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EXPLANATION: a) The Housing Element and its related action programs would not directly result in development and would not significantly impact traffic in San Leandro. The quantity of development projected by the Element is less than the cumulative total evaluated by the TOD Strategy EIR and General Plan EIR. The proposed Housing Element includes actions to establish minimum density requirements in the RM zones and to increase allowable densities in the NA zones. This will not impact the City's traffic forecasts because the forecasts already presume high density multi-family development in these areas, consistent with the 2002 General Plan. Measures necessary to mitigate General Plan and TOD Area transportation impacts have already been prescribed in the General Plan and TOD Strategy EIRs and are currently being implemented and monitored. These measures include impact fees, transportation demand management programs, signal timing, and specific capital improvement projects based on growth projections. Future residential projects on sites in the TOD area, and on all of the sites identified in the Housing Element, are subject to additional environmental review. Each project will be reviewed for its individual and cumulative impacts on the street system, and site-specific mitigation measures will be prescribed as needed. b) Future residential development constructed pursuant to Housing Element policy could, either individually or cumulatively, result in traffic levels of service that exceed the standards adopted by the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency (ACCMA). However, such impacts have already been evaluated by the City in its General Plan EIR and TOD Strategy EIR, and have been further documented in project-level traffic studies. The San Leandro City Council has already accepted a significant unavoidable impact associated with General Plan buildout in the vicinity of the Downtown BART Station. The Housing Element would not amend land use designations or cause property to be rezoned in a manner that changes traffic forecasts or that causes projected traffic conditions to further deteriorate. Numerous mitigation measures have been prescribed and implemented by project-level traffic studies. Such measures will continue to be prescribed and implemented in the future, consistent with the General Plan. c) The Housing Element will have no impact on air traffic patterns or air traffic levels. None of the planned housing sites are near height-restricted areas. The densest construction in the City would be expected to consist of mid-rise (rather than high-rise) buildings and would not affect flight patterns. d) The Housing Element proposes no changes to the road network, and would not introduce vehicles or other uses that would create potential traffic safety hazards. Any future residential development would be subject to Site Plan Review to ensure that roads and other transportation features meet City engineering standards and avoid the creation of hazards. e) Adopting the Housing Element would have no impact on emergency access. Residential development would be on lands that are already designated and planned for urban development. Consistent with the General Plan, development plans would be reviewed by the Police and Fire Departments to ensure that emergency access provisions are adequate. f) Action 59.02-A of the proposed Housing Element recommends that changes to the parking standards be considered. The proposed changes would make the standards for the NA- district comparable to those in the SA- district, allow a greater percentage of the spaces in multi-family transit-oriented development to be uncovered, eliminate guest parking requirements for two- and three-unit buildings, and lower the parking requirements for studio apartments from 1.5 to 1.25 spaces per unit. The overall effect on parking capacity would be small, since these regulations would apply primarily to transit-served development where auto ownership rates are lower. The changes reflect "best practices" in parking standards, and would have a less than significant impact on parking capacity. Individual projects would still be subject to Site Plan Review, including assessments of parking needs and proposed parking provisions. g) The Housing Element would have no impacts on policies, plans, or programs supporting alternative transportation. Consistent with the General Plan and TOD Strategy, most of the housing capacity identified in the Element is located in areas near BART and along the East 14`i' Street bus corridor, areas that are conductive to the use of alternative travel modes. The Element reinforces adopted policies and plans to encourage transit use, bicycling, and walking. Individual future projects will require additional environmental review, and if needed specific provisions to support pedestrian, bicycle, and transit use would be prescribed at that time. h) The Housing Element is a policy document that reinforces the existing General Plan and TOD Strategy. Its adoption will not result in additional trip generation. Housing Element Initial Study and Negative Declaration 20 February 2010