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ATTACHMENT No. 3
RESOLUTION NO. 24-58
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWALK
ADOPTING ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS PURSUANT TO THE
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT, CERTIFYING THE
FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (FEIR SCH #2022070103) FOR SPECIFIC PLAN AREA NO. 17, THE “NORWALK TRANSIT
VILLAGE SPECIFIC PLAN,” APPROVING A MITIGATION MONITORING
AND REPORTING PROGRAM, AND ADOPTING A STATEMENT OF
OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS
WHEREAS, the City has received General Plan Amendment No. 2022-01 (2024- 01), Zone Change No. 2022-01 (2024-02), and Zoning Text Amendment No. 2022-02 (2024-04) to establish Specific Plan Area No. 17, the “Norwalk Transit Village Specific Plan,” at 13200 Bloomfield Avenue Norwalk, California, 90650 (“Subject Parcel”); also known as Assessor’s Parcel Number (“APN”) 8045-008-902; requests from The City of Norwalk (“Applicant”) to facilitate the development of a mixed-use development with up to 66,647 square feet of neighborhood commercial uses, 13,500 square feet of active commercial uses, a hotel with up to 150 keys, 770 residential units (40% of the units will be designated as “affordable,”) and 3.7 acres of open space; and WHEREAS, Specific Plan Area No. 17, the “ Norwalk Transit Village Specific Plan,” would allow for the redevelopment of the Specific Plan area as vibrant and interactive mixed-use development with open spaces; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to section 21067 of the Public Resources Code, and Section 15367 of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) Guidelines (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, Sections 15000 et seq.), the City of Norwalk is the lead agency for the proposed Project; and
WHEREAS, based on the Initial Study, the City determined that an EIR should be prepared because the Project may have a significant effect on the environment; and WHEREAS, in accordance with State CEQA Guidelines Section 15082, on July 8, 2022, the City sent to the Office of Planning and Research and each responsible and trustee agency, and a 500-foot radius of property owners around the Project, a Notice of Preparation (“NOP”) stating that an Environmental Impact Report (SCH # 2022070103) (“EIR”) would be prepared; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21083.9 and CEQA Guidelines Sections 15082(c) and 15083, the City held one duly noticed Scoping Meeting on July 21, 2022, to solicit comments on the scope of the environmental review of the proposed Project; and
WHEREAS, a Draft EIR was prepared, incorporating comments received in response to the NOP; and
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WHEREAS, in accordance with State CEQA Guidelines Section 15085, a Notice of Completion was prepared and filed with the Office of Planning and Research on February 2, 2024; and
WHEREAS, as required by State CEQA Guidelines Section 15087(a), on February 2, 2024, the City provided Notice of Availability of the Draft EIR, which was available for a 45-day public review period beginning on February 2, 2024 and extended to March 20, 2024; and
WHEREAS, during the public comment period, copies of the Draft EIR and technical appendices were available for review and inspection at Norwalk City Hall and Norwalk Library and the City also consulted with and requested comments from all responsible and trustee agencies, other regulatory agencies, and others pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15086; and
WHEREAS, the City received numerous written comment letters on the Draft EIR; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15088, the City has prepared written responses to all comments submitted on the Draft EIR; and WHEREAS, the City has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Report (“Final EIR”), which consists of the Draft EIR and its associated technical appendices, comments to the Draft EIR and its associated technical appendices, and written responses to comments on the Draft EIR; and
WHEREAS, on July 10, 2024, the Planning Commission conducted a duly noticed public hearing to consider the Final EIR, and the proposed Project, and to solicit comments on the documents from staff, the public, the applicant and the City’s consultant team; and WHEREAS, all potentially adverse environmental impacts were sufficiently analyzed in the Final EIR; and
WHEREAS, all of the requirements of the Public Resources Code and State CEQA Guidelines have been satisfied by the City in connection with the preparation of the Final EIR, which is sufficiently detailed so that all of the potentially significant environmental effects of the Project have been adequately evaluated; and WHEREAS, the Final EIR sufficiently analyzes the Project’s potentially significant environmental impacts and a reasonable range of feasible alternatives capable of reducing these effects to less than significant levels to the extent feasible; and WHEREAS, all of the findings and conclusions made by the City Council pursuant to this Resolution are based upon the oral and written evidence presented to it as a whole and the entirety of the administrative records of the Project, which are incorporated herein by this reference, and are not based solely on the information provided in this Resolution; Resolution No. 25-58 Page 3 of 6
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and
WHEREAS, the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, which sets forth the binding mitigation measures for the Project, is attached hereto as Exhibit “A”; and WHEREAS, the Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations are attached hereto as Exhibit “B”;
WHEREAS, the Final EIR reflects the independent judgment of the City and is fully adequate for purposes of making decisions on the merits of the Project; and WHEREAS, no comments made or information presented during or after the public review of the Final EIR has produced any significant new information requiring recirculation of the Draft EIR or additional environmental review of the Project under Public Resources Code Section 210092.1 or State CEQA Guidelines Section 15088.5.
WHEREAS, all other legal prerequisites to the adoption of this Resolution have occurred.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWALK HEREBY DETERMINES, FINDS, AND RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and are hereby incorporated as substantive findings in this Resolution.
Section 2. The City Council of the City of Norwalk certifies that (i) the Final EIR has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of CEQA and the State CEQA Guidelines, (ii) the Final EIR was presented to the City and the City has reviewed and considered the information contained in the Final EIR prior to considering adoption of the Project, and (iii) the Final EIR reflects the independent judgment and analysis of the City.
Section 3. The City Council hereby adopts the CEQA Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by this reference as if fully set forth herein.
Section 4. Pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21081.6 and State CEQA Guidelines Section 15097, the City Council hereby adopts the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program attached hereto as Exhibit B and incorporated herein by this reference as if fully set forth herein. The City Council finds that the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program is designed to ensure that, during the implementation of the Project, changes to the Project and/or mitigation measures have been incorporated into the Project and are fully enforceable through permit conditions, agreements, or other measures as required by Public Resources Code Section 21081.6.
Section 5. The City Council has thoroughly reviewed the public comments received regarding the Project and the Final EIR as it relates to the Project. None of the information submitted after publication of the Final EIR, including without limitation testimony at and documents submitted for the public hearings on the Project, constitutes Resolution No. 25-58 Page 4 of 6
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substantial evidence that would require revision or recirculation of the EIR. The City Council finds that this information and testimony is not credible evidence of a significant impact, a substantial increase in the severity of an impact disclosed in the Final EIR, or a feasible mitigation measure or alternative not included in the Final EIR.
Section 6. The documents and materials that constitute the record of proceedings on which the CEQA Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations in Exhibit A of this Resolution have been based are located at City Hall, 12700 Norwalk Boulevard, Norwalk, California 90650. The custodian for these records is the Director of Community Development. This information is provided in compliance with Public Resources Code Section 21081.6.
Section 7. Location of Documents. The documents and materials that constitute the record of proceedings on which this Resolution have been based are located at Norwalk City Hall, 12700 Norwalk Boulevard, Norwalk, California 90650. The custodian for these records is the Director of Community Development. This information is provided in compliance with Public Resources Code Section 21081.6.
Section 8. The City Council directs staff to file a Notice of Determination with the Los Angeles County Clerk within five (5) business days of the final approval.
Section 9. The City Clerk shall certify the adoption of this Resolution and it shall go into effect immediately upon its adoption.
Section 10. The Mayor, or presiding officer, is hereby authorized to affix her signature to this Resolution signifying its adoption by the City Council of the City of Norwalk and the City Clerk, or her duly appointed assistant, is directed to attest thereto [Signatures on the following page]
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APPROVED AND ADOPTED on this 15 th day of October 2024.
MARGARITA L. RIOS
MAYOR
ATTEST:
THERESA DEVOY, CMC
CITY CLERK
EXHIBIT “A”
Draft Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
EXHIBIT “B”
Draft Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Consideration