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SAN LEANDRO GENERAL PLAN UPDATE FINAL EIR <br />CITY OF SAN LEANDRO <br />COMMENTS AND RESPONSES <br />PLACEWORKS 5-3 <br />TABLE 5-1 COMMENTS AND RESPONSE MATRIX <br />Comment # Date Comment Response <br />A. Agencies and Service Providers <br />A01 6/23/2016 Sandra Hamlat, Senior Planner, East Bay Regional Park District <br />A01-01 Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Draft General Plan Update and <br />associated Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The East Bay Regional Park District owns <br />and manages over 120,000 acres of open space and active transportation trails in both <br />Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. The District is interested in how the Draft General <br />Plan Update and EIR might affect Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline, the East Bay Greenway, <br />and the San Francisco Bay Trail, especially as it relates to projected sea level rise in the <br />area. <br />This comment is an introductory remark and does not state a specific concern or <br />question regarding the sufficiency of the analysis contained in the Draft EIR, nor <br />does the comment raise a new environmental issue. No further response is <br />required. However, the City notes that the San Leandro 2035 General Plan is <br />consistent with the East Bay Regional Park Distric’ts (EBRPD) Oyster Bay Land Use <br />Plan and San Francisco Bay Trail plan, and promotes coordination with EBRPD. For <br />example, proposed Plan Policy OSC-3.1 is to “Maintain Oyster Bay Regional <br />Shoreline Park as permanent open space. Support EBRPD efforts to develop <br />recreational facilities, such as picnic areas, off-leash dog areas, interpretive trails <br />and plaques, and children’s play areas, at Oyster Bay. “ Proposed Plan Policy OSC- <br />3.3 supports the development and improvement of regional trails, including the Bay <br />Trail. In addition, as the East Bay Greenway is inland, sea level rise is not considered <br />to be an issue of concern. <br />A01-02 An initial review of the Draft 2035 General Plan Map shows conversion of open space, <br />sections of a golf course, to Medium Density Residential. As stewards of open space in <br />the region, we would prefer to see more infill development rather than conversion of <br />open space to residential land uses. The suitability of the golf course for residential land <br />uses should also be studied, especially in terms of hydrology. <br />The comment addresses the merits of the proposed project. Please see Master <br />Response 1. The Shoreline project area land use designations are existing, not <br />proposed. The project was analyzed in a separate certified EIR in 2015. <br />A01-03 We would also suggest that the planning considerations for sea level rise be included in <br />the Conservation and Sustainability section of the General Plan Update rather than as a <br />memorandum in the appendices. This discussion should include the more recent sea <br />level rise projections that San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission <br />(BCDC) staff provided in their Notice of Preparation comment letter. BCDC staff should <br />also be able to provide you with a more recent sea level rise map that is based on the <br />best available science than the one that was included in the appendices. <br />As stated on page 4-4 of the Draft EIR, "the City recognizes that sea level rise is a <br />local issue of concern. The effects of sea level rise on the proposed project are not <br />subject to CEQA review following the CBIA and Ballona cases. [However, f]or <br />informational purposes, Appendix D of this Draft EIR provides information on sea <br />level rise that may be used for planning purposes." As described on page 2 of the <br />memorandum contained in Appendix D, several projections have been developed in <br />an effort to predict and plan for future sea level rise scenarios. Appendix D shows a <br />55-inch scenario because this is the projection the San Francisco Bay Conservation <br />and Development Commission (BCDC) uses when assessing long-term impacts. <br />While Appendix D of the Draft EIR uses the 55-inch scenario, the City acknowledges <br />that other projections exist that may be used for planning purposes. No revision to <br />the Draft EIR is necessary. Please note that sea level rise is addressed in the <br />proposed San Leandro 2035 General Plan in the Environmental Hazards Element. In <br />addition, the City will continue to consult and coordinate with BCDC on any <br />proposed development near the shoreline. <br />A01-04 In terms of the Draft EIR, we are particularly interested in potential impacts to Public <br />Services and Recreation in addition to public access and green infrastructure that <br />protects the shoreline from sea level rise. As mentioned above, we have concerns <br />regarding the 187-acre public golf course that includes open space and recreational <br />facilities. Conversion of IO acres of this open space would result in physically altered <br />The General Plan proposes no change to the existing land use designation. The <br />conversion that the commenter references was approved as part of the Shoreline <br />Development Project, which was the subject of an EIR certified in July 2015 (SCH <br />#2013072011). The change is not proposed as part of the San Leandro 2035 General <br />Plan.