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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMP 153; VALLE VERDE; SITE ANALYSIS; 1974-10-22• created a 2 1/2 acre pond which is kept stocked with fish by the owner. A tributary to Agua Hedionda Creek, this 700 foot wide valley also con- tains several underground springs. The remainder of the site is comprised of two foothills separated by a gentle saddle. Rising from the valley floor at 10-15% slopes is the western peak at elevation 447 feet and the eastern peak at 555 feet. It is from these vantage points that the entire project can be seen. Los Manos Canyon and Squires Dam further to the north are also visible. 2. Geology There are six geologic units on the site in addition to the minor manmade fill areas. These units are from the youngest to the oldest; Quaternary Alluvium, Pleistocene Terrace Deposits, two Teritiary units within the Del Mar Formation, Cretaceous Age granite rocks. On the basis of rock type, the site can further be divided into two s.eparate areas. The northern half of the site is underlain by highly weathered granitic rock, the bed rock of the area. Locally, there is a thin layer of Pleistocene Terrace material over the granitic rock. The southern half of the site is underlain by Tertiary Age sedimentary materials which appear to be hor- izontally stratified. A general description of each geologic unit and their general area of occurance is given below: Alluvium --Alluvial deposits are confined to the bottoms of mature canyons and their tributaries, and consist of brown, porous, silty to sandy served, the soil mantle and vegetation cover on the lower slopes of the southern region suggests its presents. Experience with this unit in near- by areas indicates that it is moderately to highly expansive both in its natural state and when recompacted as fill. Granitic Rock --The northern region of the property is underlain by moderate to highly weathered granitic rock. In outcrops on the lower canyon slopes, the weathered material has the appearance of cemented sandstone. The excavation characteristics of the granitic materials and their stability for use in fills vary dependant upon the degree of decomposition and will require special study during the soils investi- gation. The decomposed granitic rock has the consistency of silty-sand and is generally suitable for use as nonexpansive select fill. Where blasting is ne·eded, some oversized rock will be generated which may require special provisions in the earthwork specifications with regard to their placement in fills. •• B. URBAN ELEMENTS 1. Circulation Vehicular access to Valle Verde will be provided by Palomar Air- port Road and Melrose Drive, both designated as major roads on the Cir- culation Element of the County General Plan. Palomar Airport Road, an existing County road, will be improved to a 126 foot wide right-of-way as development occurs in Valle Verde, which will provide for four traveled lanes and a median strip. Melrose Drive is a proposed 126 foot wide right-of-way road which lies partially within the City of Carlsbad and par- tially in an unincorporated area of San Diego County. The County has not scheduled improvements for Melrose within the next six years, however, that portion in the County will soon be annexed to the City of Vista who will there be responsible for its design and construction. Regional traffic corridors, Interstate 5 and State Highway 78 are easily reached via Palomar Airport Road. Interstate 5 provides access to San Diego, Los Angeles, and coastal communities, while State Highway 78 links the North County areas. Both of these routes are now under study by the Comprehensive Planning Organization (CPO) as possible public mass transit corridors which will ultimately reach the entire San Diego County region. In addition, Palomar Airport will serve the needs of gen- eral aviation aircraft and non-commercial jets of the area with an estimated practical annual capacity of 435,000 operations by 1990. • 2. EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES The Valle Verde project is located within the Carlsbad Unified School District. According to the District's Estimate of School-Age Stu- dents, the student population generated by Valle Verde is as follows: Unit Type Multi-family Single-family Grade Level K-6 (Elementary) 7-8 (Junior High) 9-12 (High School) K-6 (Elementary) 7-8 (Junior High) 9-12 (High School) Number of Students 60 60 84 114 66 117 To accommodate the increase in school-age students, a new ele- mentary school will be needed. A ten-acre elementary school site ad- joining the central open space area near the projects eastern boundary has been proposed. As yet, the State School Board has not formally accepted the site. Mira Costa College, located approximately four miles northwest of the subject property, will serve the proposed development. With a daytime student enrollment of 1,370 and a daytime capacity of 2,500, Mira Costa College will be able to adequately accommodate the number of new community college students generated by the proposed project. 3. WATER Based on an anticipated population of 4,500 residents and an av- erage consumption factor of 10 0 gallons per person per day, it is estimated that Valle Verde residents will require 450,000 gallons of water on a ·.;. ... ··:'.:. daily basis. Water service is available to the project through an existing 27-inch line in Palomar Airport Road at a minimum pressure of 76 psi. • Valle Verde is presently within the Carlsbad Municipal Water District boundaries, therefore, no annexation is necessary . . . 5. OTHER UTILITIES San Diego Gas and Electric Company reports that 5, 700 kilowatt hours of electricity per year are consumed by the average San Diego County residence. Using this rate of consumption, the proposed project will require· 23,400 kilowatt hours of electricity per day. According to the Oceanside branch of San Diego Gas and Electric Company, a 12 kv 3 phase primary line would be required from the intersection of El Camino Real and Palomar Airport Road to the project site. The average San Diego County home also consumes 86,000 cubic feet of gas per year. Using this rate of consumption, the proposed pro- ject will require 353,500 cubic feet of gas per day. A 2 1/2 inch high pressure gas line exists in Palomar Airport Road which will be enlarged to an 18-inch line to serve North County. At present, however, a tap into the existing 30 inch high pressure line in El Camino Real would be required. The Escondido branch of Pacific Telephone has stated that sufficient services are available nearby and that they will extend the required lines to the project boundary. 6. COMMUNITY SERVICES Police Services --Police service will be provided by the City of . Carlsbad Police Department, located at 1200 Elm Avenue. At present, there are approximately 45 members on the police staff, or one member for each 385. 8 population. Accordingly, with an anticipated population of 4,500, the project will require the addition of 11 new staff members. The northwest portion of the site and central valley is planned for medium-low density dwelling units. Gardez:i homes, townhomes and condominiums are arranged in appropriate clusters to create a continuous open space and preserve the natural vegetation of the site. Each area is served by its own internal circulation system of private drives and parking bays linked to the primary Valle Verde circulation system at con- trolled access points. Meandering foot paths allow pedestrian access to major centers of community activity and open spaces. The intent is to design the residential areas on the valley's lower slopes to preserve the natural beauty of the creek bed and aligning coastal live oaks. Both residential areas are physically separated by distance and topo- graphy from Palomar Airport Road giving a feeling of seclusion and added community identity. Incremental development minimizes the impact of construction to residents as the project is built-out. Valle Verde is planned to be complete in siX approximately equal phases over a six-year period. All improvements, facilities and services required of the development will be provided concurrent with need. 2. Neighborhood Commercial, Recreation and Open Space A feature of the planned residential community is a centrally located general store, designed to provide Valle Verde residents with essential ' food and convenience items. The close proximity of this small commercial area eliminates the need for many long-distance shopping trips. It is located at the major cross roads of the project allowing easy access by automobile and pedestrian access via foot paths and bicycle trails. The focal point of the residential community is the creek, lake and oak trees of the central valley. This area is retained as recreational open space, both active and passive, for the residents of Valle Verde. A building forfeiture easement will be recorded with the first phase of development to permanently commit this area to open space uses. Hiking and riding trails will link small park areas and vista points to allow en- joyment of the natural areas. Two small community recreation centers compliment this open space by providing additional facilities such as a swimming pool, club house, fishing lake (existing) and equestrian stables and ring. The planned community concept allows for a maximum of open space. The numerous greenbelt areas which lace the site provide the necessary buffers between developed areas and integrate them with existing natural features. The greenbelts will be maintained by the residents of Valle Verde through a homeowner's association. 3. Industrial Park The southern portion of the development site is comprised of two plateaus of sufficient size to allow the large pad areas required of indus- trial parks. The approach zone of Palomar Airport, passing over the pla- ' tea us, is unconducive to residential uses or commercial us es involving large assemblies of people. A planned industrial use with its required deep setbacks and low percentage of lot coverage is a more appropriate use. The greenbelt areas surrounding the industrial area and the land- scaping required by the PM Zone will buffer the site from adjoining land uses and create a park-like visual impression. Lots within the industrial area are to be sold, or developed and leased to individual companies for professional office, light manufacturing, research and product development. It is estimated that employment for 400 to 600 individuals will be created, some of which will live in the Valle Verde area. Loop streets provide access from Palomar Airport Road to the in- dustrial site. This eliminates potential conflicts between residential and non-residential traffic. Each company will provide onsite parking for their employees and customers in adequately landscaped areas. Dev- elopment will be in six phases over the same six year period for residen- tial development. All required improvements, facilities and senrices will be provided concurrent with need. FLORA: On the· slopes w,.ch have not .been cult·i.vatl~ the-dominant vegetation i~; Black Sage (Salira Hel·J_ifera) und Buckwheat (Eriogonum Fa s c-i c u 1 a· tum ) . Th ·j s c o a s t a l s a g f· s c r u b • 11 a b i ta t i s g e n e r a 1 l y d r y and sparsely vegetated, with other typical species as follows: ' Adenostoma fasciculatum Quercus durnosa Rhus 1aurina R. Integrifol ia Heteromeles Arbutifolia Yucca Schcliqera ~ylococcus bicolor Opuntia littoralis Mimulus puniceus ·Lotus Scoparius • ·Eriophyllurn sp. Chamise Scrub Oak Laurel-leaved sumac Lemonade berry Toyon Spanish Dagger Mission Mar:iganta Coa~tal Tuna Cact~s Red monkeyf1ower Bird's foot trefoil Yarrow There are also annual wildflowers which are characteristic ·of this type of l1ab i tat. • "FAUNA: The coastal sage scrub habitat hosts a variety of reptiles_, ·rqdents and avifauna. Among common species: Western fenc~ lizard, side-blotched lizard, _the ~outhern alligator lizard, striped racer, red racer, gopher snake, three species of rabbit, the California . ground squirrel, agile kangaroo rat, and the cactus mouse. • Also the following birds: California quail) roadrunner, scrub jay, common bushtit, wrentit, bewicks wren, California thrasher, blue- gray gnatcatcher, .loggerhead shrike, hou.sefinch, brown towhee, and • Nhite-crowned sparrow. • The animals sighted ;·n the cultivated or fallow-field habitats in- cluded these additional species: Botta 1 s pocket gopher, the Coyote, kildeer, mourning dove, poor-0ill horned lark, mockingbird, robin, water pipit, western meadowlark, savannah sparrow, oregon junco, . golden-crowned sparrow, foi sparrow, and song sparrow. II. • "ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Agriculture -The site has been agriculturally produ£tive for ·approximately 20 years. Unfortunately, the costs of sustaining ·that use (in terms of taxes, margin~l profits, and deferred development) dp not stimulate long term agricultural use. Th.e property was, at one time, designated as an_ Agricultural Preserve. The Preserve Contract was never finalized and subsequently was dissolved. ... .. 2 .. Impacts associated wilt the development of agr~ltltura1 land a re: (1) Depletion of tomato and ~quash cultivation acreage by s o rn e 1_ 5 0 .a c r e s ; ~2) Displacement of agricultural workers; (3) Loss of open space; (4) Inducement for the dev~lopment of other agricultural propert·ies in ·the same vicinity. AESTHETIC IMPACT·. The natural rise of.the property above Palomar Airport Road and El Camino Real n1ake it conspicuous to traffic. In its present state, the site presents a pleasing vista of gently_sloping, op~n • land. Proper site design can help preserve and enhance this vista . . Elaborat"ion. is provided under mitigating measures. ·TRAFFIC AND CIRCULATION Estimated traffic· volumes for light industrial use on the property is 16,073 trips per d~y. Both Palomar Airport Road ahd E1 Camino ·Real have very low traffic levels at present and will be abl~ to adequately accomodate the additiona1 .trip generated. "The .proposed Master Plan shows a north/south 6.0' road bisecting - the proposed industrial sector-at its intersection with P~lomar Airp0rt Road. A 60 1 east/west road is shown at the northern perimeter. •. 'AIR 'QUALITY Incremental air quality impacts are ~s fallows: 1 . -. . 2. From mobile (~utomobile) sources; ·ca·rbon Monoxide 388 1 b/day • i .. ' I • , . Hydro Carbons 704 1 .b/ day --... . . . ... .. Nitrogen Oxides .. •· .. 472" •• 1 .b/ day ,. ~ a ·rt i c u 1 a t es 23 l bl day . ..... :.__ Oxides of Sulfur 14 l .b/ day Stationaty· ~ources are more complex to project without the exact ·uses proposed for the site .. · Emis~·1on levels partially controlled through restrictidns·on levels of ·and emissions in the P.M. Zone. kno\·li rig u.re pollution 3. Secondary factors such as population_ generation and increased --3- .. n e c d for f o s ~ i l f ~ic 1 • n er a t e cl e· n e r 9 y to s ~ r v e 91 du s t r.y will also impact the air quality of the region. • NOISE The site's proximity to Palomar Airport.makes it particularly . -suscGpt·ible to aircraft noise. The preliminary Comprehensive Land Use Plan for Palomar Airport, prepared by Wilsey & Ham for the Comprehensive Planning Organization, indicates that present noise levels on the subject property are within acceptable ranges for all types of development. However, pro- jected.bperatiun levels for 1990 show that noise levels will be margina11y. unacceptable for ·residential use in this· area, when considered _,-fo,relation•to cr:ash haza·rd .. F.igures."1-11-3·-:.and ·111-4-·taken from the Wilsey and • • 1-l_g_fll_}_j rport. Study _jJ 1.u stra te this. .. : ~IRPORT HAZARD . .. Existing Hazard Zones for Palomar Airport with acci~enf data are illustrated in FJgure 111-3 from the Wilsey and H~m study, Hazard ·on the subject prop~rty, at the present time is limited. The study -lists land use comp~tibility in the limited hazard areas as: . . No reside~iial construction except for very low density or agricurtural/open space uses. No uses invo1ving large assemblages of people at times \'then .aircraft are. in operation. The 199·0 projections for the Hazard Area for air traffic '(Figure 111-4) cover the. majority of the property-proposed for industrial use. Compatible. types of.development are shown in Figur~ 111-6. . . 'ELIMIHATION OF OPEN SPA·CE The project will cause. the elimination of so~e 214 acres of open land in the City of Carlsbad . • 'HILLSIDE· DEV°ELOPMENT Approximately 50% of the site has an average slope of 15% or -greater. Depending on coverage, types of facilities de~~loped • and specific soil conditions, certain mitigating measures·will be required to minimize _any adverse impacts associated with . gradi_ng. -- • -. ·ECON OM I C ·IMPACTS .The applicant projects that when developed, this industrial s£ctor will generate some 400-600 jobs. While the .demand of industry _on municipal services is proportionately less than that of residential development, it shou·ld be noted that an employment g e n c. r a t i o n • o f t h i s ma g n i tu cl e i s g r o \·I th i n d u c· i n g . . Th u s , i t i s ·•indirectly impacting public services: ' • . . - -4- BIOLOGY The Valle Verde industrial area has been largely disturbed -by agricultural cultivation Qver the iears. For this reason the flora and fauna do not represent particularly valued natural resources. Most of the bird, reptile and rodent species can co-exist with industrial development, depending, of course, on the scale and intensity of that development. Certain other species (such as th~ Coyote) will be disperseci by the deve1op1nen_t, but none are rare or endangered. The effects of displacing animals from their habitats is modified or intensified by the amount of development in surrounding areas. Certainly provision for large open areas in close proximity to the subject property will mitigate this effect. IV: "ANY ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS WHICH CANNOT BE AVOIDED SHOULD THE PRo·vcYsAL BE IMPLEMENTED Unavojdable adverse effects which will result from the in- dustrial ·development.of the· proposed projects:ite ate p.S f_6Jlpv1s: 1. 2. .3 .• .. 4 .. Decrease acres.· Decrease. Displace. In.crease the open space i n San agricultural land by and/or reduce native exhaust emissions in Diego County by some about 150 acres. flora ·and wildlife:. San Di~go County. 5. Increase.the level of noise in the ar~a. • 6. Increase dernand for utilities and public services~ 7.-Cha~ge the natural landforms of.the site. 214 ~-Alte~ natural run off and percolation and diminish ground- water quality. 3. Decrease employment in the agricultural sact~r. 1-0. Increase. traffic co~gestion in the area. 11. Increase. dust and erosion potential, especially during co ns.truc.t ion. 12. Increase the hazard and loss of life should an airplane accident occur on the site. V. MITIGATION MEASURES PROPOSED TO MINIMIZE ADVERSE IMPACTS The following measures are proposed to mitigate adverse en- vironmental impacts associated with industrial development: -5- e content irrigatip~ water. (2) Indigenous animal communities will suffer less disruption if provided·.with plant communities similar t6 their native habitat. ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED ACTION 1. No project-· maintain project site in i~s present- a g r i c u l t u r a. 1 s t a t e_: Th i s a 1 t e r n a t i v e \'lo u l d e 1 i m i n a t e al 1 of the expected adverse ·impacts should the project Q cc u r . H o \·/ e v e r , t h e p r e s e n t ta x a t i o n s tr u c tu re a n d :"limi:Ced financial yield of agr-iculturu.1 production does not stimulate conti~ued agricultural use. 2 . Re ta i n S i t e f or O ~-n S p ace / Re c r ea t i o n a 1 U s e : H h i 1 e th i s i s a des ·i r ab ·1 e use for the property and . one w hi ch would benefit the community at ·large, it wpuld require public purchase of the property. Inasmuch ·~s purchases of this nature are dictated by public priorities and econo- ~ics, it does not appear likely that such a purchase would occur. ~ 3. Private Recreational Develobment: Present land values and tax assessments would require a high yield, fairly intensive recreational use of the property to make it economically biable .. The li-k.eli- hood of such a use occurring is very limited. 4 . D e v e l a p.JD I'-'> n t A s Es ta t e l.o.t·!-D.an.s.il¥--~O -2 d , n . / a. c re ) : This alternative would be compatible with the airport 1 a rid . re.co in m e i1 d a t i o n s co n ta ·i n e d i n th e p r e 1 i m i n a r y Wilsey and Ham study. However, the cost of land and services to such low density uses would tend to be _prohibitive and certainly would not serve a particularly large or deficient market. • . ' ·.5. • Sub·d-tv·ision of Property for Medi urn or High Density • • • Residential Use (Over 7 d.u./acre): This use wou1d be ·1 n comp at; b 1 e !'flt 1n he 1-1 n J 1 n gs o t • the Ai r port La ,nsl_ use Study. Air tfaffic accident hazards and noise impacts make a use of this intensity undesirable. V. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL SHORT TERM USES OF MAN'S ENVIRONMENT AND ENHANCEMENT OF LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY The thort term effects of the project will be· those associ- . ated with the conversion of 214 acres of land~-most of which is suitable for agricultural production --into a planned industrial develop~ent. These short term effects inclu~e t~~ elimination or displacement of native vegetation and H~l.ctl11·e,. the depletion of natural .resources, and the • noise and dust associated with construc_tion. -7- The 1Qng term effects include the loss of open space, the loss of approximately 150 acres of cultivated lDnd and additional agriculturally suitable-soils, increased air•~ollution, increased .traffic, loss of natural habitat for wildlife, degradation of ground water, consumption of natural resources) and the increased possibility of damage and loss of life associated with an airplane accident . . . VI. • -··• ANY IRR EVERS I 13 LE EN V I RO !'1 MENTAL C ii ,L\ MG ES 1-J O UL D ""t'f E I NV O L VE D Tr-r-=n:1 E PRO ro S ED AC l l Oil SH OlTCTi1rrrf:'.-n1 PL Ei·i ENT[ D: The following irreversible changes would occur should the pi~operty· be converted to ind,ustr-ial u·se: 1. Construction of buildings, pavement and roadways would permanently commit the site to industrial or non-open space uses.· . . 2. • The natur~.1 lu.nd form wil 1 be i treversibly changed by the moving of approximately l million cubic yards of excavation materials. 3 .. Native wildlife will be permanently displaced by destruction of habitat and proximity to human popul·ations. 4. As long as internal combustion vehicles ~re used to provide transportation to the site and foisil fuel plants are used to supply energy for the proposed project, ajr quality will be irreversibly _impacted by the project. • 5. An .irreversible committment of raw materials, public utilities and natural resources will be made with the approval of the project. VII .• GROWTH INDUCING IMPACT OF THE PROPOSE □• ACTIVITY: Developments which provide employment are growth inducing -to the extend that t~~y induce persont to move into the.area . . Stat·istics sho\•l that areas \vhich are co_nsidered to be desirable living environments such as San Diego County, tend to sustain higher unemployment rates than those areas which are less d~sirable. • What this would indicate is that areas with higher un- employment are often effected by the influx of people who saGrifice deferred employment in order to relocate in a desirable environment . . Thus, unemployment rates (not withstanding regional effects of unemployment in specific sectors) tend to -~tabilize .proportionate to· overall unemployment levels. According to this model, the creation of additional jobs in labor market with high unemployment levels will tend to draw a higher . percentage of outside persons than of the existing local labor force. Population growth is dependent, of ~ours~, on a c~mbination of factors (such as housing availability, transportation, . e t c . ) a n d -i t i s ha rd to ex t r i c a t e a s o 1 i ta r y fa_ c to r s u c h a s the creation of jobs) and assign it a numerical value of ··growth inducement. However, it is fair to-say that extending the urbanized portion of the City, as would be the case in this project,. would stimulate urbanization of adjacent properties. -9- r VI.I I. BOUNDARIES OF THE /\REA l·JHIC!l M/\Y BE SIGNIFICANTLY EF 1=ECTED BY TH E P RO PO S ED l\ CT l V rrr:--· ~ . The·effects of chnnges in the land .form, .d_isr(Jption tp • • natural habitats, and impacts asso~iated with co~struction phases will generally be confined to the project site. Population impacts and impilct on services and public utilities will generally be confined to the district bound- aries of those ag~ncies providing services to the project. The· effects of additional runoff and decreased groundwater q u a 1 d t y vri 1 1 g e n e. r a 1 ·1 y b e c o n f i n e d-• t o th e i mm e d i a t e pr o j e c t area, but may marginally impact the Agua Hedionda Lagoon, which will receive additiona1 run off. • The effect of ·the project on air quality will be shared by the entire North County Air Basin. IX. AGENCIES CONSULTED: Copi~s of this report have been sent to the following agencies for review. Written cqmments are to be received by April 8, 1~74. ··AGENCIES CONSULTED: U. S. Agricultural Department Local Agency Formation Commis~ion . County Parks & Recreation Department State Division of Highways . • County Parks and Recreation Department--District 6 .San Di~go ~egional Water Quality Control Board ·comprehensive Planning Organization Stcite Department of Fish & Game Department of Public Health San Diego County Air Pollution Control District San ,Diego County Sanitation & Flood Control ..... ; •. ··. . :-_. . _ .... ,.... . ' : .•,--: -10- AMENDMENT TO E.I.R. # 234 (GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT FOR LOKER INDUSTRIAL SECTOR) Back~round: At their meeting of April 9, 1974, the Planning· Commission indicated that they wanted the following information and ·elaboration included ·in the preliminary E.I.R. for the Valle Verde General Plan Amendment: 1. The rel~tionship of the project to impacts on vegetation and wildlife; . . 2. The relationship of the project to the areas shown to the north on the existing General Plan as Estate Low-density Res i .den ti a 1 ; 3. An an~lysis of the market demand and local capacity to support additional industrial land; 4. The environmental effects associated with timing of the pro.j ect; 5. The elimination of open space; and, _ 6. Alternatives and mitigating measures. Corrections: Page 2, third paragraph under FAUNA heading, first line: 11 animals 11 should read instead 11 vertebrates 11 • Page 4, 1LIMINATION OF OPEN SPACE, should:·read:The project will ;· :. •• : • t es Li l t i n de v e 1 op men to v~ some 21 4 acres of o p e n 1 an d w i th i n the Car1 sbad Sphere,"cif:· Influence. Amendments: 1. The ~elationship of the· project to ~mpacts on vegetation and wild.life: A vegetation map which was attached to the preliminary E.I.R. shows that a majority ~~proximately 90%) of the· site is either presently under tomato cu1tivation or is fallow·field which had at some time been used for -1- •,. • agricultural purposes. Because ·the natural vegetation has • been removed to allow for cultivation, the resident vertebrate species which exist on the site are generally rodents, reptiles, and birds. Vegetative cover in the fallow, coastal sage, and cultivated habitats is generally sparse; the resident species tend to be-foragersand burrowers due to the lack of cover. A Southern Oak Woodland habitat is located directly north of the sector under consideration for the Planned Industrial Land Use Amendment. Thi-s hab·itat is expected to support 27 species· of non-avian vertebrates. Species in addition to those hoted in the coastal sage habitit are: the Slender Southern Salamander, Broad-footed mole, a variety of rodents, the Coyote, an occasional grey fox, Bobcat, and Mule Deer. Additional avian vertebrates seen or heard in.this habitat are: The White-tailed Kite, Cooper's Hawk, Sparrow Hawk, Common Snipe, Barn Owl, Great Horned Owl, Costa's Hummingbird, Anna's Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Red-shafted Flicker, Acorn i,J o o d p e c k er , N u t ta 1 ·1 1 s ~Joo d p e c k e r , Em p i d o n ax F 1 y c a t c h e r , T re e Swallow, Common Raven, Commbn Crow, Plain Titmouse, House Wren, Hermit ·Thrush, Mountain Bluebird, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Cedar Waxwing, Phainopepla, Starling, Hutton's Vireo, Orange-crowned Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Brewer's Blackbir<l, Brown-headed Cowbird, Lesser Goldfinch, Rufous-sided Towhee, Oregon Junco, Chipping Sparrow, and Song Sparrow. Although this habitat is not within the_project area, it would certainly be impacted by any adjacent development. • All of the non-avian vertebrates are relatively intolerant to human populations. The larger predator avian species would likely • be displaced or ·eliminated by adjacent development. The secondary effects of the resulting ecological imbalance between predatorss foragers and vegetation could possibly reduce other species. 2. Relationship Qf the Project to General Plan Designation of Estate Low-Density Shown to the North: It i~ not anticipated· that industrial lan~ use on the subject si·te will impact nearby areas shown as residential. A green- belt, open spac~ area separates the industri~l area to the north. The Airport instrument landing system (strobe lighting) separates the site to the west, Palomar Airport Road bounds the site to the south, and Carlsbad Raceway is generally ·1otated to the east. Additionally, the property is topographi- cally isolated by a valley to the north. • 3 •. Analysis· of Market-Demand and Lmcal ·capac·ity to Support Additional Industrial Land: This analysis is based on the following ~ssumptions: -2- , • a. Laissez-faire economics alone cannot determine the amount of industry which a city can support. Marketing projections to a certain extend rely on stimulated demand (i.e.,growth inducement and in- creased consumptiori). b. Although a market for certain industrial uses can be,• justified as being economically viable, the social costs and environmental costs of the use may outweigh the benefits. •• c. Marketing projections do not always reflect saturation conditions. For instance, a City may grant a certain property. General Plan and Zoning designations en- abling industrial development on that property without insuring immediate development plans. A subsequent property owner might request industrial zoning (even if the total industrial area in the City is greater than what market conditions could support) based on the marketing projection that this subsequent project has a competitive edge --through location, land costs, topography, etc.--in attracting industrial tenants. The original property would thereby be tied up by a land use designation for which there is no peed. Worse yet, piecemeal or scattered development could occur. d. As a very general rule, the optimum percentage of land devoted to industrial use in a balanced City is 10%. This, of course, is a simple estimate; factors such as available work force, the amount of land suited to industrial use, population density and the ~bility of the local environment to absorb adverse impacts sustained through industrial use can effect the optimum level for industrial land. Analysis There are presently approximately 20?5.48 acres within the Carlsbad City limits which are zoned for industrial type uses. The zoning is broken down as follows: C-M (Heavy Co~mercia1 light industrial) ·_ :392.22 Acres M (Manufacturing) 322.25 P-M (Planned Manufacturing) 582.87 P-U (Public Utilities) 788.11 TOTAL 2085.48 . /.3/4 This acreage accounts for "RW of total acreage within the City boundaries. However, this figure is somewhat misleading inasmuch as the bulk of potential :industrial property within the Carlsbad sphere of : influence has not been annexed. -3-· II II II ii • • ~ventual development of the Valle Verde project_· would probably induce a population growth in the realm of 600+ persons (assuming that 50% are locally employed, and including additional family members plus induced support population in the estimate.) A final factor to consider in evaluating the need for additional industrial land within the Palomar Airport torrider is the.possibility th~t this area will become a regional industrial center as suggested by the Comprehe~sive Planning Organization. The logic of this regional designation is based on several factors: a. The centrality of the area and access through Palomar Airport Road and El Cami no Rea 1 ; b. The immediate influence of the Airport; c. The av~ilability of large amounts of vacant l~nd; and, d. The physical suitability of the area for in- dustr·i a 1 uses. 4. The Environmental Effects Associated with Timing of The Project A General Plan designation indicates an overall concept for the ultimate future use of a propertj. The General Plan cannot necessarily guarantee that s~rvices or public facilities.will be available coin~idental to the developers construction time-table~ Accordingly) these factors related to timing must be evaluated at the Master Plan and Specific Plan phases of development. s.· The Elimination of Open Space -The project will enable the eventual elimination of 214 acres of open land within the Carlsbad Sphere of Influence. The impact of this loss of open space wi_ll be determined by (l)· The treatment of structures and open areas as a part of any development, and, (2) The public's value placed on this parcel as open_ land. The site is certainly within -one of the more aestheti- cally pleasing areas of Carlsbad. It is surrounded on all sides by gently sloping, vegetated hills. The only development within the immediate area of the site is the Carlsbad Raceway. 6. ·Alternat·ives and Mitigating.-Measu.res: 1. No General Plan Amendment Using this alternative, the project would main- tain its present General Plan designation -5- ·• f as open space, parks or semi-public land. _ The benefit of this alternative would be that it would allow the Staff, the Planning Commission, C,ity Council and various citizen groups additional time to review the appropriate land use for this property in relation to the overall land use revision. The disadvantage o( this proposal is tbat it would extend the review t·irne for the appl·icant's proposal-by approxi- mately 2 months. 2. AJ?plicat·ion of Aqricultural Preserve General Plan Desiqnation and A-P Zoninq: This alter- native is one whith is up to the discretion of the applicant. Economic incentives (in terms • of tax relief and high profit from agri~ultur~l use) certainly do not encourage the owner to seek this option. However, if the property were ma i n ta i n e d i n i ts p r e s en t a g r i c u 1 t u r a 1 s t a te , none of the adverse environmental impacts discussed would occur. • 3. Publi·c Purchase of the Property for Recreational/ Open Space Purposes This alternative has been explored by City officials as a part of the Conservation Operi Space and Parks and Recreation Element programs. Be- cause of other high priority park acq~isition projects and the fact that the Oak woodland to the north of the subject property is proposed for a park dedication, the possibility of ac- quisition is not very l·ikely at. this.time. Public priorities could change however, and this alterna• •tive should not be eliminated. altogether. -6- .. . ,• ·• /: _,,,,,,.,,. -2-• A proposed 84-foot wide road is to provide access to the project site from an easterly and westerly direction. It is proposed that this road will connect to El Camino Real on the west and Melrose Avenue on the east. As the road enters the project site from the west, it divides to form two parallel 60-foot wide roads which traverse either side of the open space. Access from. the south will be provided by an 84-foot wide road connecting to Palomar Airport Road. This road will traverse the central portion of the site in a north-south direction, connecting to Melrose Avenue near the northeast corner of the site. II. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING WITHDUT THE PROJECT Land Use The project site comprises the eastern portion of· Rancho Agua Hedionda, totaling an area of 608 acres. The subject property is located in northern San Diego County, 0.5 miles south of Oceanside, 2.2 miles west of San Marcos~ 33 miles north of San Diego, and 4. 1 miles east of the Southern California coastline. Approximately eight percent of the property is located within the City of Carlsbad, while the remaining 92 percent of the site lies within an unincorporated area of San Diego County. It is an- ticipated that the entire property will ultimately be located within the corporate boundaries of Carlsbad as a result of future annexation. The project_ site is composed of vacant land, with approximately 150 acres devoted to squash and tomato crops. While the north- east portion of the site has been previously brushed, only the southern portion of the site is presently under cultivation. The property is zoned A-1-8 in the 561 .1 acre County portion, while the 46.9 acres located within the City of Carlsbad is zoned R-A-10. Upon approval of the proposed pre-annexational zone change, the property would have a PC and PM zoning designation. Under the· existing Carlsbad General Plan, the so·uthern portion of the project site is designated as park land, semi-public land, or open space, while the northern portion of the site is designated as estate low density residential. at a density of 0-2 d.u./net acre. The City of Carlsbad is currently processing a General Plan Amendment which would change the designation on the southern portion of the property from open space and estate low density to Planned Industrial. This amendment would enable the zone change to P-M ·as proposed by the applicant. North of the project site is Los Monos Canyon, beyond which lies Squires Dam·and the University of California Natural land and Water Reserve System. East of Valle Verde is ·the Carlsbad Raceway (zoned C-2) and the Carrillo Rancho Planned Community. South of the proposed project site, beyond Palomar Airport Road is an un- incorporated area of San Diego County, lies the Bressi Ranch (zoned A-3-8). -3- Air Q1rnlity The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District's Oceanside- Carlsbad Air Monitoring Station is located at 100 South Cleveland in Oceanside, approximately six miles northwest of the project site. This station measures oxidant, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxides; oxides of Qitrogen~ Total Hydrocarbon, methane and non-methane· hydrocarbon levels. -• Oxidant levels for the Oceanside monitoring station ~qualed or ex- ceeded Federal standards for the first half of 1972 on 48% and 26% of the days respectively. It should be notep that the subject site is nearly five miles inland and does no~efit from the dispersing offshore breezes which may be reflected in these levels. Archaeology An archeological survey was conducted on the subject site.on October 31, November 1, 4, and 6, 1973. In the prehistoric period, the area in proximity to the subject property was occupied by at least three major cultures. From approximately 10,000 years ago to 4,000 years ago, the San Dieguito culture was the sole inhabitor of this area. Beginning about· 3,000 years ·ago, and·extending to 1,000 years ago, the La Jollan culture was in existence. Commencing around 900 AD, and extending into the period of Anglo occupation, the Luiseno and/or the Diegueno (Kumayay) lived and hunted in the area. There exists some doubt·as to whether the Luiseno or Diegueno (Kumayay) in- habited the area, though for this analysis .it is assumed that tbis area is primarily Luiseno. The San Dieguito River is generally understood as the boundary between these two linguistically different, but culturally similar groups of people. The following are brief descriptions and analysis of the various sites based on knowledge currently known. After the.site designation, A categorical judgment is given. These judgments are defined as follows: CRITICAL: Must be excavated --great amount of data is re- trievable, the site 1s unique, extensive, or otherwise ·valuable for its research potential; AK-8. MAJOR: Must be trenched, post-holed. or surface collected and mapped, Data is available but is partially destroyed, a surface site, or otherwise limited potential for excavating purposes; AK-2. MODERATE: Must be further mapped and surface collected. Little or no excavation potential though a limited amount of research.potential exists; AK-9. MINOR~ Very limited in potential --usually already ex- hausted by virtue of surface collection and mapping; AK-1, AK-4, AK·5. -4-• INSIGNIFICANT: Of no value though scattered material of in- consequential nature may exist. Resources are exhausted by surface collection and mapping; AK-3, AK-6, AK-7, AK-10. Site l: Minor. This site is a single unit Luiseno grinding, area used to prepare acorns, seeds, and other edibles. This form of food preparation (utilizing mortars, metates, and basins) is indicative of the Luiseno culture rather than of the earlier San Dieguito or La Jolla Cultures. Postholing and a surface collection of this site proved negative. A comprehensive map has been completed, as well as a completed measurement and analysis of the depth, width, and length of the mortars and slick. Site 2: Major. This site is a San Dieguito II and possibly San Dieguito III flaking area. A vast amount of heavily patinated flakes and debitage litter the hillside. Repre- sentative artifacts were recovered. A surface collection was not completed nor was postholing, based on the belief that these measures come under mitigation rather than primary surveying. The approximate area of this site is_ 1,000 square feet. Site 3: Insignificant. This area cannot justifiably be called a -site. No indication of habitation was found. However, scattered artifacts associated with tool manufacturing were located in an area roughly 25 feet by 10 feet. These arti- facts appear to be random and without contextual matrix. Site 4: Minor. Primarily a La Jollan food preparation area, this half acre site is the remnant of an area that has been plowed and badly eroded. Surface artifacts indicate that the area was used to grind and/or prepare foods. A complete surface collection was completed. Such a collection of these highly disturbed materials has exhausted the scientific value of tbis site. Site 5: Minor. This badly disturbed site contains a mixture of San Dieguito II and La Jollan material, including a minor shell midden consisting primarily of chione. As a result of cultivation and grading, little value is ascribed to this site. An intensive surface collection was completed with the results being recorded in the Appendix. Site 6: Insignificant. This 200-square foot area is comprised of a sprinkling of San Dieguito and La Jollan material. Plowing, erosion, and the relatively small size of this site explains the paucity of artifacts and edible shell material. The surface collection and mapping of this quasi-site has exhausted its· potential. Site 7: Insignificant. A surface collection of this Luiseno trail site has exhausted· the potential of this badly disturbed, isolated, and randomly distributed site. The size of this site is indeterminate due to random scattering. -5- Site 8: Critical. This site of approximately 1,000 square feet contains elements of all three cultures: San Dieguito, La Jollan, and Luiseno. The surface of this site is littered with artifacts and traces of an extensive La Jollan shell midden. Postholes indicated the presence of sub-surface fire hearths, shell deposits, pottery, and burnt bone. Such material was in evidence as deep as 36 11 • The artifactual material, soil texture, and color would indicate that this site saw repeated use as a food preparation area, if not as a camp site. Biology Approximately 150 acres of the broad southern ridge portion of the site are presently in tomato cultivation, and 125 acres of the northcentral and northeastern portions of the site have been recently plowed. Large portions of the remaining property have been either plowed or burned, and are now covered with ruderal weed species or early successional stages of the nati~e coastal sage scrub community. Despite recent agricultural activities, Valle Verde does contain some important natural areas. The floor of the stream valley is occupied by riparian and southern oak woodland communities (about 30 acres). ·A large number of coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia) make this portion of the property an important forage and cover area for many animals. Large birds of prey (white-tailed kites and red-tailed hawks) were observed perched in the huge oaks or flying above the surrounding fields. A 2.8 acre man-made lake is located in the western portion of the stream valley. This lake provides habitat and cover for many organisms which inhabit riparian and aquatic areas. Finally, a considerable portion of the property is still covered with coastal sage scrub. The following are general descriptions of the characteristic habitats of the Valle Verde site. Full species list~ are on file in the City Planning Department. Coas~al Sage Scrub Habitat Much of the northern half of the property has a ·cover of mature coastal sage scrub, which consists of dry, low-growing shrubby vegetation one to three feet in height. In small canyons, and on certain north-facing slopes, a more lush plant community composed of more mesic· species prevails. Hence the coastal sage scrub community has a varied species composition depending on ~lope, ex- posure (south-facing slopes are drier and generally more sparsely vegetated than north-facing slopes), soil type, and current or past land use. On the.higher hills and south-facing slopes;· Black Sage (Salvia ·mellifera) ~nd Buckwheat(Eriogonum fasciculatum) were the dominant species, w~ile the less exposed areas were dominated by Scrub Oak (Quercus dumosa) and -Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)~ A number -6- of annuals (wildfl,ers, grasses and forbs) a" also character- istic of this habitat. The dominant species of this type is· tarweed (Nemizonia sp.) Riparian Habitat The riparian habitat surrounds a lake near the western bound 9ry of the site. The pond is surrounded by willows (Salix laevigata) and cattails. (Typha cf. dominguensis). A cattail marsh extends eastward approximately 1,000 feet. Directly to the north of the pond, Willows and Giant Rye Grass (Elymus condensatus) occur along a small ravine. Spring seeps appear to occur here throughout the year, and apparently water runs down the ravine and maintains the lake at its existing level. The lake appears to have been formed by dozing an earthen dam across the ravine. The surrounding area is extremely dry and is covered with Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) and Black Sage (Salvia Mellifera). Some of the area south of the pond has been plowed at one time and is now covered with dry grasses (Avena; Bromus, and Polypogon) and mustard (Brassica). Lake (Aquatic Habitat) The lake has a maximum depth of ten feet with an average depth of approximate1y six to eight feet. The water was quite transparent (secchi disc reading of six feet) and an aquatic plant (Pondweed, Potamazeton sp.) was quite abundant. The lake was approximabely isothermal surface temperature, 67°F; bottom temperature, 69 F) which would be expected for a clear, shallow lake. The dissolved oxygen concentration was quite high throughout the water column. Mosquitofish (Gambrisia affinis) were quite common in the shallow water near the pond's margin. Largemouth bass.(Micropterus salmanoides) are apparently present, as the head and entrails of a large fish (two to three pounds) were observed in shallow water near shore. A plankton haul yielded a large number of zooplankton. Zooplanktonic species included Co~epods Diaptomus sp. and Cyclops sp., and Cladocera Bosmina sp. and Daphnia sp. Fauna The characteristic animal and bird populations were surveyed and categorized according to their habitats. A. species list, which includes all animals and birds which would be expected to occur on the site based on habitat availability, is on file in the Planning Department. Lake Aquatic Habitat -The site contains a variety of habitats, and it probably supports a diverse and dense vertebrate fauna. Hunters were observed on one occasion, and empty shotgun shells· littered much of the property. Large numbers of brush and Audubon's rabbits, as w~ll as jack rabbits, are evidently present, as their fe~es cover much of the open $Oil in ·the coastal sage scrub habitat. Hunters probably shoot these rabbits and the ducks which undoubtedly use the ponps during spring and fall migration. --7-- Coastal Sage Scrub -Based on evidence such as burrows, feces, tracks, etc., it would be expected that a total of 36 species of amphibians, reptiles, and mannals might use this habitat. Common residents of this habitat would include the Western fence lizard the Side-blotched lizard, the Southern alligator lizard, Striped racer, Red racer, Gopher snake, three species of rabbit, the California ground squirrel, the agile kangaroo rat and the cactus mouse. Birds observed or heard in this habitat were the California Quail, Roadrunner, Scrub Jay, Common Bushtit, Wrentit, Bewick's Wren, California Thrasher, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Loggerhead Shrike, House Finch, Brown Towhee, and White-crowned Sparrow. Southern Oak Woodland -This habitat could be expected to 27 species of non-avian vertebrates. Species in addition those in the Coastal Sage Scrubs habitat are as follows: Southern Slender Salamander, Broad-footed Mole, a variety the Coyote, an occasional grey fox, Bobcat and Mule Deer. support to The of rodents, Additional avian vertebrates seen or heard in this habitat are: The White-tailed Kite, Cooper's Hawk, Sparrow Hawk, Common Snipe, Barn Owl, Great Horned Owl, Costa's Hummingbird, Anna's Humming- bird, Rufous Hummingbird, Red-shafted Flicker, Acorn Woodpecker, Nuttall Is Woodpecker, Empidonax Flycatcher, Tree Swallow, Common Raven, Common Crow, Rlain Titmouse, House Wren, Hermit Thrush, Mountain Bluebird, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Cedar Waxwing, Phainopepla, Starling, Hutton's Vireo, Orange-crowned Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Brewer's Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Lesser Goldfinch, Rufous-sided Towhee, Oregon Junco, Chipping Sparrow, and Song Sparrow. Riparian Habitat -The riparian habitat could be expected to host a total of 24 non-avian vertebrates, including three amphibians, eight reptiles, and 13 mammals. Species common to this type habitat are the Western Toad, the Pacific Treefrog, the Western Fence Lizard, the Side-blotched Lizard, the Southern Alligator Lizard, four members of the Family Colubridae, two species of rabbit, and the Desert Wood Rat. Bird species seen or heard in this habitat were the Eared Grebe, ·Piedbilled Grebe, Green Heron, Snowy Egret; .. Black-cr.owned Night Heron, Mallard, Pintail, Cinnamon Teal, Shoveler,· Ruddy Duck, American Coot, California Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Black Phoebe, Scrub Jay, Long-billed Marsh Wren, Yellow Throat, Redwinged Black- bird, Brewer's Blackbird, White-crowned Sparrow, and Song Sparrow. Cultivated, Plowed or Fallow Field Habitat -Species which were sighted or for which evidence was found include: Side Blotched Lizard, rabbits, ground squirrels, Botta's Pocket Gopher and the Coyote. Birds seen br heard in cultivated sections include: The birds seen or heard on the cultivated sectiqns were the Killdeer, Mourning Dove, Poor-will Horned Lark, Mockingbird, California Thrasher, Robin, Water Pipit, Loggerhead Shrike, Western Meadow- lark, House Finch, Brown Towhee, Savannah Sparrow, Oregon Junco, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Fox Spartow and -8- Song Sparrow. In addition, Anna 1 s Hummingbird would be ex- pected at other seasons of the year. The birds seen or heard in the grassland sections were the Marsh Hawk, Sparrow Hawk, Burrowing Owl,· Cassin•~ Kingbird, Say 1 s Phoebe, Mockingbird, Western Meadowlark, House Finch, American Goldfinch and Lesser Goldfinch. Geolog1 -The geologic study shows portions of tha project site to be underlain by the soft rocks of the La Jolla Group. These rocks are fine-grained, friable, and poorly cemented, making them highly susceptible to accelerated erosion. In areas where overlying soils and vegetation may be removed, and where these rocks may be exposed to high intensity rainfalls, a11 badlands 11 topography could develop. When La Jolla rocks are used as fill material, they are also subject to accelerated erosion. Down- stream silt traps and settling basins are necessary for any La Jollan grading operation. The rocks in the La Jolla Group can be excavated with ordinary earth-moving equipment, and they lend themselves readily to mass grading projects. As these soils are susceptible to accelerated erosion, surface water should be diverted away from cut and fill slopes. Silt traps and settling basins should be provided down- stream of any grading and construction in the La Jolla Group. In the alluvial soils, (found in the central portion of the pro- ject site) shallow groundwater occurs. Adequate drainage would have to be provided for any excavation or construction in these areas. Also, provisions would have to be made for control of surface water, including the possibility of flooding in the lower alluvial valleys. The existence of these soft compressible soils would cause any fills to be subject to settlement. It has been a customary engineering practice to strip shallow terrace deposits during grading thereby exposing the underlying La Jolla Group rocks. The northern and southeast portions of the proj~ct site is under- lain by h~rd igneous and metamorphic rocks. These rocks are generally hard and require ripping and blasting to excavate. Trenching for utility lines is difficult and costly, and mass grading is usually not feasible. Seismology -The Inglewood-Rose Canyon Fault, located five miles offshore from the City of Carlsbad, is the only active fault within a 25 mile radius of the project site. The earthquake of 1812, which destroyed San Juan Capistrano, is believed to have had its epicenter on this fault. The Long Beach earthquake of 1933 was caused by movement on this fault .. Any earthquake with its epicenter on the Inglewood-Rose Canyon Fault could pose a serious threat to the City of Carlsbad. There are four major fault zones withi~ a radius of 100 miles of the project site. They are the Elsinore, Agua Caliente, San Jacinto and San Andreas Fault Zones .. The effect of even a high magnitude --9-- earthquake would be greatly attenuated by the time it reached the subjest property. Approximately 85 percent of the properly designed structures within the City Limits probably will not sustain damage. However, structures in areas underlain by soft saturated soils could be subj~ct to damate from the secondary effects of liquification, lurch cracking, lateral spreading, landslides, and structural damage due to ground vibration. III. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Impacts Associated With Pre~ent Agricultural Use· 1. The elimination of Agricultural Open Space. 2. The reduction of tomato and squash.cultivation. 3. The displacement of agricultural workers. 4. The acceleration of conversion of other agricultural lands. Aesthetic Impacts l. The covering of open vegetated slopes with industrial and residential structures. 2. The change in the prominent vista from El Camino Real and Palomar Airport Road from open to developed land. 3. The alteration of natural landforms. Drainage and Water Quality Impacts l. Depletion of ground water from the coverage of land with inpenetrable surfaces. 2. Reduction of groundwater quality through the introduction of hydrocarbons, rubber, fertilizer, high mineral content domestic water, etc. Impacts Associated With Palomar ·Airport l. CNEL levels (California Noise Level Equivalent) probably do not exceed 55 decibels for the project site. This is within acceptable limits for residential and in- d~strial uses at the densities proposed ·for the Valle Verde project. Noise level projections to 1990 do not indicate unacceptable levels for the site. 2. Approximately 50% of the project site i~ within a limited air traffic hazard zone, as defined by the C.P.O. Palomar Airport Land Use Study prepared by Wilsey and Hamm. Compatible uses in the limited hazard zone are those which avoid concentrations of people in single areas. Since this hazard effects only the industrial and green belt areas, mitigation should be proposed at the time specific plans for the industrial sector are considered. Air Quality Impacts Approximately 28,000 automobile trips per day will be generated from the project. The attached chart esti- mates increases in emissions based on this projection. Pollutant Carbon Monoxide Hyr-- Ca; ns N.Ltroge n Oxides Pc.:t.iculates O:-::ides 0£ Sulfur Estimate of Increase in Em.i.ss.ions Moblle Stationary Total Project Factor Usage Rate2 Tota( Factor 1 Usage Rate3 Total 'Combined lb/mile miles/day lb/day _lb./106ft3 1 o6£t3/day lb/day Total tons/da 0 .109 86}600 9439.4 20 .0002356 7.05 4. 72 0.02 86,600 1732.0 8 .0002356 2.85 0.87 0.0134 86,600 1160.4 50 .0002356 17. 7 0.59 0.00065 86~600 56.3. 19 .0002356 . 6. 75 0.03 0.00039 • 86~600 33.7 0.6 .0002356 0.21 0.017 1 Env.lronmental Protection Agency, 11Comp.ilation of Air Pollutant Emi~sion Factors, 11 AP-42 (revised February 19 72) , P .1-9. 2Der.i.ved by cons.Ld·er.i.ng the average mlleage of 12 .5 m.lles/gal (EPA-1972, P. 2-3), the gallons of gasoline consumed, 500 x 106 gal/year, £or an automob.lle population of 750,000 (ARB-1972 1 P. VII-8). • This usage rate is to be used unless more specific informat.Lon is suppl.led in the tra££.i.c analysis. 3san Diego Gas & Elcctr.ic Company 11Average Gas and Electr.lc usage rates of Res.Ldences 11 unpublished data 1972. S.D. Basin Tor.al tons/day 1685. 7 381.6 189.3 188 .-7 33.2 -10- A secondary_air quality effect will be to increase de- mand for fossil fuel generated energy, which in turn will impact air quality. A third source -of potential emissions would be from in- dustrial/ manufacturing uses on the site. These will be partially controlled by prohibition in the P-M Zone of uses which create air pollution detectable by human senses outside·the bounds of the site or emissions which endanger human health, or cause· damage to animals, veg~tation or property outside the site boundaries. Impact on Public Service . 1. The major problem in extending public services to the project is that the site is some 5 miles removed from the central urbanized portion of the City of Carlsbad and is additionally removed by 2 miles from the nearest residential development. There is an inherent inefficiency in extending services in this manner. It is wasteful in terms of time and cost, especially for .services which must be provided on site (such as police, .fire, utilities, etc.) 2. School facilities will be required on site for the purposes of accomodating children generated by-the project. Student population breakdown 1s estimated as follows: Grade Level 3.· Public Utilities K-6 7-8 9-12 No. of Students 174 126 201 Development of the subject property will create an increased demand for public utilities. Water,~elec- tricity, natural gas, telephone, and sewer facilities must be extended into the project area in order to accommodate the proposed development. Based on an anticipated population of 4,500 residents and an average consumption factor of 100 gallons per person per day, it is estimated that 450,000 gallons of water will be required by the proposed • project on a daily basis. Water is available through an existing 27-inch line in Palomar Airport Road. The subject property is located within the Carlsbad Municipal Water District boundaries. According to the C.M.W.D., water service is available at a minimum pressure of 76 psi. -11--• San Diego Gas and Electric Company specifies that 5700 kilowatt hours of ele~tricity per year are con- sumed by the average San Diego residence. Using this rate of consumption, the propose9 project will require 23,400 kilowatt hours of electricity per day. According to the Oceanside branch of San Diego Gas and Electric Company, a 12KV 3 phase primary line would be required from the intersection of El Camino Real and Palomar Airport Road to the project site. The average San Diego home also consumes 86,000 cubic feet of gas per year. Using this rate of consumption, the proposed project will require 352,000 cubic feet of ga~ per day. A 2 1/2 inch H.P. gas line exists in Palomar Airport Road, which the San Diego Gas and Electric Company is proposing to enlarge to 18 inches for the North County area. At present, a tap into the existing 30-inch H.P. line at the intersection of Palomar Airport Road and El Camino Real would be required. According to the California Regional Water Control Board, 80 gallons of effluent are generated per person per day. At' the above rate, 360 ;ooo ga 11 ans of effluent would be discharged by the proposed development on a daily basis. A force main belonging to the Buena Sanitation District runs through the center of the site. This main is presently near capacity. The Carlsbad Sanitary Sewer Map shows a proposed 15" gravity main running south- easterly through the valley portion of the site. Economics . The applicant estimates that property taxes generated by the project will be $2,021,250 per year for total residential and $1,031,250 per year for total industrial. Generally speaking, residential developments do not pay their own way in terms of municipal service expenditures. This is especially true when development occurs outside the urban fringe and additional expenditure is necessary to extend services. The proposed industrial sector will presumably be self- supporting. The applicant anticipates that some 400 to 600 jobs will be generated. Archeology Three of the known archeological sites described under the project setting will be significantly disturbed. They are sites 2, 8 and 9. Site 2: This site is a rather extensive San Dieguito flaking area. Unlike many sites on the property, this one appears to be pure, i.e. no other cultures have in- truded upon it. Its scientific value lies within the -12-• fact that little is known about the cultures defined as San Dieguito II and III and in the fact that this site is undisturbed. It is suggested that this site be mapped, surface collected, and postholed for possible sub-surface material. Its general appearance indicates little or no depth to the site, and-postholing would be a means of verifying the lack of depth. If no depth is found, then the mapping and surface collection are sufficient to achieve mitigation. If depth is revealed, then it is suggested that the area nearest the centei of the site is excavated by trenching. This should achieve adequate mitigation. Site 8: This site contains elements of all three cultures; ·the San Dieguito, La Jollan, and Luiseno. Evidences of s he 11 mi d de n ( L a J o 11 a n ) , p o t t e r y ( lu i s e n o ) , . a n d h ea v i 1 y patinated flakes (San Dieguito) indicates that this area saw repeated use as a food preparation area. Although plowing and cultivation have damaged the upper six inches of the site(s), much df-the area appears undi~turbed below the six-inch level. Postholes revealed sub-surface artifacts (pottery, fire hearth, shell) and a midden depth of up to thirty-six inches. It is recommended that this site, or series of sites, be excavated by means of a controlled grid system, utilizing a Tor L trenching system. It is doubtful if a complete excavation is necessary, due to partial damage by plowing and erosional factors. However, an intensive trench, or trenches, should be excavated to allow for further salvage· of the site. Furthermore, a Carbon 14 dating of charcoal remains would greatly enhance the results of the excavation and of the accompanying analysis. The valu~ of this site lies in the fact that many cultures utilized the area~ As such, there exists the possibility of excavating data which will enable archaeologists and scientists to fill in gaps which ~urrently exist in regard to the early pre-history of San Diego County. If such a site were destroyed without proper excavation and analysis, important cultural data would be lost. This is especially true in the North County area, where little analytical work has been accomplished. Site 9: This extensive site covers two separate knolls and represents the La Jollan and San Dieguito cultures. It is suggested that a complete surface collection and mapping be conducted on this site. Postholes revealed no signs of depth or of sub-surface artifacts. No excavation or further work beyond collection and mapping is necessary. -13- Biology Valle Verde contains a mixture of disturbed and natural habitats, each of which support wildlife. ·Those areas of the property which have been greatly disturbed by agricultural activities over the years do not represent a particularly valuable natural resource. Southern oak woodland and riparian habitats are substantially more valuable from an environmental viewpoint. These two habitats are particularly important for the following reasons: a) they are much less abundant than other habitats in the San Diego area; b) they provide valuable cover for the native fauna: c) they support a· diverse animal population~ and d) they supply an important water source for faunal populations in the area. A decline in resident faunal populations would be expected as a result of intensive use of this site. Specifically, the following bird populations would be reduced:_ Green Heron, White-tailed Kite, Marsh Hawk, Roadrunner, Griat Horned Owl, Burrowing Owl, Nuttall Is Woodpecker, Common Raven, and Phainopepla. With a reduction of food and cover, many of the other species·would also show population declines. Since this area has been relatively free from intensive human use, it ha~ been an ideal breeding area for birds. Certain species, such as the Green Heron, Ruddy Duck, White- tailed Kite, Marsh Hawk, Roadrunner, Great Horned Owl, Burrowing Owl, Poor-will, Nuttal1 1 s Woodpecker, Phainopepla, and Lazuli Bunting would probably cease breeding here as a result of intensive human occupation. Although some of these species are experiencing declining numbers, none of them are apprQaching the rare or endangered status. The other vertebrates which currently occupy the site would experience similar population declines as a result of habitat removal. Human Rressures would most certainly eliminate the presence of Coyote, Fox, Bobcat, and Deer. The species in question.are neither rare nor endangered, however they are somewhat unique in their proximity to an urban area. Cert a i n po p u 1 a t i o n s , s u c h a s me m be rs o f t h e O rd e r Ro d e~n t i a (Mockingbirds, Starlings, and Mourning Doves), which are well adapted to human occupation, will probably increase in number. Other birds, such as Rock Doves and House Sparrows will probably be introduced into the area as a result of development. Geology The potential geologic impacts of the project relates to the following: 1. Compressible Soils -The alluvial soils are generally in a loose state and may be potentially compressible in some areas. The applicant proposes that the-alluvium be covered to varying depths by fill, that in turn will support structures. -14- • --2. Expansive Soils Potentially expansive soils are present within the soil mantle and within the formational materials on the south si~e of the major c~nyon. These soils usually have adequate strength to support fills an9 structures, but because of their potential expansiv~ characteristics they may adversely affect structures when they are exposed or placed within 2 to 3 feet of finished grade, in either cut or fill areas. 3. Landslides -The preliminary study indicates that there are landslides on the property that will require special stabilization measures. Most of the landslides extend to or below· the alluvium, thus placing fiJl in the canyons as in- dicated on the plans will improve stability. However, in cut slopes as planned the applicant may find it necessary to propose, remove or replace major portions of these slides. 4. Qesign of Slopes -The geologic reconnaissance nf the property and review of the proposed plans indicate that most of the slopes will be within the grantic rock and Del Mar Formation. The siltstones and claystones of the Del Mar Formation have proven to be the most troublesome geologic formation in the northern· part of the county in regard to slide susceptability. It can be .anticipated that hillside development of the southern half of this site will un- doubtedly requi~e some special buttress construction, sub- surface drain installation and slope height and inclination limitations. These limitations may not only apply in areas of landslides, but probably on some of the advacent slopes. 5 •. _Excavation Characteristi~s -Based on the recorinais~ance and experience w1th s1m1 lar geolog1c units in nearby areas, 1t appears that·the sedimentary rock units on the property may be excavated with conventional excavating equipment.: Ex- cavation within the granitic rock unit can generally be made to moderate depths without the need of blasting. Where outcrops or boulders of decomposition are encountered, blasting may be required prior to excavation. 6:· S~ismolog,Y_ There is a generally moderate potential for structural~ damage in alluvial soils. However, the La Jolla Group soils and the alluvial soils on the subject property have only a minor potential for damage from liquification, lurch cracking, lateral spreading, and landslides. -7. Jlood Control A narrow strip of the Valle Verde Property is wi·thin the limits of a 100-year flood. This area is located within the central valley adjacent .to the intermitten stream bed. The quantity of flow estimated for a 100-year flood in this area is 1000 cubic feet per second. • As proposed in the Valle .Verde Masterpla-n, this area would be retained as open space. Development of homes will be restricted to higher elevations. -15- IV. ANY ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS WHICH CANNOT BE AVOIDED SHOULD THE PROPOSAL BE IMPLEMENTED Unavoidable adverse effects which wi.11 rest:1lt from develop- ment of the proposed project s i t e w i 11 be: -·· • 1. Decrease the amount of open space in San Diego County by approximately 430 acres. 2. Decrease the amount of cultivated land in San Diego County by 150 acres. 3~ Displace agricultural workers. 4. Reduce the amount of native flora and wildlife habitat by approximately 430 acres. 5. Increase exhaust emissions in the County of· San Diego by 0.002 percent. 6. Increase traffic congestion in the surrounding area. 7. Increase the level ·of noise in the area. 8. Increase the demand on schools, public utilities and municipal services. 9. Al.ter the natural landforms found within the boundaries of the project site. 10. Increase dust and erosion potential. 11. Decrease the quality of groundwater and storm runoff. 12. Extend· urbanized portion of the City to the eastern fringe of its sphere of influence. 13. Increase hazard and potential loss· of life should an airplane accident occuf on the site. -16- v. MITIGATION MEASURES PROPOSED TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT The following measures will be implemented in order to mitigate the adverse environmental i~pacts of the proposed development. 1. Open space will be retained by utilizing the 11 cluster 11 method of development in the northwestern and· central portions of the property. Also, the major east-west valley crossing the central portion of the ~ite will remain as natural open space to be used for park purposes. This area, as well as other numerous landscaped green- belt areas will provide corridors for wildlife passage through the property. 2. The dis~lacement_of agricultural workers will be partially mitigated through the employment generated in construction and industrial uses. 3. The reduction in native flora will be minimized by preserving the Coast Live Oaks and riparian vegetation located within the major east-west trending valley. Similarly, vegetative species found within Los Monos Canyon will be preserved. Grassland and chaparral vegetation removed by grading will be replaced by in- trod~ced trees, shrubs, and ground cover. 4. Increased traffic will be partially minimized by pro- viding recreational and commercial facilities within the proposed community. 5. The quality of acoustics within the proposed project could be significantly improved by utilizing insulated walls and other noise abatement measures. This will help mitigate impacts of both internal and external noise. 6. Grading operations w11~ be confined to building pads and roads in the areas proposed for residential development. In. the industrial area, development will _be limited to the meias to minimize the amount of grading. 7. • Mitigating measures proposed to minimize dust include the watering of excavation materials, installation of sprinklers, planting of vegetative cover, or other dust suppression measures deemed necessary. Drainage facilities will be designed in such a manner as to prevent erosion of cut and fill surfaces. Wherever necessary, energy dissipators will be included in the design in order to reduce the velocity of water flowing into existing canyons. 8. A zone change to PC and PM would partially mitigate the impa~ts associated with development of the site. These zon~s are holding zones used until a Master Development P 1 a n, S p e ci f i c P 1 a n , a n d Te n ta t i -v e Ma p h a v e b e e n a p p r o v e d . It is at the Master Plan and Specific Plan stages that developmental criteri~ is determined. Therefore, a zone change would only represent an intention by the City of Carlsbad to consider a more specific proposal at a -17- later time. 9. Reductions in water quality can be partially mitigated by planting the area with trees and shrubs native to the coastal region of San Diego County. Since these trees are adapted to survive during the dry summer months, only small amounts of domestic irrigation water ·need be applied. A reduction i~ the use of mineralized irrigation water will reduce the rate of water quality deterioration. 10. Geologic studies should be made to mitigate grading/ seismic impacts. These should include: a. A detailed erosion control study -(drainage control, landscaping, er~sion rates, siltation control). b. Routine Engineering/ Geologic Study c. Routine slope stability study d. Routine Seismic Hazard study (potential primary and secondary effects). e. Routine soil and foundation study (groundwater, drainage, expansiveness, soil strength, etc.) f. Geophysical (hard rock excavation.) 11. The impacts on public services can be mitigated by establish- ment of a reasonable time schedule for phased construction of the project which is in step with service expansions and area wide development trends. 12. The industrial sector should be planned to avoid concentrations of persons in single areas. -20- Residential Sector The proposed Planned Community Sector will consist of some 1500 housing units. There is not presently a deficiency of single family units within this uppermiddle income price range. In fact statistics indicate that a large portion of housing starts from 1970-1973 will be serving this market. Marketing projects for single family units in thi~ range are based on the assumption that people can be· induced to move into the Carlsbad area. The Carlsbad Unified School District estimates that some 650-700 school age children will be generated by the project. An additional $000-3500 adult popu- lation could be -expected a$ :a result of the project. Non-School aged children should range from 30Q to 500. Thus a potential population generat1on of approximately 4,500 could be expected. IX. BOUNDARIES OF THE AREA WHICH MAY BE SIGNIFICANTLY EFFECTED BY THE PROPOSED ACTIVITY: The effects of changes in the land form, disruption to natural habitats, and impacts associated with construction phases will generally be confined to the project site. Population impacts and impact on services and public utilities will generally be confined to the district bound- aries of those agencies providing services to the project_. The effects of additional runoff and decreased groundwater quality will generally be confined to the immediat~ project area, but may marginally impact the Agua Hedionda Lagoon, which will receive additional run off. The effect of the project on air quality will be shared by the entire North County Air Basin. Traffjc and circulation impacts will be generally localized. Xw AGENCIES CONSULTED: Copies of this report have been sent to the following • agencies for review: U. S. Agricultural Department Loca1 Agency Formatio'-n Commission County Parks & Recreation Department State Division of Highways County Parks and Recreation Department -District 6 San Diego Regional Water ·Quality Control Board Comprehensive Planning Organization State Department of Fish & Game Department of Public· Health San Diego County Air Pollution Control District I San Diego County Sanitation & Flood Control . ! e -21-• XI. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL SHORT TERM USES OF MAN'S ENVIRON- MENT AND ENHANCEMENT OF LONG TERM PRODUCTIVITY The short term effects of the project will be those associated with the conversion of the property from open and agricultural land to a planned industrial and planned residential development. The short term effects of the project include the elimination and displacement of native vegetation and wildlife, the depletion of natural resources, the elimination of agricultural land,-and the noise and dust associated with construction. The long term effects will include an increased demand on public services, stimulation of population growth, irrever- sible loss of agriculturally suitable soils, degradation of air quality, consumption of natural resources, and the increased possibility of damage and loss of life associated with an airplane accident. The relationship of the long and short term effects depends, to a large degree, on the intensity and rapidity with which these changes take place. Should the conversion occur with- in the next few years, the impacts on public services, growth inducement and Drderly development of the city are likely to be severe. A more gradual conversion will lessen these effects. XII. This ?raft E.I.R. has been prepared by the City of Carlsbad Plan~1ng Department, utilizing information supplied by t~e applicant's c?nsultant, Rick [ngineering Company, and comments received from those reviewing agencies have been attached. • Mr.· Don Agatep January 23, 1974 Page 2 ·• The environmental consequences of the project appear to be in conflict with the following interim regional goals and objectives of the local governments which comprise CPO. • 'Encourage growth within the present limits of urbanization rather than extending the urban area to encourage more efficient utilization of existing schools, sewer lines, and other public and private facilities. 11 'Discourage extension of urbanized areas until all public services and facilities have been planned, programmed and financed. 11 Another important environmental effect of the project would be to eliminate the 275 acres of cultivated to1natoes and plowed agricultural land that now exist on the pro- perty. This can significantly reduce the economic viability of neighboring tomato crops by introducing conflicting urban uses, raising the expectations of surrounding landowners about the value of their property, and possibly increasing local property taxes. These three factors, ,taken together, will most likely result in the loss of agricultural production in the area as urban development continues to take its place. Again from an agricultural resource standpoint, the following CPO Goals and Objectives are not compatible: 'Preserve as open space lands the agricultural c:r:-op lands of the region, 11 and 'to give equal protection to these lands regardless of their size or proximity to urban areas. 11 'Encourage the preservation of agricultural land and recreational uses between communities through land use regulations and tax policieso· 11 Intensity of Development The draft EIR points out that the project area contains significant natural areas consisting of a waterway, -associated riparian habitat including oak trees and a man- made pond. Natural limitations on development mentioned are the flood area of Agua Hedondia Creek and the steep slopes and unstable soils conditions occurring on a major portion of the property. The draft EIR does not demonstrate that the planned development of l, 500 housing units, related commercial and recreational areas, 155 acres of light industrial uses and alteration to natural land forms in- cluding excavatim!. of 3 million cubic feet of material adequately considers the nai-u.ral values and limitations to development inherent in the site. Mr .. Don Agatep January 23, 197•1 Page 3 The CPO Board has adopted the following interim regional goals and objectives related to the conditions mentioned above. 'Integrate urban growth with the natural environment, ra_ther than superimposing development upon it. 11 "Preserve open space land needed to protect public health, safety, and welfare, including: beaches, cliffs, lagoons, wooded areas, desert vistas, vistas, areas of significant wildlife or vegetation. 11 The development of the property at the intensity proposed will significantly alter natural landforms rather than be integrated with them and may result in the degra- dation of the proposed undeveloped riparian areas through increased erosion and changes in hydrology. Public safety on the sloped areas can only be achieved at high cost and degradation of the environment under the proposed intensity of use. For these reasons the project appears to conflict with regional goals and objectives. Reductions in the intensity of use guided by these goals could mitigate the problems of integrating natu3?al and manmade environments. Relationship to Palomar Airport The entire project area is within the interim influence area for Palomar Airport adopted by the Airport Land Use Commission in 1972. The property is directly east of the normal visual landing pattern, while the southern 1/3 lies directly • under the new instrument landing pattern. It can be anticipated that parts of the property will be subjected to noise hazard. The extent of this hazard and its impact in terms of appropriate land uses has not been determined at this time. The problem is being studied by CPO staff, a consultant and an advisory committee. The initial report detailing airport expansion, noise impacts and suggested land use measures to mitigate these impacts will be available in mid-February, 1974. It is suggested that this information be considered as part of the final EIR in taking action on this project. CPO will make this report available as soon as it is com- pleted. CPO staff appreciates the opportunity to comment on this and other regionally significant projects. ¥le trust that the above comments will be useful in evaluating the Valle Verde draft Environmental Impact Report. Sincerely, ~~ ARTHUR LETTER Intergovernmental Relations Coordinator AL:gi ·• By Telephone from Dept. of Fish & Game -Bruce Elias January 3, 1973 L. Estel Re: Specific Plan No. 155 Pacesetter Homes No Specific Comments on project -Advises that no answer by required date does not mean they endorse project. Re: Master Plan No. 15Z Loker Development Possible alteration to be made to waterway, course, etc. indicated on map by roadway would be in violation of Fish & Game Code Section 1602 -Would suggest that sponsor contact the Fish and Game office in this regard.