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3.0 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS Rezoninas Supplemental EIR. Circumstances have not changed significantly since certification of the General Plan Amendment and Rezonings Supplemental EIR in January 2012 that would require revision of the Supplemental EIR. 3.2 DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS As demonstrated in this Addendum, adoption of the new Housing Element does not meet the criteria for preparing a supplemental or subsequent EIR. First, the Housing Element does not propose substantial changes to existing General Plan policies. Programs 17.1 and 47.1 are required by the State of California in order to provide adequate housing and remove any constraints to adequate housing for all persons in the State. None of the changes result in physical changes to the environment and therefore do not affect the impact analysis contained in the General Plan Amendment and Rezonings Supplemental EIR. Adoption of a new Housing Element with these changes to policy and procedure is not anticipated to result in an increase in severity of any previously identified significant impact beyond that identified in the General Plan Amendment and Rezonings Supplemental EIR (CEQA Guidelines Section 15162[a][1]) that would require major revisions to the Supplemental EIR. The Housing Element is a policy -level document, meaning that while the Housing Element encourages the provision of a range of housing types and affordability levels, it does not include any specific development designs or proposals, nor does it grant any entitlements for development that would adversely affect the environment. Environmental impacts of subsequent development projects would also be considered pursuant to CEQA on a case -by- case basis following submittal of a specific development proposal. In addition to the General Plan policies, all land development in the City is govemed by engineering standards, the California Building Code, and State and federal permitting associated with wetlands, cultural resources, water, and other environmental resources. These requirements apply to both nondiscretionary (by right) and discretionary development permits. Discretionary permits have the added protection of both conditions of approval and additional CEQA analysis. The General Plan Amendment and Rezonings Supplemental EIR evaluated urban development in Pleasanton and recognized the existing permitting and approval process described above. Second, the 2015 -2023 Housing Element's proposed modifications to the Zoning Ordinance are programmatic in nature. The Housing Element includes a set of goals, policies, and programs intended to guide the City's decision - making process as private development projects are considered. While the Housing Element establishes housing targets for income levels as required in the RHNA, the City can only encourage the development of housing units. As a policy document, the Housing Element does not propose changes in physical circumstances that would cause a new significant impact or substantially increase the severity of a previously identified significant impact, and there have been no other changes in circumstances that meet this criterion (CEQA Guidelines Section 15162[a][2]). Therefore, there have been no changes in the environmental conditions in the City not contemplated and analyzed in the General Plan Amendment and Rezonings Supplemental EIR that would result in new or substantially more severe environmental impacts. Third, as documented in this Addendum, there is no new information of substantial importance (which was not known or could not have been known at the time of General Plan adoption by Pleasanton in 2012) that identifies a new significant impact (condition "A" in CEQA Guidelines Section 15162[a]131); there would not be a substantial increase in the severity of a previously identified significant impact (condition "B" in CEQA Guidelines Section 15162[a][3]); and there City of Pleasanton August 2014 Housing Element Addendum to the General Plan Amendment and Rezonings Supplemental EIR 3.0 -3