ALBANY 2035 GENERAL PLAN UPDATE EIR SCOPE OF WORK

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1 This scope of work outlines the detailed work program that LSA will follow to prepare the program EIR for the Albany 2035 General Plan Update. A summary of the work program is provided in Table 1. A description of each of the tasks LSA would complete is provided below. Several optional tasks are identified within the scope as a way to augment the analysis within the Draft EIR; the current project budget (Table 3) does not include the fees associated with these tasks. TASK A. PROJECT INITIATION The project initiation will involve meeting with City staff and the General Plan Consultant Barry Miller, gathering and reviewing information, preparation of a base map, and conducting a field visit. 1. Start-Up Meeting An initial start-up meeting will be held with City staff and the General Plan consultant to identify concerns and issues, review information needs, and discuss expectations for the environmental setting and environmental review process and products. The report format, deliverables, and schedule will also be discussed. 2. Data Gathering and Evaluation Existing data and analysis applicable to the General Plan update will be collected and evaluated in order to gain an understanding of the available information that will be used as part of the environmental review. Documents reviewed will include existing CEQA documents that have been prepared for projects within the City (e.g., the East Bay Regional Park District Beach Restoration and Public Access Project EIR, the St. Mary s College IS/MND). City documents, including the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, Active Transportation Plan, Climate Action Plan, Arts Master Plan, Albany Hill Creekside Master Plan, Complete Streets Policy, and Voices to Vision documents will be reviewed. Any other documents applicable to the City of Albany, such as the University Village Master Plan and the Eastshore State Park General Plan, will also be reviewed. LSA will contact responsible or potentially affected agencies to identify issues for the proposed project. In addition to City departments, these agencies could include: the Albany Unified School District; the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD); the Regional Water Quality Control Board; the local Congestion Management Agency; and Caltrans. 3. Base Map Preparation A base map of the City and surrounding vicinity, for use in the General Plan and the EIR, will be prepared by LSA using the best available maps and aerial photographs. The base map will be used to illustrate street/highway and lot layouts, the City s geographic relationship to surrounding areas, topography, land uses within and adjacent to the City, and City General Plan and zoning designations. The base map will be available for General Plan use as well as during meetings and presentations. 1

2 4. Site Visit/Field Survey LSA will convene a site visit for key team members to visit and photograph the City. LSA staff will identify existing conditions, study area features, and confirm information provided in previous studies. We encourage attendance by City staff and the General Plan consultant at our initial site visit to allow for sharing of observations. Other members of the consultant team will also visit the study area to initiate their understanding of the area s traffic, biological resources, cultural resources, geologic, hydrologic, and hazardous materials characteristics. 5. Significance Criteria LSA, in coordination with our subconsultants and with review of Appendix G of the CEQA Guidelines and other CEQA documents prepared by the City, will prepare a draft set of significance criteria for review by City staff. The draft significance criteria will include proposed criteria for each topical issue to be addressed in the EIR. Early agreement regarding significance criteria will help to focus the setting information and the impact analyses provided in the EIR. TASK B. NOTICE OF PREPARATION AND SCOPING SESSION This task would include the Notice of Preparation (NOP), a scoping session, and work program refinement, if required. 1. Notice of Preparation LSA will prepare a Notice of Preparation (NOP) in accordance with the requirements of CEQA. LSA will be responsible for distribution and noticing to the State Clearinghouse. The City will be responsible for distribution and noticing pursuant to the City s standard noticing protocol. Following the 30-day comment period, LSA will review all comments, recommend any needed Table 1: Scope of Work Summary TASK A. PROJECT INITIATION 1. Start-Up Meeting 2. Data Gathering and Evaluation 3. Base Map Preparation 4. Site Visit/Field Survey 5. Significance Criteria TASK B. NOTICE OF PREPARATION AND SCOPING SESSION 1. Notice of Preparation 2. Scoping Session 3. Work Program Refinement TASK C. BASELINE ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING 1. Transportation and Circulation 2. Air Quality 3. Noise 4. Global Climate Change 5. Geology, Soils and Mineral Resources 6. Hydrology and Water Quality 7. Hazards and Hazardous Materials 8. Biological Resources 9. Utilities and Service Systems TASK D. PROJECT DESCRIPTION TASK E. IMPACT ANALYSIS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 1. Land Use, Planning Policy, and Agricultural Resources 2. Population and Housing 3. Transportation and Circulation 4. Air Quality 5. Global Climate Change 6. Noise 7. Geology, Soils and Mineral Resources 8. Hydrology and Water Quality 9. Hazards and Hazardous Materials 10. Biological Resources 11. Cultural Resources 12. Public Services and Recreation 13. Utilities and Service Systems 14. Visual Resources 15. Other CEQA Conclusions TASK F. ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS TASK G. MAP PREPARATION TASK H. ADMINISTRATIVE AND SCREENCHECK DRAFT EIRS TASK I. PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT EIR TASK J. RESPONSE TO COMMENTS, MMRP, AND FINDINGS DOCUMENTS 1. Administrative Draft RTC 2. Screencheck Draft RTC 3. Final RTC 4. Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program 5. Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations TASK K. MEETINGS AND HEARINGS TASK L. PROJECT MANAGEMENT 2

3 changes to the proposed scope of work, and ensure that all submitted concerns are adequately covered by the EIR. 2. Scoping Session LSA will participate in one public scoping session. LSA s Principal-in-Charge and Project Manager will attend and describe the environmental review process. LSA will summarize key environmental issues and outline the expected schedule for the EIR s preparation and the public s involvement. After the meeting, LSA will review all public comments, provide a summary of issues and topics raised during the scoping session, and identify any changes required in the scope of work. 3. Work Program Refinement It may be necessary to refine the work program in accordance with information compiled in the above subtasks, since the project description has not yet been prepared and additional project issues may be raised during the scoping period. Upon receipt and review of all of the comments on the NOP, LSA will work with City staff and the General Plan consultant to refine the scope of work, if necessary, to address any environmental issues identified in the NOP comments that are not yet adequately addressed in this work program. LSA will present the refined work program and budget for review and approval. TASK C. BASELINE ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING The baseline environmental setting task will include a review of available data and additional studies necessary to complete an existing conditions analysis for the topical issues described below. Per the RFP, LSA would not prepare the baseline environmental setting for the following topics: land use; population and housing; visual and aesthetics; cultural resources (except archaeological and paleontological resources); public services; and parks and recreation. The baseline environmental setting working papers will be available for use by the City and the General Plan consultant, and will be the central source of current information for use in the preparation of the setting sections of the EIR. It is expected that these working papers will be an internal document and not formatted and produced as a public document. The baseline environmental setting working papers will be used in the updating process for the City s General Plan to identify environmental characteristics, constraints, and issues in the City of Albany. Existing conditions will be described in written, graphic and tabular form based on information available from the City, existing background reports, the GIS program, LSA s reconnaissance field visits, and other background research and databases. Topics that will be prepared by the LSA team are described below. 1. Transportation and Circulation Fehr & Peers will describe the existing transportation and circulation network and traffic conditions in the City of Albany. This scope of work assumes collection of new data, unless otherwise noted. However, if recent existing data is available, in consultation with City staff, it will be used. Fehr & Peers will undertake the following: Describe the current street classification in the City of Albany and describe the major streets providing circulation through the City. 3

4 Review the latest census data and summarize the travel behavior of City residents and workers. Contact AC Transit to obtain bus stop locations, bus ridership, boarding, and alighting data for bus stops in the City of Albany. Use the data presented in the Albany Active Transportation Plan to summarize existing and proposed bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in the City of Albany. Obtain and summarize collision data for the last available five years from the City of Albany. Contact AC Transit and neighboring Cities to identify proposed and planned changes to the transportation and circulation network that may affect access and circulation in the City of Albany. Work with City staff to identify the primary truck routes within the City of Albany. Work with City staff to identify the location of major traffic control devices, such as traffic signals or traffic calming devices, throughout the City. Considering that this EIR would be program-level EIR, Fehr & Peers proposes to conduct a street segment level analysis to determine the traffic impacts of the proposed General Plan Update (although an optional task, outlined in the impact analysis scope, is included should the City want intersection analysis to be included in the Draft EIR). The assessment of Plan-related impacts would occur during Task E and is covered there. Fehr & Peers would collect 24-hour traffic counts using pneumatic tubes at up to 15 street segments throughout the City of Albany. These street segments would be selected in consultation with City staff and General Plan team based on locations that are most likely to be impacted by the growth envisioned by the General Plan Update. The budget would be adjusted if counts collected within the last three years are available. Caltrans will be contacted to obtain existing volumes on the I-80 and I-580 freeway segments within the City of Albany. Daily and AM and PM peak hour volumes on the study street segments will be summarized and Level of Service (LOS) will be calculated using volume-tocapacity analysis procedures consistent with the 2010 Highway Capacity Manual (HCM). The above information will be summarized for the baseline environmental setting. To the extent feasible, GIS-based graphics and tables will be used to communicate the existing transportation conditions in City of Albany. This information will be used in the setting section of the Transportation and Circulation Chapter of the EIR. 2. Air Quality Existing air quality information will be compiled from available public sources to document the existing air quality regulatory setting and environment in the Plan area. LSA will document the baseline environmental air quality conditions by undertaking the following subtasks: Define setting and baseline. Using meteorological and air quality data developed through the California Air Resources Board (ARB) climatological and air quality profile data, and gathered by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), LSA will describe the existing air quality conditions within the Plan area and air basin. This section 4

5 3. Noise will evaluate permitted source data issued by the BAAQMD to determine existing sources of toxic air contaminants within Albany and surrounding areas. LSA will also review and utilize information included in recent environmental documents covering the Plan area. Describe sensitive receptors. This section will include a brief overview of the nature and location of existing sensitive receptors within the study area. Information about the existing noise environment information will be compiled from available public sources by noise measurements to document the existing noise regulatory setting and ambient noise environment in the Plan area. LSA will document the baseline environmental noise conditions by undertaking the following subtasks: Describe characteristics of sound. The general characteristics of sound and the categories of audible noise will be described. Summarize the regulatory framework. The regulatory framework related to noise, including federal, State, and City plans, policies and standards will be summarized. Survey existing noise levels. Existing ambient noise levels throughout the City will be documented. This ambient noise monitoring effort will include short-term noise measurements taken at up to ten (10) locations and long-term twenty-four hour ambient noise measurements taken at up to five (5) locations. These locations will be chosen in close coordination with City staff and General Plan consultant input and may include locations having known filed noise complaints or known potential sources of stationary noise impacts. Describe existing noise environment. LSA will compile and summarize City-wide stationary, traffic, and rail related noise data for existing conditions based on the results of the noise survey and from public sources. Existing noise from vehicular traffic will also be assessed using the U.S. Federal Highway Traffic Noise Prediction Model (FHWA RD ) using traffic count data. The Existing (2013) Traffic Noise Contour Figure will be provided for up to a maximum of 30 selected roadway segments within the City showing the distance/contour relationship. Existing noise contours for BART and the UPRR rail line will be identified based on available existing documentation or results of the existing noise survey. 4. Global Climate Change The baseline environmental setting report will include a description of greenhouse gases, climate change, and a discussion of its causes and the contribution of human activities. LSA will compile and summarize recent approaches to this issue and current regulatory requirements. The following subtasks will be undertaken: Describe existing environmental setting. LSA will summarize up-to-date information related to greenhouse gas emissions global climate change, along with the climate/ meteorology conditions in the planning area, and the State and regional setting. LSA will rely on data collected as part of the City of Albany s Climate Action Plan. Describe the existing regulatory framework. The existing regulatory framework for global climate change will be described, including applicable federal, State, and local 5

6 policies, regulations, and programs (particularly regulations/guidelines that apply to CEQA review). 5. Geology, Soils and Mineral Resources The City of Albany is located in a seismically-active region. While no known active faults run through the City, the City is located between two major fault systems: the San Andreas and Hayward. A magnitude 6.9 earthquake event on the Hayward Fault would result in very strong to very violent shaking across the City. This type of event may cause several different types of seismically-induced hazards, such as ground shaking, liquefaction, and subsidence. In addition, the presence of problematic soils (e.g., expansive soils) could pose a challenge for development and/or redevelopment. The description of baseline environmental conditions in the City will rely on information from regional geotechnical and geologic information. The following tasks will be completed: Describe regional geologic conditions. Regional and local geologic and seismic conditions for the City will be described based on available reports and studies. This task will include assistance with preparation of GIS base maps. Describe regional soil conditions. Existing soil conditions within the City (including erosion hazards and shrink-swell potential) will be described on the basis of Natural Resource Conservation Service mapping. This task will include assistance with preparation of GIS base maps. Identify seismic sources. Potential sources of regional earthquakes will be evaluated and expected levels of seismic shaking (and related potential for ground failure) within the City will be described. Describe existing regulatory framework. Federal, state, and local laws and regulations related to geology and soils will be described, including seismic and geologic safety policies contained within the existing General Plan. 6. Hydrology and Water Quality Development under the General Plan has the potential to increase and alter impervious surfaces, which could increase stormwater runoff volumes and result in degradation of water quality in creeks related to increased transport of stormwater pollutants and higher erosive flows. The City has a municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) and manages stormwater under the current Municipal Regional Stormwater National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit to mitigate potentially detrimental effects of urban runoff through proper site design and source control early in the development review process. In general, the City is not within mapped FEMA 100-year flood hazard zones (with the exception of some areas west of Interstate I-80). Baseline will complete the following tasks to describe the current hydrologic setting: Describe hydrologic conditions. The regional and area-specific hydrologic and storm drainage conditions for the City will be described. This description will include an identification of receiving waters and a description of existing storm drain infrastructure. Publicly available information on the existence and use of wells in the City will also be presented. Baseline will assist with preparation of GIS base maps. 6

7 Describe existing water quality conditions. Based on existing information, the surface and groundwater quality in the City will be described. The description and analysis of groundwater quality will be coordinated with the hazards and hazardous materials analysis. Describe existing regulatory framework. Federal, state, and local plans, laws, and regulations will be described, as well as policies related to hydrology and water quality contained in the General Plan. 7. Hazards and Hazardous Materials An initial review of the Regional Water Board database indicates that there are about seven open/ active sites in the City under investigation for issues related to hazardous materials. These sites are predominantly associated with releases of petroleum from underground storage tanks. Development in areas with known or potential contamination could pose a threat to human health and/or the environment if the materials are not properly identified and managed. Potential public health and safety concerns in the City will also likely include demolition or renovation of buildings containing hazardous materials, and the proper management of hazardous materials during construction and land use operations. As part of the environmental setting task, Baseline will complete the following: Review available environmental databases. Available environmental databases will be reviewed to describe known and potential subsurface contamination in the City and the immediate vicinity. Describe hazardous building materials issues. Redevelopment under the General Plan will likely include the demolition and renovation of structures containing lead-based paint, asbestos-containing materials, and other hazardous building materials. Based on the age of buildings, hazardous building materials likely to be encountered during demolition will be described. Identify aviation hazards. Any hazards to navigable airspace associated with public or private airports will be identified. Describe emergency response and evacuation plans. Emergency response and evacuation plans for the City will be described and existing programs and requirements for emergency response will be summarized. Evaluate wildland fire hazards. The risk of loss of life or property damage associated with wildland fires will be evaluated. Regulatory framework. Federal, state, and local plans, laws, and regulations will be described, as well as policies related to hazards and hazardous materials contained in the General Plan. 8. Biological Resources Existing biological resources within the Plan area will be described based on a review of previous reports, surveys, maps, and studies (e.g., Albany Beach Restoration and Public Access Feasibility Study prepared by LSA in 2011, Eastshore General Plan EIR, Albany Hill Creekside Master Plan); information provided by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and other experts; and site visits by LSA s wildlife biologist/botanist 7

8 team. The primary focus of LSA s analysis will be potential or actual occurrence of special-status species or other sensitive biological resources within the Plan area. This information will form the basis for identifying impacts to biological resources that could result from implementation of the General Plan Update. LSA does not anticipate a need for any focused biological surveys, but will recommend such supplemental work if it appears such surveys are needed. To prepare the biological resources baseline environmental setting, LSA will conduct the following tasks: Review prior biological studies and conduct a search of the California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB). LSA will review prior biological studies, reports, maps, and other documents provided by the City to identify special-status species and/or sensitive vegetation or cover types (e.g., wetlands) in the Plan area. Given the sensitivity of the San Francisco Bay shoreline, the Albany Beach Restoration and Public Access Feasibility Study (LSA 2011) will be a primary source of information regarding the potential presence of special-status species in this area. Conduct a field reconnaissance of the Plan area. An LSA wildlife biologist/botanist team will conduct a reconnaissance-level survey of the Plan area to confirm field conditions reported in previous studies and to collect site-specific biological resource information. The survey will focus on identifying potential wetlands, creek crossings, and wildlife habitat that may be impacted by development under the General Plan. Observations during the surveys will be from public rights-of-way or public lands. Entry to private property would be made only if the City facilitates authorization for such entry into areas determined to be of high biological value. Prepare baseline environmental setting section. LSA will describe biological resources within the Plan area based on its review of prior biological studies, the CNDDB, and observations during the reconnaissance-level biological survey. The description will include a broad-scale map of vegetation or cover types and potential jurisdictional areas within the Plan Area. LSA will also assess the fish, wildlife, and botanical resource values of each vegetation or cover type and identify the locations of special-status species occurrences in the Plan area. 9. Utilities and Service Systems The level of analysis related to utilities can vary greatly in EIRs depending on the desires of the utility providers and/or the City and the existing condition of the utility systems. LSA will work closely with City staff and the General Plan consultant to determine the appropriate level of analysis. The existing utility systems that will be addressed include: wastewater, water supply, storm drainage, and solid waste, as well as phone, cable, gas and electric. In order to accurately describe the existing utility systems, LSA will review background information and work closely with the City and service providers. LSA will complete the following subtasks for the setting section: Describe existing utilities systems. Review previous documents to determine the capacity and condition of existing utility infrastructure systems. LSA assumes that existing utility master plans will be available for use. Describe proposed changes to infrastructure. Work with the City Public Works staff and other service providers to determine the proposed utility infrastructure locations, capacity, 8

9 and connections, as well as existing utility infrastructure that is planned for removal or upgrading during the General Plan build-out time frame (2035). TASK D. PROJECT DESCRIPTION Based on the initial data and review of information gathered, and working in close coordination with the General Plan consultant, LSA will assist in drafting a project description that includes all elements necessary to comply with CEQA. The project description will include a map showing the location and boundaries of the Plan area. In addition, the project description will include a discussion of public participation process in development of the General Plan, as well as the objectives of the General Plan. Crafting an appropriately detailed and illustrated project description is often the single most timeconsuming (as well as important) element of a program-level CEQA review. Translating the City s vision into quantified inputs that can be measured is a delicate process. Creating an envelope of the development potential that maximizes the utility of the EIR is the hallmark of LSA s work on previous program EIRs. LSA will work closely with City staff and the General Plan consultant to ensure that the project description provides a level of detail appropriate for its objectives, including those relating to the need for future development in the area to respond to changing market demand and community goals for the area. LSA will confirm agreement on the project description prior to undertaking any impact analysis. TASK E. IMPACT ANALYSIS AND MITIGATION MEASURES The setting, impacts, and mitigation measures documentation for each of the issue areas described below will be incorporated into the EIR. The agreed-upon significance thresholds will be clearly stated within each section and will be used to determine impacts. The analysis will describe the affected environment and the environmental consequences of implementation of the General Plan. Where relevant, construction-related and operation-related impacts will be separately identified. Section of the CEQA Guidelines requires that an EIR evaluate potential environmental impacts that are individually limited but cumulatively significant. These impacts can result from the General Plan alone or together with other plans or projects. The analysis of cumulative effects will address the potential impacts associated implementation of the General Plan in conjunction with other off-site, permitted, under-construction, or probable future projects. Cumulative impacts will be summarized by topic, and reasonable, feasible options for mitigating or avoiding the proposed plan s contribution to any significant cumulative effects will be identified. For each identified impact, a set of feasible mitigation measures will be recommended. Mitigation measures will generally take the form of policies and standards that could be incorporated into the General Plan to reduce adverse effects. 1. Land Use, Planning Policy and Agricultural Resources The land use, planning policy, and agricultural resources analysis will focus on the project s relation to local land use patterns and other relevant planning policy documents. The section will include a brief discussion of existing and planned land uses within the City. In this section, LSA will anticipate the potential effects of the changes proposed as part of the General Plan and identify potential adverse impacts that could result. Program-level mitigation measures will be recommended as necessary to mitigate any significant land use impacts. 9

10 LSA will complete the following tasks: Compile, identify, and present existing land uses. Using the baseline environmental conditions information prepared by Barry Miller, existing on-site and surrounding land uses within the City will be described and graphically mapped. The Plan area will also be described in the context of overall land use trends in the County. Potential projects planned in the foreseeable future will be described as part of this task. Development identified in the University Village Master Plan, as well as development assumptions made for Golden Gate Fields for purposes of Draft EIR analysis, will be identified. Describe relevant policies and regulations. Using the baseline environmental conditions information prepared by Barry Miller, LSA will summarize relevant land use plans and policies. Documents that LSA will refer to include: the existing City and County General Plan; existing City policy documents (as described in Task A.2); City Zoning Ordinances and other applicable local, regional, State, and federal plans and policies (e.g., CRC, local Congestion Management Plan, air quality attainment/maintenance plan or State Implementation Plan, area-wide waste treatment and water quality control plans, regional transportation plans, and regional housing allocation plans). Policies that are applicable to other topical subsections of the EIR (e.g., traffic) will be cross-referenced. Evaluate land use compatibility. Using the baseline environmental conditions information prepared by Barry Miller, the compatibility of the proposed project s land uses with existing area land uses will be evaluated and described. Evaluate Gill Track research fields. The Draft EIR will include a discussion of the Gill Tract research fields, and whether they meet the criteria to be considered an agricultural resource under the significance criteria. Assess potential secondary land use impacts. Potential secondary land use impacts, such as increased traffic and stormwater from the proposed project, will be described through reference to other sections of the EIR. Determine policy consistency. The project s compatibility with applicable policies will be evaluated. A table summarizing the project s consistency will be provided. Additionally, analysis will focus on any significant policy changes within the General Plan Update. 2. Population and Housing The existing demographics of the City and County will be described based on the data collected by LSA from the Draft Housing Element, U.S. Census, California Department of Finance, Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), and other sources. LSA will assess the new population, employment, and housing impacts that would result from the growth projections of the General Plan. The findings derived from this section will inform the cumulative and growth inducing analyses required by CEQA. LSA will complete the following sub-tasks: Initial indications are that there will not be significant land use changes as part of the General Plan Update. Draft EIR land use analysis will include analysis of potential land use conflicts and a discussion as to whether UC Berkeley Gill Tract research fields would be considered prime farmland. 10

11 Describe existing population, employment, and housing. Using the baseline environmental conditions information prepared by Barry Miller, LSA will describe existing conditions in the City based on collected data. Given the size of the University Village in relation to the entire area of the City, University Village specific data will also be included. Describe existing policies and regulations. Using the baseline environmental conditions information prepared by Barry Miller, LSA will summarize relevant plans and policies related to housing and employment in the City, including policies related to affordable housing and jobs/housing balance. Identify population, employment and housing impacts and provide mitigation measures. LSA will assess the population, employment and housing impacts that would be created by the General Plan relative to ABAG s projections for population and employment and needed housing. All potential impacts will be evaluated in relation to existing County-wide population, employment and housing figures. Appropriate mitigation measures, if necessary, will be recommended to reduce any significant population, employment and housing impacts to less-than-significant levels. 3. Transportation and Circulation Fehr & Peers will undertake the following to assess potential circulation impacts associated with implementation of the General Plan Update Review and Assessment of Circulation Element Goals, Policies and Programs. Fehr & Peers will review the proposed changes to the Circulation element goals, policies and programs, and will qualitatively assess their impacts based on the thresholds of significance developed in the previous task on the various Given the size and unique characteristics of the residential population at University Village, the population and housing discussion will include projections anticipated under the University Village Master Plan. There are many advocacy groups within the City that support alternative forms of transportation. The Draft EIR will include a detailed discussion of pedestrian, bicycle, and transit transportation modes within Albany. modes of travel. Fehr & Peers will determine whether there are any internal inconsistencies within the proposed Circulation Element or between the Circulation and Land Use Elements exist. Traffic Model Development. Fehr & Peers will use the latest version of the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) Countywide Travel Demand Model to develop traffic volume forecasts for the year 2035 and analyze the traffic impacts of the potential land use changes envisioned by the General Plan Update. This will include a review the existing model land use and street network assumptions in the City of Albany. Fehr & Peers will also compare the existing volumes forecasted by the model with existing counts to determine if the model validates well in the study area. The results of the model review will be summarized in a memorandum and submitted for review and approval. If necessary, Fehr & Peers will discuss potential revisions to the model with the project team. This scope of work and budget estimate assume that model revisions would be minimal. Fehr & Peers will work with the project team to develop land use parameters, such as population, housing units, and employment, at a Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ) level for the 11

12 2035 No Project and 2035 Plus Preferred General Plan Alternative scenarios. Fehr & Peers will also update the model street network to reflect potential changes envisioned by the General Plan Update. Street Segment Traffic Impact Analysis. Fehr & Peers will use the ACTC Model to prepare street link-level forecasts for the two 2035 scenarios. Fehr & Peers will calculate LOS at the 15 study street segments using the 2010 HCM methodologies. Based on the Thresholds of Significance developed in Task 3.a, significant impacts will be identified and mitigation measures recommended, if needed. Mitigation measures may consist of infrastructure improvements that improve circulation and/or strategies that would reduce automobile trip generation. Fehr & Peers will also provide VMT estimates from the ACTC Model for use in the air quality and greenhouse gas analysis. Fehr & Peers has identified two optional tasks for the transportation analysis, which are described below. Circulation Optional Task 1 Intersection Analysis Considering that the General Plan Update EIR would be a program level document, this scope includes analysis of project impacts on street segments. Alternatively, Fehr & Peers can complete an intersection LOS analysis. Fehr & Peers would collect automobile, bicycle, and pedestrian data at 15 intersections in the City of Albany during the weekday AM and PM peak periods (7:00 to 9:00 AM and 4:00 to 6:00 PM). Adjustments to our budget can be made if intersection count data has been collected within the last three years is available. Fehr & Peers will calculate intersection LOS under Existing conditions at the 15 study intersections using the 2010 HCM methodologies. Fehr & Peers will use the ACTC Model, as described above, to forecast 2035 intersection turning movement volumes for the 2035 No Project and 2035 Plus Preferred General Plan Alternative scenarios. Based on the Thresholds of Significance, Fehr & Peers will identify significant impacts and recommend mitigation measures if needed. Circulation Optional Task 2 Multi-Modal Impacts Analysis The scope of work described above includes a qualitative analysis of General Plan impacts on various travel modes including transit, pedestrians, and bicycles and is intended to provide adequate analysis for a CEQA document. Considering that Complete Streets will be an important concept in the General Plan Update, the City may wish to conduct more detailed analysis of potential impacts on various travel modes. Potential options may include: Estimate impacts on bus travel times along bus routes in the City of Albany, such as San Pablo Avenue and Solano Avenue, using the results of the traffic impact analysis. Estimate transit ridership based on the ACTC Model. Conduct a person delay analysis for the different travel modes at study intersections (instead of vehicle delay that is typically calculated for intersection analyses). This analysis may be particularly useful at the San Pablo Avenue/Marin Avenue and San Pablo Avenue/Solano Avenue intersections, which regularly experience high levels of congestion. 12

13 Conduct a Multi-Modal Level of Service (MMLOS) based on the 2010 HCM methodologies for corridors that the General Plan Update may contemplate modifying in order to show the potential effect of potential modifications on the various travel modes. At this point, it is difficult to budget for this task due to the uncertainty of the specific analyses that may be conducted. If City of Albany staff are interested in pursuing these or similar analysis, we will discuss with the project team the advantages, disadvantages, and costs for the different options and develop a detailed scope of work. 4. Air Quality LSA will prepare the air quality analysis consistent with the BAAQMD guidelines for plan-level impacts which will answer the following questions: 1) Does the General Plan support the primary goals of the Bay Area 2010 Clean Air Plan (CAP); 2) Does the General Plan include all of the applicable control measures from the CAP; and 3) Would the General Plan disrupt or hinder any of the control measures from the CAP. The CAP includes 55 measures to reduce air pollutants, greenhouse gas emissions and protect sensitive receptors from toxic air contaminants. The analysis will also evaluate the projected vehicle miles traveled in comparison to the projected population increase. LSA will draft mitigation measures in the form of additional policies, if required, to ensure the General Plan is consistent with the Clean Air Plan. 5. Global Climate Change California s legislative mandate (AB 32) is to reduce total projected 2020 GHG emissions to 1990 levels, a reduction of approximately 30 percent. To achieve this target, future development must be planned and implemented in the most GHG-efficient manner possible. For local jurisdictions, the General Plan is perhaps the best venue for addressing GHG emissions and to make meaningful progress toward attaining AB 32 goals while addressing CEQA requirements. According to the BAAQMD Air Quality CEQA Guidelines, the threshold for operational-related GHG impacts of a General Plan is a GHG efficiency-based metric of 6.6 metric tons per service population (employees plus residents) per year of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). LSA will evaluate the General Plan s impact on greenhouse gas emissions by utilizing greenhouse gas emissions data identified in the City of Albany s Climate Action Plan (CAP) from Based on a review of the Climate Action Plan, it is unclear if the 2020 emission estimates from the plan include the population and housing growth anticipated under the General Plan. Therefore, as necessary, LSA will calculate the additional greenhouse gas emission estimates for the proposed increased growth to supplement the CAP s 2020 projections. Using project General Plan service population data, LSA will estimate the GHG efficiency of General Plan policies designed to reduce emissions. LSA will then compare the per-service population emissions to the significance thresholds identified by the BAAQMD. If the results of the analysis indicate the General Plan would exceed the BAAQMD s service population threshold, feasible mitigation measures to reduce impacts will be identified in the form of additional General Plan policies. 6. Noise LSA will prepare the noise analysis that will identify the impacts on sensitive land uses from implementation of the General Plan Update. Noise impacts are anticipated to occur during and after buildout that could occur with implementation of the General Plan. Operational noise impacts would result 13

14 from both mobile and stationary sources. To assess each of these potential impacts, the following subtasks will be undertaken: Provide State Noise Element Guidelines consistency analysis. The updated General Plan Noise Element will be analyzed for consistency with the State s current Guidelines for the Preparation and Content of the Noise Element of the General Plan. Evaluate construction and operation-period noise impacts. Construction-period and operation-period noise impacts will be evaluated at a programmatic level. Known heavy traffic roadways within Albany include Interstate 80 (I- 80), I-580, San Pablo Avenue, Buchanan Street, Marin Avenue, and Solano Avenue. Operationperiod noise from vehicular traffic will be assessed utilizing the U.S. Federal Highway Traffic Noise Prediction Model (FHWA RD ). The analysis will be consistent with and dependent upon the scenarios used in the traffic analysis. Future (2035) no-project and plus-project traffic noise contours along a maximum of 30 selected roadway segments will be provided in tabular form and in figures to show the distance/contour relationship and the comparison of expected noise levels to State and City standards. Areas within the study area that would potentially expose new sensitive receptors to railroad noise or groundborne vibration impacts with implementation of the proposed General Plan will be identified. Where necessary, feasible mitigation measures in the form of additional General Plan policies will be identified to minimize future operational noise impacts. 7. Geology, Soils and Mineral Resources Based on our initial understanding of the project area, anticipated impacts relating to soils and geology may include seismic shaking, liquefaction, erosion, expansive soils, and subsidence. Potential geology impacts will be evaluated against the identified significance criteria, and the following tasks will be completed as part of the impacts analysis: Describe seismic impacts. Potential seismic impacts, including ground shaking, surface rupture, liquefaction, and landslides will be described. Describe geotechnical impacts. Potential impacts related to geotechnical soil properties, such as erosion, expansive soils, and subsidence will be described. The policies presented in the General Plan will be evaluated to determine the efficacy of reducing identified seismic and geotechnical impacts to levels of insignificance. Generalized mitigation measures in the form of policies will be drafted, as needed, to reduce or eliminate any remaining impacts to less-than-significant levels. 8. Hydrology and Water Quality Existing sources of noise within the City include BART, the Union Pacific Railroad, and Interstates I-80 and I-580, all of which run through the City. Based on review of available information, it is anticipated that impacts relating to hydrology and water quality may include an increase in stormwater runoff volume and resultant degradation of water quality unless appropriate mitigation measures are implemented. The following tasks will be completed as part of the impact analysis: 14

15 Evaluate potential changes in runoff volume. Development under the General Plan may change impervious surface areas and alter drainage patterns. This potential impact will be described qualitatively. The City of Albany, City of Berkeley, and the University of California have a history of working collaboratively on Codornices Creek restoration efforts. Describe potential degradation of water quality. Potential impacts associated with the discharge of urban pollutants (petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals associated with automobile use) from newly developed areas of the City will be described. Compliance with existing stormwater quality regulations and General Plan policies will reduce the severity of potential hydrology and water quality impacts. Additional mitigation measures in the form of policies will be drafted, as needed, to reduce or eliminate any remaining significant impacts to lessthan-significant levels. 9. Hazardous Materials Based on review of available information, it is anticipated that impacts associated with hazards and hazardous materials may include subsurface contamination, hazardous building materials, and hazardous materials management. The following tasks will be completed as part of the impact analysis: Describe risks of upset conditions associated with hazardous materials. Potential impacts associated with the use of hazardous materials during typical construction and land use operations will be described, including potential impacts to children at nearby schools. Describe impacts from subsurface contamination. Potential impacts associated with development in areas with known or potential subsurface contamination will be described. Describe general public safety hazards. Potential impacts associated with aviation hazards, wildland fires, and emergency response and evacuation procedures will be described. Albany Hill has been identified as a Hazardous Fire Area within the City of Albany. The policies presented in the General Plan will be evaluated to determine the efficacy of reducing identified hazards and hazardous materials/risk of upset impacts to levels of insignificance. Generalized mitigation measures in the form of policies will be drafted, as needed, to reduce or eliminate any remaining impacts to less-than-significant levels. 10. Biological Resources LSA will describe the potential impacts of the General Plan on biological resources, including but not necessarily limited to, habitat loss for special-status and native wildlife species, loss of wetlands, and impacts to native vegetation. LSA will coordinate with City staff to develop acceptable mitigation measures. Such mitigation most likely will be developed in the form of policies that will reduce potential impacts to biological resources. 11. Cultural Resources LSA will prepare the cultural and paleontological resources section of the Draft EIR. The section will be based on an analysis of documentation on file in local and regional archives, as well as contact 15

16 with interested parties. The background research will be conducted to: (1) identify recorded cultural and paleontological resources in the area; and (2) develop the basis for the cultural and paleontological resources setting sections of the EIR. This information will constitute the baseline conditions against which potential General Plan impacts will be assessed. The following tasks will be completed: Conduct a records search at the Northwest Information Center. The Northwest Information Center (NWIC) is an affiliate of the State of California Office of Historic Preservation and is the official State repository of cultural resource reports and records for San Mateo County. The records search will identify recorded cultural resources and cultural resources studies in the Plan area. Review other inventories and directories. Five inventories or directories will be examined to compile information on resources within the Plan Area: California Inventory of Historic Resources (California Department of Parks and Recreation 1976); Office of Historic Preservation s Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California (1988); California Historical Landmarks (1996); California Points of Historical Interest (1992); and the Directory of Properties in the Historic Property Data File. The Directory of Properties includes resources listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, National Historic Landmarks, and the California Register of Historical Resources. Local historical resources inventories, including those for Albany, if available, will be reviewed. Publications that address the Plan area s archaeological, environmental, and historical background will be reviewed as necessary to assess the likelihood of unidentified cultural resources. Review Albany s cultural resources planning documents and policies. LSA will review the proposed goals, policies, and objectives in the General Plan Update that address cultural and paleontological resources. Local zoning ordinances will also be reviewed. Contact potentially interested parties. LSA will contact the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) in Sacramento and will request a review of its sacred lands file to determine if the Plan area contains any cultural resources or areas of Native American concern. LSA will also contact the Albany Historical Society to determine if this organization has information or concerns about cultural resources in the Plan area. Conduct a paleontological literature review. LSA will conduct paleontological background research to prepare a paleontological context statement to characterize the Plan area s paleontological sensitivity. Based on the information developed above, LSA will prepare a cultural resources section for inclusion in the Draft EIR. The cultural resource section will be programmatic in nature. Impacts to both cultural and paleontological resources will be addressed and the following tasks will be completed: Prepare cultural and paleontological settings. Based on background research, LSA will describe the cultural and paleontological setting of the Plan area, including historical background, known cultural and paleontological resources, and regulatory context. LSA will incorporate the discussion of Albany s historic buildings which will be included in the baseline environmental conditions prepared by Barry Miller. Analyze Impacts. LSA will assess the adequacy of the General Plan Update to avoid, or reduce to less-than-significant levels, potentially significant impacts to cultural and 16