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ERC Presentations 4-16-20The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino The Westport Mixed-Use Project Environmental Review Committee City of Cupertino Thursday, April 16, 2020 The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino PROJECT CONTACTS •City of Cupertino –Gian Martire, Senior Planner •KT Urban/Kimley-Horn/C2K –Mark Tersini •Environmental Consultant –Terri McCracken, Associate Principal –Brian Jackson, Senior Associate, Hexagon Transportation The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino PROJECT SITE •21267 Stevens Creek Boulevard •8.1-acre site •Priority Housing Element Site The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino PROJECT OVERVIEW •Residential Buildings –3 rowhouse buildings (19 units) –13 townhome buildings (69 units) •Residential-Retail Building 1 –17,600 square feet retail –115 market rate units •Residential-Retail Building 2 –2,400 square feet retail –39 senior housing units •Population and Employment –695 new residents –45 new employees The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino PROPOSED SITE PLAN Townhomes Res-Retail 1Res-Retail 2 The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino PROJECT OVERVIEW •Open Space –60 to 375 square feet for residential units –37,601 square feet of common open space –2,400 square feet of common retail open space •Landscaping –85,278 square feet of landscaping –400 additional trees –10,565 square feet of bioretention areas The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino REQUIRED PERMITS AND APPROVALS •Certification of the EIR •Development Permit •Architectural and Site Approval Permit •Tree Removal Permit •Use Permit •Tentative Map •Heart of the City Exception The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino INITIAL STUDY: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ANALYZED •Air Quality •Biological Resources •Cultural Resources •Geology and Soils •Greenhouse Gas Emissions •Hazardous Materials •Noise •Transportation •Tribal Cultural Resources •Utilities and Service Systems The Initial Study listed below the environmental factors that could be affected by the proposed project, involving at least one impact that is a Potentially Significant Impact: The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino INITIAL STUDY & THE ERC Evaluate the Initial Study to confirm that the project may have a significant effect on the environment, requiring preparation of the EIR The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ANALYZED •Air Quality •Biological Resources •Cultural Resources •Geology and Soils •Greenhouse Gas Emissions •Hazardous Materials •Noise •Transportation •Tribal Cultural Resources •Utilities and Service Systems Based on the analysis in the Initial Study and comments received during the scoping process, the following topics were evaluated in the Draft EIR: The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino CEQA & EIR •An informational document –Discloses information about the effects a proposed project could have on the environment –Identifies mitigation measures –Describes feasible alternatives to the proposed project –Must be certified prior to project approval The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino CEQA & EIR •An EIR does not approve or deny a project –Decision makers can deny/modify a project, even if no impacts are found –Where significant environmental impacts are identified in EIR, mitigation measures must be considered as part of project action to avoid or reduce impacts The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino = Current phase = Opportunities for public input THE EIR PROCESS This chart shows the opportunities for public input during the EIR process. July 18, 2019 November 6 –December 20, 2019 July 11, 2019 The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS •Air Quality •Would not conflict with the regional air quality plan •Would not expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations •Cultural •Would not disturb any human remains, including those interred outside of formal cemeteries •Greenhouse Gas Emissions •Would not directly or indirectly generate GHG emissions that may have a significant impact on the environment •Would not conflict with an applicable plan, policy, or regulation of an agency adopted for the purpose of reducing the emissions of GHGs The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS •Hazardous Materials •Would not create a significant hazard through the routine transport, use or disposal of hazardous materials during construction •Would not emit hazardous emissions or handle hazardous materials, substances or waste within 0.25 miles of an existing or proposed school •Noise •Would not generate excessive groundborne noise levels •Transportation •Would not conflict with a program plan, ordinance or policy addressing the circulation system •Would not conflict or be inconsistent with CEQA Guidelines for transportation impacts (i.e., vehicle miles traveled or VMT) The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS WITH MITIGATION •Air Quality (construction) •Biological Resources (nesting birds, tree removal) •Cultural & Tribal Cultural Resources (unknown resources) •Geology and Soils (unknown paleontological resources) •Noise (construction) •Tribal Cultural Resources (unknown resources) •Utilities and Service Systems (wastewater) The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED PROJECT •No Project Alternative: No changes •No Retail development Alternative: Eliminate retail component of the proposed project •Reduced Retail Development Alternative: 50 percent reduction in retail (10,000 square feet of retail) •Senior Housing Development Alternative: Reduction of retail and conversion of high density housing to senior housing (Total Units 294) The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino ENVIRONMENTALLY SUPERIOR ALTERNATIVE •When compared to the proposed project, the Reduced Retail Development Alternative would have less impacts in the following categories: –cultural resources, –geology and soils, and –utilities and service systems. •All other environmental impacts would be similar to those of the proposed project. The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino RECOMMENDED ACTION •Conduct the public meeting and receive public comment. •Determine that the project may have a significant impact on the environment requiring preparation of an EIR for City Council to consider approving. The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino NEXT STEPS (TENTATIVE TIMELINE) •Planning Commission: May 12, 2020 •City Council: June 2, 2020 The Westport Mixed-Use Project EIR City of Cupertino REGNART CREEK TRAIL PROJECT Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration City of Cupertino Environmental Review Committee April 16, 2020 Demetri Loukas Principal Project Manager Purpose of the Meeting •Conduct a public hearing •Make a recommendation to the City Council regarding adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration for Regnart Creek Trail Topics •Project overview •Summary of process •Summary of potential impacts •Issues raised during public review •Next steps •Recommended Action Project Overview Project Description: •A 0.8-mile shared-use trail extending from Torre Avenue to East Estates Drive in the City of Cupertino, providing a connection from the Cupertino Civic Center complex to the west with Wilson and Creekside Parks to the east. •Trail would be 10 feet wide and surfaced with decomposed granite. For most of its reach, the trail would be constructed on the existing Valley Water maintenance road along Regnart Creek. •Project would relocate the existing concrete Valley Water maintenance ramp located along the proposed trail alignment to the north side of the creek. •Project includes ancillary trail components and features along the trail alignment at specific locations, including curb and gutter improvements, fence replacements, chain link gates at trail access points, removable railings, chain link fencing, and a pedestrian bridge at Wilson Park. •Project includes pedestrian and bicycle improvements on the surrounding roadways to provide better access to and from the proposed trail. Project Map Project Map Initial Study/MND Process Project Kickoff Complete technical analyses (biological resources, cultural resources, noise) Prepare “Administrative Draft” IS/MND and revise Circulate IS/MND to public Comments received from public and agencies Prepare Responses to Comments/Final IS/MND Final IS/MND posted ERC Meeting City Council considers adoption of IS/MND Primary Project Environmental Issues Identified in the IS/MND Biological Resources •Potential impacts to special status wildlife species - western pond turtle and dusky-footed woodrat •Potential impacts to riparian ruderal grassland habitat •Potential construction-related impacts to nesting birds during nesting season (February –August) Primary Project Environmental Issues Identified in the IS/MND Cultural Resources •Potential impacts to archaeological impacts (if present on site) Hazards and Hazardous Materials •Construction of the project could disturb pesticides and chemicals from historical agricultural operations on the site (if present on site). This could result in the exposure of workers and the environment to such hazardous materials. Primary Project Environmental Issues Identified in the IS/MND Noise •Construction of the project could generate vibration levels in exceedance of thresholds at nearby sensitive uses. Mitigation Measures •Potentially significant impacts identified in the Initial Study •Mitigation and/or avoidance measures provided for each potentially significant impact •Measures provided for -Biological resources -Cultural resources -Hazards and hazardous materials -Noise Issues Raised During Public Review Period •Crosswalk location/pedestrian and bicycle safety •Preservation of duck habitat •Noise generated by trail usage/location of noise measurements taken •Noise from use of motorized scooters or other emerging personal transport •Residents’ desire for a sound wall •Biological impacts from project construction and operation •Review period discrepancy between MND and City webpage Issues Raised During Public Review Period •Loss of riparian habitat in ramp area •Substitute meadow barley for another species (non-foxtail) in seed mix •Timing of nesting surveys •Removal of nesting substrate •Status of archaeological mechanical testing •Mitigation to protect residents from noise and dust Next Steps •City Council Hearing on Adoption of MND (date TBD; tentatively May 19, 2020) Recommended Action Conduct the public hearing and: •Recommend that the City Council adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration •Tentative City Council hearing: May 19, 2020 REGNART CREEK TRAIL PROJECT Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration City of Cupertino Environmental Review Committee April 16, 2020 END SLIDE •Figure 4.4-1 BIOTIC HABITATS •Figure 4.4-1 RAMP RELOCATION IMPACTS Responses to Comments Responses to Comments Responses to Comments Responses to Comments Responses to Comments Responses to Comments Responses to Comments Responses to Comments Responses to Comments Responses to Comments Responses to Comments Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Measures Mitigation Measures Mitigation Measures Mitigation Measures Mitigation Measures Mitigation Measures