11 - Laserfiche WebLink

The draft Final Stoneridge Drive Specific Plan Amendment/Staples Ranch EIR Supplement (Final SEIR) includes responses to comments on the Draft SEIR raised during the public review period, and includes revisions intended to correct, clarify, and amplify the Draft SEIR. If certified, the SEIR, along with the EIR certified by the City Council on February 24, 2009, would compose the entire EIR for the project. The SEIR is before the Council for review and certification. Lawsuit A lawsuit challenging the City of Pleasanton's approval of the Staples Ranch Specific Plan Amendment was filed on March 27, 2009. The lawsuit claimed, in part, that the City of Pleasanton should have recirculated the EIR with a new analysis of the impacts of the Four -Lane Concurrent Extension and that the EIR's analysis of the impacts of the Four -Lane Concurrent Extension and the EIR's analysis of biological resources, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and cumulative quarry impacts were insufficient. This lawsuit settled in September 2009. In an effort to address the concerns raised in the lawsuit, the SEIR also includes the results of updated biological surveys for sensitive species which could be impacted by the Staples Ranch project. In addition, because of the rapidly changing legal framework for the analysis of potential impacts of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the SEIR also provides an updated analysis of that issue. Concerns raised over the potential cumulative impacts of the project in conjunction with the quarry operations located to the south of the Staples Ranch site are also addressed. The lawsuit settlement agreement contemplates that the City Council may rescind its adopted CEQA Findings, SOC, MMRP, the SPA, and the pre- zoning /rezoning for the Staples Ranch site and then adopt new or revised CEQA Findings, SOC, MMRP, SPA, and pre- zoning /rezoning. Based on the SEIR, the CEQA Findings, SOC, MMRP, and SPA have been revised and staff is recommending these documents be approved following rescission of the existing approvals. The pre- zoning /rezoning ordinance has not changed but must also be rescinded /readopted to be in compliance with the Settlement Agreement. PREFERRED PROJECT Staff and the Planning Commission recommend the "Preferred Project" be adopted. The Preferred Project is the Four -Lane Concurrent Extension Alternative with a phasing modification. If the Preferred Project is adopted, the road and both bridges would be constructed to accommodate two lanes of travel in each direction. However, both bridges would be striped such that there would be only one lane of travel in each direction with an expectation that in the future the City Council would approve the bridges to be restriped to accommodate two lanes of traffic in each direction. The mitigation measures that would be adopted and implemented for the Preferred Project would be the same as the Four -Lane Concurrent Extension Alternative. As a result, no additional environmental review would be required to transition from the two lanes of traffic on the bridges to the full four lanes. Page 6 of 10