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City of San Leandro Housing Element Update (2015-2023) Project Initial Studv and Environmental Checklist hazardous areas are subject to geotechnical studies, with specific measures taken to reduce potential hazards. Consequently, overall, associated seismic hazards impacts would be less than significant. b) Would the project result in substantial soil erosion or the loss of topsoil? Adoption of the Housing Element alone would not result in the development of residential units; therefore, the Housing Element itself would not result in ground -disturbing activities and would have no potential to adversely affect soil erosion. Implementation of the Housing Element would not directly impact topsoil be- cause it does not propose specific development, but identifies available sites already zoned for residential use. Although potential future residential development activities could change surface conditions as the result of moving and grading topsoil that could lead to disturbed soils that are more likely to suffer from erosion, General Plan goals, policies, and actions included in the Environmental Hazards Element would minimize such impacts. Specifically, Policy 29.01 recommends that the City's engineering and building standards min- imize the potential for natural hazards, including shrink swell and erosion hazards. Further, all future projects that may be built to implement the proposed Project would be subject to Municipal Code Part IV Article 19 (Landscape Requirements) and California Building Code (CBC) requirements which ensure that projects are developed in a manner that minimizes construction related erosion. Compliance with CBC and Municipal Code requirements, along with the goals, policies and actions pertaining to soils, would ensure impacts are less than significant. Also see Sections IX.a and IX.c below. c) Mould the project be located on a geologic unit or soil that is unstable, or that would become unstable as a result of the pro- ject, and potentially result in on- or off-site landslide, lateral spreading, subsidence, liquefaction or collapse? Most of the Housing Element Sites are within an area with a moderate rating of liquefaction susceptibility and nine of the Housing Element sites are within a liquefaction susceptibility area with a very low rating. Howev- er, given the Housing Element itself would not result in the physical development of residential units, there would be no impact associated on a geologic unit or soil that is unstable or becomes unstable as a result of the proposed Project. Rather, the Housing Element identifies available sites previously zoned for residential uses concentrated on highly urbanized sites, where development would result in limited soil erosion or loss of topsoil. Further, future development that could occur under the Housing Element would be required to comply with General Plan goals, polices, and actions in the Environmental Hazards Element, including pro- tective measures which would prevent and/or minimize development in areas of natural hazards and ensure that development in geologically hazardous areas does not contribute to higher hazard levels on adjacent or nearby properties. All projects that may be constructed to implement the proposed Project would be subject to City engineering, CBC building code requirements which would minimize the potential impacts of expan- sive soil. Therefore, a less than significant impact regarding the potential for landslides, lateral spreading, subsid- ence, liquefaction, or collapse would occur. d) Would the project be located on expansive soil, as defined in Section 1803.5.3 of the California Building Code, creating substantial risks to life orproperty? See Section VI.a through VI.c above. e) Would the project have soils incapable of adequately supporting the use of septic tanks or alternative wastewater disposal systems where sewers are not available for the disposal of wastewater? Potential future development under the proposed Project would occur in the existing urbanized environment in areas where residential uses are currently allowed. Connection to the sewer system is available in these are- as; therefore, no impact regarding the capacity of the soil in the area to accommodate septic tanks or alternate wastewater disposal systems would occur. Riga 127