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Home My WebLink About1981-11-17; City Council; 6810; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT 80-07 - RANCHO CARRILLOC w > 0 a: 0.. a. ct.: z 0 i== 0 c( ..J 0 z ::::, 0 0 c1i-JF CARLSBAD -AGENol -'ILL f5(jJ) AB# lof>/ 0 11/17 /8] MTG.~--- TITLE: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT 80-7 RANCHO CARRILLO DEPT.H~ CITY ATTY \)ff> . DEPT._PL __ _ RECOMMENDED ACTION: The Planning staff and Planning Commission recommend that the City Council certify EIR 80-7 by minute motion. ITEM EXPLANATION EIR 80-7 addresses the impacts of the proposed Rancho Carrillo Master Plan and General Plan amendments. The EIR covers•approxi- mately 758 acres of Carrillo Ranch, located at the extreme east of the city, bounded on the north by Carlsbad Raceway and on the south by La Costa. EIR 80-7 is comprised of two major components. The draft EIR identified major significant impacts of the proposed project and resulted in a major redesign of the. original proposal. The "Re- sponse to Comments" portion of the EIR analyzes the impacts of the revised project and modifies the original mitigation mea- sures. Major impacts identified in the revised "Response to Comments" include traffic concerns: massive grading of the site (approxi- mately 10 million cubic yards .each of cut and fill) resulting in major land form alteration: the proposed development of areas of known geologic instability and landslides: the potential impact on existing streambeds and riparian habitat: and, noise impacts from future roadways, Palomar Airport and Carlsbad Raceway. All of these impacts will be modified to an insignificant or partial- ly mitigated level. The Council's responsibility in certifying an environmental im- pact report is to determine that impacts are adequately identi- fied and discussed and that the EIR was prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act. For more detailed analysis, please refer to the attached staff report to the Plan- ning Comrni~sion. FISCAL IMPACTS None. The EIR consultant, Larry Seeman and Associates, was re- tained by the city with funds provided by the project appli- cants. EXHIBITS A. Planning Commission Staff Report, dated October 28, 1981 B. EIR 80-7 (previously distributed) I DATE: TO: FROM: ( exhibit A. STAFF · REPORT October 28, 1981 Planning Commission P~anning Department SUBJECT: EIR 80-7, RANCHO CARRILLO BAC:-<GROUND ( This Environmental Impact Report covers approximately 758 acres located 5.5 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. -The site is bounded on the north by the Carlsbad Raceway, on the east by the city of San Marcos, on the south by La Costa and on the west by unincorporated San Diego County. A location map is attached. EIR 80-7 was required at the time the applicants requested a re- vision in the original Rancho Carrillo Master Plan which was ·ap- proved in 1972. An application for a <;;eneral Plan Amendment-was also submitted. This EIR covers both actions. The draft EIR was completed and circulated for public review from April 3rd until May 15, 1981. The .report identified several significant impacts. Comments received on the draft EIR identified more significant impacts and concerns. In response to these impacts and concerns, the project applicants revised the General Plan Amendment and Master Plan. Therefore, the Response to Comments section details the environmental ef- fects of the project changes and answers the concerns received during the public review period. The d~aft EIR, or main body of ~he EIR, analyzes the project as originally designed. As was stated before, EIR 80-7 covers the environmental effects of the General Plan Amendment and the Master Plan revision. Be- cause of time constraints, the Master Plan will be heard separ- ately from the EIR and the General Plan Amendment. SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS The EIR identifies several areas of significant impact. The major environmental concerns are discussed below: TRAFFIC The draft EIR identified several significant environmental im- pacts resulting from the circulation in the original Master Plan. The applicant revised the Master Plan in response to these im- pacts. The revisions included a realignment of both Palomar Air- .port Road and Melrose and a change in land use designations at the northern boundary of the project. These revisions reduced ( ( total traffic generation by 13,200 daily trips and either reduced or eliminated othe::i;-significant. impacts. However, the intersec- tion of Palomar Airport Road and Melrose will still experience severe congestion. This is identified in the Response to Com- ments section as a partially mitigated but significant impact resulting from a regional problem. GRADING There were no significant changes in the identified environmental impacts as a result of the project redesign. Mass grading of the .site will still create slopes of significant cut and fill (30 feet higher or greater). It was estimated in the draft EIR that the·se cut and fill slopes will require 10 million cubic yards of cut. Such mass grading will significantly alter the existing landforms; most of the site will be leveled for building pads and roads. The EIR identifies this as a partially mitigated but sig- nificant impact. Also development is slated for areas of known instability and landslides. However, the EIR recommends that all potential slides areas be precisely delineated, analyze.a and appropriate stabilization measures .be implemented. Therefore, the environ- mental impact would be mitigated to an.insignificant level. BIOLOGY The proposed development will eliminate nearly all existing vege- tation. The riparian habitat will also be impacted by the alter- ation of the streambed. The Department of Fish and Game will have to approve the streambed alteration; since their expertise is in that area and their standards are more clearly defined and stringent. The EIR recommends therefore that the city .defer the mitig.ation to their permit process. NOISE The project will be subjected to noise .from four sources -future roadways, Palomar Airport, construction and Carlsbad Raceway. The noise levels from the raceway and construction will be mini- mal. The noise levels from the future roadways will. impact only a few areas; the areas can be protected through adequate noise attenuation barriers. Further noise studies will be required at the ten ta.ti ve tract stage. Al though the noise from Palomar Air- port will not exceed acceptable levels and the project is not within the airport influence zone, future residents could per- ceive the airport noise as unacceptable. As a mitigation measure the EIR recommends that all prospective purchases of property within Rancho Carrillo be informed, in' writing, of airport opera- tions by the seller prior to the close of escrow. These measures will mitigate the impacts to an insignificant level. -2- 3 ,. ( ( SUMMARY An EIR is an informa_tional document which will inform the Plan- ning Commission, City Council and the general public of the envi- ronmental effects of this project. While the state and local environmental laws require that major consideration be given to -preventing environmental damage, it is recognized that public agencies _have obligations to balance other public objectives, including economic and social factors, in determining whether and how a project should be approved. EIR 80-7 is intended to help the Planning Commission and City Council detennine the merits of the General Plan Amendment and, at a later date, the Master Plan. 'Mare specific environmental information will be prepared as individual subdivisions are deve- loped. Staff feels that EIR 80-7 has been prepared in accordance with the city's Environmental Protection Ordinance and adequately identifies and recommends mitiga~ion of potential impacts on the environment. RECOMMENDATI Q~l It is recommended that the Planning Commission APPROVE Resolution No. 1871, recommending to Council that they certify EIR 80-7. ATTACHMENTS JC:w1 -3- I