FINAL
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
FOR THE
CITY OF LOMITA GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
(SCH: 2023120347)
SEPTEMBER 2024
Prepared for:
City of Lomita
Community & Economic Development Department
24300 Narbonne Avenue
Lomita, California 90717
Prepared by:
De Novo Planning Group
180 East Main Street, Suite 108
Tustin, CA 92780
De Novo Planning Group
A Land Use Planning, Design, and Environmental Firm
Attachment 4-part 1
FINAL
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
FOR THE
CITY OF LOMITA GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
(SCH: 2023120347)
SEPTEMBER 2024
Prepared for:
City of Lomita
Community and Economic Development Department
24300 Narbonne Avenue
Lomita, California 90717
Prepared by:
De Novo Planning Group
180 East Main Street, Suite 108
Tustin, CA 92780
Lomita General Plan Update
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
September 2024 TOC-1 Table of Contents
Chapter Page Number
1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1-1
1.1 Purpose and Intended Uses of the EIR ......................................................................1-1
1.2 Environmental Review Process..................................................................................1-2
1.3 Organization of the Final EIR......................................................................................1-4
2.0 Comments on Draft EIR and Responses..................................................................................2-1
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 2-1
2.2 List of Commenters....................................................................................................2-1
2.3 Comments and Responses.........................................................................................2-1
Lomita General Plan Update
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
September 2024 TOC-2 Table of Contents
This page intentionally left blank.
Lomita General Plan Update
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
September 2024 1-1 Introduction
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This Final Environmental Impact Report (Final EIR) was prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the State CEQA Guidelines (Section 15132). The City of Lomita is the lead agency for the environmental review of the City of Lomita General Plan Update (General Plan, General Plan Update, or Project) and has the principal responsibility for approving the Project. This Final EIR assesses the expected environmental impacts resulting from approval and adoption of the General Plan Update and responds to comments received on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR).
The Lomita General Plan is the overarching policy document that guides land use, housing, transportation, open space, public safety, community services, and other policy decisions throughout the City of Lomita.
The Planning Area is the geographic area for which the General Plan Update provides this framework for long-term growth and resource conservation. The General Plan must include Land Use, Circulation, Housing, Conservation, Open Space, Air Quality, Noise, Safety, and Environmental Justice elements, as specified in Government Code Section 65302, to the extent that the issues identified by State law exist in the City’s planning area; however, the City of Lomita is not required to prepare an Environmental Justice element. The City’s 6th Cycle 2021-2029 Housing Element was adopted on December 21, 2021, and it is not part of this update. At the discretion of each jurisdiction, the General Plan may combine these elements and may add optional elements relevant to the physical features of the jurisdiction. The City may also address other topics of interest. The California Government Code also requires that a General Plan be comprehensive, internally consistent, and plan for the long term.
The General Plan Update includes a comprehensive set of goals, policies, and actions (implementation measures), organized into elements with a revised Land Use Map. The goals and policies provide guidance to the City on how to direct change, manage growth, and manage resources over the 20-year life of the General Plan. In order to ensure that the City effectively implements the goals and policies in the General Plan, the General Plan Update includes a series of actions, or implementation measures, within each element alongside the goals and policies the actions implement.
Refer to Section 2.0, Project Description of the Draft EIR for a more comprehensive description of the details of the proposed Project.
1.1 PURPOSE AND INTENDED USES OF THE EIR
CEQA REQUIREMENTS FOR A FINAL EIR
This Final EIR for the Lomita General Plan Update has been prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and State CEQA Guidelines. State CEQA Guidelines Section 15132 requires that a Final EIR consist of the following:
• The Draft EIR or a revision of the draft;
• Comments and recommendations received on the Draft EIR, either verbatim or in summary; • A list of persons, organizations, and public agencies commenting on the Draft EIR; Lomita General Plan Update
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
September 2024 1-2 Introduction
• The responses of the lead agency to significant environmental concerns raised in the review and consultation process; and
• Any other information added by the lead agency.
In accordance with State CEQA Guidelines Section 15132(a), the Draft EIR is incorporated by reference into this Final EIR.
An EIR must disclose the expected environmental impacts, including impacts that cannot be avoided, growth-inducing effects, impacts found not to be significant, and significant cumulative impacts, as well as identify mitigation measures and alternatives to the proposed project that could reduce or avoid its adverse environmental impacts. CEQA requires government agencies to consider and, where feasible, minimize environmental impacts of proposed projects, and obligates them to balance a variety of public objectives, including economic, environmental, and social factors.
PURPOSE AND USE
The City of Lomita, as the lead agency, has prepared the Final EIR to provide the public and responsible and trustee agencies with an objective analysis of the potential environmental impacts resulting from adoption of the General Plan Update and subsequent implementation of projects consistent with the General Plan Update. The environmental review process enables interested parties to evaluate the proposed Project in terms of its environmental consequences, to examine and recommend methods to eliminate or reduce potential adverse impacts, and to consider a reasonable range of alternatives to the project. While CEQA requires that consideration be given to avoiding adverse environmental effects, the lead agency must balance adverse environmental effects against other public objectives, including the economic and social benefits of a project, in determining whether a project should be approved.
The Final EIR will be used as the primary environmental document to evaluate all subsequent planning and permitting actions associated with the General Plan Update. The Final EIR may also be used by other agencies within Los Angeles County. Responsible and trustee agencies that may use the Final EIR are identified in Section 1.0, Introduction and Purpose of the Draft EIR.
1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS
The review and certification process for the Final EIR has involved, or will involve, the following general procedural steps:
NOTICE OF PREPARATION
The City of Lomita circulated an NOP of the Project EIR on December 12, 2023, to trustee and responsible agencies, the State Clearinghouse, and the public. During the January 11, 2024, scoping meeting, no public or agency comments on the NOP related to the EIR analysis were presented or submitted. However, the City received four written comment letters during the NOP’s 30-day public review period, which ended on January 26, 2024. A summary of the NOP comments is provided later in this chapter. Appendix A, NOP and NOP Comment Letters presents the NOP and its comments.
Lomita General Plan Update
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
September 2024 1-3 Introduction
NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY AND DRAFT EIR
The City of Lomita published a public Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Draft EIR on July 22, 2024, inviting comment from the general public, agencies, organizations, and other interested parties. The NOA was filed with the State Clearinghouse (SCH# 2023120347) pursuant to the public noticing requirements of CEQA. The Draft EIR was available for public review from July 22, 2024, through September 4, 2024. The Public Draft General Plan Update was also available for public review and comment during this time period.
The Draft EIR contains a description of the Project, description of the environmental setting, identification of the Project’s direct and indirect impacts on the environment and General Plan policies and actions to reduce impacts to the extent feasible, as well as an analysis of Project alternatives, identification of significant irreversible environmental changes, growth-inducing impacts, and cumulative impacts. The Draft EIR identifies issues determined to have no impact or a less than significant impact and provides detailed analysis of potentially significant and significant impacts. Comments received in response to the NOP were considered in preparing the analysis in the Draft EIR.
RESPONSE TO COMMENTS/FINAL EIR
The City of Lomita received one comment letter regarding the Draft General Plan and Draft EIR from public agencies, organizations, and members of the public during the 45-day review period.
In accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15088, this Final EIR responds to the written comments received on the Draft EIR. This document and the Draft EIR, as amended herein, constitute the Final EIR.
CERTIFICATION OF THE EIR/PROJECT CONSIDERATION
The Lomita City Council will review and consider the Final EIR. If the City Council finds that the Final EIR is "adequate and complete," then it may certify it in accordance with CEQA. The rule of adequacy generally holds that an EIR can be certified if:
1) The EIR shows a good faith effort at full disclosure of environmental information; and 2) The EIR provides sufficient analysis to allow decisions to be made regarding the proposed project in contemplation of environmental considerations.
Upon review and consideration of the Final EIR, the Lomita City Council may take action to approve, revise, or reject the Project. A decision to approve the Lomita General Plan Update, for which this EIR identifies significant environmental effects, must be accompanied by written findings in accordance with State CEQA Guidelines Sections 15091 and 15093.
Policies and actions to mitigate potential environmental impacts have been incorporated into the Project, to the extent feasible. No additional mitigation is feasible or available, as described in Sections 4.1 through
5.0 of the Draft EIR. The annual report on general plan status required pursuant to the Government Code will serve as the monitoring and reporting program for the Project.
Lomita General Plan Update
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
September 2024 1-4 Introduction
1.3 ORGANIZATION OF THE FINAL EIR
The Final EIR has been prepared consistent with Section 15132 of the State CEQA Guidelines, which identifies the content requirements for Final EIRs. The Final EIR is organized in the following manner:
SECTION 1.0 – INTRODUCTION
Section 1.0 briefly describes the purpose of the environmental evaluation, identifies the lead agency, summarizes the process associated with preparation and certification of an EIR, and identifies the content requirements and organization of the Final EIR.
SECTION 2.0 – COMMENTS ON DRAFT EIR AND RESPONSES
Section 2.0 provides a list of commenters, copies of written comments made on the Draft EIR (coded for reference), and responses to those written comments.
Lomita General Plan Update
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
September 2024 2-1 Comments on Draft EIR and Responses
2.0 COMMENTS ON DRAFT EIR AND RESPONSES
2.1 INTRODUCTION
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, Section 15088, the City of Lomita, as the lead agency, has evaluated the comments received on the Public Review Draft EIR for the Lomita General Plan Update (State Clearinghouse No. 2023120347).
CEQA Guidelines Section 15088.5 states that: New information added to an EIR is not “significant” unless the EIR is changed in a way that deprives the public of a meaningful opportunity to comment upon a substantial adverse environmental effect of the project or a feasible way to mitigate or avoid such an effect (including a feasible project alternative) that the project’s proponents have declined to implement.
Section 2.0 of the Final EIR includes information that has been added to the EIR since the close of the public review period in the form of responses to comments and/or errata. As noted below, no new significant information was provided on the Draft EIR during the public comment period.
2.2 LIST OF COMMENTERS
Table 2-1 lists the comments on the Draft EIR that were submitted to the City during the 45-day public review period. The assigned comment letter, letter author, affiliation, if presented in the comment letter or if representing a public agency, and letter date are also listed.
Table 2-1
List of Commenters
Response
Letter Individual or Signatory Affiliation Date
A
Anthony Higgins
Acting LDR/CEQA
Branch Chief
California Department of Transportation (Caltrans),
District 7 9/4/2024
2.3 COMMENTS AND RESPONSES
REQUIREMENTS FOR RESPONDING TO COMMENTS ON A DRAFT EIR
CEQA Guidelines Section 15088 requires that lead agencies evaluate and respond to all comments on the Draft EIR regarding an environmental issue. The written response must address the significant environmental issues raised and be detailed, especially when specific comments or suggestions (e.g., additional mitigation measures) are not accepted. In addition, the written response must be a good faith and reasoned analysis. However, lead agencies only need to respond to significant environmental issues associated with the project and do not need to provide all the information requested by the commenter, as long as a good faith effort at full disclosure is made in the EIR (CEQA Guidelines Section 15204(a)).
CEQA Guidelines Section 15204 recommends that commenters provide detailed comments that focus on the sufficiency of the Draft EIR in identifying and analyzing the possible environmental impacts of the Lomita General Plan Update
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
September 2024 2-2 Comments on Draft EIR and Responses
project and ways to avoid or mitigate the significant effects of the project, and that commenters provide evidence supporting their comments. Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15064, an effect shall not be considered significant in the absence of substantial evidence.
CEQA Guidelines Section 15088 also recommends that revisions to the Draft EIR be noted as a revision in the Draft EIR or as a separate section of the Final EIR.
RESPONSES TO COMMENT LETTERS
Written comments on the Draft EIR are reproduced on the following pages, along with responses to those comments. To assist in referencing comments and responses, the following coding system is used:
a) Each comment letter is lettered (i.e., Letter A), each comment within each letter is numbered (i.e., A-1, A-2, etc.), and each response is numbered correspondingly (i.e., A-1, A-2, etc.). “Provide a safe and reliable transportation network that serves all people and respects the environment.” STATE OF CALIFORNIA------- CALIFORNIA STATE TRANSPORTATION AGENCY GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
DISTRICT 7
100 S. MAIN STREET, MS 16
LOS ANGELES, CA 90012
PHONE (213) 266-3562
FAX (213) 897-1337
TTY 711
www.dot.ca.gov
Making Conservation
a California Way of Life
September 4, 2024
Brianna Rindge
City of Lomita
24300 Narbonne Ave
Lomita, CA 90717
RE: Lomita General Plan Update: DEIR
GTS # 07-LA-2023-04584
SCH # 2023120347
Vic. SR 1, SR 107, SR 213
Dear Brianna Rindge:
Thank you for including the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) in the environmental review process for the above-referenced project. The City of Lomita is preparing a comprehensive update to its existing General Plan. The updated Lomita General Plan is expected to be adopted in 2024 and will guide the City’s development and conservation through land use objectives and policy guidance. The General Plan is intended to be an expression of the community’s vision for the City’s Planning Area and constitutes the policy and regulatory framework by which future development projects will be reviewed and public improvements will be implemented. The General Plan is being prepared to address the requirements of State law and the relevant items addressed in Government Code Section 65300 et seq. The City will implement the General Plan by requiring development, infrastructure improvements, and other projects to be consistent with its policies and by implementing the actions included in the General Plan. The City is also preparing a Zoning Code Update to implement the General Plan and create consistency between the Land Use Map and the Zoning Code. The Zoning Code Update will focus on amendments resulting from the City’s recently certified 2021-2029 Housing Element, and primarily involve the rezoning of sites to accommodate the City’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) and the preparation of Objective Design and Development Standards for residential development. The City of Lomita is the Lead Agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
The closest state facilities are SR 1, SR 107, and SR 213. After reviewing the project’s documents, Caltrans has the following comments:
Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Transit Access
It is determined the Project would result in less-than-significant impact with applicable plans addressing the circulation system, including transit, roadway, bicycle, and pedestrian in the Project vicinity. As noted herein, it is determined that the Project may intensify the use of pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities in the Project vicinity, however, such use is not expected to result in a deficient condition caused by the Project.
LETTER A
1 2
Brianna Rindge
September 4, 2024
“Provide a safe and reliable transportation network that serves all people and respects the environment.” Caltrans is in support of this project’s mobility goals and policies that help achieve state planning priorities contained in state law and meet state policy goals on transportation, VMT reduction, GHG emissions reduction, and/or betterment of the environment and human health.
VMT
The Project is subject to the Los Angeles countywide guidelines which aim to reach 15 percent lower than existing 2023 VMT thresholds. The Project is estimated to exceed 15 percent below the VMT threshold and the Project would result in a significant VMT impact with regard to conflict with CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3(b), and mitigation is required.
Mitigation Measures: TDM
The following TDM mitigation measures have been identified to reduce the significant and unavoidable impact of the Project:
x Increased variety of travel modes
x Transit Service funding
x Ride-matching services
x Telecommuting and alternative work schedules
x Mixed land uses
x Pedestrian and low-stress bicycle network improvements With the implementation of the TDM measures, the results are likely to result in less-thansignificant VMT impacts when considered at an individual project level. However, the VMT impacts would not result in a reduction of the total VMT on a citywide level, and the impact level would result in a significant and unavoidable impact.
Others
For additional multimodal options, please refer to CAPCOA’s Handbook for Analyzing Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions, Assessing Climate Vulnerabilities, and Advancing Health and Equity. This reference is available online at:
https://www.caleemod.com/documents/handbook/full_handbook.pdf Additionally, please see the Caltrans Local Development Review (LDR) Safety Review Practitioner’s Guidance (Table 3) for further safety considerations:
https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/programs/safety-programs/documents/202402-ldrsafety-review-practitioners-guidance-a11y.pdf Caltrans recommends that the Project limit construction traffic to off-peak periods to minimize the potential impact on State facilities. If construction traffic is expected to cause issues on any State facilities, please submit a construction traffic control plan detailing these issues for Caltrans’ review.
3 4
5 6
7 Brianna Rindge
September 4, 2024
“Provide a safe and reliable transportation network that serves all people and respects the environment.” If you have any questions, please contact Jaden Oloresisimo, the project coordinator, at [email protected] and refer to GTS # 07-LA-2024-04584.
Sincerely,
Anthony Higgins
Acting LDR/CEQA Branch Chief
cc: State Clearinghouse
Sincerely,
Anthony Higgins
8 Lomita General Plan Update
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
September 2024 2-6 Comments on Draft EIR and Responses
Response to Comment Letter A
California Department of Transportation – District 7
Anthony Higgins, Acting LDR/CEQA Branch Chief
September 4, 2024
A-1 This comment is noted, as it is introductory in nature and provides an overview of the proposed Project, as well as listing the State Routes or facilities that are closest to the Planning Area. This comment does not require any changes to the Draft EIR, and as such, no further response is required.
A-2 This comment is noted, as it restates the less-than-significant impact findings of the Draft EIR related to the circulation system, including transit, roadway, bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the Planning Area. This comment does not require any changes to the Draft EIR, and as such, no further response is required.
A-3 This comment is noted, as it relays Caltrans’ support of the proposed Project’s mobility goals related to VMT and GHG emissions reductions and the betterment of the environment and human health. This comment does not require any changes to the Draft EIR, and as such, no further response is required.
A-4 This comment is noted, as it describes how the Project would be subject to Los Angeles Countywide VMT Guidelines and would require mitigation to help reduce the significant VMT impact. This comment does not require any changes to the Draft EIR, and as such, no further response is required.
A-5 This comment is noted, as it identified TDM measures which could help reduce significant impacts, and likely result in less-than-significant VMT impacts when applied to individual future projects.
This information will be provided to decision-makers, as future project developers would be required to comply with State and local measures related to reducing transportation and VMT impacts. This comment does not require any changes to the Draft EIR, and as such, no further response is required.
A-6 This comment is noted, as it provides links to CAPCOA’s Handbook for Analyzing Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions, Assessing Climate Vulnerabilities, and Advancing Health and Equity, as well as Caltrans Local Development Review (LDR) Safety Review Practitioner’s Guidance. This comment does not require any changes to the Draft EIR, and as such, no further response is required.
A-7 This comment is noted, as it provides Caltrans’ recommendations for the project to limit construction traffic to off-peak periods to minimize potential impacts to State Facilities, as well as requesting submission of traffic control plans for Caltrans’ review. The proposed General Plan Update does not propose any specific development projects; however, future implementing projects would be required to comply with Caltrans and City requirements related to the submission of traffic control plans during construction, which would be subject to review. This Lomita General Plan Update
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
September 2024 2-7 Comments on Draft EIR and Responses
comment does not require any changes to the Draft EIR, and as such, no further response is required.
A-8 This comment is noted, as it provides a conclusion and contact information for potential questions related to the comment. This comment does not require any changes to the Draft EIR, and as such, no further response is required.
Lomita General Plan Update
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
September 2024 2-8 Comments on Draft EIR and Responses
This page intentionally left blank.