Agenda packet, regular meeting, first session — Hollister City Council, December 3, 2024 (part 11 of 16)

HOLLISTER 2040 GENERAL PLAN, CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, AND

AGRICULTURAL LANDS PRESERVATION PROGRAM REVISED DRAFT EIR

CITY OF HOLLISTER

PUBLIC SERVICES AND RECREATION

4.15-48 JULY 2024

STANDARDS OF SIGNIFICANCE
Implementation of the proposed project would have a significant impact to parks and recreation if it would:

9. Result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered parks and recreational facilities, need for new or physically altered parks and recreation facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times or other performance objectives.

10. Increase the use of existing neighborhood and regional parks or other recreational facilities such that physical deterioration of the facility would occur or be accelerated.

11. Include recreational facilities or require the construction or expansion of recreational facilities which might have an adverse physical effect on the environment.

12. Result in significant cumulative impacts with respect to parks and recreation services.

IMPACT DISCUSSION
PS-9 Implementation of the proposed project would not result in the need for new or physically altered park facilities or other recreational facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, or other performance objectives.
2040 General Plan
As discussed in Section 4.15.5.1, Environmental Setting, the EIR Study Area currently provides approximately 3.3 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents, including the acreage from joint-use parks, and does not meet the City’s goal of 5 acres of parks per 1,000 residents. Implementation of the proposed project could introduce up to 31,575 new residents, which would increase the demand for parks and recreational facilities.

Goal CSF-1: Provide an adequate level of public services and facilities to ensure the continued health, education, welfare and safety of all residents and businesses. (Goal CSF4)  Policy CSF-1.3: Infrastructure Planning. Require the preparation of a specific plan, financing plan, development agreement, creation of a Communities Facilities District, or another similar document or financing vehicle, as a pre-condition to annexation or redesignations of land for new urban use.

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PUBLIC SERVICES AND RECREATION
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The plans shall identify means to ensure adequate funding to support construction of all needed public facilities, including water, sewer, storm drainage, roads, sidewalks, parks, and school facilities. (Policy CSF1.6)
 Policy CSF-1.4: Development Review Criteria for Public Services. Prior to granting approval, evaluate each new development in terms of the following criteria:

1. The project shall share a common border with a property that has already been developed.

2. The project shall be adequately served by infrastructure (e.g., water, sewer, streets, schools, parks), which is already in place or mitigated.

3. The project shall be within the existing service areas of local service providers (i.e., fire protection, police protection, solid waste disposal, schools), and not result in a reduction in their current capabilities. (Numbers 1 to 3, Policy CSF1.7)

4. The project shall have adequate water supply of sufficient quantity and quality.

5. There shall be adequate sanitary sewer capacity and treatment capability that can be provided to serve the proposed project.

6. There shall be adequate fire protection for the proposed project.

7. There shall be adequate police protection for the proposed project.

8. The proposed project shall result in no impact on local parks and recreational facilities, or the applicant will provide the resources required to mitigate the impacts associated with the proposed development.

9. There shall be an adequate level of solid waste collection services and disposal capacity to serve the proposed project.

10. There shall be an appropriate level of utility services (gas, electric, and telephone) to serve the proposed project.

11. The project applicant shall finance the full costs associated with any drainage improvements necessary to accommodate peak flows from the proposed project.

12. The proposed project shall not make a significant contribution to the emission of regional air pollutants.

13. There shall be adequate elementary, middle, and high schools to serve the proposed project. (Numbers 4 to 13, Implementation Measure CSF.D)
Goal CSF-6: Provide high-quality neighborhood and community parks to meet the recreational, open space, leisure, and play needs of existing and future residents. (Part of Policy CSF4.4).  Policy CSF-6.1: Parks and Recreational Facilities Standard. Provide five acres of developed parks and recreational facilities for every 1,000 residents in the City Limits to improve the 2018 service ratio of

3.5 acres of park space per 1,000 people. New residential or mixed-use developments containing a residential component shall be required to provide park land, or pay in-lieu fees, in this ratio, as directed by the City. Private parks and open space that is counted toward the City’s park requirement shall be publicly accessible. (Policy CSF4.4)

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PUBLIC SERVICES AND RECREATION

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 Policy CSF-6.2: Access to Parks and Recreation Facilities. Ensure an equitable distribution of parks and recreational facilities throughout the city. Strive to improve, operate, maintain, and rehabilitate existing parks, facilities, and other public amenities. (Policy CSF4.5)  Policy CSF-6.3: Hollister Parks Facility Master Plan. Prioritize the implementation of the recommendations from the 2018 Hollister Parks Facility Master Plan. (new)  Policy CSF-6.4: Park Design and Review Process. Design all new parks to follow the best practices outlined in the Hollister Parks Facility Master Plan. Require all new park and recreation facilities to receive a recommendation from the Parks Commission prior to approval. (Policy CSF4.5)  Policy CSF-6.5: High Quality Facilities and Recreational Programs. Promote and provide high-quality facilities and recreation programs to meet the recreational and cultural needs and desires of existing and future residents of all groups, ethnicities, and income levels. (Policy CSF4.6)  Policy CSF-6.6: Public Information Campaigns. Collaborate with schools, governmental agencies, and community organizations to expand existing programs and establish new outreach campaigns to promote physical activity and nutritious meals. (Policy CSF4.15)  Policy CSF-6.7: Park Access. Work with local community-based organizations to expand and increase park access throughout the city. (new)
 Action CSF-6.1: Park and Recreational Standard Plan. Develop and implement a plan to achieve the City’s standard of providing five acres of developed parks and recreational facilities for every 1,000 residents in the City Limits. (new)
 Action CSF-6.2: Trail Master Plan. Develop and adopt a Trail Master Plan for the city that includes a gap analysis of existing parks, trails, and open spaces. Future improvements identified in the trail master plan shall prioritize access and equity. (new)
 Action CSF-6.4: Park Grant Funding. Pursue grant funding to improve existing parks and develop new City parks. (new)
 Action CSF-6.5: All Abilities Playground. Develop and adopt a plan to create an all-abilities playground. (new)
 Action CSF-6.6: Community Engagement on Park Improvements. Hold meetings with the community at the outset of planning for new parks or park improvements. (new)  Action CSF-6.7: Developer Provided Parks. Establish incentives to encourage developers to build parks beyond City requirements. (new)
Goal OS-1: Preserve and protect open space and the natural environment for all to enjoy. (Goal OS1)  Policy OS-1.1: Open Space Preservation. Retain and protect open space areas through the protection of prime farmlands, the prevention of new development in areas subject to natural and human- caused hazards, that serve as wildlife habitat or as visual assets for the community, and where the development of additional parks and trails is possible. Open space areas can also function as connections between neighborhoods, for example with the creation of pedestrian pathways in environmentally appropriate areas. (Policy OS1.1)

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 Policy OS-1.5: Open Space Use. Protect and preserve the natural value of open space and wildlife habitat areas while permitting educational and recreational uses compatible with these resources.

Uses of open space areas shall be secondary to open space preservation. (Policy OS1.5) Goal HS-4: Protect the community from flood hazards. (new)  Policy HS-4.2: Floodplain Uses. Encourage developers to dedicate identified lands in floodplains that are unsuitable for development to the City for use as parks or for preservation as open space, consistent with the City of Hollister Parks and Recreation Master Plan or other infrastructure plan developed for a given area. Development of these identified lands as community recreation amenities should be economically feasible to build and maintain. (Policy HS1.10)  Action HS-4.3: Floodplain Use Assessment. Identify those areas with natural hazards that are unsuitable for development, but which may be suitable for public recreational uses. (new) The proposed 2040 General Plan would maintain the current parkland goal of 5 acres per 1,000 residents.

To meet this goal, the City would need a total of 359.7 acres of parkland to serve the project buildout of 71,945 total residents by 2040 under the proposed 2040 General Plan. The City currently has 131.7 acres of parkland, including the acreage from joint-use parks. The difference between the future need of 359.7 acres and the existing 131.7 acres is 228 net new acres needed. As shown in the proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions listed above, the City would be required to seek funding and partnerships to acquire and develop new parks in Hollister over the approximately 15-year buildout horizon.

Furthermore, pursuant to HMC Chapter 16.55, new residential development would be required to dedicate land and provide recreational improvements to the dedicated land, pay a fee in lieu of dedicating land and recreational improvements, or a combination of both.

As indicated above, new residents from development allowed by the proposed 2040 General Plan would increase the demand for recreational facilities, and recreational facility standards would require the construction of new or expanded recreation facilities. The estimated timing or location of such facilities or the exact nature of these facilities are not known, so project-specific environmental impacts that would occur from their construction and operation cannot be determined at this time. However, depending on the type, size, and location of new parks, the construction of new parks would be subject to environmental review and the mitigating polices and mitigation measures described in this Draft EIR to ensure the impacts from the construction would be less than significant. The construction of project- specific parks would require permitting and review in accordance with City standards, which would ensure that any environmental impacts are disclosed and mitigated to the extent possible. Therefore, the impact is considered less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

Climate Action Plan
The proposed CAP is a strategic plan focused on GHG emissions reduction through recommended community-wide GHG reduction strategies and an implementation plan. Since the proposed CAP does not involve any land use changes that would require new or expanded park or recreation facilities, implementation of the proposed CAP would not result in the need for new or physically altered park facilities or other recreational facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental

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impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, or other performance objectives and impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

Agricultural Lands Preservation Program
The proposed ALPP is a program focused on mitigating the effects of agricultural land conversion through the dedication of eligible agricultural conservation easements at a rate of at least one acre of agricultural land for each one acre of agricultural land to be converted (1:1 ratio) for projects that would convert agricultural land to nonagricultural uses. Since the proposed ALPP does not involve any land use changes that would require new or expanded park or recreation facilities, implementation of the proposed ALPP would not result in the need for new or physically altered park facilities or other recreational facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, or other performance objectives and impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

PS-10 Implementation of the proposed project would not increase the use of existing neighborhood and regional parks or other recreational facilities, such that substantial physical deterioration of the facility would occur or be accelerated.
2040 General Plan
Future development in Hollister would result in increased population, which would increase demands for parks and recreational facilities in the EIR Study Area and could cause physical deterioration of park facilities. The proposed 2040 General Plan contains goals, policies, and actions listed under Impact Discussion PS-9 would support parkland goals, and HMC Chapter 16.55 establishes parkland dedication and/or fee requirements for new residential development, helping to ensure that individual park and recreation facilities are not overburdened by use. As discussed in Section 4.15.5.1, Environmental Setting, the 2018 PFMP has many planned improvements for parks. These include specific projects for future park and trail projects and addition of new amenities.

The proposed Community Services and Facilities (CSF), Open Space and Agriculture (OS), and Health and Safety (HS) Elements of the 2040 General Plan contain goals, policies, and actions that require local planning and development decisions to consider and mitigate impacts that potential future development could have on parks and recreation facilities. Several proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions, as listed under Impact Discussion PS-9, ensure that parks, recreational facilities, and open space are adequately maintained and protect the public’s investment in park and recreation facilities. While potential future development under implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan would result in an increased population with an increased demand for parks and recreational facilities, buildout would occur incrementally throughout the approximately 15-year horizon, and future development would be

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subject to the proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and programs listed under Impact Discussion PS-9; therefore, impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

Climate Action Plan
The proposed CAP is a strategic plan focused on GHG emissions reduction through recommended community-wide GHG reduction strategies and an implementation plan. Since the proposed CAP does not involve any land use changes that would require new or expanded park or recreation facilities, implementation of the proposed CAP would not increase the use of existing neighborhood and regional parks or other recreational facilities, such that substantial physical deterioration of the facility would occur or be accelerated, and impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

PS-11 Implementation of the proposed project would not include recreational facilities or require the construction or expansion of recreational facilities which might have an adverse physical effect on the environment.
2040 General Plan
A significant impact would result if the proposed project would result in the construction or expansion of recreational facilities. As discussed under Impact Discussion PS-9, the City currently does not meet its parkland goal of 5 acres per 1,000 residents. Therefore, additional parks or recreational facilities would be needed to meet park demand from new residents from development allowed by the proposed 2040 General Plan.

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could have on parks and recreation facilities. Several proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions, as listed under Impact Discussion PS-9, ensure that park and recreational facility goals are met, and that facilities are maintained. While potential future development under implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan would result in an increased population with an increased demand for parks and recreational facilities, buildout would occur incrementally throughout the approximately 15-year horizon, and future development would be subject to the proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and programs listed under Impact Discussion PS-9; therefore, impacts would be less than significant.

Significance Without Mitigation: Less than significant.

Climate Action Plan
The proposed CAP is a strategic plan focused on GHG emissions reduction through recommended community-wide GHG reduction strategies and an implementation plan. Since the proposed CAP does not involve any land use changes that would require new or expanded park or recreation facilities, implementation of the proposed CAP would not include recreational facilities or require the construction or expansion of recreational facilities which might have an adverse physical effect on the environment and impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

PS-12 In combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, implementation of the proposed project would not result in a cumulatively considerable impact to parks and recreations. 2040 General Plan
As discussed in Chapter 4, Environmental Analysis, of this Revised Draft EIR, this EIR takes into account growth from development under the proposed 2040 General Plan within the City combined with the estimated growth in the service areas of each service provider. Parks and recreation services in the EIR Study Area are provided by the City and County.

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Future growth in the EIR Study Area would result in increased demand for park and recreational facilities.

As described under Impact Discussion PS-9 and PS-10, the City would then need to expand and construct additional parks and other recreational facilities to meet the increased demand and maintain existing service levels. State law allows jurisdictions to require additional development to fund park improvements, and the City requires new residential development to pay development impact fees to help fund parks and recreation. Implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions listed under Impact Discussion PS-9 would also help ensure the provision of adequate parklands along with new development. The final location and size of additional facilities would be determined as part of future development activity, and as specific parkland expansion or improvement projects are identified, additional project-specific, environmental analysis would be completed. As a result, the cumulative impact associated with parks and recreational facilities would be less than significant.

Significance Without Mitigation: Less than significant.

Climate Action Plan
The proposed CAP is a strategic plan focused on GHG emissions reduction through recommended community-wide GHG reduction strategies and an implementation plan. Since the proposed CAP does not involve any land use changes that would require new or expanded park or recreation facilities, the proposed CAP would result in a less-than-significant cumulative impact with respect to parks and recreation.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

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4.16 TRANSPORTATION
This chapter of the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) describes the potential transportation impacts associated with the approval and implementation of the proposed project. This chapter describes the regulatory framework and existing conditions, identifies criteria used to determine impact significance, provides an analysis of the potential transportation impacts, and identifies policies and feasible mitigation measures, if required, that could mitigate any potentially significant impacts.

4.16.1 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING

TERMINOLOGY
The following are definitions for terms used in this chapter:
 Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT). A measure of network use or efficiency that accounts for the number of daily vehicle trips generated, times the length or distance of those trips. VMT is generally expressed as VMT per capita for a typical weekday.
 Greenhouse gases (GHG). Gases in the atmosphere that absorb infrared light, thereby retaining heat in the atmosphere and contributing to a greenhouse effect.

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
Federal Regulations
Applicable federal regulations pertaining to transportation are addressed in other chapters of this Revised Draft EIR, including Chapter 4.3, Air Quality; Chapter 4.8, Greenhouse Gas Emissions; and Chapter 4.9, Hazards and Hazardous Materials. The federal Clean Air Act, the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act may have some relevance or influence for individual projects or actions as part of potential future projects in the EIR Study Area. Additionally, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is the agency of the United States Department of Transportation responsible for the federally funded roadway system, including the interstate highway network and portions of the primary state highway network, State Route (SR) 25 and SR 156.

State Regulations
Senate Bill 743
With the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 743 (September 2013), which was codified in Public Resources Code Section 21099, and the subsequent adoption of revised California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines (December 2018), level of service, also referred to as LOS, can no longer be used as a criterion for identifying significant transportation impacts for most projects under CEQA. Level of service is the measure of the average amount of delay experienced by vehicle drivers at an intersection or along a road segment during the most congested time of day, while the new CEQA metric (VMT) measures the total number of daily miles traveled by vehicles on the roadway network and thereby the impacts on the environment from those miles traveled. Level of service is a measure of local vehicle congestion at an

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intersection or on a road segment, and VMT is a measure of the total miles of vehicle travel measured at an area-wide or project-level scale. In other words, SB 743 changed the focus of transportation impact analysis in CEQA from measuring quality-of-life impacts to drivers, to measuring the physical impacts of driving on the environment.

According to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) Technical Advisory on Evaluating Transportation Impacts in CEQA (Technical Advisory),1 land use projects with one or more of the following characteristics would generate lower VMT than conventional development:
 Higher land use densities
 Mix of project uses
 Support of a citywide jobs-housing balance (i.e., provide housing in a job rich area, or vice versa)  Proximity to the core of a region
 Proximity to high-quality transit service
 Located in highly walkable or bikeable areas
This shift in transportation impact criteria is expected to better align transportation impact analysis and mitigation outcomes with the State’s goals to reduce GHG emissions, encourage infill development, and improve public health through more active transportation. Specific to SB 743, CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3(c) states that, “a lead agency may elect to be governed by the provisions of this section immediately. Beginning on July 1, 2020, the provisions of this section shall apply statewide.” However, CEQA Section 21099(b)(2) states that, “upon certification of the guidelines by the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency pursuant to this section, automobile delay, as described solely by level of service or similar measures of vehicular capacity or traffic congestion, shall not be considered a significant impact on the environment pursuant to this division, except in locations specifically identified in the CEQA Guidelines.”
Although the OPR provides recommendations for adopting new VMT analysis guidelines, lead agencies have the final say in designing their methodology. Lead agencies must select their preferred method of estimating and forecasting VMT, their preferred significance thresholds for baseline and cumulative conditions, and the mitigation strategies they consider feasible. Lead agencies must prove that their selected analysis methodology aligns with SB 743’s goals to promote infill development, reduce GHGs, and reduce VMT.

California Complete Streets Act of 2008
Originally passed in 2008, California’s Complete Streets Act (Assembly Bill 1358) came into effect in 2011 and requires local jurisdictions to plan for land use transportation policies that reflect a “complete streets” approach to mobility. “Complete streets” comprises a suite of policies and street design guidelines that provide for the needs of all road users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit operators and riders, children, the elderly, and the disabled. From 2011 onward, any local jurisdiction—county or city—that undertakes a substantive update of the circulation element of its general plan must plan for a balanced,

1 Technical Advisory on Evaluating Transportation Impacts in CEQA, Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, April 2018.

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multimodal transportation network that meets the needs of all users of streets, roads, and highways, (i.e., consider “complete streets” and incorporate corresponding policies and programs).2 California Department of Transportation
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is the primary state agency responsible for transportation issues. One of its duties is the construction and maintenance of the state highway system.

Caltrans approves the planning, design, and construction of improvements for all State-controlled facilities, including SR 25 and SR 156, and the associated interchanges for these facilities in the EIR Study Area. Caltrans has established standards for roadway traffic flow and developed procedures to determine if State-controlled facilities require improvements. For projects that may physically affect facilities under its administration, Caltrans requires encroachment permits before any construction work may be undertaken. For projects that would not physically affect facilities but may influence traffic flow and levels of service at such facilities, Caltrans may recommend measures to mitigate the traffic impacts of such projects.

The following Caltrans procedures and directives are relevant to the proposed 2040 General Plan, particularly to state roadway facilities:
 Vehicle Miles Traveled-Focused Transportation Impact Study Guide. The Caltrans Vehicle Miles Traveled-Focused Transportation Impact Study Guide (TISG), dated May 20, 2020, was prepared to provide guidance to Caltrans districts, lead agencies, tribal governments, developers, and consultants regarding Caltrans’ review of VMT impact analysis for land use projects and land use plans. Caltrans seeks to reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips, provide a safe transportation system, reduce per capita VMT, increase accessibility to destinations via cycling, walking, carpooling, and transit, and reduce GHG emissions. The TISG notes that, for land use projects and plans, automobile delay (the level of service metric) is no longer considered a significant impact on the environment under CEQA.

Caltrans’ primary review focus for a land use project’s transportation impacts is now VMT. The TISG generally endorses the OPR Technical Advisory, including the thresholds in that document. Caltrans may review VMT thresholds, methodology, and mitigations.  Interim Land Development and Intergovernmental Review Safety Review Practitioners Guidance. The Interim Land Development and Intergovernmental Review (LDIGR) Safety Review Practitioners Guidance (July 2020) was developed to provide immediate direction about the safety review while final guidance is being developed. The Interim LDIGR Safety Review Practitioners Guidance does not establish thresholds of significance for determining safety impacts under CEQA. The Interim LDIGR Safety Review Practitioners Guidance states that the significance of impacts should be determined with careful judgment on the part of a public agency and based, to the greatest extent possible, on scientific and factual data consistent with Caltrans’ CEQA guidance in Caltrans’ Standard Environmental Reference. The Interim LDIGR Safety Review Practitioners Guidance states that Caltrans’ traffic safety staff will use available data to determine if the proposed project may influence or contribute to locations identified by traffic safety investigations generated by network screening or initiated by Caltrans.

2 California Government Code Section 65302(b)(2)

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 Deputy Directive 64-RI: Complete Streets – Integrating the Transportation System. This directive requires Caltrans to provide for the needs of travelers of all ages and abilities in all planning, programming, design, construction, operations, and maintenance activities and products on the state highway system. Caltrans supports bicycle, pedestrian, and transit travel with a focus on “complete streets” that begins early in system planning and continues through project construction and maintenance and operations.
 Director’s Policy 22. This policy establishes support for balancing transportation needs with community goals. Caltrans seeks to involve and integrate community goals in the planning, design, construction, and maintenance and operations processes, including accommodating the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians. Director’s Policy 22 recognizes that “in towns and cities across California, the State highway may be the only through street or may function as a local street,” that “these communities desire that their main street be an economic, social, and cultural asset as well as provide for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods,” and that “communities want transportation projects to provide opportunities for enhanced non-motorized travel and visual quality.” Director’s Policy 22 acknowledges that addressing these needs will ensure that transportation solutions meet more than just traffic and operational objectives.

Caltrans recognizes four classifications of bicycle facilities:
 Class I. Commonly referred to as a bike path or bikeway, Class I facilities are separated from automobile traffic for the exclusive use of bicyclists.  Class II. Commonly referred to as bike lanes, Class II facilities are dedicated for bicyclists immediately adjacent to automobile traffic.
 Class III. Commonly referred to as bike routes, Class III facilities are on-street routes where bicyclists and automobiles share the road.
 Class IV. Commonly referred to as cycle tracks or protected bike lanes, Class IV facilities combine elements of Class I and Class II facilities to offer an exclusive bicycle route immediately adjacent to a roadway, similar to a Class II facility, but includes a physical separation from traffic with raised curbs, plastic delineators, or parked automobiles.

Regional Regulations
Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments
The Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG) is the transportation planning, coordinating, and financing agency for the Monterey Bay Area, which includes Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties. AMBAG is primarily funded from state and federal transportation funds and planning grants. AMBAG is a federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and is required to produce certain documents that maintain the region’s eligibility for federal transportation assistance.

Among AMBAG’s many functions, it also authors the Metropolitan Transportation Plan and the Sustainable Communities Strategy (MTP/SCS) with Regional Transportation Planning Agencies (RTPA), transit providers, Monterey Bay Air Resources District (MBARD), state and federal governments, and organizations involved in transportation planning. The Council of San Benito County Governments

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(SBCOG) is the RTPA for San Benito County and is responsible for the county-wide Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), which includes Hollister. AMBAG also maintains the region’s Travel Demand Model (RTDM), which incorporates regional housing, population, and employment forecasts.

Metropolitan Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy AMBAG adopted the 2045 MTP/SCS in June 2022 with a framework of goals and policy objectives to address the mobility and accessibility needs of the region.3 As the MPO, AMBAG updates the MTP/SCS every four years through a bottom-up process involving numerous stakeholders to develop a new growth and updated multimodal transportation network with the available revenues.

The 2045 MTP/SCS must comply with specific state and federal mandates, including the Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008 (generally known by its legislative bill number SB 375).

SB 375 promotes the coordination of transportation investments with land use patterns, such that the region makes informed decisions to reduce GHG emissions by providing more direct access to destinations as well as by providing alternative transportation options. Promotion of non-motorized modes of transportation is essential to reduce GHG emissions and reduce roadway congestion. Overall, the investments identified in the 2045 MTP/SCS are expected to result in significant benefits to the region, not only with respect to transportation and mobility, but also economic activity, air quality, safety, and social equity.

The MTP/SCS, a living document that must be updated to reflect the most current information and conditions and remain relevant and useful. Updating the MTP/SCS requires an examination of the progress the region is making, not just in terms of delivering projects, but also in terms of meeting the region’s vision, goals, and objectives. The MTP/SCS further specifies a detailed set of investments and strategies throughout the region to maintain, manage, and improve the surface transportation system, specifying how anticipated federal, state, and local transportation funds will be spent.

Projects funded all or in part with regional funds (e.g., federal funds, State Transportation Improvement Program funds, bridge tolls) must consider the accommodation of bicycle and pedestrian facilities, as described in Caltrans Deputy Directive 64. These recommendations do not replace locally adopted policies regarding transportation planning, design, and construction. Instead, these recommendations facilitate the accommodation of pedestrians, wheelchair users, and bicyclists into all projects where doing so would be consistent with current adopted regional and local plans. Transportation projects that use regional funds are subject to this policy.

San Benito Regional Transportation Plan
As previously stated, SBCOG is San Benito County’s RTPA that prepares the RTP. The current 2020-2045 San Benito RTP is a 25-year planning document that guides the development of the transportation system in the San Benito region, including Hollister. The San Benito RTP presents a blueprint for addressing region-wide issues, presently and into the future. The San Benito RTP identifies the existing transportation

3 Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG), 2022. 2045 Metropolitan Transportation Plan & the Sustainable Communities Strategy (MTP/SCS). https://www.ambag.org/plans/2045-metropolitan-transportation-plan-sustainable- communities-strategy, accessed November 28, 2022.

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conditions and plans future improvements based on growth, approved plans, public input, stakeholder collaboration, and SBCOG board of directors’ direction. The San Benito RTP is required by state law, is comprehensively updated every four years, an includes long- and short-term programs of strategies and actions that lead to the development of an integrated intermodal transportation system that facilitates the efficient movement of people and goods. The RTP was developed based on the unique needs and characteristics of the San Benito region and helps shape the economy, environment, and social future, and communicates regional issues and vision to the State of California and federal government. The San Benito RTP also serves as a guide for achieving public policy decisions that will result in balanced investments for a wide range of multimodal transportation improvements. An RTP communicates the vision of a community and looks into the future. Specifically, the San Benito RTP considers the potential impacts of projected housing, population, and employment growth on the transportation network and identifies solutions to meet the increased demand on all modes, including highways, local roads, bicycle, pedestrian, and public transit, among others.

San Benito County Transit Network Expansion
The San Benito County Local Transportation Authority (LTA) prepared the Analysis of Public Transit Network Expansion Projects for Congestion Relief of Highway 25 Corridor in June 2020. This analysis evaluated three scenarios to improve transit options for those traveling between Hollister and areas to the north, including Gilroy and the Bay Area, using the SR 25/rail corridor. The scenarios were:
 Bus-On-Shoulder. This scenario would improve SR 25 to enhance the shoulders to accommodate buses, allowing them to by-pass traffic congestion, making the service more convenient for commuters looking for a faster, less stressful trip.
 Bus-Beside-Rail. This scenario would provide a new facility exclusive for buses beside the rail corridor.  Passenger Rail. This scenario would include a new rail station in Hollister with train service to the Gilroy station, directly connecting with Caltrain.

The study evaluated a number of benefits and the costs of each scenario to determine which investment would provide the most cost-effective opportunities. At this time, there is no funding in place for these improvements. SBCOG will now pursue grant funding opportunities to conduct a detailed operational analysis.

San Benito County Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan
The SBCOG adopted the San Benito County Bikeway and Pedestrian Master Plan (San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan) in 2009. The San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan, developed in collaboration with the Cities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista, County of San Benito, and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, guides the future development of bicycle and pedestrian facilities within San Benito County through 2030. The purpose of the San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan is to expand the existing networks, connect gaps, address constrained areas, provide greater connectivity, educate, encourage, and maximize funding sources. The San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan will satisfy requirements of the California Bicycle Transportation Account (BTA) and other state and federal funding programs that Caltrans oversees and reviews.

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The San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan outlines a range of recommendations developed to reflect public input, existing conditions, and future plans. The recommendations, which serve as guidelines to those responsible for implementation, include bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure improvements, safety and education programs, funding and implementation strategies, and design and policy recommendations.

The bicycle facility recommendations for the Hollister area include the following:
 Class I Multi-Use Path Projects for Hollister. These facilities connect Hollister with recreational opportunities in the unincorporated county. As shown in Table 6-4, Hollister Class I Multi-Use Path Projects, of the San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan, there are approximately two miles of recommended improvements throughout the city. The San Benito River Bike Trail would circle Hollister from San Juan Road to Airline Highway. In total, the Union Pacific Rail Road (UPRR) path would provide nearly nine miles of recreation from Hollister north to the county line. The Bicycle Pedestrian Bridge across the San Benito River at San Juan Road will connect the city to Riverside Park.  Class II Bike Lanes for Hollister. These facilities are recommended where there is available right-of-way and where traffic volumes require channelization of users. As shown in Table 6-5, Hollister Class II Bike Lane Projects, of the San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan, there are approximately 30 miles of Class II Bike Lanes recommended throughout the city.
 Class III Bike Routes for Hollister. These facilities are appropriate where there is little available right-of- way for a dedicated lane or shoulder widening but the route is an integral part of the bicycle network.

As shown in Table 6-6, Hollister Class III Bike Route Projects, of the San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan, there are approximately nine miles of recommended improvements throughout the city. These improvements include a bicycle boulevard with traffic-calming measures, speed limits from 20 to 25 miles per hour (MPH), stop signs that favor bicyclists, and a pilot project recommended for Monterey Street. A Class III bike route on Sally Street from 3rd Street to Nash Road is also recommended.

The pedestrian facility recommendations for the Hollister area include the following:
 Infill Sidewalk Gaps. Sidewalk gaps are areas where there is pedestrian demand but no walkway, or the walkway ends abruptly, resulting in a discontinuous network. As shown in Table 7-1, Priority Sidewalk Gap Improvements, of the San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan, there are approximately five miles of recommended improvements throughout the city. Some of these include improvements on the south side of Buena Vista Road, north and south side of Hillcrest Road, and the north side of Santa Ana Road.
 Signalized Intersection Improvements. As shown in Table 7-2, Recommended Crosswalk Improvements at Signalized Intersections, of the San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan, there are 11 identified recommended improvements throughout the city. Other improvements include countdown signals, signal timing, and audible signals.
 Unsignalized Crosswalk Improvements. Infrastructure improvements at unsignalized crosswalk locations can help increase the visibility of pedestrians to motorists and improve pedestrian walking experiences. As shown in Table 7-3, Recommended High Visibility Crosswalk Improvements at Unsignalized Intersections, of the San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan, there are 22 identified recommended improvements throughout the city. As shown in Table 7-4, Pedestrian Railroad Improvement Locations, of the San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan, there are seven identified

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recommended improvements to railroad crossings throughout the city. Other recommendations include curb extensions.
 Curb Ramp Improvements. These improvements include truncated domes to act as cues to visually- impaired pedestrians and perpendicular curb ramps that are designed so there are two ramps at intersection corners. Corners at major intersections in high pedestrian zones like in Downtown Hollister should have perpendicular ramps where there is adequate right-of-way.  Multi-Use Path Projects. There are several potential Multi-Use Path projects that could increase pedestrian activity in Hollister and help connect pedestrians with various land uses and serve recreational activity. As shown in Table 7-5, Multi-Use Path Projects, of the San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan, there are approximately 28 miles of recommended improvements and roughly two miles are in the city. These include the San Benito River Trail, San Benito River Bicycle Pedestrian Bridge, and the UPRR path.

The San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan recognizes that the 2008 Hollister Downtown Plan, which was not adopted by the City, includes many pedestrian improvements for San Benito Street in Hollister and San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan includes these same recommendations. The 2008 Hollister Downtown Plan has more details relating to pedestrian amenity recommendations, such as the type of sidewalk lighting, street trees, and newspaper racks. The San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan recommends that these same themes should be applied throughout Hollister where appropriate.

Monterey Bay Area Complete Streets Guidebook
The Monterey Bay Area Complete Streets Guidebook, adopted by AMBAG in 2013, was developed to address complete streets on local and regional scales. In addition to addressing regional complete streets issues, the Monterey Bay Area Complete Streets Guidebook is a tool to help jurisdictions meet State complete streets requirements and benefits the entire region by encouraging bicycle, pedestrian, and transit usage.

The purpose of the Monterey Bay Area Complete Streets Guidebook is to provide resources and a procedure to local jurisdictions for developing streets in the Monterey Bay Area that meet the needs of all users, including non-drivers of all ages and abilities, and help reduce GHG emissions by encouraging bicycle, pedestrian, and transit usage. Lack of sufficient or perceived safe bicycle and pedestrian facilities are reasons many streets are “incomplete” in the Monterey Bay Area. In recognizing that roadways have primarily been designed to serve the automobile, the guidebook addresses bicycle and pedestrian access as an essential design objective. The policy guidance and recommendations included in the Monterey Bay Area Complete Streets Guidebook can be adopted by jurisdictions, including the City of Hollister, to address the following needs:
 Comply with California Complete Streets Act of 2008, which requires that any major revision of a jurisdiction’s General Plan include modification to the circulation element to plan for a balanced, multimodal transportation network that meets the needs of all users of streets, roads, and highways;4

4 California Government Code Section 65302(b)(2)

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 Ensure that roadways function well for all roadway users;  Adopt a planning process in which all stakeholders (motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, transit and school bus riders, delivery and service personnel, freight haulers, and emergency responders) are considered;
 Pursuant to the Strategic Growth Council grant, meet SCS requirements in state law;  Reduce VMT and reach regional GHG targets pursuant to California law (SB 375); and  Achieve objectives identified in local Climate Action Plans (CAPs).

Local Regulations
Hollister Municipal Code
The Hollister Municipal Code (HMC) includes various directives to regulate transportation in Hollister. The HMC is organized by title, chapter, and section. Provisions related to vehicle and traffic regulations are included in Title 10, Vehicles and Traffic; Title 12, Streets, Sidewalks and Public Places; and Title 17, Zoning, as follows:
 Title 10, Vehicles and Traffic. This title establishes the City’s vehicle and traffic regulations, including traffic control, speed limits, authority to designate truck routes, and bicycle regulations.  Title 12, Streets, Sidewalks, and Public Places. This title establishes guidelines for street names and number, plan lines, encroachments, obstructions, street trees, parks and recreation use regulations, and public assemblies.
 Title 17, Zoning . This title includes several provisions for bicycle and pedestrian facilities.  Section 17.04.030, Residential General Development Standards. This section states that there should be pedestrian connectivity between neighborhoods with a grid or loop street network.

Where this is not possible, 20-foot-wide pedestrian/bicycle/transit connection shall be integrated into cul-de-sacs and subdivision designs.
 Section 17.08.040, NG North Gateway District Supplemental Standards. This section requires a street network and bikeway plan with prezoning or Site and Architectural Review application is required to facilitate coordinated safe multi-modal access and associated funding for transportation improvements to properties that may be confined by SR 25, the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks and San Felipe Road and Class II Bicycle lanes are required on the frontage of all interior roads in the North Gateway district and a Class I Bicycle lane is required on the west side of San Felipe Road and on city arterials.
 Section 17.10.040, Industrial Zoning District Performance Standards. This section requires that new industrial subdivisions shall include provision for passive and active recreation, including Class II bicycle paths with the road improvements, integration of shade trees along sidewalk frontages.
 Chapter 17.18, Pedestrian and Bicycle Parking and Loading Standards. This chapter establishes off-street parking and loading requirements for vehicles and bikes, including requirements for the

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number of spaces based on the use and/or location, parking and loading space standards, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
 Section 17.18.030, General Pedestrian, Bicycle and Parking Regulations. This section requires a circulation plan for vehicular and pedestrian access and parking facilities shall be required for new development, a building addition(s) or a change of use that the Engineering Department determines substantially increases the off-street parking requirements.

Hollister Resolution No. 2019-75
Resolution No. 2019-75, which was adopted by the City Council on April 15, 2019, has established that roundabouts may be considered at some intersections as it may improve intersection operations to increase pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle safety.

Hollister Complete Streets Plan
Initiated in the fall of 2019, the final, but not adopted, 2020 Complete Streets Plans to Remove Safety and Cultural Barriers for Transitioning Neighborhoods (Hollister Complete Streets Plan) identifies future design and implementation strategies that can be used, but are not required, to plan, design, and maintain streets that are safe for users of all ages and abilities.

The Hollister Complete Streets Plan recognizes that Hollister is likely to see a continued population growth as the regional demand for housing continues to intensify and that the growth that has occurred has transformed the city from its original, relatively compact and walkable scale to one that increasingly reflects a more suburban pattern of wide streets and disconnected land uses that favor the automobile over pedestrian and other active forms of mobility. The Hollister Complete Streets Plan focuses primarily on the Buena Vista Road, Santa Ana Road, Meridian Street and Memorial Drive corridors that have experienced much of Hollister’s growth over recent years. The Hollister Complete Streets Plan seeks to improve these corridors by putting forth future “complete street” strategies that can either be incorporated as new developments are added along the corridors or undertaken as part of a City-driven capital improvement effort. Additionally, the Hollister Complete Streets Plan takes a comprehensive look at a future green street network that can promote walking and biking connections to local schools, parks, and other community services. The Hollister Complete Streets Plan establishes three goals that are used as the overall organizing framework for the document as well as described herein:
 Goal One: Safe, Comfortable, and Inviting Streets for All Users. Provide an integrated multi-modal transportation network that meets the needs of vehicles, transit, bicycle, and pedestrians throughout Hollister. This section under this goal targets opportunities and constraints within each of the four corridors and identifies both near- and long-term plans for how the corridors may be improved to achieve the goal of making them safe, comfortable, and inviting.  Goal Two: Compact and Walkable Neighborhoods. Create a comprehensive set of design guidelines that govern the design and layout of new locally controlled streets, blocks, and development projects to ensure that future growth allows for and promotes a healthy, sustainable, and walkable community.

This goal includes guidelines for both the public right-of-way and future project developments. The public right-of-way guidelines cover such topics as lane widths, bikeways, curb extensions, and sidewalk improvements that collectively contribute to a safer and more comfortable walking and

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biking experience. The guidelines for project developments focus on topics such as block size, building orientation, density, and on-site parking that further enrich the experience of someone walking and biking.
 Goal Three: Network of Public, Green Spaces. Build connectivity and accessibility to public green spaces that will link homes, community destinations, and parks to create a healthy green network.

This goal includes a series of potential local streets and paths that connected together with the four corridors can establish a network of public, green spaces. Future improvements could include such enhancements as bulb-outs, chicanes, and street trees.

Hollister Downtown Design Guidelines
In 2008, the City prepared the Hollister Downtown Plan for Downtown Hollister, a revitalization plan with a series of visions to help the City’s downtown area evolve over time with specific projects that was not formally adopted by City Council. Section 7 of the Hollister Downtown Plan, herein referred to as the Downtown Design Guidelines, is used by the City for redevelopment and new development. The Downtown Design Guidelines include these bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure improvements:
 Promote multi-floor buildings and mixed-use development to encourage walking and increase the downtown residential population.
 Encourage compatible and complimentary uses in close proximity to one another to encourage walking and minimize vehicular trips.
 Provide amenities for pedestrians and bicyclists, such as benches, plazas, bike racks/lockers, and showers for employees and bicycle commuters. Amenities should be conveniently located and easily accessible.
 Illuminate areas used by pedestrians, such as sidewalks, walkways, and plazas at night to ensure safety.
 Landscape and regularly maintain sidewalks to be free of weeds, overgrown vegetation, and litter.

Hollister Park Facility Master Plan
Hollister’s 2018 Park Facility Master Plan (PFMP) assesses existing City parks and recreation facilities and recommends future priority projects and potential funding mechanisms. The PFMP includes recommendations for planning for non-motorized transportation, including sidewalks and walking paths, and recognizes the importance of maintaining connectivity of pedestrian and bicycle routes as areas within the Hollister Sphere of Influence are annexed into the city. The PFMP includes the option for a non- vehicular bridge to connect the Water Reclamation Recreational Facility with Hollister neighborhoods across the river. New development across the San Benito River and the recently constructed Apricot Park may be linked with a pedestrian bridge to the Water Reclamation Recreational Facility, increasing residents’ ability to access the amenities at West Hollister Community without being required to drive.

The connection would provide a valuable amenity for neighborhoods in south Hollister and demonstrate the City’s investment in creating an active, healthy community. Moreover, the creation of a pedestrian bridge here could link park users to future development of the San Benito River Parkway.

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EXISTING CONDITIONS
Roadway Network
Hollister is served by an extensive roadway network of freeways, arterials, and local roads. These roadways provide access to the surrounding municipalities and to local destinations, such as employment areas, shopping centers, schools, recreational opportunities, and residential communities.

The City of Hollister is responsible for planning, constructing, and maintaining local roadways within the City Limits. The County of San Benito has similar responsibility for roads in unincorporated areas and expressways throughout San Benito County.

Functional Roadway Classifications
Roads are typically classified and defined by their function. The classification of roadways in the city are shown on Figure 4.16-1, Roadway Classifications, and described herein:
 Freeways. Operated and maintained by Caltrans, these facilities are designed as high-volume, high- speed facilities for intercity and regional traffic. Access to these facilities (access points) is limited and only available via ramps and mobility (speeds) is high. No freeways are within Hollister’s City Limits.

The nearest freeway to the city is US Highway 101 and is in San Benito County, approximately 9 miles to the west of the western City Limits. US Highway 101 is the primary access road to Silicon Valley and the greater San Francisco Bay Area, where many Hollister residents work.  Highways . Operated and maintained by Caltrans within Hollister, these facilities are designed as high- volume, high-speed facilities for intercity and regional traffic. Access to these facilities (access points) is limited and mobility (speeds) is high. Unlike freeways, highways can be accessed via signal control or stop sign-controlled access points. SR 25 and SR 156 are examples of highways within and near the City Limits.
 Arterials. These facilities make up the principal network for through traffic within a community and often between communities. Arterials often have between four and eight traffic lanes and provide connections between residential neighborhoods, shopping areas, places of employment, parks and recreational facilities, and other places of assembly. Access to arterials is higher than freeways, but mobility is lower.
 Collectors. Typically, collectors (two-lane facilities) function as the main interior streets within neighborhoods and business areas and are designed to carry traffic between local roads and arterials.

Collectors provide higher access than freeways and arterials, but lower mobility.  Local. These are two-lane neighborhood streets that could be located in residential, commercial, industrial, and rural areas. Local roadways provide the highest access, but lowest mobility.

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Source: ESRI, 2020; PlaceWorks, 2020; San Benito County, 2020; USGS, 2019Source: USGS, 2019; ESRI, 2020; San Benito County, 2020; PlaceWorks, 2024.

Figure 4.16-1
Roadway Classifications
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Rail
Hollister has one rail line that runs roughly through the center of the northern half of the City Limits. The rail line runs parallel to Prospect Avenue in a southeast-northwest orientation. The rail line is the Union Pacific Hollister Industrial Lead. It is a 12-mile-long rail line from Carnadero, California, to Hollister. On average, trains have two locomotives and eight cars traveling 10 MPH. Currently, there are local trains that run two times a week, Tuesday and Thursday, carrying goods to/from San Benito Foods.

There is no commuter rail in Hollister. The nearest connection to commuter rail service is in Gilroy, with service to Santa Clara County and points north. The City of Hollister has been interested in trying to extend commuter rail or other commuter transit service into Hollister to connect to commuter rail in Gilroy.

Bus Transit
The San Benito County LTA, established in 1990, administers and operates public transportation services (including maintenance and administration) in the county. Public bus service within San Benito County is supplied to the communities of Hollister, San Juan Bautista, and Gilroy by the San Benito County Express (County Express) transit system. The County Express offers several types of services that are provided on fixed routes and non-fixed routes. A description of the bus services is provided herein:
 Tripper (Local Fixed Route). This bus service serves Hollister’s students and the public by providing a discounted bus service route for students to many of the schools during peak travel demand associated with local school bell schedules. This service is provided on the Blue and Green Line routes.

The Tripper service route is shown in Figure 4.16-2, County Express Tripper Transit Route.  On-demand. This bus service is a curb-to-curb bus service that offers flexible routing and scheduling.

With the on-demand, shared-ride, public transit service within the City of Hollister, riders can book a trip through the County Express “app” or call dispatch and ride in the ADA-accessible vehicles with trained drivers at a fraction of the cost of traditional rideshare apps.  Paratransit. This bus service is for ADA-certified travelers that are unable to ride fixed-route service due to physical or cognitive disabilities. The service is available for trips within 0.75 miles of fixed- route service.
 Dial-a-Ride. This is a complementary bus service. Service is available within Hollister City Limits, San Juan Bautista, and as far as Tres Pinos. Weekday rides may be scheduled up to two weeks in advance or on the day of the ride. Weekend rides may only be scheduled between Monday at 9:30 a.m. and Friday at 4:00 p.m. the week of. The pick-up time and pick-up location are negotiated, and all rides are subject to availability. Riders should allow 30 minutes to be picked up and another 30 minutes to reach the destination during weekdays and up to an hour for weekends.  Intercounty. This bus service to Gilroy’s Caltrain and Greyhound Stations, and Gavilan College with connecting service to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) bus system.

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Source: San Benito County Express, 2023.

Figure 4.16-2
County Express Tripper Transit Route

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Bicycle and Pedestrian Network
Bicycle Facilities
While there are currently limited bicycle facilities in Hollister, the bicycle facilities that are available are provided throughout the city. These are on most arterials and major collectors, as illustrated in Figure

4.16-3, Existing and Planned Bicycle Facilities. As previously described Section 4.16.1.2, Regulatory Framework, Caltrans recognizes four classifications of bicycle facilities Class I, Class II, Class III, and Class IV.

As shown on Figure 4.16-3, a half-mile, Class I multi-use path is beside McCray Street between Tres Pinos Road and Hillcrest Road and the remainder of facilities are Class II bike lanes throughout the city.

Pedestrian Facilities
The pedestrian network includes sidewalks, crosswalks, pedestrian signals, and off-street paths. Sidewalks with raised curbs and gutters are typically provided along arterials and collectors, as well as in newer residential developments. Most major intersections in the city have marked crosswalks and countdown pedestrian crossing signals that can be activated by pedestrians. Minimum sidewalk widths of five feet are required to meet ADA requirements. Depending on the land use type, wider sidewalks may be provided.

Narrower sidewalks are allowed for residential areas as compared to commercial districts. Nonetheless, a five-foot minimum of clear, uninterrupted area is required.

Planned and Pending Transportation Projects
The 2017 Transportation Impact Mitigation Fee Nexus Study identifies planned network improvements within the county, as well as the City of Hollister. The following list identifies improvements planned within the EIR Study Area:
 Memorial Drive South Extension: Meridian Street to Santa Ana Road  Airline Highway/SR 25 Widening: Sunset Drive to Fairview Road  Westside Boulevard Extension: Nash Road to San Benito Street  North Street (Buena Vista), between College Street and San Benito Street  Fairview Road Widening: McCloskey to SR 25
 Union Road Widening (East): San Benito Street to SR 25  Union Road Widening (West): San Benito Street to SR 156  Meridian Street Extension to Fairview Road: 185 feet east of Clearview to Fairview  SR 25 Four-Lane Widening: Phases I and II (San Felipe Road to Santa Clara County Line)  Memorial Drive North Extension: Santa Ana Road to Flynn Road/Shelton Road Intersection  Flynn Road Extension: San Felipe Road to Memorial Drive north extension  Pacific Way Extension (new road east-west collector): San Felipe Road to Memorial Drive

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Source: ESRI, 2020; PlaceWorks, 2020; San Benito County, 2020; USGS, 2019Source: USGS, 2019; ESRI, 2020; San Benito County, 2020; PlaceWorks, 2024.

Figure 4.16-3
Existing and Planned Bicycle Facilities
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4.16.2 STANDARDS OF SIGNIFICANCE
Implementation of the proposed project would result in a significant transportation impact if it would:

1. Conflict with a program, plan, ordinance or policy addressing the circulation system, including transit, roadway, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities.

2. Conflict or be inconsistent with CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3(b).5

3. Substantially increase hazards due to a geometric design feature (e.g., sharp curves or dangerous intersections) or incompatible uses (e.g., farm equipment).

4. Result in inadequate emergency access.

5. In combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, result in a cumulative impact with respect to transportation.

CITY OF HOLLISTER VMT SIGNIFICANCE CRITERIA
The SB 743 Implementation Guidelines6 that were prepared for the City by Kimley Horn, were updated in March 2023. OPR Guidance advises jurisdictions set VMT thresholds at 15 percent below the average for the defining area. Pursuant to the OPR Guidance, the City has established the following thresholds:
 Residential. For residential projects, a project would cause substantial additional VMT if it exceeds existing county-wide average home-based VMT per capita minus 15 percent, which is 18.8 VMT per capita.
 Office. For office projects, a project would cause substantial additional VMT if it exceeds existing county-wide average work-based VMT per Employee (Office) minus 15 percent, which is 20.6 work VMT per Employee (Office).
 Other Employment. For all other employment-based VMT projects besides office employment, a project would cause substantial additional VMT if it exceeds existing county-wide average work VMT per Employee (Other) for similar land uses minus 15 percent, which is 20.6 work VMT per Employee (Other).
 Retail . For regional retail and other customer-based VMT projects where the primary source of VMT is not primarily employees, but customers, a project would cause substantial VMT if it results in a net regional change using the county as the basis or other area as determined appropriate by the City of Hollister. The Hollister SB 743 Implementation Guidelines apply the general threshold of 50,000 square feet of retail uses as an indicator to whether a retail store can be considered local serving or not and thus would not result in a significant impact. Consistent with OPR Guidelines, local-serving retail does not contribute to VMT and would not result in a significant impact.

5 CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3(b) refers to the discontinuation of vehicle level of service (LOS) as an impact metric for transportation analysis and instead recommends the use of vehicle miles traveled (VMT); this section gives lead agencies discretion to choose the most appropriate methodology to evaluate a project’s VMT. 6 City of Hollister, March 14, 2023, DRAFT SB 743 Implementation Guidelines.

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4.16.3 IMPACT DISCUSSION
As described in Chapter 4, Environmental Analysis, of this Revised Draft EIR, some proposed 2040 General Plan policies and actions are required as means to mitigate environmental impacts under CEQA. These policies and actions are fully enforceable at the discretion of the decision-maker through permit conditions, agreements, or other legally binding instruments. These mitigating policies and actions use the imperative “shall,” include performance criteria, and are marked with an asterisk (*).

TRANS-1 Implementation of the proposed project would not conflict with a program, plan, ordinance, or policy addressing the circulation system, including transit, roadway, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities. 2040 General Plan
As discussed in Section 4.16.1.2, Regulatory Framework, programs, plans, and policies addressing circulation in EIR Study Area include the Complete Streets Act, AMBAG’s 2045 MTP/SCS, and the San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan. In general, the overarching goals of these policy documents are to ensure a safe, efficient, and accessible multi-modal transportation network for all users that also reduces VMT to improve air quality and reduce GHG emissions.

As shown in Chapter 4.8, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, of this Revised Draft EIR, 59 percent of GHG emissions in Hollister originate from vehicle trips generated by Hollister residents and businesses (i.e., the transportation sector). The California Air Resources Board recognizes that reducing VMT is a key objective to meeting California’s GHG emission-reduction goals. The greatest potential for reducing GHG emissions in Hollister is to reduce transportation-related emissions through measures that help to reduce vehicular trips and increase use of non-automobile modes of transportation (i.e., transit, bicycle, and pedestrian modes).

Bus Transit
As described in Section 4.16.1.3, Existing Conditions, transit services in the EIR Study Area are provided by the County Express. Future potential development under the proposed 2040 General Plan would contribute to an increased use of transit in the EIR Study Area due to growth in population and employment.

While growth within the EIR Study Area would contribute to an increased use of transit, the proposed Land Use and Community Design (LU) and Circulation (C) Elements contain goals, policies, and actions that require local planning and development decisions to consider impacts to transit. The following proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions would directly and indirectly result in improving the transit network and support an increase in transit use, thus supporting regional goals to reduce VMT and GHG emissions, as well as support programs, plans, ordinances, or policies addressing the circulation system:

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Goal LU-2: Manage growth in the new development areas outside the existing City Limits but within the Sphere of Influence through the use of Specific Plans. (new)  Policy LU-2.6: Multimodal Circulation Network. Incorporate sidewalks, pedestrian paths, bicycle lanes, and transit connections into new development projects in Specific Plan Areas. (new) Goal C-1: Provide for a healthy, active community based on complete streets, reflecting a balanced, safe, multimodal transportation system for all users, where pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities will be emphasized along with vehicular facilities. (new)
 Policy C-1.1: Sustainable Transportation. Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation by increasing mode shares for sustainable travel modes, such as walking, bicycling, and public transit. (new)
 Policy C-1.2: Complete Streets. Apply complete streets design standards to future projects in the public rights-of-way. Complete streets are streets designed to facilitate safe, comfortable, and efficient travel for all users regardless of age or ability or whether they are walking, bicycling, taking transit, or driving. (new)
 Policy C-1.6: Public Transit Regional Coordination. Cooperatively work with Council of San Benito County Governments, Caltrans, and San Benito County to develop, implement, and maintain public transit services and to encourage the implementation of “green transit” that uses alternative fuels or is powered by electricity. (Policy C4.2)
 Policy C-1.7: Public Transit Improvements. Promote public realm improvements that support increased use of public transit, including inviting sidewalks, ADA-compliant curb ramps, signal priorities, and amenities such as sidewalks, benches, bus stop shelters, signage, street lighting, and real-time schedule systems on key routes. (new)
 Policy C-1.8: Future Passenger Rail Service. Maintain an interest in and actively participate in planning for future rail service to Hollister, as outlined in the Council of San Benito County Government’s June 2020 Analysis of Public Transit Network Expansion Projects for Congestion Relief of the Highway 25 Corridor study. Participate in future planning processes for the potential rail service. (new)  Policy C-1.9: Park and Ride Facilities. Cooperatively work with Council of San Benito County Governments, Caltrans, and San Benito County to develop, implement, and maintain park-and-ride facilities. (Policy C4.3)
 Action C-1.3: Complete Streets Plan. Create and adopt a citywide Complete Streets Plan. (new)  Action C-1.5: Passenger Rail Service Planning. Update this Circulation Element to identify future train stops and the passenger rail alignment should funding be secured to provide passenger rail service to Hollister. (new)
Implementation of these proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions would improve the transit network and support programs to increase travel by transit. Implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan would not result in conflicts with adopted policies, plans, or actions or otherwise decrease the performance or safety of transit facilities or services.

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Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities
Future potential development from implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan would contribute to and increase use of bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the EIR Study Area. The purpose of the adopted San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan is to improve safety, act on community needs, and improve mobility options for Hollister residents, workers, and visitors. As stated in the adopted San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan, the use of the plan will help increase the number of people in Hollister that travel in the city by walking or bicycling. As described in Section 4.15.1.2, Regulatory Setting, the San Benito Bike and Pedestrian Plan provides a prioritized list of projects to improve the bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the city. Figure 4.16-3 presents the proposed bicycle and pedestrian network.

While growth within the EIR Study Area would contribute to and increase use of bicycle and pedestrian facilities, the proposed Land Use and Community Design (LU) and Circulation (C) Elements contain goals, policies, and actions that require local planning and development decisions to consider impacts to bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The following proposed 2040 General Plan goal, policies, and actions would directly and indirectly result in improving the bicycle and pedestrian network and support an increase in bicycle and pedestrian travel, thus supporting regional goals to reduce VMT and GHG emissions, as well as programs, plans, ordinances, or policies addressing the circulation system:

Goal LU-2: Manage growth in the new development areas outside the existing City Limits but within the Sphere of Influence through the use of Specific Plans. (new)  Policy LU-2.6: Multimodal Circulation Network. Incorporate sidewalks, pedestrian paths, bicycle lanes, and transit connections into new development projects in Specific Plan Areas. (new) Goal C-3: Build and maintain a safe, connected, and equitable pedestrian, bicycle, and micromobility network that provides access to community destinations such as employment centers, transit, schools, shopping, and recreation. (new)
 Policy C-3.1: Pedestrian and Bicycle Network. Create and maintain a pedestrian- and bike-friendly environment in Hollister and increase the number of people who choose to walk and bike. (new)  Policy C-3.2: Pedestrian and Bicycle Connections. Work with local businesses, private developers, and public agencies to ensure provision of safe pedestrian pathways and bicycle connections to major public facilities, schools, and employment centers. Require new development to provide internal pedestrian connections and linkages to adjacent neighborhoods and community facilities. (Policy C2.3)
 Policy C-3.3: Pedestrian Right-of-Way Improvements. Require new developments to construct or contribute to improvements that enhance the pedestrian experience, including human-scale lighting, streetscaping, crosswalk striping, crossing lights, wayfinding signage, and accessible sidewalks adjacent to the site. (new)
 Policy C-3.4: Pedestrian Connectivity. Incorporate design for pedestrian connectivity across intersections in transportation projects to improve visibility at crosswalks for pedestrians and provide safe interaction with other modes. Design improvements should focus on increasing sight lines and removing conflicts at crosswalks. (new)

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 Policy C-3.5: Bicycle Improvements. Require new developments to construct or contribute to improvements that enhance the cyclist experience, including bike lanes and bicycle parking. (new)  Policy C-3.6: Bicycle Facilities. Cooperatively work with Council of San Benito County Governments, Caltrans, and San Benito County to develop, implement, and maintain bicycle facilities providing direct access to major public facilities, schools, and employment centers, as described in the San Benito County Bikeway and Pedestrian Master Plan. (Policy C2.1)  Policy C-3.7: Bicycle and Shared Mobility Related Technology. Explore ways to use technology to improve bicycle and shared mobility safety and connectivity. (new)  Action C-3.1: Pedestrian Master Plan . Prepare and adopt a Pedestrian Master Plan that identifies citywide pedestrian network improvements. (new)
 Action C-3.2: Pedestrian Amenities. Study the feasibility of installing pedestrian amenities, such as trees, lighting, recycling, and refuse containers, benches, art, etc. in the pedestrian areas along public frontages and in public rights-of-way. (new)
 Action C-3.3: Bicycle Master Plan. Prepare and adopt a Bicycle Master Plan that identifies citywide bicycle network improvements. (new)
 Action C-3.4: Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvement Implementation. Prioritize implementation of goals, programs, and projects that improve the comfort, safety, and connectivity of the pedestrian and bicycle network. (new)
 Action C-3.5: Pedestrian and Bicycle Trails and Routes Awareness. Increase awareness of existing pedestrian and bicycle trails and routes by working with outside agencies and developers to promote these amenities to residents. Collaborate with the County on development of the trail network. (new)  Action C-3.6: Walkability Through Design Review. Adopt objective standards for appropriate sidewalk and pedestrian trail design in new development projects. (Implementation Measure C.G) Implementation of these goals, policies, and actions of the proposed 2040 General Plan would improve the bicycle and pedestrian network and support programs to increase bicycle and pedestrian travel.

Implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan would not result in conflicts with adopted policies, plans, or actions or otherwise decrease the performance or safety of bicycle or pedestrian facilities.

Roadway
Potential future development and the planned expansion of the roadway system under the proposed 2040 General Plan would contribute to an increase in VMT in the EIR Study Area. See Impact Discussion TRANS-2 for further discussion of VMT with respect to the proposed 2040 General Plan’s ability to meet the VMT threshold of significance. The proposed 2040 General Plan is generally consistent with and would not obstruct the transportation-related goals and policies in the AMBAG 2045 MTP/SCS as it continues to encourage a shift away from drive-alone commute vehicle trips, which are a primary contributor to commute GHG emissions and localized transportation impacts. As described in Section 4.16.1.2, Regulatory Framework, the AMBAG 2045 MTP/SCS seeks to reduce GHG emissions from transportation sources in San Benito County through funding transportation improvements.

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While growth within the EIR Study Area would contribute to and increase use of roadway facilities from automobiles, the proposed Economic Development (ED), Land Use and Community Design (LU), and the Circulation (C) Elements contain goals, policies, and actions that require local planning and development decisions to consider these impacts. The proposed 2040 General Plan Land Use Map designates substantial land with the Downtown Commercial and Mixed Use, Home Office, West Gateway Mixed Use, North Gateway Commercial, and General Commercial and Industrial land use designations to drive job growth in Hollister and reduce the need for Hollister residents to commute out of the city for work. In addition to the proposed 2040 General Plan goals, polices, and actions previously listed to promote safety and provide sufficient transit, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities, which also serve to reduce automobile use and decrease VMT, the following 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions would also directly and indirectly result in reducing VMT by bringing jobs and services to Hollister and locating them in close proximity to residential areas, and thus would support regional goals to reduce VMT and GHG emissions, as well as support programs, plans, ordinances, or policies addressing the circulation system:

Goal ED-1: Increase overall economic development in Hollister.  Policy ED-1.1: Economic Development Programs and Strategies. Make economic development a critical function and focus of City operations.
 Implement economic development programs
 Assist with business attraction and retention
 Initiate other economic development strategies
 Action ED-1.1: Economic Development Staff. Identify City or grant funding to support dedicated City staff to implement economic development programs.

Goal ED-2: Ensure the City has sufficient sites and infrastructure to accommodate business expansion. (new)
 Policy ED-2.1: City Infrastructure Maintenance. Maintain and upgrade necessary City infrastructure to support new commercial and industrial development.
 Policy ED-2.2: Business Retention, Attraction, and Expansion. Attract projects that would support business retention and expansion in Hollister.
 Action ED-2.1: Infrastructure Study to Support Businesses. Conduct a study to determine needs, costs, and potential funding mechanisms for upgrades to infrastructure in Hollister to support business attraction and expansion. The study should include:
 Roads
 Sewer
 Water
 Broadband internet
 Electrical service
 Action ED-2.2: Commercial and Industrial Sites Database. Create and maintain a database of commercial and industrial sites and buildings that are available to accommodate business growth. The database should ideally include the characteristics of each individual site and target high-opportunity sites for City-led efforts that can help make them shovel ready for development. The database should include:

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 Site topography
 Land use designation and zoning
 Existing infrastructure connections
 Environmental remediation / mitigation requirements
Goal ED-3: Attract new retail business to Hollister.
 Policy ED-3.1: Retail Business Expansion. Support retail business expansion and attraction through marketing vacant retail spaces and sites throughout the city.  Policy ED-3.2: Retail Business Attraction. Support the attraction of new retail categories/businesses that are desired by Hollister residents.
 Policy ED-3.3: Retail Development in West Gateway District. Require the provision of retail space, either in horizontally or vertically integrated mixed-use developments, in the West Gateway District instead of solely residential development in this area to create a more vibrant retail environment in this part of Hollister.
 Action ED-3.3: Advertisement of Retail Sites. Advertise vacant retail sites and buildings on the City’s website to attract retail developers and businesses.
 Action ED-3.4: Retail Market Studies. Conduct or commission a study to document new retail facilities desired by Hollister residents and the demographic and economic characteristics required by various retail businesses (e.g., population densities, projected housing growth, household incomes). As part of this study, develop strategies to make Hollister a more appealing location for these businesses.

Goal ED-4: Make downtown Hollister the retail, cultural, and social center of the community.  Policy ED-4.1: Inactive Storefronts in Downtown. Reduce the number of inactive storefronts in the downtown to improve the pedestrian environment by incentivizing downtown property owners to attract active uses to ground floor spaces.
 Action ED-4.1: Incentives to Revitalize Downtown. Establish land use policies and incentive programs to minimize the number of inactive storefronts in downtown and convert those storefronts to active uses.

Goal ED-5: Add more jobs in Hollister.
 Action ED-5.1: Business Attraction Program. Develop a program to identify potential businesses interested in locating in Hollister, and market the city to them as a business location.  Action ED-5.2: Marketing and Branding Materials. Create marketing materials about Hollister for distribution to businesses, developers, and brokers.
 Action ED-5.3: Promoting Hollister as a Business Destination. Attend regional and national conferences to promote Hollister as a destination for business location.

Goal LU-2: Manage growth in the new development areas outside the existing City Limits but within the Sphere of Influence through the use of Specific Plans. (new)  Policy LU-2.7: Traffic Calming. Each required Specific Plan shall include traffic calming measures to address areas of likely future congestion, particularly near pedestrian-oriented retail areas, schools, and other traffic-sensitive uses. (new)

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 Policy LU-2.11: Circulation and Access. Limit the number of access points leading from arterial streets into new developments in Specific Plan Areas, while also providing interconnected internal circulation between developments inside of Specific Plan Areas. (new) Goal LU-4: Encourage mixed-use development projects that create vibrant, walkable districts and contain residential and community-serving commercial uses.. (new)  Policy LU-4.1: Mix of Uses. Require commercial uses on mixed-use properties to provide community- supporting services, retail, restaurants, and other amenities for residents and visitors and to promote pedestrian activity and reduce the need to drive to other areas in the city. (rewrite of L-2.3)  Policy LU-4.2: Mixed-Use Design. Encourage new mixed-use development and intensification of existing mixed-use properties. Mixed Use developments should include integrated commercial uses in front of and below residential uses, and active connections to the street through windows, signage, doors, and sidewalk connections. (new)
Goal C-1: Provide for a healthy, active community based on complete streets, reflecting a balanced, safe, multimodal transportation system for all users, where pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities will be emphasized along with vehicular facilities. (new)
 Policy C-1.2: Complete Streets. Apply complete streets design standards to future projects in the public rights-of-way. Complete streets are streets designed to facilitate safe, comfortable, and efficient travel for all users regardless of age or ability or whether they are walking, bicycling, taking transit, or driving. (new)
 Policy C-1.3: Multimodal Safety. Use a systemic safety approach for transportation planning, street design, operations, and maintenance that proactively identify opportunities to improve safety where conflicts between street users exist. (new)
 Policy C-1.10: Local Schools. Coordinate with local school districts to improve bicycle, pedestrian, and traffic flow around school sites. (new)
 Policy C-1.11: “Safe Routes to School” Program. Work cooperatively with local school districts to develop, implement, and maintain the Safe Routes to School program. (Policy C2.2)  Action C-1.3: Complete Streets Plan. Create and adopt a citywide Complete Streets Plan. (new)  Action C-1.4: Safe Routes to School. Fund and implement continuous Safe Routes to School engagement and improvements to elementary, middle, and high schools, and provide support to increase number of students walking and bicycling to school. (new) Goal C-2: Design and implement the City’s circulation system to serve the planned residential and economic growth specified in the General Plan. (Goal C-1)  Policy C-2.1: Circulation Element Improvements. Implement Circulation Element improvements summarized in Tables C-3, C-4, and C-5 and illustrated on Figure C-4 prior to deterioration in levels of service below the stated standard. (new)
 Policy C-2.2: Development’s Fair Share. Continue to collect traffic impact fees and require other site- related transportation improvements from private developers to ensure implementation of transportation system improvements to local and regional facilities attributable to proposed development. (Policy C3.1)

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 Policy C-2.3: Roadway Classification. Protect needed rights-of-way for future roadway widenings through the use of City Council-adopted plan lines. (Implementation Measure C.A)  Policy C-2.4: Multimodal Improvements. Prioritize the planning and implementation of street improvement projects that incorporate multimodal features along major travel corridors in the city. (new)
 Policy C-2.5: Street Repair Improvements. Use the adopted Pavement Condition Evaluation to prioritize street improvements and funding for road repair projects based on their disrepair category. (new)
 Policy C-2.6: Regional Transportation Improvements. Cooperate with Caltrans, the Council of San Benito County Governments, the County of San Benito, and any other regional transportation authorities to ensure the funding and implementation of the transportation improvements specified in the San Benito County Regional Transportation Plan and in this General Plan, particularly Table C-4. (Goal C-3)
 Policy C-2.7: Intergovernmental Coordination. Actively participate in development review for circulation projects outside the City Limits but within Hollister’s Planning Area. (Implementation Measure C.C)
 Action C-2.1: Public Facilities Fees. Adopt a citywide public facilities impact fee ordinance to fund new circulation improvement projects required to serve new residents and employees in Hollister. (Implementation Measure C.D)
 Action C-2.2: Buena Vista Road and Westside Boulevard. Study the cost of converting the existing signalized intersection to a single-lane roundabout. Identify a fee structure to fund this improvement. (new)
 Action C-2.3: San Juan Hollister Road and Felice Drive. Study the cost of converting the existing unsignalized intersection at 4th Street and Felice Drive to a single-lane roundabout. Identify a fee structure to fund this improvement. (new)
 Action C-2.4: Union Road and Southside Road. Study the cost of converting the existing signalized intersection at Union Road and Southside Road to a single-lane roundabout. Identify a fee structure to fund this improvement. (new)
 Action C-2.5: Update Regional Transportation Impact Mitigation Fee Program. Work with the San Benito County Council of Governments (SBCOG) to update the SBCOG Traffic Impact Mitigation Fee (TIMF) Program to incorporate the Hollister 2040 General Plan circulation improvements as shown in Tables C -4 and C-5. (new)
Goal C-5: Provide for safe, efficient goods movement in Hollister that supports the local economy. (new)  Policy C-5.1: Rail Corridor Planning. Require coordination with appropriate agencies to ensure that development projects planned adjacent to or near the rail corridor will be planned with safety of the rail corridor in mind. (Policy C3.2)
 Policy C-5.2: Goods Receiving and Shipping. Ensure commercial and industrial projects that produce and receive goods identify and mitigate their traffic impacts and are in areas with access to the regional transportation network. (new)

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 Policy C-5.3: Trucks to Avoid Residential Areas. Discourage or prohibit the movement and parking of large trucks in residential neighborhoods. (Policy C4.1)  Action C-5.1: Truck Routes. Develop truck routes in coordination with SBCOG, Caltrans, and San Benito County, and include enforcement mechanisms to encourage the appropriate routes. (Implementation Measure C.B)
 Action C-5.2: Rail Safety. Partner with Rail Safety Partners to improve the rail corridor safety. (new) Implementation of these proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions would improve the support programs to reduce VMT and would not result in conflicts with adopted policies, plans, or actions or otherwise decrease the performance or safety of roadway facilities or services.

Summary
In summary, the proposed 2040 General Plan supports public transit, bicycle improvements, and improvements to pedestrian facilities, and it would promote and direct the City to (1) expand the pedestrian, bicycle, and transit network; (2) close gaps in the network; and (3) coordinate with regional agencies to improve the transit network. The proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions listed support the regulatory programs that address the circulation system in the EIR Study Area. The proposed 2040 General Plan supports the implementation of the AMBAG 2045 MTP/SCS by promoting a range of jobs and services in Hollister and by ensuring that shopping, schools, parks, and civic uses are located in each neighborhood so residents don’t have to drive to reach these daily destinations. The proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions also promote bringing jobs to Hollister so employed residents who currently commute elsewhere can work in Hollister to support the reduction of VMT. The proposed 2040 General Plan also designates land for residential development at a range of densities, and it requires new neighborhoods to include a mix of housing types, so that there is housing affordable to all income levels in Hollister, and lower-wage workers can find housing in Hollister and avoid long commutes to local jobs. As such, the proposed 2040 General Plan is consistent with the existing adopted policies, plans, and programs regarding public transit, bicycle, or pedestrian facilities and consequently reducing VMT and GHG emissions. Accordingly, impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

Therefore, because the 2040 General Plan would not conflict with the existing adopted policies, plans, and programs regarding public transit, bicycle, or pedestrian facilities, as discussed above under the “2040 General Plan” subheading under Impact Discussion TRANS-1, the CAP would also be consistent with existing adopted policies, plans, and programs regarding public transit, bicycle, or pedestrian facilities and impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

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Agricultural Lands Preservation Program
The proposed Agricultural Lands Preservation Program (ALPP) is a program focused on mitigating the effects of agricultural land conversion through the dedication of eligible agricultural conservation easements at a rate of at least one acre of agricultural land for each one acre of agricultural land to be converted (1:1 ratio) for projects that would convert agricultural land to nonagricultural uses. Since the proposed ALPP does not involve any land use changes that would involve transportation, implementation of the proposed ALPP would not conflict with a program, plan, ordinance, or policy addressing the circulation system, including transit, roadway, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities and impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

TRANS-2 Implementation of the proposed project could conflict with or be inconsistent with CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3(b).
2040 General Plan
As previously discussed, CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3(b) states for land use projects, “Vehicle miles traveled exceeding an applicable threshold of significance may indicate a significant impact.” CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3(b)(4) states, “A lead agency has discretion to choose the most appropriate methodology to evaluate a project ’s vehicle miles traveled, including whether to express the change in absolute terms, per capita, per household or in any other measure.” The City of Hollister ’s VMT impact thresholds and analysis guidelines were used as the basis of the analysis prepared for the proposed 2040 General Plan by Kimley Horn and Associates, which is provided in Appendix F, Revised Transportation Data, of this Revised Draft EIR. VMT is measured by VMT per Capita (Residential) and VMT per Employee for two scenarios: 2040 MTP (No Project), and 2040 Plus Project. Because Retail land uses typically redistribute shopping trips rather than generate new trips, VMT from Retail was analyzed qualitatively. A complete description of the methodology is provided in Appendix F, Revised Transportation Data, of this Revised Draft EIR.

Table 4.16-1, VMT by Land Use and Scenario, summarizes the VMT scenarios that were prepared for the proposed 2040 General Plan. As shown in Table 4.16-1, implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan would exceed the City’s VMT threshold of significance for VMT per Capita (Residential).

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TABLE 4.16 -1 VMT BY LAND USE AND SCENARIO
Scenario VMT/Capita (Residential) VMT/Employee
City Threshold 18.8 20.6
2040 MTP (No Project) a 21.5 18.9
2040 Plus Project a 19.7 15.2
Over Threshold?
2040 MTP (No Project) Yes No
2040 Plus Project Yes No
Note:
a. Calculated by using the weighted average of land use growth for each land use category.

Source: Kimley Horn, 2024.

With respect to Retail VMT, local-serving retail primarily serves pre-existing needs (i.e., they do not generate new trips because they meet existing demand). Because of this, local-serving retail uses can be presumed to reduce trip lengths when a new store is proposed. Essentially, the assumption is that someone will travel to a newly constructed, local-serving store because of its proximity, rather than the proposed retail store fulfilling an unmet need (i.e., the person had an existing need that was met by the retail further away and is now traveling to the new retail use because it is closer to the person’s origin location). This results in a trip on the roadway network becoming shorter, rather than a new trip being added to the roadway network, which would result in an impact to the overall transportation system.

Conversely, Residential and Office land uses often drive new trips given that they introduce new participants to the transportation system. The City’s SB 743 Implementation Guidelines provides for a general threshold of 50,000 square feet as an indicator as to whether a retail store can be considered local serving or not. Accordingly, potential future retail projects that are 50,000 square feet or less would not result in a significant VMT impact. As described in Section 4.16.1.2, Regulatory Setting, the threshold for significance for Retail VMT for projects greater than 50,000 square feet is any net increase over existing conditions. Therefore, if a proposed retail development is over 50,000 square feet and results in any additional VMT over the existing condition, the proposed retail project would result in a significant impact.

The proposed Circulation (C) and Natural Resource and Conservation (NRC) Elements contain goals, policies, and actions that require local planning and development decisions to consider VMT. In addition to the proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions listed under the Transit and Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities sections of Impact Discussion TRANS-1, which would serve to promote alternative modes of transportation, indirectly reducing VMT, the following proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions would also serve to minimize VMT impacts:

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 *Action C-1.1: Performance and Monitoring. Require the monitoring of the City's mode split progress on reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and reducing GHG emissions from VMT, as data is available. (new)
 *Action C-1.2: VMT Mitigation Banking Fee Program. Require the establishment of a Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Mitigation Banking Fee Program. This program shall fund the construction of facilities throughout Hollister that support active transportation (cycling and walking) and transit ridership to mitigate VMT impacts from new development. (new)
Goal C-4: Implement a uniform set of standards for Hollister’s transportation system, including standard rights-of-way and typical sections. These standards may be amended as necessary in response to changes in technology and industry design standards. (Goal C-4)  *Policy C-4.6: Transportation Demand Management Requirements. Require new or existing developments that meet specific size, capacity, and/or context conditions to implement Transportation Demand Management strategies and other single-occupancy vehicle reduction methodologies. Require new developments to comply with tiered trip reduction and VMT reduction targets and monitoring that are consistent with the targets of the City’s VMT CEQA thresholds prior to project approval. (new)
Goal NRC-4: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Hollister to meet or exceed State targets. (new)  Policy NRC-4.5: Infill and Mixed-Use Development. Support the development of infill sites and compact mixed-use projects that reduce travel distances and promote alternative modes of transportation. (new)
Given the lack of project-level specifics that are available at the proposed 2040 General Plan level, it is not possible to fully account for the effect of project-specific design principles, policies, and improvements that will reduce VMT as part of this program analysis. However, these VMT-reduction approaches, listed herein, are still important considerations in evaluating the results of this VMT analysis and as appropriate they should be accounted for in subsequent VMT evaluations of specific projects as they are proposed within the City of Hollister.
 VMT-Reducing Design Principles. Design elements of the proposed 2040 General Plan that are VMT reducing may reduce project VMT. The following are considerations consistent with the proposed 2040 General Plan: compactness of design/transit-oriented development, a range of housing options, mixed uses, walkable community, a variety of transportation options, and the preservation of open space.
 Transit-Oriented Development. Potential transit improvements are planned along the SR 25 corridor with bus along the existing rail corridor, and commuter rail to accommodate future development projects. These transit services would help alleviate congestion along SR 25 by providing more efficient and reliable transit services to commuters.
 Mixed-Use Specific Principles. Mixed-Use combines two or more types of land uses into a building or set of buildings that are physically or functionally integrated. Mixed use, as planned for the General Plan, seeks to promote smart growth principles, including diversity and appropriate mix of uses, pedestrian orientation, community focal point, excellence in design, coordination of development

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strategies, and sustainability. The proposed 2040 General Plan includes guidance for specific use types (e.g., commercial, residential) and based on location (e.g., downtown, mixed-use/commercial areas) that contribute to favorable conditions for active transportation through denser development. As the AMBAG RTDM does not include specific functionality to reflect the impact of many of the design principles outlined and the exact nature, location, and timing of these VMT-reducing considerations is not known, the additional impact of these design features will need to be evaluated at the individual project level rather than at the programmatic level. However, it should be noted that these considerations will have a material impact on development project analysis although it will vary on the location and design features selected.
 VMT-Reducing Policies and Improvements. Establish a framework for a programmatic approach to policies and improvements that respond to the need for feasible VMT mitigation within Hollister.

Identified VMT mitigation opportunities for the City include:
 Transportation Demand Measures (TDM). The following TDMs were identified as part of the preparation of the Hollister SB 743 Implementation Guidance as the potential basis for a programmatic approach to TDM implementation within Hollister: reduce parking supply, transit stops, mandatory travel behavior change program, promotions and marketing, emergency ride home program, bike share, implement on-street and on-site pedestrian facilities, implement/improve on-street and on-site bicycle facilities, and traffic-calming improvements.  Implementation of AMBAG’s SB 375 Measures. Some of the key strategies identified in the AMBAG 2045 MTP/SCS that would apply to the Hollister General Plan include land use strategies, such as improve job-housing balance in the region, focus new growth around transit; and transportation strategies such as improve transit network, promote and improve active transportation, and promote shared mobility.
 Multimodal Improvements. In terms of transit, the AMBAG model currently includes the Gilroy- Hollister Commuter Rail. It is reasonable to assume that at a minimum of a 4 percent mitigation effect would result if a supporting transit infrastructure, as are being planned along this route. It is likely the potential impact of transit may be higher given that SR 25 is not planned to be improved in the future and growth will continue to occur as shown in the AMBAG model.  Participation in a Predefined VMT Mitigation Bank. Programmatic approaches that rely on collectively funding larger infrastructure projects appear to hold great promise for VMT mitigation as they allow a project to obtain an amount of mitigation commensurate with their impact, include only a single payment without the complexity of ongoing management, and do not require ongoing mitigation monitoring. Programmatic approaches can also provide a public benefit in terms of funding transportation improvements that would not otherwise be constructed, resulting in improvements to congestion, GHG emissions, increased transportation choices, and additional opportunities for active transportation.

Under a Predefined VMT Mitigation Program framework, a fixed set of VMT reducing projects are grouped together and their associated VMT reductions are monetized in the form of credits.

These credits are then purchased for the purposes of mitigating VMT in excess of determined impact thresholds. The underlying projects may be either regionally or locally beneficial to the area in which the project is located. However, once the total amount of VMT available has been

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purchased by development projects, the program must be replenished with new projects and the cost per VMT is recalculated producing a new Predefined VMT Mitigation Program.

The City has started developing its own Predefined VMT Mitigation Program that will provide meaningful opportunities for development projects that might otherwise not have the ability to mitigate their impact. The Predefined VMT Mitigation Program will fund the construction of facilities that support active transportation (cycling and walking) and transit ridership to mitigate VMT impacts from new development. The set of facilities included in the program are fixed and include both bike trails, bike lanes, and mobility hubs. The projects included in this program focus on providing alternative mobility options throughout the City of Hollister to reduce vehicle trips.

The program relies on a nexus evaluation to support the basis of the Predefined VMT Mitigation Program's development and monetization of the projects that are identified as part of this program. Once operational, a set amount of VMT is able to be purchased on a per VMT basis by development projects seeking to mitigate their VMT impact. Once the total amount of VMT has been purchased, or once the City determines the need to add additional projects to the program, the program will be replenished with new projects and the cost per VMT will be recalculated producing a new version of the City's Predefined VMT Mitigation Program.

While implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions, as well as the VMT- reduction approaches previously listed, would support VMT reduction, the buildout of the proposed 2040 General Plan is anticipated to generate VMT in excess of the City’s draft threshold. For the purposes of the EIR, the VMT impacts for the proposed 2040 General Plan are based on the 2040 Plus Project scenario.

Accordingly, as shown in Table 4.16-1, impacts related to VMT per Capita (Residential) would be potentially significant, as would Retail VMT, where potential future retail projects exceed 50,000 square feet.

Impact TRANS-2: Implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan would result in a significant vehicle miles traveled (VMT) impact for VMT per Capita (Residential) and Retail VMT over 50,000 square feet, due to forecasted land use growth through 2040, based on a comparison of the VMT rate increment for VMT to the corresponding average baseline rates for the San Benito County region.

Significance with Mitigation: Significant and unavoidable. Implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions would mitigate VMT impacts to the degree feasible. Proposed *Policy C-1.5, Transportation Demand Management, requires the City to reduce single-occupant vehicle usage using Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategies. Proposed *Action C-1.1, Performance and Monitoring, requires the City to monitor mode split progress on reducing VMT, and reducing GHG emissions from VMT, as data is available. Proposed *Action C-1.2, VMT Mitigation Banking Fee Program, requires the City to establish a VMT Mitigation Banking Fee Program to fund the construction of facilities that support active transportation and transit ridership to mitigate VMT impacts from new development. Proposed *Policy C-4.6, Transportation Demand Management Requirements, requires new or existing developments that meet specific size, capacity, and/or context conditions to implement TDM strategies and other single-occupancy vehicle reduction methodologies. Compliance with tiered trip reduction and VMT reduction targets and monitoring that are consistent with the targets of the City’s VMT CEQA thresholds is also required. In addition, as listed under Impact Discussion TRANS-1, the City has numerous policies to promote safe and user-

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friendly transit and improve the bicycle and pedestrian network in Hollister, all which would serve to promote alternative forms of transportation and reduce VMT.

Furthermore, as previously described, given the lack of specifics that are available for this program- level EIR, it is not possible to fully account for the effect of specific design principles, policies, and improvements that will reduce VMT as part of this analysis. Although many of the VMT-reducing design principles, policies, and improvements that are described in the prior section may ultimately mitigate and/or potentially reduce the VMT impacts outlined in this evaluation, necessary details to ensure implementation and appropriately evaluate their effect are not yet available. While some of the approaches to VMT reduction described in the prior section are supportive of existing City policies and guidelines, the VMT-reducing approaches cited would require further planning and development as well as committed funding sources, including those from participants in the development community (many of which may not be identified yet as large areas of land may be further subdivided into specific projects and developments). As such, it is reasonable to conclude that the findings of this analysis reflect a worst-case scenario for this program EIR. This program-level land use impact for VMT does not preclude the finding of less-than-significant impacts for subsequent development projects that achieve applicable VMT thresholds of significance. However, due to the programmatic nature of the proposed 2040 General Plan, no additional mitigation measures are available, and the impact is considered significant and unavoidable.

Climate Action Plan
The proposed CAP is a strategic plan focused on GHG emissions reduction through recommended community-wide GHG reduction strategies and an implementation plan. The proposed CAP includes Strategy 10, which directs the City to decrease community-wide VMT and associated transportation- related emissions through implementing certain actions. The proposed Strategy 10 Actions would encourage use of alternative modes of transportation and overall reduce trips and associated VMT. Thus, implementation of the proposed CAP would result in beneficial impacts towards VMT reduction. Because the proposed CAP does not involve any land uses changes that would result in an increase in VMT, implementation of the proposed CAP would not conflict with or be inconsistent with CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3(b), and impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

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TRANS-3 Implementation of the proposed project would not substantially increase hazards due to a geometric design feature (e.g., sharp curves or dangerous intersections) or incompatible uses (e.g., farm equipment).
2040 General Plan
Potential future development under the proposed 2040 General Plan would modify the existing transportation network to accommodate existing and future users that could change existing travel patterns or traveler expectations. The City requires the modification of existing public facilities or that the construction of new facilities comply with the applicable design standards contained in the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and the California Highway Design Manual, which have been developed to minimize the potential for conflicts or collisions.

Roadway hazards are typically assessed at the project level. Potential hazards associated with future development projects under the proposed 2040 General Plan would be analyzed and evaluated in detail through the project-specific environmental review process or during project application review. Prior to the construction of streets, highways, alleys, traffic signals, and related public improvements, the City of Hollister Public Works Department is to review and approve plans according to construction standards and specifications.

While growth within the EIR Study Area would result in changes to the existing transportation network, the proposed Circulation (C) Element of the 2040 General Plan contains goals, policies, and actions that require local planning and development decisions to consider impacts to transportation facilities. The following proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions would support the design of a transportation system that is safe for all modes of travel:

Goal C-1: Provide for a healthy, active community based on complete streets, reflecting a balanced, safe, multimodal transportation system for all users, where pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities will be emphasized along with vehicular facilities. (new)
 Policy C-1.2: Complete Streets. Apply complete streets design standards to future projects in the public rights-of-way. Complete streets are streets designed to facilitate safe, comfortable, and efficient travel for all users regardless of age or ability or whether they are walking, bicycling, taking transit, or driving. (new)
 Policy C-1.7: Public Transit Improvements. Promote public realm improvements that support increased use of public transit, including inviting sidewalks, ADA-compliant curb ramps, signal priorities, and amenities such as sidewalks, benches, bus stop shelters, signage, street lighting, and real-time schedule systems on key routes. (new)
 Action C-1.3: Complete Streets Plan. Create and adopt a citywide Complete Streets Plan. (new)

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Goal C-3: Build and maintain a safe, connected, and equitable pedestrian, bicycle, and micromobility network that provides access to community destinations such as employment centers, transit, schools, shopping, and recreation. (new)
 Policy C-3.2: Pedestrian and Bicycle Connections. Work with local businesses, private developers, and public agencies to ensure provision of safe pedestrian pathways and bicycle connections to major public facilities, schools, and employment centers. Require new development to provide internal pedestrian connections and linkages to adjacent neighborhoods and community facilities. (Policy C2.3)
 Policy C-3.3: Pedestrian Right-of-Way Improvements. Require new developments to construct or contribute to improvements that enhance the pedestrian experience, including human-scale lighting, streetscaping, crosswalk striping, crossing lights, wayfinding signage, and accessible sidewalks adjacent to the site. (new)
 Policy C-3.4: Pedestrian Connectivity. Incorporate design for pedestrian connectivity across intersections in transportation projects to improve visibility at crosswalks for pedestrians and provide safe interaction with other modes. Design improvements should focus on increasing sight lines and removing conflicts at crosswalks. (new)
 Policy C-3.5: Bicycle Improvements. Require new developments to construct or contribute to improvements that enhance the cyclist experience, including bike lanes and bicycle parking. (new)  Action C-3.1: Pedestrian Master Plan . Prepare and adopt a Pedestrian Master Plan that identifies citywide pedestrian network improvements. (new)
 Action C-3.2: Pedestrian Amenities. Study the feasibility of installing pedestrian amenities, such as trees, lighting, recycling, and refuse containers, benches, art, etc. in the pedestrian areas along public frontages and in public rights-of-way. (new)
 Action C-3.3: Bicycle Master Plan. Prepare and adopt a Bicycle Master Plan that identifies citywide bicycle network improvements. (new)
 Action C-3.4: Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements Implementation. Prioritize implementation of goals, programs, and projects that improve the comfort, safety, and connectivity of the pedestrian and bicycle network. (new)
 Action C-3.6: Walkability Through Design Review. Adopt objective standards for appropriate sidewalk and pedestrian trail design in new development projects. (Implementation Measure C.G) Goal C-4: Implement a uniform set of standards for Hollister’s transportation system, including standard rights-of-way and typical sections. These standards may be amended as necessary in response to changes in technology and industry design standards. (Goal C4)
 Policy C-4.1: LOS C or Better Arterial Roads. Ensure, to the maximum extent feasible, that the designated arterial roadway system is planned to operate at Level of Service (LOS) C or better during peak and off-peak hours as of the horizon year of the adopted General Plan, except for the downtown where LOS can be lower than LOS C, airport/industrial area, State Route 25 corridor, and the intersection of San Benito Street and Nash Road/Tres Pinos Road near San Benito High School. (Policy C1.1)

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 Policy C-4.2: Downtown LOS . There is no LOS standard in most of the downtown area, as mapped in Figure C-5, so as to encourage a walkable, vibrant downtown. However, a standard of LOS D shall be applied at the following locations:
 4th Street and Monterey Street
 4th Street and San Benito Street
 4th Street and Sally Street
 South Street and San Benito Street (new)
 Policy C-4.3: North Industrial Area LOS. LOS D is allowable in the northern industrial area, as mapped in Figure C-6, so as to facilitate the City’s goal of increasing local jobs and strengthening the local economy. (new)
 Policy C-4.4: State Route 25 Corridor LOS. LOS D is allowable for intersections along the State Route (SR) 25 corridor because the high volumes of interregional traffic make it very difficult to maintain a higher LOS on this highway. However, a standard of LOS E shall be applied at SR 25 and San Felipe Road and SR 25 and Union Road. A standard of LOS F shall be applied at SR 25 and Flynn Road. (new)  Policy C-4.5: Intersection of San Benito Street and Nash Road/Tres Pinos Road LOS. LOS D is acceptable at the intersection of San Benito Street and Nash Road/Tres Pinos Road, due to high volumes of traffic associated with San Benito High School. (new)  *Policy C-4.6: Transportation Demand Management Requirements. Require new or existing developments that meet specific size, capacity, and/or context conditions to implement Transportation Demand Management strategies and other single-occupancy vehicle reduction methodologies. Require new developments to comply with tiered trip reduction and VMT reduction targets and monitoring that are consistent with the targets of the City’s VMT CEQA thresholds prior to project approval. (new)
 Policy C-4.7: Roundabouts. Encourage the use of roundabouts at existing intersections with capacity, efficiency, or safety problems, as feasible, as a strategy to improve street safety and traffic flow.

Where feasible, prioritize roundabouts over stoplights. (new)  Action C-4.1: LOS Levels. Monitor the LOS for intersections along the arterial roadways at least once every two years to ensure compliance with the City’s LOS standards. This information shall be presented to the City Council for their use in evaluating amendments to the City’s transportation plan. (Implementation Measure C.E)
Implementation of these proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions would promote the design of improvements to the transportation network that are safe for all modes of travel. Compliance with state regulations on roadway and facility design, materials, and signage would further minimize this impact. Implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan would not substantially increase hazards due to a design feature or incompatible uses that may have a significant impact on the environment and impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

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Climate Action Plan
The proposed CAP is a strategic plan focused on GHG emissions reduction through recommended community-wide GHG reduction strategies and an implementation plan. The proposed CAP includes Strategy 11, which directs the City to ensure the community has safe and connected opportunities for bicycling and walking and Strategy 12, which directs the City to support regional agencies in ensuring that K-12 students in Hollister have pollution-free, safe, and accessible modes to get to and from school. The proposed Strategy 11 Actions would ensure safe design of bicycle and pedestrian facilities and the proposed Strategy 12 Actions would ensure safe routes to get to and from school. Thus, implementation of the proposed CAP would result in beneficial impacts to transportation design. Because the proposed CAP does not involve any land use changes that would negatively impact transportation design or uses, implementation CAP would not substantially increase hazards due to a geometric design feature or incompatible uses and impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

TRANS-4 Implementation of the proposed project would not result in inadequate emergency access.
2040 General Plan
Future potential development that could occur during the buildout of the proposed 2040 General Plan would alter land use patterns and increase travel demand on the transportation network that may influence emergency access. Like roadway hazards, emergency access is typically assessed at the project level, and potential impacts to emergency access associated with future development projects would be analyzed and evaluated in detail through the environmental review process or during project application review. Prior to the construction of streets, highways, alleys, traffic signals, and related public improvements, the City of Hollister Public Works Department reviews and needs to approve plans according to construction standards and specifications to ensure adequate emergency access.

While growth within the EIR Study Area would result in changes to land use and the existing transportation network, the Health and Safety (HS) Element of the 2040 General Plan contains goals and

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policies that require local planning and development decisions to consider improvements to transportation efficiency, mobility, and access, including developing and updating emergency response plans. The following proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions would serve to minimize impacts to emergency access:

Goal HS-1: Protect community health and safety from natural and human-caused hazards. (Goal HS1)  *Policy HS-1.1: Location of Future Development. Permit development only in areas where potential danger to the health, safety, and welfare of the community can be adequately mitigated. This includes prohibiting development that would be subject to severe flood damage or geological hazard because of its location and/or design and that cannot be mitigated to safe levels.

Development shall also be prohibited where emergency services, including fire protection, cannot be provided. (Policy HS1.1)
Goal HS-6: Minimize potential damage to life, environment, and property through timely, well-prepared, and well-coordinated emergency preparedness response plans and programs. (new)  Policy HS-6.1: Emergency Planning Document Coordination. Integrate the City’s safety and emergency management documents, including this Health and Safety Element, the San Benito County Multi- Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, and other related documents. (new)  Policy HS-6.2: San Benito County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. Incorporate the current San Benito County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan into this Safety Element by reference, as permitted by California Government Code Section 65302.6 to ensure that emergency response and evacuation routes are accessible throughout the city. (new)  Policy HS-6.7: Access for Emergency Vehicles. Provide adequate access for emergency vehicles and equipment, including providing a second means of ingress and egress to all development. (Policy HS2.4)
 Action HS-6.3: Emergency Evacuation Routes. Conduct education and outreach in conjunction with the County of San Benito, through multiple formats and media, to make evacuation routes known to the public. (Implementation Measure HS.M)
 Action HS-6.4: County Emergency Plan Update. Coordinate with the County of San Benito to prepare a Hollister Emergency Operations Plan as an annex to the County’s Emergency Operations Plan, and coordinate updates no less than every five years. (Implementation Measure HS.S) Implementation of these goals, policies, and actions would address emergency access by considering access routes, developing and updating emergency response plans, and incorporating emergency access considerations in the design of future street improvements. Implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan would not result in inadequate emergency access that may have a significant impact on the environment and impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

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Climate Action Plan
The proposed CAP is a strategic plan focused on GHG emissions reduction through recommended community-wide GHG reduction strategies and an implementation plan. Since the proposed CAP does not involve any land use changes that would alter emergency access roads, implementation of the proposed CAP would not result in inadequate emergency access and impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

TRANS-5 Implementation of the proposed project could, in combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, result in a cumulative impact with respect to transportation.
2040 General Plan
The context of the impact evaluation described under Impact Discussions TRANS-1 through TRANS-4 are described in the cumulative context of the region and no further discussion of cumulative impacts is required. As described, impacts related to bus transit, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and roadways in the EIR Study Area would be less than significant, as would those associated with emergency access and roadway hazards. However, impacts associated with regional VMT would be significant and unavoidable.

Potential future development under the proposed 2040 General Plan would contribute to an increase in VMT in the EIR Study Area, as shown in Table 4.16-1. Therefore, the impact on VMT would be cumulatively considerable.

Impact TRANS-5: Implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan would cumulatively contribute to regional vehicle miles traveled (VMT).

Significance with Mitigation: Significant and unavoidable. Even with the proposed 2040 General Plan *Policy C-1.5, Transportation Demand Management, *Action C-1.1, Performance and Monitoring, *Action C-1.2, VMT Mitigation Banking Fee Program, and *Policy C-4.6, Transportation Demand Management Requirements, described under Impact Discussion TRANS-2 to mitigate the impacts related to VMT, the effectiveness of the VMT-reduction strategies is not certain. As such, the cumulative impact on VMT is considered significant and unavoidable. The identification of this

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program-level cumulative impact does not preclude the finding of less-than-significant cumulative impacts for subsequent projects analyzed at the project level.

Climate Action Plan
The proposed CAP is a strategic plan focused on GHG emissions reduction through recommended community-wide GHG reduction strategies and an implementation plan. As discussed under Impact Discussions TRANS-2 and TRANS-3, the proposed CAP includes Strategies 10, 11, and 12, which would support VMT reduction and safe transportation design. Therefore, implementation of the proposed CAP would result in a less-than-significant cumulative impact with respect to transportation.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

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4.17 UTILITIES AND SERVICE SYSTEMS
This chapter of the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) describes the potential impacts to the utilities and service system associated with the approval and implementation of the proposed project.

Specifically, water supply, wastewater, stormwater, solid waste, and energy infrastructure are each addressed in separate sections of this chapter. This chapter describes the regulatory framework and existing conditions, identifies criteria used to determine impact significance, provides an analysis of the potential utilities and service system impacts, and identifies General Plan policies that could minimize any potentially significant impacts. Impacts related to energy supply and demand are addressed in Chapter

4.6, Energy, of this Revised Draft EIR.

4.17.1 WATER

ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
Regulatory Framework
Federal Regulations
Federal Safe Drinking Water Act
The Safe Drinking Water Act, the principal federal law intended to ensure safe drinking water to the public, was enacted in 1974 and has been amended several times. The Safe Drinking Water Act authorizes the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to set national standards for drinking water, called the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, to protect against both naturally occurring and human-made contaminants. These standards set enforceable maximum contaminant levels in drinking water and require all water providers in the United States to treat water to remove contaminants, except for private wells serving fewer than 25 people. In California, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) conducts most enforcement activities. If a water system does not meet standards, it is the water supplier’s responsibility to notify its customers.

America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018
America's Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA), signed into law on October 23, 2018, authorizes federal funding for water infrastructure projects, expands water storage capabilities, assists local communities in complying with the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act (CWA), reduces flooding risks for rural, western, and coastal communities, and addresses significant water infrastructure needs in tribal communities.1 Additionally, AWIA requires that drinking water systems that serve more than 3,300 people develop or update risk assessments and emergency response plans. Risk assessments and emergency response plans must be certified by the USEPA within the deadline specified by the AWIA.

1 John Barasso, October 10, 2018, Congress Passes America’s Water Infrastructure Act, https://www.barrasso.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/10/congress-passes-america-s-water-infrastructure-act .

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State Regulations
Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act
The Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, which was passed in California in 1969 and amended in 2013, is the basic water quality control law for California. Under this Act, the SWRCB has authority over State water rights and water quality policy. This Act divided the state into nine regional basins, each under the jurisdiction of a Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) to oversee water quality on a day-to- day basis at the local and regional level. RWQCBs engage in a number of water quality functions in their respective regions. RWQCBs regulate all pollutant or nuisance discharges that may affect either surface water or groundwater. Hollister is within the jurisdiction of the Central Coast RWQCB (Region 3).

California Urban Water Management Planning Act
The California Urban Water Management Planning Act and Section 10620 of the California Water Code requires all urban water suppliers in California that provide water for municipal purposes to more than 3,000 customers or supply more than 3,000 acre-feet 2 of water annually must prepare and adopt an urban water management plan (UWMP) and update it every five years. This act is intended to support conservation and efficient use of urban water supplies at the local level. The UWMP describes the service area of the water supplier; projected 20-year water supply and demand for the service area in normal years, dry years and multiple dry years; and water recycling strategies.

Senate Bills 610 and 221
Senate Bill (SB) 610 and SB 221 amended State law to ensure better coordination between local water supply and land use decisions and confirm that there is an adequate water supply for new development.

Specific projects are required to prepare a water supply assessment (WSA). The WSA is composed of information regarding existing and forecast water demands as well as information pertaining to available water supplies for the new development. The following projects that are subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) are required to prepare a WSA:
 Residential developments consisting of more than 500 dwelling units.  Shopping center or business establishment employing more than 1,000 persons or having more than 500,000 square feet of floor space.
 Commercial office building employing more than 1,000 persons or having more than 250,000 square feet of floor space.
 Hotel or motel, or both, having more than 500 rooms.
 Industrial, manufacturing, or processing plant or industrial park planned to employ more than 1,000 persons, occupying more than 40 acres of land, or having more than 650,000 square feet of floor area.
 Mixed-use project that includes one or more of the projects specified above.

2 1 acre-foot is the amount of water required to cover 1 acre of ground (43,560 square feet) to a depth of 1 foot.

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 Project that would demand an amount of water equivalent to, or greater than, the amount of water required for 500 dwelling units.

SB 221 requires written verification that there is sufficient water supply available for new residential subdivisions that include over 500 dwelling units. The verification must be provided before commencement of construction for the project.

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014
On September 16, 2014, a three-bill legislative package was signed into law, composed of AB 1739, SB 1168, and SB 1319, collectively known as the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.3 The Governor ’s signing message states “a central feature of these bills is the recognition that groundwater management in California is best accomplished locally.” Under the roadmap laid out by the legislation, local and regional authorities in medium and high priority groundwater basins must form groundwater sustainability agencies that oversee the preparation and implementation of groundwater sustainability plans.

Hollister is within the North San Benito Subbasin, which has been designated a medium priority groundwater basin and is not in critical overdraft. A groundwater sustainability plan for the North San Benito Subbasin was prepared in 2021 by the San Benito County Water District (SBCWD) and Valley Water, who are the designated groundwater sustainability agencies. The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is currently reviewing the plan for adequacy.

Water Conservation in Landscaping Act of 2006
The Water Conservation in Landscaping Act of 2006 (Assembly Bill [AB] 1881) required the DWR to update the State Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) by 2009. The State’s model ordinance was issued on October 8, 2009. Under AB 1881, cities and counties are required to adopt a State updated model landscape water conservation ordinance by January 31, 2010, or to adopt a different ordinance that is at least as effective in conserving water as the updated MWELO.

The MWELO was revised in July 2015 via Executive Order B-29-15 to address the ongoing drought and to build resiliency for future droughts. The 2015 revisions to the MWELO increased water efficiency standards for new and retrofitted landscapes through more efficient irrigation systems, greywater usage, and on-site stormwater capture and by limiting the portion of landscapes that can be covered in turf.

The City adopts the MWELO, as specified in Chapter 15.22, Water Efficient Landscape, of the Hollister Municipal Code (HMC). The City requires completion of a water efficient landscape application for any new construction with 500 square feet or more of landscape, or rehabilitated landscape of 2,500 square feet or more that requires a building permit, plan check, or design review. The Hollister Planning Division reviews all landscape plans to verify compliance with the code requirements.

3 Department of Water Resources, SGMA Data Viewer,
https://sgma.water.ca.gov/webgis/?appid=SGMADataViewer#gwlevels , accessed on January 5, 2023.

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California Building Code: CALGreen
The California Building Standards Commission adopted the California Green Building Standards Code, also known as CALGreen. As part of the California Building Code, CALGreen is in California Code of Regulations, Part 11 of Title 24. The mandatory provisions of CALGreen became effective January 1, 2011. CALGreen is updated on a three-year cycle. The City has regularly adopted each new CALGreen update under HMC Section 15.04.050, Construction Codes Adopted by Reference.

CALGreen establishes building standards for sustainable site development, including water efficiency and water conservation measures. New residential and non-residential development must install water conserving plumbing fixtures and fittings and comply with the MWELO for outdoor water use. The building efficiency standards are enforced through the local building permit process. In addition, pursuant to CALGreen Section 5.408, at least 65 percent of the nonhazardous construction and demolition waste from residential and nonresidential construction operations must be recycled and/or salvaged for reuse.

Recycled Water Regulations
Two State agencies have primary responsibility for regulating the application and use of recycled water:
the California Department of Public Health and the SWRCB. Planning and implementing water recycling projects entail numerous interactions with these regulatory agencies prior to project approval. The California Department of Public Health establishes the statewide effluent bacteriological and treatment reliability standards for recycled water uses in California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Division 4, Environmental Health. Title 22 establishes standards for each general type of use based on the potential for human contact with recycled water. The SWRCB is responsible for establishing and enforcing requirements for the application and use of recycled water within California. Permits are required from the SWRCB for water recycling operations. As part of the permit application process, applicants are required to demonstrate that the proposed recycled water operation would not exceed the ground and surface water quality objectives in the basin management plan and that the operation is compliant with Title 22 requirements. A small amount of recycled water (100 acre-feet per year [afy] in 2020) for landscape irrigation is attributed to land uses from the city of Hollister.

California Health and Safety Code
A portion of the California Health and Safety Code is dedicated to water issues, including testing and maintenance of backflow prevention devices, coloring of pipes carrying recycled water, and programs addressing cross-connection control by water users.

California Plumbing Code
The California Plumbing Code was adopted as part of the California Building Code (CBC) and specifies technical standards of design, materials, workmanship, and maintenance for plumbing systems. The CBC is updated on a three-year cycle; the latest edition is dated 2022 and is effective as of January 1, 2023. One of the purposes of the plumbing code is to prevent conflicting plumbing codes within local jurisdictions.

Among many topics covered in the code are water fixtures, potable and nonpotable water systems, and

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recycled water systems. The City of Hollister adopts the California Plumbing Code under HMC Section

15.04.050, Construction Codes Adopted by Reference.

California Water Code
The California Water Code states that the water resources of the State must be put to beneficial use and that waste or unreasonable use of water should be prevented. The Water Code contains statutes regarding various water-related issues, including flood control, water rights, riparian rights, water quality, and the formation of municipal water districts.

Water Conservation Act of 2009
The Water Conservation Act of 2009 (SB X7-7) requires all water suppliers to increase water use efficiency.

The legislation set an overall goal of reducing per capita water use by 20 percent by 2020, with an interim goal of a 10 percent reduction in per capita water use by 2015. Effective in 2016, urban retail water suppliers who do not meet the water conservation requirements established by this bill are not eligible for State water grants or loans. SB X7-7 requires that urban water retail suppliers determine baseline water use and set reduction targets according to specified standards. 2018 Water Conservation Legislation
In 2018, the California Legislature enacted two policy bills (SB 606 and AB 1668) to establish long-term improvements in water conservation and drought planning to adapt to climate change and longer and more intense droughts in California. The DWR and the SWRCB will develop new standards for:
 Indoor residential water use
 Outdoor residential water use
 Commercial, industrial, and institutional (CII) water use for landscape irrigation with dedicated meters  Water loss
Urban water suppliers would be required to stay within annual water budgets, based on their standards for their service areas, and to calculate and report their urban water use objectives in an annual water use report. For example, the bills define a daily standard for indoor residential use of 55 gallons per person until 2025, when it decreases to 52.5 gallons and further decreases to 50 gallons by 2030. The legislation also includes changes to UWMP preparation requirements.

Mandatory Water Conservation
Following the declaration of a state of emergency on July 15, 2014, due to drought conditions, the SWRCB adopted Resolution No. 2014-0038 for emergency regulation of statewide water conservation efforts.

These regulations, which went into effect on August 1, 2014, were intended to reduce outdoor urban water use and have all California households voluntarily reduce their water consumption by 20 percent.

Water companies with 3,000 or more service connections were required to report monthly water consumption to the SWRCB. Most recently, Executive Order N-7-22 was issued by the State in March 2022 to adopt emergency water conservation regulations that include the following:

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 Each urban water supplier shall submit to DWR an annual water supply and demand assessment.  Urban water suppliers shall implement Level 2 restrictions from their water shortage contingency plans for water savings up to 20 percent.
 A ban on watering of nonfunctional turf shall be implemented in the commercial, industrial, and institutional sectors.
 A county, city, or public agency shall not approve a permit for a new groundwater well in a basin that is classified as medium or high priority under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act without obtaining written verification from the Groundwater Sustainability Agency and shall determine that the proposed extraction would not interfere with existing nearby wells and would not likely cause subsidence. This does not apply to domestic wells that provide less than 2 afy of groundwater or wells that exclusively provide groundwater to public water supply systems.

SWRCB Division of Drinking Water
The California Division of Drinking Water regulates public water systems within California; oversees water recycling projects; permits water treatment devices; and supports and promotes water system security.

The Division of Financial Assistance provides funding opportunities for drinking water system improvements; provides support for small water systems and for improving technical, managerial, and financial capacity; and certifies drinking water treatment and distribution operators. The Field Operations Branch of the Division of Drinking Water is responsible for the enforcement of the federal and California Safe Drinking Water Acts and the regulatory oversight of approximately 7,500 public water systems to ensure the delivery of safe drinking water to all Californians. In this capacity, Field Operations Branch staff perform field inspections, issue operating permits, review plans and specifications for new facilities, take enforcement actions for noncompliance with laws and regulations, review water quality monitoring results, and support and promote water system security.

Regional Regulations
Water Resources Association San Benito County
The Water Resources Association of San Benito County (WRA) is a non-profit corporation that represents the City of Hollister, City of San Juan Bautista, Sunnyslope County Water District (SSCWD), and the SBCWD by providing water conservation and water resource protection programs. The WRA uses these tools to assist in lowering water use:
 Incentives. Toilet replacement program (rebates and free toilets), landscape irrigation hardware rebates, turf removal program, free water-wise landscape plans, water softener assistance and rebate program, free conservation devices, and home water checkups.  Education. Newspaper articles on conservation, flyers and brochures in water bills, water conservation website, school programs that includes field trips to a water treatment plant and wastewater facility, and a Water Awareness Festival in May.

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Memorandum of Understanding Between the City, County, SBCWD, and SSCWD In 2004, the City of Hollister, County of San Benito, and SBCWD entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to coordinate and address water and wastewater management. In 2008, the MOU was updated and the SSCWD also became a partner in the agreement. The 2008 MOU set the foundation for the 2008 Hollister Urban Area Water and Wastewater Master Plan (WWMP) and included goals to enhance water supply/quality and coordinate water and wastewater improvements. The MOU also provided a framework for the partners to coordinate with one another on future growth and regional issues. The WWMP was updated in 2017 and provides a long-term vision for water, wastewater, and recycled water management actions and infrastructure improvements to ensure good water quality and reliability. A new MOU was issued in 2021, which now includes the City of San Jan Bautista, to prepare a water supply master plan update to ensure the successful development and implementation of future water projects in San Benito County.4 SBCWD will continue to be the lead agency responsible for providing water supply to meet future urban demands.

Local Regulations
Hollister Municipal Code
The HMC includes directives to ensure the efficient use of water within the city. The HMC is organized by title, chapter, and section. Most provisions related to water supply and conservation are included in Title 8, Health and Safety; Title 13, Public Services; and Title 15, Buildings and Construction.  Chapter 8.38, Water Softeners. This chapter states that it is unlawful to install or replace a self- regenerating water softener that removes calcium and magnesium salts by using an ion-exchange resin that uses sodium chloride or potassium chloride.
 Chapter 13.06, Hollister Water Reclamation Facility. The chapter establishes rules and regulations by which the discharge of hauled liquid waste shall be permitted at the Hollister Water Reclamation Facility. It also provides requirements governing the use and distribution of recycled water, as per the City of Hollister Recycled Water Use Manual and Rules of Service and establishes the procedure for determining recycled water rates.
 Chapter 13.08, Water Service System. This chapter provides the fees for water service and installation of water meters, the cost of extensions, requirements to prevent cross-connections and backflow, and water use regulations to prevent the nonessential and wasteful use of water within the city.  Chapter 15.22, Water Efficient Landscaping . In compliance with the State’s MWELO requirements, this chapter specifies the City’s requirements for new and rehabilitated landscape projects. Projects that meet the square footage requirements must submit a landscape application package to the City that includes a water efficient landscape worksheet, soil management report, landscape design plan, irrigation design plan, and grading design plan for review and approval prior to the start of construction.

4 City of Hollister, 2021, Resolution No. 2021-162. Memorandum of Understanding, San Benito County Urban Area Water Supply Master Plan.

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Hollister Urban Area 2020 Urban Water Management Plan
Based on State regulations (see above), all water suppliers must submit a UWMP every five years to the California DWR in accordance with California Water Code requirements. The 2020 Hollister Urban Area UWMP (2020 UWMP) was prepared as a collaborative effort between the City of Hollister, the SSCWD, and the SBCWD. The 2020 UWMP was prepared in accordance with the Urban Water Management Planning Act and guidelines prepared by the DWR. The 2020 UWMP is intended to help guide the area’s future water management efforts.5 The 2020 UWMP describes water demands, available water supply sources, and supply reliability for its service area in five-year increments for normal years, single-dry years, and multiple-dry years up to year 2040. The 2020 UWMP also provides a water shortage contingency plan, demand management measures to increase water use efficiency, and current and planned water conservation efforts.

Hollister Water Distribution System Master Plan
The Water Distribution System Master Plan provides an overview of the City’s existing water distribution system, the City’s service and EIR Study Area boundaries, land uses, existing and future population projections, and the City’s existing and projected water demands. The Water Distribution System Master Plan also provides a hydraulic model to evaluate the water distribution system and storage facilities and recommends a capital improvement program to address existing deficiencies and future needs.6 City of Hollister Design Standards
The construction of water systems within the City’s service area shall conform to the City’s requirements pursuant to Section 6 of the City’s Design Standards. The design standards require calculations for pressure in the system, corrosive soil determination, pipe materials, cover requirements, valves, fire hydrants, and backflow prevention devices. All improvements, including extensions, replacements, and repairs, shall also conform to these design standards.7 Sunnyslope County Water District Water Construction Details and Standards For areas of the city served by the SSCWD, new water systems must comply with design standards specified in the “Water Construction Notes” document. The document includes construction materials of water main pipes and the design details for meter boxes, fire hydrants, water service, backflow prevention devices, and water main tie-ins. All water system extensions, replacements, and repairs shall also conform to these standards.

5 San Benito County Water District, Sunnyslope County Water District, and City of Hollister, July 2021, 2020 Hollister Urban Area Urban Water Management Plan, accessed July 14, 2022. 6 City of Hollister, August 2018, City of Hollister Final Water Distribution System Master Plan, http://hollister.ca.gov/wp- content/uploads/2018/09/City-of-Hollister-Water-Distribution-System-Master-Plan.pdf accessed January 6, 2023. 7 City of Hollister, November 2019, City of Hollister Design Standards/Standard Specifications, Standard Plans, http://hollister.ca.gov/government/city-departments/engineering/engineering-standards/ , accessed January 6, 2023.

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Hollister Domestic Water Reclamation Facility Waste Discharge Requirements Wastewater discharge requirements for the City’s Domestic Water Reclamation Facility, operated by Veolia, are detailed in the RWQCB’s Order No. R3-2020-0020, and are in effect as on January 1, 2024. The order, General Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges from Domestic Wastewater Systems with Flows Greater Than 100,000 Gallons per Day, replaces the individual permits that were previously issued to WWTPs. The permit contains specifications for wastewater systems, ponds, land application, and sludge/solids/biosolids disposal as well as effluent and organic loading limitations.8 Existing Conditions
There are two municipal water purveyors that serve the EIR Study Area: the City of Hollister and the SSCWD. The City of Hollister provides water to the western and northern portion of the EIR Study Area; the SSCWD provides water to the eastern portion of the EIR Study Area. The SBCWD is the wholesale water provider to the City of Hollister and SSCWD and supplies surface water from the Central Valley Project (CVP). The SBCWD also has the responsibility and authority to manage groundwater in San Benito County. In addition, the WRA coordinates and conducts water conservation programs for the member agencies within the EIR Study Area .

Water Distribution System
The City of Hollister and SSCWD provide water to the city and the surrounding area via two separate water distribution systems, as shown in Figure 4.17-1, Water Service Areas. The City supplies water service and fire suppression to approximately half of the Hollister residents in the western and northern portions of the city. The existing water distribution system is shown on Figure 4.17-2, Water Distribution System Major Facilities. The water distribution system consists of three distribution zones, three potable water storage tanks, one booster station, five pressure reducing valves that serve the three distribution zones, and one additional pressure reducing valve that serves Riverview Estates south of the city limits. The City owns and operates approximately 90 miles of water mains for transmission and distribution. Water main diameters range from 4 to 18 inches and are constructed of cast iron and PVC. The City maintains eight groundwater wells, three of which are inactive. Three groundwater wells operate within the city limits, and two groundwater wells feed the Cienega Valley south of the city limits.9 The City’s water storage facilities include two water storage tanks at Park Hill with a total capacity of 5.5 million gallons (MG). The City also owns and operates the 0.5 MG Sally Flats Reservoir located south of the City’s boundary that serves Riverview Estates. There is also a 0.5 MG clearwell at SSCWD’s West Hills water treatment plant that provides additional storage.10

8 Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, 2020, General Waste Discharge Requirements Order No. R3-2020- 0020 for Discharges from Domestic Wastewater Systems with Flows Greater than 100,000 Gallons per Day., https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/board_decisions/adopted_orders/2020/r32020_0020.pdf , accessed July 2, 2024. 9 City of Hollister, August 2018, City of Hollister Final Water Distribution System Master Plan, http://hollister.ca.gov/wp- content/uploads/2018/09/City-of-Hollister-Water-Distribution-System-Master-Plan.pdf accessed January 6, 2023. 10 City of Hollister, August 2018, City of Hollister Final Water Distribution System Master Plan, http://hollister.ca.gov/wp- content/uploads/2018/09/City-of-Hollister-Water-Distribution-System-Master-Plan.pdf accessed January 6, 2023.

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SSCWD provides water service to residences on the eastern side of Hollister and some of the surrounding areas of unincorporated San Benito County. The SSCWD serves over 6,400 connections, primarily residential (98 percent), and operates five active wells that extract groundwater from the North San Benito Groundwater Subbasin.11 The City and SSCWD share six intertie connections, which allow flow from the City’s distribution system to SSCWD and vice versa.12 Water Supply Sources
The City of Hollister and SSCWD rely on both local groundwater and imported water from the CVP for municipal water supply. The SBCWD purchases water from the CVP, which is conveyed through the Hollister Conduit to San Justo Reservoir, southwest of the City. The SBCWD is the imported water wholesaler for Zone 6, which includes the EIR Study Area. In 2020, the SBCWD provided 4,391 acre-feet (AF) of surface water to the city of Hollister and SSCWD.

Water treatment of the CVP surface water is provided by the Lessalt Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and West Hills WTP. The two WTPs are owned by SBCWD and operated under contract by the SSCWD. The Lessalt WTP treats CVP water obtained from the Hollister Conduit. It was upgraded in 2015 and consists of membrane filtration, granular activated carbon filtration, treatment to remove iron and manganese, and disinfection. The Lessalt WRP operational capacity is approximately 2.0 million gallons per day (mgd) or 2,240 afy.13
The West Hills WTP also treats CVP surface water obtained from the San Justo Reservoir and is then supplied to the City and SSCWD. The West Hills WTP, constructed in 2017, consists of ballasted flocculation, dual media gravity filtration, and disinfection treatment. The treated surface water is blended into the City’s distribution system at City Well No. 4 South and City Well No. 5 Nash.14 The treatment capacity is 4.5 mgd, or approximately 7,280 afy. The WTP has the capacity to expand to treat up to 9 mgd.

The SBCWD also manages San Justo Reservoir as storage for imported CVP water. During periods when the allocation is greater than the demand, the SBCWD can take delivery of additional CVP water to put into storage and use as a supplemental supply during dry years. The SBCWD planned reserve is 5,000 acre-feet plus additional CVP transfers and exchanges, which would be sufficient to provide supply (in addition to groundwater) for up to five years.15

11 State Water Resources Control Board, 2023, 2035 CA Drinking Water Watch, Water System Details., https://sdwis.waterboards.ca.gov/PDWW/JSP/WaterSystemDetail.jsp?tinwsys_is_number=3739&tinwsys_st_code=CA&wsnumb er=CA3510003 accessed January 6, 2023.
12 City of Hollister, August 2018, City of Hollister Final Water Distribution System Master Plan, http://hollister.ca.gov/wp- content/uploads/2018/09/City-of-Hollister-Water-Distribution-System-Master-Plan.pdf accessed January 6, 2023. 13 City of Hollister, August 2018, City of Hollister Final Water Distribution System Master Plan, http://hollister.ca.gov/wp- content/uploads/2018/09/City-of-Hollister-Water-Distribution-System-Master-Plan.pdf accessed January 6, 2023. 14 City of Hollister, August 2018, City of Hollister Final Water Distribution System Master Plan, http://hollister.ca.gov/wp- content/uploads/2018/09/City-of-Hollister-Water-Distribution-System-Master-Plan.pdf accessed January 6, 2023. 15 San Benito County Water District, Sunnyslope County Water District, and City of Hollister, July 2016, 2015 Hollister Urban Area Urban Water Management Plan.

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Since the initiation of CVP-imported surface water, the expansion of the Lessalt WTP, and the recent completion of the West Hill WTP, the use of groundwater for municipal and industrial supply has declined.

In 2020, groundwater pumped by the City of Hollister and SSCWD totaled 1,919 acre-feet, with each agency pumping about half of the total. This is approximately 32 percent of the total water supplied in 2020.

There also is a limited use of recycled water within the EIR Study Area for landscape irrigation. In 2020, approximately 100 acre-feet of recycled water was delivered to Brigantino Park, and an additional 428 acre-feet was delivered to agricultural customers outside of the EIR Study Area. There are no plans to expand the use of recycled water for landscape irrigation within the City of Hollister or SSCWD’s service area in the future. The focus has shifted to providing additional recycled water to agricultural users. outside of the EIR Study Area.16 A summary of the existing and future sources of water for the City and SSCWD is provided in Table 4.17-1, Hollister USA Existing and Future Water Supplies (af).

TABLE 4.17-1 HOLLISTER AND SSCWD EXISTING AND FUTURE WATER SUPPLIES (AF) 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040
Surface Water (CVP) 3,992 4,949 5,388 5,388 5,388
Groundwater 1,919 1,919 2,661 3,996 5,369
Recycled Water 100 100 100 100 100
Total 6,011 6,968 8,149 9,484 10,857
Note: af = acre feet
Source: San Benito County Water District, Sunnyslope County Water District, and City of Hollister, July 2021, 2020 Hollister Urban Area Urban Water Management Plan, accessed July 14, 2022.

Existing Water Demand
Table 4.17-2, Hollister and SSCWD 2020 Existing Water Demand (af), presents the water demand for 2020, as presented in the 2020 UWMP for the EIR Study Area. Single-family homes represent most of the 2020 total demand at 64 percent. Multi-family homes and commercial uses consist of 8 to 9 percent of total demand. Other uses, including industrial and dedicated landscape irrigation, represent a combined 11 percent of total demand.17 In addition, the City of Hollister used 100 acre-feet of recycled water in 2020 for irrigation of Brigantino Park; SSCWD does not provide recycled water.

16 San Benito County Water District, Sunnyslope County Water District, and City of Hollister, July 2021, 2020 Hollister Urban Area Urban Water Management Plan, accessed July 14, 2022. 17 San Benito County Water District, Sunnyslope County Water District, and City of Hollister, July 2021, 2020 Hollister Urban Area Urban Water Management Plan, accessed July 14, 2022.

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TABLE 4.17-2 HOLLISTER AND SSCWD 2020 EXISTING WATER DEMAND (AF) Land Use Hollister Sunnyslope Total
Single Family 1,805 2,101 3,906
Multi-Family 322 210 532
Commercial 480 9 489
Industrial 126 32 158
Landscape 278 128 406
Other 28 2 30
Other – non-potable
irrigation 100 __ 100
Losses 265 92 357
Recycled Water 100 __ 100
Total 3,506 2,579 6,085
Note: af = acre feet
Source: San Benito County Water District, Sunnyslope County Water District, and City of Hollister, July 2021, 2020 Hollister Urban Area Urban Water Management Plan, accessed July 14, 2022.

Water agencies must also demonstrate compliance with their established water use targets, pursuant SB X7-7. The calculated water use targets for Hollister and SSCWD are 119 gallons per capita per day (gpcd) and 135 gpcd, respectively. The actual 2020 demands for Hollister and SSCWD were 114 gcpd and 119 gpcd, respectively. Thus both the City and SSCWD successfully met the 2020 targets.

Water Supply Reliability
Table 4.17-3, Hollister and SSCWD Projected Normal, Dry, and Multiple Dry Year Supply and Demand (af), provides the projected water demand and supply in the Hollister and SSCWD service areas for a normal year, a single dry year, and multiple dry-year events from 2025 through 2040.

TABLE 4.17-3 HOLLISTER AND SSCWD PROJECTED NORMAL, DRY, AND MULTIPLE DRY YEAR SUPPLY AND DEMAND (AF)
2025 2030 2035 2040
Normal Year
Supply Total 6,968 8,149 9,484 10,857
Demand Total 6,968 8,149 9,484 10,857
Difference 0 0 0 0
Single Dry Yeara
Supply Total 6,271 7,334 8,536 9,771
Demand Total 6,271 7,334 8,536 9,771
Difference 0 0 0 0
Multiple Dry Yearsa
First Year
Supply Total 6,271 7,334 8,536 9,771
Demand Total 6,271 7,334 8,536 9,771
Difference 0 0 0 0

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TABLE 4.17-3 HOLLISTER AND SSCWD PROJECTED NORMAL, DRY, AND MULTIPLE DRY YEAR SUPPLY AND DEMAND (AF)
2025 2030 2035 2040
Second Year
Supply Total 6,271 7,334 8,536 9,771
Demand Total 6,271 7,334 8,536 9,771
Difference 0 0 0 0
Third Year
Supply Total 6,271 7,334 8,536 9,771
Demand Total 6,271 7,334 8,536 9,771
Difference 0 0 0 0
Fourth Year
Supply Total 6,271 7,334 8,536 9,771
Demand Total 6,271 7,334 8,536 9,771
Difference 0 0 0 0
Fifth Year
Supply Total 6,271 7,334 8,536 9,771
Demand Total 6,271 7,334 8,536 9,771
Difference 0 0 0 0
Note: af = acre feet
a. Single and multiple dry years assume implementation of WSCP Stage 1 reductions of 10 percent.

Source: San Benito County Water District, Sunnyslope County Water District, and City of Hollister, July 2021, 2020 Hollister Urban Area Urban Water Management Plan, accessed July 14, 2022.

In single and multiple dry years, the Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) would be triggered, resulting in a 10 percent reduction in water demand and supply. However, if restrictions in WSCP Stage 1 do not meet the required 10 percent decrease in demand, Stage 2 or greater would be implemented.

Hollister Urban Area Water and Wastewater Master Plan Update The WWMP provides a comprehensive plan and implementation program to meet the existing and future water resource needs of the EIR Study Area . The WWMP is a collaborative effort between the City of Hollister, the SBCWD, and the SSCWD.18 The WWMP update includes a recommended implementation program through the year 2035 for water supply, recycled water facilities, water system operations, and institutional agreements.

The recommended priorities for long-term water supply are to increase high-quality water required to ensure compliance with the California Hexavalent Chromium regulations and to meet the total dissolved solids (TDS) and hardness goals for the Hollister and SSCWD service areas. Level one priority projects include the addition of local wells to supply the northern part of the combined city and SSCWD water distribution system, expanding recycled water use for agricultural irrigation, and developing the North

18 City of Hollister, San Benito County Water District, and Sunnyslope County Water District, June 2017, Hollister Urban Area Water and Wastewater Master Plan.

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County Groundwater project. The North County Groundwater consists of the Pacheco, eastern portion of the Bolsa, and northern portions of the Hollister East groundwater subbasins, as defined by SBCWD. The North County Groundwater project involves the development of wells in these subbasins to provide low- TDS groundwater to the City and SSCWD. The WWMP also recommends the expansion of the West Hills WTP and improving the efficiency of the City’s wastewater management by the year 2025.

The 2017 WWMP update also includes recommendations for institutional agreements between agencies that would be required to implement projects providing joint benefits. These agreements would be similar to the memoranda of understanding developed for previously completed projects, such as the Lessalt and West Hills WTPs and agricultural use of recycled water. Multiple institutional agreements may be needed to implement the North County Groundwater project. For the wastewater management improvements, an agreement between the City and SBCWD would be required to recognize the multiple benefits provided.

STANDARDS OF SIGNIFICANCE
Implementation of the proposed project would result in significant water supply impacts if it would:

1. Require or result in the relocation or construction of new or expanded water facilities, the construction or relocation of which could cause significant environmental effects.

2. Not have sufficient water supplies available to serve the project and reasonably foreseeable future development during normal, dry, and multiple dry years.

3. In combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, result in a cumulative impact with respect to water supply and facilities.

IMPACT DISCUSSION
UTIL-1 Implementation of the proposed project would not require or result in the construction of new water facilities or expansion of existing facilities, the construction of which would cause significant environmental effects. 2040 General Plan
Implementation of the proposed project would have a significant impact if it would result in the construction of new water treatment facilities or the expansion of existing facilities that would have a significant effect on the environment. Under the proposed project, water demand would increase throughout the EIR Study Area due to increases in population and employment.

A general plan is not considered a project under SB 610 that requires preparation of a WSA. Instead, a general plan relies on information prepared by the water supplier in the UWMP to demonstrate that the proposed population increase would not create a water demand that would exceed the supply in normal, dry, and multiple dry years, as discussed in the following paragraphs. Future projects under the proposed 2040 General Plan that meet the criteria under California Water Code Section 10912 would be required to prepare a WSA.

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The current and projected water demands from the 2020 UWMP are provided in Tables 4.17-2 and

4.17-3. The population and employment increases that would occur with the implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan were incorporated into the 2020 UWMP.

The projections in Table 4.17-3 are conservative because they do not account for water conservation measures that would result from the ongoing WRA’s conservation program. This approach, while conservative, safeguards against potential future shortages by projecting the highest level of demand.

Therefore, any potential shortages could be alleviated by active and passive conservation measures.19 The buildout of the proposed 2040 General Plan would result in new residences and new commercial and industrial buildings that fully comply with the more stringent requirements of CALGreen, California Plumbing Code, and the City’s MWELO. Only 16 percent of the current residences were built after 2010, when the CALGreen Building Code was first implemented and the installation of water-conserving plumbing fixtures and fittings was mandated. Therefore, it is assumed that the new construction of both residences and commercial land uses would achieve a reduction in water usage rates of 20 percent through compliance with these regulations.20
Water Demand Analysis
Buildout of the proposed 2040 General Plan would include approximately 10,530 new dwelling units with 40 percent estimated to be single-family residences and 60 percent multi-family residences. The water demand for these additional units was calculated based on the numbers provided in the 2020 UWMP of

0.33 afy for single-family dwellings and 0.21 afy for multi-family dwellings.

The water demand for the commercial and industrial land use categories was obtained from the City’s 2018 Water Distribution System Master Plan. The water demand for commercial land use of 1,455 gpd/acre was converted to 0.03 gpd/sf, and the water demand for industrial land use of 369 gpd/acre was converted to 0.01 gpd/sf.

Since all the new residential and commercial construction would require compliance with the CALGreen Building Code and MWELO, a 20 percent reduction in water demand as compared to existing conditions was included in the calculations. The analysis also conservatively assumes that water demand for existing uses would remain the same over time, although it is expected that existing commercial and residential water users would replace old fixtures with newer, more efficient fixtures over time.

The projected increase in water demand with implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan is provided in Table 4.17-4, Projected Water Demand (afy). Since the 2020 UWMP reports that the other land use categories would remain constant from 2025 to 2040, this evaluation focuses on the projected increases in water demand with implementation of the proposed project to the single-family residential, commercial, and industrial land use categories.

19 San Benito County Water District, Sunnyslope County Water District, and City of Hollister, July 2021, 2020 Hollister Urban Area Urban Water Management Plan, accessed July 14, 2022. 20 San Benito County Water District, Sunnyslope County Water District, and City of Hollister, July 2021, 2020 Hollister Urban Area Urban Water Management Plan, accessed July 14, 2022.

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TABLE 4.17-4 PROJECTED WATER DEMAND (AFY)
Category Existing
Conditions a
Increase with
2040 GP b
2040 Total
Water Demand
2040 Projected Water
Demand from UWMP
Single and Multi-family
Residential 4,438 2,173 6,611 9,126
Commercial 489 30 519 660
Industrial 158 25 183 158
Total 5,085 2,228 7,313 9,944
Notes: afy = acre feet per year
a. Numbers from 2020 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP), the single-family and multi-family categories for Hollister and Sunnyslope County Water District are combined.
b. Assumes all new households are single-family at 0.33 afy per dwelling unit and multi-family households at 0.21 afy per dwelling unit and includes a reduction of 20 percent for new residential construction with compliance with CALGreen and Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance requirements. Commercial and industrial water demands were obtained from City of Hollister Water Distribution Master Plan and demands of 1,455 gallons per day (gpd) per acre for commercial land use and 369 gpd/acre for industrial land use converted to 0.03 gpd per square feet (sf) and 0.01 gpd/sf, respectively. Buildout numbers are estimated to be approximately 1,100,000 sf for commercial and 2,800,000 sf for industrial.

Source: San Benito County Water District, Sunnyslope County Water District, and City of Hollister, July 2021, 2020 Hollister Urban Area Urban Water Management Plan, accessed July 14, 2022; PlaceWorks, 2023.

As shown in Table 4.17-4, the incremental water demand associated with buildout of the proposed 2040 General Plan is estimated to be 2,228 afy. It is assumed that the development rate would be constant over the approximately 15-year buildout period. Adding the incremental water demand to the existing water demand estimate provides the total water demand for the project at buildout in 2040. The existing 2020 water demand of 5,085 afy from the 2020 UWMP, plus an additional 2,228 afy for buildout under the proposed project, results in a total water demand of 7,313 afy in 2040 for these land use categories. This is less than the 9,944 afy accounted for in the 2020 UWMP for the year 2040 for these land uses.

The two water treatment plants (Lessalt WTP and West Hills WTP) have a total current capacity of 6.5 mgd, which equates to 7,280 afy. Also, the West Hills WTP has the capacity to expand its capacity to treat up to 9 mgd, or 10,088 afy. The actual volume of CVP water provided to the two WTPs for treatment in 2020 was 3,992 acre -feet. Therefore, the WTPs are currently operating at about 55 percent of their capacities. The City of Hollister also pumps groundwater to supply about 32 percent of its annual water supply, which is not treated at the two water treatment plants but is blended with the treated surface water.

According to the 2020 UWMP, the SBCWD is planning to provide 5,388 afy to the City and other agencies from 2025 through 2040. Therefore, the existing WTPs have the capacity to treat this volume of water, and no new water facilities or expansion of existing facilities would be required.

The Hollister Water Distribution System Master Plan determined that the existing infrastructure would be adequate to supply future water demands, except for deficiencies in fire flows in certain areas. The Hollister Water Distribution System Master Plan recommended a capital improvement program to replace water mains that are greater than 75 years old and upgrade pipelines with deficiencies in fire flows.

Several of these infrastructure improvements have been included in the City’s 5-year Capital Improvement Program (FY 2017/2018 to 2021/2022).

In addition, the proposed Land Use and Community Design (LU), Community Services and Facilities (CSF) and Natural Resources and Conservation (NRC) Elements of the 2040 General Plan contain goals, policies,

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and actions that require local planning and development decisions to consider impacts to water supplies and resources. The following proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions would serve to minimize potential adverse impacts to water supplies with future development:

Goal LU-2: Manage growth in the new development areas outside the existing City Limits but within the Sphere of Influence through the use of Specific Plans. (new)  Policy LU-2.8: Adequate Infrastructure. Ensure adequate infrastructure is provided to support new development in Specific Plan Areas. (new)
Goal CSF-1: Provide an adequate level and maintenance of public services and facilities to ensure the continued health, education, welfare, and safety of all residents and businesses. (Goal CSF4)  Policy CSF-1.1: New Development Requirements for Public Services. Ensure that future growth does not create demands that exceed the capabilities and capacity of local public services, including police and fire services, by requiring new development applications to identify the impacts that the proposed development would have on the provision of public services. Approve only development applications that can mitigate impacts or contribute a proportional fair share so that local public services can be maintained at an acceptable level. (Policy CSF1.2)  Policy CSF-1.2: Coordination of Facilities and Services Planning. Cooperate and coordinate with the County of San Benito, Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), and other local agencies in the provision of infrastructure and services in the Hollister Planning Area. (Policy CSF1.4)  Policy CSF-1.3: Infrastructure Planning. Require the preparation of a specific plan, financing plan, development agreement, creation of a Communities Facilities District, or another similar document or financing vehicle, as a pre-condition to annexation or redesignations of land for new urban use.

The plans shall identify means to ensure adequate funding to support construction of all needed public facilities, including water, sewer, storm drainage, roads, sidewalks, parks, and school facilities. (Policy CSF1.6)
 Policy CSF-1.4: Development Review Criteria for Public Services. Prior to granting approval, evaluate each new development in terms of the following criteria:

1. The project shall share a common border with a property that has already been developed.

2. The project shall be adequately served by infrastructure (water, sewer, streets, schools, parks, etc.), which is already in place or mitigated.

4. The project shall have adequate water supply of sufficient quantity and quality.

5. There shall be adequate sanitary sewer capacity and treatment capability that can be provided to serve the proposed project.

6. There shall be adequate fire protection for the proposed project.

7. There shall be adequate police protection for the proposed project.

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9. There shall be an adequate level of solid waste collection services and disposal capacity to serve the proposed project.

10. There shall be an appropriate level of utility services (gas, electric, and telephone) to serve the proposed project.

11. The project applicant shall finance the full costs associated with any drainage improvements necessary to accommodate peak flows from the proposed project.

12. The proposed project shall not make a significant contribution to the emission of regional air pollutants.

13. There shall be adequate elementary, middle, and high schools to serve the proposed project. (Numbers 4 to 13, Implementation Measure CSF.D)
 Policy CSF-1.6: Development Fees. Review the existing development fee structure, including the infrastructure connection fees, every two years and restructure as needed. (Policy LU2.1)  Policy CSF-1.7: Capital Improvements and Replacement. Ensure that the City’s Capital Improvement Program is coordinated with responsible districts and agencies and provides for ongoing, preventative maintenance of infrastructure facilities and the replacement of City equipment. (Policy CSF1.5)  Policy CSF-1.8: Capital Improvements Program. Conduct reviews of the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) at least every five years and add budget for transportation, infrastructure, and public facility improvements as funding sources are identified. (Implementation Measure LU.P)  Action CSF-1.2: Public Facilities Impact Fee. Regularly review the public facilities impact fee to ensure development funds its fair share of new community and public facilities, including public safety facilities, required to serve new residents and employees in Hollister. (Implementation Measure LU.S) Goal CSF-2: Plan for adequate water and sewer facilities. (Goal CSF2)  Policy CSF-2.1: Sewer and Water Facility Coordination. Coordinate with responsible districts and agencies to ensure that sewer and water facility expansion and/or improvements meet federal and State standards and occur in a timely manner. (Policy CSF2.1)  Policy CSF-2.2: Development Areas. Encourage development in those portions of the Hollister Sphere of Influence that are already served by the local water supply and wastewater systems or to which water supply and wastewater systems can reasonably be extended. (Policy CSF2.4)  Policy CSF-2.3: Costs of New Development. Ensure that the cost of providing sewer and water service to new development proposed outside of existing service areas should be borne solely by those proposing the development, thus eliminating any financial burden to existing customers for any required expansion of the sewer and water system network to serve such development. (Policy CSF2.5)
 Policy CSF-2.4: Water Supply Management. Manage the water supply in a way that is environmentally and economically sustainable by working with local, regional, and statewide agencies to establish

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policies that promote water-use efficiency programs, including recycled water programs, to support the expanded use of recycled water in Hollister. (new)
 Policy CSF-2.5: Provision of Water Service to New Development. Require developers who will require water service for their projects to apply to the City of Hollister for service. (Policy CSF2.6)  Policy CSF-2.6: Water Conservation Measures. Require water-conserving practices and features, including water-efficient fixtures, in all new construction, in accordance with State law. (Policy CSF2.7)  Policy CSF-2.7: Use of Recycled Water. Increase the use of recycled water in development projects and landscaping and implement best practices (e.g., dual plumbing) to expand recycled water use when safe, practical, and available. (new)
 Policy CSF-2.8: Water Resources Association of San Benito County Coordination. Coordinate with the Water Resources Association of San Benito County to identify and implement countywide strategies to conserve water. (Implementation Measure CSF.V)
 Policy CSF-2.9: Water Conservation Education . Educate the community about the challenges to the water supply system and the need for responsible water management. (new)  Policy CSF-2.10: Water and Sewer Connections in City Limits. Require all development that will use City water and wastewater services to be in the City Limits, with the exception of a public health or safety threat, in accordance with State law. (new)
 Policy CSF-2.11: Identification of Opportunities for Water Recycling. Support the extension of recycled water distribution infrastructure and identify opportunities for the use of recycled water where available. (Implementation Measure CSF.Q)
 Policy CSF-2.12: Urban Water Management Plans. Ensure that updates to the Urban Water Management Plan maximize water conservation and reuse to fulfill the City’s water supply needs.

Consider projected water supplies in updated Urban Water Management Plans as part of each Major Review of the 2040 General Plan. (new)
 Action CSF-2.1: Water Efficiency Strategies. Adopt citywide policies that encourage or require new and existing development to incorporate measures to reduce potable water demand and/or increase water efficiency. (new)
 Action CSF-2.2: Sunnyslope County Water District Coordination. In cooperation with the Sunnyslope County Water District, develop implementation plans to:

1. Phase the construction of additional water storage reservoirs to match increases in local water demand.

2. Add new wells in accordance with current capital improvement plans to ensure adequate safe pumping supply to meet peak-day demand for water. (Implementation Measure CSF.G)  Action CSF-2.3: Water Resource Data Sharing. Exchange water resources data with the Sunnyslope County Water District to allow for responsible decisions regarding water supply development and land use planning. (Implementation Measure CSF.G)
 Action CSF-2.4: Requirements for Water Conservation in New Development. Identify, evaluate, and establish requirements for project developers to reduce water usage, such as installing water-efficient

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fixtures, planting drought-tolerant landscaping, including dual water lines for residential projects (one for clear water and the other for the recirculation of graywater), and limiting golf course irrigation (if applicable) to conserve water and prevent further groundwater drawdown. (Implementation Measure CSF.I)
 Action CSF-2.5: Hollister Urban Water and Wastewater Master Plan. Update the Urban Water and Wastewater Master Plans to be consistent with the population, employment, and other growth projections of this General Plan, in compliance with State law requirements for future water supplies. (Implementation Measure CSF.F)
 Action CSF-2.6: Data on Sewer and Water System Capacity. Establish the extent and capacity of the existing water supply systems and the wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal system, and update this information on a regular basis in coordination with the Sunnyslope County Water District and San Benito County Water District. This information is to be used by the Planning Commission and the City Council to evaluate the impacts on sanitary sewerage facilities, which would result from proposed development. (Implementation Measure CSF.DD)
 Action CSF-2.7: Landscape Water Conservation Education Program. Continue to work with the San Benito County Water Resources Association to educate property managers, homeowners, and designers about water-conserving landscaping and water-recycling best practices. (Implementation Measure CSF.M)
 Action CSF-2.8: Recycled Water Incentives. Develop incentives to encourage the use of recycled water. (new)
Goal NRC-5: Protect and improve water quality in and around Hollister. (new)  Policy NRC-5.1: Local, State and Federal Standards for Water Quality. Continue to comply with local, state, and federal standards for water quality. (Policy CSF3.3)  Policy NRC-5.3: Water Quality at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Monitor the wastewater treatment plant to ensure that nitrate levels stay within legal limits. (Implementation Measure CSF.EE)  Action NRC-5.1: Well and Ditch Tail Water Tests. Develop procedures requiring developers to conduct well and ditch tail water tests and to implement appropriate actions to protect public health and safety associated with the presence of herbicides, pesticides, and other chemicals that have the potential to pollute groundwater and cause health risks. (Implementation Measure CSF.H)  Action NRC-5.2: Pesticide and Fertilizer Management. Encourage the appropriate reduction of pesticides and fertilizers to the maximum extent feasible on City property. Ensure that the application of pesticides on City property is accomplished in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations. (Implementation Measure CSF.L)
 Action NRC-5.3: Water Quality Source Control Program. Develop guidelines for a water quality source control program that incorporates public education, planning, management, material use and disposal controls, spill prevention and cleanup, street sweeping, and sewer maintenance. (Implementation Measure CSF.S)

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 Action NRC-5.4: Water Quality Education Programs. Develop a public information and education program to enhance water quality. Such a program may include storm drain stenciling, presentations to schools and community groups, and watershed planning efforts. (Implementation Measure CSF.T)  Action NRC-5.5: Water Pollution Prevention Program. Develop an illicit discharge elimination program that will seek to eliminate illegal connections to the storm drain system and the illegal dumping of toxic materials into the storm drain system. Include requirements for contractors to comply with accepted stormwater pollution prevention planning practices for all projects subject to erosion potential, and continue to require the proper use, storage, and disposal of on-site materials. (Implementation Measure CSF.U)
In summary, no new water treatment facilities would be needed, and the City would monitor and upgrade the water distribution system with projects described in the CIP to accommodate future development.

Implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions listed would reduce water demand and further ensure that impacts with respect to the need for new and/or expanded water facilities would not occur. Specifically, implementation of the proposed Policy CSF-1.4, Development Review Criteria for Public Services, would require the City to evaluate each new development to ensure it would be adequately served by water infrastructure, which is already in place or mitigated. Also, proposed Policy LU-2.8, Adequate Infrastructure, requires the City to ensure that adequate infrastructure is provided to support new development within Specific Plan Areas. Therefore, compliance with the City’s requirements for new construction and water-efficient landscaping would ensure that impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

Climate Action Plan
The proposed Climate Action Plan (CAP) is a strategic plan focused on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction through recommended community-wide GHG reduction strategies and an implementation plan.

The proposed CAP provides estimates of GHG emissions in the water and wastewater sectors and accounts for the increase in emissions with implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan as both residential and employment populations increase. It also provides reduction strategies to minimize this increase in GHG emissions through water conservation, water efficient retrofits, water-wise landscaping, and graywater and recycled water programs. Implementation of the proposed CAP would further reduce water demand as compared to the analysis provided above. Therefore, implementation of the proposed CAP would not require or result in the construction of new water facilities or expansion of existing facilities, the construction of which would cause significant environmental effects and impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

Agricultural Lands Preservation Program
The proposed Agricultural Lands Preservation Program (ALPP) is a program focused on mitigating the effects of agricultural land conversion through the dedication of eligible agricultural conservation easements at a rate of at least one acre of agricultural land for each one acre of agricultural land to be

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converted (1:1 ratio) for projects that would convert agricultural land to nonagricultural uses. The conversion of agricultural land to urban land uses is accounted for in the water demand and supply analysis provided above. The agricultural conservation easements would be supplied by irrigation water from the SBCWD’s San Felipe Water, which is provided by the United States Bureau of Reclamation. The irrigation water is not part of the City’s or SSCWD’s water distribution system. Therefore, implementation of the proposed ALPP would not require or result in the construction of new water facilities or expansion of existing facilities, the construction of which would cause significant environmental effects and impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

UTIL-2 Implementation of the proposed project would have sufficient water supplies available to serve the project and reasonably foreseeable future development during normal, dry, and multiple dry years. 2040 General Plan
As shown in Table 3-2, Proposed 2040 Buildout Projections in the EIR Study Area, in Chapter 3, Project Description, of this Revised Draft EIR, the proposed project would result in 10,530 new dwelling units, 11,170 new jobs, and a population increase of 31,575.

As described under Impact Discussion UTIL-1, the water demand for implementation of the proposed project was estimated to be an additional 2,228 afy. Adding this increase to the existing demand results in a water demand of 7,313 afy. This is less than the projected water demand presented in the 2020 UWMP of 9,944 afy for the specified land use categories. As shown previously in Table 4.17-3, the 2020 UWMP projects that there is sufficient water supply to meet the demand for normal, single-dry, and five consecutive dry years.

Additionally, future development pursuant to the proposed 2040 General Plan would be required to implement the water-efficient requirements specified in the CALGreen and California Plumbing Codes and the MWELO requirements for water efficient landscaping. Future projects under the proposed 2040 General Plan that meet the criteria under California Water Code Section 10912 would be required to prepare a WSA that demonstrates that project water demands would not exceed water supplies. In addition, residential, commercial, and industrial water usage can be expected to decrease in the future as a result of the implementation of water conservation practices through the extensive programs offered by the WRA. In the case of a water shortage, the City would implement the WSCP, as outlined in the 2020 UWMP.

In addition, the proposed Community Services and Facilities (CSF) and Natural Resources and Conservation (NRC) Elements of the 2040 General Plan contain goals, policies, and actions that are required for new construction and would reduce future water demands, as listed under Impact Discussion UTIL-1.

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In summary, buildout associated with the proposed 2040 General Plan would not result in a shortage of water supplies. In addition, compliance with the City’s code requirements for new construction and adherence to the proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions to reduce water demand, impacts associated with water supply would be less than significant. Specifically, implementation of the proposed Policy CSF-1.4, Development Review Criteria for Public Services, would require the City to evaluate each new development to ensure it shall have adequate water supply of sufficient quantity and quality. Also, proposed Policy LU-2.8, Adequate Infrastructure, requires the City to ensure that adequate infrastructure is provided to support new development within Specific Plan Areas.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

Climate Action Plan
The proposed CAP is a strategic plan focused on GHG emissions reduction through recommended community-wide GHG reduction strategies and an implementation plan. As described under Impact Discussion UTIL-1, the proposed CAP provides strategies that include water conservation, water efficient retrofits, water-wise landscaping, and graywater and recycled water programs that would reduce GHG emissions. Implementation of the proposed CAP would further reduce water demand as compared to the analysis provided under Impact Discussion UTIL-1. Therefore, the proposed project would have sufficient water supplies available to serve the project and reasonably foreseeable future development during normal, dry, and multiple dry years and impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

Agricultural Lands Preservation Program
The proposed ALPP is a program focused on mitigating the effects of agricultural land conversion through the dedication of eligible agricultural conservation easements at a rate of at least one acre of agricultural land for each one acre of agricultural land to be converted (1:1 ratio) for projects that would convert agricultural land to nonagricultural uses. The conversion of agricultural land to urban land uses is accounted for in the water demand and supply analysis provided under Impact Discussion UTIL-1. Water for the agricultural conservation easements would not be supplied by the City or SSCWD or would not be part of their water distribution systems. Irrigation water for agricultural land is under the purview of the SBCWD, which receives San Felipe Water provided by the US Bureau of Reclamation. Therefore, implementation of the proposed project would not impact the City or SSCWD’s water supplies and the proposed project would have sufficient water supplies available to serve the project and reasonably foreseeable future development during normal, dry, and multiple dry years. Impacts would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

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UTIL-3 In combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, implementation of the proposed project would not result in a cumulatively considerable impact to water supply and facilities. 2040 General Plan
The cumulative impact analysis includes the service areas of both the City of Hollister and Sunnyslope County Water District, which collectively is referred to in the 2020 UWMP as the Hollister Urban Area (HUA). The HOA also includes some unincorporated areas of San Benito County that are beyond the City limits. Future projects within these unincorporated areas would also result in increases in water demand.

However, these areas are included in the 2020 UWMP, which states that it would have sufficient water supplies to serve the HUA through 2040 for normal water years, single dry years, and multiple dry years.

Projects that meet the SB 610 criteria, such as residential projects with more than 500 dwelling units, would be required to prepare WSAs. The City and SSCWD would review such projects for the adequacy of water supply and would update the UWMP every five years to ensure that there are adequate water supplies and contingency plans for future residents and customers. All new development in Hollister would be required to conserve water and implement water efficiency measures, as per the CALGreen Building Code and the MWELO irrigation requirements. Water supply deficits in dry years would be met by implementing the WSCP and other water conservation efforts. Existing regulations would result in a reduction in per capita water use over time, which would ensure that cumulative impacts with respect to water service would be less than significant.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

Climate Action Plan
The proposed CAP is a strategic plan focused on GHG emissions reduction through recommended community-wide GHG reduction strategies and an implementation plan. The proposed CAP describes water conservation measures that would reduce water consumption over time. In addition, the proposed CAP provides strategies for coordinating with the City, SSCWD, SBCWD, and the WRA to develop and implement water conservation plans. In accordance with SB 407, upon the sale of residential properties, a Plumbing Retrofit Water Conservation Certification must be obtained to ensure that the residences are retrofitted with water-efficient devices. Compliance with these measures would ensure implementation of the proposed CAP would result in a less-than-significant cumulative impact with respect to water service.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

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Reclamation. Therefore, implementation of the proposed ALPP would result in a less-than-significant cumulative impact with respect to water service.

Significance without Mitigation: Less than significant.

4.17.2 WASTEWATER

ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
Regulatory Framework
Federal Regulations
Clean Water Act
The CWA of 1972 regulates the discharge of pollutants into watersheds throughout the nation. It is the primary federal law that governs water pollution and is implemented by the USEPA. Under the CWA , the USEPA sets wastewater standards and makes it unlawful to discharge pollutants from a point source into any navigable waters without obtaining a permit. Point sources include any conveyances, such as pipes and man-made drainage channels, from which pollutants may be discharged.

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program was established as part of the CWA to regulate municipal and industrial discharges to surface waters of the United States. Federal NPDES permit regulations have been established for broad categories of discharges, including point- source municipal waste discharges and nonpoint-source stormwater runoff. NPDES permits generally identify effluent and receiving water limits on allowable connections and/or mass emissions of pollutants contained in the discharge; prohibitions on discharges not specifically allowed under the permit; and provisions that describe required actions by the discharger, including industrial pretreatment, pollution prevention, self-monitoring, and other activities. Wastewater discharge is regulated under the NPDES permit program for direct discharges into receiving waters and by the National Pretreatment Program for indirect discharges to a wastewater (sewage) treatment plant (WWTP).

State Regulations
State Water Resources Control Board: General Waste Discharge Requirements On May 2, 2006 the SWRCB adopted Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements (Order No. 2006- 0003) and a monitoring and reporting program (Order No. WQ-2013-0058-EXEC) for all publicly owned sanitary sewer collection systems in California with more than one mile of sewer pipes. The order provides a consistent statewide approach to reducing sanitary sewer overflows (SSO). The Waste Discharge Requirements require public agencies that own or operate sanitary sewer systems to develop and implement sewer system management plans (SSMP) and report all SSOs to the SWRCB’s online reporting

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system. The SWRCB has delegated authority to nine RWQCBs to enforce these requirements within their regions.

The Central Coast RWQCB (Region 3) issues and enforces NPDES permits in the area of the proposed project. NPDES permits allow the RWQCB to regulate where and how waste is disposed, including the discharge volume and effluent limits of waste and the monitoring and reporting responsibilities of the discharger. The RWQCB is also charged with conducting inspections of permitted discharges and monitoring permit compliance.

The SSMP evaluates existing sewer collection systems and provides a framework for minimizing the frequency and impact of SSOs. The SSMP includes an overflow emergency response plan; a fats, oil, and grease control program; scheduled inspections and condition assessment; design and construction standards; capacity assessment and management; and a monitoring program.

Sanitary District Act of 1923
The Sanitary District Act of 1923 (California Health and Safety Code Section 6400 et seq.) authorizes the formation of sanitation districts and enables the sanitation districts to construct, operate, and maintain facilities for the collection, treatment, and disposal of wastewater.

Local Regulations
Hollister Municipal Code

The HMC includes directives to ensure the appropriate design and installation of sewers within the City.

The HMC is organized by title, chapter, and section. Most provisions related to wastewater and sewer infrastructure are included in Title 13, Public Service, as follows:
 Chapter 13.04, Sewer Service System. This chapter describes the materials that are prohibited to be discharged to the sewer system; sewer connection permits and construction standards; connection fees and sewer service charges; and the protocol for the City to suspend wastewater treatment service and/or wastewater discharge permits if the discharge poses an endangerment to the health and welfare of people or the environment or causes interference to the treatment plant.  Section 13.04.700, Certain water prohibited from sanitary sewer. This section states that any user discharging industrial or commercial sewer effluent can request that the sewer service charges be based on metered sewage rather than on metered water use by installing a sewer flow meter.

Hollister NPDES Permit for Wastewater Treatment
The Central Coast RWQCB previously issued individual NPDES permits and waste discharge requirements for each WWTP. However, this procedure was recently changed and the RWQCB now issues general waste discharge requirements (Order No. R3-3030-0020) for domestic wastewater systems with flows greater

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than 100,000 gallons/day.21 In 2024, the City’s domestic WWTP and recycled water distribution system was officially enrolled under this order, which replaced former Order No. R3-2008-0069. The new order contains specifications for wastewater systems, ponds, land application, and sludge/solids/biosolids disposal as well as effluent and organic loading limitations. The WWTP must be maintained in accordance with the Operations and Maintenance Manual submitted to and approved by the RWQCB and comply with all sampling and analysis requirements contained in the General Monitoring and Reporting Program.

Cielo Vista Estates Waste Discharge Requirements for Wastewater Treatment Plant The Central Coast RWQCB issued Waste Discharge Requirements Order No. R3-87-115 to the Cielo Vista Estates WWTP. Cielo Vista Estates owns and operates a small community wastewater service system as County Service Area (CSA) No. 22. The wastewater system consists of a packaged treatment unit that treats about 20,000 gpd. The treated wastewater is conveyed to adjacent leach fields.

Hollister Urban Area Water and Wastewater Master Plan Update The latest update to the WWMP is dated 2017 and is a collaboration between the City, SSCWD, and SBCWD to coordinate existing and future water and wastewater needs and infrastructure on a regional basis. The Master Plan addresses wastewater system improvements within the EIR Study Area, which includes all of Hollister and portions of San Benito County. The wastewater facilities evaluated in this update are the City’s Water Reclamation Facility, the SSCWD WWTP, and the Cielo Vista WWTP. Some of the improvements identified in the Master Plan have been implemented, such as the expansion of the City’s DTWP. As population increases, major infrastructure improvements identified in the Master Plan would be implemented, including increases in treatment and disposal capacities and reductions in effluent concentrations.

Hollister Sanitary Sewer Collection System Master Plan
The Sanitary Sewer Collection System Master Plan was originally completed in 2010 and was last updated in 2018. The master plan provides a summary of existing facilities, wastewater flows, identified system capacity deficiencies for existing and future conditions, recommended CIPs, recommended operation and maintenance (O&M) practices, and recommended inspection programs. The CIPs will be grouped into two categories: Near Term and Long Term. Near Term projects are required due to existing deficiencies and are prioritized based on need. Long Term projects are upgrades that are required due to future development.

The plan also provides cost estimates for each of the CIPs and O&M activities.22

21 Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, 2020, General Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges from Domestic Wastewater Systems with Flows Greater than 100,000 Gallons per Day, https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/board_decisions/adopted_orders/2020/r32020_0020.pdf , accessed July 2, 2024. 22 City of Hollister, March 2018 , Sanitary Sewer Collection System Master Plan Update, http://hollister.ca.gov/wp- content/uploads/2018/04/1011-0003-03_FINAL-SSCSMP-Update-with-Sig-Page.pdf, accessed January 11, 2023.

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Hollister Sewer System Management Plan
The City’s latest SSMP is dated October 2022 and provides a plan and schedule for operating and maintaining all parts of the sanitary sewer system to reduce and prevent SSOs and mitigate any SSOs that do occur. As required by law, the SSMP must be updated every five years and must be developed in compliance with the requirements of the SWRCB Waste Discharge Requirements Order No. 2006-003- DWQ, Amended Monitoring and Reporting Program (MRP) Order No. WQ 2008-002-EXEC, and Order No.

WQ 2013-0058-EXEC.

Hollister Design Standards
The construction of sewer collection systems within the City’s service area shall conform to the City’s requirements per Section 5 of the City’s Design Standards. The design standards require calculations for design flows and pipe capacities, including upstream development flows, standards for pipe materials, pipe cover, and separation distances from water lines, laterals, manholes, and force mains. All improvements, including extensions, replacements, and repairs, shall also conform to these design standards.23
Existing Conditions
The wastewater service providers in the EIR Study Area include the City of Hollister and the Cielo Vista Estates CSA. The SSCWD only provides wastewater services to a small area that includes the Ridgemark Estates community, and the Quail Hollow and Oak Creek subdivisions. These areas are outside of the EIR Study Area and are south and southeast of Hollister.

The Cielo Vista CSA consists of approximately 1.2 miles of sewer collection pipelines and a small package wastewater treatment system with influent flows of about 20,000 gpd. There are future plans to incorporate the area served by this system into the City’s sewer distribution system. There also are approximately 880 housing units within the EIR Study Area but in unincorporated San Benito County that rely on septic systems for wastewater disposal. These county “islands” are under the jurisdiction of San Benito County and are not served by the City’s wastewater collection system.

Wastewater Treatment
The City of Hollister owns two WWTPs that serve the EIR Study Area. The City’s domestic water reclamation facility (DWRF) collects and treats domestic, commercial, and industrial wastewater and produces Title 22 reclaimed water for agricultural irrigation and landscape irrigation at Brigantino Park.

The DWRF is currently operated by Veolia. The City’s industrial WWTP, which is .operated by SSCWD under contract with San Benito Foods, previously treated seasonal tomato cannery wastewater from San Benito Foods, as well as stormwater.24 However, the City recently ceded responsibility for the industrial

23 City of Hollister, November 2019, City of Hollister Design Standards/Standard Specifications, Standard Plans, http://hollister.ca.gov/government/city-departments/engineering/engineering-standards/ , accessed January 6, 2023. 24 San Benito County Water District, Sunnyslope County Water District, and City of Hollister, July 2021, 2020 Hollister Urban Area Urban Water Management Plan, accessed July 14, 2022.

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wastewater discharge permit to San Benito Foods, which assumes responsibility for all wastewater discharges to the industrial WWTP. The City still controls and is responsible for the discharge of stormwater to the industrial WWTP.

The DWRF is along the western edge of the city at 2690 San Juan Hollister Road. The City’s original domestic WWTP was constructed in 1980 and went through a series of upgrades; the latest upgrade included construction of the DWRF to replace the original WWTP and treatment to tertiary standards for recycled water use. The DWRF is permitted to treat up to 4.08 mgd . The quantity of wastewater treated in 2020 was 2,658 acre-feet, or approximately 2.4 mgd. This is about 60 percent of the permitted treatment capacity.25 The DWRF treats water to disinfected tertiary recycled water standards through the use of a membrane bioreactor. The DWRF is operated under the NPDES permit issued by the Central Coast RWQCB. The facility can be expanded to accommodate flows as the service population increases through the installation of additional membranes.

The industrial WWTP began operation in 1971 and is currently operated by SSCWD. It is on 78 acres approximately one mile east of the DWRF. It is a conventional aerated pond treatment system that produces secondary-treated effluent, which is discharge to evaporation and percolation ponds that recharge the groundwater basin. It has a capacity of up to 7.5 mgd. However, the current RWQCB permit limits flows to 3.5 mgd during the canning season (mid-June through mid-October) and 1.75 mgd of stormwater outside the canning season. It was originally constructed to treat effluent from local tomato canneries and stormwater. However, the number of industrial discharges has significantly declined over the last 30 years, and currently only one cannery, San Benito Foods, discharges to the industrial WWTP.26 The permit for
Wastewater from the Cielo Vista Estates in the southeast corner of the EIR Study Area is conveyed to the Cielo Vista Estates WWTP. Cielo Vista Estates was established as San Benito CSA No. 22, and the WWTP is operated by San Benito County. The subdivision consists of approximately 48 single-family residences. The wastewater treatment facility that services this area consists of an enclosed package sequencing batch reactor that has the capacity to treat up to 30,000 gpd of domestic wastewater. The average estimated influent wastewater flow to the facility is 20,000 gpd.27 Due to operational issues and difficulties with meeting the RWQCB’s wastewater discharge limits, the City of Hollister and SSCWD have reached an agreement that Cielo Vista Estates will be connected to the City of Hollister’s wastewater collection system with ultimate discharge into the City’s DWRF.

25 San Benito County Water District, Sunnyslope County Water District, and City of Hollister, July 2021, 2020 Hollister Urban Area Urban Water Management Plan, accessed July 14, 2022. 26 San Benito County Water District, Sunnyslope County Water District, and City of Hollister, July 2021, 2020 Hollister Urban Area Urban Water Management Plan, accessed July 14, 2022. 27 County of San Benito, 2015, 2035 San Benito County General Plan Update

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Wastewater Collection System
The City’s wastewater collection system consists of over 100 miles of gravity sewer pipes ranging in diameter from 4 inches to 36 inches. The City also has 2,110 manholes, four lift stations, and corresponding force mains. Most of the system consists of vitrified clay pipe, although some PVC pipe has been installed with newer construction.28
The City of Hollister currently provides sewer collection services within the city limits, commercial facilities on Highway 156 near the DWRF, a small housing development, the County public works/planning facility, and the labor camp south of the city near Hospital Road and Southside Road. Figure 4.17-3, Hollister Sanitary Sewer System, shows the City’s service area and distribution system.

Existing Wastewater Flows
The DWRF currently processes 2.6 mgd of wastewater on average, as compared to a permitted capacity of

4.02 mgd. This existing flow consists of 2.26 mgd from areas inside the City of Hollister and its environs,

0.16 mgd from the City of San Juan Bautista, and 0.18 mgd from San Juan Oaks residential subdivision in unincorporated San Benito County.29
Sewer Capacity Assessment
The Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems Master Plan Update identified several locations that did not meet the City’s performance standards for depth of flow divided by the pipe diameter (d/D). The criteria are d/D = 0.5 for pipe diameters of 10 inches or less, and d/D = 0.67 for pipe diameters of 12 inches or greater. This means that if a 10-inch diameter pipe or less at peak flow conditions is more than half full, it would be deficient. And a 12-inch diameter pipe or greater flowing at more than 2/3 full would be deficient. The Master Plan Update identified recommended areas for pipe upgrades, as provided in Table

4.17-5, Recommended Wastewater Capital Improvement Projects. The projects are ranked in order of importance. Since the Master Plan update was prepared in 2018, the City has completed six of the nine recommended near-term capital improvement projects.

28 City of Hollister, March 2018, Sanitary Sewer Collection System Master Plan Update 29 City of Hollister, 2024, Communication with William Via, Public Works Director, February 6, 2024.

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TABLE 4.17-5 RECOMMENDED WASTEWATER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS Ranking Title Street(s) Status
1 Bridge Road Interconnect Bridge Road In Design
2 Powell Street Sewer Pipe
Upgrade Powell Street Completed
3 West Street Sewer Pipe Upgrade West Street Not completed 4 Nash Road Sewer Pipe Upgrade Nash Road, Tres Pinos Road, Sunnyslope Road Completed 5 Sunset Drive Sewer Pipe
Upgrade
Memorial Drive, Cedar Street, Iris Street, Valley
View Drive, Sunset Drive, Ciera Vista Drive Completed
6 GLP Lift Station Upgrades Frontage Road In Design
7 Line Street Near Term Sewer Pipe
Upgrade Line Street Not completed
8 2nd and East Lift Station
Upgrades East Street Not completed
9 Airport Lift Station Upgrades San Felipe Road In Design Source: City of Hollister, March 2018, Sanitary Sewer Collection System Master Plan Update.

STANDARDS OF SIGNIFICANCE
Implementation of the proposed project would result in significant wastewater-related impact if it would:

4. Require or result in the relocation or construction of new or expanded wastewater treatment or facilities, the construction or relocation of which could cause significant environmental effects.

5. Result in a determination by the wastewater treatment provider which serves or may serve the project that it has adequate capacity to serve the project’s projected demand in addition to the provider’s existing commitments.

6. In combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, result in a cumulative impact with respect to wastewater facilities.

IMPACT DISCUSSION
UTIL-4 Implementation of the proposed project would not require or result in the construction of new wastewater treatment facilities or expansion of existing facilities, the construction of which would cause significant environmental effects.
2040 General Plan
Implementation of the proposed project would have a significant impact if it would result in the construction of a new WWTP or the expansion of an existing WWTP, the construction of which would have a significant effect on the environment. As discussed below, future demands from the increased population and land use changes from implementation of the proposed 2040 General Plan would exceed the current design or permitted capacity of the City’s WWTP that serve the EIR Study Area.

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Wastewater generated by the proposed project would be collected by the City’s sanitary sewer system and conveyed to the City’s DWRF for treatment. An estimate of the amount of additional wastewater generated by the proposed project was determined, as shown in Table 4.17-6, Projected Wastewater Demand Increase. The wastewater generation factors were obtained from for the City’s Sanitary Sewer Collection System Master Plan Update. Since this document does not have a land use category for industrial/warehousing land use, a factor of 0.03 gpd/sf was used from the City of Los Angeles Wastewater Generation Factors.30
TABLE 4.17-6 PROJECTED WASTEWATER DEMAND INCREASE
Category No. of DUs or Square
Feet
Wastewater Generation Factor
(gpd/du or gpd/sf) a
Increase in Wastewater Demand
(gpd)
Single and Multi-Family
Residential Dwelling Units 10,530 137.2 1,444,716
Commercial Square Feet 1,100,000 0.06 66,000
Industrial Square Feet 2,800,000 0.02 56,000
Total GPD 1,566,716
Total MGD 1.57
Notes: gpd = gallons per day. DU = dwelling units, MGD – million gallons per day a. gpd/DU derived from factor of 40 gallons per capita per day x 3.43 people per DU for a total of 137.2 gpd/DU. Factor for commercial wastewater generation rate from City’s Sanitary Sewer Collection System Master Plan Update. Factor for industrial wastewater generation rate for City of Los Angeles sewer generation rates.

Sources: City of Hollister, 2018; City of Los Angeles, 2019; PlaceWorks, 2024.

The projected increase in wastewater discharge at buildout of the proposed 2040 General Plan is estimated to be 1.57 mgd. The City’s DWRF is permitted to treat up to 4.08 mgd, and currently, the facility treats approximately 2.6 mgd. With buildout of the proposed 2040 General Plan and the increase in wastewater flows from the City of San Juan Bautista and San Juan Oaks Subdivision, the City’s DWRF would exceed its current permitted capacity by approximately 1.45 mgd. The existing and projected future wastewater demands are shown in Table 4.17-7, Existing and Future Wastewater Demands.

TABLE 4.17-7 EXISTING AND FUTURE WASTEWATER DEMANDS
Category Existing Wastewater
Demand (mgd)
Increase in Wastewater
Demand (mgd)
Total 2040 Wastewater
Demand (mgd)
City of Hollister 2.26 1.57 3.83
City of San Juan Bautista 0.16 1.04 1.2
San Juan Oaks Subdivision 0.18 0.32 0.5
Total 2.6 2.93 5.53
Notes: mgd = million gallons per day.

Sources: City of Hollister, 2024; PlaceWorks, 2024.

The City of San Juan Bautista and the San Juan Oaks subdivision in unincorporated San Benito County have contract agreements with the City that the amount of wastewater conveyed to the City’s DWRF can

30 City of Los Angeles, 2019, Sewage Generation Factors, https://engpermitmanual.lacity.org/sites/default/files/documents/Sewage%20Generation%20Factors%20Chart.pdf accessed on January 17, 2023.

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increase up to 1.2 mgd and 0.5 mgd, respectively. There could also be additional wastewater flows to the City’s DW RF due to septic system conversions within the City’s service area and new connections from SSCWD’s sewer collection system, such as Cielo Vista Estates, Gavilan College, Fairview Corners, and Lands of Lee. Some of the increases in flow rates can be accommodated with upgrades to the sanitary sewer system and implementation of the Capital Improvement Projects listed in Table 4.17-5, some of which have already been completed. However, the increase in wastewater flow rates to the City’s DWRF would require upgrades to the treatment plant. The wastewater generation estimates in Table 4.17-6 are conservative and do not consider the reduction in water demand and subsequent reduction in wastewater generation that results from compliance with CALGreen building codes for new construction and ongoing water conservation programs.

Although the City of Hollister and the DWRF currently have ample capacity to process wastewater from existing development, there could be capacity issues in the future as the proposed 2040 General Plan is built out. In agreements with the City of San Juan Bautista and the San Juan Oaks subdivision, the City of Hollister has committed that San Juan Bautista can send a maximum of 1.2 mgd to the DWRF and that San Juan Oaks can send a maximum of 0.5 mgd. Adding these maximum flows to the City’s existing and future projected wastewater flow rates results in a total future demand of approximately 5.53 mgd. Although there is not a wastewater treatment capacity issue presently, one could arise in the future as development occurs in the City of Hollister, San Juan Bautista, San Juan Oaks, and SSCWD service areas. The City of Hollister currently has plans to expand the DWRF in the future to 6.8 mgd, pending approval by the RWQCB, which would accommodate all of the proposed development within and outside of the EIR Study Area.31
All potential future development would be required to pay a sewer connection fee prior to the issuance of building permits as well as monthly wastewater collection fees, which are used to continually upgrade components of the wastewater collection and treatment systems through the CIP programs. In addition, the proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions have restrictions that address the potential capacity shortfall, as discussed below.

The proposed Land Use and Community Design (LU) Community Services and Facilities (CSF) and Natural Resources and Conservation (NRC) Elements of the 2040 General Plan contain goals, policies, and actions that require local planning and development decisions to consider impacts to wastewater resources. The following proposed 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and actions would serve to minimize potential adverse impacts on future development and wastewater infrastructure:

31 BenitoLink, October 9, 2023, San Juan Bautista to begin $18 million wastewater project.

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Goal CSF-1: Provide an adequate level and maintenance of public services and facilities to ensure the continued health, education, welfare, and safety of all residents and businesses. (Goal CSF4)  Policy CSF-1.1: New Development Requirements for Public Services. Ensure that future growth does not create demands that exceed the capabilities and capacity of local public services, including police and fire services, by requiring new development applications to identify the impacts that the proposed development would have on the provision of public services. Approve only development applications that can mitigate impacts or contribute a proportional fair share so that local public services can be maintained at an acceptable level. (Policy CSF1.2)  Policy CSF-1.2: Coordination of Facilities and Services Planning. Cooperate and coordinate with the County of San Benito, Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), and other local agencies in the provision of infrastructure and services in the Hollister Planning Area. (Policy CSF1.4)  Policy CSF-1.3: Infrastructure Planning. Require the preparation of a specific plan, financing plan, development agreement, creation of a Communities Facilities District, or another similar document or financing vehicle, as a pre-condition to annexation or redesignations of land for new urban use.