HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes 06-138 Adopt Mitigated Nagative Declaration Section 29 AD 2004-2CITY OF PALM DESERT
STAFF REPORT
REQUEST: Consideration of Adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration in
Connection with the Proposed Section 29 Assessment District
SUBMITTED BY: Philip Drell, Director of Community Development
DATE: October 12, 2006
CONTENTS: Exhibit 1: Draft Resolution 06-138 , with Ex. A — Initial Study and
Ex. B — Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Exhibit 2: General Plan EIR Exhibit 111-14
Recommendation:
That the City Council:
Adopt Resolution No. 06-138 in connection with the proposed formation of the
City of Palm Desert Section 29 Assessment District making environmental
findings and adopting a Mitigated Negative Declaration.
Executive Summary:
Staff recommends adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration in connection
with the proposed formation of the Section 29 Assessment District to fund public
infrastructure improvements so as to comply with the requirements of the
California Environmental Quality Act.
Background:
The owners of certain property located within the City of Palm Desert have requested
that the City Council undertake proceedings pursuant to the Municipal Improvement Act
of 1913 (California Streets and Highways Code Section 10000, et seq.) (the "1913 Act")
to form the Section 29 Assessment District for the purpose of acquiring, constructing
and installing certain public infrastructure, including sewer and water lines, street
improvements and storm drain improvements.
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), City staff prepared an
Initial Study in connection with the proposed formation of the Assessment District and
the improvements described above (the "Project"). The Initial Study concluded that the
Project would not result in any significant adverse environmental impacts with the
implementation of certain mitigation measures. A copy of the Initial Study is included as
an Exhibit A to the attached draft Resolution 06-138. A Mitigated Negative Declaration
(SCH#2006081156) was prepared and circulated for a 30-day public review and
Staff Report
Section 29 Assessment District
Page 2
October 12, 2006
comment period, during which the City received comment letters from the Coachella
Valley Water District, the Native American Heritage Commission, the State of California
Public Utilities Commission, the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District,
and the Southern California Association of Governments. Responses to each of these
letters follow.
Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD)
The CVWD letter did not raise any environmental issues and no response is necessary.
Native American Heritage Commission
The Native American Heritage Commission recommended a record search to determine
potential impacts on Native American cultural resources.
Response: The area was assessed for cultural resources in the General Plan
EIR(see attached Exhibit 2, a copy of EIR exhibit 111-14).The analysis concluded that
the subject area was not within a zone designated as high sensitivity or relatively high
sensitivity for prehistoric cultural resources from the pre 1940 era. No significant
impacts are anticipated.
State of California Public Utilities Commission
The Public Utilities Commission expressed traffic concerns involving a Union Pacific
Railroad "at -grade crossing" on Monterey Ave.
Response: The railroad tracks go under the Monterey/I10 Interchange. There is no
at -grade crossing.
Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District (CVMVCD)
Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District identified potential impacts from
mosquitoes, synanthropic flies and rodents resulting from development.
Response: Mosquitoes The design review of drainage facilities by the Department
of Public Works and CVWD follows BMPs to insure that the potential for standing water
is reduced to minimum. The City has a regular maintenance program to address
standing water in catch basins, retention ponds, dry wells and drainage channels. The
City contracts with the CVMVCD to control mosquitoes when standing water is
unavoidable. In addition, the City periodically educates and reminds the public through
the citywide newsletter of the importance of eliminating standing water on their property.
Continued enforcement of the City's Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance will reduce
2
Staff Report
Section 29 Assessment District
Page 3
October 12, 2006
the volume of nuisance water entering the drainage system, although this is beyond the
scope of this project.
Svnanthropic Flies The City will work with CVMVCD and the waste hauler Burtec
to improve the sealing of trash containers and educate the public and commercial
community concerning strategies that eliminate the potential for the breeding of flies,
although this is beyond the scope of this particular infrastructure improvement project.
Rodents. As part of the normal building inspection process, the City requires
all building penetrations including plumbing and electrical lines to be sealed. Through
the City newsletter the residents will be informed of the role diligent property
maintenance plays in controlling pests, although this is beyond the scope of this
infrastructure improvement project.
Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG)
The SCAG letter did not raise any environmental issues and no response is necessary.
Mitigation. Monitoring and Reporting Plan
A Mitigation, Monitoring and Reporting Plan setting forth the mitigation measures has
been prepared for the project and is attached as Exhibit "B" to Resolution No. 06-
Future Actions:
The Council will be asked at a later date to consider additional proceedings for
formation of the Assessment District and the issuance of Improvement bonds.
Submitted by:
Philip Drell
Director of Community Development
Approval:
Carlos L. Ort
City Manag
Ap.. al:
Homer Cro
CITY COUNCI forD
APPROVED
RECEIVED
MEETING DATE /O-- /. - G(o
AYES:1?
NOES:
ABSENT: J
ABSTAIN:1
VERIFIED BY: /•/� p(%%yiJt
Original on File w h City Clerk's Office
ment Services
TION:
DENIED
OTHER Ap(oJ
3
RESOLUTION NO. 06- 138
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM
DESERT IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED SECTION 29
ASSESSMENT DISTRICT TO MAKE ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
WITH RESPECT THERETO AND TO ADOPT A MITIGATED
NEGATIVE DECLARATION IN CONNECTION THEREWITH
RECITALS:
WHEREAS, the owners of certain property located within the City of Palm Desert, as
shown on Exhibit A, attached hereto, have requested the City Council to initiate
proceedings pursuant to the Municipal Improvement Act of 1913 (Division 12 of the Streets
and Highways Code, commencing with Section 10,000) (the "1913 Act") to form an
assessment district to be known as the "Section 29 Assessment District" for the purpose of
acquiring, constructing and installing certain public infrastructure improvements (sewer and
water lines, street improvements, storm drainage) of special benefit to the properties in the
Assessment District; and
WHEREAS, City staff has prepared an initial study (the "Initial Study") for the
project, as defined in paragraph 8, and Exhibit A of the Initial Study (the "Project"),
including formation of the Assessment District and financing the facilities described therein,
as required by the California Environmental Quality Act, commencing with Section 21000 of
the California Public Resources Code and the California Environmental Quality Act
Guidelines, Article 5 of Chapter 3 of Division 6 of Title 14 of the California Code of
Regulations, (collectively "CEQA"). The Initial Study concluded that the Project would not
result in any significant adverse environmental impacts with the implementation of certain
mitigation measures. Therefore a Mitigated Negative Declaration was prepared and
circulated for a 30-day public review and comment period, during which the City received
comment letters from the Coachella Valley Water District, the Native American Heritage
Commission, the State of California Public Utilities Commission, the Coachella Valley
Mosquito and Vector Control District, and the Southern California Association of
Governments;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
PALM DESERT:
Recitals. The above recitals are all true and correct.
2. CEQA.
a. The City Council of the City, the lead agency for the Project, has
considered the Mitigated Negative Declaration and comment letters
from the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD), the Native
American Heritage Commission, the State of California Public Utilities
RESOLUTION NO. 06- 138
Commission, the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control
District, and the Southern California Association of Governments
(SCAG).
b. The CVWD and the SCAG letters raised no environmental issues
c. Responses to the environmental issues raised by Native American
Heritage Commission, the State of California Public Utilities
Commission, the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control
District were provided in the staff report to the City Council. Those
responses, in addition to other documentation in the administrative
record, provide substantial evidence to supportthe conclusion thatthe
project will not have the potential for significant impacts provided that
certain mitigation measures are implemented.
d. The City Council hereby finds, in its independent judgment after
considering all relevant evidence in the record of proceedings for the
Project, including without limitation the information set forth in the
Mitigated Negative Declaration, the Initial Study and the staff report,
that there is not substantial evidence supporting a fair argument that
the Project may actually produce any significant environmental
impacts that cannot be mitigated to a less than significant level
through implementation of those mitigation measures identified in the
Mitigated Negative Declaration. Therefore, the City Council finds that
the Project will not have a significant environmental effect.
e. The City Council finds that the Mitigated Negative Declaration reflects
the City Council's independent judgment and analysis.
The City Council hereby adopts the Mitigated Negative Declaration
and the Mitigation, Monitoring and Reporting Plan for the proposed
Project, attached hereto as Exhibit "B" and incorporated herein by
reference.
3. Notice of Determination. The City Council hereby directs staff to prepare a
Notice of Determination, to file that Notice with the County Clerk in
accordance with Section 15075(d) of the California Environmental Quality
Act Guidelines, and to pay the applicable Fish and Game filing fee within five
(5) days of the adoption of this Resolution.
4. Other Acts. The officers of the City are hereby authorized and directed,
jointly and severally, to do any and all things, and to execute and deliver any
and all documents which they may deem necessary or advisable, in order to
effectuate the purposes of this Resolution, and any such actions previously
taken by such officers are hereby ratified and confirmed.
P6401\1033'921581v1 2
RESOLUTION NO. 06-138
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, California,
on the day of , 2006, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
JAMES FERGUSON, Mayor
ATTEST:
RACHELLE D. KLASSEN, City Clerk
City of Palm Desert, California
P6401\1033\921581v1 3
EXHIBIT "A"
P6401\1033\921581v1 A-1
CITY OF PALM DESERT
NOTICE OF INTENT
TO ADOPT A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION
DATE: August 25, 2006
TO: Responsible and Trustee Agencies 1 Interested Organizations and Individuals
FROM: City of Palm Desert
RE: Section 29 Master Plan of Infrastructure, Assessment District 2004-02
The City of Palm Desert (City), in its capacity as the Lead Agency for this project under the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), evaluated the potential environmental
impacts of the above referenced project under CEQA. The City has determined through
the preparation of an Initial Study that although the project has the potential to result in
significant environmental effects, these impacts will not be significant because the
mitigation measures described in the detailed Initial Study have been added to the project.
The Initial Study meets the requirements of CEQA and the State and City Guidelines for
the Implementation of CEQA. A Mitigated Negative Declaration will be prepared.
This notice constitutes a Notice of intent (NOI) to adopt the aforementioned Mitigated
Negative Declaration.
Project Location / Description:
The project involves the formation of an Assessment District to finance public
improvements within an approximately 350-acre vacant site bounded by Portola Avenue,
Gerald Ford Drive, Monterey Avenue, 35th Avenue and Dinah Shore Drive. Improvements
generally include streets, traffic signals, landscaping, water, sewer and storm drain
improvements. Project will include installation of a sewer line under Interstate 10.
Other Permits:
Project involves improvements associated with Palm Springs Unified School District,
Coachella Valley Water District and California Department of Transportation.
CEQAnet - Section 29 Master Plan of Infrastructure, Assessment Dist. 2004-02 Page 1 of 2
California Home
SCH Number: 2006081156
Wednesda�
Type: MND - Mitigated Negative Declaration
Project Description
Formation of assessment district to finance public infrastructure improvements described in IS including streets, traffic signals, landsc
sewer and stormdrain improvements.
Project Lead Agency
Palm Desert, City of
Contact Information
Primary Contact:
Philip Drell
City ot Palm Desert
(760)346-0611x481
73-510 Fred War(ng Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92201
Project Location
County: Riverside
City: Palm Desert
Region:
Cross Streets: Gerald Ford / Monterey
Parcel No: Various
Township: 4S
Range: 6E
Section: 29
Base: SB
Other Location Info:
Proximity To
Highways: I-10
Airports:
Railways: UPRR
Waterways:
5chools: CalState SB/Palm Desert
Land Use: Vacant Z: Planned Residential 5-13 du/ac and Planned Commercial/lndustrial
Development Type
Water Facilities, Transportation: Local Road, Waste Treatment: Sewer, Other
Local Action
Other Action
Project Issues
http://www.ceqanet.ca.gov/DocDescription.asp?DocPK=600698
10/4/2006
�
Section 29 Master Plan of Infrastructure, Assessment Dist. 2004-02
CEQAnet - Section 29 Master Plan of Infrastructure, Assessment Dist. 2004-02 Page 2 of 2
AestheticNisual, Agricultural Land, Air Quality, Archaeologic-Historic, Cumulative Effects, GeologiGSeismic, Landuse; Minerals, Nois�
PopulationlHousing Balance, Public Services, Recreation/Parks, Sewer Capacity, ToxiGHazardous, TraffiGCirculation, Water Quality
Reviewing Agencies (Agencies in Bold Type submitted comment letters to the State Clearinghouse)
Resources Agency; Regiona( Water Quality Contro! Board, Region 7; Department of Parks and Recreation; Native American Heritac
Public Utilities Commission; Office of Historic Preservation; Department of Fish and Game, Region 6; Department of Water Resource:
Highway Patrol; Caltrans, Distrid 8; Air Resources Board, Transportation Projects; Department of 7oxic Substances Control; State W
Control Board, Division of Water Rights
Date Received: 8/28/2006 Start of Review: 8/30/2006 End of Review: 9/29l2006
CEQAnct HOA•1G I NEW SFARCH
http://w�vw.ceqanet.ca.gov/DocDescription.asp?DocPK=600698 10/4/2006
, Form A
Notice of Completion 8 Environmental Document Transmittal
scx #
Mail to: State Clearinghouse, P. O. Box 3044, Sacramento, CA 95812-3044
(9l6} 445-0613 state.clearinghousc@opr.ca.gov
ProjectTftle: Section 29 Master Plan of Infrastructure, Assessment Dist.2004-0�
Lead Agency: C i t�r n f P a 1 m P P c a r t Concact Person: P 11 i 11 D D r e 11
Mailing Acldress_ �_�,1 n F r P ci W a r i n g Il r i v P Phone: ( 7 6 0) 3 4 6— 0 61 1 e x t. 4 81
�;ry: Palm Desert z�p: 92201 counry: Riverside
----------------------------------------�_.
Project Location: � S e e M a p)
Counry: R i v e r s i� P CitylNearest Communiry: P a 1 m D e s e r t
cross sveou: G e r a 1 d_F o r d/ M o n t e r e� _,._ __ _____ _. ztp coae: 9 2 2 6 0 Toca� Acres: 3 5 0___ .. __ _`__ ,
Assassor's Pazcel No, v a r i O u s Section: � 9 Twp. 4 S Range: �_ Base: S. B.
W ithin 2 Miles: State Hwy q: j— j Q Waterways: .
Airpons: rta►iways: U n i o n P a c i f i c schoo�s: C a 1 S t a t e S B/P a 1 m D e s e r t
-----------------------------------------------
Dxument Type:
CEQA: ❑ NOP ❑ SupplemendSubsequent EIR NEPA: ❑ NOI Other: p Joint Document
❑ Early Cons (Prior SCH No.) ❑ EA O Final Document
❑ Neg Dec (� Other M i t. N e g. D e c. � Draft EIS ❑ Other
0 Draft ElR ❑ FONSI
------------------------------� �_.-----------
Local Action Type:
O General Plan Update ❑ Speci6c Plan ❑ Rczone O Annexation
O General Plan Amcndment ❑ Master Plan ❑ Prezone ❑ Redevelopment
❑ General Plan Elcment ❑ planned Unit Dcvclopmcnt ❑ Use Permit ❑ Coastal Permit
O Community Plan ❑ Site Plun � Land Division (Subdivision, ctc.} � Other A s S e s s tD e n t D i s
--------------------------------------------------
DevelopmentType: See list of infrastructure improvements
❑ Residential: U nits Acres � Transportation: Type 1 o C a 1 S t r e e t s
❑ Office: Sq.ft. Acres Employces 0 Mining: Mineral
❑ Commercial: Sq.ft Acres Employees ❑ Power: Type Watts
� lndustrial: Sy.R. Acres Employees � Waste Treatment: Type s e w e r 1 i n e s
� Educationa! ❑ Hazardous Waste: Typc
❑ Recreacional � Ocher: s t o r m d r a i n a Q e 1 i n e s
� Water Facilities: Type Wa t e r L i n e s MGD
----------------------------------------------
Funding (approx.): Federal S Scate S To�al S 50 , 000 , 000
------------------------------------------------
Project Issues Discussed in Document:
I� AcstheticNisual 0 Flood PIaiNFlooding p Schools/Univcrsities � Water Qualiry
� Agricultural Land p Forest Land/Fire Hazard ❑ Septic Systems ❑ Water Supply/Groundwater
� Air Quality � Geologic/Seismic � Sewer ❑ Wetlancl/Riparian
� ArchcologicaUHistorical � Minerals ❑ Soil ErosioNCompaction/Grading � Wildlife
❑ Coastal Zone � Noise � Solid Waste ❑ Growth Inducing
❑ Drainage/Absorption � Population/Housing Balance � Toxic/Elazardous � Land Use
❑ Economic/Jobs � Public Scrvices/Facilitics � TrafficlCirculation � Cumulative Effects
O Fiscal � RecreatioNParks p Vebetation Capacity ❑ Other
-----------------------------------------------
Present Land Use/ZoningfGeneral Plan Designatlon: L a n d U s e: V a c a n t; Z o n i n g: P 1 a n n e d
Residential 5-13 du/ac & Planned Commercial/Industrial
---------------------------------------------.__...
Project Description: Formation of assessment district to finance public
infrastructure improvements described in Initial Study including
streets traffic signals landscaping water sewer and stormdra�n
� e r + lanuary 2004
improvements.
F�,
��
�teviewing Agencies Checklist
Resources Agency
Boating & Waterways
Coastal Conservancy
Colorado River Board
Conscrvation
Fish & Game
Forestry & Fire Protection
Office of Historic Preservation
Parks & Recreation
Reclamation $oard
S.F. Bay Conservation & Devetopment Commission
Water Resources {DWR)
Business, TrAnsportation 8t Housing
Aeronautics
Califomia Highway Patrol
_�CALTRANS District t� R
Department �f Transportarion Planning (headquarters)
Housing 8c Communiry Development
Food & Agricultare
Realih & Weltare
Hcalth Scrvices
State & Consumer Services
General Services
Fonn A, continued
KBY
S= Document sent by lead agency
X= Document sent by SCH
� = Suggested distribution
Environrnental Protection Agency
Air Resources Board
California Waste Management Board
SWRCB: Clean Water Grants
SWRCB: Delta Unit
SWRCB: Water Qualiry
SWRCB: Water Rights
Regional WQCB # (
Youth & Adult Correctlons
Corrections
Independent Comraissions & Offices
Energy Commission
Nativc American Heritage Commission
Public Utilities Commission
Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
State Lands Commission
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
Other
)
---------------------------------------------
Public Review Period (to be fllled in by lead agency)
Starting Date A u� u s t 2 8, 2 0 0 6
Signature
EndingDate September 28, 2006
Date August 25 , 2006
------------------------------------------
Lead Agency {Compiete if applicable):
Consulting Firm:
Address:
City/State/Zip:
Contact:
Phone: (_�
For SCH Use Only:
Date Received at SCH
Date Review Starts
Date to Agencies
Date to SCH
Cicarancc Datc
�lotes:
Applicant:
Address:
City/StatelZip:
i Phone: ( . _)
I
ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST FORM
1. Project Title: Section 29 Master Plan of Infrastructure, Assessment District 2004-02
2. Lead Agency Name and Address:
Citv of Palm Desert
73-510 Fred Warin� Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92260
3. Contact Person and Phone Number: Philiv Drell (7601346-0611 ext. 481
4. Project Locarion: Area �enerallv bounded bv Gerald Ford Drive, Portola Avenue, Monterev Avenue, 35`�
Avenue and Dinah Shore Drive (see attached manl.
5. Project Sponsor's Name and Address:
Citv of Palm Desert
73-5 t0 Fred WarinQ Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92260
6. General Plan Designation: R-L, R-M/R-HO, C-R
7. Zoning: PR-5, PCD, SI
8. Description of Project: (Describe the whole action involved, including but not linuted to later phases of the
project, and any secondary, support, or off-site features necessary for its implementation. Attach additional
sheet(s) if necessary.)
Formation of an assessment district to finance nublic infrastructure improvements described in Exhibit A.
9. Surrounding Land Uses and Setting: (Briefly describe the project's surroundings.)
The area is surrounded bv commercial, residential, resort and industrial land uses.
10. Other pabtic agencies tivhose approval is required (e.g., permiu, financing approval, or participarion agreement):
Palm Snrin�s Unified School District
Coachella Vallev Water District
California Department of Transvortation
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS POTENTIALLY AFFECTED:
The environmental factors checked below would be potentially affected by this project, involving at least one impact that
is a"Potentially Significant Impact" as indicated by the checklist on the following pages.
�
■
�
I�
�
�.
Aesthetics
Biological Resources
Hazards & Hazardous Materials
Mineral Resources
Public Services
Utilities / Service Systems
❑
❑
0
❑
❑
❑
Agriculture Resources
Cultural Resources
Hydrology / Water Quality
Noise
Recreation
Mandatory Findings of Significance
■
■
■
�
■
Air Quality
Geology / Soils
Land Use / Planrung
Population / Housing
Transportation / Traffic
C[TY (STANDARD)�SACUTB�2005�22628.1 Page 1 of IS FORM "1"
DETERMINATION (To be completed by the Lead Agency):
On the basis of this initial evaluation:
� I fmd that the proposed project COULD NOT have a significant effect on the environment, and a NEGATIVE
DECLARATION will be prepared.
� I fmd that although the proposed project could have a significant effect on the environment, there will not be a
significant effect in this case because revisions in the project have been made by or agreed to by the project
proponent. A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION will be prepared.
� I find that the proposed project MAY have a significant effect on the environment, and an ENVIRONMEI�rTAL
IMPACT REPORT is required.
� I find that the proposed project MAY have a"potentially significant" or "potenrially significant unless mitigated"
impact on the environment, but at least one effect 1) has been adequately analyzed in an earlier document pursuant
to applicable legal standards, and 2) has been addressed by mitigarion measures based on the earlier analysis as
described on attached sheets. An ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT is required, but it must analyze only the
effects that remain to be addressed.
� I find that although the proposed project could have a significant effect on the environment, because all potenrially
significant effects (a) have been analyzed adequately in an earlier EIR or NEGATIVE DECLARATION pursuant to
applicable standards, and (b) have been avoided or mitigated pwsuant to that earlier EIR or NEGATIVE
DECLARATION, including ret�isions or mitigation measures that are imposed upon the proposed project, nothing
further is required.
��'� �o �
Signature Date
Philin Drell
Printed Name For
EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS:
A brief explanation is required for all answers except "No Impact" answers that are adequately supported by the
information sources a lead agency cites in the parentheses following each quesrion. A"No Impact" answer is adequately
supported if the referenced information sources show that the impact simply does not apply to projects like the one
involved (e.g. the project falls outside a fault rupture zone). A"No Impact" answer should be explained where it is based
on project-specific factors as well as general standards (e.g. the project will not expose sensitive receptors to pollutants,
based on a project-specific screening analysis).
All ans�vers must take account of the �vhole action involved, including off-site as well as on-site, cumulative as well
as project-level, indirect as well as direct, and construction as well as operational impacts.
Once the lead agency has deternuned that a particular physical impact may occur, then the checklist ans��ers must
indicate whether ihe impact is potentially significant, less than significant with mitigation, or less than significant.
"Potentially Significant Impact" is appropriate if there is substantial evidence that an effect is significant. If there are one
or more "Potentially Significant Impact" entries when the determination is made, an EIR is required.
"Negative Declaration: Less Than Significant With Mitigation Incorporated" applies where the incorporation of
mitigation measures has reduced an effect from "Potentially Significant Impact" to a"Less than Significant Impact." The
lead agency must describe the mitigation measures, and briefly explain how they reduce the ef%ct to a less than
significant level (mitigation measures &om Section XVII, "Earlier Analyses," may be cross-referenced).
CITY (STANDARD)�SACUTB�2005�22628.1 Page 2 of 15 FORM "J"
Earlier analyses may be used where, pursuant to the tiering, program EIR, or other CEQA process, an effect has been
adequately analyzed in an earlier EIR or negative declaration. Section 1�063(c)(3)(D). In this case, a brief discussion
should idenrify the following:
a)
b)
c)
Earlier Analyses Used. Identify and state where they are available for review.
Impacts Adequately Addressed. Identify which effects from the above checklist were within the scope
of and adequately analyzed in an earlier document pursuant to applicable legal standards, and state
�vhether such effects were addressed by mitigation measures based on the earlier analysis.
Mitigation Measures. For effects that are "Less than Significant writh Mitigarion Measures
Incorporated," describe the mitigation measures v��hich were incotporated or refined from the earlier
document and the extent to which they address site-specific conditions for the project.
Lead agencies are encouraged to incotporate into the checklist references to information sources for potential impacts
(e.g. general ptans, zoning ordinances). Reference to a previously prepared or outside document should, where
appropriate, include a reference to the page or pages where the statement is substantiated.
Supporting Information Sources. A source list should be attached, and other sources used or individuals contacted
should be cited in the discussion.
This is only a suggested form, and lead agencies are free to use different formats; however, lead agencies should
normally address the questions from this checklist that are relevant to a project's environmental effects in whatever format
is selected.
The explanation of each issue should identify:
a)
b)
the significance criteria or threshotd, if any, used to evaluate each question; and
the mitigation measure identified, if any, to reduce the impact to less than significance.
SAMPLE QUESTION
Issues:
AESTHETICS. Would the project:
a) Have a substantial adverse effect on
a scenic vista?
b) Substantially damage scenic
resources, including, but not limited
to, tress, rock outcroppings, and
historic buildings within a state
scenic highway?
c) Substantially degrade the existing
visual character or quality of the site
and its surroundings?
d) Create a new source of substantial
light or glare which would adversely
affect day or nighttime views in the
area?
Less Than
Significant
Potentially With Less Than
Significant Mitigation Significant
Impact Incorporated Impact
❑ ❑ ❑
❑ ❑
0 0
❑ �
CIT'Y (ST.A�IDARD)�SACUTB�2005�22628.1 Page 3 of 15
❑
�
❑
No
Impact
�
L�'
❑
❑
FORM .`J„ '
Issues:
AGRICULTURE RESOURCES. In determining
whether impacts to agricultural resources are
significant em�ironmental ef%cts, lead agencies may
refer to the California Agricultural Land Evaluaiion
and Site Assessment Model (1997) prepared by the
California Dept. of Conservation as an oprional model
to use in assessing impacts on agriculture and
farmland. Would the project:
a) Com�ert Prime Farmland, Unique
Farmland, or Farrriland of Statewide
Importance (Farrriland), as shown on
the maps prepared pursuant to the
Farniland Mapping and Monitoring
Program of the California Resources
Agency, to non-agricultural use?
b) Conflict with existing zoning for
agricultural use, or a Williamson
Act contract?
c) Involve other changes in the existing
environment which, due to their
locarion or nature, could result in
conversion of Farmland, to non-
agricultural use?
AIR QUALITY. Where available, the
significance criteria established by the applicable air
quality management or air pollution control district
may be relied upon to make the following
determinations. Would the project:
a) Conflict with or obstruct
implementation of die applicable air
quality plan:�
b) VioIate any air quality standard or
contribute substantially to an
existing or projected air quality
violation?
c) Result in a cumulatively
considerable net increase of any
criteria pollutant for which the
project region is nonattainment
under an applicable federal or state
ambient air quality standard
(including releasing emassions
which exceed quantitative
thresholds for ozone precursors)?
Potentially
Significant
Impact
►/
Less Than
Significant
W ith
Mitigation
Incorporated
❑�
❑ ❑
❑ ❑
❑ ❑
❑ �
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�
No
Impact
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CITY (STANDARD)�SACUT6�200522628.I Page 4 of 15 FOR��1 "J"
Issues:
d) Expose sensitive receptors to
substantial pollutant concenh�ations?
e) Create objectionable odors affecting
a substanrial number of people?
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES. Would the
project:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Have a substantial adverse effect,
either directly or through habitat
modifications, on any species
identified as a candidate, sensitive,
or special status species in local or
regional plans, policies, or
regulations, or by the California
Depariment of Fish and Game or
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Sen�ice?
Have a substantial adverse effect on
any riparian habitat or other
sensitive natural community
identified in local or regional plans,
policies, regulations or by the
California Department of Fish and
Game or U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service?
Have a substantial adverse effect on
federally protected wetlands as
defined by Section 404 of the Clean
Water Act (including, but not
limited to, marsh, vernal pool,
coastal, etc.) through direct removal,
filling, hydrological interruption, or
other means?
Interfere substantially with the
movement of any native resident or
migratory fish or wildlife species or
with established native resident or
migratory wildlife corridors, or
impede the use of native ��ildlife
nursery sites?
Conflict with any local policies or
ordinances protecting biological
resources, such as a tree
preservacion policy or ordinance?
Less Than
Significant
Potentially With Less Than
Significant Mirigation Significant No
Impact Incorporated Impact Impact
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CITY (STANDARD)1SACUTB�2005�22628.1 Page 5 of 15 FORM "J"
Issues:
� Conflict with the provisions of an
adopted Habitat Conservation Plan,
Nahual Community Conservarion
Plan, or other approved local,
regional, or state habitat
conservation plan?
CULTURAL RESOURCES. Would the projecr
a) Cause a substantial adverse change
in the significance of a historical
resource as defined in § 15064.5?
b) Cause a substantial adverse change
in the significance of an
archaeological resource pursuant to
§ 15064.5?
c) Directly or indirectly destroy a
unique paleontological resource or
site or unique geologic feature?
d) Disturb any human remains,
including those interred outside of
formal cemeteries?
GEOLOGY AND SOILS. Would the project:
a) Expose people or structures to
potenrial substantial adverse effects,
including the risk of loss, injury or
death involving:
i) Rupture of a known earthquake
fault, as delineated on the most
recent Alquist-Priolo Earthquake
Fault Zoning iVlap issued by the
State Geologist for the area or based
on other substantial evidence of a
known fault? Refer to Division of
Mines and Geology Special
Publication 42.
ii) Strong seismic ground shaking?
iii) Seismic-related ground failure,
including liquefaction?
iv) Landslides?
b) Resutt in substantial soil erosion or
the loss of topsoil?
CITY (STANDARD)�.SACUTB�200S22628.1
Less Than
Significant
Potentially With Less Than
Significant Mitigation Significant No
Impact Incorporated Impact Impact
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Page 6 of 15 FORM "J"
Issues:
c) Be located on a geologic unit or soil
that is unstable, or that would
become unstable as a result of the
project, and potentially result in on-
or off-site landslide, lateral
spreading, subsidence, liquefaction
or collapse?
d) Be located on expansive soil, as
defined in Table 18 1 B of the
Uniform Building Code (1994),
creating substantial risks to life or
property?
e) Have soils incapable of adequately
supporting the use of septic tanks or
alternarive waste water disposal
systems where sewers are not
available for the disposal of waste
water?
HAZAR.DS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
Would the project:
a) Create a significant hazard to the
public or the environment through
the routine transport, use, or
disposal of hazardous materials?
b) Create a significant hazard to the
public or the environment through
reasonably foreseeable upset and
accident conditions involving the
release of hazardous materials into
the environment?
c) Emit hazardous errussions or handle
hazardous or acutely hazardous
materials, substances, or waste
within one-quarter mile of an
existing or proposed school?
d) Be located on a site which is
included on a list of hazardous
materials sites compiled pursuant to
Govemment Code section 65962.5
and, as a result, would it create a
significant hazard to the public or
the environment?
Potentially
Significant
Impact
❑
Less Than
Significant
With
Mitigation
Incorporated
l�
❑ ❑
❑ ❑
❑ ❑
o a
❑ ❑
❑ ❑
Less Than
Significant
Impact
❑
I�'o
Impact
❑
a o'
❑ L�
❑ �
a o'
❑ d
❑ LJ
CITY (STANDARD)�SACVT6�2005�22628.1 Page 7 of 1S FOR1V1 "1"
Issues:
e) For a project located within an
airport land use plan or, where such
a plan has not been adopted, within
nvo nules of a public aicport or
public use airport, would the project
result in a safety hazard for people
residing or working in the project
area?
� For a project within the vicinity of a
private airstrip, would the project
result in a safety hazard for people
residing or working in the project
area?
g) Impair implementarion of or
physically interfere with an adopted
emergency response plan or
emergency evacuation plan?
h) Expose people or structures to a
significant risk of loss, injury or
death involving wildland fires,
including where wildlands are
adjacent to urbanized areas or where
residences are intermixed with
wildlands?
HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY.
Would the project:
a) Violate any water quality standards
or �vaste discharge requirements?
b) Substanrially deplete groundwater
supplies or interfere substantially
with groundwater recharge such thai
there would be a net deficit in
aquifer volume or a lowering of the
local groundwater table level (e.g.,
the production rate of pre-existing
nearby wells would drop to a level
which would not support existing
land uses or planned uses for which
permits have been granted)?
c) Substantially alter the existing
drainage pattern of the site or area,
including through the alteration of
the course of a stream or river, in a
manner �vhich would result in
substantial erosion or siltation on- or
of� site?
Potentially
Significant
Impact
❑
Less Than
Significant
W ith
Mitigation
Incorporated
O
❑ ❑
❑ ❑
❑ ❑
❑ ❑
❑ ❑
❑ ❑
Less Than
Significant
Impact
�
I�`o
Impact
�
❑ �
❑ LY
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❑ �
❑ �
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�
C1TY (STANDARD)�SACUTB12005�22G28.1 Page 8 of IS FORM "T"
Issues:
d) Substantially alter the existing
drainage pattern of the site or area,
including through the alteration of
the course of a stream or river, or
substantially increase the rate or
amount of surface runoff in a
manner which would result in
flooding on- or off-site?
e) Create or contribute runofi water
which would exceed the capacity of
existing or planned storm water
drainage systems or provide
substantial addirional sources of
polluted runoff?
� Otherwise substantially degrade
water quality'?
g) Piace housing within a 100-year
flood hazard area as mapped on a
federal Flood Hazard Boundary or
Flood Insurance Rate Map or other
flood hazard delineation map?
h) Place within a] 00-year flood hazard
area sriuctures which would impede
or redirect flood flo�vs'?
i) Expose people or structures to a
significant risk of loss, injury or
death involving flooding, including
flooding as a result of the failure of
a levee or dam?
j) Expose people or structures to
inundation by seiche, tsunami, or
mudflow?
LAND USE AND PLANNING. Would the
proj ect:
a) Physically divide an established
�o�un�ty�
Less Than
Significant
Potentially With Less Than
Significant Mitigation Significant �Io
Impact Incorporated Impact Impact
❑ ❑ � ❑
o a
❑ ❑
❑ ❑
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CITY (STAtiD.4RD)�.SACUTB�2005�22628.1 Page 9 of 15 FORM "J"
Issues:
b) Conflict with any applicable land
use plan, policy, or regularion of an
agency �vith jurisdiction over the
project (including, but not limited
to the general plan, specific plan,
local coasta[ program, or zoning
ordinance) adopted for the purpose
of avoiding or mitigating an
environmental effect?
c) Conflict with any applicable habitat
conservation plan or natural
community conservarion plan?
MINERAL RESOURCES. Would the project:
a) Result in the loss of availability of a
known mineral resource that would
be of value to the region and the
residents of the state?
b) Result in the loss of availability of a
locally-important mineral resource
recovery site delineated on a local
general plan, specific plan or other
land use plan?
NOISE. Would the project result in:
a) Exposure of persons to or generation
of noise levels in excess of
standards established in the local
general plan or noise ordinance, or
applicable standards of other
agencies?
b) Exposure of persons to or generation
of excessive groundborne vibration
or groundborne noise levels?
c) A substantial permanent increase in
ambient noise levels in the project
vicinity above levels existing
without the project?
d) A substantial temporary or periodic
increase in ambient noise levels in
the project vicinity above levels
existing without the project?
Potentially
Significant
Impact
❑
Less Than
Significant
With
Mitigation
Incorporated
❑
❑ ❑
❑ ❑
�
�
�❑
❑�
❑ ❑
❑ ❑
❑ ❑
Less Than
Significant
Impact
❑
No
Impact
�
❑ !�
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❑�
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CITY (ST.�NDARD)'SACVTB�200S22G28.1 Page 10 of IS FORM "7"
Issues:
e) For a project located within an
auport land use plan or, where such
a plan has not been adopted, within
two miles of a public airport or
public use airport, would the project
expose people residing or working
in the project area to excessive noise
levels?
� For a project within the viciniry of a
private airstrip, would the project
expose people residing or working
in the project area to excessive noise
levels?
POPULATION AND HOUSING. Would the
project:
a) Induce substantial popularion
growth in an area, either directly
(for example, by proposing new
homes and businesses) or indirectly
(for example, through extension of
road or other infrastructure)?
b) Displace substantial numbers of
existing housing, necessitating the
constiucrion of reptacement housing
elsewhere?
c) Displace substantial numbers of
peopie, necessitating the
construction of replacement housing
elsewhere?
PUBLIC SERVICES. Would the project:
a) Result in substantial adverse
physical impacts associated with the
provision of new or physically
altered governmental facilities, need
for new or physically altered
govemmental facilities, the
construction of which could cause
significant environmental impacts,
in order to maintain acceptable
service ratios, response times or
other performance objectives for
any of the public services:
Fire protection?
Potentially
Significant
Impact
❑
n
U
Less Than
Significant
W ith
Mitigation
Incorporated
❑
��
0
Less Than
Significant
Impact
❑
u
�❑
❑ ❑ ❑
❑ ❑ ❑
�❑
�
i�
�
n
0
No
Impact
�
r
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0
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J
CtTY (STANDARD)�SACVTB�200S22G28.1 Page 1 1 of 15 FORM "1"
Issues:
Police protection?
Schools?
Parks?
Other public faciliries?
RECREATION. Would the project:
a) Increase the use of existing
neighborhood and regional parks or
other recreational facilities such that
substantial physical deterioration of
the facility would occur or be
accelerated?
b) Does the project include recreational
facilities or require the construction
or expansion of recreational
facilities which have an adverse
physical effect on the environment?
TRANSPORTATION / TRAFFIC. Would the
project:
a) Cause an increase in traffic which is
substantial in relation to the existing
traffic load and capaciry of the street
system (i.e., result in a substantial
increase in either the number of
vehicle trips, the volume to capacity
ratio on roads, or congestion at
intersections)?
b) Exceed, either individually or
cumuladvely, a level of service
standard established by the county
congestion management agency for
designated roads or high�vays?
c) Result in a change in air traffic
patterns, including either an increase
in traffic levels or a change in
location that results in substantial
safety risks?
d) Substantially increase hazards due
to a design feature (e.g., sharp
curves or dangerousintersecrions)
or incomparible uses (e.g., farm
equipment)?
Less Than
Significant
Potentially With Less Than
Significant Mirigation Significant No
Impact Incorporated Impact Impact
0 o a o'
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0
CITY (STANDARD)�SACUTB�2005122G28.1 Page 12 of 15 FORivI "1"
Issues:
e) Result in inadequate emergency
access?
� Result in inadequate parking
capacity?
g) Conflict with adopted policies,
plans, or programs supporting
alternative transportation (e.g., bus
turnouts, bicycle racks)?
UTILITIES AND SERVICE SYSTEMS. VVould
the project:
a) Exceed wastewater treatment
requirements of the applicable
Regional Water Quality Control
Board?
b) Require or result in the construction
of new water or wastewater
treatment facilities or expansion of
existing facilities, the construction
of which could cause significant
environmental effects?
c) Require or result in the construction
of new storm water drainage
facilities or expansion of existing
facilities, the construction of which
could cause significant
environmental effects?
d) Have sufficient water supplies
available to serve the project from
existing entitlements and resources,
or are new or expanded entitlements
needed? In making this
deternunation, the City shall
consider whether the project is
subject to the water supply
assessment requirements of Water
Code Section 10910, et• sea. (SB
610), and the requirements of
Government Code Section 664737
(SB 221).
Less Than
Significant
Potentially With Less Than
Significant Mitigation Significant I`ro
Impact Incorporated Impact Impact
❑ ❑ ❑ �
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CtT'Y (STANDARD)�SACUTB�2005�22628.1 Page 13 of 15 FORM "7"
Issues:
e) Result in a deternunation by the
wastewater treatment provider
which serves or may serve the
project that it has adequate capacity
to serve the project's projected
demand in addirion to the provider's
existing commitments'?
fl Be served by a landfill with
sufficient pernutted capacity to
accommodate the project's solid
waste disposal needs?
g) Comply with federal, state, and local
statutes and regulations related to
solid waste?
MANDATORY FINDINGS OF SIGNIFICANCE
a) Does the project have the potential
to substanrially degrade the quality
of the environment, substanrially
reduce the habitat of a fish or
��ildlife species; cause a fish or
wildlife population to drop belo�v
self-sustaining levels; threaten to
eliminate a plant or animal
community; substantially reduce the
number or restrict the range of an
endangered, rare or threatened
species; or eliminate important
examples of the major periods of
Califomia history or prehistory?
b) Does the project have the potential
to achieve short-term environmental
goals to the disadvantage of long-
term environmental goals?
c) Does ihe project have impacts that
are individually limited, but
cumulatively considerable?
("G�mulatively considerable" means
that the incremental effects of a
project are considerable when
viewed in connection with the
effects of past projects, the effects of
other current projects, and the
effecis of probable future projects.)
Potentially
Significant
Impact
❑
O
❑
❑
Less Than
Significant
W ith
Mirigation
Incoiporated
O
Less Than
Significant
Impaci
O
No
Impact
�
O [� O
❑ ❑ �
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❑ ❑
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CITY (STANDARD)�SACUT6�2005�22G28.1 Page 14 of 15 FORM "J"
Issues:
d) Does the project have environmental
effects which will cause substantial
adverse effects on human beings,
either directly or indirectly?
Less Than
Significant
Potentially With Less Than
Significant Mitigation Significant No
Impact Incorporated Impact Impact
a ❑ O �
CITY (STANDARD)�SACV'CB�2005122628.1 Page 15 of I S F�RNI ".T"
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EXHiBIT A
Monterey Avenue
(South of 35"' Avenue to "A" Street):
• Additional Right of Way dedication on east side
• East side Street Improvements include:
o Lane widening
o Curb and Gutter
o Signing and Striping
o Street Median and landscaping
o Meandering Sidewalk
o Street Lights (at intersections)
• Water Improvements include
0 18-inch water main
• Power Pole relocation
• SCE Easement relocation
Gerald Ford Drive
(East of Gateway Drive to Portola Avenue):
• Additional Right of Way dedication on north side (East of Dolce Development)
• North side Street Improvement
o Lane widening
o Curb and Gutter
o Signing and Striping
o Street Median and landscaping
o Median turn pocket to Gateway Drive
o Median turn pocket to The Gallery Development
o Meandering Sidewalk
o Street Lights {at intersections)
• Water Improvement
0 18-inch water main
0
• Power Pole relocation
• SCE Easement relocation
• Traffic Signal at Gerald Ford Drive and Portola Avenue
• Traffic Signal at Gerald Ford Orive and Gateway Drive
Portola Avenue
(North of Gateway Drive to Dinah Shore Drive):
• Full Right of Way dedication
• Full Street Improvements
o Curb and Gutter
o Signing and Striping
o Street Median and landscaping
o Meandering Sidewalk
o Street Lights (at intersections)
• Water Improvement
0 18-inch water main
• Sewer Improvement
0 10-inch sewer main North of Dinah Shore to I-10
• Storm Drain Improvements
o Extension of existing 42-inch storm drain pipe from Gerald Ford to Dinah Shore __
o Install 96-inch storm drain pipe north from Dinah Shore to the Retention basin
• Power Pole relocation
• SCE Easement relocation
• Traffic Signal at Portola Avenue and Dinah Shore Drive
Gateway Drive
(North of Gerald Ford Drrve to 35`h Aver►ue):
• Full Right of Way dedication (North of "A" Street)
• Full Street Improvements
o Curb and Gutter
o Signing and Striping
o Meandering Sidewalk
o Street Lights (at intersections)
• Water Improvement
0 12-inch water main
• Sewer Improvement
0 8-inch sewer main North of "A" street to 35`h Avenue
• Storm Drain Improvements
o Install 36-inch storm drain pipe nortf� of "A" street to 35`" Avenue.
. Traffic Signal at Gateway Drive and 35'h Avenue
35th Avenue
(West of Monterey Avenue to Dinah Shore Drive):
• Full Right of Way dedication (from Gateway to Dinah Shore, South half West of Gateway
drive to Monterey )
• Full Street Improvements (from Gateway to Dinah Shore, South half West of Gateway
drive to Monterey )
o Curb and Gutter
o Signing and Striping
o Meandering Sidewalk
o Street Lights (at intersections)
• Water Improvement
0 12-inch water main
Sewer Improvement
0 8-inch sewer main East of Gateway Drive to Dinah Shore
Storm Drain Improvements
o Install 54-inch thru 66-inch storm drain pipe East of Gateway Drive to Dinah
Shore
Traffic Signal at 35"' Avenue and Dinah Shore Drive
Dinah Shore Drive
(south of 35'h Avenue to Portola Avenue}:
• Full Right of Way dedication
• Full Street Improvements
o Curb and Gutter
o Street median and landscaping
o Signing and Striping
o Meandering Sidewalk
o Street Lights (at intersections)
• Water Improvement
0 18-inch water main
• Sewer Improvement
o i 0-rnch sewer main from 35`" Aver�ue to Portola Avenue
• Storm Drain Improvements
o Install 84-inch thru 96-inch storm drain pipe from 35"' Avenue to Portola Avenue
"A" Street
(West of Monterey Avenue to Gateway Drive):
• North Right of Way dedication
• NoRh Street Improvements
o Curb and Gutter
o Signing and Striping
o Sidewalk
o Street Lights (at iniersections)
• Water Improvement
0 12-inch water main
Sewer Improvement
0 8-inch sewer main from Lowes east property line to Gateway Drive
Storm Drain Improvements
o Install 30-inch storm drain pipe from Lowes east property line to Gateway Drive
"B" Street (Dolce Avenue)
(West of Gateway Drive to "C" Street):
• Street Improvements
o Curb and Gutter
o Signing and Striping
• Water Improvement
0 12-inch water main
"C" Street
(South of 35"' Avenue to "B" Street):
• Full Right of Way dedication
• Full Street Improvements
o Curb and Gutter
o Signing and Striping
• Water Improvement
0 12-inch water main
• Sewer Improvement
0 8-inch sewer main from "B" Street to 35`" Avenue
• Storm Drain Improvements
o Install 36-inch storm drain pipe
"I-10" Crossing
(Sewer main upgrade of from 12-inch VCP to 18-inch Stainless Steel):
• Sewer Improvement
o Replace existing 12-inch VCP sewer main with 18-inch Stainless Steel pipe
Retention Basin
• Acquisition of Retention Basin
• Retention Basin Modification
o Reshape retention basin
o Add slope protection
o Construct pipe outlet structure
INITIAL STUDY
ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST DISCUSSION
SECTION 29
ASSESSMENT DISTRICT 2004-02
GENERAL COMMENTS
The public improvements identified in the project description attached hereto as
Exhibit A, along with the future commercial and residential projects that will be
served by those improvements, were substantially identi�ed and discussed in the
General Plan and Environmental Impact Report (SCH #2003051103). Many of
the mitigation measures identified in the General Plan Final EIR, which is hereby
incorporated by reference in its entirety, will be applicable to the Project and
future associated developments. The General Plan mitigation measures are
identified in the attached Exhibit B, and are incorporated herein by reference, to
the extent that each applies to this Project.
1. AESTHETICS
The project site elevation falls southwest to northwest by approximate(y 80
feet. The combination of grading design, landscaping and low profile
architecture for future development will preserve views of the regions
scenic mountains from surrounding properties. The Project will involve
installation of street lighting and incidental lighting associated with future
residential and commercial development.
MITIGATION
Mitigation Measure AES-1. The lighting funded and constructed by this
Project shall comply with the City's Municipal Code Chapter 24.16
regulations regarding lighting levels and horizontal and vertical light
trespass.
2. AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES
The Project site does not contain any agricultural resources, therefore no
significant impacts will occur.
3. AIR QUALITY
The undeveloped site is currently covered by large sand dunes which, in
conjunction with other such landforms located in the general area, are the
primary source of blow sand contributing to periodic violations of PM10
standards in the area. Construction activities associated with installation
of the improvements to be funded and constructed through the Project
have the potential to increase the amount of blow sand and PM10. The
INITIAL STUDY ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST DISCUSSION SECTION 29
ASSESSMENT DISTRICT 2004-02
strict compliance with the City's Fugitive Dust Ordinance Chapter 24.12
and the 2002 Coachella Valley State Implementation Plan prepared by
AQMD during construction and the ultimate stabilization of the sand dunes
resulting from future development will reduce potential impacts on the site
and areas downwind. Further, upon completion of the future
developments planned for the area, increases in landscaped and
otherwise covered ground will reduce the amount of blow sand generated
by winds over the site. The potential impact of construction of the
improvements contemplated by the Project can be mitigated to a less than
significant level by adherence to the following mitigation.
MITIGATION
Mitigation Measure AQ-1. During stabilization of the sand dunes and
construction activity, all contractors shall comply with ihe City's Fugitive
Dust Control Ordinance, set forth in Chapter 24.12 of the Municipal Code
and the 2002 Coachella State Implementation Plan prepared by the Air
Quality Management District.
4. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
The project site is within the development fee area designated by the
Coachella Valley Fringe-Toed Lizard Habitat Conservation Plan and HCP
designed to protect critical sand dune habitat for the Fringe-Toed Lizard
and associated dune flora and fauna. The General Plan EIR
acknowledges that, in 1985, ten Coachella Valley cities, including the City
of Palm Desert, adopted the Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard Habitat
Conservation Plan (HCP), which established a preserve for the species of
approximately 18,038 acres. (General Plan EIR at p. III, 105-106.)
Further, the biological study completed for the General Plan concludes
that "[s]and sheets, dunes and hummocks within the boundaries of the
Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard Habitat Conservation Plan do not need
surveys to detect the presence of the fringe-toed lizard." And that
"payment of the mitigation fee of $600/acre will satisfy requirements of the
federal Habitat Consenration Plan." (Palm Desert General Plan Update
Biological Report, Lawrence F. Lapre, PhD, June 29, 2001, at p. 23.)
MITIGATION
Mitigation Measure BIO-1. The $600.00 per acre mitigation fee required
by the Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard Habitat Conservation Plan
shall be paid before lands to which the fee applies are disturbed.
�
INITIAL STUDY ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST DISCUSSION SECTION 29
ASSESSMENT DISTRICT 2004-02
5. CULTURAL RESOURCES
The project site is located on a large, dry sand dune ridge, and the site
contains no evidence of cultural resources. Based on the Palm Desert
General Plan EIR cultural resources survey, the area is not within areas
designated as "high sensitivity for prehistoric or archaeological resources"
or "relatively high sensitivity for historic structures or archaeological
resources from pre-1940 era." (See General Plan Draft EIR, Exhibit III-
14.) Therefore, no significant impacts in this regard are expected.
6. GEOLOGY AND SOILS
The project site is four miles from the San Andreas fault, therefore, like all
other property in the region, it is subject to the potential for ground
shaking. The General Plan EIR identifies the site as low risk for
liquefaction. (See General Plan EIR, Exhibit III-10.) Compliance with
mitigation measures set for in the General Plan will mitigate any impacts
to less than significant levels.
MITIGATION
Mitigation Measure GEO-1. The proposed Project and future
development will comply with the City's grading and building codes and
implement the following mitigation measures listed in the General Plan
EIR as applicable to the Project or components thereof:
A. The City shall establish and maintain an information database
containing maps and other information which describe seismic and
other geotechnical hazards occurring within the City boundaries,
sphere-of-influence and planning area.
B. Proper structural engineering, which takes into account the forces
that will be applied to structures by anticipated ground motions,
shall provide mitigation for ground shaking hazards. Seismic
design shall be in accordance with the most recently adopted
editions of the Uniform Building Code and/or International Building
Code, and the seismic design parameters of the Structural
Engineers' Association of California.
C. Proposals for development on wind or stream-deposited sediment
on the valley floor shall include site-specific subsurface
geotechnical investigations that address settlement, liquefaction,
and collapsible soils. These hazards can generally be mitigated by
proper excavation, compaction and foundation design.
3
INITIAL STUDY ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST DISCUSSION SECTION 29
ASSESSMENT DISTRICT 2004-02
D. The City shall continue to require expansive soils testing as part of
its grading and building codes, and shall assure the implementation
of mitigation measures which minimize these hazards, such as the
use of reinforcing steel in foundations, drainage control devices,
overexcavation and backfilling with non-expansive soils.
E. The City shall continue to support and encourage local and regional
groundwater conservation measures in an effort to mitigate
potential subsidence resulting from groundwater overdraft (see also
Water Resources discussion in Section III-F).
F. All grading permit requests shall include a PM10 Management Plan
in conformance with the latest approved Coachella Valley PM10
requirements in place at the time construction occurs. Blowing dust
and sand during grading operations shall be mitigated by adequate
watering of soils prior to and during grading, and limiting the area of
dry, exposed soils during grading (see also Air Quality discussion in
Section III-H).
G. Where development is proposed adjacent to or in close proximity to
steep slopes, site-specific geotechnical studies shall be conducted
to evaluate the potential for rock falls andlor slope failure, and to
esiablish mitigation measures which minimize these hazards.
H-1. All development proposed within Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Zones
shall comply with State requirements for site-specific study,
including trenching to locate fault traces, and to submit this analysis
prior to any development approval for the property.
H-2. During site grading, all existing vegetation and debris shall be
removed from areas that are to receive compacted fill. Any trees to
be removed shall have a minimum of 95% of the root systems
extracted. Man-made objects shall be overexcavated and exported
from the site. Removal of unsuitable materials may require
excavation to depths ranging from 2 to 4 feet or more below the
existing site grade.
All fill soil, whether on site or imported, shall be approved by the
individual project soils engineer prior to placement as compaction
fill. All fill soil shall be free from vegetation, organic material,
cobbles and boulders greater than 6 inches in diameter, and other
debris. Approved soil shall be placed in horizontal lifts of
appropriate thickness as prescribed by the soils engineer and
watered or aerated as necessary to obtain near-optimum moisture
content.
C�
INITIAL STUDY ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST DISCUSSION SECTION 29
ASSESSMENT DISTRICT 2004-02
J. Fill materials shall be completely and uniformly compacted to not
less than 90% of the laboratory maximum density as determined by
ASTM test method D-1557-78. The project soils engineer shall
observe the placement of fill and take sufficient tests to verify the
moisture content, uniformity, and degree of compaction obtained.
In-place soil density should be determined by the sand-cone
method, in accordance with ASTM Test Method D-1556-64 (74), or
equivalent test method acceptable to the City Building and Safety
Department.
K. Finish cut slopes generally shall not be inclined steeper than 2:1
(horizontal to vertical). Attempts to excavate near-vertical
temporary cuts for retaining walls or utility installations in excess of
5 feet may result in gross failure of the cut and may possibly
damage equipment and injure workers. All cut slopes must be
inspected during grading to provide additional recommendations for
safe construction.
L. Finish fill slopes shall not be inclined steeper than 2:1 (horizontal to
vertical). Fill slope surfaces shall be compacted to 90% of the
laboratory maximum density by either over-filling and cutting back
to expose a compacted core or by approved mechanical methods.
M. Foundation systems that utilize continuous and spread footings are
recommended for the support of one and two-story structures.
Foundations for higher structures must be evaluated based on
structure design and on-site soil conditions.
N. Positive site drainage shall be established during finish grading.
Finish lot grading shall include a minimum positive gradient of 2%
away from structures for a minimum distance of three (3) feet and a
minimum gradient of 1% to the� street or other approved drainage
course.
O. An adequate subdrain system shall be constructed behind and at
the base of all retaining walls to allow for adequate drainage and to
prevent excessive hydrostatic pressure.
P. Utility trench excavations in slope areas or within the zone of
influence of structures should be properly backfilled in accordance
with the following recommendations:
a) Pipes shall be bedded with a minimum of 6 inches of pea
gravel or approved granular soil. Similar material shall be
used to provide a cover of at least 1 foot over the pipe. This
E
INITIAL STUDY ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST DISCUSSION SECTION 29
ASSESSMENT DISTRICT 2004-02
backfill shalt then be uniformly compacted by mechanical
means or jetted to a firm and unyielding condition.
b) Remaining backfill may be fine-grained soil. It shall be
placed in lifts not exceeding 6 inches in thickness or as
determined appropriate, watered or aerated to near optimum
moisture content, and mechanically compacted to a
minimum of 90% of the laboratory maximum density.
c) Pipes in trenches within 5 feet of the top of slopes or on the
face of slopes shall be bedded and backfilled with pea gravel
or approved granular soils as described above. The
remainder of the trench backfill comprise typical on-site fill
soil mechanically compacted as described in the previous
paragraph.
8. HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
The Project site is vacant land, and there is no evidence to suggest that
hazardous materials are or have been present on the site. Further, the
types of uses contemplated for the site, and specifically the improvements
to be undertaken by the Project, do not have the potential to have any
significant impacts in this regard.
9. HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY
The Project will result in, and enable, creation of impervious surfaces and
which would reduce the amount of percolation and change the site's
drainage conditions. The Project envisions the construction of a number
of drainage improvements so that the drainage needs of future
development of the site are met. The Project contemplates construction of
drainage facilities and retention basins that will accommodate a 100-year
storm. Because the Project involves these drainage improvements that
will accommodate future service needs, no significant impact will result,
and there is no need for further mitigation.
10. LAND USE PLANNING
The ProjecYs improvements, as well as the future residentiallcommercial
uses which they will serve, are consistent with the goals and policies of
the General Plan, and will assist in the General Plan's implementation.
11. MINERAL RESOURCES
There are no known mineral resources in the vicinity of the Project,
therefore no significant impact is expected to occur.
[:�
INITIAL STUDY ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST DISCUSSION SECTION 29
ASSESSMENT DISTRICT 2004-02
12. NOISE
The improvements contemplated by the Project are generally not noise
producing, and therefore, no significant impacts are expected in that
respect. Construction activities associated with the improvements will
generate noise, but due to the general lack of sensitive receptors in the
area, and the fact that construction noise will be temporary, the impacts
will not be significant. The project will be subject to City ordinances
controlling construction hours.
13. POPULATION AND HOUSING
The Project improvements are designed to serve a mix of residential and
commercial uses which will help balance employment and housing
demands in the University Park area. Further, the improvements will
enable growth and development consistent with the General Plan for the
area. Therefore, the growth accommodated by the improvements has
already been accounted for in regional models that rely on the City's
General Plan, and no impacts beyond those already considered by the
General Plan EIR will occur.
14. PUBLIC SERVICES
The future development served by the project will incrementally increase
demand on public services, however many of the improvements
contemplated by the Project are being undertaken to ensure that adequate
service levels will exist for the development. Further, the current system
of mitigation fees, including fire facility, school, park, child care,
transportation, drainage, etc., in addition to general fund and
Redevelopment Agency revenues, are adequate to maintain the current
level of public services without significant environmental impacts.
15. RECREATION
Future residential development that will be served by the Project
improvements will increase public recreation demand. However, the
improvements include a number of recreational facilities that will serve
these future residents as well as customers and employees at the
commercial and other non-residential land uses.
MITIGATION
Mitigation Measure REC-1. Construction of a 10-acre neighborhood
park developed in conjunction with a Palm Springs Unified School District
elementary/middle school meets the General Plan goal of five acres per
7
INITIAL STUDY ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST DISCUSSION SECTION 29
ASSESSMENT DISTRICT 2004-02
1,000 projected population and will address potential impacts of the future
development enabled through the Project Improvements.
16. TRANSPORTATION/TRAFFIC
Commercial and residential development facilitated by the project will
generate significant new vehicle trips onto the regional system, however
many of the improvements contemplated by the Project are being
undertaken to ensure that adequate service levels will exist for the future
development. The Project includes the completion of all necessary
long-term General Plan Circulation Element street improvements to insure
that traffic is distributed in a safe and efficient manner with Level of
Service D or better as specified in the General Plan EIR. Further, the
future development has the potential to impact regional transportation
systems. However, those impacts will be mitigated to less than significant
impacts through payment of the Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee
(TUMF).
During construction of the improvements contemplated by the Project,
there is the potential for short term impacts to transportation and traffic
due to street closure needs, including the potential for detours. This short
term impact will be mitigated to less than significance through preparation
of street closure and traffic plans which shall be reviewed and approved
by the City's Public Works Department prior to commencement of any
activities within a public right-of-way. Project will include installation of a
sewer line under Interstate 10. The construction process will ensure the
structural integrity of the roadway and not impact traffic flow.
MITIGATION
Mitigation Measure TRANS-1. Future development shall pay
Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF) as required by that
program to mitigate project impacts throughout the region.
Mitigation Measure TRANS-2. Prior to commencement of any
improvement project within a public right-of-way, a traffic control and
safety plan shall be prepared and submitted to the City's Public Works
Department (or California Department of Transportation, if applicabte) for
review and approval. The traffic control and safety plan shall strive to
enable efficient circulation in the vicinity of the Project to the extent
possible.
17. UTILITIES
The future development served by the project will incrementally increase
demand on some utility services, however many of the improvements
0
INITIAL STUDY ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST DISCUSSION SECTION 29
ASSESSMENT DISTRICT 2004-02
contemplated by the Project are being undertaken to ensure that adequate
service levels will exist for the development. Further, the applicants for
future development will pay the necessary connection and service fees
which will offset demand impacts.
18. MANDATORY FINDINGS OF SIGNIFICANCE
a) The improvement Project has the potential to degrade habitat for
the Fringe-toed lizard, however, through mitigation fees that fund and
establishment and maintenance of a permanent preserve through and
approved Habitat Conservation Plan, the does not rise to the level of
significance. Further, the improvements associated with the Project do
not have the potential to substantially degrade ihe environment,
substantially reduce the habitat of a fish or wildlife species or cause such
species to drop below self-sustaining levels. For the reasons stated
above there is no evidence in support of finding this significance threshold
met for this Project.
b) The Project will assist in implementation of the City's long-term
General Plan for the area, therefore the Project does not achieve short-
term goals to the detriment of long term goals.
c) The improvements proposed by the Project, when considered in
conjunction with the future planned development, will not have a
cumulatively significant effect. The Project and future developments are
consistent with the General Plan which contemplates this growth.
Therefore, the impacts of the Project have already been contemplated by
the City's General Plan, as well as the regional plans which rely on the
projections of the General Plan, such as transportation plans and air
quality plans. Cumulative impacts of this Project together with other
projects, will not be cumulatively significant.
//
0
Land IIse Campatibility Mitigation Heasures
TN/Ciry of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Summary of Impacts
Impacts to the City of Palm Desert and adjacent land uses associated with the adoption and
implementation of the proposed General Plan are not anticipated to be significant. The proposed land
use plan incorporates a mix of land uses thoughtfully developed to be compatible with one another and
with the surrounding environment. Spatial organization of the lands within the General Plan study area
involved logical transition of adjoining residential densities from areas of lawer to higher densities. The
proposed land use plan recognizes the need to insulate sensitive land uses (residences, schools, etc.)
from areas of transportation noise by establishing a buffer of less sensitive uses, such as the business
park buffer between residential areas and the Interstate-10/LTnion Pacific corridor. High-density
residential areas occur in close proximity to commercial developments and major roads for convenient
transportation access. The University Park planning area provides complimentary land uses located
close to commercial and business park development that can provide convenient shopping and
employment opportunities, but buffer local residents from noise and traffic associated with nearby
arterial roads and the Union Pacific Railroad. The Plan is also responsive to the need to preserve the
Santa Rosa Mountains and other conservation areas as undeveloped open spaces.
In general, the proposed General Plan will increase the number of housing units in the City, by
providing additional lands for high and medium residential density development. The housing increase
is expected to be primarily generated in the University Park planning area. The proposed General Plan
also demonstrates increases in industrial, open space, and public/quasi-public acreages and shows a
reduction in commercial acreages.
The proposed General Plan constitutes a considerable increase in the number of housing structures in the
planning area. Additional homes will result from conversion of Open Space-Rural (1 du/40 acre), under
the existing General Plan, to Desert Estates (1 du/10 acre) in the proposed General Plan. Other
residential increases will result from proposed lands for medium to high density development, grimarily
located north of the I-10 freeway. The proposed General Plan also results in the decrease of commercial,
industrial and open space acreages. However, it will slightly increase public/quasi-public acreages.
3. Mitigation Measures
No significant land use incompatibilities are anticipated to result from the adoption and implementation
of the proposed Palm Desert General Plan, and mitigation measures are not necessary to address this
area of concern. The General Plan incorporates a wide range of policies and programs, implementation
of which will address land use compatibility issues as they arise. However, in order to assure that
potential changes in land use are adequately assessed, the following mitigation measures shall be
implemented.
A. Individual proposed projects, especially those involving a mix of residential and other uses, as
well as those located nearby or adjacent to sensitive lands or uses, shall be fully evaluated during
the project review process to assure that all land use compatibility issues are addressed and
mitigated.
III-17
Land Dse Com�atibility—Traffic/Circulation
TN/Ciry of Palm Desort
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
B. The City shall require a noise impact assessment and mitigation plan which minimizes impacts to
outdoor living space and assures a maximum interior noise level of 45 CNEL, from all future
residential development occurring on lands within an existing 65 dBA or higher noise contour.
Mitigation Monitoring/Reporting Program
A. The City shall identify potential adverse of unacceptable noise exposures, evaluate and assure the
effectiveness of proposed mitigation programs, and assure construction is in accordance with
approved noise mitigation plans. Said plan shall be approved by the Community Development
Department as part of its review, and the effectiveness of the proposed mitigation program shall
be demonstrated as part of the Building Department's inspection process. Results shall be
recorded and maintained with building inspection records.
Responsible Parties: City Community Development and Building Departments
B. Trafiic/Circulation
Introduction
In conjuncdon with the preparation of the Draft General Plan, a region-based, City/study area-focused
traffic study was also prepared? A wide variety of data were assembled to measure existing traffic
conditions on the various roadways studied. A focused version of the CVATS Traffic Model was used to
analyse existing conditions and to project future conditions for the Preferred Alternative General Plan,
as well as for the current General Plan and two other alternative plans.
The following discussion provides some essential background information to facilitate a better
understanding of the analysis, which follows.
Levels of Service
The capacity of a segment of roadway or an intersection is typically characterized as "Level- of-
Service". As gauged for mid-block travel, Level-of-Service (LOS) is a qualitative measure describing
the character and efficiency of the flow of traffic. For intersections, the LOS is defined quantitatively, as
the number of seconds the vehicle is delayed in passing through the intersection. LOS includes a range
of alphabetical connotations "A" through "F', used to characterize roadway operating conditions. LOS
A represents the besdfree-flow condidons and LOS F indicates the worsdsystem failure.
Intersections represent the most constrained portion of the roadway network. The Highway Capacity
Manual expresses the Level of Service at an intersection in terms of delay or waiting time to get through
the various intersection appmaches. For signalized intersections, average total delay per vehicle is used
to determine the LOS. Intersection LOS is defined quantitatively in Table III-7 below. A more detailed
discussion of LQS values can be found in the General Plan Traffic Study in the EIR Technical
Appendices.
Mid-block Levels of Service are represented as volume to capacity ratios, or vehicle demand divided by
roadway capacity. In general terms, as the ratio approaches 1.00 or maximum capacity, the roadway
approaches LOS F. However, it is important to keep in mind that for mid-block, the LOS is meant to
2 Palm Desert General Plan Update Tra�c Study. Prepazed by Utfian Crossroads, Inc. September 5, 2003.
III-18
Land IIse Co�patibility-Traffic/Circulation
Iiitigation I�ieasures TNICity of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
� Section IlI - Existing Conditions, Impacts and Midgation Measures
All-Weather Access
Major drainages that affect roadway access both within the City and the planning area include the
Whitewater River, Palm Valley Stormwater Channel, Deep Canyon Stormwater Channel, San Pascual
Channel, Mid-Valley Stormwater Channel, Thousand Palms F1ood Control Project and Thousand Palms
Canyon Wash, cove neighborhoods and in areas north of Highway 111.
Whitewater River: The Whitewater River is the principal drainage affecting all-weather access in the
City, with currently all-weather crossings existing at only Monterey Avenue. Crossings of the
Whitewater River at Portola Avenue and Cook Street are currently improved to pass through lower (less
than 100-year) storm flows. The Whitewater River Crossing at Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage is
also all-weather. In addition, all-weather access is also avai�able across the Whitewater River at
Washington Street and Miles Avenue, in La Quinta and Indian Wells, respectively. The City of Palm
Desert has plans to design and build all-weather crossing across the Whitewater River at both Portola
Avenue and Cook Street as funding becomes available. Based upon the availability of existing all-
weather crossings along the Whitewater River, improvements at Portola Avenue and Cook Street are
warranted.
Mid-Vallev Stormwat�r Channel: In the planning area, this drainage facility is designed to run along the
south side of the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way. Existing and planned improvements will convey
flows under elevated roadways/approaches to I-10 interchanges. No significant access issues are
associated with this drainage facility either now or in the future.
Thousa d Palms: The community of Thousand Palms and the area generally north of I-10 is subject to
both sheetflow and channelized flooding from drainage originating in the Indio Hills. The Thousand
Palms Canyon Wash conveys flows, which originate north of the Indio Hills and along the south-facing
slopes of the Little San Bernardino Mountains. The US Army Corps of Engineers and the Coachella
Valley Water District recently completed design analysis and project approvals for an area-wide flood
control project, which will protect the vast majority of homes and businesses in the community of
Thousand Palms from upstream flooding.
3. Mitigation Measures
As discussed above, intersections constitute the most constrained portion of the roadway network in the
City and balance of the planning area. The following table provides a detailed analysis of the
improvements (mitigation measures), both those already programmed and new/additional improvements
that are needed to provide acceptable levels of service. It should be noted that although improvements
are cited that will bring some intersections to LOS C, these improvements are not needed in most
instances in order to achieve acceptable levels of service.
III-46
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Mitigation Keasures
y° Country Club Dr. (E�
- Park View Dr.
° Fred Waring Dr. (EW)
SR-111
I-!0 WB Ramps (NS} at:
= Vamer at Monterey Av. (EV�
�ollege of the Desert (NS) at:
= Fred Warin� Dr, (EV�
San Pablo Av. (NS) at:
� Ftr,d Waring Dr. iEV�
• SR-1 l l (E�
San Luis Rey (NS) at:
= SR-111 (ER�
Portola Av. (NS) a1;
_° I-10 EB Ramps (E�
-= Gerald Ford Dr. (EV1�
� Frank Sinatra Dr. (EV�
� Counvy Club Dr. (EV1�
= Hovley Ln. E. (E�
�= Magnesia Falls Dr. (E�
= Fred Wariag Dr. (EW)
° SR- I 11 (E�
-I-10 WB Ramps (NS) at:
= Varner Rd. at Portola Av. (E�
El Paseo/Cabrillo Av. (NS) at:
° SR-I11 (ER�
Deep Canyon Rd. (NS) at:
= Fred Waring Dr. (ER�
- SR-1 l I (ER�
Eiospitality Dr. (NS) at:
� SR-111 (EV�
�ook St. (NS) at:
= I-10 WB Ramps (EW)
� I-10 EB Ramps (ER�
- With LOS 'D" Improvements
TS 2 3 1 2 3 1 2
TS 1 3 0 2 3 0 2
TS 2 3 1 2 3 1 2
T,S 1 2 1 2 3 1 2
TS 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
TS 0.5 0..5 0 0.5 0.5 1 1
TS 2 2 0 2 2 1 2
TS 1 2 1 l. 7 1» 2
TS _ 0.5 0.5 1 0.5 0.5 1 1
TS 0 3 1 1 3 0 1
TS 2 2 1 2 3 1» 2
TS 1 2 1 1 2 1 2
TS 1 2 1 1 2 1 2
TS 0 2 1 1 2 0 0
TS 1 2 0 1 2 0 1
TS 1 2 1» 1 2 1» 2
TS 7. 2 1 2 2 1 2
TS 1.5 0 OS 0 0 0 0
TS 1 1 2 1 1 1 1
TS 1 2 1» 3 2 0 1
TS 1 2 0 2 2 0 2
TS 0.5 0.5 1 0.5 0.5 1 1
TS
TS
TS
TT1/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III - Exisdng Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
3 1» 2 3 1» 29.9 31.7 C C y
1 0 1 1 0 21.5 24.4 C C�
3 1 2 3 1 26.2 33.4 C C�
3 1 2 3 1 33.1 34.9 C C;
, _ --,
2 0 0 2 0 25.4 17.3 C B�
3 0 1 3 0 27.2 23.8 C C
3 1 2 3 1 27.5 34.0 C C
3 1 2 3 ] 30.1 33.0 C C
2 1 1 2 1 30.0 24.8 C C
0 1 0 0 0 18.8 23.7 B C
3 1 2 3 1» 26.3 31.A C C-
3 1 2 3 1 25.9 31.3 C C
3 1 2 3 1 29.9 34.1 C C
0 0 2 0 1 20.2 25.2 C C
2 0 1 2 0 34.6 30.9 C C
3 1 2 2.5 1.5 25.5 28.8 C C
3 1 2 3 1 33.8 29.1 C C
2 0 0 2 0 13.2 15.4 B B
3 0 1 3 0 27.5 33.4 , C , C
3 1 2 3 1 33.4 33.0 C C�
3 0 1 3 1 32.9 33.1 C C�
3 0 1 3 0 28.6 25.3 C C'
;
0 3 1» 0 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 11.6 14.2 B B
0 3 0 1 3 0 1.5 0.5 1 0 0 0 --` -` F F
No Intermediate LOS "D" Improvements �
III-48
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Land Use CampatibiliCy-Traffic/Circulation
Mitigation Neasures TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III - Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
�- With L4S 'C" Improvements TS 4 3 0 1 3 4 1.5 0.5 1» 0 0 4 19.5 28.8 B C:
� Gerald Ford Dr. (EV1� TS 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1» 2 2 1 43.5 50.1 D D;
- With LOS "C"lmprovements TS 2 3 1 2 3 1> 2 3 1» 26 26 1>6 33.3 31.2 C C;
�= Frank Sinatra Dr. (EV1� TS 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 34.8 40.3 C D;
:�- With LOS "C"lmprovements TS 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 26 36 16 27.8 34.4 C C:
�= Country Club Dr. (EW) TS 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 26.5 30.3 C C'
; Hovley Ln. E. (EV� TS 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 2 1 2 2 1 38.4 49.4 D D;
; With LOS "C" lmprovements TS 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 2 1 2 2 1> 31.6 34.0 C C;
:- Fred Waring Dr. (EVi� TS 2 3 1 2 3 1» 2 3 I 2 3 1» 33.9 44.8 C D:
�- With LOS "C" Improvemenis TS 2` 3' 1` 2 3 1» 2 3 1 2 4 1» 30.1 32.7 C C�
�° SR-111 (EW) TS 2 3 1 2 3 1 Z 3 1 2 3 1 37.9 34.7 D C�
:� With LOS "C" ImQrovements TS 26 36 16 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 34.6 33.5 C C;
'verald Ford Dr. (NS) at:
; Frank Sinatra Dr. SE�
�ldorado Dr. (NS) at:
�-- Counuy Ctub Dr. (EVi�
��- Frsnk Sinatra Dr. (EW)
: Hovley Ln. E. (EV�
== SR-f S 1(EV�
=�asis Club Dr. (NS) at
= Country Club Dr. (EW)
- With LOS "C" Improvemenis
� � Hovley Ln. E. (EVI�
�ashingtan St. {NS) at:
_• Varncr Rd. (EVI�
�� With LOS "C"lmprovements
�= I-10 EB Ramps (EVI�
�- With LOS "D" Lnprovements
`- With LOS "C" Improvemenis
� Country Club Dr. (EV�
� With LOS "C" linprovements
:° Fred Waring Dr. (EVt�
�- With LOS "D" ImProvements
:- With LOS "C" Improvements
Hovley Ln. E. (EW}
TS 0 0 0 1 0 I 1 3 0 0 3 0 10.5 15.8
TS 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 2 31.1 33.7
TS 1 1 1 0.5 0.5 1 1 3 1 1 3 0 17.6 19.1
TS 0.5 0.5 0 1.5 0.5 1 1 2 0 0.5 1.5 0 12.3 23.0
TS ! 2 1 I 2 0 1 3 1 1 3 1 32.3 28.3
TS
TS
TS
TS
TS
TS
TS
TS
TS
TS
TS
TS
TS
TS
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3 1 31.7 37.a
3 1 31.7 31.2
2 0 31.9 31.5
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1.5 1.5 32.5 3a.7
0 0 29.8 -'
0 0 19.6 40.3
0 0 17.8 30.9
36 16 36.3 48.3
3 1> 33.1 32.7
3 1 34.1 --'
3 1 27.7 54.7
3 1 28.3 33.2
2 1 31.1 34.8
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III-49
1
Land IIse Co�patibility—Traffic/Circulation
Ziitigation Heasures
TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III —Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
arner Rd. (NS) at:
I-10 WB Ramps at Washin�ton St. (ER� TS 2 2 0 0 3 1 2 0 1
' TS - Tr�c Signal; AWS - All Way Stop; CSS - Cross Street Stop.
2 When a right turn is designated, the lane can either be striped or unstriped. To function as a right turn lane there must be
sufficiont width for right turning vehicles to travel outside the through lanes.
L= Lcft; T= Through; R= Right; >= Right Turn Overlap; »= Free Right Turn
' Delay and leve! of service calculated using the following analysis software: Traffix, Version 7.5 Rl (2001).
`-- = Delay High, Intersection Unstable, Level of Service "F".
s Pedestrians assumed not to occur on every cycle.
6 Remove pedestrian minimum green (no ped crossing), WS Approach = North Leg, EB Approach = South I.eg,
NB Approach = East LeR, SB Approach = West Le�
D1-50
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Land IIse Cospatibility-Traffic/Circulation
Kitigation Keasures
TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan IIR
Section III - Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Mitigation via RoadwaylIntersection Improvements
As set forth in the Circulation Element of the Draft Comprehensive General Plan, the City shall make a
good faith effort to assure that intersections operate at LOS D or better. The improvements set forth in
Table III-15, above, are mitigation measures designed to reduce Post 2020 (buildout} traffic impacts to
levels of insignificance (LOS D). The improvements include the provision of new or additional turn
lanes and through lanes, and in a few instances limitations on pedestrian green-time or access on certain
legs of intersections. None of the prescribed limitations on pedestrian access are a significant
impediment to pedestrian use and are located at intersections with the highest volumes and widest cross
sections.
On-Going Monitoring and Analysis
The programmatic level of the General Plan scudy suggests that on-going and project-specific traffic
monitoring is required to assure adequate levels of service in the long-term. The City shall periodically
monitor conditions along roadway segments where General Plan level analysis indicates high levels of
traffic congestion. In these areas of the roadway network intersection and progression analysis shall also
be conducted to advance infraswcture planning to address areas of existing and anticipated traffic
congestion.
Mitigation via Alternative Modes of Transportation
With the lirruted exception of the consideration of busing of students to schools, the traf�c impact
analysis conducted for the General Plan update dces not consider the effects of the use of mass transit,
biking or pedesvian-accessible ]and use planning on trafiic volumes or roadway operations. As noted in
the General Plan Traffic Study:
"While the model is not intended to reflect vehicle trip reduction characteristics associated
with the benefits of such a system combined with the proper mix of land uses, an especially
well developed non-motorized transportation system could potentially reduce vehicle traffic
substantially."4
The General Plan Traffic Study also cites the continuing imbalance between the production and
attraction of trips in the University Pazk planning azea, caused by an abundance of commercial,
institutional and industrial trip attractors and the limited number of sources of home-based production
(residences). The study cites the unquantifiable but substantial potential for vehicle trip reducdon from
the compact mix of land uses, which promotes the use of buses, bike paths and pedestrian access.
Bus Access
� As set forth in the general Plan Circulation Element, the City shall continue to coordinate and cooperate
with the Sunline Transit Authority to expand and optimize the use of bus transit through the expansion
of bus routes, the conswction of user-friendly bus stops and shelters, and through joint ventures
� between Sunline and major potential users, including the colleges, retail and employment centers.
�
City of Palm Desert General Plan Tr�c Study. Prepared by Urban Crossroads, Inc. September S, 20U3.
III-51
I,and Dse Canpatibility-TrafficjCirculation
Kitigation Measures TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III - Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Golf Cart and Bike Paths
The City golf cart path network is also a potentially significant alternative mode of transportation. The
City shall continue to enhance the accessibility to and use of the golf cart and bicycle path network to
the greatest extent practicable.
Mitigation via lmplementation of General Ptan Policies and Programs
The Circulation Element of the Draft Comprehensive General Plan includes fourteen (14) policies and
twenty-nine (29}. programs, which are designed to enhance the operation and efficiency of all aspects of
the transportation system serving the planning area. Policies and programs address the on-going
monitoring and management of traffic volumes and operating conditions, and the timing of required
improvements to maintain acceptable levels of service.
Summary of Mitigation
The Draft General Plaa, this EIR and the general Plan Traffic Study provide both programmatic and
concrete/prescriptive actions and measures that are expected to reduce transportation impacts associated
with the implementation of the proposed General Plan below levels of significance. In conjunction with
the existing various regional transportation initiatives coordinated through the City and CVAG, the
performance of transportation systems serving the City and planning area can be further enhanced. The
continved thoughtful integration of land uses will aiso increase opportunities for mass transit and non-
motorized means of transportation. Controlling access onto major arterial roadways will also serve to
preserve capacity and limit the costs associated with expanded roadway infrastructure.
Mitigation Monitoring/Reporting Program
A. The City shall review and update the master plan of roads, including standards for ultimate
rights-of-way and pavement width, and provide a schedule for securing right-of-way and
constructing improvements consistent with the projected needs and standards set forth in the
Circulation Element and Program EIR.
Responsible Parties: City Council, Community Development Department, Public Works
Depaztment
B. The City shall establish and maintain ongoing consultation and coordination with adjoining
planning and engineering staffs of adjoining cities and transportation planning agencies to study
and implement effective means of preserving and improving capacity along major roadways.
Coordination efforts may include synchronized signalization, consolidation of access drives and
restriction of access, construction of additional travel and turning lanes, raised median islands,
and improvements to critical intersecrions.
Responsible Parties: Public Works Department, Cornmunity Development Department,
Adjoining Cities, CVAG, Riverside County, CalTrans
C. The City shall periodically evaluate the operating conditions at each of the Interstate-10
interchanges serving the City, including Monterey Avenue, Cook Street, future Portola Avenue
and Washington Street, and shall make recommendations to responsible agencies regarding
needed improvements.
Responsible Parties: Public Works Department, Community development Department,
Ca]Trans, Riverside County, CVAG
1II-52
Land Bse Campatibility-Traffic/Circulation
Kitigation Measures
TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III - Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
D. The City shall pro-actively consult and coordinate with CVAG, SCAG and CalTrans and
represent the City in transportation planning meetings to assure that City policies, programs and
strategies are given full consideration in resolving regional transportation issues affecting the
community.
Responsible Agency: City Council, Community Development Department, Public Works
Department, CVAG, SCAG, CalTrans
E. The City shall continue to pro-actively promote the mass transit system expansion and
innovation through ongoing consultation and coordination with the SunLine Transit Agency and
CVAG.
Responsible Parties: City Council, Community Development Department, SunLine Transit
Agency, CVAG
F. The City shall continue to consult and coordinate with the SunLine Transit Agency and
enconrage the development of rideshare and other alternative, high occupancy transit programs
for employers with sufficient numbers of employees, and for individuals seeking to locate
potential rideshare partners.
Responsible Parties: City Council, Community Development Department, SunLine Transit
Agency
G. The City monitor the effectiveness of land use planning proposals that integrate the assemblage
of land uses, optimizes nearby interactions, reduces the need for travel outside the neighborhood,
and shortens trips to work, shopping, public services and public park facilities.
Responsible Parties: Community Development Department, Redevelopment Agency, Chamber
of Commerce
H. The City monitor the effectiveness of its master plan of bicycle-ways and multi-use trails,
including secure bicycle and golf cart storage facilities, and other support facilities which
increase bicycle and golf cart use.
Responsible Parties: Community Development Departments, Public Works Department
I. The City shall monitor the planning and development of all-weather crossings as part of the
community's Master Drainage P1an and its implementation. �
Responsible Parties: Community Development Department, Public Works Department,
Coachella Valley Water District
J. The City shall periodically review roadway design specifications, design standards and
guidelines for public and private streets, and their effectiveness at meeting existing and
anticipated demand, reducing traf�c speeds in neighborhoods, and facilitating safe and efficient
use of bicycles and other alternative modes of transportation.
Responsible Parties: Community development department, Put�lic Works Department, Planning
Commission, City Council
III•53
�
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Soils and Geology—Project Impacts
TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III — Exisdng Conditions, Impacts and Mitigadon Measwes
2, Project Impacts
The buildout of the General Plan will increase the potential for a number of geologic and seismic
haZards within the General Plan study area. The construction of all types of structures in varying terrain
could expose persons and property to hazards relating to subsidence, slope instability and rock fall, and
seismic hazards•
Soils
The General Plan study area includes lands adjacent to the Santa Rosa Mountains, the Indio Hills and
the Little San Bernardino Mountains, where slope failure and rock fall could occur. Limited
development potential exists for the southern portion of the City, which is generally designated for Open
Space land uses. In the northern portion of the planning azea, residendal development could occur in
close proximity to slopes. Development in these areas should include the preparation of site specific
analysis to assess the potential impacts of rock fall and slope stability prior to construction of structures
for projects which might be down-gradient from such hazard areas, as shown in Exhibit III-12.
Alluvial fan deposits and blowing sand deposits throughout the General Plan study area are vulnerable
to collapse andlor hydrocompaction. When saturated, these soils could lose cementation and cause
damage to structures and foundations that are built upon them. In areas proposed for development, site-
specific studies must be conducted to evaluate the collapse potential.
� Subsidence in the Coachella Valley is closely associated with groundwater overdraft. Structures
sensitive to slight changes in elevation, such as canals, sewers and drainage improvements are generally
sensitive to the effects of subsidence and may be damaged if subsidence occurs. Mitigation of
� subsidence and its potential impacts will require a regional approach ta groundwater conservation and
recharge.
� The northern portion of the planning area is highly susceptible to wind erosion. Increased development
and surface disruption resulting from grading and construcdon loosens soils and increases the amount of
dust and other small particles in the air. However, in the long-term, the installation of landscaping
� associated with new development will contribute to the stabilization of drifting sand. The City currently
requires the preparation of erosion control plans as part of the grading pernut process, providing site-
specific mitigation for this hazard with each development. Project-specific erosion control measures
� must continue to be irnplemented to protect on-site soils. The potentially adverse health impacts
associated with suspended dust and blowsand are further discussed in Section III-H, Air Quality.
' � Seismicity
Two Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zones occur within the General Plan study area. In addition, the
� area will be subject to significant ground acceleration and potential damage from significant earthquakes
within the next 50 years.
I'�
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�
Earthquakes can trigger slope instability, liquefaction, settlement and flood inundation, and can cause a
var'sety of localized, but no less destructive hazards such as urban fires, dam failures, and toxic chemical
releascs. Smaller structures could be shifted from their foundations and cause gas leeks and fires.
III-69
Soils and Geology
Nitigation iYieasures
TNICity of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIIt
Section III - Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
The greatest hazard with smaller structures is that of unreinforced masonry buildings. The City has
idendfied and caused to be retrofitted four such structures. The City Department of Building and Safety
adopted the 1997 Uniform Building Code (UBC). New development in the City will be subject to this,
or later versions of the UBC and/or International Building Code, and should be able to resist major
earthquakes without collapsing, although structural damage could occur.
Liquefaction
Liquefaction hazards in the City and planning areas are considered generally low, except in the noRhern
portion af the planning area, in a small area between the Indio Hills and the Little San Bernardino
Mountains. This area could develop with limited residential development with buildout of the General
Plan. The City should require site specific liquefaction studies as development is proposed in these
areas. The analysis will include mitigation measures should liquefaction be considered likely on these
properties.
3. Mitigation Measures
A. The City shall establish and maintain an information database containing maps and other
information which describe seismic and other geotechnical hazards occurring within the City
houndaries, sphere-of-influence and planning area.
B. Proper structural engineering, which takes into account the forces that will be applied to
structures by anticipated ground motions, shall provide mitigation for ground shaking hazazds.
Seismic design shall be in accordance with the most recently adopted edidons of the Uniform
Building Code and/or International Building Code, and the seismic design parameters of the
Swctural Engineers' Association of California.
C. Proposals for development on wind or stream-deposited sediment on the valley floor shall
include site-specific subsurface geotechnical investigations that address settlement, liquefaction,
and collapsible soils. These hazards can generally be mitigated by proper excavation, compaction
and foundation design.
D. The City shall continue to require expansive soils testing as part of its grading and building
codes, and shall assure the implementation of mitigation measures which minimize these
hazards, such as the use of reinforcing steel in foundations, drainage control devices,
overexcavation and bacicfilling with non-expansive soils.
E. The City shall continue to support and encourage local and regional groundwater conservation
measures in an effort to mitigate potential subsidence resulting from groundwater overdraft (see
also Water Resources discussion in Section III-F}.
F. All grading permit requests shall include a PM10 Management Plan in conformance with the
Iatest approved Coachelia Valley PM1U requirements in place at the time construction occurs.
Blowing dust and sand during grading operations shall be mitigated by adequate watering of
soils prior to and during grading, and limiting the area of dry, exposed soils during grading (see
also Air Quality discussion in Section III-H}.
III-70
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Soils and Geologp
Mitigation lieasures
TNICity of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
G, Where development is proposed adjacent to or in close proximity to steep slopes, site-specific
geotechnical studies shall be conducted to evaluate the potential for rock falls and/or slope
failure, and to establish mitigation measures which minimize these hazards.
H. All development proposed within Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Zones shall comply with State
requirements for site-specific study, including trenching to locate fault traces, and to submit this
analysis prior to any development approval for the property.
H. During site grading, all existing vegetation and debris shall be removed from areas that are to
receive compacted fill. Any trees to be removed shall have a minimum of 95% of the root
systems extracted. Man-made objects shall be overexcavated and exported from the site.
Removal of unsuitable materials may require excavation to depths ranging from 2 to 4 feet or
more below the existing site grade.
All fill soil, whether on site or imported, shall be approved by the individual project soils
engineer prior to placement as compaction fill. All fill soil shall be free from vegetation, organic
material, cobbles and boulders greater than 6 inches in diameter, and other debris. Approved soil
shall be placed in harizontal lifts of appropriate thickness as prescribed by the soils engineer and
watered or aerated as necessary to obtain near-optimum moisture content.
7. Fill materials shall be completely and uniformly compacted to not less than 90% of the
laboratory maximum density as determined by ASTM test method D-1557-78. The project soils
engineer shall observe the placement of fill and take sufficient tests to verify the moisture
content, uniformity, and degree of compaction obtained. In-place soil density should be
determined by the sand-cone method, in accordance with AS1'M Test Method D-1556-64 (74),
or equivalent test method acceptable to the City Building and Safety Department.
� K. Finish cut slopes generally shall not be inclined steeper than 2:1 (horizontal to vertical).
Attempts to excavate near-vertical temporary cuts for retaining walls or utility installations in
excess of S feet may result in gross failure of the cut and may possibly damage equipment and
� injure workers. All cut slopes must be inspected during grading to provide additional
recommendations for safe construction.
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L. Finish fill slopes shall not be inclined steeper than 2:1 (horizontal to vertical). Fill slope surfaces
shall be compacted to 90% of the laboratory maximum density by either over-filling and cutting
back to expose a compacted core or by approved mechanical methods.
M. Foundation systems that utilize continuous and spread footings are recommended for the support
of one and two-story structures. Foundations for higher structures must be evaluated based on
structure design and on-site soil conditions.
N• Positive site drainage shall be established during finish grading. Finish lot grading shall include a
minimum positive gradient of 2% away from structures for a minimum distance of three {3) feet
and a minimum gradient of 1% to the street or other approved drainage course.
III-71
Soils and Geology
Mitigatian Iieasures TN/Ciry of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
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An adequate subdrain system shall be constructed behind and at the base of all retaining walls to
allow for adequate drainage and to prevent excessive hydrostatic pressure.
Utility trench excavations in slope areas or within the zone of influence of structures should be
properly bacl�illed in accordance with the following recommendations:
a) Pipes shall be bedded with a minimum of 6 inches of pea gravel or approved granular soil.
Similar material shall be used to provide a cover of at least 1 foot over the pipe. This bacicfill
shall then be uniformly compacted by mechanical means or jetted to a iirm and unyielding
condition.
b) Remaining backfill may be fine-grained soil. It shall be placed in lifts not exceeding 6 inches
in thickness or as determined appropriate, watered or aerated to near optimum moisture
content, and mechanically compacted to a minimum of 90% of the laboratory maximum
density.
described in the previous paragraph.
c) Pipes in trenches within 5 feet of the top of slopes or on the face of slopes shall be bedded
and backf'illed with pea gravel or approved granular soils as described above. The remainder
of the trench backfill shall comprise typical on-site fill soil mechanically compacted as
Mitigatfon Monitoring/Reporting
A. During any project site prepazation, the City Engineer and Building Department staff shall
conduct site inspections to ensure compliance with applicable City ordinances and conditions of
approval, as well as any additional erosion control mitigation measures specified in this
document.
Responsible Parties: City Engineer, Building Department, developer, grading contractor.
B. Subsequent to preparation of final development plans and specifications, but prior to grading and
construction, the foundation plans should be reviewed by the City Engineer to verify
compatibility with site geotechnical conditions and conformance with recommendations
contained herein. The need for additional subsurface exploration will be deternuned on a project
by project basis.
Responsible Parties: City Engineer, geotechnical consultant.
C. When appropriate, rough grading of a project site shall be performed under geological and
engineering observation of the geological consultant and/or the City Engineer. Rough grading
includes, but is not limited to, grading of averexcavation cuts, fill placement, and excavation of
temporary and permanent cut slopes.
Responsible Parties: City Engineer, geotechnical consultant.
D. As determined appropriate by the City Engineer and consulting geologist, the geotechnical
consultant andlor the City Engineer shall perform the following observations during site grading
and construction of foundations to verify or modify, if necessary, conclusions and
recommendations in the project's geotechnical report:
QI-72
Hydrology TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section IIi — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
1. Observation of all grading operations.
2. Geologic observation of all cut slopes.
3. Observation of all key cuts and � 11 benching.
4. Observation of all retaining wall back cuts, during and following completion or excavation.
5. Observation of all surface and subsurface drainage systems.
6. Observation of backfill wedges and subdrains for retaining walls.
7. Observation of pre-moistening of subgrade soils and placement of sand cushion and vapor
barrier beneath the slab.
8. Observation of all foundation excavations for the structure or retaining walls prior to placing
forms and reinforcing steel.
9. Observation of compaction of all utility trench bacl�ill.
Responsible Parties: City Engineer ancUor geotechnical consultant.
D. Hydrology
1. Existing Conditions
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Hydrology is significantly influenced by the geography and climate of a particular locale. The Coachella
Valley and the City of Palm Desert occur in a low desert basin, flanked by local mountain ranges that
isolate the region from moist and cool maritime air masses coming on shore to the west, creating a
subtropical desert climate. The desert floor receives a very low mean annual rainfall, ranging from 4 to 6
inches per year. In some years, no measurable rainfall has been reported. In general, precipitation occurs
during the winter months, between December and March. The surrounding mountain slopes generally
receive rainfall that increase with elevation. The mountains and upper elevations of the General Plan
study area aze generally cooler, with about a 5°F drop in temperature with every 1,000-foot increase in
elevation. Daytime temperatures in the valley reach up to 125°F occasionally during the summer season
and winter temperatures rarely fall below freezing.
Although the Coachella Valley has a low mean average rainfall, the region is susceptible to flash floods
generated by occasional high-intensity thunderstorms and tropical storms, occurring primarily during
late summer and early fall. Dry ground surfaces can become saturated hy intense and excessive rainfall,
resulting in substantial reduction of percolation rates and increasing runoff. Permeable soils covered by
asphalt and other impervioas surfaces associated with development also contribute to rainwater runoff.
Potential landslides, and debris or mudflows can occur in hilly or mountainous areas when saturated
soils are weighed down by water. Flash flooding in the Coachella Valley is generally limited to washes
extending from mountain canyons, floodways and floodplains adjacent to rivers and low-lying
drainages. Flooding on alluvial fans can be particularly damaging because floodwaters move at high
velocities and spread across wide unchannelized areas. Given that most of the City is situated on alluvial
fans, the hazazd posed by flooding is significant if not mitigated.
Flooding can also be an attribute of unusually warm conditions occurring in early spring, which cause
the snow pack on adjacent mountains to melt rapidly. In fact, nearly all of the surface water in ihe
Coachella Valley originates from snow melting off the slopes of the San Bernardino, Little San
Bcrnardino and Can Jacinto Mountains. The water is usually absorbed by porous sands and graveis on
III-73
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Hydrology
Project Impacts
2. Project Impacts
T'NlCiry of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Potential flooding problems in the City of Palm Desert, its sphere-of-influence and planning area are
associated with storm flows in the Whitewater River and its tributaries, flooding on the alluvial fans, and
to runoff associated with the Indio Hills and the foothills of the San Bernardino and Little San
Bernardino Mountains. Ongoing growth and urbanization in the General Plan study area will result in
the creation of additional impervious surfaces such as paved roads, parking lots, and sidewalks which
can cause an increase in the amount of runoff generated. Since the bedrock formation of the hills and
mountains surrounding and occurring in the General Plan study azea have low permeability, heavy
runoff from these azeas during intense starms may be inevitable. Future development facilitated by the
proposed General Plan could also potentially alter and/or disturb existing drainage patterns, which can
result in the accumulation of considerable amounts of debris in the event of a major storm. Large
developments may incorporate a network of channels which can include golf courses, greenbelts and
other open space areas to convey and collect on-site runoff.
The proposed General Plan utilizes land use planning as an effective strategy to manage potential flood
hazazds and protect lives and properties in areas subject to flooding. The adoption and implementation
of the proposed General Plan will facilitate the regulated development of various land uses and
roadways, and will put in effect policies, programs and mitigation measures which directly address the
flood hazards facing the City. The foremost goal of the proposed General Plan is to protect the general
health, safety and welfare of the community from potential flood and associated hazards. Its focus
includes the evaluation of the potential for and extent of major future flooding. The City will coordinate
with FEMA in the redesignadon of the 100-year flood plains within the General Plan study area. The
Plan also calls for the protecdon of groundwater resources from polluted runoff by implementing the
NPDES permitting process. The proposed Plan acknowledges and addresses the need for and availability
of adequate access and evacuation routes in the event of a major community disaster or threat. While the
proposed General Plan aims to protect the community for flood hazards, it has also recognized that there
are opportunities for the provision of open space and multiple uses, wildlife, pedestrian and equestrian
corridors within major drainages.
In general, the implementation and adoption of the proposed General Plan is not anticipated to result in
substantial adverse hydrological impacts. Through thoughtful planning and coordination land use
development intensities are regulated and improvements and construction of new storm water facilities
are identified. Moreover, the policies and plans of the proposed General Plan seek to establish and
enhance inter-agency planning cooperation, and facilitate the development of effective and cost-
effective local and regional drainage facilities.
3. Mitigation Measures
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The City will continue to review and assess hydrology analyses on a project-by project basis. The
findings of these studies will be integrated into the project master drainage plans appropriately, and the
City will have the opportunity to require additional on-site flood control facilities as necessary.
III-81
Hydrology
Nitigation Measures TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III - Exisdng Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
The proposed General Plan intends to provide a comprehensive assessment of flooding and other
hydraulic hazards in the community, and complete facilities and services effectively protecting lives and
property. The following mitigation measures shall be implemented to reduce potential impacts
associated with flooding and hydrology to less than significant levels:
A. The City shall continue to update hydrologic conditions in the General Plan study area, and plan
and pro-actively coordinate with other responsible agencies in upgrading the City's local and
regional drainage system.
B. � The City shall implement the recommendations of the 1993 Master Drainage Plan study. Local
reguladons and guidelines shall be established which are consistent with the Master Plan of �
Drainage, direct the management of runoff, and provide for local drainage facilities support the
effective use of regional drainage facilities.
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The City shall monitor and periodically update the Master Plan of Drainage to reflect changes in
local and regional drainage and flood conditions.
The City shall develop, update and maintain Capital Improvement Plans for drainage
management based upon the Master Drainage Plan project descripdons.
E. The City shall place the highest priority for improvements to be implemented through the Master
Drainage Plan on the following stormwater facilities: Whitewater River Channel, the Palm
Valley Channel, the Deep Canyon Channel, and City of Indian Wells drainages located to the
east of the City.
F. The City shall evaluate the need for requiring an upgrade from a 25-year on-site retention to a
100-year on-site retention in crucial locations of the General Plan, as described by the Master
Drainage Plan.
G. The City shall coordinate and cooperate with responsible regional agencies in achieving multi-
use agreements of major drainage facilities, including debris basins and flood control channes
and designing safe and attractive recreational facilities, which are consistent with the functional
requirements of these facilities.
H. The City shall require all new development to incorporate adequate flood mitigation measures,
such as grading that prevents adverse drainage impacts to adjacent properties, vn-site retention of
runoff, and the adequate siting of structures located within flood plains. �
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The City will ensure that adequate, safe, all-weather crossings over drainage facilities and flood
control channels are provided where necessary, and are maintained for access during major storm
events.
The City shall investigate the possibility of participating in the nationwide inventory and
evaluation of bridges to address the potential impacts of bridge scour during major flood events.
III-82
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Water Quality/Resources
TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIIt
Section III — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Mitigation Monitoring/Reporting Program
A. The City Engineer shall regularly, and at least once a year, report to the City Council on progress
made in developing local drainage plans and implementing drainage control projects. The status
of regional drainage plans and facilities affecting flood control in the City shall also be reported
upon.
Responsible Agencies: City Engineer, City Council, CVWD
B. The City Engineer shall review and approve project-specific hydrology studies and mitigation
plans for development proposals, and assure their adequacy with regard to stormwater
management and pollution control.
Responsible Agencies: City Engineer
E. Water Quality/Resources
1. E�sting Conditions
Complex tectonic forces have created the unique physiographic form of the Coachella Valley. The
region is chazacterized as a deep trough which has been progressively filled with sands and gravel that
have eroded from the suirounding mountains and hills. Over millions of years, this sediment-filled basin
has functioned as a repository for rainfall, mountain runoff and occasional inundation from the Colorado
River. Although considered as one of the driest regions in the United States, the Coachella Valley is
underlain by a large groundwater basin that stores fresh water. This basin is identified by the
Department of Water Resources as the Coachella Valley Crround Water Basin.
The Coachella Valley Ground Water Basin extends from the surface drainage divide at the west end of
San Gorgonio Pass to the Salton Sea on the southeast and includes over 690 square miles.10 The
Coachella Valley Ground Water Basin is divided into distinct subbasins and subareas. The subbasins are
the San Gorgonio Pass, Mission Creek, Whitewater River, and Desert Hot Springs. Subbasin boundaries
are generally defined by seismic faults that restrict the lateral movement of groundwatec, including the
Mission Creek and Banning strands of the San Andreas Fault Zone. It is estimated that between the high
gi�ound water elevations that occurred during the 1935-1936 season and a depth of 1,000 feet below the
ground surface, the Coachella Valley Ground Water Basin has a capacity for storing about 39,000,000
acre-feet of ground water.t` �
Whitewater River Subbasin
The Whitewater River subbasin, the largest groundwater repository for the Coachella Valley, underlies
the City of Palm Desert and a substantial portion of the valley floor. It is ihe primary groundwater
repository serving the Palm Desert General Plan study area. In general, the Whitewater River subbasin
extends from the junction of Interstate-10 and Highway 111, to the Salton Sea approximately 70 miles to
the east and encompasses approxirnately 400 square miles. The subbasin is bounded on the north and
10 "Coachella Valley Investigadon, Bulletin 108," Department of Water Resources, July 1964.
�� Ibid.
III-83
i�Tater Quality/ltesources TN/City of Palm Desert
Mitigation I�ieasures Draft General Plan EIR
Secdon III - Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Based on CVWD's usage factors, the buildout of the General Plan will result in usage of 312,562 acre
feet of water annually. This analysis assumes maximum buildout of all land uses, and is therefore
expected to be conservative.
Development of new projects in the General Plan study area will result in gradual increases in water
consumption. Implementation and buildout of the proposed General Plan will contribute to the
cumulative impacts of urban development on groundwater resources in the Coachella Valley, including
the condnued reducdon in the amount of potable groundwater in storage.
As CVWD develops and irnplements the mitigation measures inctuded in their Water Management Plan,
a number of conservation methods are likely to be implemented which will reduce the total consumpdon
in the District's service area. The Management Plan's Preferred Alternative results in the reversal of
current overdraft conditions in the iong term, and the accommodadon of city buildouts throughout the
Valley.
Impacts to water quality resulting from the adoption and implementation of the proposed General Plan
are anticipated to be comparable to, or slightly greater than those resulting from the buildout of the
current General Plan. Groundwater contamination could also potentially result from the additional
development facilitated by the proposed General Plan. The policies and programs of the proposed
General Plan aim to reduce impacts to water resources to less than significant levels and assure the
continued implementation of federal, state, local and other applicable pollution control standards.
3. Mttigation Measures
Water Conservation
With increasing demands on limited water supplies in the Coachella Valley; efforts to reduce per capita
consumption are a priority. One of the best opportunides for water conservation is the implementation of
water-efficient landscaping design and management. The City has adopted a Water-Efficient Landscape
Ord.inance, as required by the California Water Conservation in Landscaping Act of 1990 (Section 24.04
of Palm Desert Municipal Code). The ordinance establishes minimum water-efficient landscape
requirements for all new and rehabilitated public and private landscape projects. The ordinance also
requires development project proponents to submit �landscape construction plans, grading plans,
irrigation design plans and landscape maintenance schedules for review and approval by the Public
Works Department. In some cases, landscape irrigation audits and soils analyses are required.
The City is also in the process of preparing a Pazking Lot Tree Ordinance, which will identify specific
landscaping requirements for parking lots that will also be responsive to water conservation goals. The
Public Works Department will be responsible for reviewing proposed parking lot landscaping plans for
their conformance with this ordinance.
The City also complies with State law which, since 1992, has mandated the installation of low-flush
toilets and low-flow showerheads and faucets in new construction.
The Coachella Valley Water District has been instrumental in developing and implementing regional
water conservation programs. CVWD offers water audits to farms, golf courses and homeowner's
associations in an effort to identify wasteful water usage and improve efficiency. It also reviews
IIT-92
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1�litigation Iieasures
TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
landscape plans for major housing and commercial developments, and offers landscape workshops and
other educational programs to homeowners associations and students. CVWD maintains two xeriscape
gardens to demonstrate the effective use of native plants and efficient inigation systems. The treatment
and use of reclaimed and recycled water has further reduced the adverse impacts of development on
groundwater resources.
General Mitigation Measures
Groundwater subbasins do not respect jwisdictional boundaries, and the threat of groundwater depletion
or contamination must be viewed from both a regional and local perspective. Effective storm water
management helps to protect groundwater quality, and protection of the region's majvr mountain
watersheds will help assure and optimize long-term natural recharge to the Whitewater River and other
groundwater repositories.
The conservation and wise use of water resources will continue to be a central theme of communiry
development planning in Southern California. The City of Palm Desert has developed policies and
programs that encourage and/or require water-efficient landscaping and irrigation design, as weli as
water-conserving home appliances and fixtures. The City plays an important role in the long-term
protection of this essential, finite and valuable resource.
The goals, policies and programs of the proposed Palm Desert General Plan update aim to provide and
maintain a dependable supply of safe, high-quality domestic water to meet the needs of all segments of
the General Plan study area. The following mitigation measures shall be implemented to reduce
potential impacts to water resources, associated with the implementation of the proposed General Plan,
to less than significant levels.
A. The City shall continue to implement it's Water Efiicient Landscape Ordinance to optimize
conservation and comply with State Assembly Bill 325 (AB 325), by requiring the use of native
and other drought-tolerant planting materials and efficient irrigation systems.
B. The City shall coordinate and cooperate with the Coachella Valley Water District to expand and
strengthen educationaUpublic relations programs regazding the impoRance of water conservation
and water-efficient landscaping.
� C. The City shall require the use of water conserving appliances and fixtures such as low-flush
toilets, and low-flow showerheads a�d faucets, and require the application of water-conserving
technologies in conformance with Section 17921.3 of the Health and Safety Code, Title 20,
� California Administrative Code Section 1601(b), and applicable sections of Title 24 of the State
Code in all new developments.
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The City shall support CVWD's continuation and expansion of groundwater recharge efforts and
use of tertiary treated wastewater as a means of reducing demand for groundwater resources.
The City shall coordinate with the CVWD regarding the continued use and future expansion of
tertiary treated wastewater treatment and distribution facilities to serve existing and new
development projects in the City.
III-93
Bialogical Resources �
Ezisting Conditions
TN/City of Palm Desort
Draft General Plan EIR
Soction III - Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
F. The City shall consult and coordinate with CVWD regarding the expansion and funding of sewer
service to unconnected areas, and consider approaches and mechanisms that facilitate financing
and construction of these facilities.
G. The City shall require that all existing and new development be connected to the sewage
treatment system of the Coachella Valley Water District.
H. The City shall establish and enforce regulations and guidelines for the development and
maintenance of project-specific on-site retention/detention basins, which implement the NPDES
program, enhance groundwater recharge, complement regional flood control facilities, and
address applicable community design policies.
I. The City shall evaluate all proposed land use and development plans for their potential to create
groundwater contamination hazards from point and non-point sources, and shall confer with
other appropriate agencies, as necessary, to assure adequate review.
J. The City shail actively encourage and shall participate in the development of water management
and conservation strategies, coordinating with CVAG and its member jurisdictions, the
Coachella Valley Water District, Desert Water Agency and Mission Springs Water District on
water supply and conservation programs.
Mitigation Monitoring/Reporting Program
A. All development proposals shall be reviewed by the Community Development Department and
City Engineer to assess potential adverse impacts on water quality and quantity. All
developments shall be required to mitigate any significant impacts.
Responsihle Parties: Community Development Department, City Engineer, Developers,
Coachella Valley Water District, Myoma Dunes Mutual Water Company.
B. The Coachella Valley Water District and Myoma Dunes Mutual Water Company shall
coordinate and cooperate with local, state and federal agencies to assure the protection of
groundwater aquifer from excessive extracdon.
Responsible Parties: Coachella Valley VVater District, Myoma Dunes Mutual Water District
F. Biological Resources
1. Existing Conditions
The biological resources within and sunounding the City of Palm Desert were assessed in a
comprehensive study prepared for the Palm Desert General Plan Update.19 Preparation of the said
biological resources study involved literature review which included the California Natural Diversity
Data Base (CNDDB), the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard Habitat Conservation Plan, Administrative
Draft Coachella Valley Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP), botanical and wildlife
19 `•Palm Desert General Plan Update, Biological Report," prepared by Dr. i.awrence F. LaPrd, June 29, 2001.
ID-94
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Project Impacts TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIIt
Section III — Existing Coaditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
The goals of the Plan include standardized mitigation and compensation measures for species of concern
on a regional basis, and meeting the requirements of federal and state protection laws for endangered
species. Adoption of the MSCHP is anticipated to limit the need for individuaI project review of the
potential effects of development activities on species of concern.
� 2. Project Impacts
� Potential Impacts to Plant Communities
Grading and development of lands within the General Plan study area could potentially result in the
destruction of entire populations of common and sensitive plant species. Elimination, depletion and
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modification of natural communities such as sand dunes and sand fields could result in significant
impacts to species with extreme limited distribution such as the Coachella Valley milk vetch.
Introduction of non-native plant species associated with landscaping could result in native plant species
competing for water, nutrients and space. Adverse impacts to Glandulaz ditaxis plant species could occur
with development projects at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains.
Potential Impacts to Invertebrates and Reptiles
Potential impacts to invertebrates and reptiles are associated with continued urbanization in the General
Plan study area. The Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard, flat-tailed horned lizard, and the Coachella
giant sand treader cricket are lrnown to inhabit desert sand dunes and sandy flats. Urban development
may lead to disruption, fragmentation and even permanent loss of habitat which will substandally affect
individuals or an entire animal population. These species are also subject to impacts from traffic and off-
highway vehicles and crushing from grading and construction activities.
Potential Impacts to Birds
Increased urbanization will result in significant impacts to both common and sensitive bird species in the
General Plan study area. Bird species are susceptible to domestic pet predation, shooting and capture by
humans and electrocution from high voltage power lines. Disturbances to breeding seasons, ingestion of
pesticides which causes the thinning of egg shells, and introduction of pazasites contribute to the decline
of bird population. Habitat for the Bunowing Owl is destroyed or becomes fragmented when
development occurs in lands containing sand dunes and sand �elds. Bird species that inhabit cliffs and
hilly or mountainous terrain are subject to impacts associated with development within or adjacent to the
slopes of the Santa Rosa Mountains. Flood control could affect migratory riparian birds such as the
Summer Tanager, Yellow Warbler, Least Bell's Vireo and Yellow-Breasted Chat.
Potential Impacts to Mammals
' Development activities include the clearing of lands of all vegetation and wildlife. The General Plan
study area supports a diverse range� common and sensitive mammals which are subject to adverse
impacts resulting from urbanization of the surrounding environment. Studies have supported that habitat
� encroachment on the hillsides of the Santa Rosa Mountains has already resulted in bighorn sheep
acquiring food and water from prvject developments. Animal and plant species inhabiting the Santa
Rosa Mountains are also susceptible to human disturbances including shooting, capture or collection.
The loss of sand dunes and sand field habitats will affect the Palm Springs Pocket Mouse and the Palm
Springs Round-tailed Ground Syuirrel. Small mammals become predatory targets for domestic pets and
off-road vehicles and highway vehicles also contribute to the decline of small mammal population.
III-109
Biolagical gesources
Mitigation Measures TN/Ciry of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan IIR
Section ID— Existing Conditions, Impacts aad Midgation Measures
Landscaping of project development may include plants that ane toxic to mammals through contact or
ingestion.
3. Mitigation Measures
A. The City shall continue to support and participate in the development of the Coachella Valley
Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan.
B. The City shall designate all mountainous areas of the Santa Rosa Mountains, generally following
the tce of slope, as Open Space for the protecdon of bighorn sheep and other species occurring in
these habitats. �
C. Undeveloped lands that have not been graded, cleared or farmed at the base of the Santa Rosa
Mountains should be surveyed at the appropriate season for the presence of Glandular Ditaxis
and the desert tortoise.
D. The City shall not require fringe-toed lizard surveys for proposed projects on sand sheets, dunes
and hummocks within the boundaries of the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard Habitat
Conservadon Plan. The payment of the mitigation fee of $600 per acre will satisfy requirements
of the federal Habitat Conservation Plan.
E. Proposed projects within sand deposits throughout the northern General Plan study azea should
be surveyed at the appropriate season for potential presence of blowsand endemics, including the
flat-tailed horned lizard, giant sand-treader cricket, and the Coachella Valley milk vetch.
F. The City should require surveys for the gray vireo during the spring nesting season to evaluate
potential impacts to ttu:s restricted-range bird species. Surveys for the dotted blue should also be
required for evaluation of discretionary pernvits. Surveys for these particular bird species are
applicable to development proposals within Secdon 36, T6S, R6E.
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Developments such as country clubs should be encouraged to establish grove planNngs of
untrimmed palm trees, which could provide roost sites for the southern yellow bat�
Biological surveys for bats should be performed on projects involving reconstruction of bridges
to deternune if significant roost are present.
I. The City should require water conservation and recycling for the Royal Carrizo, Pinyon Crest,
and Chapman Ranch areas, in order to ensure adequate water supply for the endangered desert
slender salamander.
J. The City should consider the requirement that a barrier be constructed around the perimeter of
any new project where the tce of slope of the Santa Rosa Mountains meets the valley floor. This
would protect bighorn sheep and prevent additional habituation and reliance on food and water
from developed areas. Informal consultation or review by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and
the California Department of Fish and Game should be completed prior to imposition of this
III-110
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Biological Resources
Mitigation Keasures TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft Genera! P1an EIR
Section III — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
recommendation. This barrier is one of the recommended conservation actions in the bighorn
sheep recovery plan.
g. The City shall encourage and cooperate in the establishment of multiple use corridors that use
drainage channels and utility easements to provide wildlife corridors and public access
interconnections between open space areas.
L. The City shall prepare and maintain a comprehensive list of plant materials, which shall include
native and non-native, drought tolerant trees, shrubs and groundcover that complement the local
environment. A list of prohibited plant materials shall aiso be prepared.
Mitigation Monitoring/Reporting Program
A. The City shall review information database and mapping system of sensitive plants, animals and
habitats occurring within the General Plan study area, which shall be accurately and regularly
updated.
Responsible Parties: Community Development Department, GIS Staff
B. The Initial Study review process will be utilized to assess potential impacts of development
� projects on biological resources. Impacts shall be clearly documented and mitigation measures
recommended where appropriate.
Responsible Parties: Community Development Department, Developer/Consulting Biologist
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C. The City shall assure that all required biological resource mitigation actions, including but not
limited to off-site mitigations and/or the payment of impact fees are satisfied, prior to issuance of
building pernuts.
Responsible Parties: Community Development Department, Developer/Consulting Biologist
� D. Inspection during development and grading shall monitor compliance with grading limits, and
assure the preservation and incorporation of native and other appropriate desert landscape
� materials into all areas of the project according to the approved landscape plan.
Responsible Parties: Community Deveiopment Department, Developer/Consulting Biologist
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TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Saxion III — Existing Conditions. Impacts and Mitigation Measures
G. Cultural Resources
Analysis of cultural resources within the Palm Desert General Plan study area involved the prepazation
of a cultural resources study for the City by CRM Tech. The study is included in Appendix C of this
docwment
1. Eadsting Conditions
The Palm Desert General Plan is part of a ngion that has witnessed human occupation for thousands of
years. Cultural resources in ihe General Plan study area consist of Native American settlements that
were established before and after the atrival of European-Americans, as well as historical sccuctures and
features that were built and used as eazly as the 1700's by European settlers.
Pre-Historic Settlement in the Study Area
The "pre-historic" period represents the time prior to the arrival of non-Native American peoples. The
pre-historic period in Coachella Valley is generally divided into the Archaic Period and Late Prehistoric
Period. The Archaic Period occiuied before 1,000 A.D. while the Late Prehistoric Period is defined as
occurring after 1000 A.D. until around the late 1700s. The introduction of pottery by the Colorado River
tribes to the region, around 1000 A.D., estahlished the transition point between the Archaic and Late
Prehistoric Periods and also indicates interaction between the Coachella Valley tribes and the Colorado
River tribes.
The Cahuilla, a Takic-speaking people of hunters and gatherers, is the most recent identifiable native
culture to evolve in the Coachella Valley region. Anthropologists have divided the Cahuilla into three
groups according to their geographic setting: the Pass Cahuilla of the San Gorgonio Pass/Palm Springs
area; the Mountain Cahuilla of the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains; and the Desert Cahuilla of
the eastern Coachella Valley, as, far south as today's Salton Sea. Each lineage had its own food
harvesting areas, ceremonial house and chief. However, a number of lineages are known to have
cooperated with one another for trade, intermarriage, and ceremonies.
During the prehistoric period, important cultural developments include the change from burial practices
to cremations around 500 B.C. and the introduction of the bow and arrow, probably around S00 A.D.
Historical linguistic studies suggest that between 1000 BC and 500 AD, a migration of Takic speakers
from the Great Basin region of Nevada, Utah, and eastern California into southern California took place.
The first official land survey of the Coachella Valley was conducted by Deputy U.S. Surveyors Henry
Washington, James McDonald, and John LaCroze in 1855-1856. The surveyors noted a number of man-
made features in the study area, including the ruins of an Indian village near today's Thousand Palms
Oasis. They also identified several trails, one of which crossed the middle poRion of the study area
along the Whitewater River, close to the city center of present-day Palrn Desert. The trail was part of the
Cocomaricopa Trail, which was later "discovered" by Euro-Americans as the Bradshaw Trail. The
1855-1856 surveys, also indicates that there were no active native or non-native settlements in the study
area. The nearest settlement to the study area was the Palma Seca well, an Indian rancheria, which
served as an important stop on the Bradshaw Trail during the 1860s and 1870s and is located in the
present-day city of Indian Wells.
III-112
TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft Ga�eral Plan EIR
Sxtion III — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measwes
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During the 1770's, the Spaniards crossed through Cahuilla territory as they explored for new land routes
between Mexico and northern California. It is considered that initial contact between the Cahuilla and
Europeans took place during this period. Over time, conflicts over land ownership, religious and cultural
practices and exploitation led to the deterioration of the relationship between the Cahulla and Europeans.
In the early 1860s, a smallpox epidemic, to which the Cahuilla had no immunity, decimated the Cahuilla
population, which declined to about 2,500 individuals.
Today, Native Americans of the Pass and Desert Cahuilla heritage are mostly �liated with one or more
of the Indian reservations in the Coachella Valley, including the Torres Martinez, Augustine, Agua
Caliente, Cabazon, and Morongo� most of which are in close proximity to the City of Palm Desert.
Historic Settlement in the Study Area
During the late 18�' century, Spain was determined to colonize California before other European nations.
Along the coast of California, religious missions and military strongholds were established by Spanish
explorers. By 1700's, Spanish and Mexican explorers crossed through the Coachella Valley as they
searched for easily passable supply routes from Mexico to colonies on the northern Monterey Peninsula
of California.
In 1822, Mexico secured its independence from Spain under the Treaty of Cordova, and Spanish forces
were driven out of Mexico and California. In 1823-1825, Jose Romero, Jose Maria Estudillo, and
Romualdo Pacheco led an expedition in search of a route to Yuma, Arizona and became the first noted
European explorers to travel through the Coachella Valley.
In 1848, the United States defeated Mexico in the Mexican-American War and gained control of
California. At the same time, the discovery of gold and the appeal of cattle ranching led to an influx of
new settlers to the state. California was admitted to the Union in 1850. The first U.S. Government
surveys were conducted in the Coachella Valley in 1855-56 by Henry Washington, John La Croze and
James G. McDonald, who observed a number of trails and roads crossing the Valley.
The Cocomaricopa Trail passed through the Coachella Valley along the base of the Santa Rosa
Mountains, and connected the .coastal region of California with the Colorado River. The trail was
originally an Indian trade route and was revealed by the Maricopa Indians to the Europeans in 1821. In
1862, the trail was "rediscovered" by William David Bradshaw as the shortest route between the
California coast and gold mines neaz the Colorado River, and it became known as the Bradshaw Trail.
T'he trail served as the primary thoroughfare for stagecoaches traveling between coastal southern
California and the gold fields near present-day Ehrenberg, Arizona. It also became part of the U.S. Mail
route between Los Angeles and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
By the late 1876-77, however, the completion of the transcontinental railroad and the depletion of the La
Paz gold mines brought an end to the heyday of this historic wagon road. Traffic declined to nearly
nothing by 1880, but ranchers and miners continued to use it for local transport. In the early twentieth
century, with the coming of the automobile age, the role of the Bradshaw Trail was revived in the form
of the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway. Today, State Highway 111 closely follows the course of the Bradshaw
Trail .
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TN/City of Palm DeseK
Draft General Plan EIR
Sedion III — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measwes
Non-Indian settlement in the Coachella Valley expanded during the 1870s and 1880s, with the
establishment of railroad stations along the Southern Pacific line and the implementation of the
Homestead Act and Desert Land Act, which opened public land for claims. With the utilizadon of
underground water sources, farming becazne the dominant economic activity in the Coachella Valley.
The date palm, the region's main agricultural staple, was first introduced azound 1900, and by the late
1910s the date palm industry had firmly established itself in the region. Starting in the 1920s, however, a
new industry featuring equestrian caznps, resort hotels and eventually country clubs began spreading
throughout the Valley.
The General Plan study area remained unsettled and devoid of any evidence of land development until
the turn of the twentieth century. The only features recorded during that time were the Southern Pacific
Railroad, Bradshaw Trail, and another trail near the northern tip of the Planning Area at the mouth of
West Wide Canyon. Several railroad construction workers' camps were present by the early 1900s.
In 1910, improvements to the Bradshaw Trail (the forerunner of today's Highway 111) fiirther paved the
way for settlement and growth in the "cove communities" region of the Coachella Valley. By 1914, a
railroad station named Edom, which contained a post office, was established in the General Plan
Planning Area.
The construction of the Colorado River Aqueduct by the Metropolitan Water District, between 1933 and
1939 brought a number of permanent and temporary features to the northemmost portion of the Planning
Area Among these were roads, power transmission lines, waterlines, and construction camps. The
remains of one of eight construction camps, Camp Thousand Palms, have been discovered at the mouth
of East Deception Canyon in the foothills of the Little San Bernardino Mountains.
By 1941, several rural settlements had been established in the area between the Southern Pacific
Railroad (now Union Pacific) and the Indio Hills. Among these were Thousand Palms, Edom, Myoma,
the Ferguson Ranch, the Thousand Palnis Oasis, the Bar Bell Ranch, the Chuckwalla Ranch, and the
Hunter Palms Ranch. The small community of Palm Village was established south of the railroad, on the
north side of Highway 111.
The Foundine of the Citv of �alm Desert
The City of Palm Desert was founded on the south side of Highway 111 in 1945-1946 by the four
Henderson brothers, Randall, Carl, Clifford, and Phil. The Henderson brothers were involved in early
development, and organized the Palm Desert Corporation to promote their new desert town, and by
1947, the population was sufficient to establish a post offce. In 1951, Palm Village and Palm Desert
merged into a single community, forming the present urban core of the city. Around that time, the
community of Cahuilla Hills emerged on the west side of Highway 74, just southwest of Palm Desert. In
addition, several tracts of land south of the railroad and in the area between the Little San Bernardino
Mountains and the Indio Hills were settled. After four unsuccessful attempts, the City of Palm Desert
was incorporated in 1973 and became the 17'� incorporated city in Riverside County.
III-114
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TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Archaeological Resources in the Study Area
Historical maps, previous cultural resource surveys, aerial photographs, topographic maps and other
cultural records were consulted to determine the presence of known azchaeological resources in the
General Plan study area. A total of 138 archaeological sites have been idendfied and recorded in the
Gcneral Plan study area, 125 of which are prehistoric (Native American) sites. Several isolated artifacts
have also been identified.
The majority of prehistoric sites in the General Plan study area represent Native American habitation
activities, including ceramic and lithic scatters, bedrock inilling features, rock cairns, trails, roasting pits,
and fire hearths. One quarry site has also been identified. Most of these sites are located along the sides
of canyons at the edge of the Santa Rosa Mountains, such as Coyote Creek and Deep Canyon, or in the
Indio Hills. These areas would have offered Native Americans access to water and other important
mountain and desert resources.
Archaeological Resources Sensitiv�y Assessment
Anthropologists and Cahuilla cultural authorities have identified nine locations within or partially within
the General Plan study area that are of potential Native American cultwal significance. Six of these
areas occur within the Santa Rosa Mountains in the southern portion of the City's sphere-of-influence,
and three are situated in the Indio Hills in northern portion of the General Plan study area. Most of them
aze associated with canyons, which offered water on at least a seasonal basis. These findings suggest that
the various canyons in the Santa Rosa Mountains and Indio Hills, and the alluvial fans at the canyon
mouths, should be regarded as highly sensitive for prehistoric archaeological resources. Potentially
sensitive areas are shown in Exhibits III-114 and III-15.
Historic Resources iu t6e Study Area
Historically significant sites are generally more than forty-five to fifty years of age, but range from the
period of the earliest European contact (around the late 1770s in the CoachelIa Valley) to about the end
of World War II. Potentially signiiicant historic sites range from permanent trails and highways to living
areas and small-scale remains of single activities.
Analysis of previous cultural resources studies indicates that, of the 138 archaeological sites recorded in
the General Plan study area, 13 are historic-era sites. These are primarily comprised of trash scatters,
although structural foundations, a road, and a water conveyance system have also been recorded. Among
the historic sites are the Southern Pacific Railroad and other nearby features associated with the raikoad.
Several sites associated with the construction of the Colorado River Aqueduct in the 1930s have been
recorded in the vicinity of the Little San Bernardino Mountains.
From 1981 to 1983, the Riverside County Historical Commission coordinated a countywide historical
resources reconnaissance, which led to the recordadon of 30 historic sites in the General Plan study area.
These include a well site that dates back to 1912, the Cavanagh Adobe building that was built in the
1920s, and single-family residences constructed in the 1930s and 1940s. Most of these sites are located
near the city center of Palm DeseR, although several are near the community of Thousand Palms.
Although the City of Palm Desert does not maintain a list of officially recognized or designated local
historical landmarks, the Historical Society of Palm Desert has compiled a list of 21 sites of local
historical signiiicance. The list includes sites ranging from early homesteads to mid-twentieth century
III-1 l7
TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft Genera�l Plan EIR
Seetion III — Existing Condidons, ImQacts and Mitigation Measures
urban development. They are concentrated in the central urban core of the City, and only a few aze
located in outlying areas. The majority of the sites were recorded on the Califomia Historical Resource
Information System during the countywide survey in the 1980s.
�st�ric_Rc.�nurce-� �ensitvitv As�ssment
H'istoric structures dating from the late 1940s and early 1950s are concentrated around the urban core of
the City, and structures of similar vintage are likely to be found in outlying communities, such as
Thousand Palms and Cahuilla Hills. For historic structures, or historic-period archaeological remains
dating before 1940, the niost sensitive areas in the planning azea are along the Colorado River Aqueduct,
between the Indio I�'ills and the Southern Pacific Railroad, and around the original coc�Imunity of Palm
Village north of Highway 111. Nonetheless, the possibility of finding histnric resources in other areas
ca.nnot be ruled ou� Potentially sensitive areas are identified in Exhibits III-14 and III-15.
Programs Administered by the City of Palm Desert
The City of Palm Desert is an active paRicipant in the preservation of its cultural resources. In 1978, the
City formed the Historical Commission and appointed four members to carry out the responsibilities of
coordinating and preserving memorabilia associated with the founding and development of the City.
'Ihis led to the incorporation of the Historical Society of Palm Desert in March 1979, which has played
an important role in the City's historic preservation efforts since then. Today, the Historical Society
maintains numerous archival records pertaining to the City's development, which is housed in the City's
historic fire station located at 72-861 El Paseo and is staffed by about 38 volunteers.
Hictoric Preservation Ord�nan_ce
In 1984, the Palm Desert City Council formally adopted Ordinance 401, a historic preservation
ordinance which outlines the definidons and criteria of "historic site" and "historic district." The
ordinance requires the maint,enance of a seven-member Historic Site Preservation Boazd to identify and
protect properties meeting these definitions and criteria. The Boazd also has the authority and the
responsibility to initiate the designation of historic sites or districts, review projects that may affect such
sites, and issue temporary stays on demvlition or exterior alterations of potentially historic structures.
2. Project Impacts
Historically significant sites and structures are those that are 45 years of age or older and provide
evidence of past human activides. Based on California Environmental Quality Act ( CEQA) Guidelines,
Appendix K, cultural resource$ must be evaluated for their importance or significance.' " An important
archaeological resource" is defined by CEQA as one which:
A. Is associated with an event or person of:
1. Recognized significance in California or American history, or
2. Recognized scientific importance in prehistory;
B. Can provide information which is both of riemonstrable public interesi and useful in addressing
scientifically consequendal and reasonable or archaeologicai research questions;
�"California Environmental Quality Act — Statutes and Guidelines." Prepazed by the Governor's Office of Planning and
Research, State of Califomia, June 1992. Appendix K: Archaeological Impacts.
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TN/City of Palm Desect
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III - Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
C. Has a special or particulaz quality such as oldest, best example, largest, or last surviving example
of its kind;
D. Is at least 100 years old and possesses substantial stratigraphic integrity; or,
E. Involves important research questions that historical research has shown can be answered only
with archaeological methods.
� Based on the findings of the cultural resources study for the proposed General Plan update, the Palm
Desert General Plan study area includes lands of high sensitivity for prehistoric and archaeological
artifacts, as well as historic structures or historic-period archaeologica! remains.
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The study identi�es that areas of high sensidvity for prehistoric and archaeological remains occur in the
various canyons in the Santa Rosa Mountains and Ind.io Hills and the alluvial fans at the canyon mouths,
which would have provided the Native populadons access to mountain and desert resources, as well as
water sources in the canyons. However, it should be noted that the proposed General Plan Update
designates the majority of these lands for conservation, and limited lands designated for development
are assigned very low densities.
Areas particularly sensitive for historic structures or historic-period archaeological remains dating
before 1940 are located along the Colorado River Aqueduct, between the Indio Hills and the Southern
Pacific Railroad, and around the original community of Palm Village. Historic structures from the late
1940s and eazly 1950s most likely occur in the urban core of the city, along with outlying communities
such as Thousand Palms, Cahuilla Hills and the Sky Valley area. As mentioned above, the City
continues to participate in the preservation of cultural resources by implementing Historic Preservation
Ordinance 401 and by establishing the Historic Site Preservation Board. The Historical Society of Palm
Desert has also played an important role in the City's historic preservation efforts.
Future development projects in the General Plan study area could potentially result in direct and/or
indirect disturbance or destruction of sensitive archaeological and historic resources. Site surveys should
be conducted on all future development projects, if deemed necessary, to determine the presence and
significance of archaeological and historic resources.
3. Mitigation Measures
Continued development and urbanization of the proposed Palm Desert General Plan planning area will
decrease the oppoRunities for documenting and preserving azchaeological and historic sites and artifacts.
The City of Palm Desert has the responsibility to assure that every reasonable effort is made to manage
cultural resources properly and creatively within its jurisdiction. The California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA} identifies the manner in which the City must review and address issues related to
archaeological and historic resources. Projects involving a federal agency, federal funding or other
federal assistance must conform to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of
1966. In addition, the following mitigation measures are recommended to reduce potential impacts to
cultural resources to less than significant levels.
III-119
Cultural gesources •
I�Iitigation Zieasures T'N/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Pfan EIR
Section IIl - Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
A. All development or land use proposals, which have the potential to disturb or destroy sensitive
cultural resources, shall be evaluated by a qualified professional and, if necessary,
comprehensive Phase I studies and appropriate mitigation measures shall be incorporated into
project approvals.
B. The City should establish a transmittal system with the Eastern Information Center (EIC) in
which the City may send a location map to the EIC for a transmittal-level records search when a
development proposal is in its initial review phase. The transmittal shall. identify the presence or
absence of known cultural resources andJor p�reviously performed studies in and near the project
area. The EIC shall also offer recommendations regarding the need for addidonal studies, where
necessary.
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The City shall expand and enhance its historic preservation efforts by prepazing a historic
preservation plan and by considering participaiion in the Certified Local Government program.
The City shall also incorporate historic preservation concerns into its zoning ordinance.
E. The City shall establish and maintain an inventory of archaeological and historical resources
within its jurisdiction, including those identified by the Eastern Information Center (EIC) at the
University of California, Riverside and in focused cultural resounces studies.
F. The City shall protect sensitive archaeological and historic resources from vandalism and illegal
collection to the greatest extent possible. The City shall maintain mapping and similar
information, which identifies specific locations of sensitive cultural resources, in a confidential
manner, and access to such information shall be provided only to those with appropriate
professional or organizational ties.
G. The City shall support the listing of eligible structures or sites as potential historic landmarks and
their inclusion in the National Register of Historic Place. The City will consult and cooperate
with the Palm Desert Historical Society and other appropriate cultural organizations in
identifying and prioritizing sites which are eligible for listing as a historic landmark or inclusion
in the National Register of Historic Places.
H. The City shall develop an application process for City-sponsored incentives to maintain and
enhance significant buildings and sites, and provide property owners with information and
guidance on eligibility requirements.
J. In the event that azchaeological resources are unexpectedly discovered during construction, the
City shall require that development cease, and a professional archaeologist shall be employed to
examine and document the site to determine subsequent activities and appropriate mitigation
measures.
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Mitigatioh Monitoring /Reporting Program
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TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft Generat Plan EIR
Section III — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Potential impacts of development projects on cultural resources shall be evaluated through the
Initial Study review process. Impacts shall be clearly documented and mitigation measures
recommended where appropriate.
Responsible Parties: Community Development Department, Developer/Consulting
Archaeologist, UC-Riverside Eastern Information Center.
City Staff shall review cultural resources reference materials and update City records and
inventories on an annual basis to assure timely and adequate maintenance of the database.
Responsible Parties: Community Development Department, and UC-Riverside Eastern
Information Center.
� H. Air Quality
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The air quality of a particulaz locale is a signi�cant factor to public health and welfare. Over the past
two decades, air quality improvements have occurred in Southern California and the Coachella Valley.
However, the region continues to experience significant air pollution problems, particulazly those
associated with suspended particulates. The City of Palm Desert and other surrounding communities
demonstrate their commitment to improving air quality in the region by implementing air quality
management programs.
1. Existing Conditions
The Coachella Valley is located within a meteorologically and geographically unique area. The
surrounding mountains shield the valley from coastal influences from the west, and create a hot, low-
lying desert environment. The valley is also prone to air inversions, in which a layer of stagnant air is
trapped near the ground where it is further loaded with gollutants. This process, when combined with
chemical aerosols and other pollutants emitted hy automobiles, furnaces and other sources, can result in
considerable haziness and increased pollutant levels.
The Coachella Valley is also subject to strong and sustained winds that pick up and transport large
quantities of sand and dust, depositing these materials on buildings, fabrics and automobiles, thereby
reducing visibility and damaging property. Extensive wind-borne soil can dirty streets, pit windshields
and damage landscaping. Dust on vegetation can interfere with plant respiration and stunt growth. The
adverse health effects in humans can be severe and include reduced lung capacity and functioning.
Air Quality Management and Regulatian
Air quality management in the proposed General Plan study azea is governed by federal and state air
quality standards and regulations pertaining to a variety of air pollutants.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) implements the federal C1ean Air Act (CAA), which
is intended to ensure that all Americans have the basic health and environmental protections with regard
to air quality. The CAA establishes minimum air pollution standards, but allows states to enact and
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TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan E1R
Section III — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
project emissions should be compared to the projected future baseline (without mitigadon} for the years
cotresponding to project phasing and/or buildout year."' The projected future baseline for the Coacheila
Valley will be affected less by future growth in the Palm Desert General Plan area and more from
growth in other valley communities with large amounts of affordable land available for development,
including the aforementioned cities of Desert Hot Springs, La Quinta, Indio, Coachella, and the
unincorporated areas.
3. Mitigation Measures
The South Coast Air Quality Management District, CVAG and the City of Palm Desert share
responsibility for monitoring air pollutant levels and regulating air pollution sources. Preservation of the
environment and protecdon of the general public from hazmful air pollutants involves monitoring and
mitigating activities, which contribute to the degradadon of local and regional air quality.
A range of mitigation measures developed by federal, state and local agencies can be put into effect
throughout the life of the General Plan to reduce pollutant emissions associated with General Plan
buildout. The ongoing implementation and updating of California Title 24 Building Codes, combined
with more efficient use of energy, can contribute to the reduction of impacts of pollutant emissions from
heating, cooling, power plants and the consumption of natural gas. Alternative methods of electrical
power generation have and will continue to replace the need for additional fossil fuel-based generating
capacity.
In the State of California automobile smog checks are mandatory and are designed to ensure vehicle
compliance with existing emissions standards. It is feasible that improvements to combustion
technology and an overall decline in air pollutant will occur in the future. Cleaner fuels and more
efficient transportation vehicles are expected to continue to evolve.
Impacts to air quality associated with the adoption and implementation of the proposed General Plan are
potentially significant if left unmitigated. Within the context of the anticipated future baseline,
mitigation rneasures set forth below are provided to reduce General Plan air quality impacts to less than
significant levels:
A. The City shall coordinate and cooperate with CVAG and SCAQMD in the ongoing monitoring
and management of major pollutants affecting the City and region, with particular focus on PM,a,
and shall provide all required reporting to be ultimately included in SCAQMD's annual repoR.
B. The City shall develop and maintain its General Plan Land Use Element to assure that air
pollution point sources, such as manufacturing facilities, are located at an appropriate distance
fram residential areas and other sensitive land uses and receptors.
C. The City shall encourage project developers to develop site plans that integrate buffer zones
, between sensitive receptors and point source emitters such as highways and industrial sources.
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D. The City shall review all development proposals for potential adverse effects on air quality and
as appropriate, require detailed air quality analyses and mitigation measures to address any
potentially significant impacts. Mitigation measures and dust control plans shall be approved by
the City prior to the issuance of grading, consttuction, demolition or other permits.
E. The City shall encourage the incorporation of energy-efficient design measures in site plans,
including appropriate site orientallon to assure solar access, and the use of shade and windbreak
trees to enhance the use of alternative energy systems and to reduce the need for excessive
heating and cooling.
F. The City shall develop and maintain a diversified transportation system that maximizes system
efficiencies, minimizes vehicle miles traveled, and reduces the impact of motor vehicles on local
air quality.
G. The City shall condmie to promote the development and use of pedestrian-oriented retail centers,
as well as community-wide multi-use trails, dedicated bike lanes, golf cart paths, and other
desirable alternatives to motor vehicle traffic. These components shall be integrated and
periodically updated in the General Plan Circulation Element.
H. The City shall irnplement and coordinate with the SCAQNID and CVAG to assure adequate
monitoring of the effectiveness of transportation management programs of employers, including �
use of Sunline and other public transportation, coordinated carpooling, off-peak shift times,
employee flex-time and other components. As future demand warrants, the City shall promote
and support the development of a Pazk-and-Ride program to decrease existing and future traffic '
levels within the community.
I. The City shall encourage the use of clean altemative energy sources for transportation, headng,
cooling and electrical generation, to the greatest extent practical and shall encourage and
coordinate with its franchise service providers and other public and private service providers to
do same.
J. The City shall continue to implement the Fugitive Dust Control Ordinance applicable to
construction, grading and demolition activities, on-going land uses, and off-road vehicle use to
reduce PM,o emissions to the greatest extent practical. .
K. The City shall continue to provide an effective street sweeping program that combats the
cumulative impacts of blowsand, transportation-related dust generation, and nuisance dust that
result from natural windstorm events.
L. The City shall require the implementation of air quality control measures identified in the most
current Coachella Valley PM,o State Implementation Plan.
M. A PM,o Management Plan for construction operations shall be submitted with all development
proposals. The plan shall include dust management controls such as:
• watering the site and equipment morning and evening
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• spreading soil binders on disturbed areas, unpaved roads, and parking areas
• operating street-sweepers on paved roads adjacent to site
• re-establishing ground cover on construction site through seeding and watering
• paving construction access roads, as appropriate
N. To minimize construction equipment emissions, the City shall
contractors shall, as appropriate, implement the following:
• wash off trucks leaving the site
• require trucks to maintain two-feet of freeboard
• properly tune and maintain construction equipment
• use low sulphur fuel for construction equipment
assure that developers and
O. To reduce construction-related traffic congestion, developers and contractors shall, as
appropriate, implement the following:
• encourage rideshare incentives for construction personnel
• configure construcdon parking to minimize traffic interference
• minimize obstruction of through-traffic lanes
• provide a flag person to ensure safety at construction sites, as necessary
• schedule operations affecting roadways for off-peak hours, as practical
P. To minimize indirect-source emissions, developers may also:
• implement energy conservation measures beyond state and local requirements
• install low-polluting and high-efficiency appliances
• install solar water heaters, to the greatest extent feasible
• install energy-efficient street, landscape and parking lot lighting
• include energy costs and design efficiency into capital expenditure analyses
• landscape with native and other appropriate drought-resistant species to reduce
water consumption and to provide passive solar benefits
Q. To minimize building energy requirements, developers shall implement the following:
• assure the thermal integrity of buildings and, as appropriate, reduce the thermal
load with automated dme clock or occupant sensors
• use efficient window glazing, wall insulation and ventilation methods
• use most efficient heating and other appliances, such as water heaters cooking
equipment, refrigerators, furnaces and boiler units
• incorporate appropriate passive solar design and solar heaters
• use devices that minimize the combustion of fossil fuels
• capture waste heat and re-employ this heat, to the greatest extent practicable
Mitigation Monitoring/Reporting Program
A• The City Community Development Department shall coordinate with South Coast Air Quality
Management District and CVAG to facilitate the maintenance and expansion of the Coachella
Valley's existing air quality monitoring equipment.
Responsible Parties: Community Deve(opment Department, SCAQNID, CVAG
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B. The appropriate code enforcement division shall record, consolidate and retain all complaints it
receives concerning air quality degradation from construction sites, vehicle emissions, industrial
generators, and other sources of air quality impacts. A report on air quality complaints and
identified problems shall be provided in the annual review of the General Plan. In addition,
development may be temporarily halted until inadequate controls or unacceptable conditions aze
corrected to the satisfaction of the City and/or SCAQNID.
Responsible Parties: Community Development Department, SCAQMD, CVAG
C. The City Public Works Department shall monitor the performance of the City's roadways
system, identify areas of congestion and inefficient traffic movement, and develop
recommendadons to enhance the performance of all components of the City transportation
system.
Responsible Parties: City Public Works Department, SCAQNID, CVAG
I. Noise
The noise environment can have a significant influence on the health and comfort of a community.
Assessment of the noise environment in the General Plan study azea involved the preparation of a noise
study by Urban Crossroads. The study examines the existing noise environment in the General Plan
study area and projects the future noise impacts associated with General Plan buildout. This study is
included in its entirety in Appendix E of this document.
1. Existing Conditions
Noise is simply defined as unwanted sound. Excessive noise affects physical health, psychological well
being, social cohesion, property values and economic productivity. The effects of noise on people
include subjective effects, such as annoyance and nuisance; interference with activities such as
conversation and sleep; and psychological effects, ranging from startle to hearing loss. Noise generators
include components of urbanization such as construcdon equipment and activities, motor vehicles, air
and rail traffic, mechanical equipment, household appliances and other sources.
Generally, the City of Palm Desert enjoys a quiet noise environment, with existing community noise
being dominated primarily by constant mvtor vehicle traffic on highways and major arterials. The noise
environment of the General Plan study area is also affected by local airport operations. Given its
location, the Bermuda Dunes Airport has the greatest impact in the General Plan study area. Commercial
aviation at the Palm Springs Regional Airport occasionally has an intrusive but intermittent impact on
the community's noise environment. However, current airport master plan improvements are projected
to further reduce airport noise exposure in Palm Desert.
Freight rail service along the Union Pacific Railroad lines located immediately south of and parallel to I-
10 are also responsible for generating substantial noise levels in the community. Other community noise
generators include industrial operations, conswction activities, special event noise, live music, home
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Section III - Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Commercial and Industrial Noise,
Commercial and industrial activities generate noise resulting from loading and docking operations, truck
operations, and mechanical equipment installed both outside and inside buildings. Sensitive noise
receptors adjacent to commercial and industrial land uses are anticipated to experience the significant
impacts of noise associated with commercial and industrial activities. The review of commercial and
industrial projects, particularly those in close proximity to sensitive receptors, for land use and noise
compatibility issues is critical as the General Plan study area continues to expand. The use of new
technologies, combined with the design requirements imposed by the City, including screening and
enclosures for stationary equipment, will help to mitigate potential impacts associated with General Plan
buildout.
Construction Noise
Construction noise constitutes a short-term impact on adjacent land uses. However, significant noise
impacts could result from construction activides such as heavy construction equipment, that can
generate noise levels ranging from 68 dBA to 100 dBA when measured at 50 feet from the noise source.
3. Mitigation Measures
Continued growth and development in the General Plan study area will result in significant impacts
associated with noise. Strategic land use and transportation planning, project design mitigation, and
acoustical bazriers contribute highly to the management of the City's noise environment.
Noise Ordinance
In 1985, the City of Palm Desert adopted Title 9, Chapter 9.24 of its Municipal Code, which established
community-wide noise standards to emphasize the value of an acceptable noise environment. The City
Noise Control Ordinance provides regulations for noise measurement and monitoring and cites special
provisions of, and exemptions to, the ordinance. It is intended to regulate excessive noise from existing
uses and associated activities, and to serve as a reference guide for identifying other pertinent noise
regulations. The Palm Desert Noise Control Ordinance provides definitions of key terms and establishes
exterior noise level standards on a time-of-day basis along with adjustments for intensity and duration.
According to the City Noise Ordinance, the exterior noise one-hour standard for residential land uses is
55 dB between 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 45 dB between 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Violations of the Noise Control
Ordinance are considered as a nuisance and subject to the procedures, remedies and penalties set forth in
the City's ViolationslInfractions Ordinance.
Noise Barriers
Because of the linear qualities of noise, barriers, such as wails, can be effective in reducing its impacts.
It is important to note, however, that noise barriers must be of sufficient height and length to obstruct the
noise source entirely (generally in Palm Desert this noise source will be the City's roadways).
Reductions oP 1Q to 15 dB can be achieved with effective, solid walls which block the line of site from a
home to the adjacent roadway.
The noise standards in the General Plan are intended to guide the location of future noise generators and
� sensitive land uses. The following mitigation measures shall be implemented to reduce impacts
associated with noise to less than significant level:
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Categorical Mitigation Measures
The following discussion describes the specific midgation measures, which are stated on a categorical
basis to address identified impacts.
Construction Noise
A. The City shall restrict grading and construction activities that may affect residential
neighborhoods and other sensitive land uses to specified days of the week and times of the day.
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C.
All construction equipment operating in the General Plan study area shall be iitted with well
maintained funcdonal muftlers to limit noise emissions.
To the greatest extent feasible, earth moving and hauling routes shall be located away from
nearby existing residences.
D. Any portion of development in the General Plan study area involving blasting or pile driving
operations shall have a focused acoustical study conducted, to establish the level and duration of
off-site noise and vibration impacts and appropriate mitigation measures.
On-Site Stationary Noise Sources
E. The design, selection and placement of the mechanical equipment for various buildings within
the General Plan study area shall include consideration of the potential noise impact on nearby
residences, both within the any development and in the surrounding community.
F. Silencers and/or barriers shall be provided where necessary at outdoor equipment, such as
cooling towers, air cooled condensers and refrigeradon compressors/condenser units, and at the
air intake and discharge openings for building ventilation systems.
G. Appropriate sound barriers shall be provided surrounding any and all public facilities capable of
generating disturbing levels of noise, such as water pumping starions.
Qf�-Site Tra�jc Noise
H. Potential noise impacts shall be considered in the final site plans for all proposed projects within
the General Plan study area. Factors to be considered shall include the strategic arrangement of
housing to provide necessary shielding of outdoor living areas, the incorporation of additional
setbacks from roadways, and/or the construction of additional noise barriers.
I. Project designs shall be required to include measures which assure that interior noise levels for
residential development do not exceed 45 CNEL, as required by Title 25, California Noise
Insulation Standards.
J. Land uses that are compatible with higher noise levels shall be located adjacent to the City's
major arterial roads and highways, including the Interstate-10 coiridor, to maximize noise related
land use compatibility.
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� K. The City shall require the preparation of a noise impact analysis for all commercial and industrial
projects which are to be located adjacent to residential Iand uses or other sensitive Iand use
designations. The required noise impact analysis shall evaluate potential impacts of the project
� and provide for adequate mitigation measures to assure that City standards for residential and/or
other sensitive land uses are maintained.
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L. The City shall encvurage a City-wide circulation pattern which places primary traffic loads on
major arterials and preserves local neighborhood noise environments by limiting roadways to
local traffic to the greatest extent practical.
Mitigation Monitoring/Reporting Program
A. Establish and periodically update an inventory of existing significant noise sources and
incompatible areas, and develop procedures to reduce the noise effects on these areas, where
economically and aesthetically feasible.
Responsible Parties: Community Development Department
B. Periodically review land use patterns and the community noise environment, and amend the land
use map as appropriate to assure reasonable and use/noise compatibility.
Responsible Parties: Community Development Department, Planning Commission, City
Council
C. In areas subject to potentially significant noise impacts, the City shall require new development
to monitor and document compliance with all applicable noise level limits.
Responsible Parties: Community Development Department
Pre-Construction
D. During pro}ect-specific site planning and building design, ensure acoustical analysis takes into
cansideration the following:
• selection and placement of inechanical equipment for all buildings,
• shielding and buffering of inechanical equipment for all buildings,
• strategic location of attached residences to provide shielding of outdoor living spaces,
� theme wall is constructed to noise barrier specifications,
• designate acceptable truck/construction equipment route(s), as appropriate,
• construction drawings shall include exact acoustical specifications for window glass in
buildings with unshielded first and second floor windows which experience noise
exposures above CNEL 65 and,
• verify that design plans of specific projects within the General Plan study area compiy
with State Code requirements of unit-to-unit airborne sound isolation
Responsible Parties: Developer, General Contractor and City Community Development
Department
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purine Ganstruction
E. Ensure functional mufflers on all construction equipment.
Respoasible Parties: Developer, General Contractor, Building Department
F.
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Ensure that designated truck/construction equipment routes are being utilized.
Responsible Parties: General and Grading Contractor, Building Department
Ensure construction equipment operates during the hours set in the Noise Ordinance, except in
emergencies.
Responsible Parties: General Contractor, Building Department
J. Visual Resources
1. Existing Conditions
Regional Setting
The City of Palm Desert and the Coachella Valley benefit from significant viewsheds created by the �
area's geology. On the north, the Valley is bordered by the San Bernardino and Little San Bernardino
Mountains, as well as the Indio Hills. Much of this land, which borders the General Plan study area, has
been protected as open space in perpetuity by the creation of the Joshua Tree National Monument. �
The Indio Hills are south of the Little San Bernardino Mountains. Edom Hill rises to an elevation of
1,614 feet. The Indio Hills are upgradient from the planning area, and can be seen from many parts of '
the General Plan study area. Edom Hill, located easterly of the planning area, rises to an elevation of just
over 1,600 feet above sea level.
The San Jacinto Mountains comprise the western boundary of the Coachella Valley, along with the �
significant peak of San Gorgonio. The San Jacinto Mountains rise sharply from the Valley floor, and
represent the steepest gradient in North America. The San Jacinto range, although clearly visible from �
most parts of the City, is not immediately adjacent to the General Plan study area.
The General Plan study area is bordered on the south by the Santa Rosa Mountains. The highest peaks
in this range include Toro Peak, at 8,717 feet above sea level, and Santa Rasa Peak at 8,000 feet above
sea level. Through the City, Highway 111 follows roughly the toe of slope of this range, which provides
a stunning backdrop to the City's built environment.
The San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains were designated a National Monument by Congress in 2000,
ensuring their preservation as a valuable scenic resource for the long term.
Local Setting
The majority of the City and planning area are located on the Valley floor, at elevations close to sea
level. Only the southern part of the City, located east and west of Highway 74, occurs at more
significant elevations, in the Santa Rosa mountains. Development in south Palm Desert, from El Paseo
to Bighorn Country Club, occurs on the alluvial fan which falls from the Santa Rosa foothills to the
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Valley floor. The balance of the City and planning area, further south, is designated for open space land
uses, and will not experience development.
The development which has occurred in the City and in adjacent communities abuts the Santa Rosa
mountains, and has created a striking contrast visible from most of the Valley, and therefore its most
significant visual resource.
In the northern portion of the study area, development to date has been limited beyond Interstate 10.
This area is characteristic of the wind-blown sand dunes created by climatic conditions in the area, and
has limited visual value.
2. Project Impacts
Buildout of the Preferred Alternative is expected to result in the continuation of development as
currently occurs in the City. The generally suburban and resort-oriented nature of residential and
commercial development will not change significantly with buildout of the General Plan. The General
Plan also dces not propose to significantly change the generally low-rise, and thus low density, types of
structures which have been built in the past.
All development, however, will condnue to change the appearance of the Valley �loor, and has the
potential to significantly impact the City's scenic viewsheds. This is particularly true in areas of the
study area which have been traditionally under- or undeveloped, in the area north of Interstate 10 to the
San Bernardino Mountains. Careful consideration of the character of this area is important to its future
integration into the built env�ronment of the City. The proposed General Plan includes a number of
policies and programs, located in the Community Design Element, which ensure that the construction of
all types of structures in the future will be sensitive to scenic viewsheds, surrounding development, and
the City's character. The Plan either regulates development, or requires that the zoning ordinance and
municipal code be amended to include standards for development.
The northern portion of the study area is also particularly susceptible ta the impacts associated with light
and glare. Since this area is currently under-developed, night time lighting is limited, and generally
consists primarily of car headlights and outdoor security lighting. As this area develops, the night time
lighting levels are likely to increase, and change its visual character. The General Plan includes
provisions for limited lighting, and policies and programs provided in the Community Design Element
specifically require that outdoor lighting be sensitive to dark sky principles.
The proposed General Plan Land Use Map designates the Santa Rosa Mountains as Open Space. This
designation significantly restricts the potential for development. These measures will limit development
to the valley floor and preserve the high visual quality of the Santa Rosa Mountains.
3. Mitigation Measures
The following mitigation measures further assure that buildout of the General Plan will have limited
impacts n the City's visual resources.
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A. Overhead utility lines shall be undergrounded to the greatest extent possible through the
establishment of an undergrounding program and guidelines.
B. The City shall coordinate with utility providers, including but not limited to Southern California
Edisan, the Imperiai Irrigation District, The Gas Company, and Verizon to assure that utility
infrastructure, including water wells, substations, and switching/control facilities are effectively
screened to preserve scenic viewsheds and limit visual clutter.
C. Outdoor lighting shall be limited to the minimum height, number of fixtures, and intensity
needed to provide sufficient security and identiiication in each development, making every
reasonable effort to protect the community's night skies.
D. Signage shall be limited to the locations, sizes, and maintenance requirements necessary to
provide functional identification.
E. Commercial and mixed use development projects shall incorporate safe, convenient vehicular
and pedestrian circulation, screened outdoor storage/loading and other unsightly areas, protected
and enhanced outdoor seating ac�as, appropriate lighting levets, limited signage, and tandscaping
designs that preserve and enhance visual resources.
F. Commercial and mixed use development shall be designed with particular attention to limiting
the lighting impacts on adjacent residential neighborhoods.
G. All grading and development proposed within scenic viewsheds, including hillsides, shall be
regulated to minimize adverse impacts to these viewsheds.
Mitigation Monitoring/Reporting Program
A. The City shall maintain and amend the Municipal Code as necessary to assure the design
parameters to which public and private development projects must conform are clearly defined.
Responsibte Parties: Community Development Department, Planning Commission, City
Council.
K. Public Services and Facilities
Schools
1. Existing Conditions
Public education services and facilities are provided to the General Plan study area by two school
districts: Desert Sands Unified Schoal District (DSUSD) and Palm Springs Unified Schoot District
(PSUSD). DSUSD serves most of the developed portion of the study area, including lands south of
Frank Sinatra Drive, and lands located north of Interstate-10 and east of Washington Street. The PSUSD
district includes the remainder of the study area, including northwestern Palm Desert and the Thousand
Palms and Sky Valley communities.
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3. Mitigation Measures
A. Developers will continue to be assessed the statutory school mitigation fees for residendal and
commercial development.
B. In the event that developers in the planning area attempt to utilize Mello-Roos or other types af
public facilities financing districts, both school districts shall be included in discussions to
determine whether funding streams may be used for school facilities. The Districts have the
following alternatives available to mitigate significant impacts to azea schools:
Lerav F. Greene State School Building Lease-Purchase Law - This act is an
agreement between school districts and the state to provide for the construction,
reconstruction, or replacement of school facilities by the State Allocation Board.
First priority for future state funding will go to districts with 1) a substantial
enrollment in year- round schools, 2) the ability to raise 50 percent of project
costs, and 3) the opening of a new facility as a year-round school.
�ease-Purchase ArranQements - Many districts may enter into lease-purchase
arrangements with private builders of portable classrooms (Section 39240 and
39290 of the State Education Code). This method can also be used to finance
capital outlay. An additional advantage of lease-purchase agreements is that they
offer the benefits of long-term debt financing without obtaining voter approval of
special taxes or benefit assessments.
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Melto-Roos Communitv Facitities Act - Provisions for this funding option are
located in Government Code Section 55311 et, seq. A school district must initiate
prviceedings to declare itself a community facilities dist»ct to benefit from this
Act. A community facilities district is defined as a governmental entity
established to carry out specific activities within specifically defined boundaries.
Such a district may engage in the purchase, construction or rehabilitation of any
real or tangible property with an estimated useful life of five years or longer.
Mitigation Monitoring/ Reporting Program
A. The City of Palm Desert will consult and cooperate with the Desert Sands and Palm Springs
Uni�ed School Districts to continue to monitor public schools in the Genera] Plan study area,
and to determine the exiertt of overcrowding, security issues, low performance on standardized
tests, and other adverse impacts on area schools.
Responsibte Pariies: Community Development Department, City Council, Desert Sands
Unified Schooi District, Palm Springs Unified School District
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Libraries
1. Existing Conditions
Palm Desert Public Library
The Palm Desert Public Library is a branch of the Riverside County Library System and is located at 73-
300 Fred Waring Drive. The library encompasses approximately 20,000 square feet of a 40,000 square
foot facility, which it shazes with the College of the Desert Library. Although their books and resources
are physically separated, the two libraries have a reciprocity agreement and also share an online research
database and checkout desk. The Palm Desert Public Library contains approximately 75,000 volumes
and is staffed by five full-time employees, 15 part-time employees, and approximately 35 volunteers.
The library operates a youth story-time program and adult computer classes, and supports the County-
wide Literacy Program, which is managed from the Indio Public Library.
The Palm Desert Public Library is a multi-agency facility, which is part of the Riverside County Library
System. Each year, approximately 2.7% of the City's 1% property tax revenue is paid to Riverside
County for basic library operations and services. The City also allocates General Fund revenues to pay
for additional library services, which are above and beyond those provided under the County contract.
Specifically, these funds cover expenses for three additional hours of operation on Thursdays, a
volunteer program and coordinator, special events programs, and a special events coordinator.
College of the Deset�Library
The College of the Desert (COD) opened its on-campus library concurrent with the aforementioned
community library in January, 1996. As described above, the library shares a building and reciprocity
agreement with the Palm Desert Public Library. All library services are available to COD students and
the general public. The COD Library contains more than 50,000 volumes. Other features include a
computer lab, local history room, children's story room, community meeting room and seminar rooms.
The City is responsible for funding a portion of ongoing maintenance and structural improvements to the
library.
Thousand Palms Pub�ic Library
The Thousand Palms Branch of the Riverside County Library is located at 72-715 La Canada Way. The
library is staffed by one full-time branch manager, two part-time employees, and eight volunteers.
Special community programs include children's story-time, crafts and reading clubs. The County and
residents of Thousand Palms are raising funds and applying for grants with hope of constructing a
permanent library facility in about 2005 or 2006. The new facility would be located on a donated parcel
of land on Robert Road.
2. Project Impacts
The County of Riverside seeks to maintain an unadopted standard of 2 volumes and 0.5 square feet of
library space per capita.5 Buildout of the General Plan is anticipated to generate approximately 148,387
S Gary Christmas, Riverside County Librarian, personal communication March, 2000.
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residents6. Based on this projected population and the County's unadopted level of service standards, the
General Plan study area will require about 74,194 square feet of library space and about 296,774
volumes at buildout. It should be noted that, General Plan buildout population is dependent upon actual
levels of development in the General Plan study area.
3. Mitigation Measures
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�,. The City and County shall continue to monitor and evaluate the existing usage rate and level of
services provided at the libraries in the General Plan study area to determine the need for
additional services and facilities.
B. The City shall cansult and coordinate with Riverside County to deternune appropriate mitigation
fees necessary to provide adequate library services.
Mitigation Monitoring/Reporting Program
A. The City and County shall continue to monitor library needs and utilization to provide essential
library services to the residents of the General Plan study area.
Responsible Parties: City Manage, County Librarian
Police Protection
1. Existing Conditions
The City of Palm DeseR contracts with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department for police protection
services. The City Police Department operates out of the Palm Desert Station located at 73-520 Fred
Waring Drive. The Palm Desert Station also functions as the Sheriff's base of operations for the cities of
Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells, and unincorporated County lands west of Washington Street,
including the Thousand Palms and Sky Valley communities. Lands east of Washington Street, including
the Bermuda Dunes cornmunity, are served by staff based at the Indio Station of the Riverside County
Sheriff's Department.
Police protection services are provided to the City on a 24-hour daily basis. The Palm Desert police
force comprises a total of 70 sworn officers and provides about 1.75 sworn officers for every 1,000
residents, which is comparable to the regional average and provides an effective level of police
protection. The average response time for the highest priority emergency calls (code 1) is 4.6 minutes.
2. Project Impacts
Adoption and implementation of the proposed General Plan could potentially generate a buildout
population of approximately 148,387 residents.' The proposed General Plan intends to provide a police-
staffing ratio of at least 1.5 sworn officers per I,000 residents. In order to meet this preferred ratio at
" Based on exiting and potential new dwe(ling units associated with proposed General Plan buildout, and 2.43 persons per
_ household, added to the existing Ciry population of 43,9 { 7 and Planning area population of 22,756.
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Fire
TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Proposed Fire Stations.
The City has begun setting aside funds for a new fire station to be constructed in the vicinity of Cook
Street and Interstate-10. The station will provide additional fire protection coverage to development in
this vicinity, including the Coachella Valley Campus of California State University, San Bernardino
(CSUSB). It is anticipated that the station would be constructed within the next five years, however the
actual construction schedule will depend upon future levels of development.
Fire Marshall Services
One of the most important services provided by the Fire Department to the City is that of the Fire
Marshal, who is responsible for providing project review services for adequate access, build.ing siting
and internal circulation for fire and other emergency vehicles, the need for sprinklers and minimum fire
flows from hydrants, and other design issues associated with fire protection. The Fire Marshal also
coord.inates department fire inspectors, who inspect each commercial building in the City at least once
each year. The Fire Marshal and inspection staff are provided office space at Station 50 in Rancho
Mirage and serve the three contract cities.
2. Project Impacts
Continued development and population growth in the General Plan study area is anticipated to increase
demand for iire protection services. Additional fire protection services will include increase in staffing,
firefighters, iire stations, fire trucks, and rescue vehicles. Increased demand for fire protection services
associated with development in rural areas of the General Plan study azea will also involve expansion of
water mains and the provision of new fire hydrants. Additional fire protection services could result in
significant costs to the City. As with police department costs, increases in property and sales tax
revenues will provide funding sources for increased service. As the General Plan study area builds out, it
will be necessary to evaluate these impacts to fire protection services.
3. Mitigation Measures
A.
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The City shall continue to promote close coordination with the Fire Department for the timely
expansion of services and facilities.
The Fire Department shall continue to maintain mutual aid agreements with the cities of Rancho
Mirage and Indian Wells for additional fire protection support.
C. The Fire Department shall continue to review new development proposals and assess the
Department's capacity to provide sufficient fire protection services. This shall include, but is not
limited to, review of intemal circulation patterns, street names and numbering systems.
�• The City and the Fire Depattment shall contsnue to enforce fire codes and other applicable
� standards and regulations during review of building plans and conducting building inspections.
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� III-165
Public Services and Facilities
Fire TN/Ciry vf Palm Desert
DraR General Plan EIR
Section III — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
E. The siting of industrial facilities which involve storage of hazardous, flammable or explosive
materials shall be conducted in a manner that will ensure the highest level of safety in strict
conformance with the Uniform Fire Code and other applicable regulations.
F. Coordinate with the Coachella Valley Water District and Myoma Dunes Mutual Water Company
to assure adequate water supplies and pressure for existing and proposed development.
Mitigation Monitoring/Reporting Program
A. The Riverside County Fire Department shall inspect all detailed project plans for conformance
with all applicable fire protection requirements.
Responsible Parties: Riverside County Fire Department
Health Care Facilities and Services
1. Existing Conditions
In addition to a number of local physicians' offices and urgent care facilities, several large health care
facilities are located in the vicinity of the General Plan study area. A discussion of major health care
facilities is provided below.
The Eisenhower Medical Center on Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage is the closest medical facitity to
the subject property. The medical center complex encompasses 98t acres consisting of several facilities,
which include the Eisenhower Medical Center, the Annenberg Center for World Health Sciences, the
Betty Ford Center for Chemical Dependency, the Dolores Hope Outpatient Care Center and the Barbara
Sinatra Children's Center. The medical center currently has 261 beds, an intensive care unit and
emergency room. The complex also includes the Community Blood Bank and other office and research
buildings. The Andrew Allen Surgical Pavilion is a state-of-the-art medical surgical facility with ten
operating rooms.
Desert Regional Medical Center is located at 1150 N. Indian Avenue in Palm Springs. It is a private,
non-pro�t hospital that is licensed for 388 beds and has a 24-hour emergency room and Level II Trauma
Care facility. The hospital has a Home Health Care department ihat provides in-home nursing care and
household maintenance services. It also includes the Hospice of the Desert Communities, which offers
services for the ternninally ill. The Comprehensive Cancer Center of the Desert is a department vf the
Desert Regional Medical Center, which provides services to cancer-diagnosed individuals.
John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital islocated at 47-111 Monroe Street in Indio. In addition to the many
medical and health services offered at JFK, a 24-hour emergency room and a wide variety of inpatient
and outpatient services are also available. The hospital, with its recent building addition, is currently
licensed for 162 beds and includes 16 beds in the ICU unit and 24 beds in the medicaVsurgical unit.
llL-166
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Public Services and Facilities
Health care TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III - Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
2. Project Impacts
Builout of the proposed General Plan is not expected to have any significant adverse impacts on the
medical facilities in the area. As independent facilities, Valley hospitals will continue to plan for growth
in order to accommodate population increases associated with the implementation of the proposed
General Plan. It is expected that all three of the Valley hospitals will expand as needs are identified and
that regional health care facilities will be able to adequately service the future population.
3. Mitigation Measures
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Regional and local medical health caze facilities will continue to plan for growth, and therefore no
mitigadon measures are necessary.
Solid Waste Management
1. Existing Conditfons
Solid waste collection and disposal services aze provided by Waste Management of the Desert through
an exclusive franchise agreement with the City of Palm Desert. Waste Management also serves the
Thousand Palms, Bermuda Dunes and Sky Valley communities, which are within the General Plan study
area. Commercial pick-up is offered up to six days per week, and residential pick-up is typically once
per week. Waste Management offers addidonal services to large waste generators, including restaurants,
retailers, hotels and resorts.
Trash collected in the City and planning azea is disposed at the Edom Hill Landfill, approximately four
miles northwest of the Palm Desert city limits. The landfill is owned and operated by Riverside County,
and accepts waste from rnost Coachella Valley communities. The current operating permit allows for a
maximum of 2,651 tons of waste per day. During 2000, the landfill received an average of 1,295 tons
per day. In March 2000, the remaining capacity of the landfill was approximately 4.5 million cubic
yards. The landfill is nearing its maximum capacity and is expected to close in 2004.
The City of Palm Desert and other Coachella Valley communities are actively planning for and selecting
� viable alternative landfill sites. Alternatives considered include Eagle Mountain Landfill, Mesquite
Landfill, Badlands Landfill, Lamb Canyon and the EI Sobrante Landfills.
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In 1997, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved the Eagle Mountain Landfill and
Recycling Center. The landfill will encompass 2,164 acres and a total capacity of 708 million tons with
a life expectancy of 100 years. Litigation has defayed construction of the Eagle Mountain Landfill and
Recycling Center, therefore, the City must continue to pursue other options for the immediate future.
The Mesquite Landfill in Imperial County is also being purchased by the Los Angeles County Sanitation
� District and is expected to have a capacity similar to that of the Eagle Mountain Landfill. Its
construction is also being delayed by litigation, and the future of both these landfills remains unclear.
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III-l67
Public Services and Facilities
Wastewater
TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section I1I — Existing Conditions, Impacu and Mitigation Measures
Mitigation Monitoring/Reporting Program
A. The City Community Development Department shall maintain close contact with project
developers to assure the provision and maintenance of recycling containers that correspond with
current City programs and those planned in the future.
Responsible Parties: City Community Development Department, Waste Management of the
Desert
Wastewater Collection and Treatment
1. Existing Conditions
Wastewater collection and treatment services are provided by the Coachella Valley Water District to the
City of Palm Desert, and majority of the General Plan study area. Wastewater is transmitted through
sewer trunk lines generally ranging in size from 4 to 24 inches, relying primarily on gravity flow,
Effluent from the City is conveyed to CVWD's Cook Street treatment plant (Water Reclamation Plant
No. 10), which has a current capacity of 18 million gallons per day. Effluent from Bermuda Dunes, Del
Webb's Sun City and other development north of Miles Avenue is conveyed to the treatment plant
located at Madison Street and Avenue 38 (Water Reclamation Plant No. ?). This plant treats
approximately 2.4 million gallons of wastewater per day, and has a capacity of 5 million gallons per day.
CVWD continually increases the capacity of its plants by constructing new treatment ponds, aeration
plants and other structures.
While much of the General Plan study area is connected to CVWD's sewer system, sevBral areas still
rely on septic systems for wastewater disposal. These areas include Sky Valley and scattered residential
development in the Thousand Palms area. Wastewater contains contaminants, such as nitrogen, bacteria
and organic chemicals that have the potential to degrade the quality of groundwater and render it
unsuitable for human consumption. The ]vng-term use of septic tanks has been associated with
contamination of groundwater supplies in limited areas of the Coachella Vailey.
In 1994, the City adopted Chapter 8.60 of the Municipal Code, an ordinance which requires all
properties, buildings and structures to abandon existing sepdc tanks, seepage pits and/or cesspools and
to connect to the available public sewer system prior to the sale or transfer of ownership. The sewer
connection ordinance also establishes a certificate of compliance process to document abandoning of the
on-lot system and connection to the community sewer system.
Tertiary Treated Water
In an effort to alleviate the impacts of development on groundwater supplies, CVWD has implemented
the use of tertiary (third stage) treated wastewater for use in golf course, landscape and other irrigation.
Wastewater is typicaily treated to secondary levels and reintroduced into the groundwater table through
percolation ponds, with passage through sands and soils providing a final stage of filtration. Tertiary
treated water undergoes an additional stage of treatment, making it immediately suitable for irrigation
purposes and decreasing, to some extent, the demand for groundwater resources.
III-170
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Wastevater
TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section TII — Existing Canditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measwes
The Cook Street wastewater treatment plant has a tertiary water capacity of 15 million gallons per day
(mgd). The Cook 5treet piant generates from 1.2 to 7.8 mgd of tertiary treated water, with the average
being approximately 4.4 mgd. The treatment plant at Madison Street and Avenue 38 generates from 0.8
to 2.5 mgd of tertiary treated water, and has a maximum current capacity of 2.5. This plant is planned
for expansion to treat 5 mgd within the next few years.
2. Project Impacts
Buildout of the proposed General Plan will result in an increased demand on existing wastewater
collection and treatment facilities. Domestic wastewater flows average about 100 gallons per capita per
day.' Based on this factor and the estimated buildout population of 148,387 residents, the General Plan
study area has the potential to generate approximately 14,838,700 gallons of wastewater per day. Actual
wastewater generation rates will be dependent upon future levels of development.
The increase in demand for wastewater collection and treatment services at General Plan buildout may
represent a potential significant increase over the current level of service provided. However, buildout of
the General Plan study area is anticipated to occur gradually, therefore it is safe to assume that the
increase in demand to wastewater collection and treatment services will not be experienced at one time.
Nonetheless, it is necessary that the City and the Coachella Valley Water District continue to monitor
growth trends in the General Plan study area to assure that wastewater services are adequate, as well as
to deternune the need and funding for additional facilities.
3. Mitigation Measures
A.
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All development shall be connected to the city-wide sewer system, to the greatest extent
possible. Septic systems shall be prohibited where soil conditions do not pernut percolarion.
The City shal! investigate and evaluate alternative methods of �nancing a city-wide sewer
system and converting existing septic systems to sewer, including redevelopment funds,
assessments and other funding mechanisms.
C. The City shall cooperate and coordinate with the Coachella Valley Water District to assure that
adequate wastewater collection and treatment facilities ate provided to serve development in the
General Plan study area.
D. The City shall coordinate with Coachella Valley Water District to monitor the demand for
tertiary treated water within the General Plan siudy area, and shall investigate the feasibility of
providing tertiary treated water as demand warrants.
9"Environmental Impact Analysis Handbook," prepared by lohn G. Rau and David C. Wooten, 1980.
III-171
Public Services and Facilities
%iastewater TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III — Existing Conditions, Impacu and Mitigation Measures
Mitigation Monitoring/Reporting Program
A. The City Community Development Department and Public Works shall confer and coordinate
with the Coachella Valley Water District to develop plans for implementing city-wide sewer
service.
Responsible Parties: City Community Development Department, City Public Works
Department, Coachella Valley Water District
Domestic Water Services
1. Eaosting Conditions
Coachella Valley Water District
The Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) provides domestic water services to the majority of the
City of Palm Desert, including Thousand Palms, and Del Webb's Sun City. CVWD utilizes deep wells
to extract groundwater from the Whitewater River Subbasin. CVWD's domestic water system, which
serves the City, includes 50 wells with an average depth of 900 feet. CVWD also has a total of 27
reservoirs serving the General Plan study area, with an average capacity of 1.8 million gallons. Some of
these reservoirs may also serve pressure zones which extend beyond the study area. The lazgest (i.e.,
main or trunk) water lines are generally located along section lines, with smaller lines branching into
individual sections.
The Coachella Valley Water District also provides domestic water services to the Sky Valley
community, in the northern portion of the General Plan planning area. Due to high concentrations of
undesirable minerals, CVWD does not extract water for domestic use from the Desert Hot Springs
Subbasin, which underlies the community of Sky Valley. Rather, water delivery infrastructure in this
area includes main lines that transmit water from CVWD weils Iocated in the Mission Creek Subbasin
west of Palm Drive.
Myoma Dunes Mutuaf Water Company
The Myoma Dunes Mutual Water Company provides domestic water services to the Bermuda Dunes
community, except for development along Washington Street, which is served by CVWD. Its ftve active
wells, drilled to depths of 750 to 800 feet, can each produce 1,700 to 3,200 gallons of potable water per
minute. Three of the production wells discharge water directly into the water distribudon system, which
conveys water through distribution water mains ranging in size from 4 to 12 inches in diameter. The two
other wells deliver water directly into a water reservoir near the intersection of 41s` Avenue and
Hermitage Drive. The reservoir has a capacity of one million galIons. Myoma Dunes operates a sixth
well, which is used solely by the Bermuda Dunes Airport and is not connected to the water delivery
system.
2. Project Impacts
Continued increases in water demand generated by devetopment in the Coachella Valley, including the
General Plan study area, could have significant cumulative impacts on the region's groundwater supply.
The Coachella Valley Water District has developed water usage factors for a variety of land uses, based
1[I-172
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Danestic Water
TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III — Existing Conditions, ImQacts and Mitigation Measures
on usage per acre. Table III-46 illustrates these factors, and the associated acreages within the General
Plan study area.
Table III-46
General Plan Buildout Water Consumption
Annual �
Consumption
Factor (ac-
Total Annual
Consumption
(ac-ft/yr)
Development Type ftlaclyr) Acres
Golf Course Developments and Large
Residential Lots `. 0.5 ac)
Apartments and Condominiums
Residential (Lots < 0.5 ac)
Hotels and Motels
Business Offices
Gasoline Stations
Supermarket Shoppin� Centers
Public Schools
Retail Shopping Areas
Industrial Parks & Auto Dealers
Total
7.36
6.36
6.09
8.76
5.85
5.12
4.81
4.34
3.05
2.4?
24,504
3,795
14,698
329
919
186
521
1,454
1,100
47,506
180,349
24,136
89,511
2,882
5,376
895
2,261
4,435
2,717
312,562
According to CVWD's usage factors, the buildout of the General Plan will result in usage of 312,562
acre feet of water annually. This analysis assumes maximum buildout of all land uses, and is therefore
expected to be conservative. It should be noted that increases in water consumption will occur gradually,
over the life of the General Plan study area. Actual impacts to domestic water services are dependent
upon the levels and types of development that will occur in the General Plan study area.
� Section III-E provides a comprehensive discussion regarding impacts to water resources and quality in
the General Plan study area.
� 3. Mitigation Measures
A. All future development projects shall be reviewed by the City, Coachella Valley Water District
� or Myoma Dunes Mutual Water Company to evaluate potential impacts of development
activities on local groundwater resources.
� B. The City shall require the development of on-site stormwater retention/detention basins to
enhance infiltration of runoff and the replenishment of groundwater subbasins.
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C. The City, Coachella Va11ey Water District, and Myoma Dunes Mutual Water Company shall
encourage the use of drought tolerant landscaping in public and private development as a means
of water conservation. All development plans shall be required to adhere to the City's landscape
ordinance.
I[(-173
Public Services and Facflities
Dvmestic Water
TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III — Existing Condirions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
D. The City shall encourage andlor require the installation of low-flush toilets, low-flow
showerheads and faucets in all new construction, in conformance with Section 17921.3 of the
Health and Safety Code, Title 20, California Administrative Code Section 1601(b), and
applicable sections of Title 2� of the State Code.
Mitigation Monitoring/Reporting Program
A. The Community Development Department shall review all development proposals to assess the
potential for adverse effects on water quality and quantity. All development proposals shall be
required to mitigate any significant impacts.
Responsible Parties: City Community Development Department, Cvachella Va11ey Water
District, Myoma Dunes Mutual Water Company, Developers
Electricity
1. Existing Conditions
Southern California Edison
Southern California Edison (SCE) provides electricity to the majority of the Palm Desert General Plan
study area. Its service azea includes most of the City of Palm Desert, excluding a portion of the
California State University/San Bernardino (CSSB) CoachelIa Valley Campus site, Avondale Country
Club and other limited areas south of US Interstate-10 (see Imperial Irrigation District discussion
below), and lands west of Ford Avenue in Sky Valley. 5CE's electric power is primarily generated
outside the Coachella Valley, however, it does purchase wind-generated power from local producers.
SCE's facilities include high-voltage transmission lines, which range up to 115 kilovolts (kv) in the City
of Palm Desert and up to 500 kv in the northern portion of the General Plan planning area. Lower-
voltage distribution lines, which are typically gauged at about 12 kv in the study area, provide electricity
to individual residences and other users. Three substations are located within the City of Palm Desert
and are used to step down voltage for local distribution.
The substations include: 1) Silver Spur Substation, located south of Haystack Road and west of Portola
Avenue; 2) Palm Village Substation, located south of Highway 111 and east of Deep Canyon Road; and
3) Concho Substation, located south of Country Club Drive and east of Cook Street, near the Indian
Ridge Country Club. In addition, some circuits from the Santa Rosa Substation, located west of
Monterey Avenue and north of Clancy Lane in Rancho Mirage, feed into the City of Palm Desert.
Imperial Irrigation District
Imperial Irrigadon District (IID) is a non-profit, community-owned utility district that serves customers
in Imperial County and parts of Riverside and San Diego counties. IID provides electric service to a
limited portion of the Palm Desert General Plan study area, including the Avondale Country Club, most
of the CSSB Coachella Valley Campus, Sun City, Thousand Palms, Bermuda Dunes and the eastern
portion of Sky Valley. IID obtains its power from a combination of hydroelectric, thermal, diesel, and
III-1�4
Public Services and Facilities
Electricity TNlCity of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section iII - Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measwes
3. Mitigation Measures
A. Developers shall coordinate and cooperate with Southern California Edison and Imperial
Irrigation District in implementing load management programs which level the demand load on
generating capacities. Every effort shall be made to assure the highest 1eve1 of energy
conservation available.
B. Any proposed development in the General Plan study area shall be subject to the requirements of
the Uniform Building Code and Title 24 of the California Administrative Code.
C. Project developers shall be required to utilize energy efficient design to minimize summer time
solar gains and reduce air conditioning loads.
D. The use of energy efficient lighting fixtures in developments within the General Plan study area
shall be required.
Mitigation Monitoring/Reporting Program
A. The Community Development Department, Public Works Department, and Building Department
shall inspect all detailed project plans for conformance with Title 24 energy conservation code
requirements. Southern California Edison, Imperial Irrigation District and the City Community
Development Department shall provide developers with rcferences for energy efficient design.
Responsibte Parties: City Community Development Department, Public Works Department,
Building Department, Southern California Edison, Imperial Irrigation District
B. Prior to the undergrounding of utility lines, all affected utility companies shall be contacted for
detailed information about system restrictions, district boundaries, and scheduling.
Responsible Parties: Southern California Edison, Imperial Irrigation District, Verizon
California, The Gas Company, Coachella Valley Water District, Myoma Dunes Mutual Water
Company
Natural Gas
1. Existing Conditions
The Southern California Gas (SCG) Company provides natural gas services and faciiities to the City of
Palm Desert and its General Plan study area. Locally used natural gas originates in Texas and is
transported to the Coachella Valley via three east-west trending high pressure gas transmission lines,
which cross the valley just north of Interstate-10 and continue west to Los Angeles. The lines include
one 30-inch line and two 24-inch lines, with pressures of 2,000 pounds per square inch (psi).
Within the General Plan study area, high pressure gas lines are located beneath Washington Street,
Highway 111, Sierra del Sol (serving Thousand Palms), and Dillon Road (serving Sky Valley). These
are typically steel lines with pressures of 300 psi. The Washington Street and Sierra del Sol lines tap
directly into the major transmission lines north of I-10. Medium pressure distribution lines are located
III-176
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Public Services and Facilities
Natural Gas
� within the rights-of-way of Country Club Drive, Fred Waring Drive, Monterey Avenue, Cook Street,
and Highway 74. These lines range from 38 to 42 psi, and are typically constructed of 4-inch plastic,
although older lines may be made of steel.
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Although most of the City of Palm Desert is connected to the natural gas system, lands west of the Palm
Valley Stormwater Channel, parallel to Highway 74, aze not served. Residents in this area use propane
gas as an alternative fuel source.
The Gas Company estimates the average household in its service azea consumes 6,600 cubic feet of
� natural gas per month. Table III-48 illustrates natural gas consumption factors established by the South
Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQNID).
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Table III-48
Natural Gas Consumption Factors
Single Family Residentiaf
� Multiple Family Residential
RetaiUShopping Center
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HoteVMotel
Industrial
TN/City of Palm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section Ill — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Monthly Consumption Rate
6,665.0 cf/unidmonth
4,011.5 cf/sq.ft./month
2.9 cf/ sq.ft /month
2.0 cf/ sq.ft Imonth
4.8 cf/ sq.ft /month
4.8 cf/ sq.ft /month
Note: Industrial usage factor used is equivalent W the highest commercial usage factor
provided by SCAQNID. Source: SCAQMD Air Quality Handbook, ApQendix to Chapter
9, April 1993
2. Project Impacts
An increase in demand for natural gas services is anticipated as the General Plan study area builds out.
Natural gas consumption is estimated at 614,046,131 cubic feet per month at General Plan buildout. This
iigure represents both existing and future developments in the General Plan study area, and assumes
buildout at moderate densities. Actual natural gas consumption will be determined by future levels of
development, individual project designs, and the effectiveness of energy-conserving measures.
Development facilitated by the proposed General Plan will increase the rate of consumption of this non-
renewable source and will contribute to cumulative impacts on the long-term availability of natural gas.
However, General Plan buildout, in and of itself, is not expected to significantly impact natural gas
supplies or the provider's ability to deliver it.
3. Mitigation Measures
A.
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The City shall strictly enforce Title 24 of the California Administrative Code, which addresses
energy conservation in new developments.
Developers shall install the most efficient furnaces, water heaters, pool heaters and other
equipment that use natural gas. Developers shall also encourage the use of kitchen appliances
Ili-177
Public Services and Facilities
Patural Gas
TN/City of Patm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
' Section III - Existing Condirions, Impacts and Mitigation Measures
that utilize natural gas and shall investigate the possibility of using alternative energy, sources,
including solar and co-generation technologies.
Mitigation Monitoring/Reporting Program
A. The Community Development and Public Works Department shall inspect all detailed project
plans to assure conformance with Title 24 energy conservation code requirements. The
Community Development Department shall coordinate with The Gas Company to provide
developers with references for energy eff'icient design.
Responsible Parties: City Community Development Department, Public Works Department,
The Gas Company
Telephone Service
1. Existing Conditions
Verizon California provides local residential and business telephone services to the General Plan study
area. The Verizon California headquarter is in Thousand Oaks, however local customer service facilities
are located in the cities of Palm Springs and Indio. Verizon services include a variety of basic and
special features, including local and long distance services, calling cards, business 800 numbers, and
voicemail, as well as state-of-the-art data services such as internet and high-speed DSL connections.
The General Plan study area includes three central switching offices, which function as the backbone of
the communications system and are responsible for the connection of telephone and data transmissions.
Central offices are located in Palm Desert, on the north side of Highway 111, between San Jose and San
Juan Avenues; in Bermuda Dunes, on the east side of Washington Street at Avenue af the States; and in
Thousand Palms, on the west side of Arbol Real, between La Canada Way and Ramon Road. Calls to
the Sky Valley area are handled out of a central switching office in Desert Hot Springs.
2. Project Impacts
Growth facilitated by the proposed General Plan will generate additional demands on existing
infrastructure and will require the expansion of telephone services to areas not currently served.
However, no significant impacts are anticipated with the implementation of the proposed General Plan
that will affect the ability of Verizon, California to provide telecommunication services in the General
Plan study area.
3. Mitigation Measures
A. Developers shall provide reyuired right-of-way for new Verizon conduit systems to provide
telephone services to their sites.
li1-178
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Socio—Economic Besaurces
Kitigation Measures
TN/Ciry of Palm Desert
Draft Genera! Plan EIR
Section III — Existing Conditions, Impacts and Mitigation Measwes
� persons are likely to purchase their homes, and will occupy units built on lands designated Low Density
residentiai, which will generate an additional 24,905 units in the City, and 14,261 units in the Sphere
and planning area.
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3. Mitigation Measures
The Draft General Ptan includes a number of pvlicies which wi�l serve to guide the City's economic
� health in the next several years. The City's aggressive economic development policy will continue to
facilitate the creation of jobs and associated revenues.
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In comparison with the Current General Plan, which has the potential to generate 9,663 medium and
high density units within the City limits, and 15,570 medium and high density units in the Sphere and
planning area, the Preferred Alternative land use plan represents an increase of 47% in the potential for
the City to house its employees in the Medium and High Density Residential land use categories alone.
A. The City shall monitor the employment generated by its commercial and industrial land uses, and
periodically analyse this generation in comparison to the residential land use atlocations to
encourage the provision of adequate housing for as many of its workers as practical.
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C.
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F.
The City shall evaluate new development or redevelopment to assure that these uses
complement, support and are compatible with the City's core economic assets.
The City shall consid�er economic implications of annexations as part of the approvaZ process for
annexation requests.
The City shall continue to encourage the development of hotels, resort hotels and timeshare
projects in the City.
The City shall continue to encourage the development of new and expanded educational facilities
of all levels in the City.
The City shall be aggressive in its retention of existing businesses and recruitment of new
businesses that complement the City's core economic assets.
G. The City shall coordinate its Capital Improvement plans to assure the provision of adequate
� infrastructure to support and facilitate development of commercial and light industrial projects
which expand the City's economic base.
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All projects shall contribute their fair share of on- and off-site improvements required to support
their site.
The City shall routinely review and revise, as necessary, the alIocation of revenues required to
mitigate the impacts of growth.
III-203
Socio-Economic Besources
Kitigation Measures
TN/City of Patm Desert
Draft General Plan EIR
Section III - Existing Conditions, impacts and Mitigation Measures
J. Prior to any annexation effort, the City shall evaluate the feasibility of annexing land to assure its
economic and fiscal viability.
K. The City Zoning Ordinance and Development Code shall be updated, revised and expanded to
assure analysis regimes and standards and guidelines that assure adequate protection of the City's
core economic interests and especially the preservation of the natural environment.
Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
A. The City shall continue to monitor economic growth and focus its Economic Development
efforts in areas of retail, resort and educational services.
Responsible Parties: City Council, Redevelopment Agency, City Manager.
B. The City shall analyse land use development patterns annually, and determine whether
amendments to the land use map aze required to encourage a balance of housing and jobs.
Responsibie Parties: City Council, Community Development Department
C. The City shall prepare economic feasibility analyses for all potendal annexation efforts, as part
of the decision-making process for annexations.
Responsible Parties: City Council, City Manager, Community Development Department.
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1[I-204 �
Coacheila Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District
43-420 Trader Place • Indio, CA 92201 •(760) 342-8287 • Fax (760) 342-8110
E-mail: CVmosquito@cvmvcd.org • Website: www.cvmvcd.org
September 28, 2006
Board of Trustees
Fresident Attn: Mr. Phil Drell
JOHN FUSCHEfTI Director of Community Development
Rancho Mirage City of Palm Desert
vice Pres�dent 73-510 Fred Waring Drive
JUAN DE LARA palm Desert, CA 92260
Coachella
Secretary/Treasurer
MIKE DURAN
Indio
PAUL S. MARCHAND
Cathedral City
KARL BAKER, JR.
Desert Hot Springs
BRUCE UNDERWOOD, Dr. P.H.
Indian Wells
RON PERKINS
La Quinta
ART MCKAY
Palm Desert
SHARON LOCK
Palm Springs
BEry u�uN
County at Large
NICK NIGOSIAN, JR.
County at Large
DONALD E. GOMSI
General Manager
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CObi'v+ \ �,F. ,,�: " • � ,. .':���:�T
CITYOF f',.L:,. _•i.__ ::
Subject: Comments regardirrg Notice of intent to adopt ll�litigated Negative
Declaration for Section 29 Master Plan of Infrastructure, Assessment District
2004-02 , in the Ciry of Palm Desert, Riverside Counry, Califor-nia
Dear Mr Drell,
Thank you for the opportunity to express our position and concerns in reference to
the proposed Declaration. The District offers the following comments on potential
impact of the project on the local environment and suggested mitigated measures.
The Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Controi District (the District) is a
special agency governed by the California Health and Safety Code. Our mission
is to reduce the risk from disease carried by mosquitoes and other vectors for
residents in the Coachella Valley. The major concern of the District is interruption
of the West Nile virus (WNV) in the Coachella Valley. Mosquito species that are
present in the Valley are the major vectors of the WN, and other arborviruses such
as Saint Louis (SL) and Western Equine (WE) viruses that may cause serious
infections in humans and animals, and in some cases death. The population
growth in the Valley will undoubtedly increase the potential for vector problems,
creating additional health and nuisance issues for residents and management of
cacr. city and tl-,e �7osquit� and �'ector Cor�trol D�strict.
Mosquitoes
Urbanization and water runoff will create concerns of breeding mosquitoes and
provide water to other vectors. The new buildings and renovations of existing
buildings, new street gutters, catch basins, retention and percolation basins, dry
wells, etc., will be added to establish drainage systems. These structures function
to drain street run-off water, and then percolate into the ground. If improperly
designed and/or maintained, water which stands more than 5-7 days in any
component of the system could create mosquito breeding problems under desert
climate conditions. In order to ensure the efficiency of the drainage system (i.e.;
proper slopes in gutters and channels, permeable bottoms at percolation basins
and dry wells), the District recommends that the construction follows the
guidelines of structural Best Managing Practices (BMPs). For information on
BMP's guidelines refer to www.cabmvhandbooks.com,
www.stormwaterautoritv.or� and www.bmpdatabase.or�. Additionally, regular
maintenance schedules must be incorporated into the development plan, in
percolation basins. Increasingly stringent urban stormwater runoff regulations
have recently mandated the construction of structural Best Management Practices
(BMPs), for both volume reduction and pollution management. The District
strongly supports the BMPs with the purpose to prevent, reduce, or eliminate
mosquito breeding from stormwater management structures.
It is evident that some structures could be improved if vector issues start to be
considered prior to construction. The District staff should be directly involved in
development and implementation of BMPs for the construction and maintenance
of economically efficient, biologically acceptable, and environmentally
compatible storm water management structures.
Synanthropic Flies
There are a number of pest species that can become major problems within the
city if breeding conditions aze created and persist, most often by human neglect or
indifference. Improper disposal of grass clippings from the green belts and other
organic wastes associated with the development could cause breeding of a number
of synanthropic flies. Eye Gnats in the Valley have a history of being a serious
nuisance as well as a health problem by vectoring "pink eye" to residents. They
breed in organic material within moist soil of flowerbeds, greenbelts, and
vegetative accumulations such as improperly disposed grass clippings. Flies can
become a serious pest problem during warm weather. Major suburban breeding
sources are open or improperly sealed trash containers and accumulations of
animal refuse, most often, the lack of timely removal of doa dung, wfiich can
become a local sanitary problem as well as a major source for fly breeding.
The District recommends collecting trash twice a week instead of once, and
implementing a program that monitors the physical condition of all trash cans
wtule it is being collected with rapid replacement of damaged cans and covers to
maintain effective trash containment and fly exclusion.
Rodents
Roof rats are becoming an ever-increasing suburban problem throughout the
entire valley. Harborage or shelter is ofien provided through improper or poorly
groomed and maintained shrubbery and trees, accumulations of wood, ignored
stored vehicles or other structures outside. Once rodents move into a
neighborhood or commercial business property, they can quickly become
established as a nuisance and health problem.
The house mouse for example, can invade the homes and businesses through
holes as little as'/, inch in diameter. The District recommends during
construction and completion of any building, proper seals should be made in all of
the walls where wiring, plumbing, etc.; run through. Rodent food sources can be
pet food left out overnight, abundant numbers of cockroaches or snails around the
yard, and ripe fruit allowed to fall and accumulate on the ground.
This proactive, rather than reactive approach to the prevention of potential vector
problems will ultimately result in cost savings, minimize long term vector
production and associated surveillance and control, and ensure compliance with
health and safety codes by working together to obtain source reduction and
exclusion methods.
The District is also proposing to increase communication and collaboration
between all interested agencies, especially the Lead Agency (City of Palm
Desert), The Coachella Valley Water District and our District.
If you have any questions please feel &ee to contact me.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely, -,
,
�'�� ,
GeraId. Chuzel
Fishery & Environmental Biologist
cc: Don Gomsi- General Manager
Branka B. Lothrop, PhD-Scientific Operational Manager
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
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D�T � ? �
ASSOCIATION of
GOVERNMENTS
Main Office
818 West Seventh Street
12tn Floor
Los Angeles, California
90017-3435
t (213) 236-1800
f(213)236�1825
www.scag.ca.gov
September 28, 2006
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Mr. Phil Drell
Director of Community Development
City of Palm Desert
73-510 Fred Waring Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92260
RE: SCAG Clearinghouse No. I 20060598 Section 29 Master Plan of
Infrastructure, Assessment District 2004-02
L7�clf IVII . L71 CII:
Thank you for submifting the Section 29 Master Plan of Infrastructure,
Assessment District 2004-02 for review and comment. As areawide
clearinghouse for regionally significant projects, SCAG reviews the consistency
of local plans, projects and programs with regional plans. This activity is based
on SCAG's responsibilities as a regional planning organization pursuant to state
and federal laws and regulations. Guidance provided by these reviews is
intended to assist local agencies and project sponsors to take actions that
contribute to the attainment of regional goals and policies.
We have reviewed the Section 29 Master Plan of Infrastructure, Assessment
District 2004-02, and have determined that the proposed Project is not regionally
significant per SCAG Intergovernmental Review (IGR} Criteria and California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines (Section 15206). Therefore, the
proposed Project does not warrant comments at this time. Should there be a
change in the scope of the proposed Project, we would appreciate the opportunity
to review and comment at that time.
A description of the proposed Project was pubfished in SCAG's August 16-31,
2006 Intergovemmental Review Clearinghouse Report for public review and
c: mmer,;.
The project title and SCAG Clearinghouse number should be used in all
correspondence with SCAG conceming this Project. Correspondence should be
sent to the attention of the Clearinghouse Coordinator. If you have any questions,
please contact me at (213) 236-1857. Thank you.
Sincerely,
r Si c G P is a y
Aonerts. ierr,erola
5an Benardmo (ai.r.P� Lary Ov�n Sar ,�,�C'Y'�_
Bema�U�no (ountr • lawrence Dair, Barsiaw •
Pa.l Eator,, rdom;lau • lee Ann Garc�a Grano
leeaxce-[�mSasqea.towsetApqe4auey•im+r L ERNE JONES
A�c(allon H�qn{an0 • Deooran 2o0ertwn, p�aiio
•A!anlYapne:,Ontano Planning Technician
ummncoumr.iwYnti��eis.ve�a��ac��»>• Intergovemmental Review
Gkn Becena. S�m� Yalky •(ad Mae�ane. San
Buenavertura • Ion� 1'oung Por1 Hueneme
Orange (ouny Tonsporution AuUoriry:
tou (or.ed (eunty Of Ord�ge
RMenide Cawry Tnnsportatbn
Confmltsion: Aob:n Lo�ve. Hemet
Venlun County Transportation
COIIIIIIIri�011: �ertn VIIIhOufe. ��o0rpd�k
��c2erce
Doc #1268�3
�1ATEq
��STRIGt
ESTABLISHED IN 7918 AS A PUBLIC AGENCY
COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
POST OFFICE BOX 1058 • COACHELLA, CALIFORNIA 92236 • TELEPHONE (760) 398-2651 • FAX (760) 398-3711
DiRECTORS: OFFICERS
PETER NELSON. PRESIDENT STEVEN B. ROBBINS,
PATFICIA A. �ARSON, VICE PRESIDENT GE�ERAL MA��AGER CHiEF ENGINEER
TELLIS CODEKAS MARK BEUHLER.
JOHN W McFADDEN ASST GENERAL MANAGER
RUSSELL KITAHARA Sen tember 15 2006 JULIA FERNANDEZ SECRETARY
t' � DAN PARKS. ASST TO GENERAL MANAGER
REDW�NE A�dD SHERRILL, ATTORNEYS
File: 1150.06
Phil Drell
Director of Community Development
City of Palm Desert
73-510 Fred Waring Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92260
Dear Mr. Drell:
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Thank you for affording the Coachella Valley Water District the opportunity to review the
Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Section 29 Master Plan of
Infrastructure, Assessment District 2004-02 project in Palm Desert.
At this time, the Coachella Valley Water District has no comments regarding the proposed
proj ect.
If you have any questions, please contact Luke Stowe, Environmental Specialist, at
extension 2545.
Yours very truly,
� ,
� / 1
`
Mark L. Johnson
Director of Engineering
LS: md�eng\env\O6'�sept'.drel l
TRUE CONSERVATION
USE WATER WISELY
y_� •, ••.
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMISSiON
915 CAPfTOL AAALL, ROOM 364
SACRAAAEHTO, CA 96814
(91� 663�1082
Fax (816) 657-5390
Wab Site vrww.nahc.Ca.yov
September 7, 2006
Mr. Phil Drell, Director of Community Devebpment
City of Palm D�sert
73-510 Fred Waring Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92260
Amob Schrari�py�aar. Gnverno�
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�tE��IVED
StY � 12�6
�011�UTIi'i'Y 08VELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
CITY OF PALM DE3ERT
Re: SCH#2006081156: CEQA Notice of Completion: Mitioated Neaatinre Dedaration for the Section 29 Master Plan
of Infrastructure. Assessment District 2004-02: Palm Desert:; Riverside CounN. Califomia
Dear Mr. Drell:
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the above�eferenced docume�t. The Califomia
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires that any project that causes a substantial adverse change in the
signficance of an historical resource, that inctudes archeological resources, is a'signficant effecY requiring the
prepara6on of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR per CEQA guidelines § 15064.5(b)(c). In order to compy with
this provision, the lead agency is required to assess whether the projed will have an adverse impact on these
resources within the area of projeci efteet {APE), and if so, to mitigate that effect. To adequately assess the project
related impacts on historical resources, the Commission recommends the following action:
� Contact the appropriate Califomia Histor'�c Resources Information Center (CHR1S). The record search wiit
determine:
■ If a part or the en6re APE has been previously surveyed tor cuftural resources.
■ If any known cultural resources have already been recorded in or adjacent to the APE.
• If the probability is bw, moderate, or high that cuHural resources are located in the APE.
� tf a survey is required to determine whether previously unrecorded cuftural resources are present.
� If an archaeological inventory survey is required, the final stage is the preparation of a professional report detailing
the findings and recommendations of ihe records search and field survey.
• The final report containing site forms, site significance, and mitigation measurers should be submitted
immediatefy to the planning departrnent. All informaCion regarding site locations, NaCrve American human
remains, and associated tunerary objects should be in a separate confldential addendum, and not be made
available for pubic disclosure.
■ The final written report should be submitted within 3 months after wo�lc has been completed to the appropriate
regional archaeological Information Center.
�1 Contact the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) for:
' A Sacxed Lands File (SLF) search of the project area and information on tribal contacts in the projed
vicinity who may have additional cultural resource infortnation. Please provide this office with the following
citation tonnat to assist with the Sacred Lands File search request: USGS 7.5-minute auadran4le citatan
with name. township, ranqe and section; .
■ The NAHC advises the use of Native American Monitors to ensure proper identification and care given cultural
resources that may be discovered. The NAFiC recommends that contact be made with Native American
Contacts on the attached list to get their input on potential project impad, particularly the contacts of the on the
list.
�1 Lack of surface evidence of archeological resources does not precfude their subsurface existence.
• Lead agencies should include in their mitigation plan provisions for the identification and evaluation of
accidentally discovered archeological r�esources, per Califomia Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) §15064.5 (fl.
In areas of identified ar�chaeological sensitivity, a certified a�haeologist and a culturally affiliated Native
American, with knowledge in cultural resources, shouid monitor all ground-disturbing ac6vities.
■ Lead agencies should inGude in their mitigation plan provisions for the disposition of recovered artifacts, in
consultation with culturally affiliated Native Americans.
�1 Lead agencies should include provisbns for discovery of Native American human remains or unmarked cemeteries
in their mitigation plans.
' CEQA Guidelines, Section 15064.5(d) requires the lead agency to work with the Nafire Americans identified
by this Commission if the initial Study identifies the presence or likely presence of Nati�e American human
remains within the APE. CE(�A Guidelines provide for agreements with Native American, identified by the
NAHC, to assure the appropriate and dignified treatment of Native American human remains and any associated
grave liens.
� Heafth and Safety Code §7050.5, Pubiic Resources Code §5097.98 and Sec. §15064.5 (d) of the CEQA
Guidelines mandate procedures to be followed in the event of an accidental discovery of any human �emains in a
Iocation other than a dedicated cemetery.
� lead aqencies should consider avoidance, as defined in $ 15370 of the CEQA Guidelines, when si�nificant cultural
resources are discovered durinc the course of proiect ulannina.
Please feel free to contact me at (916) 653�251 if you have any questions.
Cc: State Clearinghouse
Attachment: List of Native American Contacts
Native American Contacts
Riverside County
September 7, 2006
Cabazon Band of Mission Indians
John A. James, Chairperson
84-245 Indio Springs Parkway
Indio , CA 92203-3499
fweaver@cabazonindi
(760) 342-2593
{760) 347-7880 Fax
Ramona Band of Mission indians
Joseph Hamilton, Vice Chairman
P.O. Box 39160 Cahuilla
Anza , CA 92539
admin@ramonatribe.
{951) 763-4105
(951) 763-4325 Fax
Santa Rosa Band of Mission Indians
John Marcus, Chairman
P.O. Box 609
Hemet , CA 92546
(951) 658-5311
(951) 658-6733 Fax
Cahuilia Band of Indians
Anthony Madrigal, Jr., Interim-Chairperson
Cahuilla P.O. Box 391760 Cahuilla
Anza , CA 92539
tribalcouncil@cahuilla
(951) 763-5549
(909) 763-2808 Fax
Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians
Raymond Torres, Chairperson
PO Box 1160
Thermal , CA 92274
(760) 397-0300
(760) 397-8146 Fax
Cahuilla
Augustine Band of Cahuilla Mission Indians
Mary Ann Green, Chairperson
P.O. Box 846 Cahuilla
Cahuilla
Coachella , CA 92236
(760} 369-7171
Thts liat ls currerrt only es of the date of thla dxumertt
Dtstrlbutlon ot this Itst does not relleve any person of statutory responslbllfty as deflned In Section 7Q50.5 of the Flealth and
Safety Code, Se�.�tlon 5097.94 of the Publlc Resources Code and Sectlon 5097.98 of the P�IIc Resou�s Code.
Thls Ifst Is only appllcable for conmcting bcal Native Amerfcans wfth regard to cWhiiral resouroc.s for the
SCHi200GOB1156; CEOA Notice of Comptetbn; Mltigated NegeUve Declaratlon; Cfty of Pelm Desert Sectbn 29 Mester Plan of
Irtfrsstructure for Assessment Dlstrlct 200402; Rlverslde Cour�ty, CalHomla.
Native American Contacts
Riverside County
September 7, 2006
Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilta lndians Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians
William J. Contreras, Cultural Resources Coordinator Alberto Ramierz, Environmental Coordinator
P.O. Box 1160 Cahuilla P.O. Box 1160 Cahuilla
Thermal , CA 92274
Thermal , CA 92274
albertor@torresmartin
760) 397-0300
(760) 397-8146 Fax
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
Richard Milanovich, Chairperson
600 Tahquitr Canyon Way Cahuilla
Palm Springs , CA 92262
(760) 325-3400
(760) 325-0593 Fax
Augustine Band of Cahuilla Mission Indians
Karen Kupcha, Tribal Administrator
P.O. Box 84fi Cahuilla
Coachella , CA 92236
(760) 369-7171
Thfs lfst Is currerK ortiy es of the date ot thls dxumer►L
760) 397-0300
(760) 397-8146 Fax
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
Richard Begay, THPO Director
650 Tahquitz Canyon Way Cahuilla
Palm Springs , CA 92262
rbegay@aguacaliente
(760) 883-1368
(760) 325-6952 Fax
DistNbuUon of this Ifst does not relleve any person of ststutory responslWllty as deHned In Sectlon 7050,5 of the Hexlth and
Safety Code, Sectlon 6097.94 ot the Pubqc Resources Code and Secqon 5097.98 of the PuW1c Resources Code.
Thls Ilst Is only appiicable tor corKacting bcal Nattve Ame�Cans wfth regard to cultural resources for the
SCH�2006081156; CEQA Notice of Completbn; Mttlpated Negative Decla►adon; Clty ot Palm Desert Sectfon 29 Mester Plan of
Inf►ashvcture for Assessrt�ent Dlstrlct 200A-02; Rlverslde County, Callfomla.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
320 WEST a'� STREET SUITE 500
LOS ANGELES, CA 90073
September 22, 2006
Philip Drell
City of Palm Desert
73-510 Fred Waring Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92201
Dear Mr. Drell:
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, Governor
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CITY GF ?�:.. ;, � ._ .� i
Re: SCH# 2006081156; Section 29 Master Plan of Infrastructure, Assessment District 2004-02
The California Public Utilities Commission (Commission) has jurisdiction over the safety of
highway-rail crossings (crossings) in California. The California Public Utilities Code requires
Commission approval for the construction or alteration of crossings and grants the Commission
exclusive pow�er on the design, alteration, and closure of crossings.
The Commission is in receipt a copy of the Notice of Completion & h'atice of Inte-rrt tn .Adnpt a
MitiRated Negative� Declas•ation from the State Clearinghouse. Comrr,iss,ien staff is concerned
that this and cubsequent projects will cause an incr?ase in traff c and congestiai: ai ±h�; nearr:v
high«�ay-rail grade crossing on Monterey Avenue. The City of Palm i)ese:�t shoulu arrange a
meeting with the Commission's Rail Crossings Engineering Section and Unien Yacific Railr�ad
(UPRR) to discuss relevant safety issues and, if necessary, file a G088-B request for authority to
modify an at-grade crossing.
If you have any questions, please contact Varouj Jinbachian, Senior Utilities Engineer at 213-
576-7081, vsj�cpuc.ca.gov, or me at r�cm@cpuc.ca.gov, 213-576-7078.
Sin rely,
�
Rcs� unoz, PE
Ut ��ties Engineer
Rail Crossings Engineering Section
Consumer Protection & Safety Division
C: Freddy Cheung, UPRR
EXHIBIT "B"
MITIGATION, MONITORING AND REPORTING PLAN
[see attached]
P6401�1033\)21581v1 B-1
Environmental Mitigation Monitoring and
Reporting Program for Section 29 Master
Plan of Infrastructure, Assessment District
2004-02
AUTHORITY
This Environmental Mirigation Monitoring and Reporting Program has been prepared pursuant to Section
21081.6 of the California Environmental Quality Act, lrnown as CEQA (Public Resources Code Section 21000
et seq.), to provide for the monitoring of mitigation measures required of the University Park CFD 2005-1
Project, as set forth in the Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared for the project. This report �vill be kept on
file in the offices of the City of Palm Desert, 73-510 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert, California 92260.
MONITORING SCHEDULE
Prior to the issuance of permits, while detailed development plans are being prepared for approval by City
staff, City staff will be responsible for ensuring compliance with mitigation monitoring applicable to the
project design phase. City staff will prepare or cause to be prepared reports identifying compliance with
mitigation measures. Once construction has begun and is underway, monitoring of the mitigation measures
associated with construction will be included in the responsibilities of designated City staff, who shall prepare
or cause to be prepared reports of such monitoring periodically until construction has been completed. Once
construction has been completed, the City will monitor the project as appropriate and provided in the
monitoring plan.
FORMAT OF MITIGATION MONITORING MATRIX
The mitigation monitoring matrix on the following pages identifies the environmental issue areas for which
monitoring is required, the required mitigation measures, the time frame for monitoring, and the responsible
monitoring agencies.
P6401.1032\864795.4
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