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1991/02/26 City Council Resolution (4)RESOLUTION NO. 91 -44 A RESOLUTION OF THE ROHNERT CITY COUNCIL FINDING AND DETERMINING THAT THE DRAFT FOCUSED ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT, ROHNERT PARK BUSINESS PARK, IS ADEQUATE AND DIRECTING THE ROHNERT PARK CITY MANAGER TO FILE A NOTICE OF DETERMINATION WHEREAS ON June 13, 1990, the City of Rohnert Park did authorize the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report, hereinafter referred to as an EIR be prepared for the Rohnert Park Business Park, and WHEREAS Mr. Elgar Hill has prepared and submitted a Draft Focused Environmental Impact Report, Rohnert Park Business Park hereinafter referred to as the "DFEIR, RPBP," and WHEREAS the Rohnert Park :Planning Commission did consider the DFEIR, RPBP together with all public comments at a public hearing on Thursday, January 24, 1991, and WHEREAS Mr. Hill has prepared responses to the public comments and the Planning Commission did consider those responses on Thursday, February 14, 1991, and WHEREAS on February 14, 1991 the Rohnert Park Planning Commission did adopt Resolution No. 91 -05 finding and determining that the DEIR, RPBP should be certified as adequate and the City Manager should be directed to file a Notice of Determination, and WHEREAS the City Council did notice and hold a public hearing on Tuesday, February 26, 1991 at which time public comments were received and the responses to the public comments were considered by the Council, and WHEREAS the City Council has considered the comments made by the public, the written responses to those comments and the oral responses made at the hearing, and WHEREAS after considering all of the foregoing, the Rohnert Park City Council makes the following findings and determinations: Doc. name: BUSINESS.RES 1 The Project The project, exclusive of area where development has already occurred, consists of five (5) lots and comprises approximately 31.68 acres. Two (2) lots in the project area are improved. The Press Democrat facilities are located on one lot and Compumotor is located on the other lot. The lots vary in size from 192,100 square feet to 465,221 square feet. Lot coverage by the buildings proposed for the parcels varies from 24.4% to 32.2 %. Zoning of the property in the area is ML -P -D (Light Industrial Planned Unit Development). The property appears on the Rohnert Park General Plan as Industrial /Distribution. The project area is located within the city limits, west of U.S. Highway No. 101 and is located immediately west of and contiguous Redwood Drive, immediately south of and contiguous to Business Park Drive as to the easterly two thirds (2/3) of the project. Labath Avenue intersects the project with approximately two - thirds (2/3) of the project lying east of Labath Avenue. The westerly end of the project is the existing city limits and the project lies north of undeveloped property. Development of the project is proposed in stages. II Significant Environmental Impacts of the Project The project area has been the subject of an environmental review in the Northwest Rohnert Park Program Environmental Impact Report, hereinafter referred to as the "NWRPEIR" and the Supplemental Environmental Report to the Northwest Rohnert Park Program Environmental Impact Report, hereinafter referred to as the "NWRPEIR, Supp." These documents were prepared and reviewed in 1989 and 1990 respectively. The NWRPEIR Supp. has been determined to be adequate and Notice of Determination has been filed. In addition to the above EIRs the City has caused to be prepared and certified as adequate on January 22, 1991 the Doc. name: BUSINESS.RES 2 Rohnert Park Expressway Mall Environmental Impact Report hereinafter referred to as the RPEMEIR. The City has before it for review the Draft Focused Environmental Impact Report Rohnert Park Civic Center, hereinafter :referred to as the DFEIR, RPCC. Both of these EIRs consider some of the impacts created by the project. As appropriate the findings and determinations from those EIRs are incorporated herein by this reference. 1. Traffic and Parking. U.S. Highway No. 101 is the major north south transportation artery in the vicinity of the project. Off or on ramps that interchange with U.S. Highway No. 101 are located north of the project at Wilfred Avenue and south of the project at Rohnert Park Expressway. In addition to U.S. Highway No. 101, Redwood Drive, a freeway frontage road exists as part of the local roadway network. Rohnert Park Expressway is the major east -west traffic artery. Wilfred Avenue connects with Golf Course Drive on the east side of U.S. Highway No. 101 to form another east - west access, although Wilfred Avenue to the west of U.S. Highway No. 101 into the unincorporated. area is only a two (2) lane road. Most of the project traffic would use four major intersections along the Rohnert: Park Expressway. Those intersections are the northbound and southbound ramps to and from U.S. Highway No. 101 and the intersections at Redwood Drive and Labath Avenue. The other intersections that would be used are the Redwood Drive -- Business Park Drive intersection and the Redwood Drive -- Wilfred Ave Intersection. The intersection at Labath Avenue is presently a "T" intersection, however plans are in place to make this into a four (4) way intersection. Details of the plans for this intersection are set forth on page 3 -2 of the DFEIR, RPBP. The present traffic levels and operation levels of the Rohnert Park Expressway / Labath Avenue, the Redwood Drive /Rohnert Park Expressway, The Rohnert Park Expressway /U.S. Highway No. 101 Southbound Ramps, the Rohnert ]Park Expressway /Northbound, U.S. Highway No. 101 Ramps, the Redwood Drive /Business Park Drive and Doc. name: BUSINESS.RES 3 the Redwood Drive /Wilfred Avenue intersections are set forth at pages 3 -2 to 3 -4, inclusive of -the DFEIR, RPBP. Traffic volumes are set forth at figure 6 of the DFEIR, RPBP. Present volumes at peak hours on the freeway is calculated to be 6800 vehicles. The Expressway is carrying 2900 vehicles per day and the freeway ramps carry 900 vehicles per day. The project would increase traffic at the various intersections from a low of 3% at U.S. Highway No. 101 south of the Rohnert Park Expressway to 175% at Business Park Drive and Redwood Drive as shown at page 3 -5 of the DFEIR, RPBP. The DFEIR, RPBP also discusses the cumulative impacts of the traffic from existing traffic levels to project traffic to other known Rohnert Park Development Projects to all other Buildout of the Rohnert Park General Plan. (DFEIR, RPBP pages 3 -7 to 3 -15). Without mitigation measures, most intersections would drop one level of service. Traffic impacts and predicted developments were projected with a T MODEL computer program. Traffic on U.S. Highway No. 101 is increasing at the rate of approximately 6% per year. (DFEIR, RPBP.) 2. Water. Water needs for the City of Rohnert Park at buildout of the City at the year 2000 is projected to be 15.10 million gallons per day (mgd). Current water sources, City wells and Sonoma County Aqueduct water supply approximately 12 mgd. The project is estimated to require 62,000 gallons per day (.06 mgd). Demand for water is expected to equal existing supplies in 1994. The more significant impact of the project will be its impact on the existing capability of the Sonoma County Water Agency to deliver water to the site. The Sonoma County Water Agency has indicated that system improvements and negotiations with its users will not be completed until 1993 or later. Present water supplies are adequate but it will be necessary to develop additional water sources to supply future needs including the project. 3. Sewage Disposal. Doc. name: BUSINESS.RES 4 Based on current data of waste water generation of 500 gallons a day the total project: demand is expected to be 15,830 gallons per day or .016 mgd. Lateral sewer lines will have to be extended to the project. The NWRPEIR, Supp. did not include the impacts of the project. Consequently sewage produced would be .01 mgd more that is shown in the NWRPEIR, Supp. 4. Public Safety. The project will contribute to the need to locate a fire - engine equipped public safety subsection west of U.S. Highway No. 101. In addition to the public; safety station the project when fully developed will result in the construction of large structures on each parcel which will require fire and public safety considerations. Since the project will result in the attraction of additional people to the area, regulation of traffic and parking and other police response related activities will increase. 5. Housing. The project is expected to generate 334 new jobs. The preparer of the DFEIR, RPBP estimates that jobs created by the project will be in the lower spectrum to the pay scale so that demand for additional low cost housing may result from the project. Whether the City will be able to provide the necessary number of low cost housing units from the 970 new housing units expected between 1990 and 1995 is unknown. Mr. Hill notes that the problem of low cost housing is not merely a problem for Rohnert Park but a problem for the region. (DFEIR, RPBP at pages 3 -38.) 6. Geology, soils, plant diversity, and wildlife habitat. The Healdsburg Rogers Creek fault is located approximately one mile to the east. The soils are characterized as Clear Lake Clay. This type of soil is typical in Rohnert Park and is not a good source for topsoil or road fill. The properties have been graded and are level and no extensive moving of earth is anticipated. There is some ponding on Lot 7A of the group as identified Doc. name: BUSINESS.RES 5 on figure 4. Studies of aerial photographs from past years tend to support the conclusion that these ponds were formed by earth - moving activities on the property in past years and are not natural ponds. The water source for the ponds appear to be irrigation water that has ponded on the parcels. No such ponds appear on Lots 7B, 7C, 7D and 7E: although the lots do contain artificial swales that carry wager to storm sewers. No rare or endangered plant: species were discovered on any parcel. The plants in the vicinity of the ponded areas are typical plants found in most areas such as cattails, sedges and willow. In the drier areas grasses and plants characteristic of that type of habitat are located. Animals and birds found on the site are not among endangered species and include jackrabbit, mice, marshbirds, meadowlarks and pheasant. (DFEIR, RPBP, at sheets 3- 40- -3 -43, inclusive.) 7. Urban Runoff. Total useable area at the Rohnert Park Business Park is 31.66 acres or 1,379,109 square feet. The DFEIR, RPBP finds that the development of the project will not significantly alter the percentage of impervious surface in the project. Runoff from a 10 year storm is estimated to be 3 or 4 feet. Runoff from the project was not included in the calculations contained in the NWRPEIR, Supp. The project would add about 15% to the impact shown in that document. Suspended petroleum products would be included in the runoff, especially from the first storms. The amount of suspended petroleum products has been calculated at approximately 1000 pounds per year, in a typical storm year. The amount does not appear to exceed the proportions for such projects. 8. Air Quality. Air Quality was addressed in the NWRPEIR, Supp. The project will not significantly alter the findings in the NWRPEIR, Supp. 9. Noise. As with other projects noise resulting from the project will originate from three sources as follows: (1) Project construction noise; (2) Noise from traffic entering or Doc. name: BUSINESS.RES 6 exiting the project or in the vicinity of the project and (3) Noise originating from fixed equipment or other on site sources. The project is located in an industrially zoned area. There are no sensitive noise receptors such as residences or schools. The DFEIR, RPBP does not find that noise from the project will exceed acceptable levels as set forth in the City of Rohnert Park Noise Ordinance. III Mitigation Measures Recommended mitigation measures Traffic. Systems recommended to mitigate traffic vary from local responses to combined state and local responses to responses from the state or federal level. As to the local measures the City should consider the following: 1. Limit Lot No. 2 to one driveway off Business Park Drive. 2. Restrict or limit project driveways directly off Labath Avenue. 3. Limit the length of straight, unbroken sections of parking aisles to 250 feet or less. 4. Signalize the Rohnert Park Expressway / Labath Avenue. 5. Widen Labath to 4 lanes north of Rohnert Park Expressway. Local Measures or Combined Local state Measures which should be considered are: 1. Add a northbound on -loop to the freeway interchange at the Rohnert Park Expressway /Northbound Ramps intersection. 2. Add a southbound on -Loop to the Highway 101 / Rohnert Park Expressway interchange. 3. Widen Rohnert Park Expressway to 6 lanes from 500 feet west of Redwood Drive to 500 feet east of State Farm Drive. State improvements that should be considered are: 1. Widen U.S. Highway No. 101 to 6 lanes. 2. Construct a freeway undercrossing connecting State Farm Drive with Business Park Drive:. 3. Construct a freeway undercrossing connecting Wilfred Avenue with Golf Course Drive. 4. The City requeats employers to provide a transportation systems management plan. Doc. name: BUSINESS.RES 7 are to allow creative projects to have higher densities, consider assisting low income groups with rental supplements or other incentives or projects that will allow the tenant to reduce rent. 6. Geology, Soils, Plant Life and Wildlife. The DFEIR, RPBP finds no endangered plant or animal species. It does recommend that consideration be given to plantings along the drainage channel in the project. 7. Urban Runoff. The Cumulative Supplement sets forth a list of mitigation measures to reduce pollution of the Laguna de Santa Rosa. The Planning Commission is aware of those measures and recommends that the City consider them in mitigating the impacts of the project. 8. Air Quality. The Cumulative Supplement sets forth the suggested mitigation measures and they are recommended for consideration. 9. Noise. The DFEIR, RPBP makes no recommendation regarding mitigation of noise. The Planning Commission recommends that noise during project construction be controlled as much as reasonably possible. In addition to the mitigation measures mentioned in the DFEIR, RPBP the Cumulative Supplement, table 4.1 of the DFEIR, RPBP contains suggested mitigation measures and sets forth the extent of the impact. The Planning Commission recommends that the City Council consider these: mitigation measures for the prof ect . V Monitoring and Reporting Programs In accordance with Public Resource Code §21081.6 the following monitoring and reporting program is recommended: 1. Traffic. The City should conduct a program to survey p.m. peak hour turning movements and compute service levels at regular intervals in order to determine service levels. When service levels fall below acceptable levels, the City should consider implementation of additional traffic mitigation measures previously noted. Doc. name: BUSINESS.RES 9 In addition to the mitigation measures mentioned the individual projects within the project area will be developed over time so that the focal impact of the project will not be felt at once and the City will have the opportunity to respond with mitigation measures as necessary. Additional mitigation measures are shown at pages 3 -15 to 3 -17 of the DFEIR, RPBP. 2. Water. To maintain an adequate water supply the City should consider: (1) The construction. of additional wells on the project site. The DFEIR, RPBP, indicates that there is potential for three (3) wells on the property. (2) Water conservation methods should be implemented. These methods have been mentioned in previous FIRS and in recent resolutions adopted by the by the City: the reclamation of waste water, the use of water saving: devises inside the homes as well as in landscape irrigation systems. (3) Additional water should be secured from the Sonoma County Water Agency for delivery through the Sonoma County Aqueduct. In addition, allotments to other cities which are not using all of the allotment should be negotiated until firm allotments are secured. 3. Sewage. Laterals will have to be extended to the project to the existing public sewer system. At the present time there is sufficient capacity in the City's sewer allotment to accommodate the project. The City should work toward revising its sewage allotment in the Laguna Sewage Treatment plant. 4. Public Safety. The location of a public safety station for the north side of Hinebaugh Channel fronting on Labath is presently under consideration by the City. Public safety devices, fire warning, fire suppression and police reporting alarms and other similar systems should be considered and implemented whenever possible. 5. Housing. The City should consider a variety of items to provide adequate levels of housing. Some of the considerations Doc. name: BUSINESS.RES 8 2. Water. Supplies and water availability should be monitored to insure the adequacy of supplies. The City has the ability to monitor water availability and those capabilities should be considered. 3. Housing. Supply should be monitored regularly. Special attention should be directed to the availability of housing at the lower level of the housing scale. 4. Plant and Animal Life. The DFEIR, RPBP recommends.that Lot 2 be investigated to determine whether additional field work should be conducted to determine whether any endangered plant or animal life exists on the Lot. 5. Drainage. Plans should be required for the project which would include area for a detention basin. Consideration should be given to a study of the implications of drainage on the Laguna de Santa Rosa. 6. Air Quality. Monitoring of air quality is conducted by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. If air quality deteriorates below acceptable levels the City should consider implementation of measures to reduce emission. Projects should be monitored as they are built so that air quality may be progressively monitored. VI Statement of Overriding considerations In accordance with Title 7.4, Section 15093 of the California Administrative Code the City has considered the benefits from the project against unavoidable environmental risks. The City Council does not find that there are unavoidable environmental risks involved with the project in view of the mitigation measures proposed and the monitoring programs to be followed. In order to explain its additional reasons for approving the project the City Council issues the following statement: 1. The area has been planned for a business park. It is shown in the General Plan and has been so designated since the Doc. name: BUSINESS.RES 10 Clty's first General Plan. 2. Part of the area has been developed as a business park. The Council is aware that business will continue to seek new locations. So long as there is, a public need for the uses offered the best location for future business uses is in an area planned and designed for such use. There is also some economy in use when similar uses are placed in the same area. 3. The City of Rohnert Park requires the business uses proposed for the business park. As indicated, the uses frequently complement existing uses and it is more efficient to locate similar uses in the same location for public convenience and the convenience of the businesses who often interchange goods and services. 4. The City of Rohnert Park continues to need local employers for local residents. It is a better and more efficient use of transportation systems to locate employers near the labor force. For years Rohnert Park has been a community from which residents were forced to leave for employment. The completion of the Rohnert Park Business Park will allow workers to live and work at home. 5. The completion of the Rohnert Park Business Park will place business near the roadways and transpiration links that such uses require. While this issue is addressed in the circulation element of the General Plan it is fundamental that heavier uses of the transportation networks should be located where the network is in place and will to be most efficiently utilized. VII Conclusion After considering the DFEIR, RPBP, the written comments thereto and the oral comments made at the public hearing held on February 26,1991 and the response thereto the City Council finds and determines that the DFEIR, RPBP is adequate and the responses to the environmental impact have addressed the impacts noted. The City Council further hereby finds and determines that the Doc. name: BUSINESS.RES 11 DEIR, RPBP is adequate and that it should be and is hereby certified as the Environmental Impact Report for the Rohnert Park Business Park, hereinafter referred to as the FEIR, RPBP and that the City Manager is authorized to file a Notice of Determination in the office of the Sonoma County Clerk. DULY AND REGULARLY PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE ROHNERT PARK CITY COUNCIL this 26th day of February, 1991. AYES: (5) Cou cilmembers Hollings ,Hopkins,Reilly,Spiro,and Eck NOES: (0) None ABSENT: (0) None ABSTAIN: (0) None CITY OF ROHNERT PARK APPROVE ATTEST: Doc. name: BUSINESS.RES 12