A IV NATOLIA Mitigated Negative Declaration City of Rancho Cordova 3121 Gold Canal Drive Rancho Cordova, CA 95670 November 2005 M N D ITIGATED EGATIVE ECLARATION FOR A IV NATOLIA CITY OF RANCHO CORDOVA, CALIFORNIA Prepared by: THE CITY OF RANCHO CORDOVA 3121 Gold Canal Drive Rancho Cordova, CA 95670 Phone 916.942.0223 Fax 916.853.1680 NOVEMBER 2005 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction and Regulatory Guidance......................................................................1-1 1.2 Lead Agency....................................................................................................................1-1 1.3 Purpose and Document Organization.........................................................................1-1 1.4 Assumptions......................................................................................................................1-2 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 2.1 Project Location...............................................................................................................2-1 2.2 Project Background.........................................................................................................2-1 2.3 Project Characteristics ...................................................................................................2-4 2.4 Required Project Approvals...........................................................................................2-4 3.0 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING, IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 3.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................3-1 I. Aesthetics...................................................................................................................3-5 II. Agricultural Resources .............................................................................................3-7 III. Air Quality...................................................................................................................3-9 IV. Biological Resources...............................................................................................3-14 V. Cultural Resources..................................................................................................3-21 VI. Geology and Soils...................................................................................................3-23 VII. Hazards and Hazardous Materials........................................................................3-25 VIII. Hydrology and Water Quality...............................................................................3-30 IX. Land Use and Planning..........................................................................................3-36 X. Mineral Resources...................................................................................................3-37 XI. Noise..........................................................................................................................3-38 XII. Population and Housing.........................................................................................3-41 XIII. Public Services.........................................................................................................3-42 XIV. Recreation................................................................................................................3-45 XV. Transportation and Traffic......................................................................................3-46 XVI. Utility and Service Systems.....................................................................................3-49 XVII. Mandatory Findings of Significance.....................................................................3-53 4.0 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS 4.1 Cumulative Impacts........................................................................................................4-1 5.0 DETERMINATION 5.0 Determination..................................................................................................................5-1 6.0 REPORT PREPARATION AND CONSULTATIONS 6.1 Report Preparation..........................................................................................................6-1 6.2 Persons and Agencies Consulted.................................................................................6-1 7.0 REFERENCES City of Rancho Cordova Anatolia IV November 2005 Mitigated Negative Declaration i 1.0 I NTRODUCTION 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 INTRODUCTION AND REGULATORY GUIDANCE This document is an Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) prepared pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), for the proposed Anatolia IV project. This MND has been prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Public Resources Code Sections 21000 et seq., and the CEQA Guidelines. An initial study is conducted by a lead agency to determine if a project may have a significant effect on the environment. In accordance with the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15064, an environmental impact report (EIR) must be prepared if the initial study indicates that the proposed project under review may have a potentially significant impact on the environment. A negative declaration may be prepared instead, if the lead agency prepares a written statement describing the reasons why a proposed project would not have a significant effect on the environment, and, therefore, why it does not require the preparation of an EIR (CEQA Guidelines Section 15371). According to CEQA Guidelines Section 15070, a negative declaration shall be prepared for a project subject to CEQA when either: a) The initial study shows there is no substantial evidence, in light of the whole record before the agency, that the proposed project may have a significant effect on the environment, or b) The initial study identified potentially significant effects, but: (1) Revisions in the project plans or proposals made by or agreed to by the applicant before the proposed negative declaration is released for public review would avoid the effects or mitigate the effects to a point where clearly no significant effects would occur, and (2) There is no substantial evidence, in light of the whole record before the agency, that the proposed project as revised may have a significant effect on the environment. If revisions are adopted into the proposed project in accordance with the CEQA Guidelines Section 15070(b), a mitigated negative declaration is prepared. 1.2 LEAD AGENCY The lead agency is the public agency with primary responsibility over a proposed project. Where two or more public agencies will be involved with a project, CEQA Guidelines Section 15051 provides criteria for identifying the lead agency. In accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15051(b) (1), “the lead agency will normally be the agency with general governmental powers, such as a city or county, rather than an agency with a single or limited purpose.” Based on these criteria, the City of Rancho Cordova will serve as lead agency for the proposed Anatolia IV project. 1.3 PURPOSE AND DOCUMENT ORGANIZATION The purpose of this Initial Study and draft Mitigated Negative Declaration is to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the proposed Anatolia IV project including all on-site infrastructure improvements. City of Rancho Cordova Anatolia IV November 2005 Mitigated Negative Declaration 1-1 1.0 INTRODUCTION This document is divided into the following sections: • 1.0 Introduction - Provides an introduction and describes the purpose and organization of this document; • 2.0 Project Description - Provides a detailed description of the proposed project; • 3.0 Environmental Setting, Impacts and Mitigation Measures - Describes the environmental setting for each of the environmental subject areas, evaluates a range of impacts classified as “no impact,” “less than significant,” or “potentially significant unless mitigation incorporated” in response to the environmental checklist, and provides mitigation measures, where appropriate, to mitigate potentially significant impacts to a less than significant level; • 4.0 Cumulative Impacts - Includes a discussion of cumulative impacts of this project. • 5.0 Determination - Provides the environmental determination for the project; • 6.0 Report Preparation and Consultations - Identifies staff and consultants responsible for preparation of this document, persons and agencies consulted, and references. • 7.0 References – List of references use by the MND. 1.4 ASSUMPTIONS Rancho Cordova became an incorporated city on July 1, 2003. The City is currently in the process of preparing a Draft General Plan/Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) consistent with state planning and zoning law and the California Environmental Quality Act. While the General Plan/DEIR process is underway, the City has adopted a Vision Book, Draft Land Use Map Book, and Circulation Plan. The Vision Book establishes the conceptual vision of the City and reflects the compilation of ideas from the community on a wide variety of topics related to the future of Rancho Cordova. It includes ideas that relate to specific sites and issues, as well as ideas that are more conceptual in nature. The Circulation Plan describes the basic roadway, bikeway, transit, and pedestrian system that will form the backbone of the City as it develops. The General Plan Land Use Map combine geographical areas of the City with generalized and specific land use designations to guide the City’s future development patterns. The intent of the General Plan Land Use Map is to establish a variety of new land use designations that reflect more mixed, and in some cases, a higher density of development envisioned for the City. These mixed-use categories provide for residential, commercial, and office uses all on a single site. Per Government Code §65360(b), new development proposals and actions by the City will be examined for their consistency with these interim policies and standards. The Vision Book, Draft Land Use Book and Map, and Circulation Plan also have been included for further study and evaluation in the City’s Draft General Plan/DEIR. Anatolia IV City of Rancho Cordova Mitigated Negative Declaration November 2005 1-2 2.0 P D ROJECT ESCRIPTION 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 2.1 PROJECT LOCATION The Anatolia IV project site is located within the approved Sunrise Douglas Community Plan and Sunridge Specific Plan (SDCP/SRSP) areas on the southwest corner of Chrysanthy Road and Jaeger Road. Figures 1 and 2 show the project location and vicinity in relation to the Sunridge Specific Plan and Sunrise Douglas Community Plan. 2.2 BACKGROUND The SDCP/SRSP Final EIR (FEIR) was certified by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors on June 19, 2002. The FEIR was designated a “Master” EIR, pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21157 (FEIR, Vol. 1, p. 3.10). A Master EIR is intended to provide a detailed environmental review of plans and programs upon which the approval of subsequent related development proposals can be based. A Master EIR must, to the greatest extent feasible, evaluate the cumulative impacts, growth-inducing impacts and irreversible significant effects on the environment of specific, subsequent projects. The review of subsequent projects that have been described in the Master EIR can be limited to the extent that the Master EIR has already reviewed project impacts and set forth mitigation measures. (See Public Resources Code section 21157.) A Master EIR enables a lead agency to perform limited environmental review of subsequent projects proposed within five years of certification of the Master EIR, in accordance with the following requirements: • The lead agency for the subsequent project is the lead agency or any responsible agency identified in the Master EIR. • The lead agency prepares an Initial Study that analyzes (1) whether the subsequent project may cause any significant effect on the environment that was not examined in the Master EIR, and (2) whether the subsequent project was described in the Master EIR as being within the scope of the project. • If the lead agency determines that a subsequent project will have no significant effect on the environment which was not previously identified in the Master EIR and that no new or additional mitigation measures or alternatives may be required, no new environmental document may be required. However, the lead agency must make a written finding that the subsequent project is within the scope of the project covered by the Master EIR, and must incorporate all feasible mitigation measures or feasible alternatives set forth in the Master EIR that are appropriate to the project. • If the lead agency determines that a subsequent project may have an additional significant effect on the environment that was not identified in the Master EIR, the lead agency must prepare either a mitigated negative declaration, an EIR, or a focused EIR. (Pub. Resources Code, § 21157.1.) The Sunrise Douglas Community Plan/Sunridge Specific Plan EIR was “tiered” from the Sacramento County General Plan Update EIR and in turn is considered to be the Master EIR upon which the environmental review for future development projects within the planning area, such as the Anatolia IV project may rely (FEIR, Vol. 1, pp. 3.10–3.11). Subsequent projects expected to be within the scope of the Sunrise Douglas Community Plan/Sunridge Specific Plan Master EIR would include future planning/development approvals for properties within the Specific Plan area that are consistent with the Sunridge Specific Plan land use designations and City of Rancho Cordova Anatolia IV November 2005 Mitigated Negative Declaration 2-1 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION the permissible development densities and intensities established by the Specific Plan, such as the Anatolia IV project that is the subject of this Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (Ibid.). Public Resources Code Section 21083.3 limits CEQA review of certain projects to environmental effects that are “peculiar” to the parcel or to the project and which were not addressed as significant effects in a prior EIR, or which new information shows will be more significant than described in the prior EIR. This project is a qualified project pursuant to section 21083.3, which provides in pertinent part: (a) If a parcel has been zoned to accommodate a particular density of development or has been designated in a community plan to accommodate a particular density of development and an environmental impact report was certified for that zoning or planning action, the application of this division to the approval of any subdivision map or other project that is consistent with the zoning or community plan shall be limited to effects upon the environment which are peculiar to the parcel or to the project and which were not addressed as significant effects in the prior environmental impact report, or which substantial new information shows will be more significant than described in the prior environmental impact report. (b) If a development project is consistent with the general plan of a local agency and an environmental impact report was certified with respect to that general plan, the application of this division to the approval of that development project shall be limited to effects on the environment which are peculiar to the parcel or to the project and which were not addressed as significant effects in the prior environmental impact report, or which substantial new information shows will be more significant than described in the prior environmental impact report. The Sunrise Douglas Community Plan provides “policy direction for development of lands within the entire 6,042 acre Community Plan boundary, but does not assign specific land uses.” (FEIR, Vol. 1, p. 4.12.) The Sunridge Specific Plan “does define specific land uses and a development program for 2,632 acres within the Community Plan boundary.” (Ibid.) The Specific Plan land use designations for the Anatolia IV parcels have RD-5 and RD-10 zoning designations (See FEIR, Vol.1, p. 4.15a, map of specific plan designations). The proposed project substantially conforms to the existing allocation of land uses and densities specified in the SDCP and SRSP with an RD-10 and park designation. Further analysis was required, however, prior to making a determination of the appropriate environmental document for the processing of the Anatolia IV project. CEQA Guidelines Section 15183 provides guidance on the criteria to be used in making a determination as to whether Section 21083.3 will apply. Specifically, Guideline Section 15183, subdivision (b), provides as follows: (b) In approving a project meeting the requirements of this section, a public agency shall limit its examination of environmental effects to those, which the agency determines, in an initial study or other analysis: (1) Are peculiar to the project or the parcel on which the project would be located, and (2) Were not analyzed as significant effects in a prior EIR on the zoning action, general plan, or community plan, with which the project is consistent, Anatolia IV City of Rancho Cordova Mitigated Negative Declaration November 2005 2-2 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION (3) Are potentially significant off-site impacts and cumulative impacts which were not discussed in the prior EIR prepared for the general plan, community plan or zoning action, or (4) Are previously identified significant effects which, as a result of substantial new information which was not known at the time the EIR was certified, are determined to have a more severe adverse impact than discussed in the prior EIR. This Initial Study is devoted to discussing the basis upon which this partial exemption provided by Section 21083.3 is used for the Anatolia IV project. Most importantly, it summarizes the findings of Sacramento County relating to the prior SDCP/SRSP Master EIR and how the criteria set forth in CEQA Guidelines section 15183 have been met. Guideline Section 15183, subdivision (f), provides guidance as to certain categories of effects that, as a matter of law, are not considered “peculiar” to a project. This provision states in part as follows: (f) An effect of a project on the environment shall not be considered peculiar to the project or the parcel for the purposes of this section if uniformly applied development policies or standards have been previously adopted by the city or county with a finding that the development policies or standards will substantially mitigate the environmental effect when applied to future projects, unless substantial new information shows that the policies or standards will not substantially mitigate the environmental effect. The section entitled “Summary of Impacts and Their Disposition,” beginning on page 17.1 of Volume 1 of the SDCP/SRSP Master EIR, provided a summary of the findings leading to the conclusions of significance for each of the categories listed below. The bulk of these listed categories are not relevant to the Anatolia IV project due in large part to the fact that the project is substantially consistent with the Specific Plan and proposes no substantial changes to the Plan. Impacts deemed significant and unavoidable based on both project specific and cumulative impact. • Wetland impacts • Special status species impacts • Certain traffic impacts • Certain air quality impacts Impacts deemed potentially significant and mitigable. • Construction-related impacts • Land use compatibility • Rendering plant compatibility • General Plan consistency • Transit service • Sewer service development • Groundwater Impacts • Drainage • Certain traffic impacts • Certain air quality impacts • Certain biological impacts • Traffic noise City of Rancho Cordova Anatolia IV November 2005 Mitigated Negative Declaration 2-3