project, the biologist shall submit a written report substantiating such to the City of Pasadena before issuance of a grading permit by the City, and the project may proceed without any further biological investigation. If sensitive or protected biological resources are present on the project site or may be potentially affected by the project, implementation of Mitigation Measure 3-2 shall be required.
3-2 A qualified biologist shall evaluate impacts to sensitive or protected biological resources from development. The impact assessment may require focused surveys that determine absence or presence and distribution of biological resources on the site. These surveys may include but are not limited to: 1) focused special status animal surveys if suitable habitat is present; 2) appropriately timed focused special status plant surveys that will maximize detection and accurate identification of target plant species; and 3) a delineation of jurisdictional boundaries around potential wetlands, riparian habitat, and waters of the United States or State. The results of these surveys will assist in assessing actual project impacts, and with the development of project-specific mitigation measures. Alternatively, the project applicant may forgo focused plant and animal surveys and assume presence of special status species in all suitable habitats on the project site. The qualified biologist shall substantiate the impact evaluation or the assumed presence of special-status species in all suitable habitats onsite in a written report submitted to the City of Pasadena before issuance of a grading permit by the City. 3-3 The City of Pasadena shall require applicants of development project to avoid potential impacts to sensitive or protected biological resources to the greatest extent feasible. Depending on the resources potentially present on the project site, avoidance may include: 1) establishing appropriate no-disturbance buffers around onsite or adjacent resources, and/or 2) initiating construction at a time when special status or protected animal species will not be vulnerable to project-related mortality (e.g., outside the avian nesting season or bat maternal or wintering roosting season). Consultation with relevant regulatory agencies may be required in order to establish suitable buffer areas. If the project avoids all sensitive or protected biological resources, no further action is required. If avoidance of all significant impacts to sensitive or protected biological resources is not feasible, the project shall implement Mitigation Measure 3-4. 3-4 The City of Pasadena shall require applicants to design development projects to minimize potential impacts to sensitive or protected biological resources to the greatest extent feasible, in consultation with a qualified biologist and/or appropriate regulatory agency staff. Minimization measures may include 1) exclusion and/or silt fencing, 2) relocation of impacted resources, 3) construction monitoring by a qualified biologist, and 4) an informative training program conducted by a qualified biologist for construction personnel on sensitive biological resources that may be impacted by project construction. If Chapter 4: Mitigation Measures Fair Oaks Orange Grove Specific Plan Update Addendum to the Pasadena General Plan EIR September 2026
minimization of all significant impacts to sensitive or protected biological resources is infeasible, the project shall implement Mitigation Measure 3-5. 3-5 A qualified biologist will develop appropriate mitigations that will reduce project impacts to sensitive or protected biological resources to a less than significant level, if feasible. The type and amount of mitigation will depend on the resources impacted, the extent of the impacts, and the quality of habitats to be impacted. Mitigations may include, but are not limited to: 1) compensation for lost habitat or waters in the form of preservation or creation of in-kind habitat or waters, either onsite or offsite, protected by conservation easement; 2) purchase of appropriate credits from an approved mitigation bank servicing the Pasadena area; and 3) payment of in-lieu fees.
3-6 Applicants of projects developed pursuant to the General Plan Update shall obtain appropriate permit authorization(s) for impacts to jurisdictional waters, wetlands, and/or riparian habitats. The types of permits potentially required for impacts to jurisdictional waters are a Clean Water Act (Section 404) permit issued by the US Army Corps of Engineers, a California Water Certificate or Waste Discharge Order issued by the Regional Water Quality Control Board, and a Stream Alteration Agreement issued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Cultural Resources
4-1 If cultural resources are discovered during construction of land development projects in Pasadena that may be eligible for listing in the California Register for Historic Resources, all ground disturbing activities in the immediate vicinity of the find shall be halted until the find is evaluated by a Registered Professional Archaeologist. If testing determines that significance criteria are met, then the project shall be required to perform data recovery, professional identification, radiocarbon dates as applicable, and other special studies; and provide a comprehensive final report including site record to the City and the South Central Coastal Information Center at California State University Fullerton. No further grading shall occur in the area of the discovery until Planning Department approves the report.
4-2 The City shall require applicants for development permits that involve grading in areas within the paleontologically sensitive Topanga formation to provide studies by a qualified paleontologist assessing the sensitivity of the project for buried paleontological resources. On properties determined to be moderately to highly sensitive for paleontological resources, such studies shall provide a detailed mitigation plan, including a monitoring program and recovery and/or in situ preservation plan, based on the recommendations of a qualified paleontologist. The mitigation plan shall include the following requirements:
• A paleontologist shall be retained for the project and will be on call during grading and other significant ground-disturbing activities more than six feet Chapter 4: Mitigation Measures Fair Oaks Orange Grove Specific Plan Update Addendum to the Pasadena General Plan EIR September 2026
below the ground surface.
• Should any potentially significant fossil resources be discovered, no further grading shall occur in the area of the discovery until the Planning and Community Development Director concurs in writing that adequate provisions are in place to protect any significant resources. Work may continue outside a minimum radius of 25 feet from the discovery pending review by the Director.
• Unanticipated discoveries shall be evaluated for significance by a qualified paleontologist. If evaluation determines that significance criteria are met, then the project shall be required to perform data recovery, professional identification, radiocarbon dates as applicable, and other special studies; and provide a comprehensive final report, including catalog with museum numbers.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
5-1 Within approximately 18 months of adoption of the proposed General Plan Update, the City of Pasadena shall prepare and present to the City Council for adoption a community climate action plan/greenhouse gas reduction plan. The Plan shall identify strategies to be implemented to reduce GHG emissions associated with the City and shall include as one alternative a program that achieves the AB 32 targets. In addition, the City shall monitor GHG emissions by updating its community-wide GHG emissions inventory every five years upon adoption of the initial Plan. Upon the next update to the community climate action plan/greenhouse gas reduction plan, the inventory, GHG reduction measures, and GHG reductions shall be forecast to year 2035 to ensure progress toward achieving the interim target that aligns with the longterm GHG reduction goals of Executive Order S-03-04. The Plan update shall take into account the reductions achievable from federal and state actions and measures as well as ongoing work by the City and the private sector. The 2035 Plan update shall be completed by January 1, 2021, with a plan to achieve GHG reductions for 2035 or 2040, provided the state has an actual plan to achieve reductions for 2035 or 2040. New reduction programs in similar sectors as the proposed Plan (building energy, transportation, waste, water, wastewater, agriculture, and others) will likely be necessary. Future targets shall be considered in alignment with state reduction targets, to the maximum extent feasible, but it is premature at this time to determine whether or not such targets can be feasibly met through the combination of federal, state, and local action given technical, logistical and financial constraints. Future updates to the community climate action plan/greenhouse gas reduction plan shall account for the horizon beyond 2035 as the state adopts actual plans to meet post-2035 targets. In all instances, the community climate action plan/greenhouse gas reduction plan and any updates shall be consistent with state and federal law.
Chapter 4: Mitigation Measures Fair Oaks Orange Grove Specific Plan Update Addendum to the Pasadena General Plan EIR September 2026
Noise
9-1 Prior to issuance of building and occupancy permits, applicants of industrial projects that involve vibration-intensive machinery or activities adjacent to sensitive receptors shall prepare a study to evaluate potential vibration impacts.
The study shall be prepared by an acoustical engineer and be submitted to the City of Pasadena Planning Division. The study shall evaluate the vibration levels associated with operation of project-related equipment and activities experienced by nearby sensitive receptors. If it is determined that vibration impacts to nearby receptors exceed the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) vibration-annoyance criterion, the study shall recommend and the applicant shall implement the identified measures with the purpose of reducing vibration impacts to a less than significant level. The City of Pasadena shall verify implementation of all identified measures.
9-2 Prior to issuance of building permits for the new construction of habitable area, applicants for development projects shall adhere to the appropriate Vibration Category 2 and Vibration Category 3 screening distances for light rail transit as recommended in Table 9-2 of FTA’s Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment (FTA 2006) in evaluating vibration impacts related to trains on the Metro Gold Line. Applicants for development projects that fall within the screening distances shall prepare and submit to the City of Pasadena Planning Division a study evaluating vibration impacts to the proposed development from train operations. The study shall be prepared by an acoustical engineer who shall identify measures to reduce impacts to habitable structures to below the FTA vibration annoyance criterion. The identified measures shall be incorporated into all design plans submitted to the City of Pasadena. 9-3 Prior to issuance of any grading and construction permits, applicants for individual projects that involve vibration-intensive construction activities, such as pile drivers, jack hammers, and vibratory rollers, within 25 feet of sensitive receptors (e.g., residences and historic structures) shall prepare and submit to the City of Pasadena Planning Division a study to evaluate potential construction-related vibration impacts. The study shall be prepared by an acoustical engineer and shall identify measures to reduce impacts to habitable structures to below the FTA vibration annoyance criterion. If constructionrelated vibration is determined to be perceptible at vibration-sensitive uses, additional requirements, such as use of less-vibration-intensive equipment or construction technique, shall be implemented during construction (e.g., drilled piles, static rollers, and nonexplosive rock blasting). Identified measures shall be included on all construction and building documents and submitted for verification to the City of Pasadena Planning Division. 9-4 Prior to issuance of any construction permits, applicants for individual projects that involve vibration-intensive construction activities, such as pile drivers, jack hammers, bulldozers, and vibratory rollers, within 25 feet of sensitive receptors (e.g., residences) or 50 feet of historic structures, shall prepare and submit to Chapter 4: Mitigation Measures Fair Oaks Orange Grove Specific Plan Update Addendum to the Pasadena General Plan EIR September 2026
the City of Pasadena Planning Division a study to evaluate potential construction-related vibration impacts. The vibration assessment shall be prepared by an acoustical engineer and be based on the FTA vibration-induced architectural damage criterion. If the study determines a potential exceedance of the FTA thresholds, measures shall be identified that ensure vibration levels are reduced to below the thresholds. Measures to reduce vibration levels can include use of less-vibration-intensive equipment (e.g., drilled piles and static rollers) and/or construction techniques (e.g., nonexplosive rock blasting and use of hand tools) and preparation of a preconstruction survey report to assess the condition of the affected sensitive structure. Notwithstanding the above, pile drivers shall not be allowed within 150 feet of any historic structures. Identified measures shall be included on all construction and building documents and submitted for verification to the City of Pasadena Planning Division. 9-5 Prior to issuance of construction permits, applicants for new development projects within 500 feet of noise-sensitive receptors shall implement the following best management practices to reduce construction noise levels:
• Consider the installation of temporary sound barriers for construction activities immediately adjacent to occupied noise-sensitive structures. • Equip construction equipment with mufflers.
• Restrict haul routes and construction-related traffic. • Reduce nonessential idling of construction equipment to no more than five minutes.
The identified best management practices shall be noted on all site plans and/or construction management plans and submitted for verification to the City of Pasadena Planning Division.
Transportation and Traffic
13-1 The City of Pasadena shall update its existing transportation impact fee program by 2020. The City shall prepare a “Nexus” Study that will serve as the basis for requiring development impact fees under AB 1600 legislation, as codified by California Code Government Section 66000 et seq. The established procedures under AB 1600 require that a “reasonable relationship” or nexus exist between the traffic improvements and facilities required to mitigate the traffic impacts of new development pursuant to the proposed project. After approval of the Nexus Study, the City shall update the transportation impact fee program to fund all citywide circulation improvements, including the pedestrian and bicycle network. The fee program shall stipulate that fees are assessed when there is new construction or when there is an increase in square footage within an existing building or the conversion of existing square footage to a more intensive use. Fees are calculated by multiplying the proposed square footage or dwelling unit by the rate identified. The fees are included with any other applicable fees payable at the time the building permit Chapter 4: Mitigation Measures Fair Oaks Orange Grove Specific Plan Update Addendum to the Pasadena General Plan EIR September 2026
is issued. The City will use the development fees to fund construction (or to recoup fees advanced to fund construction).
Chapter 5: List of Preparers Fair Oaks-Orange Grove Specific Plan Update Addendum to the Pasadena General Plan EIR September 2026
CHAPTER 5
LIST OF PREPARERS
LEAD AGENCY
The City of Pasadena
Planning & Community Development Department
175 N. Garfield Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91101
Anita Cerna, Principal Planner
David Sinclair, Senior Planner
Ani Garibyan, Planner
PREPARED BY
AECOM Technical Services, Inc.
300 S. Grand Avenue, 9th Floor
Los Angeles, California 90071
Rod Jeung, Project Director
Susan Ambrosini, Principal Urban Planner
Lori Keller, Environmental Analyst
Mike Peterson, Urban Planner
Jang Seo, GIS/Graphic Specialist