Laserfiche WebLink
File Number: 16-455 <br />five government agencies: Caltrans, East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), East Bay <br />Regional Park District (EBRPD), Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda <br />CTC), and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC). In addition, <br />comments were received from three individuals (Christine Gordon, Kathy Wolff, Virginia <br />Madsen), and Planning Commissioner Ed Hernandez. The staff/consultant team subsequently <br />prepared a Final EIR with written responses to public comments on the Draft EIR, as required <br />by CEQA. The Draft EIR is a separately bound document and is Exhibit A to the City Council <br />Resolution certifying the EIR and the Final EIR is Exhibit B to the 2035 General Plan <br />Resolution (see “Attachments” section below). The Draft and Final EIRs may be found on the <br />project website at http://www.sanleandro2035.org/documents/. Copies may also be reviewed <br />at the San Leandro Main Library (located at 300 Estudillo Avenue) and the City’s Community <br />Development Department in City Hall at 835 E. 14th Street during normal business hours. <br />Staff notes that the City received many public comments during the public review period, but <br />most of them were not on the Draft EIR or its analysis and conclusions. Instead, most of the <br />comments were on the proposed zoning changes, particularly in the Bancroft/Estudillo area. <br />CEQA does not require responses to comments on the merits of the project itself. However, <br />since many non-CEQA comments were received, the FEIR identified them and included the <br />comments in an appendix to acknowledge that they were received and forwarded to the <br />Planning Commission and City Council. <br />August 25, 2016 Hearing on EIR <br />The Planning Commission considered whether to recommend certification of the FEIR on <br />August 25, 2016. One member of the public testified, inquiring about the EIR’s conclusions <br />related to the long-term availability of water. Prior to taking action on the EIR Resolution, the <br />Commissioners discussed the document’s conclusions about school impacts and mitigation <br />fees, the need for downtown parks, traffic congestion and level of service at key intersections, <br />and the available capacity at the Water Pollution Control Plant. The Commissioners also <br />discussed state mandates to plan for housing, and the effects of the Regional Housing Needs <br />Allocation (RHNA) on the City’s policies and map changes. No changes to the EIR <br />documents were requested. At the conclusion of the discussion, the Planning Commission <br />unanimously recommended that the City Council certify the 2035 San Leandro General Plan <br />EIR. <br />Certification of the EIR <br />Under CEQA, the City Council would “approve” the EIR by certifying to its adequacy. CEQA <br />further requires that the City Council consider the potential environmental effects of the <br />General Plan update project before taking action on the project. Therefore, the first Council <br />action must be to consider certifying the EIR by resolution (which is Attachment 1 to this staff <br />report, see “Attachments” section below). CEQA also requires various findings in conjunction <br />with a project approval; the findings are set forth in Exhibits C-F of the City Council Resolution <br />Page 8 City of San Leandro Printed on 9/13/2016