghouse # February 2012 Lead Agency: City of San Marcos 1 Civic Center Drive San Marcos, CA Garth Koller Principal Planner and General Plan Project Manager gkoller@san-marcos.net Consultants to City of San Marcos: AECOM 1420 Kettner Boulevard, Suite 500 San Diego, CA

4

5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section EXECUTIVE SUMMARY... ES-1 ES.1 Project Summary... ES-1 ES.2 Project Location... ES-2 ES.3 Potential Areas of Controversy... ES-2 ES.4 Issues to Be Resolved... ES-2 ES.5 Summary of Environmental Impacts... ES-3 ES.6 Alternatives Analyzed... ES INTRODUCTION Purpose of the Program EIR Lead and Responsible Agencies Scope of this EIR Public Review and Participation Process Structure and Organization of the Program EIR General Approach to Program EIR Analysis PROJECT DESCRIPTION General Plan Background Regional Setting and Planning Area Project Purpose and Objectives Project Characteristics Intended Uses of this EIR ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING AND IMPACT ANALYSIS Environmental Setting Summary Environmental Issue Areas Analyzed Aesthetics Existing Environmental Setting Regulatory Setting Thresholds for Determining Significance Analysis of Environmental Impacts Mitigation Measures Significance After Mitigation Agricultural Resources Existing Environmental Setting Regulatory Setting Thresholds for Determining Significance Analysis of Environmental Impacts San Marcos General Plan EIR i February 2012

6 Section Mitigation Measures Significance After Mitigation Air Quality Existing Environmental Setting Regulatory Setting Thresholds for Determining Significance Analysis of Environmental Impacts Mitigation Measures Significance After Mitigation Biological resources Environmental Setting Regulatory Setting Thresholds for Determining Significance Analysis of Environmental Impacts Mitigation Measures Significance After Mitigation Cultural Resources Existing Environmental Setting Regulatory Setting Thresholds for Determining Significance Analysis of Environmental Impacts Mitigation Measures Significance After Mitigation Geology, Soils, and Mineral Resources Existing Environmental Setting Regulatory Setting Thresholds for Determining Significance Analysis of Environmental Impacts Mitigation Measures Significance After Mitigation Greenhouse Gas Emissions Existing Environmental Setting Regulatory Setting Thresholds for Determining Significance Analysis of Environmental Impacts Mitigation Measures Significance of Impact after Mitigation Hazards and Hazardous Materials Existing Environmental Setting Regulatory Setting Thresholds for Determining Significance San Marcos General Plan EIR ii February 2012

7 Section Analysis of Environmental Impacts Mitigation Measures Significance After Mitigation Hydrology and Water Quality Existing Environmental Setting Regulatory Setting Thresholds for Determining Significance Analysis of Environmental Impacts Mitigation Measures Significance After Mitigation Land Use and Planning Existing Environmental Setting Regulatory Setting Thresholds for Determining Significance Analysis of Environmental Impacts Mitigation Measures Significance After Mitigation Noise Existing Environmental Setting Regulatory Setting Thresholds for Determining Significance Analysis of Environmental Impacts Mitigation Measures Significance After Mitigation Paleontological Resources Existing Environmental Setting Regulatory Setting Thresholds for Determining Significance Analysis of Environmental Impacts Mitigation Measures Significance After Mitigation Population and Housing Existing Environmental Setting Regulatory Setting Thresholds for Determining Significance Analysis of Environmental Impacts Mitigation Measures Significance After Mitigation Public Services, Utilities, and Energy Existing Environmental Setting Regulatory Setting San Marcos General Plan EIR iii February 2012

8 Section Thresholds for Determining Significance Analysis of Environmental Impacts Mitigation Measures Significance After Mitigation Recreation Existing Environmental Setting Regulatory Setting Thresholds for Determining Significance Analysis of Environmental Impacts Mitigation Measures Significance After Mitigation Transportation and Traffic Existing Environmental Setting Regulatory Setting Thresholds for Determining Significance Analysis of Environmental Impacts Mitigation Measures Significance After Mitigation ANALYSIS OF LONG-TERM EFFECTS Maximum Theoretical Buildout Scenario Cumulative Impacts Growth-Inducing Impacts Significant Irreversible Environmental Changes Summary of Impact Conclusions ALTERNATIVES Alternative 1: No Project/Existing General Plan Alternative Alternative 2: Increased Urban Core Office Professional Land Use alternative Alternative 3: city staff recommended alternative Alternative 4: transferred density alternative REFERENCES PREPARERS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT San Marcos General Plan EIR iv February 2012

9 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix Appendix A Notice of Preparation Appendix A-1: Notice of Preparation for San Marcos General Plan EIR Appendix A-2: Comment Letters Received on Notice of Preparation Appendix B Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Model Outputs Appendix C Biological Resources Appendix C-1: San Marcos MHCP Subarea Plan Appendix C-2: Biological Resources Technical Report for the City of San Marcos (1996) Appendix D Land Use and Planning Appendix D-1: Focus Areas ListSummary Appendix D-2: Specific Plan Areas Appendix E Geotechnical Background Investigation Appendix E-1: Draft Geotechnical Background Investigation (2009) Appendix E-2: Technical Correction to Fault Information (2011) Appendix F Noise Modeling and Vibrations Calculations Appendix G Potential Watershed Pollutants Appendix H Traffic Modeling Outputs Appendix H-1: SANDAG North County Model Runs Appendix H-2: Intersection Assessment Appendix I Response to Comments on Draft EIR San Marcos General Plan EIR v February 2012

10 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Project Regional Location Project Planning Area General Plan Land Use Map San Marcos General Plan Focus Areas Planning Area Neighborhoods Aesthetic Resources Agricultural Lands San Marcos Vegetation Communities Open Space Areas Planning Area Waters General Plan Identified Wildlife Corridor and Linkage Geologic Formations USGS Unstable Soils Planning Area Mine/Quarry Sites Regional Faults and Earthquakes McClellan-Palomar Airport Location CALFIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zones SMFD Community Hazard Zones Surface Waters by Neighborhood FEMA Floodplains and Floodways Existing Land Use Acreage, Specific Plan Areas Community Noise Survey Existing Noise Contours Future Noise Contours Community Facilities Parkland and Recreational Facilities Existing Open Space Existing Roadway Network Existing Roadway Segment ADT and LOS a Existing Peak Hour Traffic Volumes b Existing Peak Hour Traffic Volumes (Cont.) Intersection Geometry NCTD and Transit Routes Existing and Proposed Bicycle Routes and Facilities Existing and Proposed Trails Existing and Future Truck Routes Cumulative Project Intersection LOS San Marcos General Plan EIR vi February 2012

11 LIST OF FIGURES (Continued) Figure Proposed Mobility Improvements Cumulative with Project ADT and LOS Transfer Density Urban Core LIST OF TABLES Table ES-1 Summary of Environmental Significance Conclusions for the San Marcos General Plan... ES-3 ES-2 Comparison of Impacts of Alternatives to the Project... ES-6 ES-3 Summary of Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures for the San Marcos General Plan... ES General Plan Land Use Designations San Marcos General Plan Expected Development Capacity Expected Development Capacity Comparison to Existing Conditions National and California Ambient Air Quality Standards Ambient Air Quality Summary Escondido Monitoring Station Regional Pollutant Emission Screening Level Thresholds of Significance Summary of Modeled Operational Emissions of Criteria Air Pollutants and Precursors Vegetation Community/Land Cover Type Acreages and Percent Coverage within the City of San Marcos Planning Area Special Status Species Known to Occur Within or in the Vicinity of the Planning Area Vegetation Community/Sensitive Species Potentially Impacted by Project Summary of Historical and Archeological Resources in San Marcos Historic Resources in and Adjacent to the San Marcos Planning Area Major Faults within Approximately 50-mile Radius of the Planning Area Global Warming Potentials and Atmospheric Lifetimes of GHGs San Marcos General Plan Operational GHG Emissions Cortese List Sites within the General Plan Area HSA Acreages in General Plan Neighborhoods General Plan Neighborhoods Percent of Watershed HSA Generalized Land Use Acreages in General Plan Watersheds San Marcos Groundwater Basin Acreages in General Plan Neighborhoods SWRCB (d) Listed Water Bodies in General Plan Area Existing Land Use Acreage, RTP/SCS: SCS Implementing Actions and San Marcos General Plan Human Response to Different Levels of Groundborne Noise and Vibration San Marcos General Plan EIR vii February 2012

12 LIST OF TABLES (Continued) Table Summary of Monitored Short Term Daytime Ambient Noise Levels Summary of Modeled Existing Traffic Noise Levels in the Planning Area Land Use Noise Compatibility Guidelines San Diego County Noise Compatibility Guidelines San Diego County Noise Standards Significant Change in Ambient Noise Levels Representative Vibration Source Levels for Construction Equipment Construction Equipment Noise Levels Predicted Traffic Noise Levels Future 2035 Conditions and Future 2035 General Plan Buildout Conditions City of San Marcos and County Population Growth 1980 through San Marcos Planning Area Population City of San Marcos Housing Units, San Marcos Planning Area 2010 Housing Characteristics Average Response Times by Call Type (update % of calls when info is posted on website) San Marcos Unified School District Schools Unit Water Demands Estimated 2030 Water Demand under General Plan (excluding Specific Plan Areas) VWD Projected Water Supply and Demand Comparison in AF/YR VID Projected Water Supply and Demand Comparison (in AF/Year) OMWD Projected Water Supply and Demand Comparison (in AF/Year) Rincon Projected Water Supply and Demand Comparison (in AF/Year) Potential Environmental Impacts Associated with Desalination Projects Existing and Projected Wastewater Flows - Existing and Parkland within the Planning Area Recreational Facilities in San Marcos Existing Pedestrian/Equestrian Trails and Multi-Use Corridors within the Planning Area Existing San Marcos Parkland, Recreational Facilities, and Trails Ratio Planned Future Parkland and Trails in San Marcos Total Existing and Future Parkland, Recreational Facilities, and Trails in San Marcos Future San Marcos Parkland, Recreational Facilities, and Trails Ratio Signalized and Unsignalized Intersection Level of Service Criteria Daily Roadway Segment Capacity Daily Roadway Volumes and Levels of Service Existing Intersection Level of Service NCTD Bus Routes Serving San Marcos (2011) San Marcos General Plan EIR viii February 2012

13 LIST OF TABLES (Continued) Table LOS Parameters General Plan Intersection Level of service General Plan Daily Roadway Volumes and Levels of Service San Marcos General Plan Maximum Theoretical Buildout Scenario San Marcos General Plan Growth Projections Geographic Scope of Cumulative Impacts Summary of Environmental Significance Conclusions for the San Marcos General Plan Comparison of Impacts of Alternatives to the Project SANDAG Growth Projections Approved Land Use Calculation Expected Capacity and Population Existing No Project/Existing General Plan vs. General Plan Project Roadway ADT and LOS Analysis Project vs. No Project/Existing General Plan Alternative Planned Development and Jobs Capacity (20 Industrial acres converted to Office Professional) Increased Urban Core Office Professional Land Use Alternative vs. General Plan (PROJECT) Staff Recommended Alternative Land Use Changes by Focus Area Development and Population Capacity Transferred Density Alternative vs. General Plan Development and Population Capacity Transferred Density Alternative vs. General Plan San Marcos General Plan EIR ix February 2012

14 This page intentionally left blank. San Marcos General Plan EIR x February 2012