HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC RES 97-050RESOLUTION NO. 97-50
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM
DESERT, CALIFORNIA, FINDING THAT AN ADDENDUM TO THE
PREVIOUSLY CERTIFIED AND ADDENDED FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT REPORT PREPARED FOR THE ALTAMIRA COUNTRY CLUB,
TOGETHER WITH THE MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION ISSUED
BY COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT, IS COMPLETE AND
ADEQUATELY ADDRESSES THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF
REVISED VESTING TENTATIVE TRACT MAP NO. 25296 AND VESTING
TENTATIVE TRACT MAP NO. 28575 AND TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP
NO. 27501 FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CANYONS AT BIGHORN.
WHEREAS, the Final Environmental Report for the Altamira Country Club was
prepared to address the environmental effects, mitigation measures, and project alternatives
associated with the construction of a 450 dwelling unit project with associated golf course
on a 352 acre site; and
WHEREAS, the Coachella Valley Water District ("CVWD") on May 27, 1997 adopted
a Mitigated Negative Declaration ("MND" - File No. 0421.2) for water storage, access,
delivery and stormwater retention facilities on an approximately 57 acre parcel owned by
CVWD; and
WHEREAS, to assist in conducting the necessary CEQA review pursuant to Public
Resources Code Section 21 166 (CEQA Guidelines Section 15162), the City has prepared
an Expanded Initial Study and Addendum. It is on the basis of this document, incorporated
herein by reference, that the City makes the relevant findings of CEQA compliance; and
WHEREAS, the Expanded Initial Study was prepared pursuant to the requirements of
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA1, and the CEQA Guidelines as an Addendum
(CEQA Guidelines Section 15164) to address changes and additions to entitlements for the
Canyons at Bighorn ("Project") including revised Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 25296
and Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 28575 for the development of 395 dwelling units and
an associated golf course on 514 acres in the City of Palm Desert; and
WHEREAS, the City published a public notice in a newspaper of general circulation
on May 22, 1997 and June 12, 1997; apprising the public of hearings on the proposed
project; and
WHEREAS, the City also mailed notice to all property owners within 300 feet of the
proposed project; and
WHEREAS, this publication date and mailed notice exceeds state and local
requirements for the notification of public hearings; and
RESOLUTION NO. 97-50
WHEREAS, all such notices contained an advisement of the City's intent to find said
previous Final EIR and Addendum adequate to document the environmental attributes of the
revised project, and invited the public to examine said Expanded Initial Study and Addendum
in support of such finding; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Palm Desert conducted said publi.c hearing
to receive all testimony concerning the revised project and associated environmental
documentation; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has reviewed all said environmental documentation and
has found that the Expanded Initial Study and Addendum properly concludes that all
environmental effects of the revised project are adequately documented within the
aforementioned EIR; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has examined with particular care the potential effects
peculiar to this project and the adequacy of the performance of adopted mitigation
measures, all as set forth in the Expanded Initial Study and Addendum, and finds that the
Initial Study document is particularly responsive to the actual environmental effects, input
from public agencies, and public comments to date; and
WHEREAS, the City Council incorporates this Expanded Initial Study and Addendum
into this Resolution by reference as facts in support of these findings; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has adopted numerous conditions of approval to continue
to carry out the objectives of the mitigation measures in the previous Final EIR; and
WHEREAS, Section 21166 of CEQA and Section 15162 of the CEQA Guidelines
provide that, where an EIR or a Negative Declaration has been prepared, no new EIR or
Negative Declaration need be prepared unless there are changes in the project, its underlying
circumstances, or new information, which result in new or more severe impacts than were
originally documented in the EIR;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
1. The Final EIR prepared for the Altamira Country Club, as addended, and together with
the CVWD MND, completely and adequately documents the development of the
proposed project.
2. On the basis of the Expanded Initial Study, most prominent impacts, such as
biological resources and land uses, are reduced over that was anticipated in the Final
EIR, either by a lower intensity on the site itself, or by additional mitigation measures.
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RESOLUTION NO. 97-50
3. The Initial Study contains substantial evidence supporting the conclusion that impacts
are not new or more sever than those predicted in the Final EIR, and that such
evidence has been carefully and independently reviewed by the technical divisions of
the City responsible for the accuracy of such evidence and by appropriate resource
agencies.
4. The impacts presented by this project are equal to or less severe overall than those
realized by development consistent with the approved project, and that this fact has
been documented in the Expanded Initial Study and Addendum.
5. The City Council has not been presented substantial and credible evidence disputing
the conclusion contained in the Expanded initial Study and Addendum.
6. The Expanded Initial Study serves a valuable continuing purpose in the planning
process by presenting an even more current representation of impacts. Since none
of the conditions described in Section 15162 of the CEQA Guidelines calling for a
new EIR have occurred, and since the information reported in the Expanded Initial
Study and Addendum does not raise important new issues about the significant
effects on the environment, the Council hereby finds that this Expanded Initial Study
shall be approved an as Addendum to this previous Final EIR, pursuant to Section
15164 of the CEQA Guidelines, in order to assure that the most contemporary
information is always available.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Palm Desert Planning
Commission, held on this 26th day of June, 1997, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
SNYDER, SPIEGEL, KELLY
BENSON
CRITES
NONE
A�-�EST: � , :�
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��SHEILA R. G LtIGAN, Crt� Clerk
City of Palm Desert, C fornia
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