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F.6 LSA Grand Terrace TrailerGRAND TERRACE TRAILER/CONTAINER STORAGE PROJECT Environmental Process City of Grand Terrace City Council Hearing August 25, 2020 CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) Community Meeting (March 2019) Preparation of Technical Studies (March –November 2019) Preparation of Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) Fall 2019 Public Review (through January 9, 2020) Response to Public Comments Public Hearing(s) COMMUNITY MEETING (MARCH 2019) General Issues of Community Concern -Increased Traffic -Truck routes/trucks getting lost/stuck on local/neighborhood Streets -Type, house and method of operation -Noise from operation (similar to or more intense than existing sources) -Change in existing character of site -Appropriateness of use for the site -Current conditions of the site (e.g., homeless, dumping) -Future nuisance factors (e.g, traffic, noise, dust, altered views) TECHNICAL STUDIES (MAR-NOV 2019) The following site-specific technical studies were prepared for the project. Each study was reviewed by the City and an independent third-party reviewer: Air Quality/Greenhouse Gas Impact Analysis (Nov 2019) (Apx A) Biological Resources Assessment (Sept 2019) (Apx B) Cultural Resources Assessment (June 2019) (Apx C) Soils Report (July 2019) (Apx D) Preliminary WQMP (Apx E1) Preliminary Hydrology Study (July 2019)(Apx E2) Noise/Vibration Impact Analysis (Nov 2019)(Apx F) Traffic Impact Analysis (Oct 2019)(Apx G) Construction Energy Use Model Results (Apx H) INITIAL STUDY/MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION (FALL 2019) Addressed 20 environmental issues detailed in Appendix G the State CEQA Guidelines Compared the project to the existing environmental ‘baseline’ condition. Project impact(s) were evaluated against existing City, regional or State thresholds. For each issue, the level of impact is determined: No Impact Less than Significant Impact Less than Significant Impact with Mitigation Significant Impact (EIR required) Based on technical studies and existing thresholds all project impacts were determined either: No Impact, Less than Significant, or Less than Significant with Mitigation. No project-related or cumulative unmitigatable impacts Mitigation Measures for impacts related to: biological, cultural and tribal cultural resources; geology/soils; and hydrology/water quality. Mitigation Program included in the IS/MND (Appendix J.) IS/MND reviewed and approved by the City and independent third-party reviewer. ENVIRONMENTAL THREHOLDS AND SIGNIFICANCE DETERMINATIONS “Significant effect on the environment”means a substantial,or potentiallysubstantial,adverse change in any of the physical conditions within the areaaffectedbytheproject. Significance is measured by use of ‘thresholds’.Per CEQA Guidelines (Section15064.7): …an identifiable quantitative,qualitative or performance level of a particularenvironmentaleffect,non-compliance with which means the effect willnormallybedeterminedtobesignificantbytheagencyandcompliancewithwhichmeanstheeffectnormallywillbedeterminedtobelessthansignificant. , IS/MND PUBLIC REVIEW Public review of the IS/MND and appendices extended from December 6, 2019 through January 9, 2020. IS/MND and Appendices were available at City Hall and on-line on the City’s website during the review period. Notice of Intent (NOI) to adopt the IS/MND mailed to 57 local, regional, State and federal agencies (certified mail/return receipt) NOI to adopt the IS/MND was posted at the San Bernardino County Clerk of the Board. Notice of the IS/MND was provided in the newspaper and through public notice to residents in the project area. RESPONSE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS One public comment received during public review (City of Colton) Issues raised included: impact on visual character of the site, including required screening; water quality impacts related to long-term vehicle storage; land use compatibility; long-term stationary noise including forklifts; pavement condition and safety of movement on Terrace Road; geometrics of the Terrace Road/Barton Road intersection; access from La Cadena Drive; and the protection of utility features that may traverse the site. The City provided responses to all comments, which were reviewed and approved by City of Colton staff. Neither the public comments or responses identified a new impact or increased the severity of an identified impact and no recirculation of IS/MND was warranted. City of Colton Comments and City of Grand Terrace’s responses are included as Appendix I of the Final IS/MND. PUBLIC HEARING (MAY 21, 2020) General comments read into the record and phoned in related to: -Project would cause too much traffic for the area -Already too much traffic in the area -Trucks using neighborhood streets; ‘lost’ trucks on local streets; impacted safety of residents -Terrace Road is insufficient to accommodate project traffic -Streets not designed for this sort of project; too much parking on the streets -Increase noise from truck traffic, forklift; changes in the nighttime noise -‘Loading/unloading’ activity would cause light/noise pollution disrupting the nature of the neighborhood -Early/late and nighttime operation of the project -Air pollution from operation of the facility -Project is ‘out of place’; not fitting for character of the area -Project would change views from neighboring properties -Property should revert to previous agricultural zone -What form of security will be provided? -What are the community benefits derived from this project? -The project would effect property values -Investors’ ‘pocketbook’ should not take precedence over neighborhood quality of life. PUBLIC HEARING (JUNE 18, 2020) Continued –Lack of Quorum PUBLIC HEARING (JULY 16, 2020) IS/MND Adopted, 2:1 NOTICE OF DETERMINATION Filed with San Bernardino County July 20, 2020 CEQA CONSIDERATIONS Environmental analysis based on the baseline condition that exists at the time the analysis is initiated. Per CEQA Guidelines Section 15064(f)(5),in determining the significance of an impact,“…Argument,speculation,unsubstantiated opinion or narrative,or evidence that is clearly inaccurate or erroneous,or evidence that is not credible,shall not constitute substantial evidence…” Substantial Evidence:Per CEQA Guidelines Section 15384(b),“Substantial evidence shall include facts,reasonable assumptions predicated upon facts,and expert opinion supported by facts.” Economic/Social Impacts:Per CEQA Guidelines Section 15064(e),these impacts are not treated assignificanteffectsontheenvironment.CEQA may trace a chain of cause and effect from a proposeddecisionthroughanticipatedeconomic/social changes which then results in a physical change,buttheanalysismustfocusontheproveablephysicalchangeandnottheunderlyingsocial/economicchange. Whether a fair argument can be made that the project may have a significant effect on theenvironmentistobedeterminedbyexaminingthewholerecordbeforetheleadagency. TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS The Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) addressed the following conditions: Existing and Existing with Project Conditions Opening Year (2020) and Opening Year with Project Conditions Cumulative and Cumulative with Project Conditions. Per City input, six intersections were assessed La Cadena Drive/Barton Road (City of Colton) Vivienda Avenue/Project Driveway (City of Grand Terrace) Terrace Avenue/Barton Road (City of Colton) La Crosse Avenue/Barton Road (City of Grand Terrace) Interstate 215 (I-215) Southbound Ramps/Barton Road (Caltrans) I-215 Northbound Ramps/Barton Road (Caltrans). The TIA assessed opening and cumulative year impacts with the lane geometry of the improved interchange TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS Existing traffic counts were collected in May 2019.Counts were converted to passenger car equivalent volumes. Cumulative project information (29 projects)obtained from the City,Colton and City/County of Riverside (TIA Table 4-A)(149,000 cumulative ADT) Project trip generation rate (TIA Table 5-B)was developed by surveying two similar facilities (TIA Table 5-A).Project trips were distributed per City input. 1,172 PCE trips per day,57 am hour,31 pm peak hour (530 daily vehicle trips) A significant project impact occurs when the peak hour LOS falls below the LOS D (to E or F),or when the project contributes to an existing deficiency,OR for when the project causes a deterioration or contributes to an existing deficiency at a Caltrans intersections. No significant LOS impacts at study intersection under any project condition (TIA Tables 7A- C). AIR QUALITY/GHG ANALYSIS Construction and Operational Emissions based on construction activity (65 days) and anticipated traffic from project operations (AQ/GHG Analysis, Tables F-G) Air Emission outputs from CalEEMod (SCAQMD) No exceedance of SCAQMD daily thresholds for construction emissions or operational conditions (AQ/GHG Analysis, Tables H-L). By providing a local storage alternative, the project would reduce the number of empty containers being stored/transported out of area (e.g., Los Angeles, Long Beach, and out of state locations), thereby reducing regional GHG emissions. NOISE ASSESSMENT Short-term ambient noise level up to 68.7 dBA at project boundary, 65.0 at residences across La Cadena, and 63.5 at nearby mobile home park (March 2019) (Noise Assessment, Table G) Long-term ambient noise of 63 dBA CNEL at project boundary (Noise Assessment, Table H) Average construction noise up 76 dBA (Noise Assessment, Table L). Higher than average ambient noise levels, but is temporary. Construction noise permitted subject to provisions of Municipal Code (Section 8.108) Long-term traffic noise increase up to 2.6 dBA over existing conditions on Terrace Road (Noise Assessment, Tables O-Q). Other roadways have a smaller noise level increase. The threshold of human perception of a change in noise levels is 3.0 dBA increase. Long-term trailer dropoff noise up to 63 dBA at nearest receptor, below maximum permitted level (65 dBA) Forklift noise up to 63 dBA at nearest receptor. Project includes a condition for alternative backup warning device Noise from employee parking area, HVAC and maintenance shed activity would not exceed maximum permitted levels. Project would comply with all applicable provisions of MC Section 8.108 regarding construction noise. Measures addressing operational noise are not required, but will be provided for forklift noise. MITIGATION MEASURES CEQA Guidelines (Section 15041)details the authority to mitigate or implement measures that will substantially less or avoid significant impacts.Mitigation must be linked to an impact and must be ‘roughly proportional’to the level of impact. Mitigation’does not include the standard conditions universally imposed on projects (e.g.,dust control measures). Mitigation Measures identified for the Project: BIO-1: Requires pre-construction nesting bird surveys if ground disturbance occurs within nesting season (February through August). CUL-2: Requires project plans to include notification and assessment provisions for any cultural material discovered during ground disturbance. GEO-1: Requires project plans to include notification and assessment provisions for any paleontological material discovered during ground disturbance. TCR-1: Requires project plans to include notification and assessment provisions for any Native American cultural material discovered during ground disturbance.