Item 28.
87 Construction material delivery and soil export hauling vehicles would require limited travel on city streets due to the proximity of the site to the SR 86 off-ramps.
Additionally, the Project design would be submitted to the Coachella Police Department and Riverside County Fire Department (RCFD) for approval, prior the issuance of building permits.
The conceptual project design includes a new signalized project access at Airport Boulevard and a second right-turn in only access between the SR 86 southbound offramp and the signalized Project entrance, which would comply with fire and emergency access standards. As a result, development of the Project site would have a less than significant impact related to emergency response or evacuation activities.
IV. FINDINGS REGARDING IMPACTS DETERMINED TO BE LESS THAN
SIGNIFICANT
The Final EIR also determined, based upon substantial evidence in the record, the following impacts associated with the Project are less than significant and no mitigation is required. The City hereby adopts the findings, analysis, and conclusions regarding these potential impacts set forth in the Final EIR and incorporates the same herein by this reference.
AESTHETICS
Effects on a Scenic Vista
The Project will add about 50 new buildings, ranging in height from 24 to 50 feet, including varied rooflines and differing architectural features for different types of use; a 44-foot-high billboard adjacent to SR 86; and an IID substation facility with typical transformer banks and overhead power lines that are typically over eight (8) feet or greater in height. As shown by the site simulations, development of the site would therefore partially obscure existing distant views of the surrounding mountains to the east and west with new buildings and landscaping.
Finding:
The City Council finds that project’s impacts to scenic vistas will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The Project site is primarily flat with a gentle slope northeast to southwest. It is primarily surrounded by flat open agricultural fields to the east beyond SR 86, vacant and scattered residential, as well as light industrial development to the north, south and west. Current views into the site from SR 86 to the east and Airport Boulevard to the south, are primarily of open vacant land on site as well as very distant views of surrounding mountains; these mountain ranges are over two (2) miles to the east and more than nine (9) miles to the west of the site and these scenic vistas form a distant background to the site. Landscaping and vegetation associated with surrounding land uses, vehicular traffic on Grapefruit Boulevard and an active rail system to the west, highway signage and vehicular traffic along SR 86 to the east of the site, roadway and highway signage as well as existing light and utility poles, currently obstruct uninterrupted views of the already distant mountain ranges from the Project site. While the Project has the potential to
Item 28.
88 obstruct the current views of these distant scenic vistas, the siting of the Project buildings on the site would be varied in height, size and distance from each other such that already distant and interrupted views of the surrounding mountains would still be visible between and over the buildings. Even with the height of the proposed buildings on the Project site, the surrounding mountains at their greater heights would still be visible from the site and surrounding areas.
Existing views from the SR 86 offramp adjacent to the eastern boundary of the site and from Airport Boulevard, which forms the southern boundary of the site, would be less impacted due to the reduced density and intensity of buildings in the southernmost portion of the Project site. SR 111 is located approximately 1,800 feet to the west of the site; however, this roadway is beyond a slight rise to the west of the site and is neither visible from the Project site nor does it provide unobstructed views into the site.
The Project would also install an electronic billboard on site. The sign would be oriented directly towards the view path of vehicles traveling along SR 86; therefore, a significant operational impact may occur as a result of the introduction of new signage that is visible to the traveling public on currently vacant land. The proposed billboard is estimated to be at a height of 44 feet, which is an appropriate scale for signage in the Project area, in terms of avoiding blocking distant views of scenic resources. There are already multiple existing similar electronic billboards along SR 86 and I-10 within the Project vicinity and throughout the Coachella Valley, and development of the proposed billboard would be consistent in type and scale with other similar existing signage. The proposed billboard will be developed in accordance with all applicable Caltrans standards in the agency’s Highway Design Manual related to billboards along state highways, as well as the provisions of Coachella Municipal Code Chapter 17.56, Signs, relative to signage design.
In addition, the Project design and elevations would comply with General Plan Policies 2.6, 2.7 and 7.4 in the City’s Land Use + Community Character Element, and Policy 6.1 in the Sustainability + Natural Environment Element such that proposed Project architecture, building materials and landscaping would be required to be compatible with the area topography and views.
Compliance with applicable General Plan policies would ensure that proposed Project architecture style, design and height reduce the Project’s impacts on existing views of nearby scenic vistas to less than significant levels.
Effects to the Visual Character or Quality of the Site
The Project site is located in a non-urbanized area of the City, primarily surrounded by vacant land, agricultural uses, sparse multi-family residential and light industrial uses. SR 86 follows the eastern boundary of the site and the CVSC passes along the western portion of the site, with light poles and some industrial properties beyond; railroad tracks and SR 111 lie to the west of these industrial structures. Views into the site from surrounding roadways are of a vacant parcel with uneven surface soils and scattered low bush vegetation. The Project would add tall buildings and landscaping that have the potential to replace the existing view of undeveloped and open land.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s impacts to the visual character or quality of public views of the site and its surroundings will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Item 28.
89 Facts in Support of Finding:
The Project includes high quality and climate-appropriate architecture, building materials and landscaping, consistent with General Plan Policies 2.5 through 2.7 and 7.4. Moreover, the Project buildings have been architecturally designed to integrate the design styles that exist in the City and greater Coachella Valley region. All site development has integrated the City’s design and architectural guidelines including desert colors, variation in roof elevations, dimensional wall shapes and material types and textures. This would ensure that the Project provides the architectural diversity consistent with the City’s Policy 2.6 and with this general area of the City and Riverside County. Policy 7.4 would require the architectural design of the Project to be compatible with surrounding uses. The Project would include a “step back” design feature in that smaller and lower buildings would be located towards the south end of the property, with larger and taller buildings located to the north end of the site. Accordingly, development of the currently vacant site with the Project would not substantially degrade the existing visual character or quality of the site or surroundings.
Project design would be developed in accordance to General Plan Sustainability + Natural Environment Element Policy 1.6 in terms of the use of building materials more suitable to the arid environment of the Coachella Valley, as well as Policies 6.1 and 6.2 which would ensure diversity in building location so as not to entirely block views of the mountains in the distance, and by setting the Project billboard as far internal to the site’s eastern border as to be visible from SR 86 yet minimize view corridors. The billboard would not include any animation that could distract drivers along the SR 86 and would be designed in accordance with the requirements set forth under the Caltrans Highway Design Manual, which provides policies and procedures for signage along state highways. Although views of the Project site will be different than its current, vacant condition, public views of the site would be fleeting and limited to those vehicles stopped at the traffic signal at the on/off ramp for SR 86 at Airport Boulevard.
The Project would be required to comply with General Plan Policies 1.6, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 6.1, 6.2 and
7.4, which would ensure that site buildings and landscaping add visual attraction to an underutilized, disturbed and vacant parcel. Development of the site with high-quality architecture, building materials, and landscaping that is consistent with the City’s General Plan policies is not considered a degradation of the visual character or quality of the site because the site is currently characterized as a vacant parcel with scattered vegetation, broken fencing and random advertising signs; there are no appealing visual qualities of the site. Accordingly, the Project would have less than significant impacts to existing public views of the site and its surroundings, and no mitigation is required.
AIR QUALITY
Consistency with applicable Air Quality Plan
The Project site is located within the SSAB and is subject to the SCAQMD 2022 AQMP and the 2003 Coachella Valley PM10 State Implementation Plan (CVSIP). The SCAQMD is principally responsible for air pollution control and works directly with the SCAG, county transportation commissions, local governments, as well as state and federal agencies to reduce emissions from stationary, mobile, and indirect sources to meet state and federal ambient air quality standards.
Item 28.
90 CEQA Guidelines § 15125 requires a discussion of any inconsistencies between a proposed project and applicable General Plans and regional plans.
Finding:
The City Council finds that project would not conflict with or obstruct implementation of the applicable air quality plan and therefore, impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The SCAQMD CEQA Handbook states that “new or amended GP Elements (including land use zoning and density amendments), Specific Plans, and significant projects must be analyzed for consistency with the AQMP.” A proposed project is considered to be consistent with the AQMP if it furthers one or more policies and does not obstruct other policies. The SCAQMD CEQA Handbook identifies two key indicators (criteria) of consistency:
Criterion 1: Whether the project will result in an increase in the frequency or severity of existing air quality violations or cause or contribute to new violations, or delay timely attainment of air quality standards or the interim emission reductions specified in the AQMP.
Criterion 2: Whether the project will exceed the assumptions in the AQMP or increments based on the year of project buildout and phase.
Consistency with Criterion 1: Based on the air quality modeling analysis and as shown in EIR Table 4.3-5, Construction-Related Regional Criteria Pollutant Emissions, incorporated herein by this reference, Project related short-term regional construction air emissions would not result in significant impacts according to SCAQMD regional thresholds of significance.
The ongoing operation at the Project site would generate air pollutant emissions that are inconsequential on a regional basis, as shown in Table 4.3-5, and would not result in significant impacts based on SCAQMD thresholds of significance nor would local pollutant concentrations exceed the air quality standards in the long term. Therefore, the Project would be consistent with this criterion and impacts would be less than significant.
Consistency with Criterion 2: Consistency with the AQMP assumptions is determined by performing an analysis of a project with the assumptions in the AQMP. The AQMP is developed through use of the planning forecasts provided in the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS) and Regional Transportation Improvement Plan (RTIP). The RTP/SCS is a major planning document for the regional transportation and land use network within southern California, is required by federal and state requirements placed on SCAG and is updated every four years. Local governments are required to use these plans as the basis of their plans for the purpose of consistency with applicable regional plans under CEQA.
The City of Coachella General Plan’s Land Use Plan defines the long-range land use assumptions that are represented in AQMP. Although the Project would require a zoning change and a general plan amendment to accommodate the proposed uses for the development, the requested change would not result in the alteration of total allowed vehicle trips or other parameters utilized by SCAG in generating the forecasts provided in the RTP/SCS because the resultant zoning and land use designations are consistent with the types, intensity, and patterns of land use envisioned for
Item 28.
91 the site under current designations. Therefore, the Project would not result in an inconsistency with the current land use designations with respect to the regional forecasts utilized by the AQMPs, nor would the Project exceed the AQMP assumptions for the site. Therefore, the Project is consistent with this second criterion and the Project would have a less than significant impact as it does not exceed the assumptions in the AQMP.
Creation of Objectionable Odors
Potential odor sources associated with the Project result from construction equipment exhaust and the application of asphalt and architectural coatings during construction activities and the temporary storage of refuse associated with the site’s long‐term operational uses. Land uses generally associated with odor or other noxious emission complaints typically include, but are not limited to, agricultural uses (livestock and farming), dairies, wastewater treatment plants, food processing plants, chemical plants, refineries, and landfills. The Project operations, in general, would not create objectionable odors affecting a substantial number of people, as described below.
Finding:
The City Council finds that project would not create objectionable, and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Individual responses to odors are highly variable and generally result from a variety of factors such as frequency, duration, offensiveness, location, and sensory perception. Potential sources that may emit odors during construction activities include the application of coatings such as asphalt pavement, paints and solvents and from diesel equipment emissions. Standard construction requirements that limit the time of day when construction may occur, limit VOC content in asphalt, and limit the VOC content in paints and solvents would minimize odor impacts from construction.
The construction odor emissions would be temporary, short‐term, and intermittent in nature and would cease upon completion of each phase of construction. The Project would also be required to follow Policy 11.8 of the Sustainability + Natural Environment Element of the City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update, which requires that all construction activities, including on-site building and the transport of materials, limit emissions and dust. In addition, with the Project’s compliance with the applicable regulations that reduce odors including SCAQMD Rule 402, Nuisance – Controls the emissions of odors and other air contaminants, and Coachella Municipal Code Chapter 5.68.130, Operating Standards, (C) Odor Control, and due to the transitory nature of construction odors, the Project would have a less than significant odor impact.
Operation of the Project may create odors from gas dispensing activities, diesel truck emissions, and from trash storage bins. However, diesel truck emissions odors would be generated intermittently from truck loading and unloading activities and would not be noticeable for extended periods of time. Pursuant to SCAQMD Rule 461 and its requirements, the proposed gas station will be required to utilize gas dispensing equipment that minimizes vapor, liquid leaks, and odor impacts that may occur from gasoline and diesel dispensing stations. The Project would also be required to construct trash enclosures for all uses in the Project, that would protect bins from rain and would limit air circulation at the trash storage areas. As such, through compliance with
Item 28.
92 SCAQMD’s Rule 461 and City trash storage regulations, less than significant odor impacts would occur from these odor sources.
Additional operational odor impacts could result from future commercial cannabis operations, which have the potential to create significant odor impacts to nearby sensitive receptors. The majority of the odors of cannabis come from a class of chemicals called terpenes which are produced by flowering plants and vary widely between each plant. Cannabis growth can generate some odors throughout the various phases of cannabis cultivation and processing that may be unpleasant to certain persons. There are existing sensitive receptors (mobile homes) located across Airport Boulevard as near as 50 feet to the south of the Project site. Therefore, a potentially significant odor impact may occur from any commercial cannabis operations that could occur onsite. However, as discussed in Responses 14-21 and 14-22, any future commercial or retail cannabis uses would be subject to State and local regulations, including SCAQMD Rule 402, Coachella Municipal Code § 5.68.040(P), and Coachella Municipal Code Chapter 5.68.130, Operating Standards, (C) Odor Control. As such, with compliance with applicable regional and local cannabis-related regulations, this impact would be less than significant.
CULTURAL
Impacts to Historical Resources
CEQA statutes and guidelines require assessment of impacts on cultural resources (Public Resources Code §§ 21082, 21083.2 and 21084 and CEQA Guidelines § 15064.5). CEQA defines historically significant resources as resources listed or eligible for listing in the CRHR (Public Resources Code § 5024.1). A cultural resource may be considered historically significant if the resource is 45 years old or older, possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association, and meets any of the CRHR criteria and retains enough of its historic character or appearance to be recognizable as a historical resource and to convey the reason for its significance:
• Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of California’s history and cultural heritage; • Is associated with the lives of persons important in our past; • Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region, or method of construction, or represents the work of an important creative individual, or possesses high artistic values; or
• Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.
Finding:
The City Council finds that project’s impacts to significant historical resources defined in CEQA §15064.5 is less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Item 28.
93 Facts in Support of Finding:
PaleoWest conducted a literature review, records search, and field survey of the Project site. The records search indicated that 36 cultural resources have been previously documented within one (1) mile of the Project site, two of which are historic-period archaeological sites and 25 are historicperiod built-environment resources; however, none of these resources have been identified within the Project site. One potentially significant historical resource is a segment of the CVSC (Resource 33-017259) located immediately to the west of the Project boundary. However, because Resource 33-017259 has been evaluated several times and each time was recommended as not eligible for the CRHR or the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), Resource 33-017259 is not considered to be a significant historical resource. A sensitivity model also concluded that the potential for discovering surface cultural resources in this area, including historic resources is low.
Furthermore, CVWD’s Subsequent IS/MND (SCH #2019079095) found no cultural resources within that project’s off-site improvement area. It is therefore assumed that operation of the Project would likewise not disturb any cultural resources at the site. In addition, the Project would be required to adhere to the Sustainability + Natural Environment Policies 10.3, 10.4, 12.4 and 12.5, which require that historic cultural and archeological resources are documented and preserved from loss or destruction with the incorporation of appropriate mitigation measures. Compliance with these policies would ensure that the Project would not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. Therefore, Project impacts would be less than significant, and no mitigation is required.
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
Soil Erosion or Loss of Topsoil
The potential for geologic hazards related to soil erosion is typically high in areas with moderately steep to steep slopes (greater than 15 percent), loose to unconsolidated soils and sediments, little or no vegetation cover, and uncontrolled surface water runoff. Changes in any of these conditions can increase erosion potential, and an increase in erosion can increase downstream sediment loads.
Soil erosion potential within the City varies greatly by area but is identified as high in the southern part of the City where the Project is located (City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update Environmental Impact Report, Figure 4.5-8; 2014). Based on the Geotechnical Evaluation prepared for the Project, the Project site is predominantly bare or covered with sparse vegetation, and as such, the Geotechnical Evaluation concluded that the Project would not increase the potential for wind or water erosion at the site except during the demolition, grading, and construction phases. Construction of the Project would require excavation, grading and filling of soils. Excavation and grading activities have the potential to temporarily expose bare soils, which could be removed from the site and thereby increase the possibility for wind or water-related erosion and sedimentation transported through wind shearing or stormwater runoff.
Item 28.
94 Finding:
The City Council finds that project would not result in soil erosion or in substantial loss of topsoil and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Since Project construction would disturb more than one (1) acre of land the Project is required to obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for construction activities, which includes a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). The SWPPP would specify which best management practices (BMPs) would reduce soil erosion and sedimentation.
These BMPs could include the use of silt fencing, sediment berms and erosion control blankets during project construction.
Additionally, the Project will require a grading permit because grading would exceed 50 cubic yards. As part of reviewing and approving a grading permit application, the City imposes its standard conditions, including, but not limited to, dust and rodent control, conducting preconstruction meetings with neighbors, and traffic control plans, amongst other measures, which would ensure that the proposed grading will have minimal impact. The Project also would be required to comply with SCAQMD Rule 403 for fugitive dust control measures, which requires the use of BMPs to minimize water and windborne erosion for any construction activities on a site.
Therefore, with implementation of the above standard requirements, the Project’s constructionrelated impacts relative to erosion would be less than significant.
Prior to start of the Project operations, the Project would be required to prepare and implement a Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP), a site-specific post-construction water quality management program designed to minimize the release of waterborne pollutants, including pollutants of concern for downstream receiving waters, under long-term conditions. The WQMP would also establish a postconstruction implementation and maintenance plan to ensure on-going, long-term erosion protection. With mandatory implementation of the SWPPP, WQMP, related erosion control measures as well as Policies 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.8 and 2.9 of the City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update Safety Element, which require all new development projects to mitigate for geological hazards, slope failure, and field inspections during project construction, as well as regulating the siting of new critical facilities such as the proposed IID facility on the site, and BMPs that include requirements during operation of the Project including the use of traps, gravel bag grasses and vegetative ground cover, addition of mulch to landscaped areas, roughening of surface soils and use of erosion blankets, impacts of the Project would be less than significant.
Located on Expansive Soil
Expansive soils generally result from high percentages of expansive clay minerals. These finegrained soils can undergo substantial increases and decreases in volume with an increase and decrease in water content. Expansive soils have been identified primarily in the southern portions of the City (City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update Environmental Impact Report; 2014).
Item 28.
95 Finding:
The City Council finds that project would not be located on expansive soil, as defined in Table 18- 1-B of the Uniform Building Code (1994), would not create any substantial direct or indirect risks to life or property, and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
According to the Web Soil Survey, the Project site consists of Coachella fine sand, fluvents, Gilman fine sandy loam, and Indio fine sandy loam. In addition, no clay soils were observed in the near surface soils during the soil investigations. Due to the low clay content in underlying soils at the site, these near surface soils can be anticipated to have very low expansion characteristics.
According to the Geotechnical Evaluation prepared for the Project (Appendix E1 of the Draft EIR), expansive soils are not present near the surface at the Project site based on previous explorations.
In addition, the Project would be required to comply with all City of Coachella construction requirements, the City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update Safety Element Polices 2.1, 2.3 and
2.5, which require all development proposals to conduct geotechnical investigations, minimize grading and modifications to the natural topography to prevent the potential for man-induced slope failures, and maintenance of an updated map of slope failures in the General Plan area. Therefore, impacts related to expansive soils would be less than significant.
HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Transport, Use, or Disposal of Hazardous Materials
The use, transport and disposal of hazardous substances are typically regulated by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). Although SR 86 borders the site along its eastern edge, the roadway is not designated as a hazardous route. In addition, no historical recognized environmental conditions (HRECs) and controlled recognized environmental conditions (CRECs) have been located on the Project site. However, as the site was used for agricultural production from approximately 1953 to 1984, the potential exists for residues of pesticides to be present in the site’s soils.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not expose people to known or unknown hazardous materials through the routine transport, use or disposal of hazardous materials and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Project construction and operation may involve the use and transport of hazardous materials. These materials may include, but are not limited to, fuels, oils, mechanical fluids, and other chemicals associated with construction activities. Hazardous material transport may occur regularly throughout the construction phase, as materials are brought to and from the Project location. The transportation and disposal of hazardous materials is governed by a wide range of regulations
Item 28.
96 including the requirement that it be conducted by transporters registered with the DTSC and all transportation and disposal of hazardous waste are required to comply with state, local, and federal laws. This includes federal regulations such as the Federal RCRA, which mandates that hazardous waste be tracked from the point of generation to the ultimate destination and permitting of hazardous material handling facilities.
Furthermore, the City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update EIR states that all motor carriers and drivers involved in transportation of hazardous materials must apply for and obtain a hazardous materials transportation license from the CHP. In addition, to further assure the safety of the public, the California Health and Safety Code establishes rules governing the use of hazardous materials and the management of hazardous waste, such as the CERCLA. The Coachella Fire Services, as part of the RCFD, supports the Riverside County Health Department in maintaining a program requiring that anyone operating a hazardous waste facility or using, storing, or transporting hazardous material has a permit. Finally, upon the completion of the construction of each individual project phase, all hazardous materials would be removed from the Project site.
Impacts would therefore be less than significant.
Hazardous Materials Onsite per GC 65952.5
Government Code § 65962.5 requires the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) to develop and update the Hazardous Waste and Substance Sites (Cortese) List, a planning document used by state and local agencies and developers to comply with CEQA requirements in providing information about the location of hazardous materials release sites.
Finding:
The City Council finds that project is not located on a site which is included on a list of hazardous materials sites compiled pursuant to Government Code § 65962.5 and therefore will not create a significant hazard to the public or environment. Impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
There are no Cortese sites identified at the Project site and according to the Phase I ESA that was prepared for the site dated January 31, 2024, there are no HRECs or CRECs on the site. However, former uses at the site have included agricultural uses with the potential for residual soil contamination from the use of agricultural products. From approximately 1953 to 1984, the three parcels on the site contained agricultural crops (row crops or hay), therefore, the potential exists for residues of organophosphate pesticides (OPP), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and chlorinated herbicides (CHs) to be present in the soils in association with this agricultural usage.
The potential presence of pesticides/herbicides at the property would be identified as a REC if the detected concentrations exceed USEPA Regional Screening Levels. Mitigation Measure HAZ-1 above therefore requires a soils investigation prior to any development on the Project site.
The Phase I ESA also identified approximately 16 low contamination risk sites located within onequarter mile of the Project site. Some of these sites have been identified as having low risk of property contamination while others are currently not in use, having been identified either with Underground Storage Tanks (UST) or Leaking UST (LUST) still remaining on the properties. As
Item 28.
97 discussed in the Phase I ESA, it was determined that these sites pose a low risk of adverse environmental impact to the Project site due to their distance from the Project site and their remediation status. Sites located further than one-quarter mile from the Project site would not have a significant potential for an adverse impact to the Project site for the same reasons.
DTSC’s EnviroStor database identifies the closest contaminated sites as located on the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport property, approximately 1.5 miles to the southwest of the proposed Project site, and which has been categorized as a “Military Evaluation.” Potential contaminants for the site include explosives, lead, munitions debris, and perchlorate in the soil. However, the clean-up status for the site has been deemed inactive, that is no hazardous substances have been manufactured, utilized or processed at the site, as of August 15, 2019. The other site identified within the vicinity of the Project site is located approximately three (3) miles south of 59th Avenue between Polk and Filmore Street in the community of Thermal. The site was designated “Voluntary” clean-up due to metals, organochlorine pesticides, and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in the soil. However, the site’s clean-up status has been deemed certified/inactive or that no certified hazardous substances have been manufactured, utilized or processed at the site since June 28, 2019. Since these sites have been approved as inactive or cleanup conducted, these sites would have no impact on development at the Project site.
A review of the RWQCB GeoTracker website/database found six (6) nearby sites; all have been closed and do not create a risk of adverse impacts on the Project site because these sites are no longer actively involved in the use, storage or disposal of potential hazardous materials. Since no portion of the Project will be located on a site which is included on a list of hazardous materials sites compiled pursuant to Government Code § §65962.5, and only low contamination risk sites are located within ¼ mile of the Project site, impacts are less than significant.
Consistency with an Airport Master Plan
The Project site is approximately one and a half (1.5) miles northeast of the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport and is within the Riverside County Airport Land Use Compatibility Airport Influence Area Zone D, which prohibits highly noise-sensitive outdoor non-residential uses and height hazards in proximity to flight paths.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not result in a safety hazard or excessive noise from a public airport and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP) noise contour zones of 60, 65 and 70 Community Noise Equivalent Levels (CNEL) for the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport are located over 3,500 feet to the southwest of the site. Since the Project site lies outside the areas subject to average noise levels greater than 55 CNEL, airport noise at the site would not exceed City standards and no measures to mitigate aircraft-generated noise are required, the Riverside County Airport Land Use Commission Development Review Letter, dated August 20, 2020, provided as Appendix F2 of the Final EIR concluded that the Project as proposed would be
Item 28.
98 consistent with the ALUCP upon adherence to certain conditions of approval. With respect to airport noise, the only restriction is that highly sensitive outdoor non-residential uses are prohibited, and no such uses are proposed for the Project.
Further, the proposed uses on the site would be compatible with uses allowed under the Zone D designation as business park uses, small office, commercial and industrial facilities such as under the Project, are not prohibited or discouraged in Zone D. None of the proposed uses are highly noise-sensitive or considered hazards to flight. Further, consistent with the conditions of approval provided in the ALUC Development Review Letter, all structures under the proposed development would be designed to reduce bird attractant as follows: (1) new basins will provide for a maximum 48-hour detention period following the conclusion of a storm event and to remain totally dry between rainfalls, and (2) any landscaping proposed in the detention basin shall be in accordance with the ALUC “Landscaping Near Airports” and “Airports, Wildlife and Stormwater Management” brochures. Lastly, buildings on the site would reach maximum heights between 25 to 50 feet; therefore, review of buildings by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Obstruction Evaluation Service would not be required.
Based on this ALUC determination, the requirement that the Project comply with the ALUCP as well as the City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update’s Land Use + Community Character Element Policies 10.4 and 10.10, which would require the Project to adhere to the Jacquline Cochran Regional Airport’s land use and safety plans so as to ensure that no structures under the proposed Project would adversely affect the Airport navigable airspace, the Project would not significantly impact airport safety or create excessive noise. The Project has already been reviewed by the ALUC and is therefore consistent with Policy 10.6.
Effect on an Emergency Response Plan
The State of California has developed an Emergency Response Plan to coordinate emergency services provided by federal, state, and local government and private agencies. Response to hazardous materials incidents is one part of this plan. The Plan is managed by the State Office of Emergency Services (OES), which coordinates the responses of other agencies including CalEPA, CHP, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not impair implementation of or physically interfere with an adopted emergency response plan or emergency evacuation plan and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Construction and operational activities associated with the Project would not impede existing emergency response plans for the Project site and/or other land uses in the Project vicinity. The Project does not propose changes to the City’s circulation system, such as sharp curves or dangerous intersections, and would not introduce incompatible uses to area roadways.
Furthermore, should partial lane closures be required as part of Project construction activities, implementation of a traffic management plan would minimize congestion and ensure safe travel, including emergency access in the Project vicinity.
Item 28.
99 HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY
Comply with Water Quality Standards or Waste Discharge Requirements Construction clearing and grubbing activities have the potential to impact water quality through soil erosion and increase in the amount of silt and debris carried in runoff on and around the project site. Additionally, the use of construction materials, such as fuels, solvents, and paints may present a risk to surface water quality in the City and neighboring Riverside County to the south. Finally, the refueling and parking of construction vehicles and other equipment onsite during construction may result in oil, grease, or related pollutant leaks and spills that may discharge into the City’s existing public storm drainage facilities (i.e., storm drains, channels, basins, etc.), as identified in the City’s Master Stormwater Plan (dated January 2021).
Operation of the Project could also result in urban runoff with a variety of contaminants that could impact water quality at the site and for the surrounding uses within the City. Runoff from buildings and parking lots typically contains oils, grease, fuel, antifreeze, by-products of combustion (such as lead, cadmium, nickel, and other metals), as well as fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and other pollutants. Precipitation at the beginning of the rainy season may result in an initial stormwater runoff (first flush) with high pollutant concentrations.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not violate any water quality standards or waste discharge requirements or otherwise substantially degrade surface or groundwater quality, and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
If precautions are not taken to contain contaminants, construction could produce contaminated stormwater runoff (nonpoint source pollution), a contributor to the degradation of water quality.
To minimize the Project’s waste discharge impacts, the Project would be required to comply with all State, County, and local regulations regarding stormwater runoff during construction of the development. Pursuant to the requirements of the Colorado River RWQCB, the Project applicant would be required to obtain an NPDES Municipal Storm Water Permit (MS4) for construction activities. The NPDES permit is required for all projects that include construction activities, such as clearing, soil stockpiling, grading, and/or excavation that disturb at least one acre of total land area. In addition, the Project would be required to comply with the Colorado River RWQCB’s Basin Plan. Compliance with the NPDES Permit and the Basin Plan involves the preparation and implementation of a SWPPP for construction-related activities, including grading.
The SWPPP requires the incorporation of BMPs to control sediment, erosion, and hazardous materials contamination of runoff during project construction, and to prevent contaminants from reaching receiving water bodies such as the CVSC. BMPs in the SWPPP include such measures as silt fencing, storm drain inlet protection, erosion control, linear sediment barriers, proper waste management, and proper material storage. During construction, the Project will also be required to comply with air quality standards that support water quality protection by requiring soil stabilization and fugitive dust control practices such as watering during construction. Other construction level BMPs may include picking up trash and debris, maintaining equipment, and
Item 28.
100
training site staff on erosion and sediment control practices. Since the Project would be required to comply with all applicable water quality standards and waste discharge requirements, particularly during construction of the various phases of the Project, construction related impacts to water quality would be less than significant.
The WQMP (Final EIR, Appendix G2) presents a number of non-structural and structural BMPs to be implemented under proposed Project operations, including:
Non-structural Source Control Measures:
• Education for property owners, operators, tenants, occupants or employees • Activity restrictions (e.g., to eliminate storm water contamination by oil and grease, service or repair of all vehicles will be restricted to designated areas only) • Regular irrigation system and landscape maintenance
• Common area litter control
• Sweeping private streets and parking lots
• Inspection and maintenance of drainage facilities
Structural Source Control Measures:
• Storm drain inlet stenciling and signage
• Landscape and irrigation system design
• Fueling areas
• Trash storage areas
• Loading docks
Pursuant to the WQMP, the Project would be required to collect and store 100 percent of the runoff generated during a 100-year storm event on-site per City of Coachella drainage standards. The storm drain system will be privately operated and maintained during the life of the Project per a project-specific Final WQMP, which will include copies of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs), BMP Maintenance Agreement, and/or other mechanisms used to ensure the ongoing operation, maintenance, funding, transfer and implementation of the project-specific WQMP requirements.
Decrease Groundwater Supplies or Interfere with Groundwater Recharge The Project would require water for concrete, dust control, hydro-consolidation of soils, haul truck cleaning, and related construction activities; this increased demand for water could impact groundwater supplies. The Water Supply Assessment (WSA) for the Project (Final EIR Appendix G3) provides an assessment and verification of the availability of sufficient water supplies for operation of the Project during normal, single-dry, and multiple-dry years over a 20-year projection to meet the projected demands of the Project, in addition to existing and planned future water demands of the CWA.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not substantially decrease groundwater supplies or interfere substantially with groundwater recharge such that the project would impede sustainable
Item 28.
101
groundwater management of the basin. Impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Project construction-related activities are not anticipated to have a significant impact on groundwater supplies because construction would be short-term and does not consist of waterintensive activities that could, ultimately, draw-down supplies of groundwater. Water for construction activities would be transported to the site via water trucks. Therefore, construction impacts relative to groundwater supplies would be less than significant.
CWA’s projected water supplies in a normal year, single dry year, and multiple dry years are reliable and as discussed in the 2020 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP), CWA intends to continue meeting its urban water demands with groundwater. Project development was accounted for in CWA’s estimates of future water demands, because the estimates were derived from General Plan land use designations, and the Project is consistent with those designations. To receive water service, the Project will be subject to an agreement with CWA, together with any and all applicable fees, charges, plans and specifications, conditions, and any and all other applicable CWA requirements in place and as amended from time to time.
The WSA has provided specific water conservation measures that the future tenants of the Project business park development would implement to ensure the most efficient use of water resources and to meet and maintain the most recent UWMP goals throughout the life of the Project. The water conservation measures include the following:
• Native plant materials and other drought-tolerant plants will be used in all non-turf areas of Project landscaping. Large expanses of lawn and other water-intensive landscaped areas will be kept to the minimum necessary and consistent with the functional and aesthetic needs of the Project, while providing soil stability to resist erosion.
• In the event recycled water becomes available to the Project in the future, the potential use of tertiary treated water will be reviewed to determine feasibility of its use for on-site landscaped areas to reduce the use of groundwater for irrigation.
• The installation and maintenance of efficient on-site irrigation systems will minimize runoff and evaporation and maximize effective watering of plant roots. Drip irrigation and moisture detectors will be used to the greatest extent practicable to increase irrigation efficiency.
• The use of low-flush toilets and water-conserving faucets will be required in conformance with § 17921.3 of the Health and Safety Code, Title 20, California Code of Regulations § 1601(b), and applicable sections of Title 24 of the State Code.
Item 28.
102
Compliance with the above water conservation measures provided in the project-specific WSA, combined with CWA’s ability to meet its future water demands as identified in the UWMP, would ensure that the Project does not substantially interfere with CWA’s ability to provide water service within its service boundaries. Therefore, operation of the Project would have a less than significant impact on groundwater supply and recharge.
Cause Substantial Erosion or Siltation or Increase Surface Runoff Project construction activities involve the excavation and grading of the soil and clearing of all vegetation. During a storm event, soil erosion and sedimentation could occur at an accelerated rate due to construction related grading activities, which could in turn, result in water and soil runoff.
Operation of the Project could also result in an increase in urban runoff with a variety of contaminants that could impact water quality at the site and surrounding uses within the City.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not substantially alter the existing drainage pattern of the site or area, including through the alteration of the course of a stream or river or through the addition of impervious surfaces, in a manner which would contribute to substantial on- or off-site erosion or siltation or to a substantial increase in the rate or amount of runoff in a manner which would result in flooding on or off-site. Impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
If not controlled, the transport of materials from construction activities into local waterways could temporarily increase suspended sediment concentrations. However, any water run-off on site will be maintained on-site by the on-site retention basins. According to the City requirements under SWPPP practices, construction BMPs such as silt fencing, storm drain inlet protection, erosion control, linear sediment barriers, proper waste management, and proper material storage, would be implemented at each construction phase of the Project. Therefore, the Project would not result in substantial erosion or siltation on- or off-site. This impact would be less than significant.
As discussed above and in Final EIR Section 4.10.1, no stormwater runoff would be released from the Project boundary under design conditions, and the Project would be required to collect and store 100 percent of the runoff generated during the 100-year storm event on-site per City drainage standards. The Project’s stormwater and drainage improvements have been designed in accordance with FEMA and City requirements. Therefore, the Project would not substantially increase the rate or amount of surface runoff in a manner which would result in on- or off-site flooding. This impact would be less than significant.
Item 28.
103
Exceed Capacity of Stormwater Drainage System or Impact Flood Flows The Project’s proposed stormwater and drainage improvements have been designed in accordance with FEMA and City requirements. The on-site retention basins would be designed and sized to retain the entire storm volume generated on-site during the 100-year storm event with only shallow ponding on-site. Any on-site ponding occurs by overflowing of the on-site storm drain collection system connected to on-site basins. As surface water subsides in the on-site retention basins, ponded surface water would be evacuated by infiltration within the basins. In the event of emergency flooding conditions in the City or this portion of the County, the Project site’s drainage system and lines would be designed in accordance with City requirements such that flows exceeding the capacity of the on-site collection system would overflow at the southeasterly end of the site toward the SR 86 right-of-way and flows would then proceed to the CVSC, ending ultimately at its terminus at the Salton Sea.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not substantially alter the existing drainage pattern of the site or area, including through the alteration of the course of a stream or river or through the addition of impervious surfaces, in a manner which would create or contribute to surface runoff or would impede or redirect water flows. Impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
As discussed above and in FEIR Section 4.10.1, the Project would be required to collect and store 100 percent of the runoff generated during a 100-year storm event on-site per City of Coachella drainage standards. The Project’s onsite retention design would satisfy the City’s WQMP BMP requirement as 100 percent of the 100-year storm runoff is retained on-site and there is no discharge off-site. Therefore, the Project would not create or contribute runoff water which could exceed the capacity of existing or planned stormwater drainage systems, nor would the Project impede or redirect flood flows. This impact would be less than significant.
Consistency with WQCP or Groundwater Management Plan
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) requires local public agencies and groundwater sustainability agencies in high- and medium-priority basins to develop and implement groundwater sustainability plans or prepare an alternative to a groundwater sustainability plan.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not conflict with or obstruct implementation of a water quality control plan or sustainable groundwater management plan and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Based on a review of the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) SGMA Prioritization Dashboard website, the Project site is located within the Coachella Valley-Indio Groundwater
Item 28.
104
Basin, which is ranked as a “medium” priority basin. There are seven components which are given a score that determines the management priority of water supply for the basins: C1 population, C2 population growth, C3 public supply wells, C4 total wells, C5 irrigated acres, C6 groundwater supply, and C7 Impacts. The total score given to the Indio Subbasin is medium, 20 priority points.
The threshold value for medium priority is greater than 14 points, a medium priority rating indicates that the water levels for the subbasin are adequate at this time to support water supplies.
The projected determination of groundwater demand availability by 2045 that was determined in the Coachella Valley Regional UWMP was that single dry year, and multiple dry year urban water supply reliability is 100 percent, and the Project’s water demand has been considered in future demand projections contained in the UWMP. As such, the Project would not conflict with or obstruct implementation of a sustainable groundwater management plan and a less than significant impact would occur.
Item 28.
105
LAND USE AND PLANNING
Consistency with Land Use Plan, Policy or Regulation
Evaluation of potential land use impacts was based on a review of the City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update and certified EIR, and relevant planning documents. CEQA does not treat project consequences relating solely to land use, socioeconomic, or population, employment, or housing issues as direct physical impacts to the environment; rather, the analysis focuses on changes in land use, use compatibility, and consistency with the General Plan Update and the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS) referred to as “Connect SoCal 2020” that may have a physical impact on the environment.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not conflict with any land use plan, policy, or regulation adopted for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating environmental effects, and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
General Plan Consistency
The site is designated as an Industrial District in the City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update and its zoning is M-H: Heavy Industrial according to the City of Coachella Official Zoning Map.
The Project would rezone the site as MS - Manufacturing Service and C-G General Commercial, to allow for a mix of industrial and commercial uses. Specifically, the Project will allow small retail and commercial uses at the southern portion of the property, with larger structures and denser industrial uses towards the northern portion of the site. The Project would be required to submit for City review all final grading, utility, landscaping, street, sidewalk and lighting plans. Project buildings and structures would be developed to be consistent with the City’s established zoning standards and design guidelines for manufacturing and commercial uses.
The Project would be in harmony with the overall intent of the City’s General Plan Land Use + Community Character Element policy 1.5. The Project would be developed with a mix of commercial and industrial uses that would be designed and developed in accordance with the General Plan and Zoning for Industrial Districts and requirements for Subarea 8 (East Industrial District), which encompasses the area of the City east of the CVSC, west of Fillmore and between Airport Boulevard and 52nd Avenue. Although currently primarily utilized for agricultural uses, the City General Plan anticipates this subarea to transform over time into employment-generating uses, including industrial, retail and office uses. The Project, with its mix of industrial, retail and office uses would satisfy and implement this vision for Subarea 8.
The site’s development is anticipated to generate approximately 741 new employment opportunities in the City in line with policy directions for this Subarea, taking advantage of the site’s location adjacent to SR 86. The Project includes well-designed transitions between the employment uses on the Project site in that commercial and retail uses would be located in closer proximity to Airport Boulevard to the south of the site, while storage, warehouse and energy (IID)
Item 28.
106
facilities would be at the northern portion of the site, further from the existing residential neighborhood to the south of the site on the other side of Airport Boulevard. This design ensures that the uses will be consistent with the City’s vision for Subarea 8 while also avoiding locating more intense warehouse uses adjacent to residential neighborhoods.
The Project buildings would be designed and constructed with high quality and long-lasting materials in compliance with Policy 2.5. Similarly, the Project buildings have been architecturally designed to integrate the design styles that exist in the City and greater Coachella Valley region.
All site development has integrated the City’s design and architectural guidelines including Desert colors, variation in roof elevations, dimensional wall shapes and material types and textures. This would ensure that the Project provides the architectural diversity consistent with the City’s Policy
2.6 and with this general area of the City and Riverside County. Lastly, the buildings to be constructed under the Project would include architectural features, styles and landscaping, taking into account the history, climate and topography of the site and surrounding area, including drought-tolerant landscaping and energy-efficient building design and features, consistent with Policy 2.7 Climate-appropriate design.
The Project would be developed on a currently undeveloped site with industrial, office and commercial uses, consistent with Policy 2.11 and 2.12 as the Project provides desired growth that conforms to the City’s vision for this site, including well designed industrial and commercial buildings that fit with the surrounding uses and take advantage of the proximity and access to SR
86. Policy 2.12 identifies subarea 8 as a “Priority Growth Area” to be targeted for growth through City policies and actions and to receive priority for funding, community facilities and services.
The Project site, located in Subarea 8, will develop the site with industrial, office and retail uses and generate growth in a part of the City designated for such development.
Policy 6.5 promotes the development of commercial and mixed-use centers that are located on existing or planned transit stops in order to facilitate and take advantage of transit service, reduce vehicle trips and allow residents without private vehicles to access services. Sunline Transit Agency’s Airport Boulevard/Desert Cactus Drive bus station is located on Airport Boulevard, midway along the Project site. Project employees would therefore have the ability to take advantage of existing transit services and potentially reduce vehicle trips.
Policy 7.2 actively seeks to expand the amount of industrial uses in Coachella as a source of jobs and economic development and suggests focus in Subarea 8, and others. The Project would generate new industrial as well as commercial uses. The development of a currently vacant parcel with industrial uses would provide economic development and new sources of employment with approximately 741 new jobs in the City within Subarea 8, consistent with Policy 7.2.
Policy 7.4 requires new development within the City’s industrial districts be designed for compatibility with surrounding uses to minimize impact and cultivate connectivity with each district. The site is currently vacant and is surrounded by agricultural uses to the east, vacant and industrial uses to the west, vacant land to the north and residential uses to the south. The Project would be required to adhere to all City design requirements such that development under the Project would be compatible with the City’s surrounding areas and industrial districts.
Item 28.
107
Uses surrounding the site are primarily a mix of native desert land and agricultural uses to the north and east of the site, with the stormwater channel, open space and small industrial uses located to the west. These surrounding uses to the north, east and west of the site provide adequate buffers between the warehouse and other light industrial uses on the northern and central portions of the Project and any sensitive land uses in the Project vicinity. Uses on the southern portion of the site will include a mini-mart, gas station and restaurant uses which serve the neighborhood residents and travelers on SR 86 and also serve as a buffer between the Project’s warehouse/light industrial uses and the existing residential neighborhood to the south of the Project site. Therefore, the Project implements the City’s vision for employment-generating industrial and retail uses without causing any incompatibility with surrounding land uses by limiting the larger industrial and storage facilities to the northern and central portions of the property, while commercial, retail and office uses would be located to the southern portion of the site, closer to the existing residential uses south of Airport Road.
The Project is consistent with Policy 7.5 as it does allow for some industrial development near existing residential development to the south of the site, across Airport Boulevard; however, Airport Boulevard connects to SR 86 and already transports truck traffic from the adjacent State Route into the City, and importantly, the Project site is located immediately adjacent to SR 86 and thus minimizes the distance trucks travel off of SR 86 and avoids directing truck routes through residential areas. In addition, the Project will be conditioned to make substantial improvements to Airport Boulevard to allow for direct and adequate access to the site for truck and other traffic generated by the Project and to minimize any traffic issues at the site.
The Project would be required to conform with all City requirements for water, sewer, stormwater, and solid waste facilities according to established City guidelines and requirements and consistent with Policy 10.2. The Project site has an existing 30-inch waterline that is a “dry line” that is not connected to any existing water lines. The CWA plans to extend its water facilities with a 20” water line from near Avenue 54 southerly along Grapefruit Boulevard, then easterly to run under existing railroad tracks and the CVSC to the Project site.
Since sewer connections exist near the Project site, the existing CVWD sewer connections near Orange Street and Airport Boulevard would be extended easterly along Airport Boulevard and then cross the CVSC (either underground or attached to the bridge at Airport Boulevard) and then stub to the Project site directly on the opposite side of the CVSC channel.
The Project also includes a new traffic signal and widening of Airport Boulevard along and adjacent to the site frontage to ensure adequate turn lanes and intersection improvements to facilitate Project traffic. The Project would be required to submit final design and utility plans for City approval prior to any construction related activities. This would ensure that the Project meets all City requirements for adequate utility infrastructure at the site. The Project does not include any park facilities.
Consistent with Policy 11.2, 11.3 and 11.4, the Project would provide new economic development opportunities in the City that could assist in the City becoming a driving force to the area’s economy by adding approximately 741 new jobs for City and County residents and by providing new economic development opportunities in the City outside of agriculture and resort services, that would add to the City’s employment diversity.
Item 28.
108
Although the Project does not propose housing, consistent with Policy 11.5 Jobs-housing balance, the Project will generate space for a variety of industrial, automotive, construction and service jobs which will be available to City residents who may now commute elsewhere for such jobs.
Consistent with Policy 12, and 13.4, the Project would include a mix of retail, office and industrial uses that would contribute to the City’s tax revenue and assist the City to create a stronger tax base. The property is currently vacant and generates a limited amount of property tax.
Development of multiple buildings and uses will provide a substantial increase in property tax.
Some of the uses proposed, including both the retail and warehouse uses (if developed for fulfillment warehousing) would generate sales tax. All development on the site would generate utility users’ tax, and various fees, which would provide revenue for the City and diversify its revenue sources.
The Project would add a mix of warehouse, storage, retail and commercial uses to the site. The Project would not conflict with the underlying General Plan land use designation of Industrial, since the Project includes a zone change from Heavy Manufacturing to MS - Manufacturing Service and C-G – General Commercial, which allows for commercial and retail uses proposed under the Project. The City’s Zoning Code allows for retail and commercial uses as well as small businesses, storage buildings and warehouses under its MS Zoning Designation. The Project would not conflict with the City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update and impacts would be less than significant.
SCAG RTP/SCS (Connect SoCal 2020) Consistency
SCAG’s jurisdiction comprises a six-county region that includes the six (6) counties of Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura, as well as their associated 191 cities. Connect SoCal 2020 is a long-range regional transportation plan that provides a vision for regional transportation investments, integrated with land use strategies, over a 20-year period. Key components include a growth forecast and regional development pattern based on population, household, and employment growth projections for the SCAG region as well as a transportation network including a list of transportation projects and investments.
One of Connect SoCal’s policy directives is that while goals and policies within the Plan are to be developed primarily from assumptions derived from local general plans and input from local governments and transportation agencies, under SB 375, a local entity such as the City of Coachella is not required to ensure its local land use policies and regulations are consistent with the Plan. SCAG’s Connect SoCal analyzed growth patterns within its planning area, consistent with each local agency’s land use plans and goals for foreseeable development and growth.
Therefore, the goals and policies were developed in coordination with local jurisdictions such as Riverside County and the City of Coachella such that Connect SoCal in itself is consistent with the planned land use, jobs and housing growth in the City of Coachella.
The Project would therefore not conflict with any applicable goals, objectives, and policies of SCAG’s Connect SoCal, since operation of the Project would facilitate implementation of transportation improvements, specifically along Airport Boulevard and at the freeway interchange, resulting in an improved transportation network for area residents and businesses. Project related
Item 28.
109
improvements along Airport Boulevard would improve the movement of goods and people and therefore improve the economic competitiveness of the overall Project area, the City and region.
NOISE
Generation of Groundborne Vibration or Noise Levels
Short-term noise impacts associated with construction activities were analyzed based on typical construction equipment noise levels and distances to the nearest residential land uses. Predicted on-site operational noise levels for stationary (non-transportation) noise sources were calculated using the SoundPlan, version 9.0, computer program, based on representative noise levels for similar equipment. The locations of stationary noise sources were based on information provided by the Project Applicant and information derived from the Project site plans.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not generate excessive groundborne vibration or groundborne noise levels, and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Initial construction activities would require the use of various tractors, trucks, and jackhammers that could result in intermittent increases in groundborne vibration levels. The use of major groundborne vibration-generating construction equipment/processes (i.e., blasting, pile driving) is not anticipated to be required for the construction of future on-site land uses. Groundborne vibration levels commonly associated with construction equipment are summarized in the EIR (Table 4.13-14), which notes that groundborne vibration levels generated by construction equipment would be up to approximately 0.21 in/sec ppv or less at 25 feet. The nearest existing structures to the Project site are residential dwellings, the nearest of which is located approximately 60 feet south of the site. Assuming a maximum equipment vibration level of 0.21 in/sec ppv, or less, at 25 feet at the nearest Project site boundary, predicted groundborne vibration levels at this nearest residence would be 0.067 in/sec ppv. Predicted groundborne vibration levels would not exceed the minimum recommended criteria for structural damage or human annoyance (0.5 and
0.2 in/sec ppv, respectively) at nearby land uses. As a result, short-term groundborne vibration impacts would be considered less than significant.
No major existing sources of groundborne vibration were identified in the Project area. Vehicle traffic on area roadways, particularly heavy-duty trucks, can result in increased groundborne vibration. However, groundborne vibration levels associated with vehicle traffic are typically considered minor and would not exceed applicable criteria at the site boundaries. No major stationary sources of groundborne vibration were identified in the area surrounding the Project site, that would result in the long-term exposure of proposed on-site land uses to unacceptable levels of ground vibration. In addition, the Project would not involve the use of any major equipment or processes that would result in potentially significant levels of ground vibration that would exceed standards at nearby existing land uses. Therefore, the Project would have a less than significant impact relative to operational groundborne vibration or noise impacts.
Item 28.
110
Impacts Related to Private Airstrip or Airport Land Use Plan The Project site is approximately one and a half (1.5) miles northeast of the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport and is within the Riverside County Airport Land Use Compatibility Airport Influence Area Zone D, which prohibits highly noise-sensitive outdoor non-residential uses.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project is located in the vicinity of a private airstrip or an airport land use plan but would not expose people residing or working in the project area to excessive noise levels, and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The airport closest to the Project site is the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport located approximately one (1) mile southwest of the site; however, the Project site is not located within the projected 65 dBA CNEL noise contour associated with the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport. Therefore, implementation of the Project would not result in the exposure of sensitive receptors to excessive aircraft noise levels, nor would the Project affect airport operations. This impact is considered less than significant.
POPULATION AND HOUSING
Induce Unplanned Population Growth
The Project would develop a currently vacant site with light industrial, storage and warehouse spaces, office uses, gas station and convenience store, fast food retail, as well as utility power infrastructure to be operated by IID. The Project would generate approximately 741 new employment opportunities in the City of Coachella but does not include housing. This increase in new employment opportunities in the city has the potential to increase the city’s existing population from 41,941 to account for the new employees and their families, who may require additional housing opportunities in the City.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not induce substantial unplanned population growth in the area, either directly (e.g., by proposing new homes and businesses or indirectly (e.g., through extension of roads or other infrastructure)), and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
While it is likely that many of the Project employees would be drawn from existing residents of the City of Coachella and surrounding communities, there is the potential for the Project to draw new employees to the area that could increase the need for housing; however, the City’s 6th Cycle Housing Element also estimates that with its existing and planned future residential development, the City would have a surplus of 3,225 housing units by 2029. Therefore, any potential increases
Item 28.
111
in the City’s population and therefore housing needs generated by the Project would be accommodated by the anticipated increase in housing units elsewhere in the City. Impacts would therefore be less than significant. With respect to the planned IID substation, it would be sized to accommodate the power needs of the project, but would also provide some excess capacity that would increase IID system resilience and reliability, and could also facilitate development of other planned development in the area, consistent with the City’s General Plan. Therefore, any excess capacity would not cause induce substantial unplanned population growth.
PUBLIC SERVICES
Impacts to Fire Protection
The City contracts with the RCFD for fire protection and emergency medical services, including fire suppression, fire prevention, paramedic services, hazardous materials response, urban search and rescue response and other related services.
Finding:
The City Council finds that project would not result in physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered government facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times, or other performance objectives for fire protection services. Impacts will be less than significant.
No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The City is primarily served by Fire Station #79, which is located approximately 3 miles to the northwest of the Project site. Current actual response times by Fire Station #79 meet or exceed the goals established in the City’s Fire and Emergency Medical Services Master Plan, which requires fire and related emergency response between 5 and 15 minutes based on land use categories. The travel time from Fire Station #79 to the Project site is estimated between 7-12 minutes during nonpeak hour traffic. This estimate represents the average driving time for a typical automobile to reach the site from the fire station; however, response times to emergency calls within the City average 3.5 minutes or less approximately 85 percent of the time. Although the Project would develop a current vacant parcel with commercial, storage and industrial buildings, all proposed buildings would be required to include Project design features, fire safe building materials, and to install water mains, laterals, and hydrants to provide fire flow to all areas of the site. In addition, all buildings onsite would be equipped with in-house fire protection sprinkler systems. New water lines would be constructed on the Project site and would connect to existing CWA water lines, as well as proposed 30-inch water lines to be constructed to the west, along Grapefruit Boulevard and to the southwest of the site, across the CVSC. The Project site would also have access to connect to existing CVWD lines, as well as new, 12-inch water lines south of Airport Boulevard. This would ensure that the site has adequate water supplies for general use, as well as during water needs for potential fire protection services.
Item 28.
112
The Project site’s main access would be located at the signalized intersection with Airport Boulevard along the site’s southern boundary, with two main roads providing north/south access internal to the site. A secondary right-in only access road is proposed between the SR 86 off ramp and the main signalized Project entrance, which is subject to California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) approval. If Caltrans approval cannot be obtained, this access would be gated and available for emergency access only. The site’s internal roadway system would be designed with adequate fire access and turning radii throughout the Project site, in accordance with the standards and requirements of the RCFD, Caltrans and the City.
In accordance with the City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update Infrastructure + Public Services Element Policies 7.14 and 7.16, the Project applicant would also be required to pay Fire Facility Impact Fees to fund future fire facilities and additional staff and equipment as needed, to serve the Project area and future development in the area. The Project would be required to comply with all applicable City development standards and fire safety codes, consistent with City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update Policies 7.5, 7.8 and 7.13 as they relate to concepts of defensible space and providing sufficient water pressure on site, as well as all applicable State and federal fire safety standards during Project construction and operation. Therefore, impacts related to fire protection and emergency response services would be less than significant.
Impacts to Police Protection
The City contracts with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) for law enforcement and protection services. In addition, the City maintains a formal and informal mutual aid agreement with the State of California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the cities of Indio, Palm Springs, and Desert Hot Springs Police Departments for law enforcement and emergency services.
Finding:
The City Council finds that project would not result in physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered government facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times, or other performance objectives for law enforcement services. Impacts will be less than significant.
No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The Project site is within the jurisdiction of the Coachella Police Department (CPD) station located at 86625 Airport Boulevard, in the community of Thermal, approximately 4.5 miles to the southwest. The City currently has a population of approximately 41,938 people (City of Coachella Housing Element, 6th Cycle; 2023). CPD provides approximately 0.86 officers per 1,000 residents, which is lower than the City’s General Plan service ratio goal of 1.3 officers/1,000 population. As a commercial and industrial project, it is anticipated that the majority of Project employees would be drawn from existing City and area residents and, therefore, the Project itself would not materially reduce the officers per resident ratio or worsen existing response times for existing City residents. In addition, all new residential and non-residential development in the City is required to comply with City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update Infrastructure + Public Services Element Policies 7.8, and 7.16, which require the Project to pay the DIF to fund the Project’s fair
Item 28.
113
share of costs necessary to maintain adequate levels of police support at the site and within the City. Further, any sales tax revenue generated by the development and business ventures on the Project site may potentially be utilized by the City to contract for additional police officers and necessary equipment in order to maintain adequate levels of police service not only within the City but also at the Project site. The Project would not result in a decrease in acceptable service ratios for police protection and would provide additional tax revenue to support increased levels of police services. Accordingly, impacts would be less than significant.
Impacts to Schools
There are two unified school districts within the City of Coachella, including the Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) and the Desert Sands Unified School District (DSUSD). These school districts together provide primary, secondary, and high school education services to residents of Coachella Valley (City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update EIR).
Senate Bill (SB) 50 (the Leroy F. Greene School Facilities Act of 1998), adopted in 1998, defined the school impact fee needs analysis process in Government Code §s 65995.5–65998. Pursuant to its provisions, school districts may collect fees to offset the costs associated with increasing school capacity as a result of development. By statute, payment of a statutory fee by developers serves as the total mitigation of the potential impact of a development on school facilities pursuant to CEQA.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not result in physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered school facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts. Impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The Project is a business park development project with no residential structures on site. However, the Project also anticipates creating 741 new job opportunities within the City. It is anticipated that most of these new employees would be drawn from existing City and area residents who may have school age children attending Coachella Valley schools. Should any of the new employees move to the City and want to enroll their children in City schools, there are schools in the CVUSD with sufficient capacity to accept additional students. The Project would be required to pay CVUSD developer fees, calculated on a square-footage basis for new commercial and industrial development. These fees mitigate any impacts upon school facilities by providing funding for the construction of new schools and improvements to existing school sites. Payment of the applicable statutory developer fees as required by Senate Bill 50, is deemed to be full and complete mitigation for a Project’s impacts on school facilities. Therefore, proposed Project impacts on schools would be less than significant.
Impacts to Parks
The Quimby Act (California Government Code, § 66477) requires the development of new or rehabilitation of existing neighborhood or community park or recreation facilities and gives the legislative body of a city or county the authority, by ordinance, to require the dedication of land or
Item 28.
114
payment of in-lieu fees, or a combination of both, for park and recreational purposes as a condition of approval of a tract map or parcel map. The Quimby Act is implemented through local county and city Ordinances.
The Coachella Municipal Code requires payment of the DIF for park improvement to be used to ensure that City parkland will be improved with the financial resources provided by the DIF.
Currently, DIF for park improvement are only assessed for residential development projects.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not result in physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered park facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts. Impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
As an industrial and office development with some commercial uses (related to restaurant and gas station uses), the Project does not include park facilities and would not require the construction or expansion of park facilities as it is not adding housing or residents on the site who would require access to park and recreational spaces. However, in accordance with General Plan, Land Use + Community Character Element Policies 2.17 and 9.5, the Project would include pathways and open areas that would be accessible to all employees and visitors at the site. This would also allow for the Project to adhere to Goal 13 of the Sustainability + Natural Environment Element and Policy
8.24 pf the Community Health + Wellness Elements by providing site employees with increased access to open space in order to support and increase physical activity.
Although the jobs generated by the Project could create demand for additional housing, to the extent those additional houses are located in the City, they would be subject to the City’s DIF and the Quimby Act, which would help provide for additional parks and park facilities. Moreover, future employees generated by the Project would primarily access parks in their residential neighborhoods. The Project would not require the construction or expansion of parks that might have an adverse physical effect on the environment; impacts would be less than significant.
Impacts to Other Public Facilities
The County provides library services to the City with the Coachella Library, located approximately three miles to the northwest of the Project. The City is served by Coachella Valley hospitals such as the Desert Regional Medical Center, the Eisenhower Medical Center and the JFK Memorial Hospital, all three of which provide a wide range of medical services from doctors, specialized medical care services, surgery centers, emergency room services and pediatric care. The JFK Memorial Hospital is located approximately five (5) miles to the northwest of the Project site in the City of Indio, and provides specialized medical services as well as surgery facilities, and emergency room care.
Item 28.
115
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not result in physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered public facilities such as libraries and medical services, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts. Impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The Coachella Library, which operates under the Riverside County library system, serves the City and currently lends out books and DVDs, free wireless internet and a variety of events for family users. Development of the Project is anticipated to primarily employ existing City and area residents who will be utilizing library services near their residential neighborhoods. Any new residents moving into the City would similarly be able to access existing libraries.
The City is also served by three medical facilities, all of which provide general, specialized and emergency services to the residents. The Project is anticipated to include employees from existing City residents who already utilize these three hospitals available to City residents. Any new residents moving into the City would similarly be able to access existing medical facilities. The Project would not require new or altered library and medical facilities. Impacts would therefore be less than significant.
RECREATION
Increase the Use of Existing Facilities
Although some of the new employees generated by the Project would be existing residents in the City, with access to parks and recreational uses within and around their neighborhoods, the Project has the potential to generate new residents in the City. These potential new residents would increase the demand on parks and recreational facilities in their neighborhoods.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not have the potential to increase the use or deterioration of existing neighborhood and regional recreational facilities or require the construction of new recreational facilities, and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
As an industrial and commercial facility, the Project would not require any associated recreational facilities and would have no impact on their construction or result in an adverse physical effect on the environment.
Currently, recreation service areas in the City are clustered around the eastern portion of the City with the nearest park area located approximately 2.5 miles to the northwest of the Project site. The City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update recognizes that there is a deficiency in sufficient parkland space in the city, with no regional parks, bike trails or recreational trails within the city
Item 28.
116
limits. The City’s 2035 General Plan Update EIR estimated that the City has approximately 60.2 acres for open space and recreation uses, mainly restricted to neighborhood parks and recreational facilities and parkland spaces associated with educational institutions in the City. The City’s 2035 General Plan Update EIR also recognizes that two (2) new park areas in Bagdouma Park and Dateland Park, as well as the expansion of the Rancho Los Flores Park, would contribute to additional parkland space under the City’s 2035 General Plan Update buildout in 2035.
The City is in the process of constructing additional park recreation areas and creating a regional trail system. While the Project may indirectly contribute to the City’s expected 15 percent annual population growth between 2020 and 2035, the additional residential development planned for the City under the City’s 2035 General Plan Update will fund the needed parks and recreational facilities to serve these new residents through the City’s Park Improvement Impact Fee ($6,480 per single-family residential units and $5,443.49 per multi-family residential unit according to the City’s 2022 DIF Annual Report), and residential development required DIF fees. Accordingly, the Project would have less than significant impacts on recreational facilities in the City.
TRANSPORTATION
Effect of a Geometric Design Feature
The Project site is currently vacant with no existing roadways or intersections on the site. SR 86 and Airport Boulevard, respectively, from the eastern and southern boundaries of the site. The Project would develop the existing vacant site with industrial, commercial and office uses as allowed under the City’s General Plan and Zoning Code and no incompatible uses would be developed on the site.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not increase hazards due to a geometric design feature (e.g., sharp curves or dangerous intersections) or incompatible uses (e.g., farm equipment), and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Roadway improvements on the Project site would be designed and constructed to satisfy the City of Coachella Improvement Standards and Specifications and the Standards Specifications for Public Works Construction, and Caltrans requirements (Highway Design Manual Index 405.2(2)(e)) for street widths, corner radii, intersection control, as well as incorporate design standards tailored specifically to project access requirements that would result in the safe and efficient flow of traffic. Moreover, all internal roadways would access the site within established roadway geometric features and standards.
Construction Impacts
The Project proposes development of the site over three (3) phases. Phase I construction is anticipated to take approximately one (1) to five (5) years following Project approvals, and Phases II and III are anticipated to occur over approximately five (5) to 10 years and 20 years, respectively.
Impacts associated with the construction of the Project may temporarily restrict vehicular traffic
Item 28.
117
along Airport Boulevard or the SR 86 off-ramp. However, construction operations would be required to implement traffic management plans, approved by both the City and Caltrans, that are adequate to facilitate the passage of people and vehicles through/around any required road or lane closures, under Mitigation Measure TRA-1.
During construction, worker vehicles, haul trucks, and other vendor trucks would be staged on the portion of the Project site under construction for the duration of the construction period. As part of the traffic management plans, the Project would be required to adhere to appropriate measures to facilitate the passage of persons and vehicles through/around any required road closures and measures to properly route heavy-duty construction vehicles entering and leaving the site (as applicable). As a result, impacts related to vehicular circulation design features during construction of the Project would be less than significant.
Operational Impacts
Access and circulation for the Project would be provided through a new signalized project access at Airport Boulevard. In addition, a second right-turn in only access is proposed between the SR 86 southbound offramp and the signalized project entrance, which is subject to Caltrans approval.
If Caltrans approval is not successfully obtained, a gated emergency access driveway would be installed in this location. Driveway aisles and internal sidewalks for the Project would be of appropriate width according to City of Coachella standards. Trucks accessing and leaving the Project site would be routed primarily along SR 86, Airport Boulevard and all other existing Citydesignated truck routes to access SR 111, which would limit potential safety conflicts between passenger vehicles and trucks. Therefore, the Project’s construction and operational impacts related to vehicular circulation design features as described above would be less than significant.
TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
Impacts to Historical Resources
A “historical resource” includes, but is not limited to, any object, building, structure, site, area, place, record, or manuscript which is historically or archaeologically significant, or is significant in the architectural, engineering, scientific, economic, agricultural, educational, social, political, military, or cultural annals of California (Public Resources Code § 5020.1(j)) and a “Local register of historical resources” means a list of properties officially designated or recognized as historically significant by a local government pursuant to a local ordinance or resolution (Public Resources Code § 5020.1(k)).
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not cause a substantial adverse change to a tribal cultural resource that is listed or is eligible for listing in the California Register of Historical Resources or in a local register of historical resources as defined in Public Resources Code § 5020.1(k), and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Item 28.
118
Facts in Support of Finding:
As discussed in Final EIR Section 4.5, Cultural Resources, and the Cultural Resource Investigation incorporated herein by this reference, 15 previous investigations have been conducted and documented since 1974, within the overall Project site and surrounding areas. In addition, the data review indicated that approximately 22 cultural resources have been previously documented within one (1) mile of the Project area. These resources included 2 historic period archaeological sites and 20 historic-period built environment resources. However, none of those resources may be classified as prehistoric and none of them have been identified within the actual Project site.
Although a segment of the CVSC (also known as the Whitewater River Storm Water Channel (33- 017259), under historical records), which is an earthen and concrete-lined channel constructed in 1915, borders the Project site to the west, the CVSC is not considered eligible for the CRHR or the NRHP. In addition, no cultural resources have been found under the overall area surrounding the Project site, according to CVWD’s Subsequent IS/MND conducted during its channel improvement project (SCH#2019079095). However, in the event that previously undiscovered tribal resources were unearthed during pre-construction and construction activities at the Project site, the Project’s adherence to Policy 12.2 of the Sustainability + Natural Environment Element of the City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update would require coordination with affected tribes before further site disturbance activities. Therefore, the Project would have a less than significant impact relative to tribal cultural resources.
UTILITIES AND SERVICE SYSTEMS
Require Relocation or Construction of New Facilities
The Project would develop approximately 47.96 acres of currently vacant land located to the northwest of SR 86 and Airport Boulevard, in the southeastern portion of the City. The site would be developed with approximately 42.36 acres of industrial, commercial and office uses, while an IID substation would be located at the northern 5.6 acres of the overall Project site.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not require or result in the relocation or construction of new or expanded water, wastewater treatment or stormwater drainage, electric power, natural gas or telecommunications facilities other than the specific improvements described as part of the Project description and evaluated within the Final EIR, and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Construction of all necessary pipeline and sewer line connectors would be subject to compliance with all applicable local, State, and Federal laws, ordinances, and regulations, as well as any sitespecific conditions of approval. In addition, impacts to the physical environment associated with the Project-related electricity, gas, and telecommunications facilities that would be constructed to service the Project are included in the Project’s construction phase, and all potential impacts have been evaluated throughout the EIR under the appropriate topical headings. Where significant impacts are identified, mitigation measures are required to reduce the Project’s impacts to the
Item 28.
119
maximum extent feasible. There are no environmental impacts that would occur specifically related to the Project’s proposed electricity, gas, and telecommunications improvements.
Therefore, compliance with the relevant laws, ordinances, and regulations would ensure the Project’s construction-related environmental impacts are reduced to a less than significant level.
Water and Wastewater Facilities
The CWA will supply water to the Project, which will require the construction of new onsite water and wastewater facilities and will require connection to CWA facilities. New water lines would be constructed on the Project site in accordance with CWA requirements for sizing and capacity and would connect to a proposed 20-inch water line to be constructed by CWA in Grapefruit Boulevard and to the east under the CVSC to the Project site. Construction impacts associated with the installation of the on-site facilities are addressed in the EIR as part of the Project development activities. CWA’s new 20-inch water line extension from Grapefruit Boulevard is a separate project being undertaken by CWA with independent utility (including serving portions of the City located to the east of SR 86) and separate CEQA review. Until such time as the CWA facilities are completed to serve the Project, CVWD will supply water in an interim basis through an exiting agreement between the City and CVWD.
In addition, a portion of the CWA water line project will be constructed in the same location as a new CVWD water line extension project, including the portion that crosses the CVSC. For this portion of the CWA water line project, the CVWD prepared the Subsequent Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND), Phase III A-2 Transmission Main, East Coachella Valley Water Supply Project, Valley View Mobile Home Park Water Consolidation Project (State Clearinghouse No. 2019079095) (April 2022), which addresses the potential environmental effects of that project and determined that it would not have any significant, unmitigated effects.
With respect to location and work associated with the east-west extension of the new CWA water line, the water line project IS/MND discussed that potential impacts may arise from temporary construction-related impacts in areas such as risk of minor accidental spills, construction noise and ground borne vibration, and temporary single lane traffic closures. All of these impacts, while requiring mitigation as set forth in the IS/MND, have limited potential to cause more than temporary impacts. The quantities of gasoline, lubricants, and other potentially harmful hazardous materials are limited to that necessary to operate equipment, and as such would not be able to be spilled in a quantity that would result in an overall substantial adverse effect to human beings.
Impacts from construction noise and vibration would be temporary, during daytime hours, and construction would not require equipment that generates excessive levels of prolonged noise.
Traffic impacts are limited to the in-road work and would only require closure of one lane. The project, once completed, would return the road to previous use and no lasting or substantially adverse impacts would occur. Other potential areas for adverse impacts could occur from rupture, contamination, or failure of project features; however, the project is designed to all current codes and standards to prevent rupture, contamination, or failure of water systems. Consequently, the water line project IS/MND concluded that it would not result in any environmental effects that would cause substantial adverse effects directly or indirectly. Therefore, the water facilities to be constructed as part of the Project would not cause any significant environmental effects and a less than significant impact would occur.
Item 28.
120
Stormwater Drainage
The Project’s operational stormwater and drainage improvements have been designed in accordance with FEMA and City requirements. The Project site would be separated into three main subareas and stormwater collection system boundaries: 1) the majority of the site is serviced by a series of drain inlets, gutters and swales where runoff can be collected and conveyed in an underground storm drain system toward permanent retention basins located along the western side of the site; 2) a smaller portion of the Project located at the northerly interior of the site will drain its surface runoff toward an interim retention basin; and 3) a portion of the site’s eastern portion would flow to a single retention basin adjacent to the Project boundary (during construction and operations).
Due to the need to retain all stormwater runoff onsite (including the 100-year flood), the permanent planned western boundary retention basins are not sufficient to retain all of the needed stormwater capacity. In order to retain all of the on-site flows, an interim detention basin has been planned for the Large Warehouse #4 (LW #4) site. CVWD has already completed improvements to the adjacent channel and has submitted for a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) from FEMA, which is anticipated to be approved in the coming years. Once the LOMR is approved, the site will no longer be required to retain all on-site flows from a 100-year flood event and the interim basin will no longer be required. Therefore, the LW-4 site can then be developed.
The site would feature several depressed loading docks (0.16 acres) for the proposed warehouse buildings on the northern portion of the site. These loading docks would be constructed to drain into underground storage facilities, which would be connected to the site’s proposed storm drain retention system. The geotechnical and soils report prepared for the Project concluded that underground infiltration systems are not recommended for the site due to relatively high groundwater levels. However, an automatic pumping system would be included to convey water from the underground storage facilities to the storm drain system.
The on-site retention basins would be designed and sized to retain the entire storm volume generated on-site during the 100-year storm event with only shallow ponding on-site. Any on-site ponding occurs by overflowing of the on-site storm drain collection system connected to on-site basins. As surface water subsides in the onsite retention basins, ponded surface water would be evacuated by infiltration within the basins. In the event of emergency flooding conditions in the City or this part of the County, the Project site’s drainage system and lines would be designed in accordance with City requirements such that flows exceeding the capacity of the on-site collection system would overflow at the southeasterly end of the site toward the SR 86 right-of-way and flows would then proceed to the CVSC, ending ultimately at its terminus at the Salton Sea.
In addition, the Preliminary WQMP presents a number of non-structural and structural BMPs to be implemented under Project operations, incorporated herein. As such, the Project would be required to collect and store 100 percent of the runoff generated during a 100-year storm event onsite per City drainage standards. The storm drain system will be privately operated and maintained during the life of the project per a project-specific Final WQMP, which will include copies of CC&Rs, Covenant and Agreements, BMP Maintenance Agreement and/or other mechanisms used to ensure the ongoing operation, maintenance, funding, transfer and implementation of the project
Item 28.
121
specific WQMP requirements. Therefore, the stormwater facilities constructed as part of Project would not cause significant environmental effects and a less than significant impact would occur.
Electric Power, Natural Gas, or Telecommunications Facilities Electric power lines currently serviced by IID are located outside the western border of the Project site. The site does not currently have electric power line connection and therefore off-site improvements would need to be made to bring electricity to the site. The proposed tie-in to existing IID power lines would be from the high-tension power lines that run along the western edge of the site and would connect into the proposed IID substation facility on the site.
Construction of the proposed substation may result in temporary impacts related to traffic and noise from worker vehicles and construction equipment, sewer and wastewater needs from temporary worker usage of waste facilities, and use of batteries and nighttime lighting for constructions activities. As analyzed throughout the EIR, any impacts related to the IID expansion can be reduced to a less than significant level with the incorporation of the mitigation measures.
The site would be served by SoCalGas for natural gas connections. Although no existing gas lines are currently located on the site, the Project would tie into existing SoCalGas underground gas lines, which would be extended into the Project site along the southwestern portion of the site through the extension of existing underground gas lines at Grapefruit Boulevard and Airport Boulevard that are owned, operated and maintained by SoCalGas.
Telecommunication and internet services would be provided to the Project site, on a demand basis by multiple providers, including Frontier (telecommunications) and Spectrum (internet and telecommunications) which have existing lines along Airport Boulevard along the site’s southern boundary. Therefore, any potential additional service line extensions at the site would be connected to existing telecommunications lines along existing and disturbed roadway rights-of-way.
The Project would therefore connect to the existing utility lines that surround the site, through appropriate number and size of extensions during development of buildings under the Project. All extensions would be constructed within existing disturbed road rights-of-way and would comply with the goals and policies of the Infrastructure + Public Services Element of the City’s 2035 General Plan Update. Specifically, the Project would have to comply with Goal 6 as well as Policies 6.4 and 6.6 that require commercial and business projects to provide easy access to energy, internet and telecommunication services. The Project’s compliance with Policies 6.7 and 6.8 would require all building development on the site to coordinate with SoCal Gas in order to provide safe, underground connections to existing utility providers in the City. Operations of the proposed electric, telecommunication and natural gas lines would continue on the site through connections to existing offsite lines and pipes that are located underground in the vicinity of the site.
Water Supplies
A WSA was conducted for the Project dated February 2024 and provides an assessment and verification of the availability of sufficient water supplies during normal, single‐dry, and multiple‐ dry years over a 20‐year projection to meet the projected demands of the Project, in addition to existing and planned future water demands of CWA (EIR, Appendix G3). The WSA also includes identification of existing water supply and demand, and quantities of water received in prior years,
Item 28.
122
to account for existing and planned future water demands of the CWA, as required by Senate Bill 610 (SB 610), SB 221, and SB 1262.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would have sufficient water supplies available to serve the project and reasonably foreseeable future development during normal, dry and multiple dry years, and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The applicable and most current UWMP is the 2020 Coachella Valley Regional UWMP, from which water supply and demand data is provided in the EIR and incorporated herein.
The jurisdictional service areas of the six participating agencies in the Coachella Valley Regional UWMP include:
• Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD)
• Coachella Water Authority (CWA)
• Desert Water Agency (DWA)
• Indio Water Authority (IWA)
• Mission Springs Water District (MSWD)
• Myoma Dunes Mutual Water Company (MDMWC)
The Coachella Valley Groundwater Basin is used by all six agencies as their primary source of supply for meeting municipal water demands (water used for typical household, business, and local government use). The basin provides storage to help meet demand even in dry years. In a typical year, groundwater pumping is more than the amount of local rain and mountain snowmelt.
The two largest subbasins in the Coachella Valley Groundwater Basin used to meet municipal water demands are the Indio Subbasin and the Mission Creek Subbasin. Subbasins are portions of a larger groundwater basin – usually separated by faults. In both of these subbasins, water agencies are developing updated plans to address long-term sustainable management of the groundwater basin. These plans were approved by Department of Water Resources (DWR) to meet planning requirements of the SGMA and are called the Alternative Plans. While the UWMP is focused on water used for municipal supply, the Alternative Plans address all water use in the Valley, including golf course and agricultural irrigation. In addition to groundwater, some of the water providers use local stream water, and some have recycled water systems to provide highly treated wastewater for irrigation. Imported water is used for groundwater replenishment and meeting nonurban demands.
Item 28.
123
Water would be supplied to the Project site by CWA. In 2020, CWA had 8,935 municipal connections and supplied a total volume of 7,216 AFY of water. CWA has one principal source of water supply, which is groundwater from the Indio Subbasin produced from CWA owned and operated wells. CWA’s distribution system network consists of approximately 120 miles of pipeline. There are currently six wells within the City’s distribution system. The total pumping capacity of active wells is approximately 11,400 gallons per minute (gpm) or 16.5 million gallons per day (MGD).
There are three storage reservoirs within the City: the 1.5 million gallon (MG) Dillion Road Reservoir, the 3.6 MG Mecca Reservoir, and the 5.4 MG Well 18 Reservoir. CWA has a total reservoir storage capacity of approximately 10.5 MG; of which, approximately 1.5 MG lies within the 150 Zone. CWA operates two booster pumping stations, the Mecca Reservoir booster pump station (Well 12 Booster) and the Well 18 Reservoir booster pump station (Well 18 Booster). The Well 12 Booster supplies the Low Zone and takes suction from the Mecca Reservoir, and the Well 18 Booster supplies both the 150 Zone and Low Zone, and takes suction from the Well 18 Reservoir.
Currently, CWA does not produce or use recycled water or raw water in its service area; however, the City is considering a recycled water system in the future. It should be noted that raw water, via the Coachella Canal, is used within the City limits, but by the agricultural community and not as a part of the CWA system. Per CVWD Ordinance No. 1428, CWA has opportunity to receive canal water for additional potable water supply when available. As the water becomes available, CWA may work with CVWD to pursue those opportunities to supplement its water portfolio.
The 2020 UWMP provides CWA’s actual water use and projected water supplies and demands in a normal year, single dry year, and multiple dry years (Tables 14.19-1, 14.19-2, 14.19-3, 14.19-4 and 14.19-5 as forth in the EIR are incorporated herein by this reference). CWA’s ability to meet demands is determined by an analysis of the available water supplies within CWA’s water service area in each scenario. Considering the groundwater basin management efforts presented throughout the UWMP, the historical groundwater supply availability during these scenarios is assumed to be fully reliable and an accurate assumption for future reliability.
As discussed in the WSA prepared for the Project, total projected water demand for the Project is 151.94 AFY, or 3.17 acre-feet (AF) per acre (see, EIR Table 4.19-6, Projected Total Water Demand for the Project). CWA’s long-term water management planning ensures that adequate water supplies are available to meet existing and future water needs within its service area. As stated in the UWMP tables, CWA’s current urban water demand is 7,216 AFY for 2020. The projected urban water demand for 2040 is 16,819 AFY. This Project’s water demand of 151.94 AFY accounts for approximately 0.9 percent of the difference between current municipal demands and planned demands of 16,819 AFY by 2040.
CWA’s projected water supplies in a normal year, single dry year, and multiple dry years are fully reliable. As discussed in the 2020 UWMP, CWA intends to continue meeting its urban water demands with groundwater. Project development was accounted for in CWA’s estimates of future water demands, because the estimates were derived from General Plan land use designations, and the Project is consistent with those designations. Furthermore, to receive water service, the Project will be subject to an agreement with CWA, together with any and all applicable fees, charges,
Item 28.
124
plans and specifications, conditions, and any and all other applicable CWA requirements in place and as amended from time to time.
The Project’s water supply impacts would be less than significant; however, in order to further minimize impacts to water supply, the Project’s WSA has provided specific water conservation measures that the future tenants of the proposed project business park development would implement to ensure the most efficient use of water resources and to meet and maintain the most recent UWMP goals throughout the life of the Project. The water conservation measures include the following:
1. Native plant materials and other drought-tolerant plants shall be used in all non-turf areas of Project landscaping. Large expanses of lawn and other water-intensive landscaped areas shall be kept to the minimum necessary and consistent with the functional and aesthetic needs of the Project, while providing soil stability to resist erosion.
2. In the event recycled water becomes available to the Project, the potential use of tertiary treated water will be reviewed to determine feasibility of its use for on-site landscaped areas to reduce the use of groundwater for irrigation.
3. The installation and maintenance of efficient on-site irrigation systems will minimize runoff and evaporation and maximize effective watering of plant roots.
Drip irrigation and moisture detectors will be used to the greatest extent practicable to increase irrigation efficiency.
4. The use of low-flush toilets and water-conserving faucets shall be required in conformance with § 17921.3 of the Health and Safety Code, Title 20, California Code of Regulations § 1601(b), and applicable sections of Title 24 of the State Code.
Therefore, the Project would have sufficient water supplies to serve the Project and reasonably foreseeable future development during normal, dry, and multiple dry years, and impacts would be less than significant.
Adequate Capacity for Wastewater Treatment
For sanitary sewer service, the Project site is within the City’s sewer boundary but the Project site would be served by CVWD which provided a Will Serve Letter for the Project as proposed, in July 2020, requiring the Project to provide the appropriate infrastructure construction and compliance with all existing CVWD facilities.
Finding:
The City Council finds that there is adequate capacity in CVWD’s wastewater treatment system to serve the project’s projected demand, and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Item 28.
125
Facts in Support of Finding:
The Project site does not currently have wastewater/sewer service and will need to extend its connection to CVWD’s existing line that runs along Airport Boulevard; the tie in will be at the south end of the Project at Airport Boulevard. This line will be extended eastward over the CVSC under the Airport Boulevard bridge and stubbed to the southwest corner of the Project site, and all effluent will be treated at CVWD’s Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) #4, which complies with the Colorado River Basin RWQCB. Wastewater from the Project site would be regulated by the Colorado River Basin RWQCB adopted WDRs Order No. R7-2005-0083, which specifies effluent limitations, prohibitions, specifications, and provisions necessary to protect the beneficial uses of the surface and ground waters within the Colorado River Basin Region. Compliance with the WDRs would ensure that wastewater discharges generated by the Project and treated by the WWTP system would not exceed applicable Colorado River Basin RWQCB wastewater treatment discharge requirements.
The Project will be conditioned to connect to the City’s system when facilities are available in proximity to the site and would be mandated to conform to applicable goals and policies of the Infrastructure + Public Services Element of the City’s 2035 General Plan Update. Specifically, Goal 1, which promotes the maintenance of efficient and high-quality infrastructure facilities, and Goal 2, which requires adequate and reliable water and wastewater supply facilities to address all future growth in the City. Policies 1.1, 1.2, 1.4 and 3.6 would ensure that the Project site is adequately supplied with water and stormwater drainage and service standards, while Policy 1.9 would ensure that retention basins and stormwater areas are designed and constructed in a safe, aesthetically pleasing manner and Policy 1.5 would ensure that the Project provides adequate water and stormwater facilities. Goal 3 of the Infrastructure + Public Services Element would require all development at the Project site maintain adequate wastewater connections as well as collecting and safely disposing of all onsite wastewater. Policy 3.4 would ensure that proposed development on site has the proper wastewater conveyance capacities prior to the issuance of any building permits. Policy 3.8 would require users on the Project site to establish adequate wastewater disposal systems such that all potential users have access to adequate and maintained wastewater disposal systems either on site or in existing systems in the City of Coachella.
The Project would therefore comply with Policies 2.3, 2.5 and 2.6, and will provide and maintain adequate water supplies, storage and distribution to all future uses on the site. The Project’s adherence to Policies 2.11, 2.12 and 2.13 require water conservation programs and measures; Policy 2.14 encourages new development to utilize on-site grey water systems; and, Policy 2.15 requires expansion of the use of reclaimed water specially for water efficient landscaping. The Project will connect to CVWD’s Wastewater Treatment Plant #4, where effluent is not currently recycled; however, it will be in the future when demand for recycled water is developed.
In addition, since Policies 2.8 and 3.5 would ensure that all development on site would pay fairshare connection and maintenance fees, with implementation of these relevant General Plan policies as well as adherence to all applicable local and State regulations and codes, that the Project impacts to water, wastewater, and stormwater will be less than significant.
Item 28.
126
Generate Excess Solid Waste
The Project site is currently vacant and undeveloped with no sources of solid waste generation or the need for the use of local solid waste infrastructure. Development of the site Project would result in warehouse and storage facilities, office and commercial development, all of which would generate solid waste on site.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project will not generate solid waste in excess of State or local standards or in excess of the capacity of local infrastructure, and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Construction activities under the Project have the potential to generate construction waste from building materials as well as construction workers on site. The Project site would be served by the Badlands Landfill, with sufficient capacity for additional trash per day (City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update EIR; 2014). Solid waste generated during each phase of Project construction would be collected and deposited at the landfill site which has the capacity to accept the site’s generated construction and demolition solid waste. The Project would also be required to comply with solid waste diversion requirements established by CalGreen, requiring the diversion of at least 65 percent of solid waste. In addition, in compliance with CalGreen, any project requiring construction permits from the City must divert at least 65 percent of construction and demolition materials or forfeit their deposit (Coachella Municipal Code Chapter 15.54, Recycling and Diversion of Waste from Construction and Demolitions, § 15.54.130). By providing solid waste pickup at the site and disposal to all appropriate landfill locations that currently serve the City, the Project would have solid waste diversion of 65 percent across all proposed uses on the site.
In addition, Project construction and operation activities would be required to adhere to applicable policies under the Infrastructure + Public Services Element of the City’s 2035 General Plan Update. Specifically, Policy 5.4 which requires projects to strive for zero solid waste to landfills though appropriate reuse and recycling efforts; Policies 5.6 and 5.8 which would require adequate disposal of hazardous materials during construction and operation, as well as the use of green waste management practices on the site. The Project’s adherence to Policies 5.7, 5.11, 5.12, and 5.15 would ensure that appropriate trash collection facilities and services are provided on site for all construction, electronic, recycling, and daily trash materials.
Similarly, operational activities at the Project site would involve the generation of solid waste and recycling materials at the various structures on site. The City contracts with Burrtec to provide solid waste collection, recycling, and disposal management services. All businesses will be required to establish an account with Burrtec for regular solid waste and recycling pick-up and disposal. The Badlands Sanitary Landfill is currently permitted to receive 5,000 tons of trash per day. The total permitted capacity of the landfill is 82,300,000 cy with a remaining capacity of 4,900,000 cy and a ceased operation date of January 1, 2059. The solid waste generated by the operation of the Project would be negligible compared to the Badlands Sanitary Landfill’s
Item 28.
127
maximum permitted throughput of 5,000 tons per day. Therefore, the Project’s impacts relative to solid waste facilities would be less than significant.
Comply with Statutes and Regulations regarding Solid Waste The Project would result in new warehouse, storage, office and commercial uses on a currently vacant site. All of the anticipated development would generate solid waste and all solid wastegenerating activities within the City are subject to the requirements set forth in the CalGreen that requires demolition and construction activities to recycle or reuse a minimum of 65 percent of the nonhazardous construction and demolition waste, and AB 341 that requires diversion of a minimum of 75 percent of operational solid waste.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project will comply with federal, state and local management and reduction statutes and regulations related to solid waste, and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The Project would be consistent with all state regulations, enforceable through the City’s project permitting process; solid waste would be collected and disposed at appropriate waste facilities that currently service the City. In addition, the Project would be required to comply with the appropriate goals and policies of the Infrastructure + Public Services Element of the City’s 2035 General Plan Update such that all solid waste and landfill materials are disposed of in accordance with the City and County’s waste management systems under Goal 5. Project adherence to Policy 5.7 would ensure that future development under the Project would provide the appropriate trash collection services, while Policies 5.4, 5.6, 5.9, 5.10 would ensure that users at the site strive for reduced (through recycling) or zero waste to landfills by 2040, do not dispose of hazardous materials into the typical municipal waste stream, practice recycling and composting of green waste, and dispose of electronic waste at the appropriate disposal locations. The Project’s adherence to the use, storage and disposal of recycled materials and construction waste in compliance with Policies 5.12, 5.13 and 5.15 would also ensure that development under the Project would comply with all solid waste statute and regulations; and therefore, there would be less than significant impacts.
WILDFIRE
Exposure to Pollutants from Wildfire
While all of California is subject to some degree of wildfire hazard, specific features make certain areas more hazardous. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) is required by law to map areas of significant fire hazards based on fuels, terrain, weather, and other relevant factors. Factors that increase an area’s susceptibility to fire hazards include slope, vegetation type and condition, and atmospheric conditions. CalFire has identified two types of wildfire risk areas: 1) wildland areas that may contain substantial forest fire risks and hazards and 2) Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZs).
Item 28.
128
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project would not result in pollutant concentrations from a wildfire or the uncontrolled spread of a wildfire due to slope, prevailing winds, or other factors that exacerbate wildfire risk, and therefore impacts will be less than significant. No mitigation measures are necessary.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Construction and operation of the Project may utilize hazardous materials such as petroleum products (see EIR Section 4.9, Hazards and Hazardous Materials). However, all Project construction would be subject to applicable federal and State laws and regulations related to the proper use, storage, and transport of hazardous materials. Construction equipment would be subject to standard operating procedures, that would limit sources of ignition that could generate a wildfire. All construction activities on the Project site would be required to have all equipment use and worker tasks conform to fire safety protocols, including, but not limited to, on-site fire extinguishing equipment. As such, construction related impacts would be less than significant.
Factors for assessing existing wildfire risk include drought, slope steepness, wind speeds, flammability of vegetation, and burn history and severity (length of time from last fire and location of last proximate fire). The Project site is relatively flat and has a gentle slope from northwest to southeast as does most of the land within the city. The Project site is not on or adjacent to any slopes and is abutted by the SR 86 right-of-way on the east, the CVSC on the west, and Airport Boulevard on the south. Vacant desert land occurs immediately north, in a narrow parcel that is part of the Caltrans right of way. The site is not near open space or mountain slopes, and its isolation make the risk of wildfire, or the spread of wildfire, extremely low. Impacts associated with uncontrolled spread of wildfire would be less than significant.
V. FINDINGS REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS HAVING NO IMPACT
AESTHETICS
Scenic Resources
The Project site had been in agricultural use in the early 1900s; however, the site is currently vacant and there are no historic buildings located on the site. Trees are sparse and located primarily in the northern and northwestern portions of the site. Small rock deposits from previous uses are scattered throughout the site along with low shrub and bush coverage. The Project site is not located within or in proximity to any officially designated State scenic highways as identified by Caltrans. The closest eligible State scenic highway is a portion of SR 111 located approximately 6.3 miles southeast of the Project site, in the community of Mecca. Therefore, there would be no impact on any scenic resources within or near a State scenic highway.
Item 28.
129
AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY
Convert Farmland
According to the California DOC’s Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program (FMMP), and as shown in Final EIR Exhibit 4.2-1, the Project site is designated as Farmland of Local Importance, and not Prime Farmland, Unique Farmland, or Farmland of Statewide Importance. Although the Project site had been utilized for agricultural production from approximately 1953 to 1984, the Project site is currently undeveloped and vacant. Located in the southern portion of the City, the Project site is designated as part of an Industrial District under the City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update designation and is zoned for M-H: Heavy Industrial uses. Therefore, implementation of the Project would not convert Prime Farmland, Unique Farmland, or Farmland of Statewide Importance (Farmland), to non-agricultural uses and there would be no impact.
Conflict with Zoning or Williamson Act
The Williamson Act, also known as the California Land Conservation Act of 1965, allows local governments and private landowners to form contracts that restrict specific parcels of land to agricultural or related open space use. According to the City’s 2035 General Plan Update EIR, there are approximately 900 acres of land under Williamson Act Contracts (WACs) and 1,400 acres of land under WACs that have not been renewed and are set to expire. The Project site is zoned for industrial use, is not subject to a WAC and is not adjacent to any land subject to a WAC or zoned for agricultural use. Therefore, the Project would not conflict with existing zoning for agricultural use or a WAC and there would be no impact.
Conflict with Forest or Timberland
The City’s 2035 General Plan Update does not include Forest Land or Timberland designations or uses within the City or its Sphere of Influence. The City is located in the desert climate of the Coachella Valley and does not support or contain any forest land or timberland. The Project site itself does not contain any timberland or forest land, nor is it zoned for timberland production.
Therefore, the Project would not conflict with existing zoning for, or cause rezoning of, forest land, timberland, or timberland zoned for Timberland Production, and there would be no impact.
Loss of Forest
The Project will not involve changes in the existing environment that would result in conversion of forest land, since, as noted above, there are no Forest or Timberland designations in the City.
Other Conversion of Farmland or Forest Land
As discussed above and in the Final EIR, no conversion to non-agricultural use or conversion of forest land to non-forest use would occur with the Project and there will be no impact to farmland or forest land.
Item 28.
130
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
Conflict with Local Policies or Ordinances
The Project Area is located within the City of Coachella and is subject to its’ local tree ordinances, which are limited to street trees and palm trees. These ordinances require regular trimming and maintenance and/or removal, but preservation is not specified within the code. The trimming or removal of any trees on site would thereby not conflict with local tree ordinances, thus would not conflict with the local policies or ordinances protecting trees. No impact would occur.
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
Impacts related to Septic Tanks
The Project would not involve the use of septic tanks or any other alternative wastewater disposal systems. Sanitary sewer will be extended to the site from existing CVWD sewer lines and connections, and treatment will occur at existing CVWD facilities. Therefore, there would be no impacts associated with septic tanks or alternative wastewater systems.
HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIAL
Hazardous Materials within ¼ mile of a School
There are no schools on, or proposed for, the site or in the immediate vicinity of the Project site.
The nearest school site is the John Kelley Elementary School in the adjacent community of Thermal approximately 2.5 miles to the south of the Project site. There would be no impact to existing or proposed schools within one-quarter mile of the Project site.
HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY
Inundation by Flooding, Tsunami or Seiche
Flood Zone
CVWD has completed channel lining improvements that would remove the entirety of the Project site from the floodplain. Therefore, the Project would not result in the risk of release of pollutants due to project inundation in a flood zone and impacts would be less than significant.
Tsunami
The Project is situated approximately 79 miles to the east of California’s coastline along the Pacific Ocean. Therefore, the risk of inundation by tsunami is considered negligible and there would be no impact.
Seiche Zone
The Project is situated approximately 10.5 miles to the north of the Salton Sea, and as such, is not located near a large standing body of water. Therefore, the risk of inundation by seiche is considered negligible and there would be no impact.
Item 28.
131
LAND USE AND PLANNING
Physically Divide an Established Community
The physical division of an established community is typically associated with construction of a linear feature, such as a major highway or railroad tracks, or removal of a means of access, such as a local road or bridge, which would impair mobility within an existing community or between a community and an outlying area. The Project does not propose the construction of any roadway, flood control channel, or other structure that would physically divide any portion of the community. The Project will develop a currently vacant site with light industrial, storage and warehouse spaces, office uses, gas station and convenience store, fast food retail, as well as a utility substation to be operated by IID. The Project site is mostly vacant to the north and east, with some light industrial uses located to the west. SR 86 follows the eastern border of the site and Airport Boulevard forms the southern boundary. The Project will result in a mixed commercial and industrial project on vacant land. The Project will be self-contained and will not affect the ability of surrounding lands to develop with the uses permitted on those properties. Therefore, neither construction nor operation of the Project would result in the physical division of an established community. No impact would occur.
MINERAL RESOURCES
Loss of a Mineral Resource of Local Value or of Value to Region or State According to the California Department of Conservation (CA DOC), the Project site is not located within a Mineral Resource Zone. Therefore, implementation of the Project would not result in the loss of any mineral resources that are of value to the State; there would be no impact. Similarly, no mineral resource sites are delineated or analyzed under the City’s General Plan, and none are contained in other specific or land use plans. Implementation of the Project would not result in the loss of availability of important mineral resources; there would be no impact.
POPULATION AND HOUSING
Displace People or Housing
The Project site is on currently vacant parcels that have no housing or people living on the site.
The Project therefore would not displace people or require the construction of replacement housing elsewhere. Therefore, no impact would occur.
RECREATION
Require New or Expanded Facilities
As a primarily industrial and office development with some commercial uses (related to restaurant and gas station uses), the Project does not include recreational facilities and would not require the construction or expansion of recreational facilities as it is not adding housing or residents on the site who would require access to park and recreational spaces. However, the Project would include pathways and open areas that would be accessible to all employees and visitors at the site.
Although the jobs generated by the Project could create demand for housing, future employees
Item 28.
132
connected with the Project would primarily access parks in their residential neighborhoods, and new residential projects would be required to construct recreational facilities as part of their project entitlements. Therefore, the Project will not require the construction expansion of recreational uses that might have an adverse physical effect on the environment. No impact would occur.
WILDFIRE
Require Infrastructure
The Project will require development of infrastructure for urban development (not for wildfire risk), including for power, water, sewer, stormwater drainage and an internal roadway system, and would decrease fire risks relative to existing conditions. The Project site is not located in or near a State Responsibility Area (SRA) or Local Responsibility Area (LRA) and does not contain any land classified as a VHFHSZ. Electricity would be provided to the Project site through a new underground distribution line that would extend from Airport Boulevard and also connect to existing power lines and infrastructure located along the site’s western boundary. An IID substation facility would be located at the northern end of the overall Project Site, and this would include a 315 foot x 315 foot electrical substation and a 1-25 mega volt ampere (MVA) 92/13.2 kilovolt (kV) transformer bank in order to provide adequate power for the Project. There also would be 92 kV transmission line extensions and associated distribution feeders/backbones and distribution line extensions installed on the substation portion of the overall Project site. Electric power lines and poles are currently located to the west of the Project Site, and these currently serve all existing development to the west of the CVSC. All of the proposed power utility lines would be located underground and would connect to the existing power lines and power poles located to the west of the site and within City boundaries; no new power poles would be located on the site.
Future maintenance of the Project facilities would not increase the risk of fire because the proposed uses onsite would not include any features that would have the potential to exacerbate fire risk or result in temporary or ongoing impacts to the environment. The Project site would also provide suitable access for emergency vehicles from Airport Boulevard. Therefore, no impact would occur.
Expose People or Structures to Risk of Flooding, Landslides The Project site is comprised of a relatively flat terrain, sloping gently northwest to southeast.
Since the site is not located within a FHSZ, the Project would not increase fire risks at the site.
Landslides, including rockfalls, deep slope failure, and shallow slope failure, are not likely to occur at the site due to the absence of steep slopes; the site is relatively flat. The Project is not expected to expose people or structures to downslope or downstream flooding or landslides risks as a result of runoff, post-fire slope instability, or drainage changes. No impact would occur.
VI. FINDINGS REGARDING CUMULATIVE IMPACTS
CEQA Guidelines § 15130 requires an EIR to include an analysis of the cumulative impacts of a project when the project’s incremental effect is considered cumulatively considerable. Cumulative impacts are defined as two or more individual events that, when evaluated together, are significant or would compound other environmental impacts of a project. Cumulative impacts are the changes in the environment that result from the incremental impact of development of the Project and other nearby projects.
Item 28.
133
CEQA Guidelines Section 15130(b)(1) allows discussion of reasonably foreseeable cumulative projects to be drawn from either a “list of past, present, and probable future projects producing related or cumulative impacts” or a “summary of projections contained in an adopted general plan or related planning document or in a prior environmental document which has been adopted or certified, which described or evaluated regional or area wide conditions contributing to the cumulative impact.”
To assess potential cumulative impacts associated with planned and pending development in the City, the Final EIR considers planned and pending projects in the Project site vicinity, including within the City and adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County. Pending projects include projects for which a building permit has been issued, for which planning approvals have been obtained, or for which planning approvals are pending.
Upon construction of all of these projects, there would be an additional. 3,079.04 acres of new residential development/redevelopment, 96.13 acres of commercial development, and 4.89 acres of industrial development. The cumulative setting conditions are based on:
• Effect of Regional Conditions.
• Local Adopted General Plans.
• Consideration of Existing Development Patterns.
• Proposed and Approved Development Projects as shown in EIR Table 3-1 for projects within 5 miles of the Project site.
Aesthetic Resources
Although aesthetic impacts are generally site-specific, impacts that may affect scenic vistas or recognized visual resources can influence a broader area.
Finding:
The City Council finds that project’s impacts related to aesthetic resources will not be cumulatively significant.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The Project is anticipated to have less than significant impacts to views from surrounding public locations and from the major roadways. While the structures could impact views from surrounding locations, overall impacts related to aesthetics would be site specific and would not result in cumulatively significant aesthetic impacts. Furthermore, the cumulative development is already called for in the City’s General Plan, and will require compliance with the same General Plan policies and requirements as the Project, including the design guidelines related to sizing, heights and massing of buildings (as appropriate under each General Plan land use designation and Zoning District within the City) and other regulatory compliance discussed above. Therefore, and specifically to the standards limiting the height of development in the area, cumulative impacts related to scenic vistas would be less than cumulatively considerable.
Item 28.
134
The Project site and its immediate environs are designated for Industrial and Public Facility development; as such, other industrial buildings similar in mass and scale to the Project could be proposed for the surrounding area. The City’s Zoning and General Plan provide guidance and requirements for height, mass, scale and lighting of projects in the residential, multi-family, commercial and industrial districts.
Since the Project borders Riverside County to the south of the site, all future development to the south of the Project would be required to comply with Riverside County requirements for building height, mass, architecture, landscaping, signage and lighting. The Project would not contribute to a significant cumulative impact that would constitute a degradation of visual quality in the Project vicinity as it would develop the currently-vacant site with a modern, well-designed and landscaped development that includes public open spaces and a circulation system. Furthermore, all cumulative projects would be subject to the same requirements as the Project, such as the City’s lighting and signage requirements under both Title 24 Guidelines and Coachella Municipal Code Chapter 17.56.010(F)(3), which address components of highway signage such as size, height, lighting, location (setback from highway rights-of way) proximity to other signs among other features. Also, any new signs proposed in proximity to Caltrans facilities would be required to comply with Caltrans design requirements with regard to wattage and reflective nature of the sign structure. Therefore, the Project’s contribution to cumulative impacts related to visual character and quality would be less than cumulatively considerable.
Buildout of cumulative development and of the General Plan would contribute to the overall level of nighttime illumination and glare in the Project area since the Project site and surroundings, as well as other undeveloped areas of the City, are primarily vacant desert lands with limited light and glare. Nighttime illumination would be anticipated to incrementally increase with these developments. However, the future projects are distributed throughout an area with a high degree of existing nighttime illumination and additional glow from these projects has been anticipated under the City 2035 General Plan Update, which requires implementation of, and compliance with Polices 6.1 and 7.2 of the Sustainability + Natural Environment Element. Furthermore, all future projects would be subject to the same requirements as the Project to minimize the effects of exterior lighting and glare. Compliance with all applicable City, County and Caltrans requirements would reduce impacts from additional light and glare. Therefore, the Project’s contribution to cumulative light and glare impacts would be less than cumulatively considerable.
Agriculture and Forestry
Cumulative development within the City and adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County has the potential to convert existing agricultural lands to non-agricultural uses, thereby leading to a loss of agricultural land within the City, its Sphere of Influence, and Riverside County. According to the California DOC FMMP and the City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update EIR, the City of Coachella has approximately 5,000 acres of land classified as Prime Farmland, Unique Farmland, Farmland of Statewide Importance and Land of Local Importance. Future development in the City and adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County has the potential to convert some of this land from agricultural production to urban development, leading to a substantial loss of farmland. The City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update policies and the City’s agricultural reserve areas will apply to agricultural lands as projects are proposed on these properties, and the impacts of these projects on agriculture will be assessed as those projects occur.
Item 28.
135
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s impacts to the conversion of agricultural or forest lands to non-agricultural uses will not be cumulatively significant.
Facts in Support of Finding:
In determining whether impacts to agricultural resources are significant, lead agencies may refer to the California Agricultural Land Evaluation and Site Assessment Model (1997) prepared by the DOC as an optional model to use in assessing impacts on agriculture and farmland. In determining whether impacts to forest resources, including timberland, are significant, lead agencies may refer to information compiled by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection regarding the state’s inventory of forest land, including the Forest and Range Assessment Project and the Forest Legacy Assessment project; and forest carbon measurement methodology provided in Forest Protocols adopted by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
The Project site is currently undeveloped and vacant and development of the Project will have no cumulative impact on the conversion of agricultural lands in the City or adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County, because the Project site is already designated for industrial uses.
Therefore, the Project would not contribute to any significant cumulative impacts related to agricultural resources or forest land.
Air Quality
With the exception of the potential impacts related to odors, the cumulative study area for air quality includes the City of Coachella, adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County, and the SSAB. A project could contribute to an existing or projected air quality exceedance because the SSAB is currently in nonattainment for federal and State standards. The CAAQS designates the Coachella Valley as being in nonattainment for O3, PM10, and PM2.5 while the NAAQS designates the Valley as being in nonattainment for O3 and PM2.5. With regard to determining the significance of the cumulative contribution from the Project, the SCAQMD recommends that any given project’s potential contribution to cumulative impacts be assessed using the same significance criteria as for project-specific impacts.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s impacts to air quality will not be cumulatively significant.
Facts in Support of Finding:
With implementation of Mitigation Measure GHG-1, the Project would conform to local land use plans, comply with all applicable SCAQMD rules and regulations, and would not exceed the applicable regional thresholds for air pollutant emissions. As such, the Project is consistent with the applicable air quality plans in the Project Area, and the Project would result in a less than significant cumulative air quality impact.
Relative to odors, the Project, and all other projects proposed in the City and adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County, would be required to comply with SCAQMD Rule 402 to
Item 28.
136
prevent occurrences of public nuisances (including odors), during both construction and long-term operation. As discussed in Responses 14-21 and 14-22, any future commercial or retail cannabis uses would be subject to State and local regulations and would be required to implement an odor abatement plan as a standard condition of approval, in compliance with Coachella Municipal Code § 5.68.040(P) and Coachella Municipal Code Chapter 5.68.130, Operating Standards, (C) Odor Control. All projects are also subject to the solid waste regulations for the City of Coachella. The Project’s contribution to potential operational odor impacts associated with future commercial cannabis operations would be reduced with compliance with applicable regional and local regulations pertaining to cannabis cultivation and processing. Other developments within the cumulative study area similarly would be required to comply with SCAQMD rules and regulations and the solid waste regulations of the applicable jurisdictions. Therefore, Project impacts due to other emissions such as those leading to odors would be less than cumulatively considerable.
Biological Resources
The following factors are considered with respect to analyzing cumulative impacts to biological resources:
• The cumulative contribution of other approved and proposed projects to fragmentation of open space in the project vicinity
• The loss of sensitive habitats and species
• The contribution of the project to urban expansion into natural areas • Isolation of open space in the vicinity by proposed/future projects Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s incremental impact to biological resources in the area will be mitigated. Impacts will not be cumulatively considerable.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Over the last half-century or more, naturally vegetated open areas have diminished as the landscape surrounding the Project Area has been built upon with residential, educational, and commercial uses. Similar to the Project, other developments within the City and adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County would also be required to comply with all applicable laws and regulations governing biological resources. Individual development proposals in the region are reviewed separately by the appropriate jurisdiction and undergo appropriate environmental review when it is determined that the potential for significant impacts exist. If future projects would result in impacts to sensitive biological resources, impacts to such resources would be addressed on a case-by- case basis. It is anticipated that for other developments that would have significant impacts on these resources, mitigation measures such as preconstruction surveys would be required. Nevertheless, this analysis conservatively assumes that cumulative impacts to specialstatus species and sensitive vegetation communities are potentially significant.
Item 28.
137
The Project would be constructed within disturbed, native, and sensitive habitats, including jurisdictional wetlands. The Project’s contribution to cumulative impacts to special-status species (Mitigation Measures BIO-1 through BIO-6) sensitive vegetation communities (Mitigation Measures BIO-6 through BIO-9), and wetlands (Mitigation Measures BIO-7, BIO-8, and BIO-9), would be cumulatively considerable without mitigation. With the implementation of mitigation measures listed above, which includes Mitigation Measure BIO-9 that addresses mitigation requirements for jurisdictional wetlands and Mitigation Measure BIO-6 that addresses mitigation requirements for sensitive natural communities and compliance with the CVMSHCP, direct and indirect impacts to special-status wildlife, sensitive vegetation communities, and jurisdictional wetlands would be reduced to less than significant levels and thus not cumulatively considerable.
Cultural Resources
The cumulative analysis for impacts on cultural resources typically considers a broad regional system of which the resources are a part. The Project site is located within a varied area of cultural resources. The cumulative cultural resources setting for the Project would include the City of Coachella, adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County, and the broader Coachella Valley, home of the Cahuilla people. There are a number of sensitive areas and potential historical, cultural and archaeological sites and potential areas where human remains could occur within the City, its Sphere of Influence and the region.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s impacts related to cultural resources will not be cumulatively significant.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Based upon existing studies outlining intense resource use in this region, and the documented artifacts recovered from the prehistoric era, the Coachella Valley has the potential to have high archaeological sensitivity. Future development may uncover or disturb known or previously unknown archaeological resources. Impacts to such resources would be mitigated on a case-bycase basis and future projects would be required to follow the City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update goals and policies, CEQA thresholds, and to implement mitigation measures specific to the site. Therefore, the Project’s cumulative impact on archaeological resources would not be cumulatively considerable. Future development activity in other parts of the City and County may uncover previously unknown and buried human remains. However, the treatment of human remains is covered under California law and applies to all projects and property. Therefore, the Project’s cumulative impact with respect to the potential disturbance of human remains would not be cumulatively considerable.
Item 28.
138
Energy
Cumulatively considerable environmental impacts related to energy resources could occur if the project, as well as past, current, and future projects, are wasteful or inefficient in their energy consumption and thereby cause significant environmental impacts.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s impacts related to energy resources will not be cumulatively significant.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The cumulative geographic scope for energy consumption in relation to the Project is Riverside County. This geographic scope is appropriate because the smallest scale at which energy consumption information is readily available is the county level. Cumulative development throughout the County would increase demand for electricity, natural gas, and transportation energy, as well as the need for energy infrastructure resources across the County. However, new iterations of the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards and CALGreen would require increasingly more efficient appliances and building materials that reduce energy consumption in new development.
The Project would result in cumulative energy usage impacts if the Project, in combination with all future development in the County, implemented development that did not incorporate sufficient building energy efficiency features or did not achieve building energy efficiency standards during construction and/or operation. However, the Project, along with future development in Riverside County would be required to be constructed in accordance with the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards and CALGreen in effect at the time it occurred. In addition, operation of the Project and all future development in the County would be required to include the installation of energy efficient appliances and efficient water fixtures and zero‐net‐energy designs through the installation of PV solar panels, as required by the applicable codes when development occurred.
Future projects would be subject to the California Building Code, including California Energy Code and Cal Green’s energy efficiency design features and standards related to residential and nonresidential buildings, and implemented to minimize the wasteful and inefficient use of energy.
Future development, as well as development under the Project, would also be subject to even more stringent requirements, such as the objectives set in the CARB Scoping Plan (2022), which would result in less fuel combustion and energy consumption to satisfy the State’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. Therefore, equipment used for Project and future project construction would be required to conform to CARB regulations and California emissions standards regarding retrofitting, repowering, or replacement of diesel off‐road construction equipment. Compliance with anti‐idling and emissions regulations would result in a more efficient use of energy during construction activities, and the minimization of wasteful energy consumption during a project’s operation. Therefore, the Project’s contribution to cumulative impacts due to wasteful, inefficient and unnecessary use of energy use would be less than cumulatively considerable.
Item 28.
139
Geology and Soils
The consideration of cumulative effects associated with geotechnical conditions includes the degree to which a project may contribute to the cumulative impacts from ground rupture and shaking from earthquakes, loss of topsoil, landslides, lateral spreading and liquefaction and other conditions.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s impacts related to geology and soils will not be cumulatively significant.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The area for cumulative analysis for geology and soils is the City of Coachella and adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County. Cumulative development in the City has the potential to increase total population and therefore expose more people to geological hazards such as ground rupture and shaking from earthquakes, loss of topsoil, landslides, lateral spreading and liquefaction. However, geologic hazards are often site-specific and individual future development in the City would be required to comply with applicable federal, State, and local regulations related to seismic hazards and geologic safety standards related to design and construction.
Cumulative projects have the potential for the discovery of and impacts to paleontological resources elsewhere in the City and County. Based upon the geologic history of the Coachella Valley, there is always the possibility that ground-disturbing activities during future construction projects may uncover previously unknown paleontological resources or sites or unique geologic features. However, potential impacts to paleontological resources from future development would be addressed on a case-by-case basis and appropriate mitigation would be designed to mitigate impacts resulting from future individual projects. Therefore, cumulative impacts relative to geology and soils would not be cumulatively considerable.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Due to their dispersing natural and aggregate regional impacts, greenhouse gases are analyzed in terms of cumulative impacts.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s impacts related to greenhouse gas emissions will not be cumulatively significant.
Facts in Support of Finding:
It is generally the case that an individual project of this size and nature is of insufficient magnitude by itself to influence climate change or result in a substantial contribution to the global GHG inventory. GHG impacts are recognized as exclusively cumulative impacts; there are no noncumulative GHG emission impacts from a climate change perspective. The additive effect of Project-related GHGs would not result in a reasonably foreseeable cumulatively considerable
Item 28.
140
contribution to global climate change, given that the Project’s GHG emissions have been substantially reduced through the implementation of Mitigation Measure GHG-1. In addition, the Project, as well as other cumulative related projects, would be subject to all applicable regulatory requirements, which would further reduce GHG emissions. The Project-related GHG emissions would be less than significant with implementation of Mitigation Measure GHG-1 and would not impede statewide 2030 and 2050 GHG emission reduction targets. As such, the Project would result in a less than significant cumulative GHG impact with mitigation incorporated.
Hazards and Hazardous Materials
Hazardous materials and risk of upset conditions are largely site-specific, resulting from the local conditions of individual developments.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s impacts related to hazards and hazardous material will not be cumulatively significant.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Cumulative projects within the City of Coachella and adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County have the potential to increase impacts related to encounters with hazardous materials by construction workers during construction activities and residences and employees exposed to hazardous materials. However, hazards are typically site specific unless being transported beyond a project area, and individual development would not create compounding impacts that would affect hazardous conditions on other sites. Future development projects would have to comply with all relevant federal, State and local policies in relation to hazards and would also be subject to CEQA review for each project, including compliance with remediation plans as applicable. Other potential impacts from future development would be addressed on a case-by-case basis, and appropriate mitigation would be designed to mitigate impacts resulting from individual projects.
Considering compliance with the City of Coachella 2035 General Plan Update policies, state and federal regulations to reduce impacts related to hazards and the transport of hazardous materials, and the Project’s implementation of Mitigation Measure HAZ-1, the Project’s contribution to cumulative hazards and human health impacts would be less than cumulatively considerable.
Hydrology and Water Quality
Surface and groundwater quality will not be significantly impacted by the project and will be managed by on-site stormwater facilities and by connection of the project to the CVWD sanitary sewer system. Project impacts to water supplies will be less than significant. The project will not alter any local or regional drainage pattern or contribute runoff to existing and planned drainage facilities, nor will it contribute to erosion or siltation.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s impacts related to hydrology and water quality will not be cumulatively significant.
Item 28.
141
Facts in Support of Finding:
Cumulative growth near the Project site includes specific known development projects and general growth in the City and adjacent areas of unincorporated County of Riverside. The cumulative setting in relation to hydrology and water quality for the Project is the City of Coachella.
Cumulative impacts to hydrology and water quality generally occur as a result of incremental changes that degrade water quality. Cumulative impacts can also include individual projects which, taken together, adversely contribute to drainage flows or increase potential for flooding in a project area or watershed. Future projects in the City would result in a cumulative increase in stormwater runoff that would drain into the existing stormwater drainage system in the City, which is identified in the City’s Stormwater Master Plan. The Project would construct an onsite storm drain system that will retain 100 percent of the 100-year storm event. Similar to the Project, future projects would be required to conduct environmental review and construct project-specific drainage features in accordance with the provisions of the City’s Stormwater Master Plan.
Land Use and Planning
The project is analyzed in terms of consistency with the General Plan and the SCAG RTP/SCS and other land use planning documents potentially having regulatory effect on the subject property.
The EIR also analyzed the project’s appropriateness, suitability, and compatibility with existing and planned land uses in the vicinity.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s impacts related to land use will not be cumulatively significant.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The Project would involve the development of a currently vacant parcel into a business park primarily with offices, storage and commercial uses along with industrial and electrical facility uses. The City’s 2035 General Plan Update presents the City’s vision of future growth as transforming the City into a full service medium sized city with unique districts that would promote the city as an economic, residential, office, research and development center in the Coachella Valley. Along with a range of housing in a variety of neighborhoods elsewhere in the City, the General Plan provides for a diverse economy with a variety of employment opportunities for its residents, which would be supported by the Project.
The City’s 2035 General Plan Update also provides the environmental benefits of accommodating an increased economic and population base through the intensification of development. All of this development, along with all additional future development in the City and adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County, would be required to conform to their respective, applicable General Plan policies and Zoning Ordinance requirements. Therefore, in conjunction with the existing and proposed projects across the City and County, the Project’s cumulative impacts relating to land use do not substantially change the General Plan’s vision or its implementation, and buildout of the General Plan would be less than cumulatively considerable.
Item 28.
142
Mineral Resources
Development in Riverside County could occur on or near areas with significant mineral resources.
However, compliance with State regulations and the County’s General Plan would ensure that the County’s mineral areas and deposits remain available for ongoing mining operations. There will be no impacts to mineral resources as a consequence of the construction of this Project.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s impacts related to minerals will not be cumulatively significant.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Since the Project site and the City of Coachella do not have mineral resources within their geographic area, the Project, in combination with cumulative projects within the City and adjacent areas of the County, would not result in the loss in availability of a known mineral resource.
Therefore, the cumulative mineral resource impact would be less than cumulatively considerable.
Noise
Cumulative impacts are those resulting from the Project in combination with other future or ongoing projects. A cumulative noise impact occurs when cumulative projects would result in a substantial noise level increase and would exceed applicable standards.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s noise impacts will not be cumulatively significant.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Buildout of the City and adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County would result in an increase of traffic throughout the City, as well as the operation of future projects in areas that were previously vacant and undeveloped. The development of vacant lots or the redevelopment of existing lots, and the resulting increase in traffic in the City and County would result in increased noise levels throughout the City and County and along local roadways. Future development in the City and County, in addition to the Project, would result in construction‐related noise, which would lead to an increase in ambient noise. The Project’s compliance with Municipal Code requirements would limit the time periods during which construction activities would occur to the daytime hours, in accordance with the City and County restrictions on construction hours.
In addition, Mitigation Measure NOI-1 would require the use of exhaust mufflers, and engine shrouds, that reduce construction noise levels by approximately 10 dBA, or more; and would require construction equipment staging areas to be located the furthest distance possible from nearby noise-sensitive land uses. Therefore, with incorporation of Mitigation Measure NOI-1, construction related noise levels would not exceed applicable noise standards and impacts would be reduced to less than significant levels and would not be cumulatively considerable.
Item 28.
143
Construction‐related ground‐borne vibration associated with future development in the City and adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County, including the Project, would lead to a small increase in vibrations. However, groundborne vibration due to project construction is generally very limited as to how far it travels from any particular site and the Project’s groundborne vibration impacts during construction were determined to be less than significant. The Project would not create vibrations large enough to impact surrounding uses because even the most vibratory piece of construction equipment expected to be utilized on the Project site would not reach PPV in/sec levels that would trigger the potential for damage to structures.
All future development would be required to comply with applicable General Plan Goals and Policies, as well as the City’s and County’s codes, which establish hours of operation for construction activities in order to lessen the impacts of construction noise, which will also limit groundborne vibration to these hours. Therefore, cumulative groundborne vibration impacts from construction would therefore not be cumulatively considerable.
Operational noise under the Project, as well as all future projects within the City would also be required to meet City noise standards as established under the City’s General Plan and Municipal Code (Final EIR Exhibit 4.13-2, Land Use Compatibility for Noise Exposure is incorporated herein by this reference), as well as the CALGreen noise standards, which are applied to new or renovation non-residential construction projects in California to control interior noise levels resulting from exterior noise sources.
The Project’s predicted operational cumulative noise levels would not exceed applicable City daytime or nighttime noise standards Similar to the Project, future projects will be required to mitigate noise levels, as they occur, to below the acceptable levels established by the City or the County. Future development projects would also be required to comply with applicable policies under the City’s and County’s General Plan Noise Element, as well as other City and County codes and regulations related to operation of land uses. Cumulative impacts from operations would therefore not be cumulatively considerable.
Population and Housing
The Project will develop currently vacant parcels into a business park primarily with warehouse, offices, storage and commercial uses along with an electrical substation, consistent with planned future development of the site according to the site’s General Plan land use designation. With approximately 767 acres of vacant land in the City, cumulative development around the Project area in combination with development facilitated by the City’s 2035 General Plan Update and County of Riverside General Plan may result in increased population, job, and housing projections.
But this growth is consistent with the adopted General Plans and with population and housing projections under the City’s 6th Cycle Housing Element, which estimates that with its potential and capacity for future residential development, the City would have an excess of extremely low, very low, low, moderate as well as above moderate housing units by 2029.
Item 28.
144
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s impacts related to population and housing will not be cumulatively significant.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The Project and any future development in the City would be consistent with the SCAG RTP/SCS that reviewed long term growth potential in Riverside County (Connect SoCal 2020). Connect SoCal estimated that population in the County would increase to 606,000 persons with an estimated 338,000 employed persons, under SCAG’s future growth horizon of 2050. The Project would satisfy the Connect SoCal goal to support a sustainable, efficient and productive regional economic environment that would improve access to jobs in the region, as well as advancing a resilient and efficient goods movement system that supports the economic vitality of the region.
The site is located immediately adjacent to SR 86 and the Airport Boulevard ramps; as such, trucks and other traffic have immediate access to regional connections, without having to travel through residential neighborhoods, and the length of trips off the freeway will be minimized. In particular, the Project would satisfy the following Connect SoCal policies:
• Policy 83. Foster a positive business climate by promoting regional collaboration in workforce and economic development between cities, counties, educational institutions and employers
• Policy 84. Encourage inclusive workforce development that promotes upward economic mobility
• Policy 86. Foster a resilient workforce that is poised to effectively respond to changing economic conditions (e.g., market dynamics, technological advances and climate change)
• Policy 87. Inform and facilitate data-driven decision-making about the region’s workforce
The Project is anticipated to produce 741 new jobs, in a variety of areas and sectors, some of which would be filled by current residents in the City. These new jobs may involve the relocation of new residents to the City and there are approximately 1,108 housing units that would be available under project entitlements that are already underway in the City. In addition, the City anticipates having a total of 3,225 housing units by 2029, which is additional housing that might be needed by the Project and other planned future projects in the City. In relation to all cumulative development projects in the City, the Project would not cause or contribute to significant unplanned population growth. Therefore, although implementation of the Project would increase density and intensity of existing land uses in the City, the Project site is planned for such growth in the General Plan and other long-term planning documents, and the Project would not cause a cumulatively considerable contribution to any cumulative impacts associated with population and housing.
Item 28.
145
Public Services
The project will contribute an incremental increase in demand for public services and when considered in combination with other planned future growth in the area, could have potentially significant cumulative impacts.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s impacts to public services, including fire and police protection, schools, libraries, and medical facilities will not be cumulatively significant.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The cumulative setting for the Project in relation to public services is the City of Coachella and the adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County. To assess the Project’s cumulative impacts to public services, the cumulative analysis is based on the buildout of the City under its General Plan. Growth resulting from implementation of future cumulative projects would result in increased demand for police and fire services, parks, and other public facilities such as schools, libraries and medical services. The City has incorporated the growth anticipated in the adopted General Plan into its long-range planning programs. Standard measures such as the payment of the DIF and the incorporation of needed public services and facilities would be addressed in the environmental analysis that is required for each cumulative project.
The potential impacts to public services and facilities associated with the Project were analyzed, and it was concluded that no significant impacts would occur. The development would have the potential to generate limited population growth with the potential to impact public services as a result of new employees relocating to the Project area. Many factors influence personal housing location decisions (i.e., family income levels and the cost and availability of suitable housing in the local area); and it is anticipated that the majority of Project employees would be drawn from existing City and County area residents. Thus, it would be highly speculative to estimate the number of future employees who would relocate to the City. However, the Project would be required to pay DIF fees as its fair share to help offset incremental impacts to public services by helping fund capital improvements and expenditures. As such, the Project’s contribution to cumulative impacts related to public services and facilities is not cumulatively considerable.
Recreation
The Project may indirectly contribute to the City’s expected 15 percent annual population growth between 2020 and 2035; however, the residential development planned for the City under the City’s 2035 General Plan Update will fund the parks and recreational facilities to serve these new residents through the City’s Park Improvement Impact Fee and required DIF fees. The Project will have a less than significant impact on existing parklands and facilities.
Item 28.
146
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s impacts to recreational resources will not be cumulatively significant.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Cumulative growth near the Project site includes specific known development projects and general growth in the City and adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County. Much of this growth has been anticipated by the City and factored in the City’s 2035 General Plan Update Land Use + Community Character Element through Polices 13.1 through 13.23. The City’s 2035 General Plan Update EIR determined the housing and population growth anticipated to occur in the City by buildout year of 2035 and estimated that the City would require an additional seven (7) community parks, 10 neighborhood parks, three (3) regional parks, and four (4) special use parks by the buildout year of 2035.
The construction of new recreational facilities or the expansion of existing recreational facilities anticipated under buildout would be subject to its own environmental review pursuant to CEQA and state law and would be required to comply with all City 2035 General Plan Update policies.
Prior to all tentative map and parcel map approvals, future development would be required to provide for new park spaces or pay in-lieu fees (or a combination of both) such that new development would contribute to the addition of adequate park spaces and recreational facilities.
This would ensure that any future growth in the number of City or County residents is concurrent with adequate park and open spaces that would serve the City’s and County’s growth in population.
The City’s 2035 General Plan Update provides policies and standards for the future development of parks and recreational facilities in connection with future development proposed under the City’s and County’s general plans. In addition, since the planned future growth in housing within the City would be subject to the City’s Quimby Ordinance and required DIF fees, this will help fund the additional recreational facilities needed to accommodate General Plan buildout.
Therefore, with such payment of all applicable park fees, cumulative impacts to recreational facilities would be less than significant, and the Project’s contribution to any such impacts would be less than cumulatively considerable.
Transportation
With the exception of generating a limited but net increase in VMT per employee, and with the implementation of required mitigation measures, the project will result in less than significant impacts on the local and regional transportation network. Nonetheless, due to the Project’s “per employee” VMT exceedance compared to the regional average, the Project’s impacts associated with VMT will be cumulatively considerable.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s impacts to transportation and traffic will not be cumulatively significant, except with respect to VMT, which is considered significant and unavoidable, as discussed in detail in the findings set forth in Section II above, which findings are hereby incorporated by this reference.
Item 28.
147
Facts in Support of Finding:
Cumulative traffic impacts consider the impacts of future growth and development. The cumulative area for transportation impacts is the City of Coachella and the greater Riverside County region. Traffic volumes were developed with a growth rate calculated from existing counts and cumulative forecasts. Specifically, the assumptions for the cumulative analysis were developed using annual growth rates from the RIVCOM AM peak hour, PM peak hour, and daily model plots. A comparison of the base year model (2018) and future year (2045) reflect the anticipated area-wide growth in traffic trips.
The Project is consistent with adopted policies, plans, or programs regarding the City’s circulation system, including roadways, public transit, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities, and the performance and safety of such facilities, and would not combine with other area projects to result in significant cumulative impacts to such facilities.
Construction activities associated with the Project and nearby cumulative projects may overlap and result in traffic impacts to local roadways. However, Project construction would not result in significant traffic impacts upon implementation of a construction traffic control plan and construction staging area design to be approved by the City prior to the initiation of site disturbance to ensure that construction activities and traffic control are carried out in a manner that causes minimal disruption to traffic on adjoining facilities, as required under Mitigation Measures TRA1 and TRA-2. Cumulative development projects would also be required to reduce construction traffic impacts on the local circulation system and implement any required mitigation measures pursuant to CEQA. Therefore, the Project’s contribution to cumulative construction traffic impacts would not be considerable.
Regarding operational transportation impacts, a cumulative impact analysis was provided and included analyses for Opening Year 2027, Opening Year 2030, Opening Year 2033 and Buildout Year 2045. One of the cumulative projects considered in this analysis is the Airport Boulevard Bridge Replacement Project (SCH No. 2023030456), which adopted a Negative Declaration on May 16, 2023, and filed a Notice of Determination on June 30, 2023. Those documents analyzed hydrology, traffic, and noise issues, finding only incremental construction noise and short-term emissions relevant. Although that project was found not to have significant individual impacts, its temporary construction emissions and traffic detours fall within the same geographic area as the proposed project and were therefore considered in this cumulative impact assessment. As it is anticipated that the Airport Boulevard Bridge project will be completed prior to commencement of construction of the proposed Project, no cumulatively considerable short-term construction impacts would occur. Rather, the proposed Project is being designed to account for and align with the Airport Boulevard Bridge improvements and lane configurations to avoid any operational transportation impacts. With implementation of the recommended improvements and payment of the City DIF and CVAG TUMF fees, the Project’s operational impacts under all scenarios would be less than significant. In addition, as with the Project, all future development would undergo environmental review on a project-by-project basis, to evaluate potential transportation impacts and ensure compliance with the established regulatory framework. Therefore, the Project’s contribution to cumulative operational traffic impacts would not be considerable.
Item 28.
148
The Project would result in a significant and unavoidable impact for VMT as a result of an increase in VMT per employee as compared to the regional average. Therefore, VMT impacts of the Project would also be considered cumulatively considerable.
The City’s EOP provides a means to prepare and maintain systems, supplies, and other logistical items among city departments to support emergency/disaster response and recovery throughout the City. Additionally, the City’s and County’s Fire Departments review development applications to ensure that adequate emergency accessibility is provided based on local and state guidance.
Review of emergency access is also included as part of the City’s final application process.
Therefore, impacts to emergency response and evacuation are less than cumulatively considerable.
Tribal Cultural Resources
The majority of western Riverside County was occupied primarily by the Cahuilla, the Gabrielinos, Juaneños and Luiseños. (County of Riverside General Plan EIR; 2014). The area in and around the City of Coachella has been identified as being settled by several Native American tribes who were mainly hunters, gatherers and protoagricultural people. The City’s General Plan EIR identifies two (2) Native Tribes having reservation lands within the City - the Augustine and the Cabazon. Augustine reservation land is located within the southwest portion of the City, while Cabazon reservation land is located within the western and northwestern portions of the City (PaleoWest Cultural Resources Investigation; 2020).
Finding:
The City Council finds that project’s impacts to tribal cultural resources will not be cumulatively significant.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The Project’s potential to result in cumulative impacts to tribal cultural resources were analyzed in conjunction with other projects in the City and adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County, which will occur as a result of General Plan build out. There is potential for tribal cultural resources to be uncovered during construction activities from any development project.
Cumulative impacts could be reduced by each development project’s compliance with applicable City regulations, consultations required by AB 52 and/or SB 18, and project-specific mitigation.
The City implements monitoring as a standard requirement for all projects and would continue to do so through General Plan buildout. Implementation of Mitigation Measure CUL-1 would reduce project impacts to tribal cultural resources to a less than significant level, and the Project’s contribution to cumulatively significant impacts on inadvertent discoveries on tribal cultural resources would also be reduced to less than cumulatively considerable.
Item 28.
149
Utility and Service Systems
Development facilitated by the Project, in combination with other development within the service boundaries of utility providers, would increase demand on utilities and service systems including electricity, natural gas, telecommunications, water, wastewater, and solid waste. This increased demand would occur incrementally and cumulatively. As demand eventually requires the construction of new or expanded facilities, the environmental impacts associated with this construction would need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s impacts to utility and service systems, including electricity, natural gas, telecommunications, water, wastewater, and solid waste will not be cumulatively significant.
Facts in Support of Finding:
The scope for the cumulative impacts of the Project on utilities is the buildout of the General Plan.
The existing electrical facility network would require upgrades and the addition of new IID substation facilities to serve the projected growth in the City and adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County. As is the case for the Project, additional IID substation facilities will be required as other projects are developed in the City. In the case of the Project, impacts associated with the construction of a new IID substation have been analyzed and quantified throughout the EIR.
Similarly, the impacts of other IID facilities will be analyzed in conjunction with the projects they serve during their CEQA reviews. As demonstrated in the EIR for the Project, the impacts associated with electric facility expansion are not significant and can be mitigated. It would be expected that similar facilities in other locations would also have less than significant or mitigable impacts, and that cumulatively, the construction of substations required to meet the demands of future projects would be mitigable and not cumulatively considerable.
Buildout of the City of Coachella would result in additional natural gas demand within SoCal Gas’s service area. The existing natural gas facilities have sufficient capacity to serve the Project and the projected growth in the City. However, existing utility infrastructure would require review prior to implementation of any project and any further need for capacity, natural gas connections and/or infrastructure upgrades would be accomplished through the required design review and approval of natural gas plans for projects through the City, respective nearby jurisdictions, and the appropriate regulatory agencies and utility providers. As with the Project, future projects would be required to comply with applicable regulations. Therefore, cumulative impacts for these services from the Project would be less than cumulatively considerable.
Buildout of the City and County would also result in an increased demand for telecommunication and internet services, which are provided on a demand basis and by a variety of service providers in the City and County. As with the Project, future projects would be subject to review to determine if there is further need for infrastructure upgrades or connections. Although buildout of the City and County would increase demand of telecommunication services, future developments are required to participate in the design review process of telecommunication plans associated with
Item 28.
150
the future development. Therefore, demand would not be cumulatively considerable and would not cause or contribute to a significant cumulative impact.
Based on the analysis in the Project WSA, CWA’s long-term water management planning ensures that adequate water supplies are available to meet existing and future water needs within its service area which includes the City and Project site. In addition, the City’s water management planning, including the future demand required as described in the UWMP, is based on General Plan land use designations and anticipated build out. The Project’s land uses are generally consistent with what was anticipated in the UWMP, which concludes that the City has sufficient supply to serve anticipated cumulative growth through 2045. The City therefore has sufficient capacity in its domestic water supplies to accommodate the Project in relation to all future development projects.
Cumulative impacts to water usage from the Project would be less than cumulatively considerable.
CVWD has sufficient capacity to serve the site, as well as the City, for future wastewater needs, including the ability to expand its WWTPs and grey water facilities. CVWD and the city are also required to conduct repairs and upgrades to the existing wastewater conveyance system throughout the City on an as needed basis and would continue to do so for future development projects in a cumulative scenario. Future development projects would be required to coordinate with CVWD for their individual wastewater service requirements. These projects would, like the Project, extend service if necessary, and pay connection and other fees to CVWD for the provision of service.
CVWD collects these fees in order to have resources available for these projects as they occur.
The combination or expansion capabilities at its regional WWTPs and the collection of fees in anticipation of needed expansion assure that the impacts of the Project, when combined with other future projects, will have less than significant impacts on wastewater treatment. Therefore, cumulative impacts for wastewater needs from the Project would be less than cumulatively considerable.
The Project and future projects would contribute to the cumulative amount of solid waste that is disposed of within the Riverside County landfill system, including the two sites that currently provide services to the City which have capacity for the amount of waste generated by the project.
Future projects would be required to confirm available capacity and to comply with State, County and local diversion and recycling regulations, initiatives and programs in place within those jurisdictions. In the case of the Project, impacts associated with solid waste have been analyzed and quantified throughout the EIR. Similarly, the impacts of other future development projects in the City would be analyzed during their CEQA reviews. As demonstrated in the EIR, the Project’s impacts associated with solid waste are not significant. It would be expected that similar projects in other locations within the City would also have less than significant or mitigable impacts, and that cumulatively, the construction of future projects would be mitigable and not cumulatively considerable. Therefore, cumulative impacts to the existing landfills resulting from waste generated by related projects are considered less than significant.
Wildfire
Development projects have the potential to be cumulatively considerable, when evaluated in the context of other past, present, or reasonably foreseeable projects that make a cumulative contribution to impacts. By their very nature wildfires are cumulative in impact.
Item 28.
151
Finding:
The City Council finds that the project’s impacts to wildfire risks will not be cumulatively significant.
Facts in Support of Finding:
Although the Project site is not located within an SRA or LRA and is not classified as a VHFHSZ, a majority of the western half of Riverside County, particularly those areas to the west of the Project site are in moderate to VHFHSZ areas or are located within FRAs. Similarly, although the majority of land in the City is not located within a FRA, SRA or LRA, there are some areas in the east end of the City that may be at substantial fire risk. All future and cumulative projects would be required to comply with the CFC, CBC, and City of Coachella regulations and adopted emergency response plans. All future proposed construction would be required to meet minimum standards for fire safety. Future projects in the City and County would also be subject to review by the City and County to ensure cumulative development is designed with the appropriate fire safety and support fire suppression systems. This would include compliance with state and local fire codes, inclusion of fire sprinklers if required, proper fire hydrant systems, paved access, and secondary emergency access routes. The Project would have a less than significant impact related to wildfires and would not make a substantial contribution to any cumulative impact related to wildfires. Impacts would therefore be less than cumulatively considerable.
VII. FINDINGS REGARDING ALTERNATIVES ANALYZED IN THE DEIR AND
REJECTED
CEQA Guidelines § 15126.6(a) requires the discussion of a “a reasonable range of alternatives to a project, or the location of a project, which would feasibly attain most of the basic objectives of the project but would avoid or substantially lessen any of the significant effects of the project, and evaluate the comparative merits of the alternatives.” The Guidelines states that the “range of potential alternatives to the proposed project shall include those that could feasibly accomplish most of the basic objectives of the project and could avoid or substantially lessen one or more of the significant effects” (§ 15126(c)). The Final EIR evaluated a reasonable range of alternatives to the proposed project. These alternatives are:
Alternative 1: “No Project” Alternative – the Project site would be retained in its current vacant and undeveloped condition
Alternative 2: “Heavy Industrial” Alternative – the Project site would be built consistent with its current designation as MH-Heavy Industrial under the City’s Zoning Code and as an Industrial District under the City’s General Plan
Alternative 3: “Industrial Business Park – No Retail” Alternative – the Project site would be developed as a mixed industrial business park facility with some storage uses on 42.36 acres of the site but without any retail development
When a lead agency has determined that a proposed project will still cause one or more significant environmental effects that cannot be substantially lessened or avoided after the adoption of all feasible mitigation measures, prior to approving the project as mitigated, the agency must
Item 28.
152
determine whether there remain any project alternatives that are both environmentally superior with respect to such impacts and feasible within the meaning of CEQA.
An alternative may be rejected if it is “infeasible” or if it fails to achieve most of the basic project objectives identified within the EIR. “Feasibility” under CEQA encompasses the desirability of the project based on a reasonable balancing of relevant economic, environmental, social, or other considerations which make infeasible the project alternatives.
Alternative 1: “No Project”
CEQA Guidelines § 15126.6 (e) requires the analysis of alternatives to include the specific alternative of “No project.” The purpose of describing and analyzing a No Project alternative is to allow decision makers to compare the impacts of approving the proposed project with the impacts of not approving the proposed project.
If the Project or one of the Alternatives were not approved, no change to existing conditions is considered the most likely outcome, at least in the near term. The “No Project” Alternative is therefore the existing conditions and assumes that the Project site would remain a vacant parcel of land. The proposed IID substation facility on an approximate 5.6-acre portion of the site at its northern end would not be developed as anticipated under the Project.
Finding and Facts in Support of Finding:
The City Council rejects the “No Project” Alternative for the following reasons:
1. This Alternative would result in no physical environmental impacts beyond those that have historically occurred on the Project site and include long-term erosion and sedimentation impacts and General Plan land use impacts which would increase under this alternative.
2. The “No Project” Alternative would fail to meet the following project objectives:
• to develop an underutilized site with existing arterial and roadway access; • contribute to increasing in the City of Coachella’s fiscal health as envisioned under the 2035 General Plan Update;
• promote development consistent with the City’s 2035 General Plan Update; • create new employment opportunities within the City of Coachella as identified under the City’s 2035 General Plan Update;
• fund construction of additional IID electrical facilities to improve the electric grid and enhance reliability to this portion of the City of Coachella; • ensuring that the scale of the development respects its surroundings and existing land use patterns.
The City Council therefore finds the “No Project” Alternative unacceptable on policy grounds and rejects it.
Item 28.
153
Alternative 2: “Heavy Industrial”
The “Heavy Industrial” Alternative is based on buildout of the Project site pursuant to its current designation as MH-Heavy Industrial under the City’s Zoning Code and as an Industrial District under the City’s General Plan. This alternative would develop 42.36 acres of the total 47.96-acre site as one large distribution warehouse approximately 627,300 square feet in size, and a height of 50 feet, and an attached office of approximately 18,000 square feet in size, and a height of 28 feet, the maximum size that can be developed with the site constraints and current designation. The resulting total building area for this alternative would be 645,300 square feet, which is 20,800 square feet more than the Project area of 624,500 square feet, representing a 3.2 percent building area increase. However, the total development acreage of 47.96 acres would be the same as the Project.
The large warehouse would be located along the northern portion of the site, in close proximity to the proposed electric substation. The accompanying spaces for trailer parking and loading docks would be along the building’s exterior, as well as vehicular parking areas situated in the southern portion of the Project site. All exterior lighting, landscaping and signage would be consistent with the City’s zoning standards. Access for this alternative would be provided by two driveways on Airport Boulevard at about the same locations as those proposed for the Project. The proposed IID substation facility on an approximate 5.6-acre portion of the site at its northern end would be developed as anticipated under the Project. This alternative would generate a slightly higher rate of 773 employees, whereas the Project is estimated to generate 741 employees.
The trip generation is substantially less for the “Heavy Industrial” Alternative than the Project.
Specifically, the “Heavy Industrial” Alternative would generate 1,650 trips per day whereas the Project would generate 4,282 trips per day, which is a difference of 2,632 trips. However, while the fleet mix for this alternative would include a more intensive percentage of heavy-duty truck trip generation than the Project, this alternative’s trip generation overall is less than the Project’s.
Finding and Facts in Support of Finding:
The City Council rejects the “Heavy Industrial” Alternative for the following reasons:
1. This alternative would result in the highest number of employees of all alternatives, however, this is not considered to be a substantial increase.
2. This alternative results in fewer daily trips compared to the Project; however, it could result in potentially higher VMT than the Project due to the likelihood of a high concentration of long-haul trips.
3. This alternative would not reduce the project’s significant and unavoidable VMT impacts. Most impacts from this alternative would be similar to the proposed Project; however, this alternative’s construction schedule would be more intense but of shorter duration than would occur with the Project (because the one building would result in the entire site being under construction whereas the multiple buildings with the Project would be built over several phases).
Item 28.
154
4. This alternative proposes only warehouse uses and would not include any commercial/retail uses so would not attract quick service restaurant and gas station/convenience store users. Accordingly, the resulting sales tax revenues to the City from these uses would not be realized, nor would it provide these amenities to existing residents or travelers on SR 86.
5. This alternative would not provide the same diversity of employment opportunities or variety of commercial uses as identified in the City’s 2035 General Plan Update.
The City Council therefore finds the “Heavy Industrial” Alternative unacceptable on policy grounds and rejects it.
Alternative 3: “Industrial Business Park- No Retail”
The “Industrial Business Park – No Retail” Alternative would develop the Project site as a mixed industrial business park facility with some storage uses on 42.36 acres of the total 47.96-acre site but without any retail development. The resulting total building area for this alternative would be 629,000 square feet, which is 4,500 square feet more than the proposed Project building area of 624,500 square feet, representing a nominal 0.7 percent building area increase. Similar to both the Project and the “ Heavy Industrial” Alternative, the total development acreage would be 47.96 acres. The proposed IID substation facility on an approximate 5.6-acre portion of the site at its northern end would be developed as anticipated under the Project. The Project site’s zoning would still be consistent with MH-Heavy Industrial Zone.
The project components proposed under this alternative would include four (4) large warehouse structures (233,100 square feet total); 11 small warehouses (96,000 square feet total); four (4) personal vehicle storage structures (76,800 square feet total); 17 self-storage buildings (134,125 square feet total); and 21 small business centers (81,000 square feet total). This alternative would not include the Service Station/Mini Mart and Restaurant and Drive-through Facility uses.
Parking for all of the proposed uses would be distributed throughout the site, along with lighting, signage and landscaping. Building heights would be uniform at 28 feet high among all of the uses, with the exception of the small warehouse at 32 feet high and large warehouse at 50 feet high, which would be up to 10 to 20 feet higher. Access for this alternative would be provided by two driveways on Airport Boulevard.
The trip generation is substantially less for the “Industrial Business Park –No Retail” Alternative than the Project. Specifically, this alternative would generate 2,708 trips per day whereas the Project would generate 4,282 trips per day, which is a difference of 1,574 trips. The fleet mix for this alternative would include a more intensive percentage of heavy-duty truck trip generation than the Project; however, this alternative’s trip generation overall is less than the Project’s. This alternative would result in a lower rate of employees (688) as compared to the Project (741).
Finding and Facts in Support of Finding:
The City Council rejects the “Industrial Business Park- No Retail” Alternative for the following reasons:
Item 28.
155
1. The Industrial Business Park- No Retail Alternative would meet all of the Project’s objectives except it would not contribute to an increase in the City’s fiscal health as envisioned under the 2035 General Plan Update to the same extent as the Project.
2. The Industrial Business Park- No Retail Alternative would generate the fewest number of new employees of the alternatives and Project.
3. This Alternative would generate substantially fewer daily trips but would not reduce the project’s significant and unavoidable VMT impacts. Most impacts from this alternative would be similar to the Project as this Alternative has only a slightly larger building footprint but with the same development area and proposed IID substation.
4. This Alternative would not include any retail uses so would not attract quick service restaurant and gas station/convenience store users. Accordingly, the resulting sales tax revenues to the City from these uses would not be realized, nor would it provide these amenities to existing residents or travelers on SR 86.
5. This alternative would not provide the same diversity of employment opportunities or variety of uses as identified in the City’s 2035 General Plan Update The City Council therefore finds the Industrial Business Park- No Retail Alternative is unacceptable for policy reasons and rejects it.
Additional Findings Regarding the Environmentally Superior Alternative:
A summary comparison of impacts associated with the project Alternatives is provided in the EIR in Table 7-4, incorporated herein by this reference. CEQA Guidelines § 15126.6 requires the identification of the environmentally superior alternative. Implementation of the “No Project” Alternative would result in no physical environmental impacts beyond those that have historically occurred on the property. Because the “No Project” Alternative would avoid most of the Project’s impacts, it is considered to be the “environmentally superior alternative.” However, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §15126.6(e)(2), if a “no project” alternative is identified as the environmentally superior alternative, then the EIR shall also identify an environmentally superior alternative among the other alternatives.
Alternative 2: “Heavy Industrial” Alternative, would result in fewer environmental impacts than both the Project and Alternative 3: “Industrial Business Park – No Retail” Alternative. Regarding utilities and service systems, both Alternative 2: “Heavy Industrial” and Alternative 3: “Industrial Business Park –No Retail”, would be expected to have a lesser demand for certain utilities and services systems, since the more water-intensive commercial/retail uses would be omitted under both these alternatives, including water demand and solid waste collection and disposal, as compared to the proposed Project. In addition, both Alternative 2: “Heavy Industrial” and Alternative 3: “Industrial Business Park – No Retail”, would be expected to have a reduced operational mobile source air quality impact as a result of the lower trip generation, compared to the Project.
Item 28.
156
However, Alternative 2: “Heavy Industrial” would also result in reduced impacts relative to aesthetics (operational light and glare impacts only) and noise (construction-related impacts only) as compared to both the Project and Alternative 3: “Industrial Business Park – No Retail”. As it pertains to light and glare impacts, this alternative would result in fewer aesthetics effects associated with the introduction of light and glare sources than under both the Project and Alternative 3: “Industrial Business Park – No Retail,” because one large, more bulky-appearing building would be erected as compared to multiple smaller buildings as proposed by the Project.
As it pertains to noise impacts, the construction schedule would be shorter for this alternative than under either the Project or Alternative 3: “Industrial Business Park – No Retail”, because construction of the one large building would result in the entire site being under simultaneous construction, whereas the Project or Alternative 3: “Industrial Business Park – No Retail” would construct multiple buildings over several, separate phases and over a span of several years.
Therefore, it is anticipated that the total duration of noise impacts during the building construction phase would be shorter under this alternative as compared to the proposed Project and Alternative 3: “Industrial Business Park – No Retail”.
Accordingly, Alternative 2: “Heavy Industrial” is identified as the Environmentally Superior Alternative pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §15126.6. However, neither the “Heavy Industrial” Alternative nor the “Industrial Business Park – No Retail” Alternative avoid or substantially lessen the Project’s significant and unavoidable VMT impact.
Although Alternative 2: “Heavy Industrial” is environmentally superior, it does not meet all of the objectives of the Project to the same extent. Alternative 2 would fail to generate the same levels of sales taxes to enhance the City’s economic base and long-term financial stability. While Alternative 2 is considered to be the environmentally superior alternative, the City Council of the City of Coachella rejects it as infeasible because it is considered economically infeasible due to the reduced sales tax revenue and failure to create new and diverse employment opportunities within the City as identified under the City’s 2035 General Plan Update as it fails to include a wide range of commercial and retail uses.
VIII. STATEMENT OF OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS
CEQA requires the decision-making agency to balance, as applicable, the economic, legal, social, technological, or other benefits, including region-wide or statewide environmental benefits, of a proposed project against its unavoidable environmental risks when determining whether to approve the project (CEQA Guidelines §15093). If the specific economic, legal, social, technological, or other benefits, including region-wide or statewide environmental benefits, of a proposed project outweigh the unavoidable adverse environmental effects, the adverse environmental effects may be considered “acceptable.”
As described in Section II of these Findings, the project will have significant and unavoidable impacts associated with VMT, which have been reduced to the greatest extent practicable but nonetheless result in impacts that remain significant or potentially significant even with implementation of all feasible mitigation.
Item 28.
157
As permitted under CEQA Guideline §15093(b), the City Council of the City of Coachella adopts and makes this statement of overriding considerations concerning the project’s unavoidable significant impacts to transportation to explain why the project’s specific economic, legal, social, technological, or other benefits, including region-wide or statewide environmental benefits, override and outweigh its unavoidable impacts.
In general, the project site provides an appropriate location for the proposed mix of industrial, warehouse, small business, small restaurant and retail uses that will provide a new and diverse employment opportunity and increased property and sales tax revenue opportunities for the City, its residents and visitors. The City Council of the City of Coachella finds that the project’s significant environmental impacts are acceptable when balanced with the project’s benefits. Each of the benefits cited below constitutes a separate and independent basis that justifies approval of the project and outweighs the unavoidable adverse environmental effects of approving the project and thus make the adverse environmental effects acceptable. Thus, even in the absence of one or more of the reasons set forth below, the City has determined that each remaining reason, or any combination of reasons, is a sufficient basis for approving the project, notwithstanding any significant and unavoidable impacts that may occur.
o The project will contribute to intersection and roadway improvements along Airport Boulevard and the surrounding Project area. In addition, water and sewer infrastructure will be extended from immediately off-site to serve the proposed project. o An on-site electric power substation is also planned. These on-site and off-site utility infrastructure improvements are fully analyzed in the EIR and would provide a substantial public benefit by enhancing the resiliency and reliability of the IID electrical system in the area.
o The project will generate substantial revenue for the City from taxes generated by the proposed mix of uses, as demonstrated by the fiscal impact analysis prepared for the Project.
o The project provides both temporary and permanent employment opportunities, service, restaurant, and a gas station/convenience store to benefit the City, visitors and the region. o The project’s scale and compliance with development standards ensures the orderly development of the property, while respecting the surrounding and existing land use patterns.
o The project will support and implement General Plan polices as described in the EIR which are incorporated herein and included as part of the City Council’s findings.
Conclusion:
In light of the foregoing, and the information contained within the Final EIR and other portions of the project record of proceedings, the City Council concludes and finds that implementation of the Coachella Airport Business Park project will result in the development of a unique project that provides substantial economic, legal, social, technological, and other benefits, including regionPage 649 Item 28.
158
wide environmental benefits, as outlined above, which outweigh and make acceptable the significant, unavoidable environmental impacts associated with the Project and, accordingly, adopts this Statement of Overriding Considerations.
IX. FINDINGS REGARDING CERTIFICATION OF FINAL EIR
Pursuant to CEQA and the CEQA Guidelines, the City Council as the lead agency under CEQA is responsible for certification of the EIR and therefore makes the following findings:
1. The Final EIR was completed in compliance with CEQA and its Guidelines;
2. The Final EIR was presented to the City Council of the City of Coachella, which reviewed and considered the information in the Final EIR prior to making its decision on the project;
3. The certification of the Final EIR and the findings set forth herein reflect the City’s independent judgment and analysis in its capacity as lead agency; and
4. The City Council of the City of Coachella adopts the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program attached to the Final EIR to reduce or avoid the significant and mitigable impacts of the project.
5. The City Council of the City of Coachella finds that the Final EIR properly evaluated the project’s potentially significant cumulative impacts based on General Plan buildout, and that this analysis included all past, present and probable future projects in the project vicinity that could cause or contribute to such significant cumulative effects.
6. The City Council of the City of Coachella finds that the additional information and evidence submitted after release of the Draft EIR and prior to certification of the Final EIR does not constitute “significant new information,” as defined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15088.5, but rather, merely clarifies and amplifies the information provided in the Draft EIR.
By these Findings, the City ratifies, adopts and incorporates the analysis, explanation, findings, responses to comments and conclusions of the Final EIR. In addition, the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, and the mitigation measures specified therein, as well as any project design features identified in the Final EIR, and any mitigation measures as revised and/or clarified in the Final EIR, are hereby approved and adopted, and shall be fully enforceable through the Development Agreement, as well as permit conditions, agreements or other measures. Any finding made by the City shall be deemed made, regardless of where it appears in this document. All of the language included in this document constitutes findings by the City, whether or not any particular sentence or clause includes a statement to that effect. The City intends that these findings be considered as an integrated whole and, whether or not any part of these findings fail to crossreference or incorporate by reference any other part of these findings, that any finding required or committed to be made by the City with respect to any particular subject matter of the Final EIR, shall be deemed to be made if it appears in any portion of these findings.
Item 28.
159
If any term, provision or portion of these Findings or the application of these Findings to a particular situation is held by a court to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remaining provisions of these Findings, or their application to other actions related to the project, shall continue in full force and effect unless amended or modified by the City.
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 296
Final Environmental Impact Report
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires that when a public agency completes an environmental document which includes measures to mitigate or avoid significant environmental effects, the public agency must adopt a reporting or monitoring program. This requirement ensures that environmental impacts found to be significant will be mitigated. The reporting or monitoring program must be designed to ensure compliance during project implementation (Public Resources Code Section 21081.6).
In compliance with Public Resources Code Section 21081.6, Table 2, Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Checklist, has been prepared for the proposed Project. This Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Checklist is intended to provide verification that all applicable mitigation measures relative to significant environmental impacts are monitored and reported. Monitoring will include: 1) verification that each mitigation measure has been implemented; 2) recordation of the actions taken to implement each mitigation; and 3) retention of records in the Coachella Airport Business Park Project file.
This Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) delineates responsibilities for monitoring the Project, but also allows the City flexibility and discretion in determining how best to monitor implementation. Monitoring procedures will vary according to the type of mitigation measure.
Adequate monitoring consists of demonstrating that monitoring procedures took place and that mitigation measures were implemented. This includes the review of all monitoring reports, enforcement actions, and document disposition, unless otherwise noted in the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Checklist (Table 2). If an adopted mitigation measure is not properly implemented, the designated monitoring personnel shall require corrective actions to ensure adequate implementation. • Reporting consists of establishing a record that a mitigation measure is being implemented, and generally involves the following steps:
• The City distributes reporting forms to the appropriate entities for verification of compliance. • Departments/agencies with reporting responsibilities will review the EIR, which provides general background information on the reasons for including specified mitigation measures. • Problems or exceptions to compliance will be addressed to the City as appropriate. • Periodic meetings may be held during project implementation to report on compliance of mitigation measures.
• Responsible parties provide the City with verification that monitoring has been conducted and ensure, as applicable, that mitigation measures have been implemented. Monitoring compliance may be documented through existing review and approval programs such as field inspection reports and plan review.
• The City prepares a reporting form periodically during project-specific review and an annual report summarizing all project mitigation monitoring efforts. • Appropriate mitigation measures are included as conditions of permits/approvals for future project-specific review.
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 297
Final Environmental Impact Report
Minor changes to the MMRP, if required, would be made in accordance with CEQA and would be permitted after further review and approval by the City. No change will be permitted unless the MMRP continues to satisfy the requirements of Public Resources Code Section 21081.6.
Based on the Draft EIR, no significant impacts would occur in regard to the following environmental issue areas and no mitigation is required:
• Agriculture and Forest Resources;
• Hydrology and Water Quality;
• Land Use and Planning;
• Mineral Resources;
• Population and Housing;
• Public Services;
• Recreation; and
• Utilities and Public Services.
In accordance with Appendix G of the CEQA Guidelines, the following environmental issue areas were determined in the Draft EIR to have a potentially significant impact and require mitigation measures, and were included in the Draft EIR for further analysis:
• Aesthetics;
• Air Quality;
• Biological Resources;
• Cultural Resources;
• Energy;
• Geology and Soils;
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions;
• Hazards and Hazardous Materials;
• Noise;
• Transportation;
• Tribal Cultural Resources; and
• Wildfire.
For the purposes of the environmental analysis in the Draft EIR, impacts were analyzed in each environmental issue area for the proposed Project. Consideration of mitigation measures that apply to each respective topical area was considered, particularly if that impact would be reduced.
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 298
Final Environmental Impact Report
Table 2: Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Checklist
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
Aesthetics
AES-1
The construction contractor shall locate
construction equipment staging and stockpile
areas on the central and western portions of the
Project site, away from Airport Boulevard and the
neighboring existing residential uses.
Appropriate screening (i.e., temporary fencing
with opaque material) shall be used to buffer
views of construction equipment and material.
The staging and stockpile locations shall be
indicated on Grading Plans and shall be subject to
approval by the City of Coachella Public Works
Department prior to issuance of grading permits.
Prior to the
Issuance of
Grading Permits
City of Coachella
Public Works
Department
AES-2
The construction contractor shall locate and aim
all construction-related nighttime security
lighting away from adjacent uses, including both
residential and non-residential areas neighboring
the Project site. A construction safety lighting
plan shall be submitted to the City of Coachella
Public Works Department for review and
approval prior to issuance of grading permits.
Prior to the
Issuance of
Grading Permits
City of Coachella
Public Works
Department
Biological Resources
BIO-1 Nesting Bird Avoidance/Pre-construction
Surveys. Prior to issuance of the Project’s grading
permit, the following measures shall be
implemented:
To avoid disturbance of nesting and special-status
bird species protected by the MBTA and CFGC,
Prior to
Vegetation
Removal or
Ground
Disturbance
City of Coachella
Planning Division
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 299
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
activities related to the Project, including but not
limited to, vegetation removal, ground
disturbance, and construction shall not occur
during the bird breeding season (January 15
through August 31) unless a pre-construction
nesting bird survey is conducted within three
days prior to vegetation removal or ground
disturbance.
A qualified biologist, who is familiar with the
identification of avian species in the Coachella
Valley, will conduct the preconstruction nesting
bird survey within three days prior to vegetation
removal or ground disturbance to evaluate the
presence/absence, location, and status of any
active nests on or adjacent to the Project Area.
The extent of the survey area surrounding the
Project Area shall be determined by the qualified
biologist to help ensure that direct and indirect
effects to nesting birds are avoided. Preconstruction surveys shall focus on both direct and indirect evidence of nesting, including nest
locations and nesting behavior. The qualified
biologist will make every effort to avoid potential
nest predation as a result of survey efforts. If an
active nest(s) is discovered, a suitable buffer shall
be established around the active nests, as
determined by the biologist, and construction
activity will not occur within the buffer until the
biologist has determined that the nest is no
longer active. Buffer size shall consider the
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 300
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
species involved and relevant level of tolerance
to adjacent activity, the location of the nest
relative to proposed activities, and site
conditions that naturally buffer the location, such
as vegetation screening, topography, etc. Active
nests and adequacy of the established buffer
distance shall be monitored daily by the qualified
biologist until the qualified biologist has
determined the young have fledged, the nest is
no longer active, or the Project has been
completed. The qualified biologist has the
authority to stop work if nesting pairs exhibit
signs of disturbance. If construction activities are
delayed or paused for more than 14 days during
the nesting season, the nest survey will be reinitiated for areas that still contain potential nesting habitat. No parking, storage of materials,
or construction activities shall occur within this
buffer until the qualified biologist has confirmed
that breeding/nesting is completed, and the
young have fledged the nest. Encroachment into
this buffer shall occur only at the discretion of the
qualified biologist, if it is determined that
encroachment will not adversely impact the
nesting birds.
BIO-2 Burrowing Owl Pre-construction Survey. In
accordance with Section 4.4 Required Avoidance,
Minimization, and Mitigation Measures of the
CVMSHCP, pre-construction burrowing owl
surveys shall be conducted by a qualified
biologist no less than 14 days prior to the start of
Prior to Initial Site
Disturbance
City of Coachella
Planning Division
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 301
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
Project-related activities and within 24 hours
prior to ground disturbance, in accordance with
the Staff Report on Burrowing Owl Mitigation
(2012 or most recent version). Pre-construction
surveys shall be conducted within 500 feet of the
Project disturbance footprint to identify burrows
that could be utilized by burrowing owl.
Potentially suitable burrows shall be checked by
a qualified biologist to see if they are occupied or
not prior to the start of Project disturbance
activities. If the burrow is unoccupied, the
burrow shall be made inaccessible to burrowing
owl, and the Project may proceed. If either a
nesting or escape burrow is occupied, Project
activities shall be immediately halted within 500
feet of the burrow. The qualified biologist shall
coordinate with CDFW and USFWS and prepare a
Burrowing Owl Avoidance and Monitoring Plan
that shall be submitted to CDFW and USFWS for
review and approval prior to re-commencing
Project activities within the restricted area. A
burrow is assumed occupied if records indicate
that at least one burrowing owl has been
observed occupying a burrow on site during the
past three years. For ground-disturbing activities,
pre-construction surveys should be repeated
when there is a pause in construction of more
than 30 days.
BIO-3 Emergence Bat Survey. A special-status bat
species emergence survey shall be conducted if
construction activities are to occur within 300
Prior to Initial Site
Disturbance
City of Coachella
Planning Division
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 302
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
feet of the California fan palm oasis during the
bat maternity season (April 1 through August 31).
The emergence survey will be conducted in areas
of suitable roosting habitat, including the Airport
Boulevard bridge, during the maternity season to
document the presence of special-status bat
species maternal roosting habitat. The
emergence survey will be conducted 30 minutes
before sunset and last for up to two hours after
sunset. Any special-status bat species observed
during the maternity roosting season within or
adjacent to the Project Area should be avoided
and provided a minimum buffer as determined
by the qualified biologist (a 100-foot to 300-foot
buffer is recommended) prior to the
commencement of construction.
BIO-4 Woodrat Middens. Woodrat middens (nests) are
large nests or dens made of woody debris, such
as sticks, dead cacti, and bark. Middens were
observed along the northern fence separating
the business park and the IID substation Project
Areas within the Project impact area. Within 30
days prior to initial site disturbance, a preconstruction survey shall be conducted for woodrat middens. All occupied woodrat middens
shall be mapped and flagged for avoidance to the
extent feasible, with a minimum of 10-feet
surrounding the active midden. If avoidance is
not feasible, middens will be “daylighted” by a
qualified biologist one night before anticipated
vegetation removal to allow for the rats to escape
Prior to Initial Site
Disturbance
City of Coachella
Planning Division
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 303
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
and passively relocate prior to disturbance of the
area.
BIO-5 Worker Environmental Awareness Program. The
Project Applicant shall implement a WEAP for the
construction crew that will be developed by a
qualified biologist. Each employee (including
temporary, contractors, and subcontractors) will
receive the WEAP presentation on the first day of
project work. They will be advised of sensitive
species in the area and avoidance measures
being implemented to protect them at the site.
At a minimum, the WEAP will include the
following topics: occurrence of the listed and
sensitive species in the area, their general
ecology, sensitivity of the species to human
activities, legal protection afforded these species,
penalties for violations of federal and State laws,
reporting requirements, and project features and
conditions designed to reduce direct and indirect
impacts to these species, role of the qualified
biologist, and worker responsibilities to maintain
compliance with mitigation measures while
working at the site.
Prior to and
During
Construction
Activities
City of Coachella
Planning Division
BIO-6 CVMSHCP Development Fee. The Project
Applicant shall pay the CVMSHCP Local
Development Mitigation Fee pursuant to Chapter
4.48 of the Coachella Municipal Code.
Prior to the
Issuance of
Grading Permit
and/or Building
Permit
City of Coachella
Planning Division
BIO-7 Invasive Plant Species Control. Invasive plant
species, for the purpose of this document, shall
include all species with a California Invasive Plant
Prior to and
During
City of Coachella
Planning Division
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 304
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
Council (Cal-IPC) rating of moderate or high.
Construction personnel and equipment shall be
free of invasive plant seeds, propagules, and any
material which may contain them (e.g., soil).
Prior to entering the Project Area equipment will
be inspected to confirm it is free of mud, dirt, and
debris. Tire track stations will be installed at
Project Area entrances and exits. Staging areas
and access routes shall avoid weed infestations
and infestations within the work area(s) shall be
flagged and avoided to the maximum extent
feasible. Only certified weed-free materials (e.g.,
fiber rolls, straw, and fill) will be used for the
Project.
Construction
Activities
BIO-8 General Best Management Practices. Standard
construction Best Management Practices will be
implemented by the contractor to minimize
potential impacts to sensitive species. Standard
Construction Best Management Practices shall
include the following:
• Vehicle speeds will not exceed 10 miles per
hour (mph) adjacent to any occupied
burrowing owl habitat. Clear signage will
be installed and maintained throughout
the construction period.
• Placement of drip pans under parked
equipment and vehicles.
• Regular inspection and maintenance of
equipment to avoid spills and immediate
containment of any spills.
• Chemicals and pesticides will not be used.
Prior to and
During
Construction
Activities
City of Coachella
Planning Division
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 305
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
• Pets and firearms will not be allowed at the
site.
• Trash will be removed from the site daily or
be stored in wildlife proof containers
• Stormwater protection (i.e. straw waddles,
silt fence) will be employed to prevent
spills, runoff, or sediment from entering
nearby aquatic habitats. These materials
will be weed free and no Project debris or
rubbish will be allowed to enter into or be
placed where it may be washed by rainfall
or runoff in the wetlands.
• Staging/storage areas for equipment and
materials will be located at least 100 feet
away from the riparian areas. Equipment
will be checked and maintained daily to
prevent leaks of pollutants into the
wetlands.
• No equipment maintenance will be carried
out within 100 feet of the riparian area.
• All pipes, culverts, or similar structures
with a four-inch diameter or greater that
are stored on the construction site
overnight shall be thoroughly inspected for
wildlife or nesting birds before the pipe is
subsequently curried, capped, or
otherwise used or moved in any way.
• To prevent inadvertent entrapment of
wildlife during construction, all excavated,
wells, steepwalled holes or trenches more
than two feet deep shall be covered with
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 306
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
plywood or similar materials at the close of
each working day.
• Any construction lighting will be directed
toward the work area and away from
adjacent habitats.
BIO-9 Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring Plan.
Mitigation for wetland waters of the state
impacts will occur as specified during the WDRs
permitting process and may occur at a suitable
on-site or off-site location where habitat values
meeting or exceeding those on site are
achievable, or at an approved Conservation or
Mitigation Bank. A Habitat Mitigation and
Monitoring Plan (HMMP) will be prepared that
specifies restoration and monitoring
requirements for approval by the City and
RWQCB prior to Project initiation. The HMMP will
incorporate the WDR permit compensatory
mitigation requirements for impacts to the
wetland waters of the State, if pursued, along
with the impacts to the sensitive natural
communities. The HMMP will include, at a
minimum, the following information:
• Description of the project/impact site (i.e.,
location, responsible parties, and areas to
be impacted by habitat type)
• Goal(s) of the compensatory mitigation
project (i.e., the acreage of the mitigated
habitat to be restored);
• Description of the proposed compensatory
mitigation site(s) (i.e., location and size,
Prior to Initial Site
Disturbance
City of Coachella
Planning Division
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 307
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
ownership status, existing conditions of
the compensatory mitigation site);
• Implementation plan for the
compensatory mitigation site (i.e.,
rationale for expecting implementation
success, responsible parties, schedule, site
preparation, planting plan [container sizes,
seeding rates, etc.]);
• Maintenance activities during the
monitoring period, including weed
removal and irrigation as appropriate;
• Monitoring plan for the compensatory
mitigation site (i.e., performance
standards, target acreages to be
established and/or preserved, annual
monitoring reports);
• Success criteria based on the goals and
measurable objectives;
• Funding mechanisms; and
• An adaptive management and remedial
measure component.
Cultural Resources
CUL-1
A qualified archaeologist and Tribal monitor(s)
from the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
and the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians
shall be present during any ground disturbing
activities during the Project construction phase.
In the case that archaeological materials are
encountered during ground disturbing activities,
all work shall be halted in the vicinity of the
discovery until a qualified archaeologist can visit
Prior and During
Ground
Disturbing
Activities
City of Coachella
Planning Division
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 308
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
the site of discovery and assess the significance
of the archaeological resource. The qualified
archaeologist and Tribal monitor shall establish
all necessary protocols and procedures for the
treatment of resources prior to the initiation of
earth moving activities.
CUL-2
In the event that human remains are uncovered
during ground disturbing activities on the Project
site, no further disturbance shall occur and all
work shall cease within 100 feet of the discovery
until the County Coroner has made a
determination of the origin and disposition of the
remains. Ground disturbing activities and
excavations shall not resume until the following
has been addressed:
1. The County Coroner has been contacted
and determined that no investigation to
the cause of death is required; and,
2. If the County Coroner determines that the
remains are of Native American descent,
the Coroner shall notify Native American
Heritage Commission (NAHC), which will
then determine the Most Likely
Descendant (MLD). The MLD shall
complete the inspection of the site within
48 hours of notification and may
recommend means of treating or disposing
of, with appropriate dignity, the human
remains, and any associated grave goods
During Ground
Disturbing
Activities
City of Coachella
Planning Division
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 309
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
as provided in Public Resource Code
Section 5097.98 and Health and Safety
Code 7050.5.
Geology and Soils
GEO-1
Prior to the issuance of a grading permit, a
geotechnical investigation specific to building
design and liquefaction, in compliance with City
of Coachella requirements, shall be prepared by
a licensed professional and submitted to the City
of Coachella for review. The geotechnical report
shall assess potential consequences of any
liquefaction and soil strength loss, estimation of
lateral soil movements or reduction in
foundation soil bearing capacity. The
geotechnical report shall provide recommended
measures to ensure compliance with all
applicable geotechnical standards for building
design consideration, such as mat foundations,
pile foundations, or ground improvement to
mitigate the potential liquefaction settlements,
and all recommendations shall be incorporated
into all improvement plans.
Prior to the
Issuance of
Grading Permits
City of Coachella
Planning Division
GEO-2
During the design level of the Project and prior to
issuance of a grading permit, the Project
Applicant shall prepare subsurface explorations
and laboratory testing of soil samples and submit
to the City for review and approval, which shall
be utilized to provide specific design
recommendations for the earthwork and
structures. Field observation and construction
review shall be provided by a licensed
Prior to the
Issuance of
Grading Permits
City of Coachella
Planning Division
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 310
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
professional during grading, excavation, and
foundation construction, which shall include
recommendations and measures for the removal
of surface and near surface soils down to
competent materials and their replacement with
properly compacted fill.
GEO-3
Prior to the start of any and all proposed Project
activities, all field personnel shall receive
worker’s environmental awareness training on
paleontological resources. The training shall be
developed by a certified paleontologist familiar
with the overall area, the site and specific
components of the proposed Project. The
training shall: a) provide a description of the laws
and ordinances protecting fossil resources; b)
provide education and means of identification of
the types of fossil resources that may be
encountered in the Project area; c) identify the
role of the paleontological monitor; d) outline
the steps that shall be followed in the event that
a fossil discovery is made; and e) provide contact
information for the Project paleontologist.
Prior to the Start
of Construction
Activities
City of Coachella
Planning Division
GEO-4
Prior to the commencement of grounddisturbing activities, a certified paleontologist shall be retained to prepare and implement a
Paleontological Resources Monitoring and
Mitigation Plan (PRMMP) for the proposed
Project and submit it to the City for review and
approval. The PRMMP shall describe the
monitoring required during excavations that
extend into Pleistocene age sediments, and the
Prior Ground
Disturbing
Activities
City of Coachella
Planning Division
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 311
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
location of areas deemed to have a high
paleontological resource potential. Part-time
monitoring, or spot checking may be required
during shallow ground-disturbances (< 10 feet
below ground surface) to confirm that sensitive
geologic units are not being impacted.
Monitoring shall entail the visual inspection of
excavated or graded areas and trench sidewalls.
GEO-5
In the event that a paleontological resource is
discovered, the certified paleontological monitor
shall have the authority to temporarily divert the
construction equipment around the find until it is
assessed for scientific significance and, if
appropriate, collected and stored according to
professional standards and guidelines. If the
resource is determined to be of scientific
significance, the Project paleontologist shall
implement the recovery of resources, as
established in the PRMMP.
During Ground
Disturbing
Activities
City of Coachella
Planning Division
GEO-6
For all excavations and ground disturbance
activity (and curation of fossils if necessary)
conducted at depths more than 10 feet or in any
areas where the paleontologist determines that
older deposits are encountered, the Project
paleontologist shall prepare a final mitigation
and monitoring report outlining the results of the
PRMMP. The report shall include discussion of
the location, duration and methods of the
monitoring, stratigraphic sections, any recovered
fossils, and the scientific significance of those
During Ground
Disturbing
Activities
City of Coachella
Planning Division
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 312
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
fossils, and where fossils were curated. The final
report shall be provided to the City of Coachella.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
GHG-1 The Project shall include, but not be limited to, the following improvements, which shall be
incorporated into the Project site plans to ensure
consistency with adopted statewide plans and
programs that are in effect at the time the
Building Permits are issued. The Project Applicant
shall demonstrate compliance with the following
measures, prior to issuance of Building Permits:
• To the maximum extent feasible, all offroad equipment (non-street legal), such as forklifts and street sweepers, used onsite
for warehouse operations shall be
powered by alternative fuels, electrical
batteries or other alternative/non-diesel
fuels (e.g., propane or compressed natural
gas (CNG)) that do not emit diesel
particulate matter, and that are low or zero
emissions.
• The Project Applicant shall require that a
minimum of 50 percent of the total Project
electrical consumption from operation of
the Project on an aggregate, site-wide
basis is provided by onsite solar
photovoltaic (PV) panels or other onsite
renewables sources (i.e., wind turbines,
geothermal).
Prior to the
Issuance of
Building Permits
City of Coachella
Planning Division
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 313
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
• The Project Applicant shall require any
business that operates in the proposed
project and has 20 or more full-time
employees shall implement at least one of
the following programs:
o Pre-tax election program to allow
employees to exclude wages for
commuting costs for transit or
vanpools;
o An employer supplied transit pass;
o Employer provided transit; or
o Other, similar demand management
programs.
• The Project Applicant shall require that
temporary power poles are installed in the
vicinity of each structure to be installed.
The temporary power poles shall be
installed after completion of grading and
prior to the issuance of each building
permit. After electrification of the
temporary power poles, the Project
Applicant shall restrict building contractors
from using gaspowered generators,
compressors and saws and this restriction
shall be incorporated into all contracts with
building contractors that will work on the
proposed Project.
Hazards and Hazardous Materials
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 314
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
HAZ-1 Prior to any ground disturbing activity on the site, a soils investigation shall be conducted by a
qualified soils engineer to assess the pesticide
contamination levels in the Project site’s soils. If
the pesticide contamination levels exceed USEPA
Regional Screening Levels for pesticides, the
Project Applicant shall implement a soils
management program to reduce the soil’s
pesticide concentration levels to below USEPA
Regional Screening Levels through soils
excavation, removal and offsite disposal in
compliance with all applicable USEPA
regulations. All activities shall be coordinated
with the City of Coachella and the County of
Riverside Department of Environmental Health.
Prior Ground
Disturbing
Activities
City of Coachella
Planning Division
Noise
NOI-1 The Project Construction Contractor shall ensure
adherence to the following noise reduction
requirements during Project construction:
• The use of exhaust mufflers, and engine
shrouds, that reduce equipment noise
levels by approximately 10 dBA shall be
required.
• Construction equipment staging areas
shall be located the furthest distance
possible from nearby noise-sensitive land
uses, located on the central and western
portions of the Project site, away from
Airport Boulevard and the neighboring
existing residential uses.
During
Construction
Activities
City of Coachella
Planning Division
Transportation
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 315
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
TRA-1 All necessary plans, permits or approvals,
including but not limited to traffic control plans,
encroachment or other permits from Caltrans,
Union Pacific Railroad, Imperial Irrigation District
and others, shall be prepared by the Construction
Contractor for and approved by the City prior to
the initiation of site disturbance such as grading,
excavation, hauling, paving and other
construction activities where public streets may
be affected. Prior to the initiation of site
improvements, the Project Applicant shall confer
with the appropriate Coachella Public Works
Department, Caltrans and the Union Pacific
Railroad to ensure that construction activities
and traffic control are carried out in a manner
that causes minimal disruption to traffic on
adjoining facilities.
Prior to
Construction
Activities
City of Coachella
Public Works
Department
TRA-2 The final location and design of construction
staging and access shall comply with any
applicable City access and design standards, and
be reviewed by the Project Engineer. The Project
Applicant shall submit traffic control plans to the
City prior to the issuance of grading and/or
construction permits.
Prior to the
Issuance of
Grading and/or
Construction
Permits
City of Coachella
Public Works
Department
TRA-3 The Project Applicant shall require all operators on the site to implement, to the maximum extent
feasible (taking into consideration factors such as
infrastructure availability, cost effectiveness, and
incentive programs), Measure T-11, requiring the
implementation of van pools under CAPCOA’s
Handbook for Analyzing Greenhouse Gas
During Project
Operation
City of Coachella
Planning Division
Item 28.
80237.00866\44448107.1
4.0 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Coachella Airport Business Park 316
Final Environmental Impact Report
Mitigation
Measure
No.
Mitigation Measure Implementation
Timing
Enforcing Agency
or Personnel
Verification
Signature or
Initials Date Notes
Emission Reductions, Assessing Climate
Vulnerabilities, and Advancing Health and Equity.
Item 28.
Ordinance No. 1237
Page
ORDINANCE NO. 1237
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA,
CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE ZONING MAP TO MANUFACTURING
SERVICE (MS) ON 40.8± ACRES FROM HEAVY INDUSTRIAL (MH) AND
2.2± ACRES FROM MH TO GENERAL COMMERCIAL (CG) FOR ASSESSOR’S PARCEL NUMBERS 763-330-013, 763-330-018, AND 763-330-029 WHEREAS, Article XI, Section 7 of the California Constitution authorizes cities to adopt and enforce ordinances and regulations to protect the public health, safety, and welfare; and WHEREAS, the City of Coachella possesses broad police powers to regulate land uses and development within its jurisdiction in order to protect public health, safety, welfare, and the environment; and
WHEREAS, the City Council is authorized pursuant to Government Code Sections 65850, 65853, 65854, and 65860 to adopt and amend zoning regulations governing the use of land within the City; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission conducted a properly noticed public hearing on April 1, 2026 at which members of the public were afforded an opportunity to comment upon this Ordinance, the recommendations of staff, and other public testimony; and WHEREAS, following the public hearing, the Planning Commission voted to recommend to the City Council approval of Zone Change CZ 20-01 on a 4-0 vote, with one member absent; and
WHEREAS, the City published a public hearing notice in The Desert Sun newspaper on October 2, 2026 and a public hearing notice was mailed to property owners within a radius of 300- feet of the subject property on October 1, 2026, pursuant to Section 17.74.010G of the Coachella Municipal Code.; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Coachella did, on October 14, 2026 hold a duly noticed Public Hearing to consider a request by Empire Airport LLC for approval of Change of Zone, CZ 20-01, from MH to MS and CG; and conditional approval of Tentative Parcel Map 39721; CUP 324 to allow commercial cannabis uses; CUP 325 to allow drive through restaurant; CUP 326 to allow service station and mini-mart; AR 20-04 to approve site design, architecture and signage (billboard) and DA 25-02 to approve a Development Agreement, for 43± acres of land located at the northwest corner of Airport Boulevard and SR 86 (APNs 763-330-013, 763-330-018, and 763-330-029), and recommending certification of the Coachella Airport Business Park Development Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2023040106), including Findings and a Statement of Overriding Considerations, in conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act at which members of the public were afforded an opportunity to comment upon this Ordinance, the recommendations of staff, and other public testimony; and
Item 28.
Ordinance No. 1237
Page
WHEREAS, the changes to the Zoning Map proposed under Change of Zone CZ 20-01 are consistent with the General Plan’s Industrial District currently assigned to the property; and WHEREAS, Change of Zone CZ 20-01 will allow for the orderly and master planned development of the site; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that adoption of this Ordinance promotes the orderly development of the City and serves the best interests of the residents of Coachella.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. INCORPORATION OF RECITALS. The City Council hereby finds that all of the foregoing recitals presented herewith are true and correct and are hereby incorporated and adopted as findings of the City Council.
SECTION 2. GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY FINDINGS
The Project site is designated Industrial District in the General Plan. The site is currently zoned Heavy Industrial and is proposed to be changed to Manufacturing Service and General Commercial.
The Industrial District designation describes a wide range of industrial uses, including manufacturing and light industrial or business park uses, supported by commercial services in areas that are separated from residential neighborhoods. The designation is also intended to create jobs and diversify the economy for City residents. The proposed Zone Change implements the intent of the General Plan by allowing the development of a broad range of businesses, building types and services that will be consistent with the intent of the designation. The commercial zone created at the south end of the Project will allow for retail services that support the employees working within the site, the traveling public and surrounding businesses and residents. The Zone Change is consistent with the General Plan.
SECTION 3. ZONING MAP AMENDMENT.
The Zoning Map is hereby amended consistent with Exhibit A, attached to this Ordinance. This amendment results in 40.8± acres of land designated Service Manufacturing (MS) and 2.2± acres of land designated General Commercial (CG).
SECTION 4. CEQA DETERMINATION.
The City Council finds that this Zone Change CZ 20-01 was considered as part of the overall review of the project under the Coachella Airport Business Park Development Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2023040106). The Findings of the City Council for this Environmental Impact Report were adopted as part of Resolution 2026-58, and are hereby incorporated by reference.
SECTION 5. SEVERABILITY.
If any section, subsection, subdivision, sentence, or clause or phrase in this Ordinance or any part thereof is for any reason held to be unconstitutional, invalid or ineffective by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity or effectiveness of the remaining portions of
Item 28.
Ordinance No. 1237
Page
this Ordinance or any part thereof. The City Council hereby declares that it would have adopted each section irrespective of the fact that any one or more subsections, subdivisions, sentences, clauses, or phrases are declared unconstitutional, invalid, or ineffective.
SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after adoption.
SECTION 7. PUBLICATION.
The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance and cause it, or a summary of it, to be published in a newspaper of general circulation printed and published within the City of Coachella, pursuant to all legal requirements.
SECTION 8. CERTIFICATION.
The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance and shall cause it to be published in accordance with California Government Code Section 36933.
Introduced as a first reading this 14
th day of October, 2026.
Dr. Frank Figueroa
Mayor
ATTEST:
Angela M. Zepeda
City Clerk
Item 28.
Ordinance No. 1237
Page
APPROVED AS TO
FORM:
BEST, BEST & KRIEGER
City Attorney
Item 28.
Ordinance No. 1237
Page
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE
CITY OF COACHELLA
)
) ss.
)
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Ordinance No. 1237 was duly introduced, as a first reading, by the City Council of the City of Coachella at a regular meeting thereof, held on this 14 th
day of October 2026 by the following vote of Council:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Angela M. Zepeda
City Clerk
Item 28.
Ordinance No. 1237
Page
ORDINANCE 1237
EXHIBIT A
ZONING MAP
Item 28.
Ordinance No. 1238
Page
ORDINANCE NO. 1238
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT DA 25-02 FOR ASSESSOR’S PARCEL NUMBERS 763-330-013, 763-330-018, AND 763-330-029 WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Coachella did, on October 14, 2026 hold a duly noticed Public Hearing to consider a request by Empire Airport LLC for approval of Change of Zone, CZ 20-01, from MH to MS and CG; and conditional approval of Tentative Parcel Map 39721; CUP 324 to allow commercial cannabis uses; CUP 325 to allow drive through restaurant; CUP 326 to allow service station and mini-mart; AR 20-04 to approve site design, architecture and signage (billboard) and DA 25-02 to approve a Development Agreement, for 43± acres of land located at the northwest corner of Airport Boulevard and SR 86 (APNs 763-330-013, 763-330-018, and 763-330- 029), and certification of the Coachella Airport Business Park Development Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2023040106), including Findings and a Statement of Overriding Considerations, in conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act at which members of the public were afforded an opportunity to comment upon this Ordinance, the recommendations of staff, and other public testimony; and
WHEREAS, the Conditional Use Permits, Architectural Review and Tentative Tract Map are being adopted by separate Resolution and the Zone Change is being adopted by separate Ordinance in accordance with state and City law; and
WHEREAS, California Government Code Section 65864 et seq. (the "Development Agreement Law") authorizes cities to enter into binding development agreements with persons having a legal or equitable interest in real property for the development of such property, all for the purpose of strengthening the public planning process, encouraging private participation and comprehensive planning, and identifying the economic costs of such development; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission conducted a properly noticed public hearing on April 1, 2026 at which members of the public were afforded an opportunity to comment upon this Ordinance, the recommendations of staff, and other public testimony; and WHEREAS, following the public hearing, the Planning Commission voted to recommend to the City Council approval of Development Agreement DA 25-02 on a 4-0 vote, with one member absent; and
WHEREAS, the City published a public hearing notice in The Desert Sun newspaper on October 2, 2026 and a public hearing notice was mailed to property owners within a radius of 300- feet of the subject property on October 1, 2026, pursuant to Section 17.74.010G of the Coachella Municipal Code.; and
WHEREAS, at said Public Hearing, upon hearing and considering all testimony and arguments, if any, of all interested persons desiring to be heard, said City Council did make the following mandatory findings pursuant to Chapter 17.100 of the Municipal Code to justify approval
Item 28.
Ordinance No. 1238
Page
of said Development Agreement, included to this Ordinance as Exhibit A, and incorporated herewith by this reference:
1. The Development Agreement is consistent with the general plan, and any applicable specific plan.
The Project site is located in the Industrial District as defined by the General Plan. The Development Agreement will support the development of a master planned project consistent with the goals, policies and implementation measures of the General Plan by allowing for the shared costs of infrastructure, the sharing of advertising revenue, and the coordinated and planned development of the project to allow increased property taxes, sales taxes, and employment opportunities for the residents of the City.
2. The Development Agreement is compatible with the uses authorized in, and the regulations prescribed for the land use district in which the real property is located.
The Development Agreement provides for the phased implementation of industrial and commercial land uses in a master planned project that are consistent with the land uses allowed in the Industrial District, and in Subarea 8 of the Geneal Plan. The land uses will occur in a developing area, and will provide for increased employment opportunities for City residents.
3. The Development Agreement is in conformity with good land use planning.
The Project proposes a master planned industrial and commercial development plan that creates opportunities for development and for the installation of infrastructure in an area of the City that is currently underdeveloped and lacking in services. The Project will result in the orderly expansion of land uses as envisioned in Subarea 8 of the General Plan.
4. The Development Agreement will not be detrimental to the health, safety and general welfare.
The Project proposes a master planned, self-contained development that will be isolated from sensitive receptors and residential neighborhoods in the City. The uses likely to locate within the Project are not expected to propose businesses that contain or use hazardous materials, and those that could will be regulated by City, County, State and federal agencies. The improvement of the property will facilitate the development of other surrounding properties by extending utility services in this area of the City which is still developing and expanding.
5. The Development Agreement s in the best interest of the City of Coachella and its residents.
The Development Agreement will assure that the Project pays its fair share of improvements in infrastructure, including the extension of water, sanitary sewer and electricity distribution currently unavailable in this area of the City. This orderly development will allow surrounding lands to develop in an orderly and well planned manner, while providing revenue to the City in the form of property tax, sales tax and a share of advertising revenues.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Item 28.
Ordinance No. 1238
Page
SECTION 1. INCORPORATION OF RECITALS.
The City Council hereby finds that all of the foregoing recitals presented herewith are true and correct and are hereby incorporated and adopted as findings of the City Council.
SECTION 2. CEQA DETERMINATION.
The City Council finds that this Development Agreement DA 25-02 was considered as part of the overall review of the project under the Coachella Airport Business Park Development Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2023040106). The Findings of the City Council for this Environmental Impact Report were adopted as part of Resolution 2026-58, and are hereby incorporated by reference.
SECTION 3. SEVERABILITY.
If any section, subsection, subdivision, sentence, or clause or phrase in this Ordinance or any part thereof is for any reason held to be unconstitutional, invalid or ineffective by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity or effectiveness of the remaining portions of this Ordinance or any part thereof. The City Council hereby declares that it would have adopted each section irrespective of the fact that any one or more subsections, subdivisions, sentences, clauses, or phrases are declared unconstitutional, invalid, or ineffective.
SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after adoption.
SECTION 5. PUBLICATION.
The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance and cause it, or a summary of it, to be published in a newspaper of general circulation printed and published within the City of Coachella, pursuant to all legal requirements.
SECTION 6. CERTIFICATION.
The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance and shall cause it to be published in accordance with California Government Code Section 36933.
Introduced as a first reading this 14
th day of October, 2026.
Dr. Frank Figueroa Mayor
ATTEST:
Angela M. Zepeda City Clerk
Item 28.
Ordinance No. 1238
Page
APPROVED AS TO
FORM:
BEST, BEST & KRIEGER
City Attorney
Item 28.
Ordinance No. 1238
Page
STATE OF
CALIFORNIA COUNTY
OF RIVERSIDE CITY
OF COACHELLA
)
) ss.
)
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Ordinance No. 1238 was duly introduced, as a first reading, by the City Council of the City of Coachella at a regular meeting thereof, held on this 14 th
day of October 2026 by the following vote of Council:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Angela M. Zepeda City Clerk
Item 28.
Ordinance No. 1238
Page
ORDINANCE 1238
EXHIBIT A
DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT
Item 28.
Placeholder
DA Ordinance
Exhibit A
DA
Item 28.
Resolution No. 2026-59
Page
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-59
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
COACHELLA CONDITIONALLY APPROVING CONDITIONAL USE
PERMIT 324, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 325, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 326, TENTATIVE TRACT MAP NO. 39721, AND
ARCHITECTUAL REVIEW 20-04, FOR THE PROPOSED AIRPORT
BUSINESS PARK PROJECT CONSISTING OF 43± ACRES LOCATED
AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF AIRPORT BOULEVARD AND
STATE ROUTE 86, APN 763-330-013, 763-330-018, and 763-330-029 APPLICANT: EMPIRE AIRPORT LLC.
WHEREAS, in June of 2020, Empire Airport LLC, submitted applications for a Change of Zone, three Conditional Use Permits, a Tentative Parcel Map, and an Architectural Review and associated environmental documentation for the development of a master planned industrial and business park with convenience commercial uses, and subsequently, in 2025, submitted a Development Agreement application for 43± acres at the northwest corner of Airport Boulevard and State Route 86 (“the Project”); and,
WHEREAS, the Project site is designated Industrial District in the City of Coachella General Plan; and,
WHEREAS, the Project is consistent with and intended to implement the vision of the Coachella Municipal Code and the General Plan 2035 pertaining to land use patterns, building and site design, and public right-of-way improvements; and WHEREAS, the City published a public hearing notice in The Desert Sun newspaper on October 2, 2026 and a public hearing notice was mailed to property owners within a radius of 300- feet of the subject property on October 1, 2026, pursuant to Section 17.74.010G of the Coachella Municipal Code.; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Coachella did, on October 14, 2026 hold a duly noticed Public Hearing to consider a request by Empire Airport LLC for approval of Change of Zone, CZ 20-01, Tentative Parcel Map 39721, CUP 324, CUP 325, CUP 326, AR 20-04 and DA 25-02 for 43± acres of land located at the northwest corner of Airport Boulevard and SR 86 (APNs 763-330-013, 763-330-018, and 763-330-029), and certification of the Coachella Airport Business Park Development Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2023040106), and adoption of a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, CEQA Findings and a Statement of Overriding Considerations, in conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act, at which members of the public were afforded an opportunity to comment upon this Ordinance, the recommendations of staff, and other public testimony; and WHEREAS, the City prepared the Coachella Airport Business Park Development Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2023040106) which determined that all impacts except those associated with Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) could be mitigated to less than significant levels; and,
Item 28.
Resolution No. 2026-59
Page
WHEREAS, the City circulated the EIR for public comment between July 21 and September 3, 2025, received 17 comment letters from various agencies, private parties and Native American Tribes; and,
WHEREAS, the City has prepared responses to the comments received on the EIR, as well as minor changes and corrections to the EIR document, and assembled them in the Final EIR provided to the City Council; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council has adopted Resolution No. 2026-58 certifying the EIR, and adopting a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, CEQA Findings and a Statement of Overriding Considerations; and,
WHEREAS, the Zone Change and Development Agreement are being adopted by separate ordinances in accordance with state and City law; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission conducted a properly noticed public hearing on April 1, 2026 at which members of the public were afforded an opportunity to comment upon this Ordinance, the recommendations of staff, and other public testimony; and WHEREAS, following the public hearing, the Planning Commission voted to recommend to the City Council approval of all components of the project on a 4-0 vote, with one member absent; and
WHEREAS, all other legal prerequisites to the adoption of this Resolution have occurred.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF COACHELLA, CALIFORNIA DOES HEREBY FIND, DETERMINE AND RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Recitals. The City Council hereby specifically finds that all of the facts set forth in the recitals of this Resolution are true and correct and are incorporated into this Resolution by reference and constitute a material part of this Resolution.
SECTION 2. Environmental Findings. The City Council has reviewed the Coachella Airport Business Park Development Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2023040106), the Final EIR and other documents contained in the administrative record for the Project.
The City Council has adopted Resolution No. 2026-58 certifying the Final EIR and adopting the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, CEQA Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations, which are hereby incorporated herein by this reference.
SECTION 3. Tentative Parcel Map 39721, CUP 324, CUP 325, CUP 326, and AR 20-04. The City Council hereby approves the Project applications, subject to the findings in the staff report, and the conditions of approval attached as Exhibit A.
SECTION 4. Location and Custodian of Records. The documents and materials that constitute the record of proceedings on which these findings are based are located at Coachella Civic Center, 53-990 Enterprise Way, Coachella CA 92236. The Development
Item 28.
Resolution No. 2026-59
Page
Services Director is the custodian of the record of proceedings. This information is provided in compliance with Public Resources Code Section 21081.6(a)(2).
SECTION 5. Execution of Resolution. The Mayorshallsign this Resolution and the City Clerk shall attest and certify to the passage and adoption thereof.
SECTION 6. City Council Approval. Based on the foregoing recitals and findings above, and the written and oral comments, facts and evidence presented, the City of Coachella City Council conditionally approves Tentative Parcel Map 39721, CUP 324, CUP 325, CUP 326 and AR 20-04, for the proposed Airport Business Park project consisting of 43± acres located at the northwest corner of Airport Boulevard and State Route 86, APN 763-330-013, 763-330-018, and 763-330-029. The applicant shall demonstrate compliance with ALL Conditions of Approval, as set forth in Exhibit A, and the Tentative Tract Map and Development Plan Set in Exhibit B of this Resolution. Failure to demonstrate compliance with these conditions of approval may result in the delay of the Proposed Use or the rescinding of the City of Coachella’s conditional use permit approval. Where the term “Applicant” is used in any condition of approval, this term shall also apply to the Property Owner, any developer, or any successor in the interest of the Applicant. It is the Applicant’s or Applicant’s successor in interest responsibility to fully comply with the conditions of approval unless subsequently modified in accordance with the City’s required processes and procedures.
PASSED APPROVED and ADOPTED this 14th day of October 2026 by the following vote.
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Dr. Frank Figueroa Mayor
ATTEST:
Angela M. Zepeda City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Item 28.
Resolution No. 2026-59
Page
BEST, BEST & KRIEGER
City Attorney
City Attorney
Item 28.
Resolution No. 2026-59
Page
RESOLUTION 2026-59
EXHIBIT A
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
Item 28.
Resolution No. 2026-59
Page
RESOLUTION 2026-59
EXHIBIT B
PROJECT PLANS
Item 28.
CITY OF COACHELLA
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
Architectural Review No. 20-04, Environmental Assessment No. 20-01, General Plan Amendment No. 20-01, Change of Zone No. 20-01, Tentative Parcel Map No. 37921 and Conditional Use Permit No. 324, 325 and 326, APN# 763-330-013, -018, -019, 763-340-009, 763-350-013, and 763-330-006, Coachella Airport Business Park Request for Agency Comments Airport Business Park
PRIOR TO APPROVAL OF ENGINEERING PLANS or ISSUANCE OF ENGINEERING PERMITS:
FINAL MAP:
1. A focused Traffic Analysis has been prepared for the project by an appropriately licensed professional engineer and incorporated into the final CEQA documents. The TA includes but not limited to identification of trip generation, traffic distribution and impact on existing transportation facilities and at time of General Plan build-out, all relevant, ingress and egress movements, lines of sight, queuing analysis, and alignment studies (preliminary signing and striping plan). All Street improvemtn and site access plans shall conform the approved TA and Environmental documents. Applicant shall be required to obtain approval of all site access and circulation from the Fire Marshall, City engineer, Development Services and Caltrans.
2. A preliminary soils report shall be prepared for the project by an appropriately licensed professional engineer. At a minimum, the soils report shall provide specific analyses and recommendations for grading, pavement structural sections, and infiltration.
3. A comprehensive drainage report, prepared by California Registered Civil Engineer, shall be submitted for review and approval by the City Engineer prior to issuance of any permits. The report shall contain pre- and post-development hydrology maps showing onsite and off-site tributary drainage areas and shall be prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Riverside County Flood Control District. Adequate provisions shall be made to accept and conduct the existing tributary drainage flows around or through the site in a manner which will not adversely affect adjacent or downstream properties. If the design of the project includes a retention basin, it shall be sized to contain the runoff resulting from a 10-year storm event and the runoff from a 100-year storm event shall be contained within basin with shallow ponding (3.5' max.). The basin shall be designed to evacuate a 10-year storm event within 72 hours. The size of the retention basin(s) shall be determined by the hydrology report and be approved by the City Engineer. Retention basin shall be provided with a minimum of 2.00 feet sandy soil if determined to contain silt or clay materials. Maximum allowable percolation rate for design shall be 10 gal./s.f./day unless otherwise approved by the City Engineer. A percolation test for this site is required to be submitted. A combination drywell vertical drain field shall be constructed at all points where runoff enters the retention basin. Drywell & vertical drain