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City of Pleasanton 2023-2031 (6th Cycle) Housing Element Update CEQA Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations 108 FirstCarbon Solutions Https://adecinnovations.sharepoint.com/sites/PublicationsSite/Shared Documents/Publications/Client (PN-JN)/2148/21480022/FOF/21480022 Pleasanton Housing Element FOF.docx construction equipment and materials to a development site would incrementally increase noise levels on access roads leading to a site. Typically, a doubling of the ADT hourly volumes on a roadway segment is required to result in an increase of 3 dBA in traffic noise levels, which is the lowest change perceptible to the human ear in outdoor environments. Based on existing traffic volumes on roadway segments adjacent to each potential site for housing, any future individual development project’s construction trips would not be expected to double the hourly or daily traffic volumes along roadway segments in the vicinity of a development site. For this reason, short-term intermittent noise from construction trips would not be expected to result in a perceptible increase in hourly or daily average traffic noise levels. The second type of short-term noise impact is related to noise generated during site preparation, grading, and construction activities. Construction is performed in discrete steps, each of which has its own mix of equipment, and consequently, its own noise characteristics. These various sequential phases would change the character of the noise generated on-site. Thus, the noise levels vary as construction progresses. The site preparation phase of a future project, which includes excavation and grading activities, generates the highest noise levels because the noisiest construction equipment is earthmoving equipment. Development projects consistent with the Housing Element Update would be expected to require the use of some of the loudest pieces of construction equipment. A reasonable worst-case combined noise level during this phase of construction would be 90 dBA Lmax at a distance of 50 feet from the acoustical center of a construction area. This would result in a reasonable worst-case hourly average of 86 dBA Leq. Construction noise within the City is restricted by the Municipal Code in intensity and hours of operation. Because the potential sites for housing would be developed within the City limits, they would be required to meet the requirements of the Municipal Code. In addition, the City has a code enforcement system that would handle construction noise complaints. Enforcement of the restricted hours of construction and the limit on the permissible maximum noise levels as measured at a project site property plane would reduce potential construction noise impacts to not result in a substantial temporary increase in ambient noise levels and would especially preclude potential impacts during evening and nighttime hours. The Noise analysis presented in the Draft Program EIR assumes that all future development projects on the potential sites for housing would follow requirements of the Municipal Code. Individual housing development projects would be reviewed and approved as required by the procedures of the Municipal Code and as outlined in Chapter 2, Project Description, may require additional CEQA review, as appropriate. Therefore, on a program level, future development of the potential sites for housing would result in less than significant construction noise impacts. Traffic Noise Impacts: The General Plan states that “an exterior increase of more than 4 decibels is considered significant.” Table 3.11-7 on Page 3.11-21 – 22 of the Draft Program EIR shows a summary of the traffic noise levels for projected traffic conditions without and with the Housing Element Update, as measured at 50 feet from the centerline of the outermost travel lane. As is shown in Table 3.11-7, no modeled roadway segment would experience an increase in traffic noise levels of greater than 4 dBA compared to noise levels that would exist without implementation of the Housing Element Update under existing plus project and cumulative plus project scenarios. Only