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Initial Study and Negative Declaration <br />f. The proposed development would result in the removal of 31 existing trees <br />on the project site. Among the trees that would be removed on site, 16 are <br />considered heritage trees according to the Pleasanton Municipal Code. <br />The proposed development would also remove four heritage trees located <br />in the Hopyard Road median for the construction of the Hopyard Road (NB) <br />left -turn lane extension (discussed in Section 5.16 below). Per the City's Tree <br />Preservation Ordinance, the applicant will be required to mitigate the <br />heritage tree removal by making a payment to the Urban Forestry Fund, <br />based on the appraised value of the heritage trees, or paying a <br />proportionately reduced amount by increasing the size of some or all of the <br />proposed trees that are shown on the landscape plan or by increasing the <br />quantity of proposed trees when possible. The payment to the City's Urban <br />Forestry Fund would be used to plant trees elsewhere in the City. Therefore, <br />the proposed project would not substantially conflict with local policies or <br />ordinances related to biological resources. Therefore, this would be a less <br />than significant impact. <br />f. No Habitat Conservation Plan, Natural Community Conservation Plan, or other <br />conservation plans apply to the project site and, thus, this issue is not <br />applicable to this project. Therefore, this would be no- impact. <br />5.5. CULTURAL RESOURCES <br />ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING <br />The project site is not located in an area identified as having site - specific <br />archeological, paleontological, or geologic features or resources. It is possible <br />(although unlikely) that archaeological resources could be identified on the site <br />during ground disturbance activities. <br />STANDARDS OF SIGNIFICANCE <br />For purposes of this environmental document, an impact is considered significant if <br />the proposed project would: <br />• Cause a substantial change in the significance of a historical or <br />archeological resource as defined in the CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.5; <br />or, <br />• Directly or indirectly destroy a unique paleontological resource or site or <br />unique geologic feature. <br />24 <br />