PC 2006-21 - Laserfiche WebLink

Mitieated Plans The Phase Il Specific Plan, Community Park Master Plan, and EIR were prepazed concurrently by City staff and consultants. This process provided the opportunity for the environmental consultants to recommend mitigations for otherwise potentially significant environmental impacts that could then be incorporated directly into the Plans. The result is what is called "mitigated plans," or plans that contain the environmental mitigations within their text. This approach has allowed for a more interactive exchange of information between the staff who organized the plan documents and the consultants who evaluated the environmental consequences of the plans. Public Review Process The City prepared and circulated a notice of preparation (NOP) for an environmental impact report (EIR) on August 29, 2005. The NOP provided a brief description of the proposed Plans and a brief stxrrtmazy of potential environmental impacts. The NOP was distributed to agencies, the general public, and other concerned individuals, and provided a 30-day period for interested parties to submit comments regarding environmental matters to be addressed in the EIR. On September 7, 2005, the City convened a public scoping meeting to address the potential impacts on the environment. Comments were received through the combined NOP and public scoping process. Based partially on the NOP and public scoping process, the City prepared a Draft EIR (DEIR) that was published on February 1, 2006. The CEQA-mandated 45-day public review period began on February 6, 2006, and ended on March 23, 2006. In addition to the comments received at a public hearing conducted by the City Planning Commission on February 22, 2006, comment letters were submitted by various public agencies and organizations. Responses to all comments received were prepared and included in the Final EIR, which was prepared in accordance with CEQA and the guidelines for implementation of CEQA. FINDINGS FOR ALTERNATIVES EVALUATED IN THE EIR During the preparation of the EIR for the proposed Project, the City evaluated several alternatives. A description and a finding for each alternative are presented below. Alternative I Descrintion This alternative is similar to the Project in situating two major uses in the same locations as the Project: the cultural arts center in the northeast corner of the site and the Altamont Bernal Property Phase II Specific Plan and Bernal Community Park Master Plan Environmental Impact Report Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations Page 4 of 24