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Community Development Agency, Transportation Division, recommending the Board take the following actions related to the Silver Springs Parkway to Bass Lake Road (South Segment) Project, CIP 76108:
1) Receive a presentation containing an overview of the Project and the Subsequent Environmental Impact Report;
2) Certify the Final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act;
3) Adopt the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan;
4) Adopt the Findings of Fact;
5) Approve the Project as described in the Final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report; and
6) Authorize Transportation Division staff to proceed with final design, rights-of-way acquisition, permitting, and other activities for Project construction. (Est. Time: 20 Min.)
FUNDING: Project is funded by Developer Advance Traffic Impact Mitigation Funds (45%), Developer Funds (39%), Traffic Impact Mitigation Fees (15%), and Road Fund (1%). (No Federal Funds)
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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Community Development Agency (CDA), Transportation Division (Transportation), recommending the Board take the following actions related to the Silver Springs Parkway to Bass Lake Road (South Segment), Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Project 76108 (Project):
1) Receive a presentation containing an overview of the Project and the Subsequent Environmental Impact Report;
2) Certify the Final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (FSEIR) pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA);
3) Adopt the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan (MMRP);
4) Adopt the Findings of Fact;
5) Approve the Project as described in the FSEIR; and
6) Authorize Transportation staff to proceed with final design, rights-of-way acquisition, permitting, and other activities for Project construction.
The recommended Board actions are based on the attached CEQA Findings of Fact (Attachment D) and findings by Transportation (acting on behalf of the County, the CEQA lead agency for this Project), including the following:
1) The FSEIR, which incorporates the 2015 Draft Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (DSEIR), was prepared pursuant to Public Resources Code §21000 et seq., and CEQA Guidelines.
2) There is substantial evidence that the Project, as mitigated through mitigation measures identified in the FSEIR and the MMRP, will not have a significant effect on the environment.
3) The FSEIR reflects the lead agency's independent judgment and analysis.
4) The Project is consistent with the El Dorado County General Plan and the County CIP.
5) The FSEIR is on file with the Clerk of the Board and is also available at the CDA Transportation offices located at 2850 Fairlane Court, Placerville, California, and on the CDA Transportation website, http://www.edcgov.us/DOT/CEQA.aspx.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
In 1986, a study was conducted to determine the future alignment, design, and improvements necessary to upgrade Bass Lake Road. In December 1986 and again in August 1987, the Board held hearings to review the alignment study and to receive testimony regarding the alternatives. The Board adopted the alignment and approved a Negative Declaration for the realignment of Bass Lake Road on September 22, 1987. In 1988, Benson and Sedar, a home building and development firm, submitted a tentative subdivision map for the Bass Lake Subdivision, located south of Green Valley Road. The County denied the Benson and Sedar subdivision project. However, County staff concluded that the proposed alignment of Bass Lake Road shown on the Benson and Sedar tentative map was superior to the proposed alignment adopted by the Board in 1987. In order to adopt this revised alignment, the County prepared the 1992 Bass Lake Road Realignment Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and certified the Final EIR (FEIR) on April 6, 1993. In 2001, the County prepared an addendum to that 1993 EIR addressing changes to CEQA law and the impact of those changes to the mitigation requirements established in the 1993 FEIR. The northern segment of Silver Springs Parkway was constructed in 2014 as a component of the Silver Springs development on-site improvements.
Due to additional discretionary approvals required for right-of-way acquisition and other considerations, the County decided to conduct additional environmental review and to prepare a Subsequent EIR (SEIR), as opposed to a Supplemental EIR, pursuant to Section 15162 of the CEQA Guidelines. A SEIR is utilized when substantial changes in circumstance or severity of impacts under which a project is undertaken which will require major revisions to the previous EIR. In this case, it’s been over 20 years since Bass Lake Road Realignment FEIR was approved (1993); a new General Plan was approved in 2004; and comprehensive updates of analysis and mitigation requirements have occurred with respect to environmental documentation. In contrast, a “Supplemental EIR” would be prepared if changes were minor in nature.
The FSEIR, which incorporates the attached DSEIR, includes updated and additional analysis to provide complete and comprehensive documentation of the Project’s environmental impacts and other information required for CEQA compliance. Board certification of the FSEIR will allow Transportation to move forward with project delivery and construction of the southern segment of Silver Springs Parkway and its intersection with Bass Lake Road.
The Project will provide the final 0.25-mile connection between the southern terminus of the 2014 Silver Springs Parkway project and Bass Lake Road. This will provide a superior alternative for motorists wishing to move between U.S, Highway 50 and Green Valley Road. Similar to the 2014 project, the subject Project will include installation of Class II bicycle lanes, concrete sidewalks on both sides, and a center median, as well as improvements to Bass Lake Road near the new Silver Springs Parkway/Bass Lake Road intersection. The Project will require acquisition of property for fee right-of-way and for easements. The Project is shown on Figure TC-1 of the General Plan. A more detailed description of the Project design, right-of-way requirements, and construction provisions is provided in Chapter 2 of the Draft SEIR.
Public Involvement: A Notice of Preparation requesting comments on the scope of the SEIR was filed with the State Clearinghouse and circulated to agencies and the public from April 23, 2014, to May 23, 2014. A public scoping meeting was held on May 13, 2014, at the El Dorado Hills Library. Scoping comments received were considered during preparation of and are included with the DSEIR.
The DSEIR was circulated for public and agency review and comment for a seventy-day (70-day) period (CEQA requires a minimum review period of forty-five [45] days). The review period began on November 30, 2015, and was originally noticed to end on January 18, 2016. Based on requests from community members for additional time to review, the County filed an amended Notice of Availability and extended the review period to February 8, 2016. The document was circulated to state agencies through the State Clearinghouse. Notices of Availability were mailed to over 1,150 area residents and to other governmental agencies. Notices of Availability ran in the Mountain Democrat on November 30 and December 23, 2015. The DSEIR was available for review at the El Dorado Hills Library, at Transportation's Placerville Office, and on Transportation's website.
A total of 12 comment letters (including electronic mail messages and State Clearinghouse transmittal letters) were received during the DSEIR circulation period. The agency comments were for the most part, standard pursuant to the results of state and federal resource agency requirements. Many comments of support from the public were received. Some residents had suggestions regarding minor changes to the design, others had questions about noise impacts.
The text of all comments received on the DSEIR is included in Chapter 2 of the FSEIR. The County’s responses to the individual comments/issues contained within each comment letter are also provided in Chapter 2. The comment letters as submitted are included in Appendix B, “DSEIR Comment Letters,” of the FSEIR.
ALTERNATIVES
1) The Board could choose to not certify the FSEIR. Transportation would make changes as directed by the Board and return for Board certification at a later date. This would delay delivery of the Project.
2) The Board could cancel the Project. This alternative would not be aligned with the agreements executed by the County and the Silver Springs developer, The Cambay Group, Inc.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel has reviewed and approved these documents.
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
No additional funding is being requested. Funding for the Project is budgeted in the Interim 2016 CIP, which was adopted by the Board on June 7, 2016 (Item 39).
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Infrastructure
CONTACT
John Kahling, Deputy Director Engineering
Community Development Agency, Transportation Division