11 ATTACHMENT 4 - Laserfiche WebLink

VII. Findings and Statement of Overriding Consideration Pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21081 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15093, this City adopts and makes the following Statement of Overriding Considerations regarding: (1) the significant and unavoidable impacts from the cumulative increase in traffic under the Environmentally Superior Project which would contribute to unsatisfactory levels of service at the Bernal Avenue/I-680 South Bound on-ramp and at the Santa Rita RoadNalley Avenue intersection; and (2) the significant and unavoidable impact from the cumulative loss of blue oak woodlands under the Environmentally Superior Project which would contribute to loss in the spatial continuity of the plant community,. The City finds and determines that all but two of the significant impacts of the Environmentally Superior Project will be reduced to acceptable levels by the mitigation measures recommended in these Findings. However, as set forth above, the City's approval of the Environmentally Superior Project as proposed will result in two significant adverse environmental cumulative traffic effects that cannot be avoided even with the incorporation of all feasible mitigation. The City chooses to approve the Environmentally Superior Project because, in its view, the benefits resulting from the Environmentally Superior Project will render the significant effects acceptable. The following statement identifies the reasons why, in the City's judgment, the benefits of the Environmentally Superior Project outweigh the two significant and unavoidable impacts. The substantial evidence supporting the enumerated benefits of the Environmentally Superior Project can be found in these findings, in the Environmentally Superior Project itself, and in the record of proceedings. Each of the overriding considerations set forth below constitute a separate and independent ground for findings that the benefits of the Environmentally Superior Project outweigh its two significant adverse environmental effects and is an overriding consideration warranting approval. The City finds that the Environmentally Superior Project, as approved, would have the following benefits: 1. Require the dedication of four hundred ninety-seven (497) acres as permanent open space for community benefit; 2. Provide an opportunity for an open space trail linking Oak Grove open space with a planned regional trail, to Vineyard Avenue, and to the existing Shadow Cliffs Park; 3. Preserve and protect biological resources and leave undisturbed nearly all of the 12,000 mature trees in the open space lands, the project removing only 58; 4. Provide an additional 47 affordable housing units or provide funds in furtherance of affordable housing opportunities; Page 41 of 43