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<br />EXHIBIT A <br /> <br />FINDINGS OF SIGNIFICANT IMPACT <br />(Project and Cumulative) <br /> <br />A. LAND USE <br /> <br />Impact AI: Conversion of agricultural land to urban uses, specifically the transformation of <br />grazing land to residential and golf course uses. This contributes to the regional loss of <br />agricultural lands in Alameda County. (project and cumulative) <br /> <br />Mitigation <br />Measure AI: Because the Specific Plan and EIR were developed concurrently, the Specific Plan <br />project already incorporates provisions which minimize adverse environmental impacts. <br /> <br />Findings: The implementation of the Specific Plan will permanently remove grazing land from the <br />City and the region. Only the "no project" alternative (Option I) would reduce this project <br />impact to a less-than-significant level; but economic, social, and other considerations make that <br />alternative infeasible. <br /> <br />Rationale for <br />Finding: Allowing for the possibility of development on agricultural land in the Specific Plan area <br />accepts a loss of that agricultural resource as an alternative to other environmental impacts (e.g. <br />because ofa lack of housing [and/or golf recreation] in the City, people will be forced to drive <br />longer commute trips between home and work [and/or recreational golf], with resulting increases <br />in traffic volume, energy consumption, and auto-based air pollution) that would be required if that <br />land was not available for development. See "Statement of Overriding Considerations" for the <br />specific benefits of the project. <br />