RES 12492 - Laserfiche WebLink

B. Introduction The SEIR prepared for the Project addresses the environmental impacts associated with the adoption and implementation of the City of Pleasanton Housing Element update and related land use amendment and rezonings, and the adoption of a Climate Action Plan ("CAP") (referred to collectively hereinafter as the "proposed project" or "Project"). The SEIR is a supplement to the City of Pleasanton's General Plan 2005-2025 Program EIR ("General Plan EIR"). These findings, as well as the accompanying Statement of Overriding Considerations in Section II, have been prepared to comply with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") (Pub. Resources Code § 21000 et seq.) and the CEQA Guidelines (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15000 et seq.). In October 2006, two parties--Urban Habitat Program and Sandra De Gregorio-- filed a lawsuit styled as Urban Habitat Program et al. v. City of Pleasanton, et al., Case No. RG06293831 ("Urban Habitat Litigation"). In the case, the plaintiffs alleged, among other claims, that the City had failed to implement programs contained in the City's 2003 Housing Element, including Program 19.1 requiring the City to rezone sites for affordable housing, and that certain City ordinances and housing practices, including the City's 29,000-unit "Housing Cap," conflicted with the ability of the City to prepare, adopt and implement an adequate Housing Element as required by State law. The State of California intervened on behalf of the plaintiffs in the Urban Habitat Litigation. In addition to intervening in the Urban Habitat Litigation, the State filed another lawsuit in August 2009 known as People of the State of California v. City of Pleasanton, et at, Case No. RG09469878 ("General Plan/CEQA Litigation") alleging, among other things, that the EIR prepared for the General Plan Update did not comply with the requirements of CEQA in its analysis of Greenhouse Gas ("GHG") emissions. In August 2010, the City reached an agreement with the parties involved in both the Urban Habitat Litigation and the General Plan/CEQA Litigation over how to address the issues alleged in those actions ("2010 Settlement Agreement"). Under the 2010 Settlement Agreement, the City was obligated to take several actions, many of which have already occurred. For example, the City already has satisfied its obligation under the Settlement Agreement to repeal the City's former Housing Cap. The Settlement Agreement also requires the City to update its Housing Element, complete certain rezonings to accommodate the City's housing obligations, and adopt a Climate Action Plan, all of which are subject to the provisions of CEQA. The Project described below is intended to comply with the provisions of the 2010 Settlement Agreement as well as state law. C. Project Description and Objectives 1. Proiect Description Project Location The City of Pleasanton is located within Alameda County, one of nine Bay Area counties bordering the San Francisco Bay. The City of Pleasanton is generally bounded to the west by the Pleasanton ridgelands, to the north by Interstate 580 (1-580) and the city of Dublin, to the east by the city of Livermore, and to the south by the San Francisco Water Department lands and other rangelands. Interstate 680 (1-680) bisects the western portion of the City, intersecting 1-580 in its northwestern corner. The incorporated city limits of Pleasanton include a