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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes No 314PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 314 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING AND CERTIFYING AS COMPLETE THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE COLLEGE OF THE DESERT AREA SPECIFIC PLAN. CASE NO. GPA 02-77 (EIR) WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Palm Desert, California, has held a public hearing on the final Environmental Impact Report prepared in connection with the College of the Desert Area Specific Plan and has considered the testimony of all persons wishing to be heard on this matter; and, WHEREAS, the final EIR conforms to all requirements of the Cali- fornia Environmental Quality Act, the State Guidelines for the Imple- mentation of CEQA, and the City of Palm Desert Resolution on Environ- mental Quality Procedures; and, WHEREAS, the Planning Commission finds that the proposed project adequately mitigates drainage, loss of open space, increased traffic, increased noise pollution, municipal service demands, depletion of scarce energy and water resources, displacement and relocation, seismic hazard, and construction noise problems identified in the final EIR; and, WHEREAS, the Planning Commission finds that mitigation measures for increased air pollution and higher demand on utility and special district services is essentially within the responsibility and jurisdic- tion of other public agencies and not the City of Palm Desert. NOW, THEREFORE, the Planning Commission of the City of Palm Desert does hereby resolve as follows: 1. That the final EIR for the College of the Desert Area Specific Plan, which consists of the attached draft EIR (labeled Exhibit A) and the staff report on the final EIR, which contains the comments received on the draft EIR, a list of agencies commenting on the draft EIR, and the responses of the City to significant environmental points raised in the review and consultation process and public impact received during the public hearings held on the EIR on December 6th and 14th, is hereby/ certified as complete. 2. That the Planning Commission hereby recommends to the City Council that the final EIR be certified as complete. PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this 14th day of December, 1977, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: BERKEY, KELLY, KRYDER, READING, SNYDER NOES: NONE ABSENT: NONE ABSTAIN: NONE GEORGE BERK , Chairman ATTEST: PAUL A. WILITAMS, Secretary /ks PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 314 EXHIBIT A VII. DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT 4110.* The draft environmental ment within the project by Section this draft visions of sources ly, the impact report (EIR) has been included as an ele- report for the COD Area Specific Plan, as provided 15061(d) of the California Administrative Code. In all respects, EIR has been developed in accordance with the applicable pro - the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State Re - Agency's Guidelines for the Implementation of CEQA, and particular - guidelines and procedures of the City of Palm Desert Resolution No. 77-7. This EIR is an informational document designed to assist the City Council min objectively evaluating the environmental impacts that may result from the implementation of all, a portion, or none of the recommendations con- tained in the COD Area Specific Plan. State law recognizes that environ- mental issues must be balanced within a broad context of concerns and thus specifies that an EIR alone "may not be used as an instrument to rational- ize approval of a project, nor do indications of adverse impact enunciated in the EIR require that a project be disapproved." 1 This EIR reflects the degree of generality of the proposed plan. 1 Section 15012, California Administrative Code. VII-i TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Description of the Project Page VII-II-1 II. Existing Environmental Setting A. Natural Environment VII-I: B. Man -Made Environment VII-II-20 III. Environmental Impact Analysis A. Natural Environment VII-III-1 B. Man -Made Environment VII-III-3 IV. Adverse Environmental Effects Which Cannot Be Avoided .... VII-I� V. Mitigation Measures Proposed to Minimize Adverse Environmental Impact VI. Alternatives to the Proposed Project VII-V-1 VII-V VII. Relationship Between Local Short-term Uses of Man's Environment and the Maintenance and Enhancement of Long-term Productivity VII-VII-1 VIII. Irreversible or Irretrievable Environmental Changes 44110 VII-VIII-1 IX. Growth -Inducing Impact of the Project VII-IX-1 X. Appendix A - Summary of Native Flora & Fauna Typical of the Project Site and Adjacent City Area XI. List of Agencies and Individuals contacted in the Pre- paration of this Report VII-X-' VII-XI-1 XII. Reference Bibliography - VII-XII-1 VII-ii I. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT The following information: a. The location and boundaries of the proposed project, including the location on a regional map, b. a statement of the objectives sought by the proposed project, and c. a general description of the project's technical, economic, and environ- mental characteristics, including the principle engineering proposals and supporting public service facilities has been provided within the various elements of the project report. See the Intro- duction for local and regional maps and all other elements for information on items b and c. II. EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING A. Natural Environment 1. Climate and Hydrology The major attractions of the Coachella Valley, its normally clear skies and pleasant winter temperatures, are a result of its arid desert climate. Tempera- tures within Palm Desert are often within a few degrees of Palm Springs, which has an annual average maximum of 88*F and an annual average minimum of 56'F. Summer highs commonly exceed 100'F and occasionally 120'F. Winter lows are in the 40's, but sometimes dip below 20'F. Precipitation in the Coachella Valley is due to water -laden marine storms which deposit most of their rainfall in the San Jacinto, San Gorgonia, and Santa Rosa mountains. Frequently, the annual rainfall in the mountains exceeds 40 inches, while on the valley floor, where the project site is located, less than 5 inches is normal. Most rain falls as a result of infrequent and short winter storms. These storms are often intensified by the warm rain melting the snow pack in the adjacent mountain areas. On rarer occasions, there are high intensity summer storms which create runoff problems in the form of flash flooding. Under these conditions, street flooding within the College area is common. The effects of these storms tend to be the most damaging since the precipitation falls within the perimeter flood control channels which have been built to protect the exist- ing urbanized areas in the City. VII-II-1 Accurate data on stormwater flows for the Coachella Valley and Palm Desert area have not been gathered for a significant length of time to produce reli- able forecasts of fugure conditions. Historical records and newspaper and re- ports show that floods occurred in the Valley in 1862, 1884, 1886, 1889, 1891, 1901, 1903, 1906, 1912, 1915, 1916, 1921, 1926, 1927, 1932, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1948, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, and 1976. The flood of January, 1916, was the result of one of the greatest single con- centrations of rainfall in any one month in the history of southern California. More than 9 inches of rain produced probably the most devastating of all floods in the Coachella Valley, although there were far fewer developed areas to be damaged then than now. This flood is believed to represent the maximum rate of discharge for the Whitewater River and Deep Canyon. Besides washing away 11 miles of railway track and putting Indio and Coachella under 2 feet of water, the runoff slashed a chasm 25-50 feet deep and between 300 and 600 feet wide from Cathedral City to below Indian Wells. During the flood of 1927, flows from Deep Canyon washed out 1500 feet of High- way 111. The thunderstorm observed at Indio on September 24, 1939, was one of the most intense on record. The intensity level was reported at 4.45 inches in a 3-hour period. Indio storm of September 24, 1939 Accumulated Time Precipitation in Inches 0400 0 0800 2.00 0930 3.70 1015 5.45 1100 6.45 The first storm of any consequence to cause damage to developed portions of Palm Desert occurred on July 28, 1951. A Palm Springs newspaper carried the following story on August 3: "Palm Valley and Palm Desert damage was estimated at several thousand dollars as a result of mud and silt damage to some homes. Pines to Palms Highway, which joins 111 at Palm Desert was given a severe beat- ing during the storm. The storm started with a fall of cloudburst pro- portions, with 3 inches of rain in a short time being recorded. Storm channels were full no and rnarina anr1 rn„l 7 ,. ,.F -r �L_ - 2 C huiI1a h1P C � 4 Wa ter REGIONAL DRAINAGE FOR THE PALM DESERT AREA 91 • Water e 31 vc r t 11:1 0 i �''l.""\LARI1 f - o:L 7 1 -'1 r ,. \ \ ?l ter ' \ _ •1 I sec ^" (� �i I r ti 1 t a n. 7 1 s. (1 t# d v. a n r. `<-, , m s { ``�� 1 A9 \ I� !„ ,e'13:o lam,^-. ,� E D I •A - 4,! _erg ,!1 ESM 186d . <215a---, ? ,IC BM • 145 �t t < u Y • 81 3374, % t;y 0R tie, .,�nmr•"�.nac.rc�'. 5 vti Well n,asaw, • 13 .•lla Earl •_T l' r . z Vic le, EL OOR O ,, Gqt.F COURSE \ o `. R I- La Quo,to •• Water =• y —trc' `��''//CC// ([ `3 , --�i � aa♦ a�^, aJJ� 1 1�SeLL'45 ��1.._i. 1 , . ` .. \ 4. __ •a t Vt r ?• 1 _ - - 1 - !I L o II •32 c '„ J, n 'ram % 3F i Y a`e l ,i R ', L)Water \.--_-... Intlio lAtn• A �`3 - f I a w'- ` s ,� `.. e 1 e es _ �v l .^ 0 1 ,0 3. I 1 i VII—II-3 Water ran through houses depositing mud and silt. Boulders, mud, and debris were deposited in yards and patios. A foot of water swept the Sun Lodge district." In September, 1976, property in Palm Desert experienced heavy damage from floods on two separate occasions. The first of these, tropical storm "Kathleen" deposited more than 3 inches of rainfall on the city in less than 24 hours, between the evening of September 9 and the afternoon of September 10. Some- time shortly after noon on September 10, a diversion dike at the mouth of Dead Indian Canyon failed. A wall of water estimated to be several feet high struck and breached the Dead Indian Canyon Dike at 2 locations easterly of Highway 74. This water continued in a northeasterly direction through the urbanized area of Palm Desert until it reached the Whitewater River Storm Chan- nel. During this same period, stormwater also topped the Palm Valley Storm - water Channel in the vicinity of Hedgehog Street. Total damage estimated from this storm in Palm Desert was in excess of $20 million. Thirteen days later, on September 23, a second tropical storm of very high intensity struck, causing an additional $900,000 in damage. A groundwater level of between 80 to 200 or more feet below the surface is the normal conditionfor the City and valley floor. The water level in this re- gion of the Coachella Valley is dropping at the rate of less than one foot per year. The Coachella Valley County Water District (CVCWD) is currently involved in a program to recharge the groundwater basin. Drought conditions in northern California do not affect its water resources, since CVCWD has exchanged its share of water from the state water program for additional Colorado River water with the Metropolitan Water District. The quality of groundwater in the Valley is considered to be quite good and is used for domestic as well as agricultural purposes. Total dissolved solids average 175 ppm, although this figure varies greatly. Several old, shallow wells have had nitrate levels above 35 ppm and have been limited to agricultural use. Well water is generally not used directly from individual wells, but is piped to holding tanks. This creates a blending of water from various areas having a wide range of dissolved solids. VII-II-4 Summary of Groundwater Quality Factor Average Range Total Dissolved Solids 175 ppm 100-250 ppm Hardness 110 ppm 100-250 ppm Flourides 0.4 ppm 0.2-0.8 ppm 2. Topography and Geography Palm Desert is situated in a large physiographic basin which is a continuation of the Gulf of California. This large valley, for practical reasons, is divided into 3 district areas. The part in Mexico is called the Mexicali Valley, the part south of the Salton Sea is called the Imperial Valley, and the part north of the Salton Sea is known as the Coachella Valley. The latter, in which Palm Desert is located, is completely surrounded by mountain ranges, except for the southeastern tip where it adjoins the Salton Sea. To the south is the vast Santa Rosa range whose flood waters come thundering down Deep Canyon. Most of Palm Desert is situated on gently sloping (less than 5% slope) land which has an elevation of 800 feet (at the southerly city boundary on Highway 74) down to 160 feet at the Whitewater River Storm Channel. The average grad- ient from the south city boundary to Shadow Mountain Drive is 4%, 2% between Shadow Mountain Drive and Highway 111, and less than 1% from Highway 111 to the Whitewater River the general location of the Specific Plan study area. Along the western edge of the city is an extension of the Santa Rosa range known as the Cauhilla Hills. Although these mountains exceed 2200 feet, the highest elevation within the city is just above 1000 feet. Elevations within the COD District range from 200 to 160 feet above sea level. 3. Geology and Soils The City of Palm Desert is located on recent (Holocene) alluvium formed by the flooding and deposition primarily from Dead Indian Creek and Deep Canyon. The alluvium is complosed of unconsolidated boulder and cobble gravel and sand with- in and near the mouths of the canyons, grading to sand, silt, and clay in the lower parts of the City. These materials range in thickness from a feather edge near the mountains to 1000 feet or more in the Valley. The mountains to the south and west of the City are underlain by hard, resistant granitic and metamorphic rocks that form moderately steep to steep ridges and canyons. The U.S. Soil Conservation Service, Coachella office, prepared a soil map of the Palm Desert area showing soil hydrologic groupings. The soils in this VII-II-5 't 1VIND EROSION HAZARD Wind Direction With Degree Of Angle West Of True North SO URC E: USDA, Soil Consersvelon Scrace NORTH 1 2 Vies 3 area tend to fall into two major groups. The soil types that exhibit similar characteristics of water transmission and runoff potential are Tujunga Fine Sandy Loam and Hanford Gravelly Sandy Loam. These soil types are defined in the Hydrology and Hydraulic Design Manual of the Los Angeles County Flood Con- trol District. 4. Seismic and Non -Seismic Geologic Hazards There are 4 major faults located within or near the City of Palm Desert. In the mountain area to the south of the City is a series of faults known as the San Jacinto Fault Zone. Passing through the middle of the Coachella Valley is the South Pass Fault. This fault, which is inactive, cuts across the northern- most portion of the City near the Portola Country Club (Sun King) Mobilehome Subdivision. Further north, paralleling the foothills along the north edge of the Valley, is the San Andreas Fault Zone. The fourth fault occurs south of Palm Springs and is called the Palm Canyon Fault. Infoimation bearing on the reoccurrence of earthquakes on the San Jacinto and San Andreas faults was developed in the Technical Seismic Report prepared for the Palm Desert General Plan. The following conclusions are considered the most pertinent to the question of earthquake shaking in Palm Desert: a. The San Jacinto fault is one of, if not the, most active faults in Califor- nia. It has a well established pattern as the source of numerous moderate sized earthquakes in the range of magnitude 6 to 7 about once every 12 years at any given point. Recent activity has centered primarily on the southern segments of the fault, but activity should increase on the north- ern segments nearer Palm Desert in the near future. b. While an earthquake of magnitude 6.5 is considered the most probable event on the San Jacinto fault, a larger event of about magnitude 7.5 should be considered as a possibility, particularly in the design of the more impor- tant or critical structures. c. The San Andreas in the Palm Desert area exhibits a relatively low level of seismicity. The recurrence interval for a magnitude 6.5 earthquake re- sulting from slip along any particular part of the fault is approximately 500 years. d. Crustal strain (regional less San Jacinto movement) and'recent and late Pleistocene movement, however, suggest a much higher level of activity. If these indicated rates of movement are converted to a theoretical recurrence interval for a magnitude 6.5 earthquake, it is only 25 years or less or one -tenth or less that from seismicity. VTT-TT-7 e. Data on movement of the San Andreas fault system along its entire length indicates rates of movement in the range of 5 to 8 cm/yr are likely. Only about one-third of this can be accounted for along the San Jacinto fault, leaving the San Andreas itself about twice as active as the San Jacinto. f. The San Andreas fault in the Palm Desert area is generally considered to be part of an "active area" rather than one of the "locked segments" of the fault. A "great" earthquake (magnitude 7.8 or more) is, therefore, considered unlikely. A "major" earthquake, however, with a magnitude of approximately 7.5, is considered likely. g. Recurrence data is somewhat conflicting, but "best estimates" for expected earthquakes are as follows: Fault and Earthquake Magnitude Recurrence Interval San Jacinto fault 200 years Magnitude 6.5 Magnitude 7.5 500 years San Andreas fault Magnitude 7.5 50-150 years Additional non -seismic geological hazard which may impact Palm Desert in- clude: - Settlement Soils in the Palm Desert area consist of the alluvium underlying the City and thinner- residual and locally derived soils in the mountainous areas. The alluvial soils are granular to coarsely granular. The upper few feet is often loose and poorly compacted, and may require some removal and re - compaction for heavy structures. Differential settlement, however, should not be a problem provided normal soils engineering precautions are taken. J The soils in the mountainous area of the City are primarily residual (de- rived in place) soils with some locally derived alluvium. They are relatively thin, and should not be a problem with respect to differential settlement. Regional settlement may occur as the result of groundwater withdrawal and the lowering of the water table. Such settlement is not normally a hazard to structures because it does not result in differential movement that would cause damage. Aqueducts or other structures that require a precise mainte- nance of grade may be affected, but most are not. - Liquefaction - Liquefaction involves a sudden loss in strength of a saturated, cohesion - less soil (predominantly sand) which is caused by shock or strain, such as an earthquake, and results in temporary transformation of the soil to a fluid mass. If the liquefying layer is near the surface the effects are much like that of quicksand on any structure located on it. If the layer is in the subsurface, it may provide a sliding surface for the material above it. Liquefaction typically occurs in areas where the groundwater is less than 30 feet from the surface, and where the soils are composed pre- dominantly of poorly consolidated fine sand. Review of water -well records of the Coachella Valley County Water District and maps of the California Department of Water Resources (1964) indicates that groundwater levels in the study are and have been at or below 100 feet for several tens of years. Considering the demand for water in the area, it is unlikely that water levels will rise to a depth that liquefaction would become a potential hazard at Palm Desert. - Landslides - Landslides should be considered a basic geologic hazard rather than one having an unusual association with earthquakes. The shaking of an earth- quake only provides the triggering force to initiate dowmslope movement of a previously -unstable earthmass. The prime factor is the unstable condition itself. Movement could just as easily be triggered by heavy rains, or by grading on a construction project. The bedrock underlying slopes steep enough to be involved in landsliding at Palm Desert is limited to relatively hard igneous and metamorphic types that are not generally prone to landsliding. The softer sedimentary rocks of the coastal sections of Southern California, in which landslides are common, are not present at Palm Desert. This dominance of relatively strong rock and the low annual rainfall make the Palm Desert area one re- latively free of landslides. Of the several types of landslides normally encountered in Southern Califor- nia, only rockfalls are present to any significant degree. They are com- mon on the steeper slopes of the rocky terrain to the west and south of the City. A more detailed assessment of the landslide hazard at any particular site requires detailed knowledge of the site and the nature of any proposed mod- ifications of the terrain. For this reason, geologic and soils engineering Hydrocarbons SOURCE OF VARIOUS EMISSIONS SOUTHEAST DESERT AIR BASIN (t o n s p e r d a y) Particulate Nitrogen Flatter Oxides Sulfur Dioxide Carbon Monoxide Autornoti%e 45 (38.8%) 5 (2.5%) 47 (46.1 %) 1.9 (24.40) 377 (84.2;) Planes, Ship, Rail 37 (31.9%) 14 (6.9%) 27 (26. 5%) 4. 9 (62. 8 0) 37 (8. 3%) Stationary 34 (29.3j) 184 (90.6%) 28 (27.4%) 1.0 (12.8 ) 34 (7.5%) Total 116 203 102 7.8 448 Source: SCAG, 1975 Regional Transportation Plan, p.D-43 3. 7.-\r-f• O z 0 Q z W go z Q M i i • Of FIGURE 0-30 FIGURE c 0 .o 0 E • < o - K • 0 o o -0 • 0 C M P > C o tel ✓ • o o ' O ▪ O �• E E Q -c � . u Z < o �4J rr-- `J m O O qJ CC uJ • Cc 0-I C7 1CD < N f" W 2 Z N H It O Novsmb.r 1974 • c, ✓1 V tr n t`• 1 I I .- .p ' p N T\ O• O®®Oo 4- fl c • J UJ J to o r= CD en F- HI F Vl • ,e F- x— LL.. O FIGURE November 1974 FIGURE J 4 W J ti . VII-II-11 +p z 0 z w z c m N • c 0 9L1 ;y� VI f o J 1� O w 3 � 00 _J M ' W ;/0-4� Z O CO 1-"-m 01 fJ Oo,`O.t.O R. a_ Z s O -, Y)O.' :_;) O3m jOQ o v SH-C7Z , 0 1 cr 0 o 0; N—I� CLOc O OJ 1' p e c J lZ O o < U J (L' N J %1. t.. c 1— W /" C oQ Q Z Cl- vs f O Q o f z - CC . 3 w E ti m r 0O 0 H WC) w V) CC K drk a X — v 1 0 e • -o G o E Z F • F _ o � � a O v v e v 0 c u o o X y — O E -O w • E Z < O 'O C c Oo. o O o 9 I° O,L-wo w 0 i / 0 z oo H. C 0 h I o .O 1 d ✓ (V 03© November 1974 • CURRENT AIR QUALITY CONDITIONS (1975) COACHZL % VALLEY (PALM SPRINGS) CALIFORNIA STATE AMBIEN lir Pollutant Current Standards: Concentrations and Averaging Timesa) No. Days Above Standard raxi_um Concentration For Indicated Time Intervals An:val Average Concenrrat__= Effective June 1976 Photochemical Oxidants 0.10 ppm - 1 hour 7$ 0.21 ''p pp 0.037 ' Carbon )1onoxide 10 ppm - 12 hours 40 ppm - 1 hour 0 0 0 PPm 5 PYm 0.7 Pp= Nitrogen Dioxide 0.25 ppm - 1 hour 0 PPm 0.05 0.020 "' Sulfur Dioxide 0.04 ppm - 24 hours 0.50 ppm - 1 hour ND ND Pp= PP ND PPm � Suspended Particulate 'Platter j ) 60 .g/m - AGM3 100 .g/m3 - 24 hours NA 30 386 ug/m3 3 50.3 j'/2 Leadd) 1.5 .g/m3 - 30-day Average NA ND ug/m3 ND gg/m3 q>>fated) 25 ug/m3 — 24 hours rm tn) 0g/=3 ND µgi=3 Hydrogen Sulfide 0.03 ppm - 1 hour IT) MDp a IT ID Pp1 Visibility Reducing Particles In sufficient concentration to reduce visibility to less than 10 Hiles at relative humidityMD of less than 70 percent. NA NA a) The standard is not met when it is either equalled or exceeded. b) Photochemical Oxidants, corrected for NO2 interference. c) Annual Geometric Mean. d) Ia particulate ratter. NATIONAL PRIMARY AND SECONDARY AIR QUALITY STAN Air Pollutant Nationale) Standard Maximum Allowable Annual Mean Concertretion • Maximum Allowable Short -Period Concentrations and Averaging ..-es°' No. Days Above Standard Primary) Maxi=um Concentration For Indicated Time Intervals Annual Average Content. -aeons AAM" etw =3 AAM`) PP= ;,Gr' wa-i m3 3 Averaging �g/m PPm Times Oxidante) (Ozone)98 Primary 160 0.08 0.21 PPm 0.037 PP= Secondary 160 0.C8 NR `H NR Carbon Primargf) 10000 400p0 9 35 8 hours 0 0 _ PPm 0.7 ppm Monoxide ,) 1 hour 0 5 PP Secondary 10000 9 8 hours NR NR NR 40000 35 1 hour NR NR .;R Nitrogen Primary 100 0.05 NA NA 0.020 Fp= Dioxide Secondary 100 0.05 Sulfur Dioxide Primary 80 ..C3 365 0.14 24 hours PPm ppm Secondary 1300 C.50 3 hours NR n NR Nc=- Methane° Primary 160 0.24 3 hours (6-9 a.m.) NI) ND ppm ND PPa Hydrocarbons Secondary 160 0.24 3 hours (6-9 e.m.) , NR NR NR Particulate :tatter Primary Secondary 75 60 260 150 24 hours 24 hours 6 NR 786 NR �E/a3 5 J' m 6.3 NR a) National Air quality Standards as presented in the Code of Federal Regulations, 40, Protection of Environment, Part 50, Sec. 50.4 to 50.11, July 1, 1974, U. S. Government Printing Office, ;ash., D.C. 1974. Primary Standard - Necessary to protect the public heal:n. (Sec. 50.2) Secondary Standard - Necessary to protect the public welfare and the environment from known or anticipated adverse effects of a pollutant. (Sec. 50.2) b) Not to be exceeded more than once per year. c) AAi1 - Annual Arithmetic Mean. d) AGM - Annual Geometric Mean. e) Photochemical oxidants, corrected for NO2 and SO2 interference. f) Standard has two short -period requirements, both of which must be net. g) Total hydrocarbons corrected for =ethane - i.e., total hydrocarbonsminus methane. 2u-t - Not Required for EIR ND - No Leta NA - Not Applicable (See attached information sheet) SCAPCD — EASTu N`N ZONE VII-II-15 Air Pollutant ,Photochemical Cxidants Current Standards: Concentrations and Averaging T_mesa) CALIFORNIA STATE AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS Effective June 1976 0.10 pp= - 1 hour ) CURRENT AIR QUALITY CONDITIONS (1975) COACHELLA VALLE/ (Inn)) ) No. Days Above Standard 92 Maxima Concentration Tor Indicated Time Intervals 0.20 PP= Carbon Monoxide Nitrogen 'Dioxide 10 ppm - 12 hours 40 ppm - 1 hour 0.25 pp= - 1 hour 0 0 0 ppm 16 PP= 0.09 Ppm Sulfur Dioxide Suspended Particulate Matter 0.04 ppm - 24 hours 0.50 pp= - 1 hour ND ppa PP= Annual Average Ceaceat.rat,ct 0.037 pp= 1.4 Pp= 0.017 pp= ND PP= I.eadd) Sulfated) ,Hydra Yea Sulfide Visibility Reducing ?articles 60 ,;g/m3 - AGMs) 100 46/n3 - 2a hours 1.5 - 30-day Average 25 mg/m3 - 24 hours 0.03 ppm - 1 hour In sufficient concentration to reduce visibility to less than 10 miles at relative humidity of less than 70 percent. a) The standard is not met when it is either equalled or exceeded. b) Photochemical Oxidants, corrected for rC2 interference. Air Pollutant Oxidante) (Ozone) Carbon Monoxide Nitrogen Dioxide Sulfur Dioxide Nationala) Standard NA 245 NA ND ND ND NA 659 NJm3 I1.06 ug/m3 ND ND NA 6/=3 ppa 116 46/m3 0.56 9J=3 9 J=3 ND PP= NA c) Annual Mean. Geometric ean. d) Inparticulate matter, NATIONAL PRIMARY AND SECONDARY AIR QUALITY STANDARDS Maximum Allowable Annual lean Concentration AAM3 AAMC) AG; ) 9g/mpp= uJo3 '3 ag/mppm Maximum Allo-wable No. Days Short -Period Concentrations) .above and Averagin.q _,_'s°• Standard Averaging Times Maximum Concentration For Indicated Time Intervals Annual Average Concentrations Nom- ) Methane& Hydrocarbons Particulate Matter Primary Secondary Primary � Secondary') Primary Secondary Primary Secondary Primary Secondary Primary Secondary 100 0.05 100 0.05 80 ..03 75 60 160 0.08 160 0.08 10000 9 8 hours 40000 35 1 hour 10000 9 8 hours 40000 35 1 hour 365 0.14 24 hours 1300 0.50 3 hours 160 0.24 3 hours (6-9 a.m.) 160 0.24 3 hours (5-9 a._., 260 hoUrs 150 24 hours 104 NR 1 0 NR NR NA N3 ND ND NR 25 0.20 pp= NR 10 16 a) National Air Quality Standards as presented in the lode of Federal Re,gulat•tns, 40, Protection :art 50, Sec. 0.4 to 50.11, Jul 1, 1.7^ - - Primary Standard - Necessary to protec-.th U. 51 c Government (t.Printing Office, .Hasa., D.C. 1974, Secondary Standard - Necessaryprotect - � e public health. (Sec, 50.2) to protect the public welfare and the environment adverse effects of a pollutant. (Sec. 50.2) - onment from Known or anticipated b) Not to be exceeded more than once per year. c, ,,.,.i'. - .annual Arithmetic Mean. d) AGM. - Annual Geometric Mean. e) Photochemical oxidants, corrected for NO2 and SO2 interference. t) Standard has two snort -period requirements, Soto of wnich must b t. &) Total hydrocarbons corrected for methane - i.e., total hydocarbons� . minus met.: � NR. - Not Required for EIR a •e• ND - No Data NA - Not Applicable (See attached information sheet) PP= PP= NR P2 NA NR ND ppm P2 ND PP= NR 659 /3 NR of Environment, 0.057 pp= .,; 1.4 P;, N3 •U 0.017 Pp ND ppn P ND Pp= Na 116 's'n NR SCAPCD — EASTERN ZONE VII-II-16 investigations should be required for developments in hilly or mountain- ous terrains. It is only through detailed evaluation of existing con- ditions and proposed modifications that a high level of safety can be as- sured. - Tsunamis and Seiches - Tsunamis are seismic sea waves, and do not present a hazard at Palm Desert. Seiches are standing waves produced in a body of water by the passage of seismic waves from an earthquake. Seiches are not a hazard because of the absence of lakes or reservoirs of significant size within the City. 5. Air Quality The air quality of the Coachella Valley has been steadily deteriorating during the past few years. The problem is two-fole: dust and oxidants. The dust pro- blem is most acute in the lower Valley and results from human activity; e.g., burning dumps, vehicle movement on unpaved roads, sand and gravel operations, and agricultural burns. The following maps summarize air quality in the south- east Desert Air Basin. The high oxidant levels are believed to be the result of pollutants from the Los Angeles Basin which have been carried through the San Gorgonio Pass. Local automobile sources contribute to the problem. Find- ings by the Riverside County Air Pollution Control District indicate that local vehicular emissions are not of sufficient amounts to explain the existing high levels of Valley pollutants. The pollution problem is accentuated by the Valley physiography. With mountains to the north, south, and west, air commonly becomes trapped and moves up and down the long narrow depression of the Valley. In addition, stable air masses often confine pollutants closer to gound elevation than usual. 6. Vegetation and Wildlife Regional flora and fauna exist in an amazing variety of life forms, primarily due to each species adoptation to its own ecological niche within this area's harsh climate. From aregional perspective, the Palm Desert area can be roughly divided into two major zones: VII-II-17 a. The Valley floor consisting primarily of cresote scrub and sand dunes; this zone also includes the bajada, a nearly flat surface of joined erosional deposits along the base of the San Jacinto Mountain range. The present urban area is located at the boundary between the desert floor and the bajada. b. The San Jacinto Mountains which rise sharply just south of the City limits. The mountain environment consists of four basic life zones: 1. permanent and seasonal water, i.e., the bottoms of canyons which form this zone's drainage pattern, 2. the low desert which starts at the edge of the foothills and rises to about 1000 feet, 3. the high desert between 1000 feet and 3000 feet, and 4. pinyon scrub with some juniper from 3000 feet to 5141 feet (the top of Sheep Mountain). Typical native vegation fro the Palm Desert area includes plants such as creosote, mesquite, palo verde, and cactus. In the 1920's, many acres in Palm Desert were planted with date palm and citrus groves. Subsequent residential and commercial development has greatly increased the number and variety of plant species. A good summary of these newer plant materials is provided in Desert Landscaping in the Coachella Valley by Neel's Nursery. Mammals commonly found throughout the region include bats, rabbits, rodents, coyotes, foxes, skunks, bobcats, and perhaps the most outstanding animal of this region, the Desert Bighorn Sheep, currently on California's rare and endangered wildlife list. Numerous species of amphibians and reptiles inhabit the area, including toads, lizards, and snakes. The endangered Desert Slender Salamander was recently dis- covered in Hidden Palm Canyon, a tributary of Deep Canyon, about 10 miles south of Highway 111. Countless numbers and species of birds have been frequenting the Coachella Valley during seasonal migrations. In addition, numerous species of permanent residents are present. The more noticeable ones include quail, hawks, doves, roadrunners, hummingbirds, wrens, mockingbirds, warblers, finches, and sparrows. VII-II-18 6.4.B.2.b i FIGURE 6.4-2 WILDLIFE AND VEGETATION VEGETATION: 1. Sand dunes and creosote scrub 2. Bajada Riparian 4. Low desert 5. High desert L 6. Pinyon scrub and juniper UNIQUE WILDLIFE: A. Kit Fox B. Coachella Valley Fringed -Toad Lizard C. Flat -tailed Horned Lizard D. California Big -Horn Sheep (A rare species) E. Desert Slender Salamander (An endangered species) SOURCE: Living Desert museum NORTH 0 1 2 Miles 3 WILSEY & HAN1 VII-II-19 Insects and arthropods form an important link in the food chain. Typical de- sert dwellers include scorpions, crickets, grasshoppers, spiders, beetles, but- terfiles, ants, and bees. There are three species of animals which, while not listed in the California Fish and Game Department's reports on endangered and rare fish and wildlife, can nevertheless be considered unique to the Palm Desert area. The rarest ani- mal in the category is the Coachella Valley Fringed -Toed Lizard (Uma inornata) which exists only in certain sand dune regions of the western Coachella Valley. It is now threatened with extinction as its habitat is rapidly being destroyed by man. Another reptile, the Flattailed Horned Lizard has been reported in sand dune areas and kit foxes are sometimes seen on the Valley floor. Both of these animals are quite rare in the Coachella Valley. A more complete listing of some of the native flora and fauna is provided in the Appendix. 7. Mineral Resources Except for sand and some gravel, there are no mineral resources of economic value within the planning area. B. Man -Made Environment 1. Stormwater and Flood Protection The Storm Water Unit of the Coachella Valley County Water District (CVCWD) is responsible for regional (i.e. not within city/urbanized areas) flood protection works in an estimated 95% of the entire Coachella Valley. In line with its regional responsiblity, the CVCWD has constructed or has caused private developers to construct three major stormwater protection projects in the Palm Desert area. These three projects, in the rough shape of a triangle, lie at the perimeter of the urbanized portion of Palm Desert and are designed to protect the city from flash floods which come roaring out of the mountain can- yons around the city. a. The Whitewater River Storm Channel extends along the north boundary of the City and is the main channel for this portion of the Coachella Valley. By 1971, the channel had been re -aligned and expanded to its present state with a capacity of 75,000 cubic feet per second (CFS). b. The Palm Valley Storm Channel is an open sand and gravel channel built along the western edge of the Dead Indian Canyon debris cone, extending from the mouth of Cat Creek (in the Cauhilla Bills area) north to the White - water River Storm Channel. This channel intercepts the runoff from 8.8 square miles of mountainous area west of Palm Desert. c. The Deep Canyon system consists of the Dead Indian Canyon Stormwater Dike, which extends from Highway 74 east to the toe of the mountains along the south city boundary, and the Deep Canyon Stormwater Channel, which begins near the intersection of Portola Avenue and Haystack Road and runs northeasterly through the City of Indian Wells to the Whitewater River Storm Channel at Point Happy. The combined drainage area of the Deep Can- yon system is approximately 67.3 square miles. Within the protective ring formed by these dikes and channels, very little has been done to prepare for the substantial amount of runoff water which would be generated by a thunderstorm centered over the city or to alleviate known pro- blem drainage areas. In the COD District, many drainage problems are caused by downstream cul-de-sacs and "T" intersections which do not provide a positive means for removing the runoff. Water ponding (and the subsequent flooding of adjacent residential structures) is a more serious problem in this area due to the flatness of the terrain and the limited carrying capacity of north -south streets between Highway 111 and the Whitewater River Storm Channel. Serious ponding problems occur at Portola and 44th, Monterey and 44th and San Pablo and 44th Avenue, some homes have had water as much as one foot above the floor level. The absence of curb and gutter makes it even more difficult to contain runoff within the streets and prevent it from flowing onto adjacent low-lying lots. 2. Land Use Land use data for the College• area is provided within the project report. The following data on the entire city is provided as comparative background material. Palm Desert's 9.05 square miles contain a variety of land uses, including single- family and multiple -family residential development, retail and service commer- cial, professional offices, public uses, agriculture and vacant land. The fol- lowing table indicates the breakdown of the existing land use pattern in the City. VII-II-21 EXISTING LAND USE INVENTORY USE Residential OF PALM DESERT Very Low Density Low Density Medium Density High Density ACRES 145.1 428.8 390.3 59.0 Commercial 68.9 Industrial - Institutional 216.5 Agriculture 232.6 Open Space Public 86.1 Private 176.3 Vacant (includes roads) 3986.7 TOTAL CITY 5790.3 2.6 7.6 6.9 1.0 1.2 3.8 4.1 1.5 3.1 68.2 100.0 Residential: There are approximately 6,591 dwelling units within the City of Palm Desert. Statistically, single-family residences (which also includes many condominiums) comprise the largest proportion with 64% of the total. The re- maining units are divided among duplexes and fourplexes (13%), apartments (12%), mobile homes (10%), and miscellaneous (less than 1%). HOUSING STOCK Single family/condo 4222 du Duplex-Fourplex 865 du Apartments 831 du Mobilehomes 660 du Miscellaneous 13 du 6591 du MONTHLY RENTAL AND HOME VALUE INDEX Rent $100-200/month 14% Rent 201-250/month 13% Rent 251-300/month 6% Rent 300 or more 6% Own 20,000-29,999 13% Own 30,000-39,999 14% Own 40,000-49,999 13% Own 50,000-69,999 11% Own 70,000 or more 10% Densities in residential areas range from the 5-acre homesites in the mountain areas west of the Palm Valley Storm Channel to apartment projects in the east- ern section of the City with over 40 units per acre. Commercial: The area adjacent to Highway 111 has traditionally served as the primary shopping area for the City of Palm Desert. Retail development along Highway 111 began in the late 1940's and early 1950's. The majority of this retail development was located along the north side of Highway 111. Approximately 25 years ago, retail space began to be developed along the south side of High- way 111 between San Luis Rey and Portola Avenues. Within the last six or eight years, retail and office development has shifted south to El Paseo, the western portion of the Highway 111 area has become the primary shopping area anchored by the Palms to Pines Center, and the north side of Highway 111 has become oriented toward service, automotive -related, and office uses. Hotel and motel development is currently concentrated in three areas of the City - the inter- section of Deep Canyon Road and Highway 111, in the vicinity of El Paseo and Larrea Street, and in the vicinity of El Paseo and Ocotillo Drive. These motels have a combinded capacity of 416 units. Future hotel development is expected to occur primarily near the eastern and western entrances to the City on Highway 111. Public/Institutional: Several public uses are clustered at the eastern end of El Paseo, with the Post office, Library, George Washington Elementary School, Fetch Center for Retarded Children, and temporary City Hall as the primary activi- ties. The Middle School -Lincoln School -City Park complex is located just east of Portola and south of the Whitewater Storm Channel. The College of the Desert, a two-year state community college institiution, is located at the northeast corner of Avenue 44 and Monterey Avenue. The Living Desert Reserve, a natural life museum and desert preserve, is situated east of Portola and south of Hay- stack Road. Eight major churches serve the residents of Palm Desert and are located in permanent or temporary sites throughout the community. Agriculture: Approximately 232 acres of land within the City of Palm Desert could currently be classified as agricultural. This area is almost entirely comprised of date palm groves. 3. Population Population and demographic information on the College area is provided within Appendix B of the project report. The following city-wide data is provided for, background reference purposes. The population of the City of Palm Desert is presently estimated at 12,500 permanent residents, which accounts for 71% of the total. The balance consists of 4150 seasonal (24%) and 832 tourist (5%). Regional growth models prepared for the Coachella Valley indicate an expected growth rate of 3.4% per year, which would mean a total city population (permanent, seasonal, & tourist) of 19,900 by 1980 and 25,867 by 1990. The median age for the population of Palm Desert is 37 years old. The mode age range, the age category most frequently reported is 65-69 years. EMPLOYMENT CHARACTERISTICS Retired 18.4% Employed 38.6% Unemployed 2.3% Adult Student 4.4 Not in Labor Force 36.1% Unknown 0.2% 100.07 AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD Palm Springs - Cathedral City Indio - Coachella Rancho Mirage Palm Desert - Indian Wells Eagle Mountain - Desert Center Desert Hot Springs - Thousand Palms Riverside - San Bernardino - Redlands Banning - Beaumont Out of Area GROSS ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME 0 - $5,000 5% 5,000 - 9,999 16% 10,000 - 14,999 21% 15,000 - 24,999 23% 25,000 - 34,999 10 35,000 - 44,999 9% 45,000 - 64,000 10% 65,000 - 99,000 3% 100,000 or more 3% 17.4% 15.1% 9.3% 47.1% 1.9% 1.5% 1.0% 0.1% 6. 6% 100.0% \ITT_TT_OA MAJOR SOURCE OF HOUSEHOLD INCO`=E Retirement Income 25Z Investments 143% Own or partner in a private business 16% Work in retail -wholesale field 6Z Work in construction field 5% Work in tourist related field 5 Work in medical field 4% Work in governmental field 5% Work in services field 20% 4. Circulation Existing conditions in the College area are described in the Specific Plan. The City of Palm Desert is bisected by State Highway 111, the principal traffic artery between the upper and lower Coachella Valley. The heaviest traffic in the City occurs along Highway 111, resulting in substantial congestion and traf- fic safety problems, which are compounded by the frontage roads which parallel both sides of Highway 111 through most of the City. The current average daily traffic (ADT) volume on the major east -west and north -south arterials serving Palm Desert are: east -west: north -south: Street ADT Highway 111 17,000 Avenue 44 4,200 Country Club Drive 1,800 El Paseo 2,900 Alessandro 250 Bob Hope Drive 7,000 Monterey Avenue 2,500 Highway 74 7,400 San Luis Rey Avenue 1,400 Portola Avenue 3,500 Cook Street 600 The City is currently undertaking an extensive road reconstruction program over the next several years to 1980. 5. Noise The major source of noise within the City of Palm Desert is the vehicular traffic along Highway 111 and Highway 74. The noise levels along these arterials were "clearly unacceptable" for residential development, as defined by Department of Housing and Urban Development noise standards; specific noise readings along Highway 111 have been measured at 75 dB(A) for 8 hours per 24 hours approximately 500 feet from Highway 111 - a "normally unacceptable" reading. Noise levels in the remaining portion of the City are within the "clearly acceptable" or "nor- mally acceptable" zones for residential development, as defined by HUD noise standards. 6. Archaeologic and Historic Conditions The Archaeologic Research Unit, Dry Lands Research Institute of the University of California, Riverside, conducted a literature search as part of the data gathered for the Palm Desert General Plan. They identified two areas of major archaeologic importance, in the vicinity of Indian Wells and Point Happy, which are outside of the current City limits. The areas directly adjacent to the mountains are considered by archaeologists to be the most likely artifact sites. However, on -site surveys conducted in these areas for various projects have not uncovered any finds. (See Webb Engineering, EIR: Gerald Moss Properties, Sept. 1973.) Historic sites within the College area are described in Appendix A of the Specific Plan. 7. Urban Infrastructure Police protection within the College area is provided by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department on contract to the City of Palm Desert. Service is con- ducted from the station located in Indio. Fire protection is also a contract service and is provided by the California Division of Forestry. The Palm Desert fire station is situated on the south side of El Paseo, between Plaza Way and Highway 74. A recent analysis of the fire protection needs for Palm Desert conducted by the City Fire Marshal indicated a strong need for additional facilities - specifically, a new headquarters sta- tion in the vicinity of San Pablo and 44th Avenue and a new satellite station near Highway 74 and Portola Avenue (formerly Carriage Trail). Construction of these new stations would permit the abandonment of the existing inadequate sta- tion on El Paseo. Domestic water service in the College area is provided by two separate agencies. East of Deep Canyon and generally west of Monterey Avenue, the supplier is the Coachella Valley County Water District (CVCWD). The CVCWD is one of the oldest water suppliers in the valley and has an extensive supply and distribution system, which ensure adequate amounts of water well past the year 2000. The CVCWD replenishes underground water basins by the recovery of runoff from ad- jacent mountain ranges and the importantion of water from the Colorado River. Within the balance of the College area (east of Monterey and west of Deep Can- yon), domestic water service is supplied by the Palm Desert Community Services District (PDCSD). Formed in the early 1950's, the PDCSD provides service to over 1500 homes and businesses. Due to the amount of new construction and a recently adopted County fire protection ordinance, the existing water system is unable to meet the fire flow requirements for certain types of commercial and multi -family residential development. Sewage disposal in the College area is often accomplished by septic tank/cess- pool systems. However, CVCWD does provide sewers within some portions of the district and is planning to expand service as new construction so warrants. Service capacity at the Cook Street Sewage Treatment Plan is Solid waste disposal services are provided by Palm Desert Disposal Services, Inc. The entire city produces approximately 8700 tons per year of domestic and com- mercial trash. Waste is deposited in two County dump sites located within 15 miles of the city. The dump sites are estimated to have a capacity until the year 2000. Electricity is provided by Southern California Edison. Natural gas is supplied by the Southern California Gas Company. Telephone service is provided by the General Telephone Company. Sufficient capacity presently exists or is being planned to accommodate anticipated rates of growth. Schools are operated by the Desert Sands Unified School District. There are presently two schools within the College area - the Abraham Lincoln Elementary School and the Palm Desert Middle School. A third facility, the George Washing- ton Elementary School is situated on Portola Avenue near Chicory Street. The DSUSD owns a 40-acre high school site on the west side of Cook Street, just south of the Whitewater River Storm Channel, but does not anticipate construction in the near future. Additional information on school enrollment figures is con- tained in Appendix D of the Specific Plan. VII-II-27 III. ENVIRONMENTAL IPPPACT ANALYSIS This section describes the environmental impacts that may occur as a result of maximum development based on the proposed land use designations contained in the Land Use Element of the Specific Plan. Although 100% development is very unlikely, an analysis on a "worst case" basis is mandated by CEQA. A. Impact on the Natural Environment 1. Terrain Because of the extremely flat topography within much of the College area , a con- siderable amount of topographic variation will be required to ensure that future development will be adequately protected from surface stormwater runoff. 2. Seismic Conditions Existing and future development will be subject to ground shaking due to possible seismic activity within the valley. 3. Hydrology Additional construction within the Project Area will increase the rate of storm runoff and thus increase the threat of flooding during heavy storms. 4. Humidity Some increase in micro -climate humidity will occur, particularly near major open space and recreation facilities, such as a golf course or park. However, imple- mentation of the Specific Plan will have a negligible effect on the climate and humidity of the overall Project Area. The following humidity records of the National Weather Service provide an historical perspective in relation to past construction activity. Thermal Airport MEAN RELATIVE HUMIDITY d Year Jan. Fcb. March A ril May Juno Jul y . Aug. Sept. Oct. L V V Nov. 2cc. Mean .: Hn,idi1 93.9 950 55 44 45 35 39 33 24 31 32 32 27 25 28 36 27 27 27 36 32 31 33 37 43 41 35 34 951 45 40 31 36 30 27 33 35 31 32 45 50 36 952 953 56 48 59 39 38 23 28 30 33 33 28 50 62 38 954 955 956 50 60 48 33 32 35 32 39 32 37 33 27 26 32 33 25 32 27 33 37 36 32 34 44 27 34 33 3o 34 34 4o 45 43 32 42 5G 33 37 33 56 9957 40 357 26 39 35 30 26 35 31 26 37 29 33 33 959 9L0 6o 48 55 51 6 4, 42 5o 32 37 32 Al 33 28 35 31 35 23 26 24 28 23 26 25 34 28 35 39 33 35 36 38 50 38 35 3G 47 39 45 45 50 42 h2 40 39 39 36 961 38 32 49 34 30 30 27 37 33 33 33 43 5' 3G 9G2 963 9 : 965 39 46 42 46 42 30 43 38 33 32 32 29 30 33 30 23 29 29 25 26 32 26 36 33 38 42 32 38 48 38 42 50 46 49 43 51 37 39 36 966 567 45 46 34 40 32 40 35 38 37 30 42 29 32 33 33 28 32 28 30 37 34 36 40 31 36 42 32 36 32 56 47 52 66 46 53 39 37 40 9G3 43 45 35 23 32 29 37 34 31 35 35 43 36 969 970 971 972 973 56 46 49 37 45 47 33 41 30 52 32 35 36 30 43 32 27 33 30 30 34 27 36 30 3o 36 23 33 31 27 33 33 3 311 36 31 39 45 39 31 37 25 36 37 29 33 33 56 50 29 45 40 3947 51 43 49 112 LG 42 39 35 38 37 36 .. . Kean 4 Monthly 47 40 36 32 31 23 32 35 34 36 43 48 37 Source: National Weather Service * Main of 0400, 1000, 1600, 2200 PST hours observations VTT-TTT_1 5. Air Quality Additional development will have an adverse effect on air quality. The major source of air pollution will be the vehicles generated by development within the Project Area. The following table illustrates the potential amounts of various air pollutants that might be produced by mobile sources within a one - day period. Estimates of this daily pollution level have been adjusted to re- flect a potential 20-year construction period and the prevailing maximum emis- sion levels at that time. Thus while total vehicle miles travelled (VMT) in- creases at a steady linear rate, the increase in emissions is at a lesser, though constantly increasing, rate because of the more stringent exhaust stand- ards that will be in effect in the future. It should also be noted that, while it is possible to determine the amounts and types of pollutants, their effect on the overall air quality of the area is difficult to measure. VEHICULAR EMISSIONS CREATED BY POTENTIAL FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN KILOGRAMS/DAY 1980 (25% developed) CO N__V HC SO--x Particulates Heavy duty gasoline 3505.9 300.4 281.4 11.4 30.4 Heavy duty diesel 215.5 218.0 21.5 30.4 17.7 Automobiles 3364.4 380.5 20.0 60.0 220.3 Motorcycles 88.0 0.3 negl. 0.5 30.2 7173.8 899.2 322.9 102.3 298.6 1985 (50% developed) Heavy duty gasoline 7011.8 410.7 418.3 22.8 60.8 Heavy duty diesel 354.9 273.8 27.9 60.8 35.4 Automobiles 2243.0 320.4 40.0 120.0 240.3 Motorcycles 176.0 0.5 negl. 1.0 18.7 9785.7 1005.4 486.2 204.6 355.2 1990 (75% developed) Heavy duty gasoline 10,472.0 547.5 456.3 34.2 91.3 Heavy duty diesel 441.0 346.0 34.2 91.3 53.2 Automobiles 2,703.5 420.5 60.0 180.0 300.4 Motorcyles 263.9 0.8 negl. 1.5 23.6 13,880.4 1314.8 550.5 307.0 468.5 1995 (100% developed) Heavy duty gasoline 13,141.4 593.2 471.5 45.6 121.7 Heavy duty diesel 608.4 405.6 40.5 121.7 71.0 Automobiles 3,044.0 560.7 80.1 240.3 400.5 Motorcycles 351.8 1.0 negl. 2.0 23.3 17,145.6 1560.5 592.1 409.6 616.5 NOTE: Daily Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT) = 3328 du x 2 vehicles per du x 10 trips per day x 10 miles per trip = 665,600. Estimated vehicle mix: heavy-duty gas - 15%, heavy duty diesel - 5%, cars - 79%, and motor- cycles - 1%. VII-III-2 6. Wildlife and Vegetation As there are no rare or endangered species of wildlife or vegetation within the Project Area south of the Whitewater River Storm Channal, there is no possibility of significant adverse impact resulting from the implementation of the Specific Plan. The proposed residential development at the eastern end of the COD Dis- trict will result, however, in the removal of some date palm and citrus trees. North of the storm channel, the Project Area encompasses the existing Portola Country Club project (formerly known as Sun King), which lies adjacent to an extensive san dune environment, which is one of the few habitats of the Coachella Valley Fringed -Toed Lizard (Uma inornata). Additional development in the blow - sand area could pose a threat to the continued existence of this rare species. B. Impact on the Man -Made Environment 1. Land Use Implementation of the Specific Plan will result in a number of land use changes within the College area These changes are more completely discussed in the various elements of the project report. 2. Population If developed to the maximum capacity permitted under the proposed Land Use Ele- ment and the present zoning, 3328 dwelling units could be added to the Project Area. Approximately 20% of these have already been approved and are already (or shortly will be) under construction. Based on an estimated occupancy ratio of 2.3 persons per unit, 7654 persons would be added to the present population of the district. 3. Housing The impact of the Specific Plan upon the housing stock is discussed in the Hous- ing Element of the Specific Plan. 4. Traffic The Circulation Element includes recommendations for vehicular, pedestrian, bike- way, and equestrian traffic and outlines proposed construction. Journey to work figures are provided within appendix on demographic data. 5. Noise As development and travel within the College area increases, noise levels on pro- perty adjacent to major thoroughfares, such as Monterey Avenue and 44th Avenue, and on property adjacent to new arterials, will increase. 6. School Enrollment The projected population increase in the College Area will have an impact on school population. Utilizing a generation factor of 0.48 students per occupied dwelling unit (a figure recently estimated by the personnel of the Desert Sands Unified School District), the additional 3328 dwelling units could produce 1597 new students. What is not known at this time is whether this generation figure will remain a reliable indicator of future trends, the rate at which these stu- dents will enter the school system and their relative age breakdown. At the present time, 528 students live within the project area. If the current age re lationship continues (an assumption which may not be fully justified due to higher housing costs and the increasing level of second -home and retirement re- sidents), the new students would be in the following groups: K-2 28% 3-5 23% 6-8 23% 9-12 26% 447 367 367 416 1597 students students students students As of January 21, 1977, the following enrollments were recorded for the Palm De- sert schools: Since that K-2 3-5 6-8 9-12 (Washington) (Lincoln) (P.D.M.S.) (I.H.S) 497 students 466 students 489 students 2,479 students time, the new Palm Desert Middle School has been completed and contains a capacity of 750-1000 students. Portable classrooms, which had been used at the old Middle School, have been relocated to other schools within Palm Desert to pro- vide additional capacity. These can also be supplemented by bringing in other portable classrooms to accommodate fluctuating enrollment levels. 7. Open Space New development will reduce the amount of existing open space and may obstruct some scenic vistas. Some of the presently vacant land will be converted to park and recreation uses. 8. Economic Impact An analysis of cost factors and potential funding merchanisms is provided in the Implementation Element of the Specific Plan report. 9. Relocation Several proposals in the Specific Plan, particularly those involving circulation and acquisition of additional right-of-way, will require the relocation or demo- lition of a number of existing structures - many of them residential units. Until detailed engineering surveys have been completed, the exact number of units will be unknown. A preliminary estimate indicates that a maximum of 20 units might be involved. 10. Visual Impact New development proposed by the Specific Plan will help to create a new posi- tive image within the Project Area. New public works improvements and careful review of all architectural landscaping, and site plans by the Planning Commis- sion will enhance the aesthetic quality of theCollege area. 11. Utility Impacts Full development of the Project Area, as proposed by the Specific Plan, will re- sult in an increased demand for water, sewage treatment, and solid waste disposal. Generation factors are assumed to be 275 gal./day/dwelling of water, 300 gal./ day/dwelling of sewage, and 10 lbs/day/dwelling of solid waste. POTENTIAL DEMAND Water Sewage Solid Waste (gal/day) (gal/day) (lbs/day) 915,200 998,400 33,280 It is also estimated that an additional 1,000,000 gallons of water per day will be needed for irrigation purposes for park & recreation uses. 12. Energy Consumption New development will also result in the increased consumption of natural gas and electric power. Generation factors are assumed to be 320 cubic feet/day/dwelling of natural gas and 6 kw demand/dwelling/15 minutes of electricity. POTENTIAL DEMAND Electricity Natural Gas (kw demand/dwelling/15 minute) (cubic feet/day) 19,968 kw demand 1,064,960 c.f. 13. Municipal Services The expansion of residential and public institutional uses will require some ad- ditional police protection service. Vandalism has been an especially troublesome problem at the Palm Desert Community Park and it is reasonable to expect that the difficulties will be compounded by an increase in recreation facilities. The existing problem in fire protection will be exacerbated by the added dwelling units. The proposed new headquarters station to be located in the vicinity of 44th Avenue and San Pablo should alleviate this situation. Adequate space to meet the municipal service needs of an expanding community should be provided in the new civic center site. 1!TT_TTT_G 14. Construction Impacts New construction will generate temporary dust, noise, and traffic disruption within the Project Area. IV. ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS WHICH CANNOT BE AVOIDED The following are adverse environmental impacts which cannot be avoided or completely eliminated if the Specific Plan is implemented. - Due to the flatness of the terrain, construction will be occurring in an area prone to flooding. New construction will increase the amount of storm runoff, thereby increasing the capacity requirements for flood control improvements. There is no way to modify the project to avoid this impact since this problem already exists. - New development will result in the conversion of vacant and agricultural land to residential and public/institutional uses. - The proposed project will generate additional traffic on the City's major arterials. - Increased traffic will create higher air and noise pollution levels within the Pro- ject Area. - The anticipated population growth within the Project Area will result in increased demands upon the school system, the limited supply of energy and other utilities, and the City's service infrastructure, including demands for adequate open space and recreational facilities. - Some of the proposed improvements will result in the displacement of some individuals and families. - Development will occur in an area subject to seismic hazard. - New construction will generate temporary dust, noise, and traffic disruption within the Project Area. VII-IV-1 V. MITIGATION MEASURES PROPOSED TO TO MINIMIZE ADVERSE IMPACTS Mitigation measures to reduce the adverse impact on the natural and man-made environment are included as recommendations in the Specific Plan. A general summary of these mitiga- tion measures is provided below. f.r r looding - The Specific Plan recommends construction of those improvements (curb & gutter and underground storm drains) contained in the Master Drainage Plan for the City of Palm Desert, June 1976. Loss of Open Space - The Specific Plan provides approximately 135 acres of park and recreation area, in- cluding a 40 acre date grove preservation area. The Whitewater River Storm Channel comprises an additional 128 acres of open space, which when combined with the park area, accounts for 20% of the land area of the project. The low average density which will be built in the project area, 3.45 du/gross acre, will also provide for a great deal of open space within proposed developments. iftowraffic Congestion - The Specific Plan contains a number of proposals in which selected streets will be proposals in which selected streets will be widened, altered, abandoned, realigned, or closed to accommodate future traffic volumes and alleviate present accident ha- zards. Air and Noise Pollution - Surface street system improvements would make intra-city bus service, which will shortly be in operation, more effective. Traffic noise will be mitigated through street landscaping and perimeter walls required by the design review process. Increased Demand for Urban Services - The impact on the school system will be regulated by the City's review process on all new construction. Proposed development plans are circulated to school district personnel for comments on the project's impact. Many cities have used this procedure to require developers to pay for temporary classroom facilities. New building code requirements will help to reduce the growing demand for energy resources. Water us- age can be reduced by using water from the sewage treatment plant for irrigation purposes and using more native desert vegetation. Properly utilized, trees and shrubs can shield residential structures and help reduce energy needed for air con- VTT_V_1 ditioning. New development must also meet all new fire protection ordinances prior to construction. Displacement and Relocation - Structures and property acquired for public purposes are subject to constitutional requirements for just compensation. Under certain circumstances, the City may also be required to provide relocation assistance. Seismic Hazard - New construction will be subject to all requirements of the Uniform Building Code and Grading Ordinance. Construction Nuisances - City ordinances require abatement of construction - related nuisances. Hours of construction are also regulated. per• v n VI. ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED PROJECT law too A. No Project If the Specific Plan is not adopted and implemented, a considerable amount of develop- ment will occur anyway, but without many of the mitigation measures contained in the plan. Most of the land has zoning which would permit additional development. 225 acres of vacant land north and east of COD which is in a Study (s) district will automatically revert to the old County zoning (R-1-9,000) when the S zone expires on Jan. 13, 1978. Without acquisition of the recommended rights -of -way, traffic congestion would result and noise and air pollution would continue to worsen. Uncoordinated and premature development would aggravate the existing flooding problem and would result in far less land being reserved for open space and recreation. Without the construction of the various public works improvements recommended in the Specific Plan, the present nega- tive visual environmentaland many of the existing land use conflicts would remain. The area would continue to lack a unique character which a unifying master development plan would provide. B. Alternative Land Use Mixture A residential land use pattern with a lower overall density than the 3.45 du/gross acre proposed by the Specific Plan would result in a reduction in the total number of dwelling units that could be constructed within the Project Area. The impact of this change would depend on the number and type of units involved. On a per dwelling unit basis, single family residences tend to have a higher occupancy ratio (3.3 persons per unit) than multi -family units (2.1 persons per unit). Thus a decrease in multi- family units and an increase in single-family homes, while producing fewer total units, would not significantly reduce the overall impact on the environment. Essen- tially, about the same number of people would be living in fewer, but larger, dwelling units. This would have an adverse, economic impact since there would be fewer house- holds over which to spread the costs of the new public improvements needed within the Project Area. If future development is severely limited, many of the projects which would be installed under the provisions of the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances would have to be provided by assessment district or some other tax measure. Limited new development would also reduce the tax increment potential that could be realized if a redevelopment project were formed. A residential land use pattern with a higher overall density than the 3.45 du/gross acre proposed by the Specific Plan would result in an increase in the total number of dwelling units that could be constructed within the Project Area. A minor density increase (to 4 du/gross acre, for example) would produce more multi -family units and VTT-VT-1 and fewer single family residences, but would not change the overall environment im- pact due to the lower occupancy ratio of multi -family units compared to single family. While this would add a larger number of households over which improvement costs could be apportioned, it would also tend to have a modest effect on the physical character of the Project Area. A substantial increase in density would result in more sever environmental impacts and would significantly affect the single family residential image which the Plan is attempting to preserve and upgrade in the COD District. Another alternative would be to adopt a land use pattern with a broader range of land use pattern with a broader range of land use designations. This could provide for some commercial and light industrial uses, with fewer residential areas. Commercial or light industrial could be used as high value, buffer uses next to the high school site or high noise level streets such as 44th Avenue and Monterey Avenue. As with - the high density residential plan, commercial and light industrial uses would produce greater amounts of traffic, noise, and air pollution, consume more utility services, and would adversely affect the single family residential image of the College area. VTT-VT-2 VII. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL SHORT-TERM USES OF MAN'S ENVIRONMENT AND THE MAINTENANCE AND ENCHANCEMENT OF LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY It is inevitable that the implementation of the COD Area Specific Plan will create impacts ^n the environment of the Project Area. Some of these impacts will occur only during the .ort-term, while others will become most apparent in the future. The proposed develop- went will create additional traffic and, consequently, higher levels of air and noise pollution. Views of the night sky will continue to deteriorate. There will be a loss of much of the existing open space and most of the last remaining date gardens will be con- verted to residential use. Some individuals and families will be displaced. New develop- ment will place increased demands upon the capacity of the school system and the utility services. The actual construction of planned structures and improvements will likely cause conveniences to residents, students, and workers in the form of dust, congestion, and noise. Seismic or flood hazards may pose long-term risks to public health and safety. In the long-term, however, the Specific Plan's more positive effects will be evident. Im- provements to the circulation system will increase street capacities to accommodate future --affic volumes, thereby reducing the problem of congestion. New pedestrian facilities street lighting will help to minimize traffic hazards and accidents. Land for public logo parks will be acquired so that open space will be assured for future generations and so that the historical and aesthetic aspect of the City's date gardens will not be destroyed. Impacts on the school district and the utility services will be controlled through the City's Subdivision and Design Review processes, or ultimately through the City's moratorium Ter. Implementation of the Master Plan for Drainage will help alleviate local flooding problems. To achieve these benefits, it is important that the Plan be adopted now. Without a detail- ed guide, future development will not emerge as part of a coordinated design. The untimely development of various, presently vacant parcels will foreclosure many options of the City for providing the optimum, least costly community facilities and street right-of-way. Long ays in project implementation will result in substantial cost increases for limprich are needed. now. VII-VII-1 VIII. IRREVERSIBLE OR IRRETRIEVABLE ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES The irreversible or irretrievable environmental changes which may result from the im- plementation of the Specific Plan include: - the conversion of most vacant land to urban uses - the use of nonrenewable resources for construction - the increased consumption of limited energy and other natural resources - improved access to previously difficult or nonaccessible areas The commitment of irretrievable resources, particularly those related to public facilities and improvements, is justified since these improvements are frequently intended to resolve existing problems & hazards within the COD District and to insure the protection of the public health, safety, and general welfare. Projects within the private sector are intend- ed to achieve goals and objectives within the Land Use, Circulation, Housing, and Environ- mental Elements of the adopted Palm Desert General Plan. V T T ! f T T T 1 tor IX. GROWTH - INDUCING IMPACT OF THE PROJECT Although a considerable portion of the land within the Project Area is already zoned for development, implementation of the Plan's proposals for residential, institutional, and public facilities development will substantially increase the potential for popu- lation and economic growth. By providing an overall plan for the basic urban infra- structure of roads, parks, sewers, utilities, and storm drains within previously vacant areas, the Plan will enable new construction to proceed, after being delayed for several years due to lack of a more -detailed plan for this portion of the community which ad- dressed all of the City's concerns. A major obstacle to new development was overcome with the recent completion by the City Engineer of a Master Plan of Storm Drainage, which required a thorough study of the entire city to determine what facilities would be needed in the College area. The impact of potential population growth upon existing community and utility services and the natural environment has been discussed in the Impact Analysis section of this re- port. X. APPENDIX A Summary of Native Flora & Fauna Typical of the Project Site and Adjacent City Area Desert Perennials: Creosote Encelia Indigo Bush Catclaw Desert Lavendar Desert Sweet Burrobush Bird -of -Paradise Sandpaper Weed Cattle Spinach Hoary Saltbush Larrea divaricata Encelia farinosa Dalea Schottii Acacia Greggii Hyptis Emoryi Bebbia juncea Franseria dumosa Hoffmannseggia microphylla Petalonyx Thurberi Atriplex polycarpa Atriplex canescens (dominant desert shrub) (few in canyons) (few in canyons and base of hills) (few in the arroyos) (few in the arroyos) (few in the arroyos) (rather rare, low hill sides) (rare, hill side) (rare, blooming by road) (few at base of mountains) (rare, on flat) Desert Ephemerals: (Grow in winter and spring when there is sufficient rain) Polygoniaceae - Buckwheat family Desert Trumpet Little Trumpet Eriogonum inflatum Eriogonum trichopes Thomas Buckwheat Eriogonum Thomasii Flat -top Yellow Turban Eriogonum deflexum Eriogonum pusillum Rigid Spiny Herb Chorizanthe rigida Brittle Spine flower Boraginaceae Forget-me-not Forget-me-not Ashen Forget- me-not Chorizanthe brevicornu - Borage Family Cryptantha micrantha Cryptantha maritima Crypthantha costata (rare, in rocky arroyos) (few, base of mountains in arroyos) (common, delicate & dwarf) (rare, plant looks top - trimmed) (few, with tiny yellow flowers) (common, base of mountain) (few, dry stony hills) (few, has red root) (few, has white root) (rare, base of rocky mtns) Wing -nut Forget- Crypthantha pterocarya(very rare, nutlets w/wing) me -not X. APPENDIX A (Cont.) Leguminosaceae - Pea Family Indigo Bush Smoke Tree Dalea Schottii (few in rocky canyons) Dalea spinosa (very rare, one young plant seen) Bird -of -Paradise Hoffmannseggia (rare, hillside) microphylla Compositae - Sunflower Family Desert Daisy Monoptilon bellioides (few, dried up flowers) Spanish Needle Palofoxia linearis (few, flats, still growing) Egbertia Lygodesmia exigua (rare, on low hillsides) Pebble Chaenactis (few, on low hillsides) Pincushion carpoclinia Loasaceae - Loasa Family Giant Blazing Mentzelia involucrata (very rare, in upper canyons) Star Smooth stemmed Mentzelia albicans (rare, on low hills) Blazing Star Sandpaper Plant Petalonyx Thurberi (edge of road, flowering now) Others - Representing several families Climbing Milkweed-Funastrum (in upper canyons) heterophyl1um Yellow Pepper Lenidiuin flavum (common, on hillsides) Grass Woolly Plantain Plantago insularis (common, low hillsides) Poisonous Phacelia crenulata (few, hillsides) Phacelia ambigua Bottle Washer Oenothera decorticans (few, on low hillsides) Brown -eyed Oenothera (common everywhere) Primrose clavaeformis Desert Gilia Gilia eremica (rare, near base of mts) Broad-leaved Gilia latifolia (rare, base of mountains) Gilia Rock Gilia Cilia scopulorum (rare, arroyos and mountain slopes) VII-X-2 X. APPENDIX A (Cont.) FAUNA OBSERVED OR EXPECTED TO FREQUENT THE PROJECT SITE Marn ual ian Fauna Desert Bighorn Sheep Ovis canadensis nelsoni Coyote Canis latrans Desert Gray Fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus Ringtailed Cat Bassariscus astutus Round -tailed Ground Squirrel Citellus tereticaudus Antelope Ground Squirrel Citellus leucurus Canyon Mouse Peromyscus crinitis Cactus Mouse Peromyscus eremicus Deer Mouse Peromyscus maniculatus Desert Pack Rat Neotoma lepida Long-tailed Pocket Mouse Perognathus formosus Short -eared Pocket Mouse Perognathus fallax Spiny Pocket Mouse Perognathus spinatus Canyon Bat or Pipistrelle Pipistrellus hesperus Long -nosed Bat Macrotus californicus Big Brown Bat Eptesicus fuacus Pallid Bat Antrozous pallidus Reptilian Fauna Iguanidae - The Iguana Family Santa Rosa Chuckawalla Barred Collared Lizard Leopard Lizard Mearnes Cliff Lizard Crested or Desert Iguana Long-tailed Uta Stansbury Uta Sauromalus obesus variety Crotaphytus insularis bicinctus named in 1972 Gambelia wislizeni wislizeni Petrosaurus mearnsi Dipsosaurus dorsalis dorsalis Uta graciosus Uta stansburiar_a Gridiron or Zebra -tailed Lizard Gallisaurus draconoides draconoides X. APPENDIX A (Cont.) Reptilian Fauna (continued) Iguanidae The Iguana Family (continued) Flat -nosed Horned Lizard Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidarum Desert Scaly Lizard Sceloporus magister Teiidae - The Narrow Nosed or Whip -tailed Lizards Tiger whip -tail Cnemidophorus tigris tigris Gekkonidae - The Geckos Banded Gecko Goleonyx variegatus Tubercular Gecko Phyllodactylus tuberculosus Xantusiidae - The Night_Lizards Henshaw's Night Lizard Xantusia henshawi The Snakes Crotalidae - The Rattlesnakes Desert Mountain Speckled Rattler Crotalus mitcheili pvrrhus Red Diamond Rattler Boiidae - The Boas Rosy Boa Others Red Racer . Van Denburgh's Night Snake Crotalus ruber Lichanura roseofusca Masticophis flagellum picea Trimorphodon vandenburghi very rare Lyre Night Snake Hypseglena torquata Avian Fauna Suuuuer Bird Residents Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus House Finch, Linnet Carpodacus mexicanus English Sparrow Passer domesticus Mexican Ground Dove Collumbigallina passerina Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus Gambel Quail Lophortyx gambelii VII-X-4 XI. LIST OF AGENCIES AND INDIVIDUALS CONTACTED IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS REPORT Coachella Valley County Water District - Bruce Clark - Ole Nordland Desert Sands Unified School District - Roger Harlow Mainiero, Smith and Associates, Inc. (civil and environmental engineering consulstants to the Palm Desert Community Services District) National Weather Service City of Palm Desert - Hunter Cook, City Engineer - Bud Engel, Fire Marshal - Clyde Beebe, Assistant City Engineer - Richard Arnold, Public Works Supervisor Palm Desert Community Services District - Stanley Sayles South Coast Air Quality Management District - Thomas P. Mullins Southern California Edison Company - Robert DeKorne - Kermit Martin This environmental impact report was prepared by Samuel G. Freed, Assis- tant Planner, Dept. of Environmental Services, City of Palm Desert. All maps and graphic materials were drawn by Naning San Pedro, Environmental Draftsman. 1,T T ''T 1 XII. REFERENCE BIBLIOGRAPHY Coachella Valley County District, "Whitewater River Basin", April 1967. I. Harold Housley Consulting Engineers and Willdan Associates, "Master Drainage Plan for the City of Palm Desert", June, 1976. City of Palm Desert, "Draft Environmental Impact Report on General Plan Amendment 01-75 and the General Plan Implementation Tools", August 26, 1975. City of Palm Desert, "Palm Desert General Plan and Final Environmental Impact Report", adopted January 20, 1975. Palm Desert Redevelopment Agency, "Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Redevelopment Plan for Project Area No. 1", May 1975. South Coast Air Quality Management District, "Air Quality Handbook for Environmental Impact Reports", February 1977. South Coast Air Quality Management District, "Vehicle Emission Factors 1975-1995". Southern California Association of Governments, "1975 Regional Trans- portation Plan: Towards a Balanced Transportation System." United States Dept. of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey, "Analog Model Study of the Groundwater Basin of the Upper Coachella Valley, California", 1971. Webb Engineering, "Environmental Impact Assessment: Gerald Moss Pro- perties, Palm Desert", September, 1973. IrTT_xTT-1