20 - Laserfiche WebLink

The Proposed Pleasanton General Plan 2005 -2025 EIR identifies potential environmental impacts and mitigation measures. The EIR concludes that, if proposed mitigation measures are adopted, impacts resulting from adopting the Draft General Plan could be reduced to a less than significant level, with the exception of one significant and unavoidable impact as follows: Development due to buildout of the proposed General Plan would result in an increase in population lower than that assumed in the newest air quality plan (2005 Ozone Strategy) and an increase in vehicle miles traveled. The increase in vehicle miles traveled would lead to increases in air pollutants in the Planning Area that could conflict with implementation of the current air quality plan. The EIR also includes an analysis of alternatives to the Proposed General Plan, including No Project (retaining the 1996 General Plan), Dispersed Growth, and the Concentrated Residential /Mixed Use alternatives. The preparation of the programmatic level EIR in concert with the Proposed General Plan allowed the incorporation of programs in the Proposed General Plan to mitigate most potential impacts. The only impacts remaining which can be mitigated are related to road improvements at two gateway intersections. CEQA Findings CEQA requires the lead agency to adopt findings for each potentially significant environmental impact disclosed in the EIR. Specifically, for each significant impact, the lead agency must make one or more of the following three findings: Changes or alterations have been incorporated into the project to avoid or substantially lessen the significant environmental effects identified in the EIR; Such changes or alterations are within the responsibility and jurisdiction of another public agency and should be adopted by that agency; or, Specific economic, social, legal, technological, or other considerations make the mitigation measures or alternatives identified in the EIR infeasible. The CEQA findings are in Attachment 7, for the City Council's review. Statement of Overriding Considerations If a lead agency approves a project without mitigating all of the significant impacts, it must prepare a statement of overriding considerations, in which it balances the benefits of the project against the unavoidable environmental risks. The statement of overriding considerations must explain the social, economic, or other reasons for approving the project despite its environmental impacts. Staff has examined reasonable project alternatives. Staff has found that the Existing General Plan, Dispersed Growth Alternative, and Concentrated Residential /Mixed Use Alternative would not achieve the core project objectives or would not significantly reduce the significant and unavoidable impacts identified from the Project. For this reason, staff recommends that the Proposed (Draft) General Plan be approved. Page 7 of 8