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(09) 2035 LQ GP - CERTIFIED EIR - Section VIII (2013)Terra Nova/La Quinta General Plan EIR Section VIII. Growth Inducement VIII-1 LA QUINTA GENERAL PLAN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT VIII. GROWTH INDUCEMENT AND CUMULATIVE IMPACTS The CEQA Guidelines, Section 15126.2(d) state that growth-inducing impacts include projects that foster economic or population growth, or the construction of housing, either directly or indirectly, in the surrounding environment. Increased population may create impacts to existing community facilities or require the construction of new facilities that could cause significant environmental effects. This section discusses growth-inducing impacts caused by the La Quinta General Plan Update, and how these impacts may encourage and facilitate other activities that could cumulatively affect the environment, or induce growth. Growth Inducement A. Adoption of the La Quinta General Plan Update will not directly induce growth. Rather, implementation of the General Plan through future development could be growth inducing. Although the General Plan Update will not result in any construction project, it facilitates development, thereby inducing growth. The General Plan Update will induce growth through implementation of the proposed land use designations and densities, the development of new and widened roadways, and the expansion of infrastructure. The General Plan will allow for growth and development on lands currently governed by the 2002 La Quinta Comprehensive General Plan and the Riverside County General Plan. The proposed La Quinta General Plan Update allows for approximately 8,114 new residential units, including 4,751 Low Density Residential and 3,362 Medium/High Density Residential units on vacant or un-developed lands throughout the City. This could support an estimated 20,528 people, assuming an average household occupancy of 2.53. As discussed in Section III, however, this increase is less than projected by the existing 2002 General Plan, and consistent with SCAG forecasts for growth in the City. As such, the General Plan Update is not expected to result in significant growth inducing impacts within City limits. Terra Nova/La Quinta General Plan EIR Section VIII. Growth Inducement VIII-2 The General Plan Update allows for the development of up to 20,699 residential dwelling units, including 20,480 Low Density Residential and 219 Medium/High Density Residential on lands that are currently vacant or used for agricultural production within the Sphere of Influence. The vase majority of these units will occur in the eastern Sphere. These units would result in a build out population size of 52,368 within the Sphere at 100% occupancy. In comparison, were the Sphere of Influence to build out under the current County land use designations, a total of 11,946 residential units would be developed. This would yield a population of 30,222. Implementation of the General Plan Update would increase the population within the Sphere of Influence by 22,146 people. Therefore, the General Plan Update has the potential to induce growth and result in a substantial increase to the population size within the Sphere of Influence. Lands in the eastern Sphere will continue to develop at densities assigned by the County General Plan. Only if the lands are annexed would the City’s General Plan be applied to these lands. The General Plan includes a requirement for master planning of the eastern Sphere, to address the land use distribution and allocation in the Vista Santa Rosa area. This master plan is to be undertaken prior to annexation of this area, to give future projects clear direction on the character, intensity and density of the area. The master plan may result in reduced densities and land use intensities, which will lower the ultimate number of units possible in this area, should it be annexed. Such a reduction would also reduce the ultimate population of the area. The development of new commercial and industrial lands facilitated by the General Plan Update will increase the number of jobs available within the Planning Area. The General Plan Update proposes new commercial and industrial lands within the City limits and the Sphere of Influence. Overall, the proposed General Plan allows for approximately 5,676,835 square feet of new commercial square footage, 3,218,039 square feet of which will occur within the City limits and 2,458,797 square feet within the Sphere of Influence. This is slightly less than anticipated by the 2002 General Plan and the Riverside County Vista Santa Rosa land use plan. The General Plan Update also calls for 611,408 square feet of industrial lands within the Sphere of Influence. The Vista Santa Rosa Plan does not include any industrial land use designation. The commercial and industrial lands proposed within the Planning Area as part of the General Plan Update have the potential to induce growth by attracting employees to these commercial and industrial projects, and therefore increasing the demand for housing. As most commercial development results from an increase in residential units, it is likely that much of the potential employee pool will occupy the new units created by implementation of the General Plan. New construction in the City and Sphere will also likely spur demand for construction and landscape contractors. It is anticipated that local contractors residing in the Coachella Valley will benefit from these activities, particularly since construction of projects will occur over time, not all at once. An existing roadway network currently serves the General Plan Update Planning Area, including areas within the Sphere of Influence. This roadway network is well developed in the City, but will need expansion (widening and additional traffic control) in the Sphere of Influence. New roadways developed throughout the Planning Area will primarily be internal to developing properties, such as new local streets within new residential subdivisions. Improvements to major arterials and collectors will occur as development occurs, and through capital improvement Terra Nova/La Quinta General Plan EIR Section VIII. Growth Inducement VIII-3 programs implemented by the City and County. Appropriate phasing of roadway improvements will ensure optimal expansion and efficient development of roadways. As described above, the new commercial and industrial development proposed by the General Plan Update has the potential to increase the number of jobs available to City residents. This increase in employment opportunities may reduce the trip length of commuting residents, who currently travel outside the Planning Area for employment. At the same time, however, new commercial and industrial development may also result in increased trip lengths for residents living outside the Planning Area. The General Plan Update will create growth-inducing impacts from the expansion of infrastructure, including electric, gas, water, sanitary sewer, and telecommunication services. The City is well served by existing utilities and infrastructure; however, the Sphere of Influence will require substantial infrastructure improvements, especially sanitary sewer services. Existing utility infrastructure will need to be extended to serve future residents in portions of the Planning Area not currently served by utilities. Service extensions for water and sewer will be required of development projects in their conditions of approval, and will not occur without these projects. The bulk of the costs associated with the improvements will be borne by the developers, and not by the service providers. Cumulative Impacts B. As set forth in Section 15130 of the CEQA Guidelines, EIRs are required to discuss cumulative impacts when a project’s incremental effect is cumulatively considerable, as defined in section 15065(a)(3). Pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21083 (b), and CEQA Guidelines Section 15355, a cumulative impact occurs when the incremental effect of an individual project is considerable when viewed in the context of past, existing, and forthcoming projects. When viewed in conjunction with development throughout the Coachella Valley, the La Quinta General Plan Update will result in cumulatively considerable impacts. Adoption and implementation of the proposed General Plan Update will govern development patterns and intensity within the City limits, and should annexation occur, within the Sphere of Influence. The General Plans of the City of Indio, City of Coachella and the County of Riverside will affect development patterns on lands contiguous to the Planning Area. For the most part, the General Plans for these surrounding communities will provide similar urban and suburban land use patterns as the La Quinta General Plan Update. The Sphere of Influence is located within the Eastern Coachella Valley Area Plan, as designated by Riverside County. Relative to the La Quinta Planning Area, the City of Palm Desert lies to the northwest, the City of Indio to the north, the City of Coachella to the northeast, unincorporated County lands to the east and south, and the City of Indian Wells to the west. Policy constraints and the need for expanded infrastructure, especially on lands to the east, are expected to have a moderating influence on permitted development by surrounding jurisdictions. Terra Nova/La Quinta General Plan EIR Section VIII. Growth Inducement VIII-4 The surrounding General Plans, in conjunction with the proposed La Quinta General Plan Update, will result in cumulatively considerable impacts to Land Use, Geology and Minerals, Water Resources, Air Quality, and Traffic/Circulation. Aesthetic/Visual Resources The La Quinta Planning Area contains important aesthetic resources. The Planning Area is located in a flat valley surrounded by the dramatic peaks of the Santa Rosa, San Jacinto, and Little San Bernardino Mountains. These geological features define the community’s character and enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors. Implementation of the General Plan Update will facilitate development within the Planning Area. However, no development will be allowed in the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains, located within the western portion of the Planning Area. The General Plan Update will continue to protect these dramatic backdrops through open space designations, viewshed and construction restrictions. The General Plan Update also provides policies and programs that protect important viewsheds and preserve scenic resources. These include the maintenance of image corridors, integration of landscaping standards that incorporate the region’s visual character into urban design, as well as setback and height restrictions that avoid viewshed impediment. As a result, cumulative impacts to visual resources are expected to be less than significant. Agricultural Resources Undeveloped portions the Sphere are located in areas designated as Prime Farmland, Farmland of Statewide Importance, Unique Farmland or Lands of Statewide Importance, according to the Riverside County Important Farmland Map of 2008. In 2008, there were approximately 1,700 acres of important agricultural land located in the City, and 7,391 acres in the Sphere of Influence, for a total of 9,091 acres. Implementation of the General Plan Update does not require landowners to immediately convert farmland to new land uses. However, new development proposed will be required to develop according to new land use designations. As a result, agricultural lands will be affected by new development. There are currently over 545,000 acres of important farmland in Riverside County1. The 7,391 acres of land designated as important farmland represents 1.3% of the total important farmland in the County. The eventual loss of these lands will not cumulatively impact agriculture in the region. Land uses within the eastern Sphere of Influence are currently governed by the County’s Vista Santa Rosa Community Plan, which allows for both residential and agriculture related uses. These lands will continue under the jurisdiction of the County of Riverside until the completion of master planning for the area. The General Plan Update requires that the master planning consider the area’s character. This is likely to include very low intensity development, and agricultural or ranching uses. Further, the City’s Zoning Ordinance includes an 1 California Department of Conservation, Division of Land Resource Protection. 2008-2010 Land Use Conversion inventory. Terra Nova/La Quinta General Plan EIR Section VIII. Growth Inducement VIII-5 Agricultural/Equestrian Overlay which applies to all lands in the Sphere. This overlay was specifically designed to allow for the preservation of agricultural and ranching uses in the Sphere area. Air Quality As discussed in Section III, the La Quinta Planning Area is located within the Salton Sea Air Basin, which is managed by the South Coast Air Quality Management District( SCAQMD. The Basin is currently designated as a non-attainment area for ozone and particulate matter. The Planning Area is subject to SCAQMD’s 2007 Air Quality Management Plan, which identifies strategies and measures to reduce air quality impacts. A combination of local and regional strategies have been developed and are included within the General Plan Update in an effort to minimize or reduce air quality impacts. The City of La Quinta requires best management practices, adherence to building codes and standards, and the adoption of dust control plans for all new development. Furthermore, the City has prepared a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Plan, as part of this General Plan Update, which identifies methods and development standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Implementation of mitigation measures, including adherence to the GHG Reduction Plan is expected to substantially reduce the emission of air quality pollutants. Therefore, it is expected that with mitigation measures and successful implementation of the GHG Reduction Plan, the General Plan Update will have less than significant impacts to air quality. However, some of the air quality reduction measures are contingent upon factors outside of the City’s control. While the City is committed to achieving air quality emission reductions, increasing energy efficiency, and incorporating sustainable development principles, air quality conditions are affected by regional emissions. Although the General Plan Update is consistent with the Air Quality Management Plan and impacts to air quality will be minimized within the Planning Area, surrounding jurisdictions’ build out, in conjunction with the General Plan Update will result in cumulatively considerable impacts to air quality. Implementation of the General Plan Update has the potential to impact air quality from grading and construction activities, vehicle emissions, and daily operations, including the use of natural gas and electricity for operation of existing and new buildings and structures. Vehicular traffic emissions are projected to be the greatest source of air pollutants. These increases in air quality emissions from implementation of the General Plan Update, in combination with new growth and development within surrounding jurisdictions, has the potential to result in exceedences of criteria pollutant standards and ozone precursors. As such, the General Plan Update will have cumulatively considerable impacts to air quality. Biological Resources Existing urban development and agricultural uses have eliminated the majority of undisturbed lands within City. Natural habitat remains on the undevelopable and protected slopes of the Santa Rosa Mountains. In addition, there are likely pockets of sensitive habitat that remain within portions of the Planning Area, primarily within the less developed Sphere of Influence. Implementation of the General Plan Update will facilitate new growth and development on undeveloped lands that may contain sensitive habitat or species. Increased population growth as Terra Nova/La Quinta General Plan EIR Section VIII. Growth Inducement VIII-6 permitted by the General Plan Update and growth expected to occur in surrounding jurisdictions will increase disturbance on open space lands from human use, vehicle travel, garbage dumping, and domestic and opportunistic animals. The introduction of non-native plants and animal species also may create adverse impacts to native species. New growth within the La Quinta Planning Area, along with development occurring in surrounding jurisdictions will contribute to the cumulative loss of sensitive habitat and associated species. The preservation of land through designated open space areas within the Planning Area, and the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan will limit any cumulatively considerable regional disruption of wildlife. Policies and programs in the proposed General Plan Update include the integration of open space areas and wildlife corridors. Given that sensitive species currently occur within the planning area, development proposals will be required to adequately mitigate impacts to wildlife and habitat before development is permitted. The City’s participation and enforcement of the Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan will reduce cumulative impacts to sensitive species, and its implementation will protect habitats for these species. These activities will reduce the cumulative impacts to biological resources to less than significant levels. Cultural Resources As discussed in Section III, the La Quinta Planning Area contains culturally sensitive areas. Based on past cultural surveys, a number of historic and archaeological sites associated with the Native Americans have been identified within City limits and to a lesser extent in the Sphere of Influence. The region is known to contain sensitive paleontological resources, including fossil deposits near the ancient Lake Cahuilla. The potential exists for discovering additional culturally important sites in the future. New development proposed by the General Plan Update will potentially result in the disturbance or destruction of cultural resources due to grading, site excavation, construction, and urbanization. Policies and programs of the proposed General Plan Update are intended to protect and preserve cultural resources within the Planning Area. Cultural resource surveys will be required for proposed projects that have the potential to disturb or destroy sensitive resources. Mitigation measures proposed in this EIR will also assure protection of cultural resources. As such, no significant cumulative impacts to cultural resources are expected to result from adoption and implementation of the proposed General Plan Update. Geology/Seismicity The La Quinta General Plan Update Planning Area is subject to potentially moderate to severe ground shaking as a result of earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault Zone and associated faults in the surrounding area. Previous seismic events and associated ground motion in the Planning Area have been known to cause severe damage to the built environment, including structures and roadways. The Planning Area is also subject to other seismically induced hazards, including liquefaction, seismically induced settlement, rock falls and landslides. Due to soil type, depth to groundwater, and other conditions, land within the Planning Area, especially the eastern Sphere of Influence, have potential to be impacted by liquefaction. Liquefaction can cause buildings to tilt or sink. Landslide and rock fall hazards exist along the foothills at the western portion of the Planning Area. The General Plan Update will facilitate continued urbanization, increasing the Terra Nova/La Quinta General Plan EIR Section VIII. Growth Inducement VIII-7 number of homes, commercial and industrial buildings susceptible to seismic hazards, thereby exposing new buildings and structures, as well as an increased number of people, to seismic related hazards. New growth and development facilitated by the General Plan Update will be designed in accordance with policies and programs set forth in the proposed General Plan Update, as well as mitigation measures in this EIR, which will help minimize geological hazards. New buildings and facilities will also be developed in accordance with strict seismic requirements of the Uniform Building Code. New development in surrounding jurisdictions will also be required to adhere to such building codes. With the implementation of these and other appropriate design and engineering precautions for future development, no significant cumulative impacts associated with geotechnical hazards are expected to result from adoption and implementation of the proposed General Plan Update. Hydrology The City of La Quinta is responsible for local flood control facilities and has recently updated its Master Drainage Plan. The Coachella Valley Water District and the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District are responsible for regional drainage facilities. Implementation of the proposed General Plan Update, as well as build out of surrounding jurisdictions, will facilitate urban development and increase impervious surfaces throughout the region. As a result, storm water runoff will increase. The La Quinta General Plan Update includes goals, policies and programs to ensure that forthcoming development recognizes and plans for flood hazards, and includes stormwater management facilities, such as on-site stormwater retention basins. Future development within surrounding jurisdictions will also be required to address the potential risk of flood hazards and require on-site stormwater retention. The City and surrounding jurisdictions currently participate in the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program. The NPDES mandates the adoption of stormwater management plans and programs to reduce runoff of pollutants into Waters of the United States. As a result, the General Plan Update in conjunction with growth and development of surrounding jurisdictions will not result in cumulatively considerable impacts to hydrology. Land Use The development pattern and intensity of new residential and commercial projects will be consistent with existing land use designations and densities currently found throughout the City. Through the thoughtful planning of development sites, and the integration of new projects into existing neighborhoods, impacts to land use within City will not be cumulatively significant. Development within the Sphere of Influence will be regulated through a master plan, which will assure consistency with surrounding development intensities. As proposed, the Sphere of Influence will develop primarily as low density residential, with associated commercial, and limited industrial land uses. The intensity of development in the Sphere of Influence, however, could be significantly different from what currently exists in the area. Build out of the La Quinta General Plan Update, along with build out of the surrounding jurisdictions’ General Plans mentioned above, could substantially change the existing character of the region from a rural and agricultural community to a more urbanized environment. As a result, new growth and Terra Nova/La Quinta General Plan EIR Section VIII. Growth Inducement VIII-8 development facilitated by the General Plan Update could create cumulatively significant land use impacts. Noise The primary source of noise throughout the Planning Area is the operation of motor vehicles on City streets. Land uses adjacent to major arterials therefore experience higher noise levels. Throughout the Sphere of Influence, noise levels are generally lower due to the rural environment. Implementation of the General Plan Update will facilitate new growth and development in the Sphere of Influence and result in the intensification of land use development within City limits, thereby leading to increased traffic volumes and associated higher noise levels. In addition, construction equipment noise, and the noise generated by mechanical equipment will increase as new development and infill development occurs. The ambient noise level will rise as the General Plan Update is implemented. The proposed General Plan Update includes a wide range of policies and programs that will reduce potential noise impacts to less than significant levels. Such policies include adherence to community noise standards, compliance monitoring, land use compatibility planning, and other noise reducing strategies. Mitigation measures provided in this EIR will also help reduce impacts from increased noise levels. Acoustical analyses may be required to properly identify, mitigate and reduce project-related noise impacts to acceptable levels. Although cumulative noise levels are expected to rise due to regional growth and development, implementation of goals, policies and programs set forth in General Plan Update, and mitigation measures provided in this EIR will sufficiently protect sensitive receptors from noise impacts. As a result, the General Plan Update is not expected to generate cumulatively considerable noise impacts. Public Services and Utilities Implementation of the General Plan Update will increase the demand for public services and facilities. As development occurs throughout the Planning Area and region, the incremental and cumulative increase in population will require additional police and fire protection, school and library services, parks and recreation facilities, and public and quasi-public utilities, including electricity, natural gas, water, sanitary sewer and solid waste management. As growth continues, public services and facilities will incur proportional increases in service demands. Public utility companies have developed rate structures to provide for the expansion of facilities as demand continues. Developer impact fees will continue to be required for new projects of all types. Fees collected are used to offset increased demands to public services and facilities by funding school expansions, roadway improvements and public buildings. Increased property tax and sales tax revenue also provide additional funding for new police and fire services. The General Plan Update provides policies and programs that accommodate expansion of such facilities as growth continues. The General Plan Update and Greenhouse Reduction Plan, include provisions that are intended to realize increased efficiency and conservation, thereby minimizing Terra Nova/La Quinta General Plan EIR Section VIII. Growth Inducement VIII-9 the demand for electricity, natural gas, and water resources, and substantially limiting the City’s contribution of solid waste to landfills. In addition to service providers’ plans to accommodate increased demands, the proposed General Plan provides goals, policies and programs that will minimize cumulative impacts to public services and facilities. Therefore, cumulative impacts to public services and facilities are expected to be less than significant. Traffic/Circulation The consequences of General Plan build out have been evaluated for the 63 major roadway segments and 37 intersections. Based on this analysis, the proposed General Plan is projected to generate a total of approximately 635,905 average daily trips. Of these, 449,489 ADT would be generated within the City's corporate limits and 186,416 would be generated in the City Sphere- of-Influence. Within the City's corporate limits, the proposed Land Use Plan will generate about 3.6% more traffic than build out of the 2002 General Plan. Within the City's Sphere, the proposed Land Use Plan will generate about 34% more traffic than build out of the 2002 General Plan land use designations. The majority of the roadway segments are forecast to operate at acceptable levels of service (V/C ratios less than or equal to 0.90 or LOS D or better). Three segments are projected to operate at LOS E and three at LOD F at 2035 build out.  Washington Street segments between Avenue 42 and Miles Avenue and between Highway 111 and Eisenhower Drive (6-lane Major Arterial) are forecast to exceed theoretical maximum carrying capacity by up to 3,000 VPD with the most problematic segment between Fred Waring Drive and Miles Avenue. LOS D service volumes are exceeded by over 9,000 VPD.  Madison Street between Avenue 54 and Airport Boulevard (4-lane Primary Arterial) is forecast to exceed theoretical maximum carrying capacity by approximately 4,900 VPD. LOS D service volumes are exceeded by over 9,000 VPD.  Harrison Street between Airport Boulevard and Avenue 58 (8-lane Augmented Major) is forecast to exceed theoretical maximum carrying capacity by approximately 3,800 VPD. Although the capacity of Harrison Street was assumed to be that of an Augmented Major Road (76,000 vehicles per day), it would likely operate as an Expressway due to limited accessibility compared to an Augmented Major Road, thus carrying a larger capacity. Prior study by the County raised the potential of grade-separated intersections to further enhance capacity. Of the 37 intersections analyzed, the following four are not expected to be able to accommodate all the required build out improvements and therefore have the potential to be operating at unacceptable levels of service by 2035 General Plan build out: Terra Nova/La Quinta General Plan EIR Section VIII. Growth Inducement VIII-10  Washington Street @ Fred Waring Drive;  Adams Street @ Miles Avenue;  Jefferson Street @ Highway 111;  Madison Street @ Avenue 50. It should also be noted that three of the four impacted intersections are shared between more than one jurisdiction. For instance, the Washington Street/Fred Waring Drive intersection is located within the corporate boundaries of the cities of La Quinta, Palm Desert and Indian Wells. In these cases, close and on-going coordination between cities will be necessary to provide optimum intersection improvements and to otherwise address forecast operational deficiencies. However, even with the implementation of feasible mitigation measures, impacts will be cumulatively considerable. Water Resources As discussed in Section III of this EIR, the Planning Area is located in the Whitewater River Subbasin. The Whitewater Subbasin encompasses approximately 400 square miles and underlies most of the Coachella Valley. There are five subareas within the Whitewater River Subbasin, and the La Quinta Planning Area overlies the Thermal subarea, which is part of the Lower Whitewater River Subbasin. The Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) serves as the water provider for the La Quinta Planning Area. Implementation of General Plan Update is expected to increase water demand by approximately 22,000 acre-feet, consisting of 6,555 acre-feet within the City, and 15,416 acre- feet within the Sphere. According to CVWD’s Urban Water Management Plan, CVWD expects to have sufficient water supplies to serve the General Plan Update Planning Area and surrounding region through 2035 and beyond, including during normal, single, and multiple dry year conditions. As stated in Section III, this increased demand will be met by groundwater, imported Colorado River water, desalinated agricultural drain water, reclaimed water or a combination thereof. Implementation of water conservation methods, including the use of water efficient appliances, and advanced irrigation control for outdoor landscaping, will help reduce water demands. The proposed General Plan Update includes policies and programs intended to promote and support the conservative use of water resources for domestic purposes uses, and to encourage the use of drought tolerant planting materials efficient irrigation systems for landscaping. Nonetheless, factors such as periodic drought conditions in California, the potential for reduced Colorado River imports, and increasing demand for water resources associated with population growth affect the availability of water for future development. Although water demands are expected to be met at build out and beyond, the proposed General Plan Update will contribute to a reduction in groundwater in the Basin. As such, the implementation of the proposed General Plan Update in conjunction with development within surrounding jurisdictions will result in cumulatively considerable impacts to water resources. Terra Nova/La Quinta General Plan EIR Section VIII. Growth Inducement VIII-1 VIII.  GROWTH INDUCEMENT AND CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ................................... 1    Growth Inducement ............................................................................................................. 1  A.  Cumulative Impacts ............................................................................................................. 3  B.