R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
PLACEWORKS 5.3-17
transit and pedestrian mobility. This step shall be part of the CEQA process and apply reasonable Best Available Mitigation Measures (BAMM) to projects that exceed the significance thresholds promulgated by the Air Quality Management District. o Policy 18 High Density and Transit: The City shall, as much as possible, continue to plan high-density development in areas that can be fitted with a transit system. o Policy 19 Mixed Use—Bicyclists and Pedestrians: The City shall continue to encourage mixed-use developments near employment centers that provide commercial services such as day-care centers, restaurants, banks, and stores. o Policy 20 Funding for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Mobility: The City should provide funding opportunities and options for the development of pedestrian and bicyclist corridor construction.
o Policy 21 Parking and Multi -modal Transfer Sites: The City will work with the Redding Area Bus Authority in planning multi-modal transfer sites that incorporate auto parking areas, bike parking, transit, pedestrian and bicycle paths, and park and ride pick -up points.
o Policy 22 Leap-Frog Development: The City shall continue to encourage compact infill development.
o Policy 23 Higher Densities: The City shall consider redesignating vacant lands suitable for higher densities and transit/pedestrian -oriented developments during future General Plan updates and periodic reviews.
o Policy 24 Single -Family and Mixed -Use Conflicts : The City shall encourage projects within urban areas that will improve the effectiveness of the transit system and will not adversely affect existing single-family development.
o Policy 25 Sphere of Influence : The City will work with the Local Agency Formation Commission, Cities of Anderson, Shasta Lake, and the County in establishing a hard edge urban limit line for the boundary of the metropolitan area of the County and commitment to providing public services only within the urban areas. o Policy 26 Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Transit Funding : The City should ensure that state and federal funds earmarked for bicycle and transit improvements are used for those purposes and vigorously pursue funds for new bicycle and transit improvements. o Policy 27 Bus Turnouts and Shelters : As a condition of project approval, the City shall require dedication of land for bus turnouts and shelters at sites deemed appropriate and necessary.
o Policy 28 Bikeway and Pedestrian Plan: The City shall ensure that the Regional Bikeway Plan and the City's Comprehensive Bikeway Plan include a comprehensive system of bikeways and pedestrian paths, which is planned and constructed in accordance with the adopted plan, based on analysis of existing and future use by the area to be served.
Packet Pg. 956
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
5.3-18 FEBRUARY 2024
▪ Goal 3: Reduce particulate emissions from sources under the jurisdiction of the City. o Policy 29 Reduce Particulates : The City will require measures to reduce particulate emissions from construction, grading, and demolition to the maximum extent feasible. o Policy 30 Unpaved Roads and Alleys: The City will develop a priority schedule for paving roads and alleys based on availability of funds, grants, and cooperation of adjoining property owners.
▪ Goal 4: Minimize air pollutant emissions from wood burning fireplaces and appliances. o Policy 31 Phase 2 Wood Stoves : The City will only allow developers to install low emitting, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified Phase 2 or more stringent fireplace inserts and/or wood stoves or pellet stoves.
o Policy 32 Green or Wet Wood : The City should encourage the AQMD to annually advertise the importance of burning only seasoned dry wood. o Policy 33 Changeout: The City should encourage the AQMD to adopt a countywide rule that requires a changeout for existing wood heating devices at the time of change of property ownership. The rule should be proposed if the County continues to exceed state PM10 standards. The community needs a minimum of two years lead time before this rule takes effect.
Standard Mitigation Measures
Per the existing Redding General Plan, all projects that contribute to cumulative air quality impacts and should employ the appropriate SMMs which help to implement the SCAQMD’s guidance, as explained above. The SMMs listed in the 2000-2020 General Plan are provided in Table 5.4-6, Recommended Standard Mitigation Measures for All Projects. The SMMs listed herein are retained in the General Plan Update.
TABLE 5.3-6 RECOMMENDED STANDARD MITIGATION MEASURES FOR ALL PROJECTS Provide energy-efficient process systems, such as water heaters, furnaces, and boiler units.
Apply nontoxic soil stabilizers according to manufacturer's specification to all inactive construction areas (previously graded areas inactive for ten days or more).
Reestablish ground cover on the construction site through seeding and watering prior to final occupancy.
All grading operations of a project shall be suspended when winds (as instantaneous gusts) exceed 20 miles per hour as directed by the AQMD.
All new wood burning devices shall be EPA Phase II certified.
Streets should be designed to maximize pedestrian access to transit stops.
Large residential, commercial, and industrial projects should include bus shelters at transit access points.
Provide temporary traffic control as appropriate during all phases of construction to improve traffic flow (e.g. flag person).
Schedule construction activities that affect traffic flow to off-peak hours.
Water active construction sites at least twice daily as directed by the Public Works Department.
All truck hauling dirt, sand, soil, or other loose materials should be covered or should maintain at least two feet of freeboard (i.e., minimum vertical distance between top of the load and the trailer) in accordance with the requirements of CVC Section 23114. This provision is enforced by local law enforcement agencies.
Packet Pg. 957
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
PLACEWORKS 5.3-19
TABLE 5.3-6 RECOMMENDED STANDARD MITIGATION MEASURES FOR ALL PROJECTS Sweep streets at the end of the day if visible soil materials are carried onto adjacent public paved roads (recommend water sweeper with reclaimed water).
Install wheel washers where vehicles enter and exit unpaved roads onto paved roads, or wash off trucks and any equipment leaving the site each trip.
Source: Redding 2000
Best Available Mitigation Measures
As explained above under the SCAQMD’s regulations, each jurisdiction under the SCAQMD contains BAMMs in their respective Air Quality Elements (or equivalent) that apply to projects that would exceed the thresholds shown in Table 5.3 -4. For example, if a project’s emissions exceed the Level A significance thresholds contained in Table 5.3-4, that project would be required to implement all feasible and applicable Level A BAMMs in addition to all feasible and applicable SMMs. If that project’s emissions continue to exceed the Level B significance thresholds, that project would also be required to implement all feasible and applicable Level B BAMMs. The existing 2000-2020 Redding General Plan Air Quality Element contains the following BAMMs applicable to residential projects in Table 5.3-7, Recommended BAMMs for Residential Projects. The BAMMs applicable to commercial and industrial projects are shown in Table 5.3 -8, Recommended BAMMs for Commercial/Industrial Projects. The BAMMs herein are retained in the General Plan Update.
TABLE 5.3-7 RECOMMENDED BAMMS FOR RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS
Level A Measures
Implement all applicable Standard Mitigation Measures.
Contribute to traffic-flow improvements that reduce emissions and are not growth-inducing (e.g., right-of-way, capital improvements, etc.).
Install an electrical outlet at the front and back of all residential units for electrical yard equipment.
Level B Measures
Implement all applicable Standard Mitigation Measures and Level "A" Mitigation Measures Construct, contribute, or dedicate land for the provision of off-site bicycle trails linking the facility to designated bicycle commuting routes in accordance with an adopted citywide or countywide plan.
Synchronize traffic signals along streets impacted by development.
Construct on-site and off-site bus turnouts, passenger benches, and shelters.
Provide for pedestrian access between bus service and major points within the development.
Construct off-site pedestrian facility improvements such as overpasses and wider sidewalks.
Include neighborhood retail sales and services within or adjacent to residential subdivisions.
Orient building structures and install landscape that takes advantage of passive solar design principles.
Install solar water heaters for at least 25 percent of the residential units in the development.
Incorporate mixed use development in order to achieve a balance of commercial, employment, and housing options within the project site.
Provide neighborhood park(s) or other recreational options such as trails within development to minimize vehicle travel to other parks or commercial areas.
Provide densities of six units or greater to support transit.
Source: Redding 2000
Packet Pg. 958
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
5.3-20 FEBRUARY 2024
TABLE 5.3-8 RECOMMENDED BAMMS FOR COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS Level A Measures
Implement all applicable Standard Mitigation Measures.
Contribute to traffic-flow improvements that are not growth-inducing (e.g., right-of-way, capital improvements, etc.).
Provide preferential parking spaces for carpools and vanpools and provide 7-foot 2-inch minimum vertical clearance in parking facilities for vanpool access.
Level B Measures
Implement all applicable Standard Mitigation Measures and Level "A" Mitigation Measures Telecommuting programs, alternate work schedules, and guaranteed ride home programs shall be established as appropriate.
Provide for transit-use incentives such as subsidized transit passes and accommodation of unusual work schedules to encourage transit use.
Convert fleet vehicles to clean-burning fuel as appropriate.
Shower/locker facilities shall be provided when appropriate for bicycling and pedestrian commuters.
Construct off-site bicycle and pedestrian facility improvements such as trails linking the facility to designated pedestrian/bicycle commuting routes.
Provide on-site services such as cafeterias, food vending machines, automatic tellers, etc., as appropriate.
Contribute to construction of off-site park-n-ride lots.
Provide on-site child care and after-school facilities or contribute to off-site development within walking distance.
Construct on-site pedestrian facility improvements such as walk paths and building access which is physically separated from street and parking lot traffic.
Implement compressed work-week schedules where weekly work hours are compressed into fewer than five days, such as 9/80, 4/40 or 3/36.
Construct on-site and off-site bus turnouts, passenger benches, or shelters.
Provide adequate bicycle storage/parking facilities.
Implement alternative transportation program such as Caltrans rideshare.
Source: Redding 2000
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Northern Sacramento Valley Air Basin
The proposed Project is located at the northern end of the Northern Sacramento Valley Air Basin (NSVAB).
The NSVAB consists of seven counties: Sutter, Yuba, Colusa, Butte, Glenn, Tehama, and Shasta. The NSVAB is bounded on the north and west by the Coastal Mountain Range and on the east by the southern end of the Cascade Mountain Range and the northern end of the Sierra Nevada. These mountain ranges reach heights in excess of 6,000 feet above mean sea level, with individual peaks rising much higher . The mountains form a substantial physical barrier to locally created pollution as well as to pollution transported northward on prevailing winds from the Sacramento metropolitan area.
The environmental conditions of Shasta County are conducive to potentially adverse air quality conditions.
The basin area traps pollutants between two mountain ranges to the east and the west. This problem is exacerbated by a temperature inversion layer th at traps air at lower levels below an overlying layer of Packet Pg. 959
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
PLACEWORKS 5.3-21
warmer air . Prevailing winds in the area are generally from the south and southwest. Sea breezes flow over the San Francisco Bay Area and into the Sacramento Valley, transporting pollutants from the large urban areas. Growth and urbanization in Shasta County have also contributed to an increase in emissions.
Air Pollutants of Concern
Criteria Air Pollutants
The air pollutants emitted into the ambient air by stationary and mobile sources are regulated by federal and state laws. These regulated air pollutants are known as “criteria air pollutants” and are categorized into primary and secondary pollutants. Primary air pollutants are those that are emitted directly from sources.
Carbon monoxide (CO), reactive organic gases (ROG), nitrogen oxide (NO X), sulfur dioxide (SO 2), coarse particulate matter (PM10), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), lead, and fugitive dust are primary air pollutants.
Of these, CO, SO2, PM10, and PM2.5 are criteria pollutants. ROG and NOX are criteria pollutant precursors and go on to form secondary criteria pollutants through chemical and photochemical reactions in the atmosphere. Ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are the principal secondary pollutants.
Sources and health effects commonly associated with criteria pollutants are summarized in Table 5.3-1.
Criteria Air Pollutant Monitoring Data
Ambient air quality in Redding, can be inferred from ambient air quality measurements conducted at air quality monitoring stations. Existing levels of ambient air quality and historical trends and projections in the region are documented by measurements made by the SCAQMD. These measurements are affected by pollutants generated by the urbanized land uses in Shasta County as well as by land uses in the entire NSVAB and beyond. The County maintains air quality monitoring stations for hourly ozone, PM10, and PM2.5 at the County Health Department on Breslauer Way in Redding. No other pollutant monitoring information is available for Shasta County. Table 5.3-9, Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Data, summarizes the published data since 2019 for each year that the monitoring data is provided at the County Health Department Building monitoring station.
TABLE 5.3-9 AMBIENT AIR QUALITY MONITORING DATA
Pollutant Standards 2019 2020 2021
Ozone (O3)
Max 1-hour concentration (ppm) 0.072 0.077 0.089
Max 8-hour concentration (ppm) (state/federal) 0.070 0.070 / 0.069 0.067 / 0.068 Number of days above state/ federal 1-hour standard 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 0 Number of days above state/federal 8-hour standard 0/ 0 0 / 0 0/ 0 Particulate
Matter (PM10)
Max 24-hour concentration (μg/m3) (state/federal) 28.1 / 26.4 94.4 / 95.4 121.6 / 126.2 Number of days above state/federal standard * / 0 23 / 0 0 / 0 Particulate
Matter (PM2.5)
Max 24-hour concentration (μg/m3) (state/federal) 24.1 / 24.1 68.3 / 68.3 165.3 / 165.3 Number of days above federal standard 0 18.4 26.4
Notes: ug/m3 = micrograms per cubic meter; ppm = parts per million; * = No data currently available to determine the value.
Source: CARB 2023b
Packet Pg. 960
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
5.3-22 FEBRUARY 2024
5.3.2 THRESHOLDS OF SIGNIFICANCE
According to Appendix G of the CEQA Guidelines, a project would normally have a significant effect on the environment if the project would:
AQ-1 Conflict with or obstruct implementation of the applicable air quality plan.
AQ-2 Result in a cumulatively considerable net increase of any criteria pollutant for which the project region is non-attainment under an applicable federal or state ambient air quality standard.
AQ-3 Expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations.
AQ-4 Result in other emissions (such as those leading to odors) adversely affecting a substantial number of people.
AQ-5 In combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, result in cumulative impacts with respect to air quality.
5.3.3 PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN POLICIES
Community Design and Development Element
▪ Policy CDD10A: Establish standards for infill projects in existing residential neighborhoods that respect existing neighborhood scale and character as funding allows. ▪ Policy CDD10C: Consider establishing incentives for medium - to high -density, mixed -use developments, where appropriate, with emphasis on Downtown and in the "Mixed Use Neighborhood Overlay" Districts. Review and amend as necessary the Mixed Use Neighborhood Overlay zoning district to ensure that it serves to facilitate and incentivize the development of new mixed use neighborhoods to the extent feasible.
▪ Policy CDD10D: Encourage development in the City to include inviting, attractive, accessible, and walkable urban mixed-use neighborhoods combining residential, commercial, recreational, open space, and employment to maximize the use of underused urban lots. ▪ CDD10D: Encourage development in the City to include inviting, attractive, accessible, and walkable urban mixed-use neighborhoods combining residential, commercial, recreational, open space, and employment to maximize the use of underused urban lots. ▪ Policy CDD11A: Encourage developers to create new residential developments in infill priority areas that are available to a broad segment of the community. The developments should be pedestrian and bicycle friendly, to make efficient use of available infrastructure and at densities that will help facilitate the provision and use of public transit where it is available.
Packet Pg. 961
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
PLACEWORKS 5.3-23
▪ Policy CDD11C: Consider developing form-based codes specific to infill priority areas and develop small lot zoning standards for existing lots below the City’s minimum lot size to facilitate residential development in infill priority areas.
▪ Policy CDD11D: Explore options for incentivizing parcel assemblage in infill priority areas to support residential and mixed-use developments.
▪ Policy CDD11E: Facilitate to the extent feasible, the construction of new affordable housing units that are within walking distance to transit, everyday services, schools, and employment centers.
Community Health, Wellness, and Environmental Justice Element ▪ Policy EJ3A: Utilize the goals and policies contained within the Natural Resources Element to address impacts on the community at large. Strive to ensure that no part of the community suffers disproportionately from adverse human health or environmental effects, and enable all residents to live in a clean and healthy environment.
▪ Policy EJ3B: Utilize the Zoning Ordinance and other development regulations require adequate buffering and/or effective technologies to protect sensitive land uses where appropriate. Generally, avoid siting new sensitive land uses (such as residences, day care centers, educational and/ or health facilities), within 1,000 feet of a distribution center (that accommodates more than 100 trucks per day, and/ or more than 40 trucks with operating transport refrigeration units (TRUs) per day, or where TRU operatio ns exceed 300 hours per week). Such buffers may vary in depth depending on the type and concentration of pollutants.
▪ Policy EJ3C: Partner with local, regional, and federal agencies to seek grants and other opportunities towards the development and expansion of clean air centers, building ventilation upgrades, and other available and accessible technological advancements to provide better air quality and to reduce negative health impacts during wildfires and extreme weather events. ▪ Policy EJ3E: Consider the development and adoption of a Climate Action and Resiliency Plan.
Support plans, standards, regulations, incentives, investments, and seek grants and other funding to reduce the impacts of climate change on vulnerable residents. ▪ Policy EJ3F: Work with Shasta County Air Quality Management District or other appropriate entities to develop a public information campaign to educate residents on the risks and mitigation measures; to be undertaken when living within 1,000 feet of a freeway. ▪ Policy EJ3G: Monitor changes in technology that will prevent and mitigate transportation -related noise and air quality impacts on residential and sensitive uses in the community. Support traffic and highway improvements that will reduce noise and air quality impacts of vehicles. Alternatives to sound walls should be considered where possible.
Packet Pg. 962
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
5.3-24 FEBRUARY 2024
Public Safety Element
▪ Policy PS10D: Partner with local, regional, and federal agencies, as appropriate, to seek grants and other opportunities towards development and expansion of clean air centers, building ventilation upgrades, and other available and accessible technological advancements to provide better air quality to vulnerable residents to reduce negative health impacts of wildfires.
Transportation Element
▪ Policy T1A: Strive to ensure that where complete streets infrastructure is constructed, it improves transportation choices for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public transportation riders and that users of all ages and abilities are considered in the planning, design, ap proval, construction, and operation of new streets, and the alteration and maintenance phases of existing streets by:
o Including infrastructure that promotes a safe means of travel for all users along the right of way, such as sidewalks, shared-use paths, bicycle lanes (including protected bicycle lanes or buffered bicycle lanes where feasible) or paved shoulders. o Providing pedestrian and bike connections from developments to adjacent main streets, open space areas, parks, transit stops, schools, commercial and employment centers, and other activity centers as opportunities arise.
o Designing new development to incorporate street connectivity for all users. o Including new or alteration of existing infrastructure that facilitates safe crossing of the right-of-way for all users, such as: accessible curb ramps, high-visibility crosswalks, pedestrian refuge islands, smaller curb radii, corner bulb-outs, pedestrian signals, and bicycle detection at traffic signals where warranted.
o Incorporating features that improve the comfort, convenience, and safety of users such as pedestrian-oriented/wayfinding signs, pedestrian-scale lighting, benches and other street furniture, bicycle parking facilities, comfortable and attractive public transportation stops and facilities, street trees, landscape, and planting strips. ▪ Policy T2A : Support the provision of a connected network of low -stress walk and bikeways to connect major activity centers, including the provision of appropriate low-stress walk and bikeway access to Downtown Redding and the Redding Transit Center by considering implementation of the measures identified below. Low -stress bikeways should generally consist of separated bikeways (Class IV bikeways), sometimes referred to as “protected bicycle lanes”, on arterial or collector streets; bicycle boulevard treatments on local streets; or multi-use paths. o Work to identify and prioritize routes for a connected network of low-stress walk and bikeways, identifying barriers to low-stress travel with plans to address them. and Incorporate maps and plans into future updates of the Redding Active Transportation Plan. Pursue funding to construct the network.
Packet Pg. 963
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
PLACEWORKS 5.3-25
o Work to identify networks for walking and biking to connect with key travel nodes, and activity centers, including transit nodes and strategic growth areas. Consider accessibility to all neighborhoods and housing, striving to ensure access to a connected network of low-stress walk and bikeways within one-half-mile radius to all residents. Key travel nodes and activity nodes include Downtown Redding, Redding Transit Center, transit nodes (where multiple transit lines intersect), schools, City Hall, County Government Center, Shasta College, Simpson University, major parks and recreation centers, employment centers/business parks, neighborhood commercial nodes and regional commercial centers.
o As funding permits, develop design standards for the low-stress walk and bikeway network that establishes a "kit of parts" set of standards for the three low-stress facility types: 1) separated bike lanes on arterial and collector streets, 2) neighborhood greenways, and 3) off-street paths and trails. An implementation strategy to construct needed improvements to the network should be established. o Work with the Cities of Anderson and Shasta Lake, and Shasta County to identify low- stress walk, bike routes that connect to the downtown core strategic-growth areas of the cities and towns of Shasta County.
o Support to the extent feasible and as funding allows operation of amenities and programming to enable daily transportation by people biking and walking, including bikeshare services, the Shasta Bike Depot at the Redding Transit Center, secure bike parking, short-term bike parking racks, and similar secure bike parking and e-bike charging stations to meet existing and future needs for the encouragement and education of those who travel via walking or biking.
o Work with the local school districts to develop specific transportation plans associated with schools and the surrounding neighborhoods to address conflicts with; traffic, pedestrian movements, safety during school hours, and bicycle facilities to and from schools. This may include a plan to implement slower speed school zones while children are present and flashing beacons to identify when these school zones are in effect. ▪ Policy T3A : Support the provision of enhanced transit service that is timely, cost -effective, responsive to growth patterns, and meet the diverse needs of existing and future transit demand.
By (EJ):
o Working with the Shasta Regional Transportation Agency (SRTA) and public transit providers including the Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA) on an ongoing basis to plan and implement additional public transit services.
o Supporting to the extent feasible and as funding allows the continuation and expansion of private commercial or nonprofit bus operations to provide additional regional transit opportunities for residents.
Packet Pg. 964
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
5.3-26 FEBRUARY 2024
o Promoting coordination of public transit, on-demand service, autonomous vehicles, intercity rail, bicycle share program, intercity bus, and air transportation services to enhance the transportation options available for residents and visitors to the Redding community.
o Supporting to the extent feasible and as funding allows provision of intercity bus service. o Developing policies and procedures to implement shared mobility devices to help enhance public transit options. These micro-transit shared mobility type devices could include scooters and e-bikes, and autonomous vehicles, and but may be expanded as technology develops.
▪ Policy T3B: Provide physical measures to enhance transit service by considering to undertake the following:
o Require new development to install and maintain passenger amenities at designated bus stops when relevant to accommodating project trips or mitigating VMT as appropriate. o Provide bus facilities along arterial streets as indicated in an applicable transit development plan. Determine the precise locations during the development plan review or at the time of major street improvement or reconstruction. o Work with RABA to provide safe, attractive, well-lit, comfortable, and protected waiting areas for bus passengers.
▪ Policy T4A: Support measures that help reduce VMT below regional averages on a “residential per capita” and “per employee” basis by:
o Monitoring traffic trends through advanced technological solutions to determine mobility options, infrastructure improvements, and development decisions. o Encouraging employers, colleges, and schools to provide incentives and facilities (e.g., showers) for employees and students utilizing alternatives to the single-occupant automobile, such as carpools, vanpools, buses, bicycling, and walking. o Encouraging employers, including government agencies, to allow telecommuting and flex time and to promote staggered shifts or base work hours that do not coincide with peak- period traffic to reduce peak-hour trips.
▪ Policy T7A: Strive to maintain adequate on -street and public off - street parking areas, including electric vehicle charging stations, to meet ongoing parking demands by considering the following measures:
o Pursue funding options and strategies for the construction and maintenance of shared parking facilities/structures Downtown.
o Seek funding to provide electric charging stations at parking lots and rest areas for cars, trucks, and bicycles throughout the City.
Packet Pg. 965
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
PLACEWORKS 5.3-27
o Encourage and facilitate the provision of electric-vehicle charging facilities in new parking lots and multi-family residential developments.
o Strive to install secure bicycle parking with electric charging stations and large enough for cargo bikes in the Downtown area and at City parks, civic buildings, and other community centers.
▪ Policy T7B : Endeavor Periodically review to ensure that required parking provisions for private development and modify as necessary to supports efforts to encourage multimodal travel and reduce VMT by:
o Pursuing Evaluating the use of maximum and minimum standards for automobile parking spaces in transit corridors and Downtown to promote use of alternate modes of travel as may be appropriate.
o Pursuing minimum standards for bicycle parking, including both long-term and short-term bicycle parking spaces.
▪ Policy T7C : Generally, prohibit on -street automobile parking on arterial streets if there is not adequate space for bike lanes and parking lanes outside the Downtown area to reduce congestion and conflicts.
▪ Policy T7D: Work to ensure the provision of adequate curbside or off-street space where applicable to accommodate passenger pick-up/drop-off activity by transportation network companies (TNC), and delivery services.
Natural Resources Element
▪ Policy NR13A: Utilize the following thresholds that have been adopted by regional agencies when determining air quality impacts of discretionary projects. Update the thresholds as may be recommended by the SCAQMD from time to time.
Level "A": Up to:
o 25 pounds per day of oxides of nitrogen
o 25 pounds per day of reactive organic gases
o 80 pounds per day of fine particulate matter (PM2.5)
o 80 pounds per day of inhalable particulate matter (PM10) Level "B": Up to:
o 137 pounds per day of oxides of nitrogen
o 137 pounds per day of reactive organic gases
o 137 pounds per day of inhalable particulate matter (PM10) Packet Pg. 966
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
5.3-28 FEBRUARY 2024
▪ Policy NR13B: Utilize the process discussed in this Element to apply SMM and BAMM to discretionary projects and as one of the determinants of when an EIR is required to address air quality impacts. Update Emission Reduction Efficiency percentages as recommended by SCAQMD. ▪ Policy NR13C: Coordinate with the SCAQMD to use consistent and accurate procedures in the review of projects which may have air quality impacts. Refer development applications that exceed Level “A” thresholds to the SCAQMD for review and comment. Incorporate the recomm endations as appropriate.
▪ Policy NR13D: Encourage efforts to reduce Reduce the amount of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by encouraging mixed -use development, promoting a jobs/housing balance, and encouraging alternative transportation such as walking, cycling, and use of public transit. ▪ Policy NR13E: Work with the SCAQMD and other partners as appropriate to meet the state and federal ambient air quality standards in order to protect all residents from the health effects of air pollution.
▪ Policy NR13F: Coordinate with SCAQMD in evaluating the exposure of sensitive receptors to toxic air contaminants and odors, and impose appropriate conditions on projects to protect public health and safety so as to reduce the exposure of sensitive receptors to toxic ai r contaminants and/ or noxious odors.
▪ Policy NR13G: Consider referring Refer all project applications that involve sensitive receptor uses that would be constructed in proximity to freeways, industrial uses, truck routes, petroleum fuel stations and similar uses to the SCAQMD for comment and recommendations. (EJ)
5.3.4 IMPACT DISCUSSION
METHODOLOGY
Emissions Quantification
Impacts related to air quality resulting from implementation (construction and operation) of the proposed project are discussed below. The impact analysis is based on calculations of the criteria air pollutant and ozone precursor emissions that would resul t from projected future growth at buildout of the proposed project. Buildout of the General Plan Update with up to 8,066 new dwelling units, 43,383 new residents, 5,591,974 new nonresidential square footage, and 9,781 new employees were utilized to determi ne the increase in criteria air pollutants as a result of the proposed project. To identify the expected growth in nonresidential building square footage between 2020 and 2045, the existing nonresidential square footage inventory was provided by the City and multiplied by the same growth rate that employment would experience between 2020 and 2045.
Packet Pg. 967
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
PLACEWORKS 5.3-29
To identify emissions generated by development facilitated by the General Plan Update in its horizon year of 2045 when compared to existing conditions, several emission sources and data were retrieved and analyzed for existing and future 2045 conditions. Quantification methodology for all emissions presented in this analysis are provided below.
▪ Building Energy. Emissions associated with natural gas use for residential and nonresidential land uses in the City were calculated based on data provided by Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). Existing 2020 emissions are based on the 2019 -2021 annual average natural gas use . Forecasts for year 2045 are adjusted for increases in population for residential natural gas use and nonresidential square footage for nonresidential natural gas use in the City.
▪ Propane Use. For propane emissions, proposal consumption was identified for residential uses only, using US Census Bureau data for houses using bottled, tank, or LP gas for house heating fuels and US Energy Information Administration data for propane consumption, and was applied to the growth in residential units through 2045. Nonresidential prop ane consumption was not identified as that is not anticipated to be a substantial contribution to propane consumption in the City. Please refer to Appendix 5.3-1 for propane source emission calculations. ▪ Transportation. Transportation emissions forecasts were modeled using emissions data from CARB’s EMFAC2021 V1.0.2 web database. Model runs were based on daily VMT data provided by GHD) and calendar year 2020 (existing) and 2045 emission rates. 1 The VMT is based on the origin -destination using the Shasta County Transportation Model and includes the full trip length for land uses in the City and a 50 percent reduction in the trip length for external -internal/internal-external trips based on the recommendations of CARB’s Regional Targets Advisory Committee under SB 375.2 ▪ Off-Road Equipment. OFFROAD is a database of equipment use and associated emissions for each county compiled by CARB. Off -road equipment in the City is based on year 2020 emission rates for Shasta County obtained from CARB’s OFFROAD V1.0.3 web database. OFFROAD was used to es timate emissions from lawn and garden, light commercial, and construction equipment in the City. To determine the percentage of emissions attributable to the City, light commercial equipment is estimated based on employment for Redding as a percentage of Shasta County and forecast based on
1 The Year 2045 inventory is represented by the projected emissions that the existing land uses would generate in the future, using year 2045 emission factors for on-road vehicles. To isolate the impacts related to the change in land uses proposed under the General Plan Update, emissions related to the update will be based on the difference in emissions generated by the existing and proposed land uses under year 2045 conditions. This approach is taken because existing land uses would be subject to regulations that come into effect in the future that reduce mobile-source emissions. Thus, the level of emissions the existing land uses generate today would not be generated in perpetuity, but would be affected by these state regulations. 2 For accounting purposes, there are three types of trips:
- Internal-Internal. Vehicle trips that originated and terminated within the City (Internal-Internal, I-I). Using the accounting rules established by RTAC, 100 percent of the length of these trips and their emissions are attributed to the City. - Internal-External/External-Internal. Vehicle trips that either originated or terminated (but not both) in the City (Internal- External or External-Internal, I-X and X-I). Using the accounting rules established by RTAC, 50 percent of the trip length for these trips is attributed to the City.
- External-External. Vehicle trips that neither originated nor terminated in the City. These trips are commonly called pass- through trips (External-External, X-X). Using the accounting rules established by RTAC, these trips are not counted toward the City's VMT or emissions.
Packet Pg. 968
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
5.3-30 FEBRUARY 2024
the change in employment in the City. Construction equipment use is estimated based on building permit data for Redding and County of Shasta from data compiled by the US Census and assumes that construction emissions for the forecast year would be similar to historical levels. Lawn and garden equipment is based on the percentage of population in Redding compared to Shasta County and forecast based on the change in population in the City. ▪ Hearth Use. The daily existing and proposed project wood-fired hearth and stove use in the City are based on the default values contained in CalEEMod and residential dwelling unit estimates for existing (2020) and future (2045) conditions.
Industrial sources of emissions that require a permit from SCA QMD are not included in the community criteria air pollutant emission inventory.
AQ-1: The proposed project would conflict with or obstruct implementation of the 2021 Air Quality Attainment Plan. [Threshold AQ-1]
CEQA requires that projects be evaluated for consistency with the applicable air quality management plan(s). A consistency determination plays an important role in local agency project review by linking local planning and individual projects to the air quality plans. It fulfills the CEQA goal of informing decision makers of the environmental effects of a project under consideration at a stage early enough to ensure that air quality concerns are fully addressed. It also provides the local agency with ongoing information as to whether they are contributing to the clean air goals of the air quality management plans. Typically, a project is deemed inconsistent with air quality management plans if it would result in population, employment, land use, or VMT that exceeds the growth estimates assumed in the applicable air quality management plan, since such exceedances would hinder achievement of Federal and State AAQS.
Consistency with the 2021 Air Quality Attainment Plan
The 2021 Air Quality Attainment Plan (AQAP) provides local guidance for air basins to achieve attainment of Federal and State AAQS . Due to the regional nature of the ozone challenges and the fact that the Northern Sacramento Valley Planning Area ( NSVPA) counties share the same air basin, the NSVPA Air Districts jointly prepared the original 1991 AQAP and subsequent triennial updates , including SCAQMD .
Areas that meet these standards are classified as attainment areas; areas that do not meet these standards are classified as nonattainment areas. Areas for which there is insufficient data are designated unclassified.
Shasta County is nonattainment-transitional for ozone standards.
The 2021 AQAP proposes strategies and regulations for the three -year planning cycle for the 2021 AQAP (2022 through 2024). Continued attention is given to reducing ROG and NOX emissions from transportation and areawide emission sources with implementation of regulations and planning requirements from earlier AQAP planning cycles. The Shasta County Air Pollution Control Board adopted the 2021 AQAP on April 5, 2022.
Packet Pg. 969
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
PLACEWORKS 5.3-31
Control Measures
To attain and maintain air quality standards, the NSVPA Air Districts, including SCAQMD, have adopted control measures to limit the amount of air pollutant releases from sources. The NSVPA Air Districts have regulatory authority over stationary sources of air pollutants and some area sources. The following control measures have been adopted by SCAQMD to reduce emissions from new development either through the planning process or through control of specific sources of emissions:
▪ Air Quality Element . The City of Redding Air Quality Element was adopted with the previous General Plan Update in 2000. It has been reformatted and its policies are contained in the Natural Resources Element of this General Plan Update.
▪ Smoking Vehicle Program. SCAQMD relies on the CARB smoking vehicle program. ▪ Wood Stoves and Fireplaces. SCAQMD adopted Rule 3:2, Fireplace and Solid Fuel Heating Device Usage, in 1994 which requires all wood-heating devices used for the first time in existing buildings and all new residential and commercial building projects to meet emission and performance requirements equivalent to EPA Phase II devices.
▪ Backyard Residential Burning. SCAQMD adopted Rule 2:6, Open Burning: General Provisi ons, in 1994.
Rule 2:6 generally prohibits burning waste in a n open outdoor fire . Section (7) of Rule 2:6 discusses exceptions for residential landscape debris burning.
▪ Architectural Coatings . SCAQMD adopted Rule 3:31, Architectural Coatings, in 2003. This rule establishes ROG content limits for architectural coatings that are supplied, sold, offered for sale, applied, solicited for application, or manufactured for use within the County. Rule 3:32, Adhesives and Sealants, adopted in 2003, limits the emissions of ROGs from adhesives and sealants and associated primers, and from related surface preparation solvents, cleanup solvents, and strippers. ▪ Fugitive Dust During Construction. Rule 3:16, Fugitive, Indirect, or Non -Traditional Sources, was adopted by SCAQMD in 1986 and includes measures to minimize the emission of fugitive dust during earth-moving, construction, demolition, bulk storage, and other activities that could result in wind erosion. This rule identifies Reasonably Available Control Measures (RAMC) that could be considered to prevent or reduce the emission and transport of fugitive dust (applying dust suppressants, using fences, barriers, and/or wind breaks/screens, revegetating disturbed surfaces, cleaning paved streets, improving road surfaces, and/or controlling vehicular speeds in unpaved areas.
SCAQMD’s existing rules provide consistency with the AQAP’s control measures and apply to all new development in Shasta County and the City of Redding. However, the proposed project also includes several policies in the Community Development and Design Element, Transportation, Environmental Justice , and Natural Resources Elements, as seen in Section 5.3.3, Proposed General Plan Policies, that aim to reduce emissions associated with transportation by encouraging alternative modes of transportation and land use patterns that reduce VMT.
Packet Pg. 970
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
5.3-32 FEBRUARY 2024
Project Consistency with Emissions Projections in the 2021 AQAP A project’s consistency with the AQAP can also be determined based on its consistency with projections in the AQAP. The 2021 AQAP ’s emission projections for area, mobile, and stationary sources in the NSVPA through 2040 are based in part on a projected population for Shasta County of 182,059 and projected countywide average daily VMT of 8,490,000 by year 2040. Population estimates in the 2021 AQAP are based on California Department of Finance, Demographic Research Unit population estimates; VMT estimates are based on CARB’s on-road mobile source emissions inventory model (EMFAC2017 v1.0.3).
As discussed in Impact AIR-2 below, development under the 2023-2045 General Plan would generate ozone precursor emissions (ROG and NO X). For this analysis, estimated areawide and mobile source emissions under the proposed General Plan Update were compared to the estimated area and mobile source emissions projected in the 2021 AQAP for year 2025. Because it is not possible to estimate stationary source emissions that could occur with implementation of the proposed General Plan Update, a comparison of stationary source emissions is not included. As indicated in Table 5.3-10, Comparison of NSVPA and 2023- 2045 General Plan Ozone Precursor Emissions – Areawide and Mobile Sources, the ROG and NOX emissions that would be generated by activity under the 2023 -2045 General Plan in 2045 would exceed the projections in the AQAP for 2025.
TABLE 5.3-10 COMPARISON OF NSVPA AND 2023-2045 GENERAL PLAN OZONE PRECURSOR EMISSIONS – AREAWIDE
AND MOBILE SOURCES
Ozone Precursor
Projected 2025
NSVPA Emissions
(Tons/Day)
Percentage of 2025
Projected Emissions
Attributable To
Redding
(Tons/Day)1
Projected Emissions
in 2045 Under
General Plan
Buildout
(Tons/Day)
Do Project
Emissions Exceed
AQAP Projections
for Redding?
NOx
Areawide Sources 5.020 0.68 0.33 No
Mobile Sources 41.821 5.67 0.31 No
Stationary Sources 21.185 2.87 - N/A
TOTAL (Without Stationary Sources) 46.84 6.36 0.90 No
ROG
Areawide Sources 40.6 5.51 10.85 Yes
Mobile Sources 27.39 3.72 0.02 No
Stationary Sources 26.03 3.53 - N/A
TOTAL (Without Stationary Sources) 67.99 9.22 44.70 Yes 1 The proportion of the 2025 projected emissions in the NSVPA attributable to Redding was calculated by determining the proportion of Redding’s population within the seven-county NSVPA based on the year 2020 in the Department of Finance’s E-5 Population and Housing Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State, 2020-2022. That proportion (13.57%) was applied to each of the emissions sources for the NSVPA listed in the AQAP to determine the proportion of those emissions attributable to Redding.
Source: SVABCC 2021; PlaceWorks 2023, Appendix 5.3-1
Packet Pg. 971
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
PLACEWORKS 5.3-33
As shown in Table 5.3 -10, the proposed project would exceed the ozone precursor emissions forecast prepared by the NSVPA Air Districts in the 2021 AQAP , specifically the areawide ROG emissions . The proposed project’s exceedance of the proportional NSVPA areawide ROG emissions forecast is principally attributable to the use of wood -burning hearths and stoves. While the 2021 AQAP emissions forecast horizon is in year 2025 and the proposed project’s emissions forecast is in year 2045, the 2021 AQAP does not provide emissions forecasts farther into the future. Because the extent of growth in population, employment, and land use development through 2025 from the proposed project is unknown at this time, the 2045 emissions forecast from the proposed project was compared against the 2021 AQAP emissions forecast for 2025 as a conservative assessment of whether the proposed project would be consistent with the 2021 AQAP .
Although individual projects under the 2023-2045 General Plan would be subject to SCAQMD’s adopted rules that ensure new and modified sources of air pollution do not interfere with the attainment or maintenance of AAQS, cumulative emissions due to buildout of the City under the proposed project would exceed the emissions projected in the 2021 AQAP . As such, Mitigation Measures AQ-1 and AQ-2 would be required to ensure that future development projects facilitate d by the proposed project implement the applicable SMMs and BAMMs contained in the Natural Resources Element. Nonetheless, due to the programmatic nature of this Draft EIR, it is not possible to estimate project -specific emissions or identify quantifiable reductions that would result from project-specific implementation of the Natural Resources Element SMMs and BAMMs . Therefore, the potential for future projects to conflict with or obstruct implementation of the 2021 AQAP is considered significant and unavoidable.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: Impact AQ-1 would be potentially significant.
Mitigation Measures
AQ-1 The City shall ensure that discretionary development shall incorporate all applicable Standard Mitigation Measures (SMMs) contained in the General Plan Natural Resources Element to reduce emissions to be less than the applicable thresholds. These SMMs include but are not limited to the most recent SCAQMD recommendations for construction. SMMs retained in the General Plan Update are listed below:
▪ Provide energy-efficient process systems, such as water heaters, furnaces, and boiler units.
▪ Apply nontoxic soil stabilizers according to manufacturer's specification to all inactive construction areas (previously graded areas inactive for ten days or more). ▪ Reestablish ground cover on the construction site through seeding and watering prior to final occupancy.
▪ All grading operations of a project shall be suspended when winds (as instantaneous gusts) exceed 20 miles per hour as directed by the AQMD.
Packet Pg. 972
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
5.3-34 FEBRUARY 2024
▪ All new wood burning devices shall be EPA Phase II certified. ▪ Streets should be designed to maximize pedestrian access to transit stops. ▪ Large residential, commercial, and industrial projects should include bus shelters at transit access points.
▪ Provide temporary traffic control as appropriate during all phases of construction to improve traffic flow (e.g. flag person).
▪ Schedule construction activities that affect traffic flow to off-peak hours. ▪ Water active construction sites at least twice daily as directed by the Public Works Department.
▪ All truck hauling dirt, sand, soil, or other loose materials should be covered or should maintain at least two feet of freeboard (i.e., minimum vertical distance between top of the load and the trailer) in accordance with the requirements of CVC Section 23 114.
This provision is enforced by local law enforcement agencies. ▪ Sweep streets at the end of the day if visible soil materials are carried onto adjacent public paved roads (recommend water sweeper with reclaimed water). ▪ Install wheel washers where vehicles enter and exit unpaved roads onto paved roads, or wash off trucks and any equipment leaving the site each trip.
AQ-2 Applicants of future discretionary development projects that would generate construction- related or operational-related emissions that exceed applicable thresholds, shall include, but are not limited to, Best Available Mitigation Measures (BAMMs) recommended by SCAQMD, to the extent feasible and applicable to the project. BAMMs retained in the General Plan Update are listed below:
Residential Level A BAMMs
▪ Implement all applicable Standard Mitigation Measures. ▪ Contribute to traffic -flow improvements that reduce emissions and are not growth - inducing (e.g., right-of-way, capital improvements, etc.). ▪ Install an electrical outlet at the front and back of all residential units for electrical yard equipment.
Residential Level B BAMMs
▪ Implement all applicable Standard Mitigation Measures and Level "A" Mitigation Measures.
Packet Pg. 973
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
PLACEWORKS 5.3-35
▪ Construct, contribute, or dedicate land for the provision of off-site bicycle trails linking the facility to designated bicycle commuting routes in accordance with an adopted citywide or countywide plan.
▪ Synchronize traffic signals along streets impacted by development. ▪ Construct on-site and off-site bus turnouts, passenger benches, and shelters. ▪ Provide for pedestrian access between bus service and major points within the development.
▪ Construct off-site pedestrian facility improvements such as overpasses and wider sidewalks.
▪ Include neighborhood retail sales and services within or adjacent to residential subdivisions.
▪ Orient building structures and install landscape that takes advantage of passive solar design principles.
▪ Install solar water heaters for at least 25 percent of the residential units in the development.
▪ Incorporate mixed use development in order to achieve a balance of commercial, employment, and housing options within the project site. ▪ Provide neighborhood park(s) or other recreational options such as trails within development to minimize vehicle travel to other parks or commercial areas. ▪ Provide densities of six units or greater to support transit.
Commercial/Industrial Level A BAMMs
▪ Implement all applicable Standard Mitigation Measures. ▪ Contribute to traffic -flow improvements that reduce emissions and are not growth - inducing (e.g., right-of-way, capital improvements, etc.). ▪ Provide preferential parking spaces for carpools and vanpools and provide 7 -foot 2- inch minimum vertical clearance in parking facilities for vanpool access.
Commercial/Industrial Level B BAMMs
▪ Implement all applicable Standard Mitigation Measures and Level "A" Mitigation Measures.
▪ Telecommuting programs, alternate work schedules, and guaranteed ride home programs shall be established as appropriate.
▪ Provide for transit-use incentives such as subsidized transit passes and accommodation of unusual work schedules to encourage transit use.
Packet Pg. 974
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
5.3-36 FEBRUARY 2024
▪ Convert fleet vehicles to clean-burning fuel as appropriate. ▪ Shower/locker facilities shall be provided when appropriate for bicycling and pedestrian commuters.
▪ Construct off-site bicycle and pedestrian facility improvements such as trails linking the facility to designated pedestrian/bicycle commuting routes. ▪ Provide on-site services such as cafeterias, food vending machines, automatic tellers, etc., as appropriate.
▪ Contribute to construction of off-site park-n-ride lots. ▪ Provide on -site child care and after -school facilities or contribute to off -site development within walking distance.
▪ Construct on -site pedestrian facility improvements such as walk paths and building access which is physically separated from street and parking lot traffic. ▪ Implement compressed work -week schedules where weekly work hours are compressed into fewer than five days, such as 9/80, 4/40 or 3/36. ▪ Construct on-site and off-site bus turnouts, passenger benches, or shelters. ▪ Provide adequate bicycle storage/parking facilities.
▪ Implement alternative transportation program such as Caltrans rideshare.
Level of Significance After Mitigation: Impact AQ-1 would be significant and unavoidable.
Implementation of the appropriate SMMs and BAMMs would ensure that the City incorporates emission reduction measures into the requirements for individual development projects; however, given the growth in population and employment within the City and the magnitude of emissions reductions needed to achieve consistency with the NSVPA 2025 emissions forecast, it is uncertain whether appropriate SMMs and BAMMs would reduce individual project emissions to less-than-significant levels. Therefore, GHG emissions are considered significant and unavoidable.
Packet Pg. 975
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
PLACEWORKS 5.3-37
AQ-2: Construction of t he proposed project would generate regional and localized emissions of criteria air pollutants or precursor emissions in excess of the SCAQMD thresholds, r esulting in a cumulatively considerable net increase of criteria pollutant s for which the project region is non-attainment under an applicable federal or state ambient air quality standard and potentially exposing sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations. [Thresholds AQ-2 and AQ-3] Regional Construction Emissions
The General Plan Update would accommodate future development for residential, commercial, recreational, and industrial uses. The future development and other physical changes that could result from the implementation of the General Plan Update implementation would generate construction -related emissions of criteria air pollutants and precursors, including ROG, NO X, PM 10, and PM 2.5 from site preparation (e.g., excavation, clearing), off-road equipment, material delivery, worker commute trips, and other activities (e.g., building construction, asphalt paving, application of architectural coatings). Typical construction activities that could occur with land use development include use of all-terrain forks, forklifts, cranes, pick-up and fuel trucks, compressors, loaders, backhoes, excavators, dozers, scrapers, pavement compactors, welders, concrete pumps, concrete trucks, and off -road haul trucks as well as other diesel - powered equipment as necessary. Fugitive dust emissions of PM10 and PM2.5 would be associated primarily with site preparation and grading and would vary as a function of the soil silt content, soil moisture, wind speed, acreage of disturbance, and mobile sources. Emissions of ozone precursors would occur from the exhaust of construction equipment and on -road vehicles. Paving and the application of ar chitectural coatings also would result in off-gas emissions of ROG. PM10 and PM2.5 would also be emitted from off-road equipment and vehicle exhaust.
Construction activities associated with the 2023-2045 General Plan would occur over the buildout horizon of the plan, causing short-term emissions of criteria air pollutants. For the proposed General Plan Update, which is a broad policy plan, it is not possible to determine whether the s cale and phasing of individual projects would exceed the SCAQMD’s thresholds of criteria pollutants of concern (see Table 5.3-4). Overall, air quality emissions related to construction must be addressed on a project -by-project basis, and information regarding specific development projects, soil types, and the locations of receptors would be needed to quantify the level of impact associated with construction activity. Nonetheless, to provide a reasonable representation of what construction emissions could be in a given year, CARB’s OFRROAD database was utilized to quantify reasonably expected annual construction emissions. OFFROAD is a database of equipment use and associated emissions for each county compiled by CARB. Off -road equipment in the City is based on year 2020 emission rates for Shasta County obtained from CARB’s OFFROAD V1.0.3 web database. OFFROAD was used to estimate emissions from lawn and garden, light commercial, and construction equipment in the City. To determine the percentage of emissions attributable to the City, light commercial equipment is estimated based on employment for Redding as a percentage of Packet Pg. 976
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
5.3-38 FEBRUARY 2024
Shasta County and forecast based on the change in employment in the City. Construction equipment use is estimated based on building permit data for Redding and County of Shasta from data compiled by the US Census and assumes that construction emissions for the forecast year would be similar to historical levels.
Lawn and garden equipment is based on the percentage of population in Redding compared to Shasta County and forecast based on the change in population in the City. All quantified construction emissi ons associated with the proposed project are included in the daily operational emission estimates presented in Table 5.3-11.
As stated in Section 5.3.1.3, Regulatory Background, all discretionary projects in the City are recommended to implement SMMs (see Table 5.3-6) to minimize emissions and contribute to a reduction in cumulative impacts. Projects that generate unmitigated emissions above Level A (see Table 5.3 -4) must implement BAMMs (see Tables 5.3-7 and 5.3-8) in addition to the SMMs. If a project is not able to reduce emissions below the Level B threshold, emissions offsets for reducing existing sources of pollution are required. If after applying the emissions offsets, a project’s emissions still exceed the Level B threshold, impacts are considered significant and unavoidable. Mitigation Measure AQ-1 would require that all projects under the 2023-2045 General Plan implement all applicable SMMs in the Natural Resources Element in addition to any applicable SCAQMD recommendations for construction. Mitigation Measure AQ -2 would similarly require projects that generate emissions that exceed the SCAQMD thresholds to implement BAMMs to the extent feasible and applicable to the proposed project.
While implementation of the construction-related SMMs and BAMMs, as required by Mitigation Measures AQ-1 and AQ-2, would reduce construction-generated emissions of criteria air pollutants and precursors, it cannot be guaranteed that emissions from all individual discretionary projects would be reduced to below the SCAQMD’s thresholds. As such, due to Shasta County’s nonattainment-transitional status for ozone CAAQS, construction activities associated with implementation of the General Plan Update may result in adverse air quality impacts to surrounding land uses and may contribute to the existing air quality condition in the City. Therefore, impacts due to construction emissions would be potentially significant.
Localized Construction Emissions
Within the NSVAB, localized risks are primarily associated with exposure to TAC emissions. As discussed in Section 5.3.1.2, Air Pollutants of Concern, TACs are a defined set of airborne pollutants that may pose a present or potential hazard to human health. Sources of TAC emissions during construction activities include off-road construction vehicle and equipment use and on -road vehicle use for material and soil hauling.
Identification of potential impacts to sensitive receptors resulting from project -generated TACs would require project-specific information for future individual land use development projects that is not currently known. Therefore, assessment of future development projects facilitated by the proposed project that would be subject to CEQA would undergo their own review of potential construction -related localized impacts and identify appropriate and feasible mitigation to implement to reduce potentially significant impacts. Implementation of appropriate SMMs and BAMMs would reduce construction emissions for future individual development projects; however, because project -specific information is not available, it is not Packet Pg. 977
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
PLACEWORKS 5.3-39
possible to determine whether implementation of the SCAQMD SMMs and BAMMs would reduce localized impacts to sensitive receptors or identify additional quantifiable mitigation measures that would reduce project-specific construction emissions to ensure that localized emissions generated during construction of future development projects under the General Plan Update do not expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations. As such, this impact would be potentially significant.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: Impact AQ-2 would be potentially significant.
Mitigation Measures
Implementation of Mitigation Measures AQ-1 and AQ-2.
Level of Significance After Mitigation: Impact AQ-2 would be significant and unavoidable.
The City would consult with the SCAQMD as necessary to identify project-specific SMMs, BAMMs, and other measures that could be implemented to achieve compliance with established thresholds. Mitigation Measures AQ-1 and AQ -2 would require implementation of SMMs and BAMMs for project with the potential to exceed the SCAQMD significance thresholds. However, due to the programmatic nature of this Draft EIR, it is not possible to identify quantifiable mitigation measures that would reduce project -specific construction emissions below the SCAQMD’s significance thresholds or ensure that localized emissions generated during construction of future development projects under the General Plan Update do not expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations. Therefore, the potential for construction activities under the 2023-2045 General Plan to result in a cumulatively considerable net increase of a criteria pollutant or ozone precursor for which the project area is in non -attainment is possible, and theref ore considered potentially significant and unavoidable.
AQ-3 Operation of the proposed project would generate regional and localized emissions of criteria air pollutants or precursor emissions in excess of the SCAQMD thresholds, r esulting in a cumulatively considerable net increase of criteria pollutant s for which the project region is non-attainment under an applicable federal or state ambient air quality standard and potentially exposing sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations. [Thresholds AQ-2 and AQ-3] Regional Operational Emissions
The proposed project would accommodate new development that w ould operate through the planning horizon year 2045. New residential, commercial, industrial, and recreational development facilitated by the proposed project would result in long -term area -, energy -, and mobile -source emissions. Area source emissions are the combination of many small emission sources that include use of outdoor landscape maintenance equipment, use of consumer products such as cleaning products, use of fireplaces and Packet Pg. 978
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
5.3-40 FEBRUARY 2024
hearths, and periodic reapplication of architectural coatings. Criteria pollutants generated from energy sources are principally from the on-site use of natural gas and other heating fuels; electricity consumption is not included in energy source emissions as those potential emissions would be generated as the result of the operation of an electricity generation facility which may or may not be within the same air basin and under the same attainment status as the end-use. Mobile source emissions result from the vehicle activity associated with the operation of a given land use development project.
It should be noted that the proposed project would not itself authorize specific development to occur within the City. Future development projects would be subject to the City’s standard CEQA review process and would be required to assess project-specific emissions in relation to the SCAQMD significance thresholds.
Although specific project-level information for potential future development is not available at this time and the estimation of emissions resulting from future development would be speculative, anticipated maximum daily emissions were quantified to provide an estimate of the potential overall area, energy, and mobile source emissions resulting from the proposed project based on the calculation methodology provided in Section 5.3.4.1, Emissions Quantification.
TABLE 5.3-11 PROPOSED PROJECT CRITERIA AIR POLLUTANT EMISSIONS FORECAST Sectors
Criteria Air Pollutant Emissions
(Pounds per Day)
ROG NOX PM10
Existing Community Emissions
Transportation 22 436 90
Energy 28 462 36
Off-Road Equipment1 596 894 48
Consumer Products 1,855 0 0
Hearth Use2 16,750 567 5,685
Total Average (lbs/day) 19,251 2,360 5,859
Proposed Project Emissions
Transportation 31 614 127
Energy 32 539 42
Off-Road Equipment1 679 922 49
Consumer Products 2,198 0 0
Hearth Use2 19,511 660 6,622
Total Average (lbs/day) 22,451 2,736 6,840
Net New Emissions (lbs/day) 3,201 376 981
SCAQMD Threshold for Level A (lbs/day) 25 25 80
SCAQMD Threshold for Level B (lbs/day) 137 137 137
Project Exceeds Thresholds? Yes Yes Yes
Notes: Emissions may not total to 100 percent due to rounding.
1. Off-Road Equipment emissions are associated with on-going construction equipment use, commercial and light industrial equipment use, and landscape equipment use.
2. Hearth emission estimates are not based on a 365-day year and are instead averaged among the 82 days per year homes are expected to use wood- burning hearths, consistent with the CalEEMod 2022 User's Guide.
Packet Pg. 979
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
PLACEWORKS 5.3-41
As shown in Table 5.3-11, the proposed project would result in ROG and PM10 emissions which would exceed both the SCAQMD’s Level A and Level B significance thresholds. SCAQMD Rule 2:1, New Source Review, establishes pre-construction review requirements for new and modified stationary sources of air pollution.
The regulation provides for no net increase in emissions from new or modified stationary sources that emit, or have the potential to emit, 25 tons per year or more of any non-attainment pollutant or its precursors.
The use of Best Available Control Measures is required to ensure that projects with stationary source emissions do not interfere with the attainment or maintenance of Federal or State AAQS.
As previously discussed, the Redding General Plan includes SMMs (see Table 5.3 -6) that the City and SCAQMD recommend be applied to all projects in the City. The City recommends that BAMMs (see Tables
5.3-7 and 5.3 -7) be implemented to reduce emissions from projects that exceed the SCAQMD Level A thresholds. These BAMMs primarily apply to operational emissions, targeting the reduction in VMT and passive solar design. Mitigation Measures AQ-1 and AQ-2 would ensure that all projects under the 2023 - 2045 General Plan implement the applicable SMMs and BAMMs.
Development projects accommodated by the 2023-2045 General Plan would be analyzed on a case-by-case basis when detailed information regarding operational activities is known. Future projects would be subject to the General Plan policies identified in Section 5.3.3, as well as SCAQMD and State rules and regulations, including, but not limited to those identified in Section 5.3.1.3, Regulatory Background. Nonetheless, the proposed project would result in regional operational emissions that exceed the SCAQMD’s significance thresholds. As such, this impact would be potentially significant.
Localized Operational Emissions
Within the NSVAB, localized risks are primarily associated with exposure to TAC emissions. As discussed in Section 5.3.1.2, Air Pollutants of Concern, TACs are a defined set of airborne pollutants that may pose a present or potential hazard to human health. Common sources of operational TAC emissions are stationary sources (e.g., dry cleaners, diesel backup generators, and gasoline stations), which are subject to SCAQMD permit requirements. Another common and often more significant source type is on-road motor vehicles on high-volume roads, such as I-5, SR-44, and SR-299, and off-road sources such as construction equipment and diesel-powered trains traveling on the Union Pacific corridor.
The SCAQMD identified the following types of land use conflicts that could result in the exposure of sensitive receptors to excessive pollutant concentrations in their CEQA Land Use Protocol Guidelines:
▪ Development projects with sensitive receptors in close proximity to a congested intersection or roadway with high levels of emissions from motor vehicles. High concentrations of carbon monoxide, fine particulate matter, or toxic air contaminants are the most common concerns. ▪ Development projects with sensitive receptors close to an industrial source of toxic air contaminants.
Packet Pg. 980
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
5.3-42 FEBRUARY 2024
▪ Development projects with sensitive receptors close to a source of odorous emissions. Although odors generally do not pose a health risk, they can be quite unpleasant and often lead to citizen complaints to the District and to local governments.
Identification of potential impacts to sensitive receptors resulting from project-generated TACs would require project-specific information for future individual land use development projects that is not currently known. Therefore, consistent with SCAQMD’s CEQA Land Use Protocol Guidelines , the proposed project could result in a potentially significant community risk and hazard impact if the General Plan Update does not take preventative measures to protect development that could house sensitive receptors n ear a congested roadway or industrial sources of TACs. In addition to SCAQMD’s guidance on TACs, C ARB’s Air Quality and Land Use Handbook (2005) recommends the following:
Avoid the siting of new sensitive land uses (e.g., residences, schools) within 50 feet of:
▪ Typical gasoline fueling stations.
Avoid the siting of new sensitive land uses within 300 feet of:
▪ Large gasoline fueling stations (with a throughput of more than 3.6 million gallons of gasoline per year); and
▪ Dry-cleaning operations using perchloroethylene.
Avoid the siting of new sensitive land uses within 500 feet of:
▪ Freeways, urban roads with 100,000 vehicles/day, or rural roads with 50,000 vehicles/day; and ▪ Dry-cleaning operations using perchloroethylene and 2 or more machines.
Avoid the siting of new sensitive land uses within 1,000 feet of:
▪ Distribution centers that accommodate more than 100 trucks per day, more than 40 trucks with operating transport refrigerated units (TRUs) per day, or where TRU unit operations exceed 300 hours per week; and
▪ Major rail service or maintenance yards.
The 2023-2045 General Plan includes Policy EJ3B in the draft Environmental Justice Element which directs the City to e nsure that zoning and other development regulations require adequate buffering and/or effective technologies to protect sensitive land uses. Policy EJ3B states: generally, avoid siting new sensitive land uses (such as residences, day care centers, educational and/ or health facilities), within 1,000 feet of a distribution center (that accommodates more than 100 trucks per day, and/ or more than 40 trucks with operating transport refrigeration units (TRUs) per day, or where TRU operations exceed 300 hours per week). Such buffers may vary in depth depending on the type and concentration of pollutants.
Packet Pg. 981
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
PLACEWORKS 5.3-43
As CARB has phased out the use of perchloroethylene in dry cleaners by January 1, 2023, under the Airborne Toxic Control Measure for Emissions of Perchloroethylene from Dry Cleaning Operations, the proposed project would not present the potential to site s ensitive receptors within proximity to dry cleaning operations using perchloroethylene. In addition, according to the City’s Traffic Flow Map (Redding 2022), no urban or rural roads in the City exceed 100,000 or 50,000 vehicles daily, respectively. As such , the proposed project would not result in the siting of new sensitive receptors within distances identified by CARB to high volume roads which may present a health risk. As previously stated, the proposed project would include Policy EJ3B, which would act to reduce sensitive receptor exposure to TACs and subsequent health impacts originating from distribution centers. Gasoline dispensing stations and major rail service or maintenance yards still present potential health impacts to sensitive receptors throu ghout and near the City. As such, the proposed project could result in the placement of new TAC sources close to receptors that may expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations.
The 2023-2045 General Plan also includes a variety of additional policies that aim to reduce the potential growth of vehicle use through encouraging the use of alternative modes of transportation, monitoring and improving existing sources of TACs throughout the City and reducing overall health impacts related to air quality in general. These include policies that would encourage infill and mixed-use development such as Policy CDD10A, Policy CDD10C, Policy CDD10D, and Policy CDD10E in the Community Developme nt and Design Element and policies that encourage alternative modes of transportation such as Policy T1A, Policy T2A, Policy T3A, Policy T3B, and Policy T7D in the Transportation Element. Additional policies that aim to reduce impacts from air pollutants include Policy EJ3A, Policy EJ3C, Policy EJ3E, Policy EJ3F , and Policy EJ3G in the Environmental Justice Element.
While policies of the 2023-2045 General Plan target various strategies for reducing human health impacts and exposure of sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations, the proposed project could still result in the placement of new TAC sources that may expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations. It is not possible to identify quantifiable mitigation measures that would reduce project - specific operational emissions to ensure that localized emissions generated during oper ation of future development projects under the General Plan Update do not expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations. As such, this impact would be potentially significant.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: Impact AQ-3 would be potentially significant.
Mitigation Measures
Implementation of Mitigation Measures AQ-1 and AQ-2.
Level of Significance After Mitigation: Impact AQ-3 would be significant and unavoidable.
Under Mitigation Measures AQ-1 and AQ-2, SMMs would be implemented, and the City would consult with the SCAQMD as necessary to identify project -specific BAMMs and other measures that could be implemented to achieve compliance with established thresholds. However, due to the programmatic nature Packet Pg. 982
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
5.3-44 FEBRUARY 2024
of this Draft EIR, it is not possible to identify quantifiable mitigation measures that would reduce project - specific ROG emissions below the SCAQMD’s significance thresholds. Therefore, the potential for development under the 2023-2045 General Plan to result in a cumulatively considerable net increase of a criteria pollutant or ozone precursor for which the project area is in non -attainment is possible, and therefore considered potentially significant and unavoidable.
Contributing to nonattainment status would also contribute to worsening health effects associated with these criteria air pollutants. Known health effects related to ozone include worsening of bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema and a decrease in lung function. Health effects associated with particulate matter include premature death of people with heart or lung disease, nonfatal heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, decreased lung function, and increased respiratory symptoms. Reducing emissions would further contribute to reducing possible health effects related to criteria air pollutants.
It is speculative for this broad-based policy plan to determine how exceeding the regional thresholds would affect the number of days the region is in nonattainment since mass emissions are not correlated with concentrations of emissions, or how many addit ional individuals in the air basin would be affected by the health effects cited above.
This EIR quantifies the increase in criteria air pollutants emissions in the City. However, at a programmatic level analysis, it is not feasible to quantify the increase in TACs from stationary sources associated with the proposed project or meaningfully correlate how regional criteria air pollutant emissions above the SCAQMD’s significance thresholds correlate with basin-wide health impacts.
To determine cancer and noncancer health risk, the location, velocity of emissions, meteorology, and topography of the area as well as the locations of receptors are equally important as model parameters as the quantity of TAC emissions. The white paper in Appendix 5.3-1, “We Can Model Regional Emissions, But Are the Results Meaningful for CEQA,” describe several of the challenges of quantifying local effects — particularly health risks —for large-scale, regional projects, and these are applicable to both crit eria air pollutants and TACs. Similarly, the two amicus briefs filed by the air districts on the Friant Ranch case (see Appendix 5.3-1) describe two positions regarding CEQA requirements, modeling feasibility, variables, and reliability of results for determining specific health risks associated with criteria air pollutants. The discussions also include the distinction between criteria a ir pollutant emissions and TACs with respect to health risks. The following paragraphs summarize major points about the in feasibility of assessing health risks of criteria air pollutant emissions and TACs associated with implementation of a general plan.
To achieve and maintain air quality standards, the SMAQMD has established numerical emission indicators of significance for regional and localized air quality impacts of the construction and operational phases of a local plan or project. SMAQMD has established the thresholds based on scientific and factual data that is contained in the federal and state Clean Air Acts and recommends that these thresholds be used by lead agencies in making a determination of significance. The numerical emission i ndicators are based on the recognition that the air basin is a distinct geographic area with a critical air pollution problem for which AAQS have been promulgated to protect public health. The thresholds represent the maximum emissions Packet Pg. 983
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
PLACEWORKS 5.3-45
from a plan or project that are expected not to cause or contribute to an exceedance of the most stringent applicable national or state AAQS. By comparing the plan’s emissions to the thresholds, an EIR assesses whether these emissions directly contribute t o any regional or local exceedances of the applicable AAQS and exposure levels.
SMAQMD currently does not have methodologies that would provide the city with a consistent, reliable, and meaningful analysis to correlate specific health impacts with a proposed project’s mass emissions. For criteria air pollutants, exceedance of the regional s ignificance thresholds cannot be used to correlate a project to quantifiable health impacts unless emissions are sufficiently high to use a regional model.
SMAQMD has not provided methodology to assess the specific correlation between mass emissions generated and their effect on health (see Appendix 5.3.1: San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s amicus brief, and South Coast Air Quality Management District’s amicus brief).
Ozone concentrations depend on a variety of complex factors, including the presence of sunlight and precursor pollutants, natural topography, nearby structures that cause building downwash, atmospheric stability, and wind patterns. Secondary formation of p articulate matter and ozone can occur far from sources because of regional transport by wind and topography (e.g., low -level jet stream). Photochemical modeling depends on all emission sources in the entire domain (i.e., modeling grid). Low resolution and spatial averaging produce “noise” and modeling errors that usually exceed individual source contributions.
Because of the complexities of predicting ground-level ozone concentrations in relation to the National and California AAQS, it is not possible to li nk health risks to the magnitude of emissions exceeding the significance thresholds.
Current models used in CEQA air quality analyses are designed to estimate potential project construction and operation emissions for defined projects. The estimated emissions are compared to significance thresholds, which are keyed to reducing emissions to levels that will not interfere with the region’s ability to attain the health-based standards. This serves to protect public health in the overall region, but there is currently no CEQA methodology to determine the impact of emissions (e.g., pounds per da y) on future concentration levels (e.g., parts per million or micrograms per cubic meter) in specific geographic areas.
CEQA thresholds, therefore, are not specifically tied to potential health outcomes in the region.
The EIR must provide an analysis that is understandable for decision making and public disclosure. Regional- scale modeling may provide a technical method for this type of analysis, but it does not necessarily provide a meaningful way to connect the magnitu de of a project’s criteria pollutant emissions to health effects without speculation. Additionally, this type of analysis is not feasible at a general plan level because the location of emissions sources and quantity of emissions are not known. However, be cause cumulative development in the city would exceed the regional significance thresholds, the proposed project could contribute to an increase in health effects in the basin until the attainment standards are met.
Packet Pg. 984
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
5.3-46 FEBRUARY 2024
AQ-4: The proposed project would not result in other emissions that would adversely affect a substantial number of people. [Threshold AQ-4] Construction activities that have the potential to emit odors and similar emissions include operation of diesel equipment, generation of fugitive dust, and paving (asphalt). Odors and similar emissions from construction would be intermittent and temporary, and generally would not extend beyond the construction area. Projects that have a potential to generate odorous emissions include, but are not limited to, cannabis cultivation, processing, and manufacturing facilities; wastewater treatment facilities; tra nsfer stations; asphalt batch plants; food processing facilities; painting/coating operations (e.g., auto body shops), chemical manufacturing facilities, and similar uses.
While odors could be generated during construction activities, the proposed project would not directly result in construction of any development project. Identification of potential impacts to odor receptors resulting from construction -generated odors, suc h as equipment exhaust, would require project -specific information for future individual land use development projects that is not currently known. Per the SCAQMD CEQA Land Use Protocol Guidelines, any project with the potential to frequently expose members of the public to objectionable odors will be deemed to have a significant impact. Odor impacts on residential areas and other sensitive receptors, such as hospitals, day -care centers, schools, etc., warrant the closest scrutiny, but consideration should also be given to other land uses where people may congregate, such as recreational facilities, work sites, and commercial areas. Examples of facilities that have the potential to produce odors and may require special attention in the environmental review p rocess, as identified by SCAQMD, include the following:
▪ Wastewater Treatment Facilities
▪ Sanitary Landfills
▪ Transfer Stations
▪ Composting Facilities
▪ Asphalt Batch Plants
▪ Chemical Manufacturing
▪ Fiberglass Manufacturing
▪ Polyester Resin Use Painting/Coating Operations (e.g., auto body shops) ▪ Food Processing Facilities
▪ Rendering Plants
If a proposed project is determined to be a potentially significant odor source, mitigation measures should be required. These guidelines further state that the most effective mitigation strategy is to provide a sufficient distance, or buffer zone, between the source and the receptor(s).
Packet Pg. 985
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
PLACEWORKS 5.3-47
The City of Redding contains several of above listed land u ses, such as the Waste Transfer Station on Abernathy Road, the Buckeye Water Treatment Plant and Foothill Water Treatment Plan, and a variety of auto-body shops throughout the City.
However, the City’s Municipal Code contains several ordinances that would eliminate, or limit odors emitted by various land uses. For example, Section 18.40.110 (C), Performance Standards -Citywide, Odors, states that no use, process, or activity shall produce objectionable odors detectable by a reasonable person that are perceptible without instruments at the property lines of an "R" district. Section 18.34.030 (B) addresses requirements for industrial uses and states that i ndustrial or manufacturing uses which may be objectionable by reason of producing offensive odor, dust, noise, bright lights, vibration, project scale, or traffic volumes or involving the storage or use of explosives or other dangerous materials may be denied a site development permit.
Chapter 18.46, Nonconforming Uses, Structures, Sites and Parcels, of the Municipal Code, which addresses existing land uses in the City that present conflicts with conforming land uses under the zoning code, states that no nonconforming use that involves the storage, use or generation of hazardous materials, presses, products, or wastes or other activity that may be detrimental to public health or safety because of the potential to generate dust, glare, heat, noise, noxious gases, odor, smoke, vibration, or other conditions that would be incompatible with surrounding uses may be substituted for an existing nonconforming use even if the use is of the same or less intensive nature. Section 6.12.210, Odor Control, requires that all cannabis businesses install ventilation and filtration systems to limit odors from cannabis uses.
In addition to the City’s Municipal Code, the proposed project does not include any changes to land use designations and thus would not result in the introduction of new odor sources beyond what is currently allowed. Nonetheless, these existing requirements in the Municipal Code would minimize odor emissions from adversely affecting a substantial number of people within the City , and impacts would be less than significant.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: Impact AQ-4 would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
Level of Significance After Mitigation: Impact AQ-4 would be less than significant.
Packet Pg. 986
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
5.3-48 FEBRUARY 2024
5.3.5 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS
AQ-5 The proposed project, in combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, would result in significant cumulative impacts with respect to air quality.
The cumulative area of analysis is the NSVAB, which includes Redding. Like GHG emissions impacts, air quality impacts are regional in nature because no single project generates enough emissions that would cause an air basin to be designated a nonattainment area. Furthermore, per SCAQMD, projects generating emissions that exceed the regional significance thresholds would not only be considered to result in a significance project-level impact but would also be considered to result in a cumulative impact. Thus, the impacts previously discussed are evaluated in the cumulative context and no additional cumulative analysis is needed.
In summary, the 2023-2045 General Plan would not be consistent with the applicable 2021 AQAP because the projected emissions for ozone precursors (NOX and ROG) generated by buildout of the proposed General Plan Update would exceed the projected levels of these emissions in the AQAP . Since SCAQMD is in non- attainment status for ozone, this impact is considered significant and unavoidable. The proposed project is also expected to generate construction and operational emissions that would exceed the SCAQMD thresholds. Implementation of Mitigation Measures AQ -1 and AQ-2 would reduce construction and operational emissions for future projects under the 2023 -2045 General Plan by ensuring that all projects implement the applicable SMMs and BAMMs ; however, due to the programmatic nature of th is Draft EIR, it cannot be determined whether implementation of Mitigation Measures AQ -1 and AQ -2 would reduce emissions below the specified thresholds during construction or operation.
The proposed project was also determined to result in less than significant impacts with respect to sensitive receptors due to the inclusion of Policy EJ3B, as well as the proposed project not resulting in any changes to existing land use designations. Furthermore, any odor generating uses under the proposed project would be subject to the provisions of the City’s Municipal Code ensuring that impacts related to odors and other emissions are less than significant. Overall, cumulative impacts to air quality are considered significant and unavoidable.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: AQ-5 would be potentially significant.
Mitigation Measures
Implement Mitigation Measures AQ-1 and AQ-2.
Level of Significance After Mitigation: AQ-5 would be significant and unavoidable. Though implementation of mitigation would reduce cumulative air quality impacts to the extent feasible, Impact AQ-5 would remain significant and unavoidable.
Packet Pg. 987
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
PLACEWORKS 5.3-49
5.3.6 REFERENCES
Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD). 2017, May. California Environmental Quality Act Air Quality Guidelines. http://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/planning -and- research/ceqa/ceqa_guidelines_may2017-pdf.
California Air Resources Board ( CARB). 1999. Final Staff Report: Update to the Toxic Air Contaminant List. https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/classic/toxics/tac/update98/update98.htm. ______. 2005, April. Air Quality and Land Use Handbook: A Community Health Perspective. http://www.aqmd.gov/docs/default-source/ceqa/handbook/california-air-resources-board-air- quality-and-land-use-handbook-a-community-health-perspective.pdf. ______. 2016, May 4. Ambient Air Quality Standards. https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2020 - 07/aaqs2.pdf.
______. 2017, April. Strategies to Reduce Air Pollution Exposure Near High -Volume Roadways https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2017-10/rd_technical_advisory_final.pdf. ______. 2022, November . Area Designations Maps: State and National https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/documents/maps-state-and-federal-area-designations ______. 2023a (Accessed). Common Air Pollutants: Air Pollution and Health, https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/common-air-pollutants. ______.2023b (Accessed). Air Pollution Data Monitoring Cards (2019, 2020 , and 2021 ), https://www.arb.ca.gov/adam/topfour/topfour1.php.
Department of Finance (DOF). 2022. E-5 Population and Housing Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State, 2020 -2022. https://dof.ca.gov/forecasting/demographics/estimates/e-5-population-and- housing-estimates-for-cities-counties-and-the-state-2020-2022/ Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). 2007. Air Toxicology and Epidemiology: Air Pollution and Children’s Health.
Redding, City of. 2000. City of Redding 2000-2020 General Plan: Air Quality Element. https://www.cityofredding.org/home/showpublisheddocument/5497/635791167033300000 ______. 2022. Traffic Flow Map,
https://redding.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=1dc76656439a4a62b41e47 5516963897.
Packet Pg. 988
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
AIR QUALITY
5.3-50 FEBRUARY 2024
Sacramento Valley Air Quality Engineering and Enforcement Professionals (SVAQEEP). 2021. Draft Northern Sacramento Valley Planning Area: 2021, Triennial Air Quality Attainment Plan. https://www.co.shasta.ca.us/docs/libraries/resource-management-docs/aq- docs/2021_nsvaq_attainment_plan.pdf
Shasta County Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). 2003, November . Protocol for Review Land Use Permitting Activities.
https://www.shastacounty.gov/sites/default/files/fileattachments/air_quality/page/2415/scaqmd- ceqa-land-use-protocol.pdf
Shasta Regional Transportation Agency (SRTA). 2015. 2015 Regional Transportation Plan for Shasta County. https://www.srta.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1881/SRTA_2015_RTP_Final_Adopted_June_201 5_with_appendices?bidId=
______. 2018. Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA). https://www.srta.ca.gov/240/Regional-Housing- Need-Allocation-RHNA
South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD). 2005. Guidance Document for Addressing Air Quality Issues in General Plans and Local Planning, http://www.aqmd.gov/docs/default-source/planning/air-quality-guidance/complete-guidance- document.pdf.
______. 2020, February 3. Health and Environmental Effects of Hazardous Air Pollutants. https://www.epa.gov/haps/health-and-environmental-effects-hazardous-air-pollutants.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). 2002. Health Assessment Document for Diesel Engine Exhaust.
______. 2023 (Accessed). Criteria Air Pollutants. https://www.epa.gov/criteria-air-pollutants.
Packet Pg. 989
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.4-1
5.4 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
This chapter describes the regulatory framework and existing conditions in the Plan Area related to biological resources, and the potential impacts of the project on biological resources. The information in this section is based partly on the following technical studies:
▪ Biological Resources Technical Memorandum , ECORP Consulting, Inc., November 2022 . A complete copy of this report is included as Appendix 5.4-1 to this EIR.
Information and analysis from the Biological Resources Technical Memorandum only focuses on the proposed sphere of influence (SOI). Development beyond the SOI will require more analysis as part of the annexation process and that the nature of biological resources will change between the baseline and planning horizon therefore making any analysis now premature.
5.4.1 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
This section summarizes key federal, state, and local regulations, plans, and programs that provide protection and management of sensitive biological resources in Redding.
Federal Regulations
Endangered Species Act
The Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) protects fish and wildlife species, and their habitats, that have been identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) as threatened or endangered. Endangered refers to species, subspecies, or distinct population segments that are in danger of ext inction through all or a significant portion of their range. Threatened refers to species, subspecies, or distinct population segments that are likely to become endangered in the near future.
The ESA is administered by the USFWS and the NMFS. In general, NMFS is responsible for protection of ESA- listed marine species and anadromous fish, whereas other listed species are under USFWS jurisdiction.
Provisions of ESA Sections 7 and 9 are relevant to the General Plan update and are summarized below.
Endangered Species Act Authorization Process for Federal Actions (Section 7) Section 7 of the ESA provides a means for authorizing take of threatened and endangered species by federal agencies. Under Section 7, the federal agency conducting, funding, or permitting an action (the lead federal agency, such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers [USACE]) must consult with USFWS or NMFS, as appropriate, to ensure that the proposed action will not jeopardize endangered or threatened species or destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat. If a proposed project “may affect” a list ed species Packet Pg. 990
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-2 FEBRUARY 2024
or designated critical habitat, the lead agency is required to prepare a biological assessment evaluating the nature and severity of the expected effect. In response, USFWS or NMFS issues a biological opinion, with a determination that the proposed action either:
▪ May jeopardize the continued existence of one or more listed species (jeopardy finding) or result in the destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat (adverse modification finding), or ▪ Will not jeopardize the continued existence of any listed species (no jeopardy finding) or result in adverse modification of critical habitat (no adverse modification finding).
The biological opinion issued by the USFWS or NMFS may stipulate discretionary “reasonable and prudent” conservation measures. If the project would not jeopardize a listed species, the USFWS or NMFS issues an incidental take statement to authorize the proposed activity.
Endangered Species Act Prohibitions (Section 9)
Section 9 of the ESA prohibits the take of any fish or wildlife species listed under the ESA as endangered.
Take of threatened species also is prohibited under Section 9, unless otherwise authorized by federal regulations. In some cases, exceptions may be made for threatened species under ESA Section 4[d]; in such cases, the USFWS or NMFS issues a “4[d] rule” describing protections for the threatened species and specifying the circumstances under which take is allowed. Take, as defined by ESA, means “to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot , wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct.” Harm is defined as “any act that kills or injures the species, including significant habitat modification.” In addition, Section 9 prohibits removing, digging up, cutting, and maliciously damaging or destroying federally listed plants on sites under federal jurisdiction.
Section 10
When no discretionary action is being taken by a federal agency but a project may result in the take of listed species, an incidental take permit under Section 10 of the ESA is necessary. The purpose of the incidental take permit is to authorize the take of federally listed species that may result from an otherwise lawful activity, not to authorize the activities themselves. To obtain an incidental take permit, an application must be submitted that includes a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). The purpose of the HCP planning process is to ensure that adequate minimization and mitigation for impacts to listed species and/or their habitat will occur .
Critical Habitat
For the purpose of designating Critical Habitat, habitat is defined as the abiotic and biotic setting that currently or periodically contains the resources and conditions necessary to support one or more life processes of a species. Critical Habitat design ations identify, to the extent known and using the best scientific data available, physical or biological features essential to the conservation of the species. These include features that occur in specific areas and that are essential to support the life -history needs of the Packet Pg. 991
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.4-3
species, including but not limited to water characteristics, soil type, geological features, sites, prey, vegetation, symbiotic species, or other features. A feature may be a single habitat characteristic, or a more complex combination of habitat character istics. Features may include habitat characteristics that support ephemeral or dynamic habitat conditions (i.e., conditions that are temporary, short-term, and/or changing).
Features may also be expressed in terms relating to principles of conservation bio logy, such as patch size, distribution distances, and connectivity.
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson -Stevens Act) establishes a management system for national marine and estuarine fishery resources. This legislation requires that all federal agencies consult with NMFS regarding all actions or proposed actions permitted, funded, or undertaken that may adversely affect essential fish habitat (EFH). EFH is defined as “waters and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity.” The legislation states that migratory routes to and from anadromous fish spawning grounds are considered EFH. The phrase adversely affect refers to the creation of any impact that reduces the quality or quantity of EFH. Federal activities that occur outside EFH but that may, nonetheless, have an impact on EFH waters and substrat e also must be considered in the consultation process.
Clean Water Act, Section 404
The United States Army Corps of Engineers ( Corps) regulates discharge of dredged or fill material into “waters of the United States.”1 Any filling or dredging within waters of the United States requires a permit , which entails assessment of potential adverse impacts to Corps wetlands and jurisdictional waters and any mitigation measures that the Corps requires. Section 7 consultation with USFWS may be required for impacts to a federally listed species. If cultural resources may be present, Section 106 review may also be required. When a Section 404 permit is required, a Section 401 Water Quality Certification is also required from the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB).
Clean Water Act
The federal Clean Water Act (CWA) was enacted as an amendment to the federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, which outlined the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants to waters of the
1 "Waters of the United States," as applie d to the jurisdictional limits of the Corps under the Clean Water Act , includes all waters that are currently used, were used in the past, or may be susceptible to use in interstate or foreign commerce, including all waters that are subject to the tide; all interstate waters , including interstate wetlands; and all other waters , such as intrastate lakes, rivers, streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sandflats, wetlands, sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lakes, or natural ponds whose use, degradation , or destruction could affect interstate or foreign commerce; water impoundments; tributaries of waters; territorial seas; and wetlands adjacent to waters. The terminology used by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act includes “navigable waters,” which is defined at Section 502(7) of the act as “waters of the United States, including the territorial seas.” Packet Pg. 992
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-4 FEBRUARY 2024
United States. The CWA serves as the primary federal law protecting the quality of the nation’s surface waters, including lakes, rivers, and coastal wetlands.
The CWA empowers the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set national water quality standards and effluent limitations and includes programs addressing both point -source and nonpoint -source pollution. Point-source pollution is pollution that originates or enters surface waters at a single, discrete location, such as an outfall structure o r an excavation or construction site. Nonpoint -source pollution originates over a broader area and includes urban contaminants in stormwater runoff and sediment loading from upstream areas. The CWA operates on the principle that all discharges into the nation’s waters are unlawful unless specifically authorized by a permit; permit review is the CWA’s primary regulatory tool. The following sections provide additional details on specific sections of the CWA.
Permits for Fill Placement in Waters and Wetlands (Section 404) CWA 404 regulates the discharge of dredged and fill materials into waters of the United States. Waters of the United States refers to oceans, bays, rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. On June 22, 2020, the EPA and the Department of the Army published the Navigable Waters Protection Rule to define “Waters of the United States” (85 Federal Register 22250). The agencies streamlined the definition into four categories of jurisdictional waters, provided clear exclusions for many water features that traditionally have not been regulated, and defined terms in the regulatory text that have never been defined before.
The Navigable Waters Protection Rule regulates traditional navigable waters and the core tributary systems that provide perennial or intermittent flow into them.
The four categories of federally regulated waters are:
▪ The territorial seas and traditional navigable waters. ▪ Perennial and intermittent tributaries to those waters. ▪ Certain lakes, ponds, and impoundments.
▪ Wetlands adjacent to jurisdictional waters.
Applicants must obtain a permit from the USACE for all discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States, including adjacent wetlands, before proceeding with a proposed activity. The USACE may issue either an individual permit evaluated on a case -by-case basis or a general permit evaluated at a program level for a series of related activities. General permits are preauthorized and are issued to cover multiple instances of similar activities expected to cause only minimal adverse environmental effects.
Nationwide permits (NWPs) are a type of general permit issued to cover particular fill activities. Each NWP specifies particular conditions that must be met for the NWP to apply to a particular project. Potential waters of the United States in the city would be under the jurisdiction of the Sacramento District of the USACE.
Packet Pg. 993
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.4-5
Compliance with CWA 404 requires compliance with several other environmental laws and regulations. The USACE cannot issue an individual permit or verify the use of a general permit until the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act, ESA, and N ational Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) have been met. In addition, the USACE cannot issue or verify any permit until a water quality certification or a waiver of certification has been issued pursuant to CWA 401.
Permits for Stormwater Discharge (Section 402)
CWA 402 regulates construction -related stormwater discharges to surface waters through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program, administered by the EPA. In California, the State Water Resources Control Board is authorized by the EPA to oversee the NPDES program through the Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCB) (see the related discussion under “Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act” below). The city is under the jurisdiction of the Central Valley RWQCB.
NPDES permits are required for projects that disturb more than one acre of land. The NPDES permitting process requires the project applicant to file a public notice of intent (NOI) to discharge stormwater and prepare and implement a stormwater pollution pr evention plan (SWPPP). The SWPPP includes a site map and a description of proposed construction activities. In addition, it describes the best management practices (BMP) that will be implemented to prevent soil erosion and discharge of other construction - related pollutants (e.g., petroleum products, solvents, paints, and cement) that could contaminate nearby water resources. Permittees are required to conduct annual monitoring and reporting to ensure that BMPs are correctly implemented and effective in controlling the discharge of stormwater-related pollutants.
Water Quality Certification (Section 401)
Under CWA 401, applicants for a federal license or permit to conduct activities that may result in the discharge of a pollutant into waters of the United States must obtain certification from the state in which the discharge would originate or, if appropri ate, from the interstate water pollution control agency with jurisdiction over affected waters at the point where the discharge would originate. Therefore, all projects that have a federal component and may affect State water quality (including projects th at require federal agency approval, such as issuance of a CWA 404 permit) also must comply with CWA Section 401. In California, the State Water Resources Control Board is authorized to issue CWA 401 water quality certification through the RWQCB. If the USA CE determines a wetland is not subject to regulation under CWA 404, CWA 401 water quality certification is not required. However, the RWQCB may impose waste discharge requirements if fill material is placed into waters of the State (see the related discuss ion under “Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act,” below).
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program The federal Water Pollution Control Act established the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program to control discharges of pollutants from point sources (Section 402). The NPDES Permit Program is the primary federal program that regulates point-source and nonpoint-source discharges Packet Pg. 994
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-6 FEBRUARY 2024
to waters of the United States . The SWRCB issues both general and individual NPDES permits for certain activities.
Migratory Bird Treaty Act
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) (16 U.S. Government Code 703–711) implements international treaties between the US and other nations devised to protect migratory birds, any of their parts, eggs, and nests from activities such as hunting, pursuing, capturing, killing, selling, and shipping, unless expressly authorized in the regulations or by permit. As authorized by the MBTA, the USFWS issues permits to qualified applicants for the following types of activities: falconry, raptor propagation, scientific collecting, special purposes (i.e., rehabilitation, education, migratory game bird propagation, and salvage), take of depredating birds, taxidermy, and waterfowl sale and disposal. The regulations governing migratory bird permits can be found in 50 CFR part 13 General Permit Procedures and 50 CFR part 21 Migratory Bird Permits. The State of California has incorporated the protection of birds of prey in Sections 3800, 3513, and 3503.5 of the California Fish and Game Code.
Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act
The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940 (as amended) provides for the protection of bald eagle and golden eagle by prohibiting the take, possession, sale, purchase, barter, offer to sell, purchase or barter, transport, export or import, of any bal d or golden eagle, alive or dead, including any part, nest, or egg, unless allowed by permit (16 USC 668(a); 50 CFR 22). USFWS may authorize take of bald eagles and golden eagles for activities where the take is associated with, but not the purpose of, the activity and cannot practicably be avoided (50 CFR 22.26).
State Regulations
California Endangered Species Act
The California Endangered Species Act (CESA) establishes State policy to conserve, protect, restore, and enhance threatened or endangered species and their habitats. CESA mandates that State agencies should not approve projects that jeopardize the continue d existence of threatened or endangered species if reasonable and prudent alternatives are available that would avoid jeopardy. For projects that would affect species that are on the federal and State lists, compliance with the federal ESA satisfies CESA if the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) determines that the federal incidental take authorization is consistent with CESA under California Fish and Game Code Section 2080.1. For projects that would result in take of species that are only State listed, the project proponent must apply for a take permit under Section 2081(b) of the California Fish and Game Code.
Packet Pg. 995
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.4-7
California Fish and Game Code
Under the California Fish and Game Code, the CDFW provides protection from “take” for a variety of species.
The CDFW also protects streams, water bodies and riparian corridors through the streambed alteration agreement process under Section 1601 to 1606 of the California Fish and Game Code. The Fish and Game Code stipulates that it is “unlawful to substantially divert or obstruct the natural flow or substantially change the bed, channel or bank of any river, stream or lake” without notifying CDFW , incorpora ting necessary mitigation, and obtaining a streambed alteration agreement. CDFW’s jurisdiction extends to the top of banks and often includes the outer edge of riparian vegetation canopy cover .
California Native Plant Protection Act
The California Native Plant Protection Act of 1977 (CNPPA) prohibits importation of rare and endangered plants into California, “take” of rare and endangered plants and sale of rare and endangered plants. CESA defers to the CNPPA, which ensures that State -listed plant species are protected when State agencies are involved in projects subject to CEQA. In this case, plants listed as rare under the CNPPA are not protected under CESA but under CEQA.
California Natural Communities
Sensitive natural communities are natural community types considered to be rare or of a “high inventory priority” by the CDFW . Although sensitive natural communities have no legal protective status under ESA or CESA, they are provided some level of conside ration under CEQA. Appendix G of the CEQA Guidelines identifies potential impacts on a sensitive natural community as one of six criteria to consider in determining the significance of a proposed project. While no thresholds are established as part of this criterion, it serves as an acknowledgement that sensitive natural communities are an important resource and, depending on their rarity, should be recognized as part of the environmental review process. The level of significance of a project’s impact on an y particular sensitive natural community will depend on that natural community’s relative abundance and rarity.
As an example, a discretionary project that has a substantial adverse effect on any riparian habitat, native grassland, valley oak woodland, and/or other sensitive natural community would normally be considered to have a significant effect on the environme nt. Further loss of a sensitive natural community could be interpreted as substantially diminishing habitat, depending on its relative abundance, quality and degree of past disturbance, and the anticipated impacts to the specific community type.
California Oak Woodlands Conservation Act
The California Oak Woodlands Conservation Act was enacted in 2001 to protect oak woodland habitats that were being diminished due to development, firewood harvesting, and agricultural conversions. The Oak Woodlands Conservation Program was established to provide funding opportunities for private landowners, conservation organizations, and cities and counties to conserve and restore oak woodlands.
Packet Pg. 996
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-8 FEBRUARY 2024
The program authorizes the Wildlife Conservation Board to purchase oak woodland conservation easements and provide grants for land improvements and oak restoration efforts.
Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act
Under the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Act, the RWQCB regulates actions that would involve “discharging waste, or proposing to discharge waste, within any region that could affect the water of the state” (Water Code 13260(a)). Waters of the state are defin ed as “any surface water or groundwater, including saline waters, within the boundaries of the state” (Water Code 13050 (e)). The RWQCB regulates all such activities, as well as dredging, filling, or discharging materials into waters of the State, that are not regulated by the USACE due to a lack of connectivity with a navigable water body. The RWQCB may require issuance of WDRs for these activities. Although all waters of the United States that are within the borders of California are also waters of the state, the converse is not true (i.e., not all waters of the State are also waters of the United States). Thus, California retains authority to regulate discharges of waste into any waters of the state, regardless of whether the USACE has concurrent jurisdiction under CWA 404.
California Fish and Game Code Special Protections for Birds In addition to protections contained within the California ESA and California Fish and Game Code § 3511 described above, the California Fish and Game Code includes several sections that specifically protect certain birds:
▪ Section 3800 states that it is unlawful to take nongame birds, such as those occurring naturally in California that are not resident game birds, migratory game birds, or fully protected birds, except when in accordance with regulations of the California Fi sh and Game Commission or a mitigation plan approved by CDFW for mining operations.
▪ Section 3503 prohibits the take, possession, or needless destruction of the nest or eggs of any bird. ▪ Section 3503.5 protects birds of prey (which includes eagles, hawks, falcons, kites, ospreys, and owls) and prohibits the take, possession, or destruction of any birds and their nests. ▪ Section 3505 makes it unlawful to take, sell, or purchase egrets, ospreys, and several exotic non - native species, or any part of these birds.
▪ Section 3513 specifically prohibits the take or possession of any migratory nongame bird as designated in the MBTA.
Lake or Streambed Alteration Agreements
Section 1602 of the California Fish and Game Code requires individuals or agencies to provide a Notification of Lake or Streambed Alteration to CDFW for “any activity that may substantially divert or obstruct the natural flow or substantially change the bed, channel, or bank of any river, stream, or lake.” CDFW reviews the proposed reviews the proposed actions and, if necessary, proposed measures to protect affected fish Packet Pg. 997
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.4-9
and wildlife resources. The final proposal mutually agreed upon by CDFW and the applicant is the Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreement.
Local Regulations
2000-2020 Redding General Plan
The following policies are included in the existing General Plan regarding biological resources. The numbering is from the existing General Plan and therefore may not be consecutive.
Natural Resources Element
▪ Goal NR5: Preserve and protect the significant habitats, plants, and wildlife that exist in the planning area.
o Policy NR5A: Minimize the disruption of sensitive habitat caused by new development by encouraging innovative design and site planning and establishing performance standards for habitat protection.
o Policy NR5B: Work to preserve and enhance fisheries in the Sacramento River and those streams or stream segments identified on Figure 3-2. o Policy NR5C: Maintain and update data and information regarding areas of significant biological value within the Planning Area to:
▪ Provide critical information to the community.
▪ Facilitate resource conservation.
▪ Facilitate appropriate management of development activities. ▪ Goal NR6: Protect "special status" plant and animal species; preserve and pro tect creek corridors, riparian areas, vernal pools, and wetlands.
o Policy NR6A : Preserve watercourses, vernal pools, riparian habitat, and wetlands in their natural state to the extent feasible. Fully mitigate unavoidable adverse impacts such as wetland filling or disturbance.
o Policy NR6B : Provide adequate buffering of sensitive habitats whenever necessary.
Buffer size should be based upon the type of habitat as well as its size and habitat value. o Policy NR6C: Ensure that uses allowed within riparian corridors:
▪ Minimize the creation of erosion, sedimentation, and increased runoff. ▪ Emphasize retention and enhancement of natural riparian vegetation. ▪ Provide for unimpaired passage of fish and wildlife.
Packet Pg. 998
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-10 FEBRUARY 2024
▪ Avoid activities or development of new features that result in disturbance or dispersal of wildlife.
▪ Avoid channelization.
▪ Avoid substantial interference with surface and subsurface flows. ▪ Incorporate natural vegetation buffers.
o Policy NR6D: Continue to require new development to provide minimum river and creek-corridor development setbacks (buffer areas) in accordance with Figure 3-3 and Zoning Code Chapter 18.48. These setbacks may be modified based on project/resource-specific circumstances and appropriate mitigation. These buf fer areas should be dedicated, or a permanent conservation easement granted to the City as a condition of development approval.
o Policy NR6E: Strive to conserve all "special -status species" within the Planning Area.
Ensure implementation of statutory protection for these species. o Policy NR6F: Support public and private efforts to establish habitat mitigation banks, habitat conservation plans, conservation easements, and other mechanisms that serve to protect sensitive habitats and species.
o Policy NR6G: Ensure implementation of policies and regulations for protection of those wildlife species having statutory protection under local, state, and/or federal laws. ▪ Goal NR7: Recognize the aesthetic and biological values of oak Woodlands and other natural vegetation.
o Policy NR7A: Promote existing native oaks, especially valley oaks, by establishing standards for the design of development projects. The preservation of stands of trees within developments is preferred over preservation of individual trees, with the exception of special-status species and heritage trees. o Policy NR7B: Identify and establish appropriate "tree mitigation areas" to be used for the planting of native trees in concert with development project mitigation. ▪ Goal NR8: Recognize and protect linkages and migratory corridors. o Policy NR8A: Maintain, where possible, the habitat linkages/wildlife corridors and sensitive habitats that are created by the open -space ("Greenway") network established by this General Plan. Require development in areas depicted as "Greenway" on the General Plan Diagram to consider corridor impacts and, where necessary, provide alternate usable links between habitat types or areas and/or provide alternate development plans that avoid the open-space network and sensitive habitats.
Packet Pg. 999
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.4-11
o Policy NR8B: Maintain and preserve other natural habitat linkages and wildlife corridors in the City where feasible. Discourage development impacts to these linkages and corridors and fully mitigate associated unavoidable adverse impacts. ▪ Goal NR9: Promote and facilitate habitat preservation, restoration, and enhancement. o Policy NR9A: Encourage the acquisition, preservation, restoration, and enhancement of native vegetation with a focus on wetlands and riparian habitat that will improve the biological value and integrity of the City's natural resources. Encourage native landscape in unvegetated, manmade areas, such as along s treets and in abandoned lots.
o Policy NR9B: Encourage education and community involvement in the protection and enhancement of local biological resources.
City of Redding Municipal Code
The Redding Municipal Code provides tree protection through the Streets and Sidewalks Ordinance, Chapter 13.40, Trees and Shrubs, and through the Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 18.45, Tree Management.
Chapter 13.40 regulates trees on public areas and plant strips, and Chapter 18.45 regulates trees on private land.
Chapter 18.45, Tree Management , requires either: 1) approval to remove trees associated with an application for a discretionary development permit (e.g., use permit, subdivision, specific plan); or 2) a tree permit for the removal of any tree that exceeds six inches diameter at breast height in instances where a discretionary permit is not required . The ordinance focus is on preservation of stands of trees and those exceptional trees that because of their characteristics are determined to be “candidate” trees and should be considered for preservation. The findings for issuance of a tree permit for the proposed Project are in section 18.45.070 A and B of the Redding Municipal Code, summarized as follows:
1. An application for a discretionary project is also considered an application for tree removal in instances where trees will be affected by the development.
2. Where identified candidate trees cannot be preserved, the development should address the preservation of the most desirable candidate trees.
3. The Development Services Director may waive the requirement to identify candidate trees based on the characteristics of the site. Confirmation of the determination to waive the requirement to identify and save candidate trees rests with the Project’s approving body.
In instances where a tree removal permit is required, a permit may be denied if it includes removal of a listed landmark or heritage tree in the plan established by Chapter 13.40. A provision of the permit may require replanting of trees at appropriate locations on the property or off-site location to replace those that will be removed. The size and number of trees to be replanted is at the discretion of the Development Packet Pg. 1000
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-12 FEBRUARY 2024
Services Department Director, but must bear a reasonable relationship to the value, size, type, and similar considerations as the tree approved for removal.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Site Characteristics and Land Use
The SOI is characterized by a mixture of urban and woodland land cover types. The SOI islocated within the Inner North Coast Ranges and Cascade Range Foothills geographic subdivisions, with a very small portion on the western side that is located within the Klamath Ranges (Baldwin et al. 2012). The average winter low temperature in the vicinity of the SOI is 38.1° Fahrenheit, while the average summer high temperature is 93° Fahrenheit (NOAA 2022a).
Land use in the SOI includes commercial, industrial, residential, and recreational uses. The central portion of the SOI includes the City of Redding and is classified as urban. The surrounding landscape consists of agriculture, low- and medium-density residential areas, and undeveloped open space. As shown in Table
5.4-1, CalVeg Land Cover Types and acreage within Redding Sphere of Influence, Urban (15,199 acres, Blue Oak Woodland (8,814 acres), Mixed Chaparral (6,567 acres), and Annual Grassland (5,371 acres) land cover types cover large portions of the SOI. Figure 5.4-1, CalVeg – Land Cover, shows the CalVeg land cover types within Redding’s SOI.
TABLE 5.4-1 CALVEG LAND COVER TYPES AND ACREAGE WITHIN REDDING SPHERE OF INFLUENCE Land Cover Type (CalVeg) Acres Land Cover Percent
Urban 15,199 30.76
Blue Oak Woodland 8,814 17.84
Mixed Chaparral 6,567 13.29
Blue Oak-Foothill Pine 6,275 12.70
Annual Grassland 5,371 10.87
Barren 3,166 6.41
Valley Oak Woodland 1,324 2.68
Riverine 989 2.00
Valley Foothill Riparian 730 1.48
Cropland 566 1.15
Lacustrine 262 0.53
Pasture 86 0.17
Montane Hardwood 54 0.11
Fresh Emergent Wetland 14 0.03
Grand Total: 49,416 100.00
Source: ECORP Consulting, Inc. 2023, May. Biological Resources Technical Memorandum for the City of Redding General Plan Update. Prepared for the City of Redding. (Appendix 5.4-1)
Packet Pg. 1001
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding) Source: ECORP , 2022.
Figure 5.4-1
CalVeg – Land Cover
5.4 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
REDDING GENERAL PLAN UPDATED DRAFT EIR
CITY OF REDDING
PLACEWORKS
Source: ECORP , 2022.
0 Scale (Miles)
2 Packet Pg. 1002
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-14 FEBRUARY 2024
This page intentionally left blank.
Packet Pg. 1003
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.4-15
California Aquatic Resource Inventory
The California Aquatic Resource Inventory (CARI; San Francisco Estuary Institute [SFEI] 2017) is a statewide map of surface waters and related habitats combining multiple national and regional datasets, including the National Wetlands Inventory and the National Hydrography Dataset. CARI includes aquatic resource features mapped using a variety of remote sensing and modeling techniques. As such, these aquatic features may or may not exist as represented. In addition, CARI data varies in detail, accuracy, and age, and is meant to be used as a tool to assist with an aquatic resource delineation but not as the only source of information (SFEI 2017). Therefore, it is recommended that ground -level surveys be conducted to determine the presence of aquatic resources subject to the jurisdiction of state and federal agencies prior to making site-specific land use decisions.
According to CARI (SFEI 2017 ; California Wetlands Monitoring Workgroup 2022), 18 aquatic feature types have been mapped within Redding:
▪ Fluvial Natural
▪ Fluvial Unnatural
▪ Depressional Perennial Natural Emergent
▪ Depressional Perennial Natural Non-vegetated
▪ Depressional Perennial Non-vegetated
▪ Depressional Perennial Unnatural Emergent
▪ Depressional Perennial Unnatural Non-vegetated
▪ Depressional Perennial Unnatural Vegetated
▪ Depressional Seasonal
▪ Depressional Seasonal Natural Emergent
▪ Depressional Seasonal Natural Forested
▪ Depressional Seasonal Natural Shrub-Scrub
▪ Depressional Seasonal Unnatural Emergent
▪ Depressional Seasonal Unnatural Forested
▪ Depressional Seasonal Unnatural Non-vegetated
▪ Depressional Seasonal Unnatural Shrub-Scrub
▪ Depressional Unnatural Non-vegetated
▪ Lacustrine Unnatural Non-vegetated
Figure 5.4-2, California Aquatic Resources Inventory, shows the distribution of these aquatic features within the SOI.
Fluvial systems are dominated by rivers and streams. The fluvial unnatural aquatic feature type corresponds to irrigation canals and drainage ditches. Fluvial natural corresponds to portions of the Sacramento River and its tributaries in the surrounding area, such as Olney Creek, Tadpole Creek, and Clear Creek.
Depressional perennial or seasonal features consist of both natural and unnatural wetlands. Unnatural wetland features include manufactured lakes and ponds, agricultural ponds, and manufacturing and construction-related ponds (e.g., Shasta Redi -Mix ponds). Natural wetland features include natural floodplain features, riparian forests, and depressional wetlands found throughout the City. Lacustrine unnatural non -vegetated features include manufactured ponds and lakes and can be found along the Sacramento River south of the terminus of Gravel Plant Road, north of Riverview Country Club, and on the west side of the river, south of the Highway 44 crossing.
Packet Pg. 1004
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-16 FEBRUARY 2024
Special Status Species
Based on results provided by the California Natural Diversity Database a total of 84 special -status species have documented occurrences or have potential to occur within the SOI. This includes 35 plants; 6 invertebrates; 14 fish; 3 amphibians; 1 reptile; 15 birds; and 10 mammals.
Plants
A total of 35 special-status plant species have potential or low potential to occur within the SOI as presented below. A large portion of the rare plants can be found in cismontane woodland, lower coniferous forest, chaparral, and valley and foothill grassland. Several species are also commonly associated with wetlands and vernal pool habitat types. Attachment B found in Appendix 5.4-1 provides additional details on each species and its habitat requirements.
▪ Shasta maidenhair fern (Adiantum
shastense)
▪ Shasta ageratina (Ageratina shastensis)
▪ Henderson’s bent grass (Agrostis
hendersonii)
▪ Sanborn’s onion (Allium sanbornii var .
sanbornii)
▪ Slender silver moss (Anomobryum julaceum)
▪ Shasta County arnica (Arnica venosa)
▪ Depauperate milk-vetch (Astragalus
pauperculus)
▪ Big-scale balsamroot (Balsamorhiza
macrolepis)
▪ Watershield (Brasenia schreberi)
▪ Sulphur Creek brodiaea (Brodiaea matsonii)
▪ Thread-leaved beakseed (Bulbostylis
capillaris)
▪ Northern clarkia (Clarkia borealis ssp.
borealis)
▪ Silky cryptantha (Cryptantha crinita)
▪ Tripod buckwheat (Eriogonum tripodum)
▪ Shield-bracted monkeyflower (Erythranthe
glaucescens)
▪ Shasta limestone monkeyflower
(Erythranthe taylorii)
▪ Shasta fawn lily (Erythronium shastense)
▪ Boggs Lake hedge-hyssop (Gratiola
heterosepala)
▪ Red Bluff dwarf rush (Juncus leiospermus
var . leiospermus)
▪ Dubious pea (Lathyrus sulphureus var .
argillaceus)
▪ Legenere (Legenere limosa)
▪ Broad-lobed leptosiphon (Leptosiphon
latisectus)
▪ Bellinger’s meadowfoam (Limnanthes
floccosa ssp. bellingeriana)
▪ Woolly meadowfoam (Limnanthes floccosa
ssp. floccosa)
▪ Baker’s navarretia (Navarretia leucocephala
ssp. bakeri)
▪ Shasta snow wreath (Neviusia cliftonii)
▪ Slender Orcutt grass (Orcuttia tenuis)
▪ Ahart's paronychia (Paronychia ahartii)
▪ Nuttall's ribbon-leaved pondweed
(Potamogeton epihydrus)
▪ Sanford’s arrowhead (Sagittaria sanfordii)
▪ Redding checkerbloom (Sidalcea celata)
▪ Maverick clover (Trifolium piorkowskii)
▪ Shasta huckleberry (Vaccinium shastense
ssp. shastense)
▪ Oval-leaved viburnum (Viburnum ellipticum)
▪ Brazilian watermeal (Wolffia brasiliensis)
Packet Pg. 1005
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding) Source: ECORP , 2022.
Figure 5.4-3
California Aquatic Resources Inventory
REDDING GENERAL PLAN UPDATED DRAFT EIR
CITY OF REDDING
5.4 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS
Source: ECORP , 2022.
0 Scale (Miles)
2 Packet Pg. 1006
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-18 FEBRUARY 2024
This page intentionally left blank.
Packet Pg. 1007
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.4-19
Invertebrates
A total of six special-status invertebrate species have documented occurrences or have potential to occur within the SOI as presented below. Of the invertebrate species listed, the fairy shrimp, linderiella, and tadpole shrimp species are restricted to vernal pools and wetlands. Valley elderberry longhorn beetles are restricted to their host plant, species of the genus Sambucus. Monarch butterflies are not restricted to any particular habitat, but the caterpillars feed on milkweed ( Asclepias sp.) while adults typically roost in Monterey Pine, Monterey Cypress, and Eucalyptus species. Attachment B found in Appendix 5.4-1 provides additional details on each species.
▪ Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta
conservatio)
▪ Vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta
lynchi)
▪ California linderiella (Linderiella
occidentalis)
▪ Vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus
packardi)
▪ Valley elderberry longhorn beetle
(Desmocerus californicus ssp.
dimorphus)
▪ Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
Fish
A total of 14 special-status fish species have documented occurrences or have the potential to occur within the SOI as presented below. The majority of these fish are anadromous and require, clean, unrestricted flows to complete their life cycle. The mainstem of the Sacramento River provides habitat for many of these species, but floodplains and tributaries to the Sacramento River within the SOI may also provide habitat for special-status fish species. Attachment A found in Appendix 5.4 -1 provides additiona l details on each species.
▪ Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus
tridentatus)
▪ River Lamprey (Lampetra ayresi)
▪ Western brook lamprey (Lampetra
richardsoni)
▪ Green sturgeon (Southern distinct
population segment [DPS]) (Acipenser
medirostris)
▪ White sturgeon (Acipenser
transmontanus)
▪ Steelhead (CA Central Valley DPS)
(Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus)
▪ Chinook salmon (Central Valley spring-
run evolutionary significant unit [ESU])
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
▪ Chinook Salmon (Central Valley fall/late-
fall-run ESU) (Oncorhynchus
tshawytscha)
▪ Chinook salmon (Sacramento River
winter-run ESU) (Oncorhynchus
tshawytscha)
▪ Central California Roach (Hesperoleucus
symmetricus ssp. symmetricus)
▪ Sacramento Hitch (Lavinia exilicauda
ssp. exilicauda)
▪ Hardhead (Mylopharodon conocephalus)
▪ Sacramento splittail (Pogonichthys
macrolepidotus)
▪ Riffle Sculpin (Cottus gulosus)
Packet Pg. 1008
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-20 FEBRUARY 2024
Amphibians
A total of three special-status amphibian species have documented occurrences or have the potential to occur within the SOI as presented below. Habitats within the SOI that could support special status amphibians include limestone outcrops within mixed-conifer and hardwood forests, wetlands, vernal pools, grasslands, and riverine habitats. Attachment B found in Appendix 5.4-1 provides additional details on each species.
▪ Shasta Salamander Complex (Hydromantes sp.)
▪ Western spadefoot (Spea hammondii)
▪ Foothill yellow-legged frog (Northwest/North Coast Clade) (Rana boylii) Reptiles
A total of one special-status reptile species, the western pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata), was identified as having the potential to occur in the SOI or vicinity. Slow moving portions of the Sacramento River with ample vegetation and basking sites provide habitat for this species. Additionally, lacustrine habitats such as ponds, wetlands, irrigation ditches, and detention basins may provide suitable habitat. Attachment B found in Appendix 5.4-1 provides additional details on this species.
Birds
A total of 15 special-status bird species have documented occurrences or have the potential to occur within the SOIas presented below. Habitats likely to support special-status birds include riverine habitats along the Sacramento River both with and without emergent vegetation, riparian, oak woodland, chaparral, and urban habitats. Attachment B found in Appendix 5.4-1 provides additional details on each species. ▪ Clark’s grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii)
▪ Great egret (Ardea alba)
▪ Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
▪ Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
▪ Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
▪ Long-eared owl (Asio otus)
▪ Nuttall's woodpecker (Dryobates
nuttallii)
▪ Olive-sided flycatcher (Contopus
cooperi)
▪ Yellow-billed magpie (Pica nuttallii)
▪ Oak titmouse (Baeolophus inornatus)
▪ Bank swallow (Riparia riparia)
▪ Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata)
▪ California thrasher (Toxostoma
redivivum)
▪ Lawrence's goldfinch (Spinus lawrencei)
▪ Tricolored blackbird (Agelaius tricolor)
Packet Pg. 1009
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.4-21
Other Protected Birds
In addition to the above-listed special-status birds, all native or naturally occurring birds and their occupied nests/eggs are protected under the California Fish and Game Code and the MBTA. The SOI supports potential nesting habitat for a variety of common birds protected under these regulations.
Mammals
A total of 10 special-status mammal species have documented occurrences or have the potential to occur within the SOI as presented below. Many of the special -status bat species can be found in valley riparian forest, oak woodland, or other habitats with large trees for roosting. Habitats with rocky outcrops and urban habitats may also support special-status bat species. Higher elevation habitats such as montane hardwood may support porcupine and fisher . Attachment B found in Appendix 5.4-1 provides additional details on each species.
▪ Pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus)
▪ Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus
townsendii)
▪ North American Porcupine (Erethizon
dorsatum)
▪ Spotted bat (Euderma maculatum)
▪ Silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris
noctivagans)
▪ Western red bat (Lasiurus blossevillii)
▪ Hoary bat (Lasiurus cinerus)
▪ Long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis)
▪ Yuma myotis (Myotis yumanensis)
▪ Fisher (Northern California/Southern
Oregon DPS) (Pekania pennanti)
Critical Habitat and Essential Fish Habitat
There is Critical Habitat mapped within the SOI for slender Orcutt grass, vernal pool fairy shrimp, and vernal pool tadpole shrimp (USFWS 2022). As shown in Figure 5.4-3, Sensitive Natural Communities, the SOI also includes Critical Habitat for green sturgeon, Sacramento River winter -run ESU Chinook salmon, Central Valley spring -run ESU Chinook salmon, and California Central Valley DPS steelhead; and Essential Fish Habitat for Chinook salmon (NOAA 2022b; NOAA 2022c). Critical habitat components for each species are listed below.
▪ Slender Orcutt Grass, Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp, and Vernal Pool Tadpole Shrimp – vernal pools, seasonal wetlands, and swales
▪ Green Sturgeon – Sacramento River
▪ Chinook Salmon (Sacramento River winter-run ESU) – Sacramento River ▪ Chinook Salmon (Central Valley spring-run ESU) – Churn Creek, Clear Creek, Olney Creek, Sacramento River
Packet Pg. 1010
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-22 FEBRUARY 2024
▪ Steelhead (California Central Valley DPS) – Calaboose Creek, Canyon Creek, Churn Creek, Clear Creek, Jenny Creek, Middle Creek, Olney Creek, Rock Creek, Salt Creek, Stillwater Creek, Sulphur Creek, Oregon Gulch
Sensitive Natural Communities and Wildlife Corridors
Three sensitive natural communities were identified during the literature review: Great Valley Cottonwood Riparian Forest, Great Valley Oak Riparian Forest, and Great Valley Willow Scrub. These communities are restricted to areas immediately adjacent to the Sacramento River . Figure 5.4-3, Sensitive Natural Communities, depicts these sensitive natural communities.
A review of aerial imagery reveals that the three sensitive natural communities found in the SOI are connected by narrow strips of habitat on the banks of the Sacramento River . Large portions of the SOI are urban, which effectively fragments the riparian habitat corridor from upland habitats in the surrounding area. Preservation of the remaining riparian areas along the Sacramento River corridor and tis tributary streams will help preserve these sensitive natural communities and maintain connectivity with n atural habitat areas outside the SOI.
The Sacramento River and associated riparian corridor represents a significant migratory fish and wildlife corridor through the SOI . Based on CDFW habitat connectivity mapping, the Sacramento River, Churn Creek, and Stillwater Creek are all identified as riparian corridors providing north-south habitat connectivity through the SOI. Undeveloped open space areas surrounding the City provide terrestrial connectivity.
Packet Pg. 1011
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding) Source: ECORP , 2022.
Figure 5.4-3
Sensitive Natural Communities
REDDING GENERAL PLAN UPDATED DRAFT EIR
CITY OF REDDING
5.4 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS
Source: ECORP , 2023.
0 Scale (Miles)
2 Packet Pg. 1012
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-24 FEBRUARY 2024
This page intentionally left blank.
Packet Pg. 1013
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.4-25
5.4.2 THRESHOLDS OF SIGNIFICANCE
According to Appendix G of the CEQA Guidelines, a project would normally have a significant effect on the environment if the project would:
BIO-1 Have a substantial adverse effect, either directly or through habitat modifications, on any species identified as a candidate, sensitive, or special status species in local or regional plans, policies, or regulations, or by the California Department of Fis h and Game or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
BIO-2 Have a substantial adverse effect on any riparian habitat or other sensitive natural community identified in local or regional plans, policies, regulations, or by the California Department of Fish and Game or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
BIO-3 Have a substantial adverse effect on state or federally protected wetlands (including, but not limited to, marsh, vernal pool, coastal, etc.) through direct removal, filling, hydrological interruption, or other means.
BIO-4 Interfere substantially with the movement of any native resident or migratory fish or wildlife species or with established native resident or migratory wildlife corridors or impede the use of native wildlife nursery sites.
BIO-5 Conflict with any local policies or ordinances protecting biological resources, such as a tree preservation policy or ordinance.
BIO-6 Conflict with the provisions of an adopted habitat Conservation Plan, Natural Community Conservation Plan, or other approved local, regional, or state habitat conservation plan.
BIO-7 In combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, result in significant cumulative impacts with respect to biological resources.
5.4.3 PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN POLICIES
The following relevant policies of the Redding General Plan Update may reduce the potential impacts on biological resources as a result of implementation of the proposed project.
Natural Resources Element
▪ Policy NR4A: Prioritize avoidance/minimization of Avoid development-related disturbances of sensitive habitats and “special status species” by encouraging innovative site design and planning.
Ensure implementation of statutory protection for these species and require appropriate mitigation if disturbed.
Packet Pg. 1014
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-26 FEBRUARY 2024
▪ Policy NR4B: Work to preserve Prioritize the preservation and enhance enhancement of the fisheries of the Sacramento River and those tributary streams and stream segments depicted in Figure 1 and/or other streams or water bodies identified by appropriate regulatory agencies. ▪ Policy NR4C: Maintain and update data and information regarding areas of significant biological value within the Planning Area to:
o Provide critical information to the community.
o Facilitate resource conservation.
o Facilitate appropriate management of development activities. ▪ Policy NR4D: Provide adequate buffering of sensitive habitats based on the type of habitat, its size, value and requirements of regulatory agencies. Work with other agencies and organizations as appropriate to establish habitat mitigation banks, habitat conservation plans, conservation easements, and other mechanisms that serve to protect sensitive habitats and species. ▪ Policy NR4E: Encourage education, community volunteerism and stewardship in the protection and enhancement of local biological resources.
▪ Policy NR4F: Prioritize retaining City-owned properties that contain environmentally sensitive areas should be retained, placed in conservation easements, or otherwise protected from urban encroachment.
▪ Policy NR4G: Encourage landowners to work with local agencies to establish conservation easements to protect and preserve sensitive resources.
▪ Policy NR4H: Encourage landowners to undertake invasive species management as appropriate; prioritize continuation of the City’s invasive species management efforts particularly along the City’s river and stream corridors.
▪ Policy NR4I: Periodically review the City’s landscaping requirements and recommendations to remove plant species that are known or suspected to be invasive within the Planning Area’s varied habitat types.
▪ Policy NR5A : Continue to require new development to provide at least the minimum river and creek-corridor development setbacks (buffer areas) in accordance with Figure 1 and the Redding Municipal Code (RMC). These setbacks may be modified based on project/resource -specific circumstances and appropriate mitigation. Consider requiring dedication of these areas to the City for open space and public uses and/or establish a permanent conservation easement granted to the City or other appropriate organizations as a condition of development approval. ▪ Policy NR5B: In addition to the protection of the stream corridors depicted in Figure 1, work with project developers to also protect those secondary stream tributaries depicted in Figure 4, vernal pools, riparian habitats, and wetlands in their natural state to the ex tent feasible. Where appropriate, undertake restoration and provide require development buffers from these resources.
The mitigation of all adverse impacts on wetland resources and, if applicable, threatened or Packet Pg. 1015
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.4-27
endangered species, is are required in compliance with State and Federal regulations protecting such resources, and if applicable, threatened or endangered species. ▪ Policy NR5C: Encourage the acquisition, preservation, restoration, and enhancement of native vegetation with a focus on wetlands and riparian habitat that will improve the biological value and integrity of the City's natural resources. Encourage native landscape in un vegetated, manmade areas, such as along streets and in abandoned lots.
▪ Policy NR5D: Uses allowed within riparian corridors should:
o Minimize the creation of erosion, sedimentation, and increased runoff. o Emphasize retention and enhancement of natural riparian vegetation. o Provide for unimpaired passage of fish and wildlife.
o Avoid activities or development of new features that result in disturbance or dispersal of wildlife.
o Avoid channelization to the extent feasible except as may be necessary to preserve public safety.
o Avoid substantial interference with surface and subsurface flows. o Incorporate natural vegetation buffers.
▪ Policy NR6A: Strive to preserve and protect existing native oaks, especially valley oaks that are often associated with riparian habitats , in the design and review of development projects. The preservation of stands of trees within developments is generally preferred over preservation of individual trees, with the exception of special-status species, heritage trees, and other trees as may be identified in the City’s Municipal Code.
▪ Policy NR6B: Consider identifying appropriate "areas” to be used for the planting of native trees when desirable to offset development impacts to woodland resources. This General Plan explicitly recognizes that there are tradeoffs between the goals and policies that promote infill development over outward expansion and resultant impacts to woodland resources within the future urban footprint.
▪ Policy NR6C : Periodically review and consider amendments to the City’s Tree Management Ordinance to assess tree replacement requirements, tree planting requirements, potential fees or other mechanism(s) to facilitate the planting of trees in the City and funding of a n urban forestry program.
▪ Policy NR6D : Strive to protect Protect and manage the urban forest to reduce energy demand, increase carbon sequestration, and reduce urban heat gain. ▪ Policy NR6E: Consider undertaking Undertake measures to maintain and expand the urban forest by such as:
o Maintaining existing City trees through regular, scheduled service as resources allow.
Packet Pg. 1016
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-28 FEBRUARY 2024
o Planting new trees, to replace those that require removal and to enhance the street tree canopy, where neededappropriate.
o Requiring street and parking lot tree planting in new developments. o Working with commercial parking lot owners to improve the shade canopy. o Implementing the Zoning Code’s tree protection regulations. o Using volunteer groups and property owners to plant new trees, care for newly planted trees, maintain young trees, and provide information and instructions regarding such care and maintenance.
o Exploring funding opportunities for the urban forest program. o Incorporatinge existing trees into development projects where appropriate while utilizing effective construction practices to minimize to avoid impacts to those trees. o Periodically reviewing the landscape requirements of the RMC, including but not limited to the off-street parking and landscape standards ordinances as well as the species and other information contained in the City’s “Street Tree List.” o Consider undertaking the review, update, and implementation of the Heritage Tree provisions of RMC Section 13.40.020, particularly as part of an urban forestry program, should a program be established.
▪ Policy NR7A : Strive to maintain Maintain, preserve, and enhance the habitat linkages/wildlife corridors and sensitive habitats that are created by the open -space ("Greenway") network established by this General Plan. Require development in areas defined as "Greenway" to consider corridor impacts and, where necessary, provide alternate usable links between habitat types or areas and/or provide alternate development plans that avoid the open-space network and sensitive habitats.
▪ Policy NR7B: Maintain and preserve other natural habitat linkages and wildlife corridors in the City where feasible. Discourage development impacts to these linkages and corridors and fully mitigate adverse impacts.
▪ Policy NR7C: Explore options to prevent unlawful uses and damage to public and private open space areas and ensure habitat values are maintained and/ or enhanced. ▪ Policy NR8A: Where appropriate, require as a condition of development approval, public dedication of flood-prone lands adjacent to the Sacramento River and those tributary streams identified on Figure 1. Exceptions to this policy may be made based on:
o the provisions of any adopted specific plan, or
o approval by the City in consideration of special circumstances unique to a flood-prone area where the extent of flooding is largely dictated by inadequate drainage improvements, or
Packet Pg. 1017
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.4-29
o when an entire parcel is constrained by floodplain, and/or where the flooding occurs within a developed area.
▪ Policy NR8B: Strive to preserve Preserve land publicly dedicated as open space. Development in these areas, except as required to provide public facilities, such as roads, utilities, and trails, should be restricted to passive, low impact uses that minimize removal of existing vegetation and maintain or increase the existing habitat value, while providing adequate protection from wildland fires.
Coordinate with other entities as appropriate to establish conservation easements that will ensure long term protection and necessary maintenance.
▪ Policy NR8C: In those instances where it is determined that public open space dedication is not appropriate, require, as a condition of development approval, that private open-space easements be established for significant areas of undeveloped lands that are flood prone or exceed a slope of 20 percent. Use public dedications and/or trail easements when necessary to connect these areas to existing or proposed public open spaces, streets, parks, and similar features. ▪ Policy NR8D : Periodically update the Parks, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan and use it to implement various policies of this General Plan that address the:
o Framework for open-space lands.
o Role of public and private open-space lands.
o Preservation of important ecological areas.
o Acquisition and management of public open space land.
Parks, Trails, and Recreation Element
▪ Policy R2A: Seek to identify and obtain funding to prepare and implement a Regional River Parkway Plan for areas along the Sacramento River between Shasta Dam and the City of Anderson to address:
o Resource protection.
o Habitat assessment and management.
o Recreational opportunities.
o Location of existing and proposed facilities.
o Recommendations for speed limits and use restrictions on the river, where warranted. o Acquisition of lands.
o Management and operations.
o Restoration activities.
▪ Policy R2B: Preserve and restore native trees and vegetation along the Sacramento River by incorporating these features into park design, where feasible.
Packet Pg. 1018
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-30 FEBRUARY 2024
▪ Policy R2F: Plan, encourage and support projects and efforts to preserve and restore native habitat along the Sacramento River and creek corridors in the Planning Area by preserving native plants and by removing invasive non -native plants. Fund and staff regularly sch eduled preventative maintenance as budget allows.
▪ Policy R2G: On a project-by-project basis, strive to protect, enhance, and restore habitat for special- status plants and animal species.
▪ Policy R3B: As funding allows, remove invasive non-native plants and promote the use of a variety of native and/or drought resistant plants, particularly oak trees, where appropriate, in park and natural open-space areas.
▪ Policy R13G: Provide buffer zones to act as staging and access points for wildfire protection activities where appropriate
▪ Policy R13I : Update the City’s Tree Management Ordinance as necessary to reflect current standards and programs to protect, preserve, restore and replant native trees.
5.4.4 IMPACT DISCUSSION
BIO-1: The proposed project would not have a substantial adverse effect, either directly or through habitat modifications, on species identified as a candidate, sensitive, or special-status species in local or regional plans, policies, or regulations by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife or United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Development allowed by General Plan Update could potentially impact special-status species.
Plants
A search of the database queries (Attachment A in Appendix 5.4 -1) identified a total of 35 special-status plant species as occurring in the SOI. Nonnative/ornamental and unvegetated biological communities, barren and or urban areas in the SOI are unlikely to support special -status plants. However, construction activities within foothill grassland, wetland, vernal pool, cismontane woodland, lower coniferous forest, chapparal, and valley communities could potentially result in significant impacts on special-status plants as a large portion of rare plants can be found in these vegetation types. There are three federally and/or State- listed plant species known to occur in the SOI: Boggs Lake ledge-hyssop, Shasta snow wreath, and Slender Orcutt grass. Although the rest of the 35 species listed in Section 5.4.1.2, Existing Conditions , are not federally or State listed, losses of these special -status plants would cause potentially significant impacts under CEQA.
Packet Pg. 1019
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.4-31
Wildlife
A total of 35 special-status wildlife species (six invertebrates, three amphibians, one reptile , 15 birds, and 10 mammals) known to occur or have the potential to occur in the SOI. Of these 35 special-status species, there are five invertebrates (Conservancy fairy shrimp, Vernal pool fairy shrimp, Vernal pool tadpole, Shasta Crayfish, Valley elderberry longhorn beetle ) one amphibian (California red -legged frog) , and four bird species (Bald eagle, Northern spotted owl, Bank swallow, Tricolored blackbird) listed or considered federal and/or State-listed wildlife species known to occur in the SOI. Development within or near habitat for special-status wildlife species could result in adverse impacts to these species. Potential impacts related to individual species include the following:
▪ Vernal Pool. The SOI contains vernal pools which help support special status species , including vernal pool fairy shrimp (threatened), vernal pool tadpole shrimp (endangered), and slender Orcutt Grass (threatened) and there are known occurrences of each of these specie s in the SOI(Attachment A, Appendix 5.4 -1). Seasonal wetlands and vernal pools may provide habitat for some or all of these species. As shown in Figure 5.4 -3, the USFWS has designated areas of critical habitat for these three species, along the Sacramento River and the southeastern portion of the SOI. Construction within or near these habitats could result in mortality of the listed special status species or destruction of their habitat, which would be considered significant impacts. ▪ Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle. Suitable habitat for valley elderberry longhorn beetle, a federally threatened species, is present in the SOI. Suitable habitat consists of elderberry shrubs with stems 1 inch or greater at ground level. There are CNDDB records for this species within the SOI (Attachment B, Appendix 5.4-1). Significant impacts on valley elderberry longhorn beetle may result from the direct removal of shrubs or soil disturbance within the USFWS’s recommended 100-foot-wide no-disturbance buffer during construction-related activities, including grading and clearing (USFWS 1999). ▪ Special Status Birds. The SOI is within the breeding range for numerous special -status bird species, including four federal or state-listed species(Bald eagle, Northern spotted owl, Bank swallow, Tricolored blackbird) . In addition, n on-special status migratory birds could nest within the SOI . All native or naturally occurring birds and their nests are protected under both California Fish and Game Code Section 3503 (active bird nests) and the MBTA. Construction activities in or near habitat for special - status birds could result in nest disturbance or destruction, which could result in the incidental loss of fertile eggs or nestlings or otherwise lead to nest abandonment. Construction activities could also result in the loss of foraging habitat for several bird species. Loss of special-status and non-special status birds, bird eggs, or nests, or any activities resulting in nest abandonment, could constitute a significant impact. ▪ Special Status Bats. The SOI contains potential roosting and foraging habitat for special -status bats, including the western red bat, Townsend’s big-eared bat, pallid bat, spotted bat, and silver-haired bat, as well as for several non-special-status bats. Potential impacts to bats could result from construction- related disturbance of bat roosts, destruction of active roosts, or the loss of individuals. These impacts would be considered significant.
Packet Pg. 1020
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-32 FEBRUARY 2024
Fish
Development allowed by General Plan Update also has the potential to cause adverse impacts to 14 special- status fish species.
The Sacramento River and associated floodplains and tributaries in the city provide spawning, rearing and migratory habitat for special-status fish species, such as fall/late fall, winter and spring-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead, green sturgeon, and river lamprey. As shown in Figure 5.4 -3, critical habitat for Chinook salmon and steelhead is designated in the Sacramento River and tributaries to the River that occur in the city, such as Churn Creek and Clear Creek . Figure 5.4 -3 also shows the critical habitat for green sturgeon, which is the Sacramento River .
Impacts on fish from construction -related disturbances include increased sedimentation and turbidity, release of contaminants into surrounding waterbodies, noise disturbance, and change in fish habitat. A change in fish habitat could result from the removal of terrestrial vegetation from streambanks, removal of riparian trees and aquatic vegetation, or rip-rapping2 banks for erosion control. Increases in sedimentation and turbidity have been shown to affect fish physiology, behavior, and habitat. Stress responses are generally higher with increasing turbidity and decreasing particle size. Migrating adult salmonids have been reported to avoid high waterways with silt loads or cease migration when such loads are unavoidable (Cordon and Kelley 1961).
Construction activities may also involve the storage, use or discharge of toxic and other harmful substances near water bodies or in areas that drain to these water bodies. Heavy construction equipment often use petroleum products, such as fuels, lubricants, hydraulic fluids and coolants, all of which may be toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms. An accidental spill or inadvertent discharge of these materials could affect the water quality of the river or water body and thereby affect fish or fish habitat.
Impact Significance Determination
Furthermore, the General Plan Update contains several policies in the Natural Resources Element that would preserve and enhance areas that may provide habitat for special -status species, including the following:
▪ Policy NR4A : Prioritize avoidance/minimization of Avoid development-related disturbances of sensitive habitats and “special status species” by encouraging innovative site design and planning.
Ensure implementation of statutory protection for these species and require appropriate mitigation if disturbed.
2 Rip-rap banks are composed of rock or other materials that resist erosion by dissipating the energy of flowing water or waves.
Packet Pg. 1021
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.4-33
▪ Policy NR4B : Work to preserve Prioritize the preservation and enhance enhancement of the fisheries of the Sacramento River and those tributary streams and stream segments depicted in Figure 1 and/or other streams or water bodies identified by appropriate regulatory agencies. ▪ Policy NR4C: Maintain and update data and information as necessary regarding areas of significant biological value within the Planning Area to:
o Provide critical information to the community.
o Facilitate resource conservation.
o Facilitate appropriate management of development activities. ▪ Policy NR4D: Provide adequate buffering of sensitive habitats based on the type of habitat, its size and value and requirements of regulatory agencies. Work with other agencies and organizations as appropriate to establish habitat mitigation banks, habitat conservation plans, conservation easements, and other mechanisms that serve to protect sensitive habitats and species.
The goals and policies in the Natural Resources Element of the proposed General Plan Update; and compliance with the policies and regulations under the ESA, MBTA, CESA, California Fish and Game Code, CWA, and CNPPA would reduce potential impacts to special -status species associated with new development allowed under General Plan to a less than significant level.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: BIO-1 would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
BIO-2: The proposed project would not have a substantial adverse effect on riparian habitat and other sensitive natural communities identified in local or regional plans, policies, or regulations or by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife or United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
The SOI contains sensitive natural communities, including Great Valley Cottonwood, Riparian Forest, Great Valley Oak Riparian Forest, and Great Valley Willow Scrub. Riparian vegetation is an important component for special-status fish species habitat and provides shaded riverine aquatic habitat. Shaded riverine aquatic cover directly influences the quality of fish habitat, affecting cover, food, in -stream habitat co mplexity, streambank stability, and temperature regulation. Large woody debris usually originates from riparian trees and provides habitat complexity in aquatic environments, an essential component of fish habitat. As shown in Figure 5.4-3, sensitive natural communities are restricted to areas immediately adjacent to the Sacramento River and its tributaries.
Packet Pg. 1022
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-34 FEBRUARY 2024
Construction projects would also have the potential to affect sensitive natural communities, either directly or indirectly, by spreading or introducing invasive plant species to currently uninfected areas. Invasive species spread aggressively and crowd out native species, potentially altering the species composition of natural communities. A predominance of invasive species re duces the overall habitat quality for native plants and wildlife.
However, the Natural Resources Element of General Plan Update includes several goals policies that would mitigate potential impacts on sensitive natural communities. Goal NR5 directs the City to protect and preserve creek corridors, riparian areas, vernal pools, and wetlands. The policies associated with Goal NR5 would help to implement this goal and protect riparian habitat . For example, Policy NR5A requires new development to provide minimum river and creek -corridor development setbacks from the Sacramento River and identified main and secondary stems of its tributaries, and Policy NR5B addresses working with project developers to protect vernal pools, riparian habit ats, and wetlands and to mitigate all adverse impacts.
The policies under Goal NR6 target the protection of the Oak Woodlands natural community. For example, Policy NR6A directs the City to strive to preserve and protect existing native oaks, especially valley oaks that are often associated with riparian habitats in the design and review of development projects , and Policy NR6B directs the City to consider identifying appropriate "areas” to be used for the planting of native trees when desirable to offset development impacts to woodland resources.
In addition, the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Element includes policies which aim to a void introduction or spread of invasive plant species. For example, Policy R2F seeks to plan, encourage, and support efforts to preserve and restore native habitat along the Sacramento River and creek corridors in the Planning Area by preserving native plants and by removing invasive non-native plants, and Policy R3B aims to remove invasive non-native plants and promote the use of native plants in park and natural open-space areas.
Additionally, disturbance or alteration of streams, lakes, or non -federally protected (non -jurisdictional) wetlands would require a permit, which would include conditions to protect these sensitive natural communities. A Section 1602 streambed alteration a greement would be needed from the CDFW prior to initiation of project construction activities within the city that would divert, obstruct, or change the natural flow of a river, stream or lake, or that would use material from a streambed. Non -jurisdictional wetlands include wetland features that are not hydrologically connected to navigable waters in rivers and are not under USACE jurisdiction. These wetlands would still be considered waters of the State and would be regulated according to waste discharge requirements that would be issued by the RWQCB.
Implementation of the General Plan Update goals and policies, with conditions associated with streambed alteration agreements and waste discharge requirements, would reduce potential impacts on riparian corridors and other sensitive natural communities to a less than significant level.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: BIO-2 would be less than significant.
Packet Pg. 1023
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.4-35
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
BIO-3: The proposed project would not have a substantial adverse effect on state or federally protected wetlands (marsh , vernal pool, coastal , etc.) through direct removal, filling, hydrological interruption, or other means.
As shown in Figure 5.4-2, the SOI contains waters of the United States, which include jurisdictional wetlands and other waters. Construction activities could potentially have direct and indirect impacts on waters of the United States. The Natural Resources Element of the General Plan Update contains policies that address potential impacts to wetlands: Policy NR5A, which directs the City to work to preserve the Sacramento River and streams or stream segments identified in Figure NR-1; Policy NR5B which calls for the preservation of watercourses, vernal pools, riparian h abitat, and wetlands in their natural state to the extent feasible ; and Policy NR5C which encourages the acquisition, preservation, restoration, and enhancement of native vegetation with a focus on wetlands and riparian habitat that will improve the biological value and integrity of the City's natural resources.
In addition, in accordance with the federal Clean Water Act, a formal delineation of waters of the United States would need to be conducted prior to the initiation of construction activities in the SOI where potentially jurisdictional features are present. The results of the delineation, including a report and map, would then be submitted to the Sacramento District of the USACE for verification. If the USACE determines that no waters of the United States are present, a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit wou ld not be required, although waste discharge requirements from the RWQCB might be required. If the USACE determines that waters of the United States are present, a Section 404 permit from the USACE for placement of fill within waters of the United States a nd a Section 401 water quality certification from the RWQCB would be required. Placement of fill materials into waters of the United States would require compensation to ensure no net loss of aquatic resources. In addition, a Section 1602 streambed alteration agreement is needed from the CDFW if a project were to divert, obstruct, or change the natural flow of a river, stream, or lake. Non-jurisdictional wetlands are regulated by the RWQCB according to waste discharge requirements.Required compensation for the loss of degraded habitat could be less than that for undisturbed habitat, but compensation ratios would ultimately be determined by the resource agencies and be stated in the permit conditions.
Implementation of General Plan Update goals and policies, conditions associated with Section 404 permits and Section 401 water quality certifications , and project specificmitigation measures for the protection of wetlands during construction activities would reduce potential impacts on federally protected wetlands to a less than significant level.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: BIO-3 would be less than significant.
Packet Pg. 1024
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-36 FEBRUARY 2024
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
BIO-4: The proposed project could interfere with the movement of a native resident or migratory fish or wildlife species, or with established native resident or migratory wildlife corridors, or impede the use of native wildlife nursery sites.
The City of Redding contains essential movement corridors for native resident and migratory fish and wildlife species, and development allowed by General Plan Update could potentially have adverse impacts on migratory species and corridors . The Sacramento River and associated riparian corridor s represent significant migratory fish and wildlife corridors through the SOI. The Sacramento River, Churn Creek, and Stillwater Creek are all identified as riparian corridors providing north -south habitat connectivity through the city, and the u ndeveloped open space areas surrounding the city provide terrestrial connectivity .
Development along these areas could occur and could impede movement of native or migratory species.
The Natural Resources Element of the General Plan Update contains policies that address potential impacts to native resident,migratory fish, and wildlife species and corridors, such as Policy NR7A, which directs the City to maintain, where possible, the habitat linkages/wildlife corridors and sensitive habitats that are created by the open-space ("Greenway") network established by the General Plan Update. Policy NR7A also requires development in areas defined as "Greenway" by the General Plan Update to consider corridor impacts and, where necessary, provide alternate usable links between habitat types or areas and/or provide alternate development plans that avoid the open -space network and sensitive habitats. Policy NR7B discourages development impacts to these linkages and corridors and encourages full mitigation associated with unavoidable adverse impacts.
As mentioned, there are 15 special status bird species within the SOI, four (Bald eagle, Northern spotted owl, Bank swallow, Tricolored blackbird) of which are listed and/or considered federally and or state listed.
Additionally, non-special status migratory birds could nest within the SOI. Construction activities in or near habitat for special-status birds could result could interfere nce with the movement of a native resident or migratory wildlife species. However as mentioned in California Fish and Game Code Section 3503 (active bird nests) and the MBTA Section, raptors, such as eagles, owls, and other migratory birds and their nests are protected. In addition, Section 3800 states that it is unlawful to take nongame birds, such as those occurring naturally in California that are not resident game birds, migratory game birds, or fully protected birds, except when in accordance with regulations of the California Fi sh and Game Commission or a mitigation plan approved by CDFW for mining operations. Therefore, there are regulations in place that would ensure the protection of migratory and native bird species.
Packet Pg. 1025
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.4-37
The proposed General Plan Update goals and policies, in combination with regulations under the ESA, MBTA, CESA, and California Fish and Game Code, would reduce potential impacts to migratory species to a less than significant level.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: BIO-4 would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
BIO-5: The proposed project would not conflict with any local policies or ordinances protecting biological resources nor with the provisions of an adopted habitat conservation plan, natural community conservation plan, or other approved local, regional, or State habitat conservation plan. [Threshold BIO-5 and BIO-6]
The City of Redding Municipal Code includes Chapter 18.45, Tree Management Ordinance, which promotes the conservation of mature, healthy trees in the design of new development. In addition, Chapter 13.40, Trees and Shrubs, of the City’s Municipal Code regulates trees on public areas and plant strips. The General Plan Update includes Policy NR6C which calls for periodic review of the Ordinance to assess current standards and programs to protect, preserve, restore, and replant native trees and to amend the ordinance as may be necessary. As well as Policy NR6E which considers undertaking measures to maintain and expand the urban forest such as reviewing and updating the Heritage Tree provisions of RMC Section 13.40.020, particularly as part of an urban forestry program should be established. Therefore, the General Plan Update would not conflict with any local policies or ordinances protecting biological resources. The SOI is not within a HCPs, NCCPs or other habitat conservation plans (CDFW 2023). No impact would occur .
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: BIO-5 would have no impact.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
Packet Pg. 1026
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-38 FEBRUARY 2024
5.4.5 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS
BIO-6: The proposed project, in combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, would result in significant and unavoidable cumulative impacts with respect to biological resources.
The General Plan Update contains extensive goals and policies that mitigate impacts to lands that support sensitive biological resources, including special-status species, sensitive natural communities, federally protected wetlands, and wildlife and fish movement corridors, to a less than significant level and that additionally minimize the effects of development on biological resources in general. Development allowed by General Plan Update could contribute to the ongoing loss of some undeveloped lands that support such sensitive biological resources in Redding. While future development would comply with existing local, state, and federal regulations, including the policies of the General Plan Update, cumulative loss of habitat and sensitive natural co mmunities in Redding could potentially contribute to a general decline for the region, and could result in the loss or displacement of wildlife that would have to compete for suitable habitats with existing adjacent populations. Since development outside Redding is beyond the City’s ability to regulate or control, the cumulative change may rise to a level of significance and is being treated as a significant and unavoidable impact.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: BIO-6 would be potentially significant.
Mitigation Measures
There are no feasible mitigation measures.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: BIO-6 would be significant and unavoidable.
Packet Pg. 1027
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.4-39
5.4.6 REFERENCES
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). 2023 (accessed). NCCP Plan Summaries. https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Planning/NCCP/Plans California Wetlands Monitoring Workgroup. 2022. EcoAtlas. https://www.EcoAtlas.org.
Cordone, A.J., and D.W. Kelley. 1961. The influences of inorganic sediment on the aquatic life of streams.
Cal. Fish and Game 47:189-228.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 2022a. National Climatic Data Center 2010 Climate Normals for Redding, California. https:/www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cdoweb/datatools/normal.
Accessed June 2022.
––––––. 2022b. NOAA Fisheries Service. National Marine Fisheries Service Endangered Species Act Critical Habitat Geodatabase. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS [producer] Accessed 16 June 2022. ––––––. 2022c. Essential Fish Habitat Mapper, Pacific Council. Available online:
https://www.habitat.noaa.gov/apps/efhmapper/?page=page_4.
San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI). 2017. California Aquatic Resource Inventory (CARI) Version 0.3. 2017. http://www.sfei.org/data/california-aquatic-resource-inventory-cari-version-03- gisdata#sthash.0SjnlwfO.dpbs.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2022. USFWS Resource Report List. Information for Planning and Conservation. Available https://ecos.fws.gov/ipac. Accessed April 2022.
Packet Pg. 1028
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
5.4-40 FEBRUARY 2024
This page intentionally left blank.
Packet Pg. 1029
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.5-1
5.5 CULTURAL AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
This chapter describes the regulatory framework and existing conditions in the Plan Area related to cultural resources and tribal cultural resources, and the potential impacts of the project on cultural resources and tribal cultural resources.
The analysis in this section is based in part on the following information:
▪ Cultural Resources Inventory Report, ECORP Consulting, Inc., November 2022. A complete copy of this report is included as Appendix 5.5-1 to this EIR.
5.5.1 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
Federal Regulations
National Historic Preservation Act
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA) coordinates public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect the nation’s historic and archaeological resources. The act authorized the National Register of Historic Places, which lists districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture.
Section 106 (Protection of Historic Properties) of the NHPA requires federal agencies to consider the effects of their undertakings on historic properties. Section 106 review ensures that historic properties are considered during federal project planning and implementation. The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, an independent federal agency, administers the review process with assistance from state historic preservation offices.
Archaeological Resources Protection Act
The Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 regulates the protection of archaeological resources and sites on federal and Indian lands.
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
NAGPRA is a federal law passed in 1990 that mandates museums and federal agencies to return certain Native American cultural items —such as human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony—to lineal descendants or culturally affiliated Indian tribes.
Packet Pg. 1030
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
5.5-2 FEBRUARY 2024
National Register of Historic Places
The NRHP is the nation’s official list of buildings, structures, objects, sites, and districts worthy of preservation because of their significance in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture. The NRHP recognizes resources of local, state, and national significance which have been documented and evaluated according to uniform standards and criteria.
Authorized under the NHPA, the NRHP is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect historic and archaeological resources. The NRHP is administered by the National Park Service, which is part of the US Department of the Interior .
To be eligible for listing in the National Register, a resource must meet at least one of the following criteria:
▪ Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history;
▪ Is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; ▪ Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction, represents the work of a master, possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; ▪ Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in history or prehistory.
To retain historic integrity, a property will always possess several and often most of the aspects of integrity.
These are location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association.
State Regulations
California Environmental Quality Act
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires projects such as developments to identify impacts to environmental conditions from the Project, and to address impacts that are found to be potentially significant. Section 15064.5 of the state CEQA Guidelines states that projects that may cause a substantial adverse change to historic resources (including archaeological resources) may have a potentially significant impact. These guidelines identify four ways that a site may qualify as a significant h istoric resource for the purposes of complying with CEQA:
▪ If the resource is listed in the California Register of Historic Resources or is deemed eligible for listing by the State Historical Resources Commission.
Packet Pg. 1031
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.5-3
▪ If the resource is included in a local register of historic resources (as described in Section 5020.1(k) of the state Public Resources Code), 1 or identified as significant in a survey that meets the requirements of Section 5024.1(g) of the state Public Resources Code (unless the weight of evidence shows that the resource is not significant).
▪ If the lead agency determines that the resource is significant in the architectural, engineering, scientific, economic, agricultural, educational, social, political, military, or cultural annals of California. Such determinations must be supported by substantial evidence. ▪ If the lead agency determines that the resource may meet the definition of a historical resource as defined in the state Public Resources Code Sections 5020.1(j) or 5024.1.
State CEQA Guidelines also define the responsibilities of a lead agency to determine if a project may have a significant effect on archaeological resources. If a project will demonstrably damage a unique archaeological resource, the guidelines allow a lead agency to require reasonable efforts to preserve the resources in place (the preferred approach) or to otherwise leave them in an undisturbed state. The Public Resources Code identifies mitigation actions to be taken if such resources are not preserved in place.
Additionally, Section 7050.5 of the California Health and Safety Code, Section 5097.98 of the California Public Resources Code, and Section 15064.5(d) of the state CEQA Guidelines outlines the procedures to be used if Native American human remains are unexpectedly found on non-federal land. The guidelines protect the remains from accidental or deliberate destruction or disturbance, and establish procedures to appropriately and sensitively address such a discovery. The guidelines also establish the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) to identify the most likely descendent of any remains and to mediate disputes regarding the disposition.
California Register of Historical Resources
The California Register of Historical Resources (CRHR) is intended to identify, evaluate, register, and protect historic and archaeological resources in California, in a manner very similar to NRHP . The register is managed by California’s State Historical Resources Commission and includes the following four criteria:
▪ Be associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of local or regional history, or the cultural heritage of California or the United States. ▪ Be associated with the lives of people important to local, California, or American history. ▪ Embody the distinct characteristics of a type, period, region, or method of construction; or represent the work of a master or possess high artistic value. ▪ Have yielded, or be potentially likely to yield, information important to the prehistory or history of the local area, California, or the nation.
1 According to the Public Resources Code, local registers are “a list of properties officially designated or recognized as historically significant by a local government pursuant to a local ordinance or resolution.” Packet Pg. 1032
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
5.5-4 FEBRUARY 2024
Sites listed on the CRHR must also retain their integrity (the retention of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association).
California Native American Heritage Commission
The NAHC is the primary state agency responsible for identifying and cataloging Native American cultural resources. It works to prevent irreparable damage to designated sacred sites and interference with expressions of Native American religion in California. The NAHC is authorized to identify the most likely descendant of Native American human remains found outside of a dedicated cemetery, who can then make recommendations on the treatment and disposition of the remains. The NAHC is also responsible for mediating disputes that may arise during the disposition of any remains.
California Native American Historical, Cultural and Sacred Sites Act The California Native American Historical, Cultural and Sacred Sites Act applies to both State and private lands. This Act requires that upon discovery of human remains, construction or excavation activity cease and the county coroner be notified. If the remains are of Native American descent, the coroner must notify the NAHC. The NAHC then notifies the persons most likely to be descended from the Native American remains. This Act stipulates the procedures that descendants may follow for treating or disposi ng of the remains and associated grave goods.
California Government Code
California Government Code Section 65352.3-5, formerly known as Senate Bill (SB) 18, states that prior to the adoption or amendment of a city or county’s general plan, or specific plans, the city or county shall consult with California Native American trib es that are on the contact list maintained by the NAHC. The intent of this legislation is to preserve or mitigate impacts on places, features and objects, as defined in PRC 5097.9 and PRC 5097.993, that are located within the city or county’s jurisdiction. The bill also states that the city or county shall protect the confidentiality of information concerning the specific identity, location, character and use of those places, features and objects identified by Native American consultation.
Government Code 6 5362.3-5 applies to all general and specific plans and amendments proposed after March 1, 2005.
California Senate Bill 18
Existing law provides limited protection for Native American pre contact, archaeological, cultural, spiritual, and ceremonial places. These places may include sanctified cemeteries, religious sites, ceremonial sites, shrines, burial grounds, pre -contact ruins, archaeological or historic sites, Native American rock art inscriptions, or features of Native American historic, cultural, and sacred sites.
Packet Pg. 1033
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.5-5
SB 18 (California Government Code Sections 65352.3 et seq.) was signed into law in September 2004 and went into effect on March 1, 2005. It places new requirements upon local governments for developments within or near “traditional tribal cultural places” (TTCP). Per SB 18, the law requires local jurisdictions to provide opportunities for involvement of California Native American tribes in the land planning process for the purpose of preserving traditional tribal cultural places. The Final Tribal Guidelines recommend that the NAHC provide written information as soon as possible but no later than 30 days after receiving a request to inform the lead agency if the proposed project is determined to be in proximity to a TTCP, and another 90 days for tribes to respond to a local government if they want to consult to determine whether the project would have an adverse impact on the TTCP . There is no statutory limit on the consultation duration. Forty- five days before the action is publicly considered by the local go vernment council, the local government refers action to agencies, following the CEQA public review time frame. The CEQA public distribution list may include tribes listed by the NAHC who have requested consultation , or it may not. If the NAHC, the tribe, and interested parties agree upon the mitigation measures necessary for the proposed project, they would be included in the project’s EIR. If both the City of Rancho Cucamonga and the tribe agree the adequate mitigation or preservation measures cannot be taken, neither party is obligated to take action.
SB 18 is triggered before the adoption, revision, amendment, or update of a city’s or county’s general plan.
Although SB 18 does not specifically mention consultation or notice requirements for adoption of amendment of specific plans, the Final Tribal Guidelines advises that SB 18 requirements extend to specific plans as well, because state planning law requires local governments to use the same process for amendment or adoption of specific plans as general plans (defined in Government Code Section 65453). In addition, SB 18 provides a new definition of TTCP requiring a traditional association of the site with Native American traditional beliefs, cultural practices, or ceremonies, or the site must be shown to actually have been used for activities related to traditional beliefs, cultural practices, or ceremonies (previously, the site was defined to require only an association with traditional beliefs, practices, lifeways, and ceremonial activities). SB 18 law also amended Civil Code Section 815.3 and adds Cal ifornia Native American tribes to the list of entities that can acquire and hold conservation easements for the purpose of protecting their cultural places.
Assembly Bill 52
Effective July 1, 2015, Assembly Bill 52 (AB 52) amended CEQA to require that: (1) a lead agency provide notice to California Native American tribes that requested notice of projects proposed by the lead agency; and (2) the lead agency consult with any tribe that responded to the project notice within 30 days of receipt with a request for consultation . Topics that may be addressed during consultation include T ribal Cultural Resources, the potential significance of project impacts, the type of environmental document that should be prepared, and possible mitigation measures and project alternatives.
A California Native American tribe is defined as “a Native American tribe located in California that is on the contact list maintained by the NAHC for the purposes of Chapter 905 of the Statutes of 2004.” This includes both federally recognized and unrecognized tribes.
Packet Pg. 1034
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
5.5-6 FEBRUARY 2024
Section 21074(a) of the PRC defines Tribal Cultural Resources for the purpose of CEQA as:
Sites, features, places, cultural landscapes (geographically defined in terms of the size and scope), sacred places, and objects with cultural value to a California Native American tribe that are any of the following:
a. Included or determined to be eligible for inclusion in the CRHR; and/or b. Included in a local register of historical resources as defined in subdivision (k) of Section 5020.1; and/or
c. A resource determined by the lead agency, in its discretion and supported by substantial evidence, to be significant pursuant to criteria set forth in subdivision (c) of Section 5024.1. In applying the criteria set forth in subdivision (c) of Section 5024. 1 for the purposes of this paragraph, the lead agency shall consider the significance of the resource to a California Native American tribe.
Because criteria a and b also meet the definition of a Historical Resource under CEQA, a T ribal Cultural Resource may also require additional consideration as a Historical Resource. Tribal Cultural Resources may or may not exhibit archaeological, cultural, or physical indicators.
Recognizing that California tribes are experts in their tribal cultural resources and heritage, AB 52 requires that CEQA lead agencies provide tribes that request notification an opportunity to consult at the commencement of the CEQA process to identify T ribal Cultural Resources. Furthermore, because a significant effect on a Tribal Cultural Resource is considered a significant impact on the environment under CEQA, consultation is used to develop appropriate avoidance, impact minimization, and mitigation measures.
Assembly Bill 168
AB 168 was signed in 2020 and extends the responsibility of a development proponent to consult with Native American tribes to streamlined ministerial approvals for affordable multifamily housing developments under SB 35. A development with streamlined ministerial approval under SB 35 is not subject to CEQA, allowing for such developments to occur without going through a CEQA review or screening process to determine if they would affect Tribal Cultural Resources.
AB 168 requires a development proponent to submit notice of its intent to apply for streamlined approval to the local government prior to the actual application submittal. The local government is then required to provide formal notice to each California Native American tribe that is culturally affiliated with the geographic area of the proposed development and to engage in a “scoping consultation” regarding the potential effects the proposed development could have on a potential Tribal Cultural Resource (California Code Section 65913.4(b)).
Packet Pg. 1035
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.5-7
The scoping consultation must commence within 30 days after the proponent submits a notice of intent to apply for ministerial approval and must conclude before the proponent can submit the application.
This bill deem s a project ineligible for the streamlined, ministerial approval process and requires it be subject to CEQA if:
(A) The site of the proposed development is a Tribal Cultural Resource that is on a national, State, tribal, or local historic register list;
(B) The local government and the California Native American tribe do not agree that no potential Tribal Cultural Resource would be affected by the proposed development; or (C) The local government and California Native American tribe find that a potential Tribal Cultural Resource could be affected by the proposed development and the parties do not document an enforceable agreement regarding the methods, measures, and conditions for treatment of those tribal cultural resources, as provided.
California Public Records Act
Sections 6253 and 6254.10 of the California Government Code (CGC) authorize state agencies to exclude archaeological site information from public disclosure under the California Public Records Act (CPRA) (CGC Sections 6250 et. seq.) . In addition, the CPRA and California’s open meeting law (The Brown Act, CGC Sections 56950 et. seq.) protect the confidentiality of Native American cultural place information. The CPRA (as amended, 2005) contains two exemptions that aid in the protection of records relating to Native American cultural places by permitting any state or local agency to deny a CRPA request and withhold from public disclosure:
…records of Native American graves, cemeteries, and sacred places and records of Native American places, features, and objects described in Section 5097.9 and 5097.993 of the Public Resources Code maintained by, or in the possession of, the Native American Heritage Commission, another state agency, or local agency (CGC Section 6254[r])
…records that relate to archaeological site information and reports maintained by, or in the possession of, the Department of Parks and Recreation, the State Historical Resources Commission, the State Lands Commission, another state agency, or local agency, including the records that the agency obtains through a consultation process between a California Native American tribe and a state or local agency (CGC Section 6254.10).
Likewise, the Information Centers of the California Historical Resources Information System maintained by the Office of Historic Preservation prohibit public dissemination of records search and site location information. In compliance with these requiremen ts, and those of the Code of Ethics for the Society of Packet Pg. 1036
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
5.5-8 FEBRUARY 2024
California Archaeology and the Register of Professional Archaeologists, the locations of cultural resources are considered restricted information with highly restricted distribution and are not publicly accessible.
California Public Resources Code Section 5097.9
Section 5097.9 of California’s Public Resources Code prevents all public agencies or private parties using or operating public property under a contract made after June 30 , 1977, from interfering with the free expression or exercise of Native American religion. This section of the Public Resources Code also prohibits damage to a sanctified Native American cemetery, place of worship, shrine, or religious or ceremonial site located on public property unless it is clearly and convincingly in the public interest to do so.
California Health and Safety Code Section 7050.5
Section 7050.5 of the Health and Safety Code makes it a misdemeanor to intentionally disturb, mutilate, or remove interred human remains. It also requires that if human remains are discovered outside of a dedicated cemetery, any excavation or disturbance of the site stop until the county coroner makes a report.
Under this section, if the county coroner determines the remains to be of a Native American, the coroner must contact the NAHC within 24 hours.
California Building Standards Code
Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, known as the California Building Standards Code (CBSC) or simply "Title 24," contains the regulations that govern the construction of buildings in California. The CBSC includes 12 parts which include the California Building Code and California Historical Building Code with regulations for historic buildings.
Local Regulations
2000-2020 Redding General Plan
The following policies are included in the existing General Plan regarding cultural resources. The numbering is from the existing General Plan and therefore may not be consecutive.
Community Development and Design Element
▪ Goal CDD9: Preserve existing community character and fabric and promote the development of livable and cohesive neighborhoods and districts.
o Policy CDD9A: Encourage the preservation and rehabilitation of historically or architecturally significant districts, buildings, and structures.
Economic Development Element
▪ Goal ED6: Establish the Downtown area as a vibrant, health city core that serves as the City’s social, cultural, and specialty retail center.
Packet Pg. 1037
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.5-9
o Policy ED6B: Preserve and enhance historic structures that contribute to the unique character of Downtown and add to the Downtown pedestrian retail attraction.
Natural Resources Element
▪ Goal NR12: Protect and enhance historical and culturally significant resources within the Planning Area.
o Policy NR12A: Ensure protection of prehistoric, cultural, and archaeological resources during the development process.
o Policy NR12B: Refer development proposals that may adversely affect archaeological sites to the California Archaeological Inventory, Northeast Information Center, at Chico State University.
o Policy NR12C: Encourage public and private efforts to identify, preserve, protect, and/or restore historic buildings, structures, landmarks, and important cultural resources.
o Policy NR12D: The City shall not knowingly approve any public or private project that may adversely affect an archaeological site without first consulting the Archaeological Inventory, Northeast Information Center, conducting a site evaluation as may be indicated, and attempting to mitigate any adverse impacts according to the recommendations of a qualified archaeologist. City implementation of this policy shall be guided by Appendix "K" of the CEQA Guidelines.
Recreation Element
▪ Goal R3: Preserve and enhance Redding’s historic and cultural heritage in the process of park development.
o Policy R3A : Protect and enhance historically significant structures and resources located in park and open-space lands.
o Policy R3B: Ensure that park-development and parkland-acquisition proposals consider potential impacts to historical or archaeological resources and minimize or eliminate those impacts to the fullest extent possible.
o Policy R3C: Integrate historic resources into park developments, where possible.
City of Redding Municipal Code
Chapter 18.23, Historic/Architectural Preservation, of the Redding Municipal Code is intended to promote the public peace, health, safety, and welfare through identifying historic/architecturally important buildings and structures and assisting property owners in maintaining the character of these important community assets; implement t he Mills Act Historic Property Tax Incentive Program by establishing appropriate Packet Pg. 1038
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
5.5-10 FEBRUARY 2024
administrative procedures; and identify properties appropriate for Mills Act contracts and the application of the California Historical Building Code.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Ethnographic
The project area is located in a region known to have been occupied by the local Wintu tribes. Wintu territory encompassed portions of present-day Trinity, Tehama, Shasta, and Siskiyou counties. The territory is bounded in the southeast by the South Fork Trinity River, in the southwest by Beegum and Little Cow creeks, and in the north by Mount Sha sta. There are nine distinct Wintu tribes: Nomti-pom, Wenemem, Dawpom, Elpom, λ’abal-pom, Nomsu’s, Dawnom, Norelmaq, and Norelmaq. The Wintu language is in the Penutian language family and is part of the Wintuan language group that includes the Wintu, the Nomlaki, and the Patwin (Heizer 1978).
The Wintu hunted deer, brown bears, quails, rabbits, rats, squirrels and birds. They mostly fished Chinook salmon and steelhead, but also collected suckers, mussels, and clams. The family units would collect acorns, buckeye, manzanita berries, Indian potat oes, Calochortus sp. (pussy’s ears), snake’s head, clover, miner’s lettuce, skunkbush, hazel nuts, pine nuts, and wild grapes. The Wintu would also cultivate many plants for medicine, such as pennyroyal, Oregon grape, soaproot, milkweed, and salt (Heizer 1978).
Village structures included bark houses, steam houses, menstrual huts, and earthen lodge. The bark houses were the family unit’s main shelter . Bark houses were conical and made of poles lashed together and covered in bark or branches of evergreen. Steam ho uses and menstrual huts were domed brush shelters.
The semi-subterranean earth lodges were the largest structures, ranging from 15 to 20 feet in diameter with a center pole. Earthen lodges were used by men for gatherings, sweating, shaman initiation, and f or single men to sleep in during the winter months (Heizer 1978).
The family unit was the basic organization unit and the village served as the focus of social, political, and economic organization. The position of chief was hereditary, passing from father to eldest son; however, it was necessary that the son be deemed w orthy by the villagers. The Wintu were generally known to be a peaceful people, but they did engage in warfare. Wintu wars were typically the result of feuds between individuals or neighboring groups, and these conflicts were generally limited in their scope and severity by strong bonds of kinship. Weapons used included bows and arrows, clubs, thrusting spears, daggers and slings. Wintu funerary practices required an individual to be buried the same day they died, or as soon as their relatives arrived. Indi viduals were buried in a crouched position, with their elbows placed between their knees and their hands placed on their cheeks. They were then bundled in a deer or bearskin and buried. Funerary objects included personal effects of the deceased, the deceas ed’s dog, and a basket of acorn meal water (Heizer 1978).
Packet Pg. 1039
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.5-11
Today, the Wintu practice aspects of and value their traditional culture. They are extremely outspoken about the protection of areas important to the tribe, as destruction of these places negatively affect emotional health of tribal members. In addition, t ribal reorganization and recognition are important issues, which remain at the forefront (LaPena 2014).
Pre-Contact
The Wintu population prior to contact with Europeans is estimated to have been over 14,000. A malaria epidemic swept through the Central and Upper Sacramento Valley in 1830 -1833, killing off 75 percent of the Indigenous population and severely hindering th e ability of the Wintu to resist incursions into their territory by settlers. As settlers moved into the region, the Wintu faced the destruction of vital resources by livestock, the pollution of fishing areas by gold miners, and violent conflict with settl ers. These factors further diminished the Wintu population, and by 1910 the Wintu population is estimated to have been approximately 395 individuals. Shasta Dam and others were constructed in the 20th century, which dispersed many of the surviving of Wintu, as much of their habitable land was inundated (Heizer 1978). The Wintu population was identified as approximately 2,244 in the 1990 census (LaPena 2014).
Historic Initial Contact and Early Settlement
Although Russian and Spanish explorers were said to have travelled through the area as early as 1815, the earliest documented European-American presence in the area was related to fur trapping by the Hudson Bay Company. Seeking beaver pelts, which commande d top dollar, the trappers established and mapped the first European -American trails into Shasta County (Smith 2009). Don Luis Arguello travelled up the Sacramento River in 1921 nearly as far as what is now known as Redding (Bunse and Wee 2020). Peter Skene Ogden (who is believed to have named Mount Shasta) and Jedediah Strong Smith travelled up the Sacramento Valley and into Oregon in 1827 and 1828, via the Pacific Coast.
European-American settlement in the northern Sacramento Valley began in large part with the acquisition and development of Rancho Buenaventura. Mexican Governor Manuel Micheltorena gave this land grant to Major Person Barton Reading in 1844, who received a patent for the land from the U.S. government by 1854. Rancho Buenaventura encompassed six square leagues of land on both sides of the Sacramento River from north of downtown Redding to south of Anderson and supported a huge cattle operation (Smith 2009; Bunse and Wee 2020).
The arrival of these European -American trappers and settlers had a devastating impact on the native population. As much as 75 percent of the population may have died as a result of the diseases brought by the European-Americans (Bunse and Wee 2020).
Packet Pg. 1040
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
5.5-12 FEBRUARY 2024
Mining
The Gold Rush of the late 1840s and 1850s created a surge of miners working the rivers and creeks in Shasta County. From its early beginnings, mineral extraction was one of Redding’s principal industries. Major Reading located gold at Reading’s Bar in Clear Creek (Kyle 2002). The gold discovery marked a turning point for him, and he established a gold mine just north of Clear Creek. He named the area Reading Springs, and by 1849 it became a permanent site for miners, and subsequently became the Gold Rush bo om town of Shasta (Shastahistorical.org 2017).
California’s exponential growth in the 1850s came from heavy gold, copper, and iron mining throughout the state. Some of these minerals were intensely sought after in the mountains surrounding Redding. The processing of these minerals produced such heavy p ollution that local agriculture was damaged (City of Redding 2017). By 1906, only five copper smelters were in operation and their decline led to a drop in Redding’s population (Kyle 2002; City of Redding 2017). At the end of the Gold Rush, most miners too k up ranching, farming, or other trades in the valley areas, with very few settling the forested areas or higher elevations.
Redding
The City of Redding lies within the Rancho Buenaventura Land Grant, a 3-mile-wide, 19-mile-long stretch of the western bank of the Sacramento River, which extended from Salt Creek at its northern boundary to Cottonwood Creek at its southern boundary and en compassed 26,000 acres (Hoover et al. 2002; www.cityofredding.org). Rancho Buenaventura was granted to Pierson B. Reading by Mexican Governor Micheltorena in 1844, and the ranch he built on this property became the seat of Shasta County in 1850 (Hoover et al. 2002). While Reading was an influential figure in the region’s history and the town was initially named for him, eventually the name was changed to honor Canadian -born politician and journalist Benjamin B. Redding, who came to California by way of Boston and became involved in the booming mining and railroad industries (Gudde 1969; Hoover et al. 2002; Shastahistorical.org 2022). His work as a land agent for the Central Pacific Railroad garnered him influence and the city was named after him in 1872.
In 1874, local legislature moved to change the spelling of the town’s name to Reading to honor Pierson B.
Reading as founder of the Shasta community. The railroad, however, refused to recognize the name change, and as a result there was a lot of confusion over the official spelling of the town’s name. The name was officially confirmed to be Redding by 1880 (Gudde 1969; Shastahistory.org 2017). The City of Redding was incorporated on October 4, 1887 and became recognized under the State Constitution as a cit y formed under state legislative statues (City of Redding 2022). It became the County Seat in 1888, which was moved from Shasta after the decline of the mining industry (Gudde 1969).
Packet Pg. 1041
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.5-13
Logging History
Logging pre-dated mining due to California’s well-known forest of pine, fir, and cedar trees (McGuire et al. 2020:63). One of the initial small -scale logging operations was undertaken by Samuel Hensley who felled trees near the present site of Ball’s Ferry in 1844 and sent the lumber to Sutter’s Fort via the Sacramento River . Carpenters would then fashion the wood for furniture or buildings (Tuggle 2017). The discovery of gold dramatically increased demand for lumber for fuel, equipment, tunnel braces, and buildings (McGuire et al. 2020:64). The first sawmill in Shasta County was established in 1850 by Johnathan Otis and a man named Truett (Tuggle 2017). Together they established Otis and Truett Lumber Mill on the south fork of Rock Creek, near the town of Shasta, northwest of Redding (Tuggle 2017). Shingle Camp along Highway 44, eventually renamed Shingletown, became the first location to produce shingle and shakes in Shasta County and it quickly became the nucleus of the lumber industry. The California State Census reported eight logging mills in the area in 1852 (Tuggle 2017).
A succeeding gold boom (in Idaho) and the Civil War in 1860 brought new surges of growth to the timber industry. The establishment of the railroad and flume provided more reliable methods of lumber transportation in the 1870s and connected Sacramento and S an Francisco with the Upper Sacramento towns. The Blue Ridge Flume transported lumber from remote saw mills in Manton and Viola to Jelly’s Ferry (south of the City of Redding) and then to Red Bluff by wagon (Bunse and Wee 2020:64; Vaughn 1992).
Railroad construction, mining in other states, and a growing fruit industry encouraged the start of lumber milling in Redding in 1884 (McGuire 2020:64). The thriving milling industry in Shasta County coincided with the start of construction of Shasta Dam in 1938 and the beginning of World War II in 1941. By this time, the development of box companies in Redding and Anderson had the lumber industry firmly established in the area (McGuire 2020:65). Growth through the 1950s was largely spurred by post -war demand for lumber production and remains one of Redding’s principal industries today (City of Redding 2017).
Ranching/Farming
Ranching and farming quickly became key industries that supported the local Redding economy in the 1850s. Many settlers turned to sheep ranching during the Gold Rush to maintain the supply of meat and mutton for gold seekers (Bunse and Wee 2020:65). In the northern Sacramento Valley between 1860 and 1900, ranchers would let their sheep range from mountain meadows to summer grazing grounds.
Eventually, Red Bluff (south of Redding) became a hub for raising sheep for food and wool (Bunse and Wee 2020:65). With the establishment of the U.S. Forest Service and other public lands, ranging lands to support sheep shrunk and many ranchers turned to cattle by 1900 (Bunse and Wee 2020:65 -66). Cattle and dairy soon became the most valuable livestock in the area and Anderson (south of Redding) became the leading dairy processing center (Bunse and Wee 2020:66).
Packet Pg. 1042
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
5.5-14 FEBRUARY 2024
Transportation
The first European -American transportation routes generally followed the established system of Native American trails. As settlers arrived in Oregon and began the travel into the Sacramento Valley, they could choose from various routes. Many of the routes passed through Redding or the nearby vicinity. Trappers soon established a trail that followed the course of the Sacramento River between Oregon and San Francisco. Former U.S. Highway 99 (now State Route 99 south of Red Bluff) and modern Interstate 5 both use this corridor (Bunse and Wee 2020).
Although mining was primarily conducted several miles west of the City of Redding, one of the main routes the immigrants traveled to get to the mining areas near the Sacramento Valley was Noble’s Trail. Present - day Highway 44 essentially follows Noble’s Trail (Kyle 2002). Noble’s Trail became known as the easiest route to descend into the upper Sacramento Valley at Shasta City, to the north of present-day Redding (Trails West Inc. n.d.).
Benjamin Bernard Redding was primarily responsible for bringing the Central Pacific Railroad to Redding.
He was born in Canada in 1824 and sailed to California in 1849 to make his fortune during the Gold Rush.
He earned quite a diverse skillset including m ining, clerical work, and editing. He was elected to the California State Assembly from 1853 to 1854, and elected Mayor of Sacramento in 1856. He also served as Secretary of State from 1863 to 1867. He became the first land agent for the Central Pacific Railroad in 1868 and bought the original property so the railroad could be built. The area 6 miles east of Shasta, known at the time as Poverty Flats, was selected to be the northern terminus of the railroad in 1872 (Shastahistorical.org 2017).
The Homestead Act of 1862 and the arrival of the Central Pacific Railroad in Redding in 1872 led to a population boom in Shasta County. The Homestead Act gave away 160 acres of land at a time to any individual over the age of 21 who was head of household a nd could pay the $12 processing fee. The vagueness of the wording allowed many women and immigrants to file land claims during this time (Library of Congress 2017). The expansion of the railroads correlated with the migration spurred by this act.
Benjamin B. Redding decided to make a rail stop there, and in 1872 the tracks were routed through the area (Redding 2017).
In the early 20th century, as transportation became an increasing concern, the City of Redding began to consider the system of roads and their relation to regional or community transport needs. The main road through Redding was a dirt, unimproved road unti l the late 1920s and “carried miners, loggers, and immigrants during the Gold Rush” (Bunse and Wee 2020). This road underwent improvements, eventually becoming part of U.S. Highway 99. Additional improvements by the California Division of Highways resulted in the route being upgraded to Interstate 5. The California Highway Commission completed a survey of the condition of bridges in the area to support the new transportation system and growth. Some bridges were built at the locations of earlier ferry crossings, and others are now National Landmarks or used as pedestrian crossings. The remains of some bridges (i.e., Diestelhorst Bridge) can still be seen through the area (Bunse and Wee 2020).
Packet Pg. 1043
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.5-15
Dams
After the decline in population from decreased mining operations, the population recovered with a boom in the 1930s spurred by the construction of Shasta Dam along the Sacramento River between 1938 and 1945, 12 miles north of the City of Redding. As flood control became a necessity for farming and ranching, Shasta Dam was constructed to harness torrential rains that caused severe flooding. The dam was completed in 1945, took six years to construct, and included the ability to harness hydroelectric power (WEF 2022; Redding 2022). Shasta Lake is a major recreation area and important for “water storage, flood control and hydroelectric power” (Kyle 2002).
Whiskeytown Dam, constructed along Clear Creek between 1960 and 1963, resulted in the formation of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area with 36 miles of shoreline. With the development of these dams and access to the Sierra Nevada, Trinity Alps, and Cascade Mountains, Redding became a tourist attraction.
The dam projects spurred the development of nearby commuter towns of Central Valley, Summit City, and Project City, which are now known under the name Shasta Lake City.
Keswick Dam and Reservoir is located along the Sacramento River . Dam construction began in 1941, finished in 1950, and generates hydroelectric power . Currently, the reservoir is used for outdoor recreation and produces electricity.
Record Search Results
A records search request, submitted to the Northeast Information Center of the California Historical Resources Information System on March 23, 2022, returned a total of 403 previously recorded cultural resources within the limits of the City of Redding on April 20, 2022. Previously recorded sites consist of 171 pre-contact, 195 historic, 26 multi-component, and 11 unknown site type or isolates.
Types of Sites
Both pre-contact and historic sites are known to exist within the City of Redding limits. Pre -contact sites include habitation sites, ceremonial locations, rock art, trails, lithic scatters and quarries, resource collection and processing sites, and isolat ed pre-contact artifacts. Historic sites include mining locations (i.e., Placer, hydraulic), livestock ranching, early transportation corridors (wagon roads, railroads, roads), logging features, water transportation, trash dumps and privies, buildings, structures, and cemeteries.
Pre-contact sites are often found situated along the banks of rivers and streams (current and former) in locations that provide easy access to a variety of resources. Historic sites are located in similar areas; however, some resources sought by settlers encouraged land use in unfavorable locations. Historic buildings or structures are generally located in or near the City of Redding center, although some structures or buildings associated with ranching activities or homesteads may be located in more rural areas. Artifacts associated with all of these activities, but are isolated, may be found throughout the city.
Packet Pg. 1044
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
5.5-16 FEBRUARY 2024
National Register of Historic Places and California Register of Historical Resources Listed Resources
The following are NRHP historic or built environment listed sites (NPS 2023):
▪ Benton Tract Site
▪ Old City Hall Building
▪ Pine Street School
▪ Edward Frisbee House
▪ Lorenz Hotel
▪ Cascade Theater
▪ Olsen Petroglyphs
▪ Squaw Creek Archeological Site
▪ Swasey Discontiguous Archeological District
The following are State Landmarks and Points of Interest in the CRHR (OHP 2023):
▪ Bell’s Bridge
▪ Cascade Theatre
▪ Clear Creek
▪ Old Pine Street School
▪ Reading’s Bar
▪ Whiskeytown
Built Environment Districts:
▪ Keswick Dam
5.5.2 THRESHOLDS OF SIGNIFICANCE
CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.5 provides direction on determining significance of impacts to archaeological and historical resources. Generally, a resource shall be considered “historically significant” if the resource meets the criteria for listing on the California Register of Historical Resources:
▪ Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of California’s history and cultural heritage;
▪ Is associated the with lives of persons important in our past; Packet Pg. 1045
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.5-17
▪ Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region or method of construction, or represents the work of an important creative individual, or possesses high artistic values; or ▪ Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history. (PRC § 5024.1; 14 CCR § 4852)
The fact that a resource is not listed in the California Register of Historical Resources, not determined to be eligible for listing, or not included in a local register of historical resources does not preclude a lead agency from determining that it may be a historical resource.
According to Appendix G of the CEQA Guidelines, a project would normally have a significant effect on the environment if the project would:
CULT-1 Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource pursuant to Section 15064.5.
CULT-2 Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of an archaeological resource pursuant to Section 15064.5.
CULT-3 Disturb any human remains, including those interred outside of dedicated cemeteries.
CULT-4 Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a tribal cultural resource, defined in Public Resources Code Sections, 21074, 5020.1(k), or 5024.1.
CULT-4 In combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, result in significant cumulative impacts with respect to cultural resources and tribal cultural resources.
5.5.3 PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN POLICIES
The following relevant policies of the 2023-2045 Redding General Plan Update may reduce the potential impacts on cultural resources and tribal cultural resources as a result of implementation of the proposed project.
Natural Resources Element
▪ Policy NR9A: Strive to ensure the protection of prehistoric, cultural, and archaeological resources during the development process. Consult with local Wintu tribes as appropriate to help identify and preserve cultural resources during the development review process. ▪ Policy NR9B: Require that any human remains discovered during implementation of public and private projects within the City be treated with respect and dignity and fully comply with the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and other appropriate laws.
Packet Pg. 1046
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
5.5-18 FEBRUARY 2024
▪ Policy NR9C: Continue to consult and require record searches for discretionary projects with the Northeast Center of the California Historical Resources Information System (CHRIS) located at the CSU Chico. Consult with and distribute environmental review documents to the Native American Heritage Commission through the State Clearinghouse.
▪ Policy NR9D: Encourage partnerships to identify, preserve, protect, and/or restore historic buildings, structures, landmarks, and important cultural resources. ▪ Policy NR9E: Maintain and update as necessary the City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance and the historic resources inventory; consider seeking grants and assistance from community organizations to assist facilitate this effort.
▪ Policy NR9F: Consider seeking the City’s recognition by the State Historic Preservation Office as a Certified Local Government as a means to obtain grant funding sources available to Certified Local Governments to develop, establish and maintain a more robust historical resources inventory and program.
Community Design and Development Element
▪ Policy CDD8A: The City, in partnership with appropriate community partners and organizations, should work to encourage the preservation and rehabilitation of historically and architecturally significant districts, buildings, and structures. Utilize and advertise, as appropriate, the availability of the state Mills Act Program that provides incentives to private property owners to preserve and maintain historic properties.
▪ Policy CDD8 B: Consider strengthening historic preservation planning by amending the Historic/ Architectural Preservation Ordinance that will lead to the identification and preservation of historically significant structures and districts and guide new development. ▪ Policy CDD8C: As opportunities allow, collaborate with other public, private, and non-profit agencies to document architecturally and culturally significant buildings and structures , including expanding/refining the City’s Candidate List of Historic Structures and the Qualified List of Historic Structures to better understand the historic nature of these properties. ▪ Policy CDD8F: Work with local organizations to create incentives to encourage the protection and preservation of historical buildings and structures to prevent, to the extent feasible, their demolition.
▪ Policy CDD8G: Consider the development and application of a Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District or similar mechanism to protect identified historic districts and ensure new developments share similar characteristics to minimize adverse effects that occur through unsuitable development.
Packet Pg. 1047
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.5-19
Parks, Trails, and Recreation Element
▪ Policy R2E: Encourage community stewardship and volunteerism to protect, preserve, rehabilitate and highlight the Sacramento River corridor and its natural, historical, pre-historical and cultural resources.
▪ Policy R4A: Protect, enhance, and integrate where possible, historically and culturally significant structures and resources located in parks and open -space areas in accordance with the Historic/Architectural Preservation Ordinance.
▪ Policy R4B: Ensure that park development and parkland acquisition proposals consider potential impacts to historical or archaeological resources and eliminate or minimize those impacts to the fullest extent possible.
▪ Policy R4C: Promote and encourage consultation and partnership with Wintu tribes and historical research groups and others for the protection, improvement, and preservation of archaeological, paleontological, historical and cultural resources in parks. ▪ Policy R4D: Preserve, educate, and enhance art and culture, representative of the community or neighborhood in park design, where feasible.
5.5.4 IMPACT DISCUSSION
CULT-1: The proposed project could cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.5.
There are 14 identified historical resources in the City of Redding which include seven NRHP historic or built environment listed sites ––two NRHP or CRHR listed resources , four State landmarks and points of interest, and one built environment district (OHP 2023, NPS 2023).
Future development under the proposed General Plan could adversely impact historic resources through changes to accommodate adaptive reuse, removal, or reconstruction. Known or future historic sites or resources listed in the national, California, or local registers maintained by the City would be protected through local ordinances, the General Plan Update policies, and state and federal regulations restricting alteration, relocation, and demolition of historical resources. For example, Chapter 18.23, Historic/Architectural Preservation, of the Redding Municipal Code implements the Mills Act program to help protect locally designated historic resources. The City has also adopted the historic building provisions of the California Building Code via Chapter 16.02, Building Code, of the Municipal Code. Compliance with the proposed General Plan Update policies, local ordinances, and state and federal regulations would ensure that development would not result in adverse impacts to identified historic and cultural r esources.
While the regulations provide a process for recognizing historic buildings and places, they do not prevent the reuse or modification of them. Further, a comprehensive assessment of historic resources has not been undertaken.
Packet Pg. 1048
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
5.5-20 FEBRUARY 2024
The General Plan Update is a regulatory document that sets the framework for future growth and development of the city and does not directly result in development. Before any development or redevelopment projects can occur in the city, all such projects are required to be analyzed for conformance with the General Plan, zoning requirements, and other applicable local and state requirements; comply with the requirements of CEQA; and obtain all necessary clearances and permits. Therefore, adoption of the General Plan Update in itself would not lead to demolition or material alteration of any of historic resources.
However, identified historic structures may be vulnerable to development activities accompanying infill, redevelopment, or revitalization that would be accommodated by the General Plan Update. For instance, the placement of new buildings adjacent to a hist oric resource may result in indirect impacts to access, visibility, and visual context, while renovations or modification to historic resources may deteriorate or destroy the characteristics that make those resources important or unique.
In addition, other buildings or structures that could meet the NRHP criteria upon reaching 50 years of age might be impacted by development or redevelopment activity that would be accommodated by the General Plan Update, and construction could damage or destroy as-yet undiscovered resources.
The General Plan Update includes goals, policies and actions that would address potential historic resource impacts and propose mitigation. Natural Resources Element Goal NR9 and its associated policies address potential impacts of new development on cultural resources. Specifically, Policy NR9A strives to ensure protection of prehistoric, cultural, and archaeological resources during the development process and requires consultation with local Wintu tribes to help identify and preserve cultural resources during the development review process. Policy NR9C requires record searches for discretionary projects with the Northeast Center of the California Historical Resources Information System and consultation and distribution of environmental review documents to the Native American Heritage Commission through the State Clearinghouse. Policy NR9D encourages partnerships to identify, preserve, protect, and/or restore historic buildings, structures, landmarks, and important cultural resources.
The General Plan Update also seeks to preserve important historical resources through Community Design and Development Element Goal CDD8 and its associated policies. In particular, Policy CDD8A encourages the preservation and rehabilitation of historically and architecturally significant districts, buildings, and structures. Policy CDD8B aims to strengthen historic preservation planning by amending the Historic/ Architectural Preservation Ordinance that will lead to the identification and preservation of historically significant structures and districts and guide new development. Policy CDD8C seeks to document architecturally and culturally significant buildings and structures through collaboration with other public, private, and non-profit agencies. Policy CDD8F seeks to create incentives to encourage the protection and preservation of historical buildings and structures by working with local organizations.
Furthermore, several existing regulatory procedures would help to protect existing or potential historic resources. For example, if a project is subject to federal approval, funding, authorization, or permit (collectively, “assistance”), then the federal lead agency will direct the compliance and consultation procedures. Typically, this begins with a cultural resources inventory conducted according to the applicable Packet Pg. 1049
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.5-21
federal agency’s regulations (e.g., 36 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] 800) and guidelines in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. This process includes establishing an Area of Potential Effects (APE), surveying the APE for cultural resources, applying the criteria of adverse effects in 36 CFR 800.5(a)(1) to determine if historic properties will be adversely affected by the project, and handling resources that may be discovered inadvertently during construction pursuant to 36 CFR Part 800.13(b).
Additionally, projects subject to approval under the CEQA, may be required to conduct a cultural resources analysis to identify and protect historical resources in compliance with CEQA law. This could include conducting a cultural resources inventory of the project area and designing or configuring the project to avoid impacts on eligible or listed resource , or preparing and implement ing appropriate treatment measures as determined by a qualified professional. Resources that may be discovered inadvertently during construction may be subject to inadvertent discovery protocols.
Regardless of the implementation of General Plan policies and adherence to state regulations, some historic properties may be significantly affected by implementation of this General Plan Update. This impact would be potentially significant.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: CULT-1 would be potentially significant.
Mitigation Measures
Compliance with the applicable regulatory processes would ensure that existing and future historic resources are protected to the extent possible. Project -specific impacts are not known at this time and future impacts would be assessed under project -specific environmental review during which mitigation measures may be adopted to address specific impacts. However, potential significant impacts to historic resources may occur and as such, impacts are significant and unavoidable.
Level of Significance After Mitigation: Impact CULT-1 would be significant and unavoidable.
CULT-2: The proposed project could cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of an archeological resource pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.5.
Development allowed by the General Plan Update could result in direct or indirect impacts to archaeological resources. Construction activities, such as grading and excavation, may result in the accidental destruction or disturbance of archaeological sites.
Adoption of the General Plan Update in itself would not directly affect archaeological resources. Long-term implementation of the General Plan Update land use plan could include grading , and other ground - disturbing activities, of known and unknown sensitive areas. Grading and construction activities of undeveloped areas or redevelopment that requires more intensive soil excavation than in the past could Packet Pg. 1050
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
5.5-22 FEBRUARY 2024
potentially cause the disturbance of archaeological resources. Therefore, future development that would be accommodated by the General Plan Update could potentially unearth previously unrecorded resources.
There are numerous confidential archaeological sites that represent the prehistoric and historic occupation and history of the city but are not publicly disclosed. The recorded sites include items such as milling stones, flakes tools, bone fragments, chipp ing waste, scrapers, hammerstones, and various ground stone scatter .
Archaeological sites are protected by a wide variety of state policies and regulations under the California Public Resources Code. Cultural resources are also recognized as nonrenewable a nd therefore receive protection under the California Public Resources Code and CEQA. Review and protection of archaeological resources are afforded by CEQA for individual development projects that would be accommodated by the General Plan Update, subject t o discretionary actions that are implemented in accordance with the land use plan of the General Plan Update. According to Public Resources Code Section 21083.2 of CEQA, the lead agency is required to determine whether a development project may have a sign ificant effect on archaeological resources. If the lead agency determines that the project may have a significant effect on unique archaeological resources, the project-level CEQA document prepared for the development project is required to address the issue of those resources.
It is also important to note that the General Plan Update is a regulatory document that sets the framework for future growth and development in the city and does not result in development in and of itself. Before any development or redevelopment activities can occur in the city, they must be analyzed for conformance with the General Plan, zoning requirements, and other applicable local and state requirements; comply with the requirements of CEQA; and obtain all necessary clearances and permits.
Long-term implementation of the General Plan Update could include grading of unknown sensitive areas.
Grading and construction activities of undeveloped areas or redevelopment that require more intensive soil excavation than in the past could potentially cause the disturbance of archaeological resources. Therefore, future development could potentially unearth previously unknown/unrecorded archaeological resources.
However, compliance with existing regulatory requirements would mitigate potential impacts to less than significant.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: CULT-2 would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
Packet Pg. 1051
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.5-23
CULT-3: The proposed project would not disturb any human remains, including those interred outside of formal cemeteries.
Although the General Plan Update would not affect any formal cemeteries or known burials outside of formal cemeteries, future development could disturb unknown human remains.
California Health and Safety Code, Section 7050.5 , CEQA Section 15064.5 , and Public Resources Code, Section 5097.98, mandate the process to be followed in the event of an accidental discovery of any human remains in a location other than a dedicated cemetery. Specifically, California Health and Safety Code, Section 7050.5, requires that if human remains are discovered on a project site, disturbance of the site shall remain halted until the coroner has conducted an investigation into the circumstances, manner, and cause of any death, and the recommendations concerning the treatment and disposition of the human remains have been made to the person responsible for the excavation, or to his or her authorized representative, in the manner provided in Public Resources Code Section 5097.98. If the coroner determines that the remains are not subject to his or her authority and has reason to believe they are those of a Native American, he or she shall contact, by telephone within 24 hours, the Native American Heritage Commission. Although soil - disturbing activities associated with development in accordance with the General Plan Update could result in the discovery of human remains, compliance with existing law and proposed General Plan policies, such as Policy NR9B, which r equires that any human remains discovered during implementation of projects within the City be treated with respect and dignity and fully comply with the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and other appropriate laws . Therefore policies in the proposed General Plan would ensure that significant impacts to human remains would be mitigated to less than significant.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: CULT-3 would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
TCR-1: The proposed project would not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a tribal cultural resource, defined in Public Resources Code Sections, 21074, 5020.1(k), or 5024.1.
The City of Redding is located in a region known to have been occupied by the Wintu tribes. Wintu territory encompassed portions of present -day Trinity, Tehama, Shasta, and Siskiyou counties. The territory is bounded in the southeast by the South Fork Trinity River, in the southwest by Beegum and Little Cow creeks, and in the north by Mount Shasta.
Packet Pg. 1052
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
5.5-24 FEBRUARY 2024
Development allowed by General Plan Update could result in direct or indirect impacts to tribal cultural resources. Construction activities, such as grading and excavation, may result in the accidental destruction or disturbance of tribal cultural resources and/or sites. However, General Plan Update includes goals, policies, and actions that would serve to protect and reduce impacts related tribal cult ural resources. The Natural Resources Element Goal NR9 and its associated policies aim to reduce potential impacts of new development on tribal cultural resources . Policy NR9A seeks to ensure protection of prehistoric, cultural, and archaeological resources during the development process and requires consultation with local indigenous tribes and representatives to help identify and preserve cultural resources during the development review process. Policy NR9C requires record searches for discretionary projects with the Northeast Center of the California Historical Resources Information System and consultation an d distribution of environmental review documents to the Native American Heritage Commission through the State Clearinghouse. The policies and regulations in the General Plan Update would address potential impacts regarding tribal cultural resources. Therefore, the impacts would be less than significant.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: TCR-1 would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
5.5.5 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS
CULT-5 The proposed project, in combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, would result in less -than-significant cumulative impacts with respect to cultural and tribal resources.
In general, cumulative impacts to cultural and/or historical resource sites would occur when a series of actions leads to the loss of a substantial type of site, building, or resource. For example, while the loss of a single historic building may not be significant to the character of a neighborhood or streetscape, continued loss of such resources on a project-by-project basis could constitute a significant cumulative effect. Changes to the setting or character of an area, for example, by adding modern structures on all sides of a historically significant building, thus altering the aesthetics of the streetscape, would create a significant impact.
Destruction or relocation of historic buildings would also significantly impact the setting.
Development allowed by General Plan Update could result in direct or indirect impacts to tribal cultural resources, however, as noted above, the policies and regulations in the General Plan Update would address potential impacts to tribal cultural resources. Cumulative impacts to tribal cultural resources would be less than significant.
Packet Pg. 1053
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.5-25
However, development in Redding would be subject to federal and State laws protecting cultural resources.
The goals and policies of General Plan Update that protect historical , archaeological and tribal cultural resources and human remains, in combination with these other regulations, would result in a less than significant cumulative impact to cultural resources.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: CULT-5 would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
Packet Pg. 1054
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
5.5-26 FEBRUARY 2024
5.5.6 REFERENCES
Bunse, Meta and Stephen Wee (Bunse and Wee) . 2020 Historical Context in Programmatic Historic Properties Management Plan for the Shasta Dam and Reservoirs Expansion Project, Shasta County, California. Submitted to US Bureau of Reclamation. Submitted by Far Western Anthropological Research Group, Inc.
California Office of Historic Preservation (OHP). 2023, May 24 (accessed). California Historical Resources . https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/ListedResources/?view=county&criteria=45 Gudde, Erwin G. 1969. California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names.
Third Edition. University of California, Berkeley.
Heizer, Robert F. 1978. Handbook of North American Indians, Volume 8. Smithsonian Institution.
Washington.
Hoover, M., Rensch, H., Rensch, E., and W. Abeloe. 2002. Historic Spots in California . Revised by D. Kyle.
Fifth Edition. Stanford University Press, Stanford.
Kyle, Douglas. 2002. Historic Spots in California. Stanford University Press. Stanford, California.
LaPena, Frank. 2014. Wintun in Native America in the Twentieth Century, An Encyclopedia. Garland Publishing, Inc., New York.
Library of Congress. 2017. Primary Documents in American History. Electronic document, https://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Homestead.html, accessed June 6, 2017.
McGuire, Kelly R, William R. Hildebrant, Brian F. Byrd, Seetha N. Reddy, Shelly Tiley, Meta Bunse, Stephen Wee, Thomas G. Whitley and Mark Walker. 2020. Programmatic Historic Properties Management Plan for the Shasta Dam and Reservoir Expansion Project, Shasta County, California. Submitted to US Bureau of Reclamation. Submitted by Far Western Anthropological Research Group, Inc.
National Park Service (NPS). 2023, May 24 (accessed). National Register Database and Research . https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/database-research.htm#table.
Redding, City of . 2022. Historic Redding California. Electronic document, https://www.cityofredding.org/about-us/brief-history-of-redding, accessed February 28, 2022.
Shasta Historical Society. 2017. http://shastahistorical.org/ electronic document. Accessed June 10, 2017.
Smith, Dottie. 2009. The Dictionary of Early Shasta County History, 2nd edition.
Thompson, T.H. and A.A. West. 1880. History of Sacramento County . Reproduced by Howell North, 1960, Berkeley.
Trails West Inc. n.d. A Guide to the Nobles Trail by the Oregon California Trails Association (OCTA). Editor, Richard K. Brock.
Packet Pg. 1055
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
PLACEWORKS 5.5-27
Tuggle, Jeremy M. 2017. Gold & Lore: Birth of the Shasta County Lumber Industry. Shasta Historical Society.
Electronic document, https://www.redding.com/story/life/2017/01/13/gold-lore-birth-shasta- county-lumber-industry/96529902/, accessed February 28, 2022.
Vaughn, Trudy, Eric Ritter, and Dottie Smith. 1992. The Historic Blue Ridge Flume in Shasta and Tehama Counties, California in Gold and Lumber: Two Papers on Northern California History and Archaeology. Bureau of Land Management, Redding, California.
Water Education Foundation (WEF). 2022. Shasta Dam - Water Education Foundation . Electronic document,
https://www.watereducation.org/aquapedia/shastadam#:~:text=Construction%20on%20the%20 dam%20began%20in%201938%20and,Sacramento%20River%20behind%20its%20602- foot%20curved%2C%20concrete%20face, accessed June 30, 2022.
Packet Pg. 1056
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES
5.5-28 FEBRUARY 2024
This page intentionally left blank.
Packet Pg. 1057
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-1
5.6 ENERGY
Section 21100(b)(3) of CEQA requires that an EIR include a detailed statement with mitigation measures proposed to minimize significant effects on the environment, including but not limited to, measures to reduce the wasteful, inefficient, and unnecessary consumption of energy. Appendix F of State CEQA Guidelines states that, in order to ensure that energy implications are considered in project decisions, the potential energy implications of a project shall be considered in an EIR, to the extent relevant and applicable to the project. Appendix F further states that a project’s energy consumption and proposed conservation measures may be addressed, as relevant and applicable, in the project description, environmental setting, and impact analysis portions of technical sections, as well as through mitigation measures and alternatives.
In accordance with Appendices F and G of the State CEQA Guidelines, this EIR includes relevant information and analyses that address the energy implications of the proposed project. This section summarizes the proposed project’s anticipated energy needs, impacts, and conservation measures. The information in this section and other aspects of the proposed project’s energy implications are also discussed in Chapter 3, Project Description, and Sections 5.3, Air Quality, 5.7, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and 5.16, Transportation.
5.6.1 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
Federal Regulations
Federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act
The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 was established in response to the 1973 oil crisis. The act created the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, established vehicle fuel economy standards, and prohibited the export of U.S. crude oil (with a few limited exceptions). It also created Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for passenger cars starting in model year 1978. The CAFE Standards are updated periodically to account for changes in vehicle technologies, driver behavior, and/or driving conditions.
The federal government issued new CAFE standards in 2012 for model years 2017 to 2025, which required a fleet average of 54.5 miles per gallon in 2025. On March 30, 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized an updated CAFE and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks and established new standards, covering model years 2021 through 2026, known as the Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Final Rule for Model Years 2021 –2026. Under SAFE, the fuel economy standards will increase 1.5 percent per year compared to the 5 percent per year under the CAFE standards established in 2012. Overall, SAFE requires a fleet average of 40.4 mpg for model year 2026 vehicles (85 Federal Register 24174 (April 30, 2020).
Packet Pg. 1058
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-2 FEBRUARY 2024
On December 21, 2021, under direction of Executive Order (EO) 13990 issued by President Biden, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration repealed Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient Vehicles Rule Part One, which had preempted state and local laws related to fuel economy standards. In addition, on March 31, 2022 , the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration finalized new fuel standards , which will increase fuel efficiency 8 percent annually for model years 2024 to 2025 and 10 percent annual for model year 2026. Overall, the new CAFE standards require a fleet average of 49 MPG for passenger vehicles and light trucks for model year 2026, which will be a 10 MPG increase relative to model year 2021 (NHTSA 2022).
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (Public Law 110 -140) seeks to provide the nation with greater energy independence and security by increasing the production of clean renewable fuels; improving vehicle fuel economy; and increasing the effici ency of products, buildings, and vehicles. It also seeks to improve the energy performance of the federal government. The act sets increased corporate average fuel economy standards; the renewable fuel standard; appliance energy -efficiency standards; building energy- efficiency standards; and accelerated research and development tasks on renewable energy sources (e.g., solar energy, geothermal energy, and marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies), carbon capture, and sequestration (USEPA 2022).
Energy Policy Act of 2005
Passed by Congress in July 2005, the Energy Policy Act includes a comprehensive set of provisions to address energy issues. This Act includes tax incentives for energy conservation improvements in commercial and residential buildings, fossil fuel productio n and clean coal facilities, and construction and operation of nuclear power plants, among other things. Subsidies are also included for geothermal, wind energy, and other alternative energy producers.
National Energy Policy
Established in 2001 by the National Energy Policy Development Group, the National Energy Policy is designed to help the private sector and state and local governments promote dependable, affordable, and environmentally sound production and distribution of energy for the future. Key issues addressed by the energy policy are energy conservation, repair and expansion of energy infrastructure, and ways of increasing energy supplies while protecting the environment.
Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968
The Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 authorizes the United States Department of Transportation to regulate pipeline transportation of flammable, toxic, or corrosive natural gas and other gases as well as the transportation and storage of liquefied n atural gas. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration within the Department of Transportation develops and enforces regulations for the safe, Packet Pg. 1059
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-3
reliable, and environmentally sound operation of the nation's 2.6 -million-mile pipeline transportation system.
State Regulations
Warren-Alquist Act
Established in 1974, the Warren-Alquist Act created the California Energy Commission (CEC) in response to the energy crisis of the early 1970s and the state’s unsustainable growing demand for energy resources.
The CEC’s core responsibilities include advanc ing State energy policy, encouraging energy efficiency, certifying thermal power plants, investing in energy innovation, developing renewable energy, transforming transportation, and preparing for energy emergencies. The Warren -Alquist Act is updated annua lly to address current energy needs and issues, and its latest edition was updated in January 2023.
California Public Utilities Commission
In September 2008, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) adopted the Long -Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan, which provides a framework for energy efficiency in California through the year 2020 and beyond. It articulates a long -term vision, as well as goals for each economic sector, identifying specific near-term, mid-term, and long-term strategies to assist in achieving these goals. This Plan sets forth the following four goals, known as Big Bold Energy Efficiency Strategies, to achieve significant reductions in energy demand:
▪ All new residential construction in California will be zero net energy by 2020.1 ▪ All new commercial construction in California will be zero net energy by 2030. ▪ Heating, ventilation and air conditioning commonly referred to as “HVAC” will be transformed to ensure that its energy performance is optimal for California’s climate. ▪ All eligible low -income customers will be given the opportunity to participate in the low -income energy efficiency program by 2020.
With respect to the commercial sector, the Long -Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan notes that commercial buildings, which include schools, hospitals, and public buildings, consume more electricity than any other end -use sector in California. The commerc ial sector’s five billion -plus square feet of space accounts for 38 percent of the State’s power use and over 25 percent of natural gas consumption. Lighting, cooling, refrigeration, and ventilation account for 75 percent of all commercial electric use, wh ile space heating, water heating, and cooking account for over 90 percent of gas use. In 2006, schools and colleges
1 Zero net energy buildings are buildings that the total amount of energy used by the building on an annual basis is equal to or less than the amount of renewable energy created on the site.
Packet Pg. 1060
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-4 FEBRUARY 2024
were in the top five facility types for electricity and gas consumption, accounting for approximately 10 percent of State’s electricity and gas use (CPUC 2011).
The CPUC and CEC have adopted the following goals to achieve zero net energy (ZNE) levels by 2030 in the commercial sector:
▪ Goal 1. New construction will increasingly embrace zero net energy performance (including clean, distributed generation), reaching 100 percent penetration of new starts in 2030. ▪ Goal 2. 50 percent of existing buildings will be retrofit to zero net energy by 2030 through achievement of deep levels of energy efficiency and with the addition of clean distributed generation.
▪ Goal 3. Transform the commercial lighting market through technological advancement and innovative utility initiatives.
Renewables Portfolio: Carbon Neutrality Regulations
Senate Bills 1078, 107, and X1-2 and Executive Order S-14-08 The California Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) was established in 2002 under SB 1078 and was amended in 2006, 2011, and 2018. The RPS program requires investor -owned utilities, electric service providers, and community choice aggregators to increase the use of eligible renewable energy resources to 33 percent of total procurement by 2020. Initially under the RPS, certain retail sellers of electricity were required to increase the amount of renewable energy each year by at least 1 percent in order to reach at least 20 percent by December 30, 2010. Executive Order S 14 08 was signed in November 2008, which expanded the state’s Renewable Energy Standard to 33 percent renewable power by 2020. This standard was adopted by the California legislature in 2011 (SB X1 -2). The California Public Utilities Commission is required to provide quarterly progress reports on progress toward RPS goals. This has accelerated the development of renewable energy projects throughout the state. For the year 2020, the three largest retail energy utilities provided an average of 43 percent of its supplies from renewable energy sources.
Community choice aggregators provided an average of 41 percent of its supplies from renewable sources (CPUC 2021).
Senate Bill 350
Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 350 on October 7, 2015, which expands the RPS by establishing a goal of 50 percent of the total electricity sold to retail customers in California per year by December 31, 2030. In addition, SB 350 includes the goal to double the energy efficiency savings in electricity and natural gas final end uses (such as heating, cooling, lighting, or class of energy uses upon which an energy efficiency program is focused) of retail customers through energy conservation and efficiency. The bill also requires the CPUC, in consultation with the CEC, to establish efficiency targets for electrical and gas corporations consistent with this goal. SB 350 also provides for the transformation of the California Independent System Operator into a regional organization to promote the development of regional electricity transmission markets in the Packet Pg. 1061
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-5
western states and to improve the access of consumers served by the California Independent System Operator to those markets, pursuant to a specified process.
Senate Bill 100
On September 10, 2018, Governor Brown signed SB 100. Under SB 100, the RPS for public-owned facilities and retail sellers consists of 44 percent renewable energy by 2024, 52 percent by 2027, and 60 percent by 2030. SB 100 also established a new RPS requirement of 50 percent by 2026. Furthermore, the bill establishes an overall state policy that eligible renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources supply 100 percent of all retail sales of electricity to California end -use customers and 100 percent o f electricity procured to serve all state agencies by December 31, 2045. Under the bill, the state cannot increase carbon emissions elsewhere in the western grid or allow resource shuffling to achieve the 100 percent carbon-free electricity target.
Senate Bill 1020
Senate Bill 1020 (SB 1020) was signed into law on September 16, 2022. It requires renewable energy and zero-carbon resources to supply 90 percent of all retail electricity sales by 2035 and 95 percent by 2040.
Additionally, SB 1020 requires all state agencies to procure 100 percent of electricity from renewable energy and zero-carbon resources by 2035.
Energy Efficiency
California Building Energy Code: Building Energy Efficiency Standards Energy conservation standards for new residential and nonresidential buildings were adopted by the California Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (now the CEC) in June 1977 (Title 24, Part 6, of the California Code of Regulations [CCR] ). Title 24 requires the design of building shells and building components to conserve energy. The standards are updated periodically to allow for the consideration and possible incorporation of new energy efficiency technologies and methods. The 2019 Building Energy Efficiency Standards were adopted on May 9, 2018, and went into effect on January 1, 2020.
The 2019 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, which were adopted on May 9, 2018, went into effect starting January 1, 2020. The 2019 standards move toward cutting energy use in new homes by more than 50 percent and require installation of solar photovolta ic systems for single -family homes and multifamily buildings of three stories and less (CBSC 201 8). The 2019 standards focus on four key areas: 1) smart residential photovoltaic systems; 2) updated thermal envelope standards (preventing heat transfer from the interior to exte rior and vice versa); 3) residential and nonresidential ventilation requirements; and 4) nonresidential lighting requirements (CEC 2018a). Under the 2019 standards, nonresidential buildings are generally 30 percent more energy efficient compared to the 2016 standards, and single -family homes are generally 7 percent more energy efficient (CEC 2018b). When accounting for the electricity generated by Packet Pg. 1062
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-6 FEBRUARY 2024
the solar photovoltaic system, single-family homes would use 53 percent less energy compared to homes built to the 2016 standards (CEC 2018b).
Furthermore, on August 11, 2021, the CEC adopted the 2022 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, which were subsequently approved by the California Building Standards Commission in December 2021. The 2022 standards become effective and replace the existing 2019 standards on January 1, 2023. The 2022 standards would require mixed -fuel single -family homes to be electric -ready to accommodate replacement of gas appliances with electric appliances. In addition, the new standards also include prescriptive photovol taic system and battery requirements for high -rise, multifamily buildings (i.e., more than three stories) and noncommercial buildings such as hotels, offices, medical offices, restaurants, retail stores, schools, warehouses, theaters, and convention centers (CEC 2021).
California Building Code: CALGreen
On July 17, 2008, the California Building Standards Commission adopted the nation’s first green building standards. The California Green Building Standards Code (24 CCR, Part 11, known as “CALGreen”) was adopted as part of the California Building Standards Code. CALGreen established planning and design standards for sustainable site development, energy efficiency (in excess of the California Energy Code requirements), water conservation, material conservation, and internal air contaminants .1 The mandatory provisions of CALGreen became effective January 1, 2011, and were last updated in 2022. The 2022 CALGreen update, which was approved as part of 2022 Energy Code became effective on January 1, 2023, and provides updates to the residential and non-residential voluntary measures.
Overall, the code is established to reduce construction waste, make buildings more efficient in the use of materials and energy, and reduce environmental impacts during and after construction. CALGreen has requirements for construction site selection, stor mwater control during construction, construction waste reduction, indoor water use reduction, material selection, natural resource conservation, site irrigation conservation, and more. The code provides for design options allowing the designer to determine how best to achieve compliance for a given site or building condition. The code also requires building commissioning, which is a process for verifying that all building systems (e.g., heating and cooling equipment and lighting systems) are functioning at their maximum efficiency (CBSC 2022). 2006 Appliance Efficiency Regulations
The 2006 Appliance Efficiency Regulations (20 CCR Sections 1601–1608) were adopted by the CEC on October 11, 2006, and approved by the California Office of Administrative Law on December 14, 2006. The regulations include standards for both federally regulated appliances and non –federally regulated appliances. They contain energy performance, energy design, water performance, and water design standards for appliances (including refrigerators, ice makers, vending machines, freezers, water heaters,
1 The green building standards became mandatory in the 2010 edition of the code.
Packet Pg. 1063
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-7
fans, boilers, washing machines, dryers, air conditioners, pool equipment, and plumbing fittings) that are sold or offered for sale in California (California Code of Regulations Title 20, Parts 1600 –1608). These standards are updated regularly to allow consideration of new energy efficiency technologies and methods.
Assembly Bill 1493
California vehicle GHG emission standards were enacted under AB 1493 (Pavley I). Pavley I is a clean -car standard that reduces GHG emissions from new passenger vehicles (light -duty auto to medium -duty vehicles) from 2009 through 2016 and is anticipated to reduce GHG emissions from new passenger vehicles by 30 percent in 2016. California implements the Pavley I standards through a waiver granted to California by the EPA. In 2012, the EPA issued a Final Rulemaking that sets even more stringent fuel economy and GHG emissions standards for model year 2017 through 2025 light -duty vehicles (see also the discussion on the update to the CAFE standards under Federal, above). In January 2012, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved the Pavley Advanced Clean Cars program (formerly known as Pavley II) for model years 2017 through 2025. The program combines the control of smog, soot, and global warming gases a nd requirements for greater numbers of zero -emission vehicles into a single package of standards. Under California’s Advanced Clean Car program, by 2025, new automobiles will emit 34 percent fewer global warming gases and 75 percent fewer smog-forming emissions (CARB 2017).
Executive Order N-79-20
On September 23, 2020, Executive Order N-79-20 was issued, which sets a time frame for the transition to zero-emissions (ZE) passenger vehicles and trucks in addition to off -road equipment. It directs CARB to develop and propose the following:
▪ Passenger vehicle and truck regulations requiring increasing volumes of new ZEVs (zero -emission vehicles) sold in the California toward the target of 100 percent of in-state sales by 2035. ▪ Medium- and heavy-duty vehicle regulations requiring increasing volumes of new ZE trucks and buses sold and operated in California toward the target of 100 percent of the fleet transitioning to ZEVs by 2045 everywhere feasible, and for all drayage trucks to be ZE by 2035. ▪ Strategies to achieve 100 percent zero emissions from all off -road vehicles and equipment operations in California by 2035, in cooperation with other State agencies, the EPA, and local air districts.
On August 25, 2022, CARB adopted the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulations that codifies the EO goal of 100 percent of in-state sales of new passenger vehicles and trucks be ZE by 2035. Starting in year 2026, ACC II requires that 35 percent of new vehicles sold be ZE or plug-in hybrids.
Packet Pg. 1064
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-8 FEBRUARY 2024
Energy Storage
California has set ambitious long -term goals for energy storage beyond 2026 to support its clean energy and climate goals. The state aims to reach 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2045, which will require significant investment in renewable energy sources like wind and solar, as well as energy storage technologies to balance the variability of these sources.
The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) has a total energy storage capacity of more than 3,160 megawatts (MW) as of June 2022 (CAISO 2022) . This includes both large -scale and distributed energy storage systems, such as batteries, pumped hydroelectric storage, and thermal storage. CAISO is responsible for managing the electricity grid for much of California, and it has set a target of adding 3,300 MW of additional energy storage capacity by 2024 to support the integration of more renewable energy sources like wind and solar (CAISO 2022). As part of SB 100, load serving entities (LSEs) were required to procure no less than 1.3 gigawatts (GW) of energy storage capacity by 2020, and 3 GW by 2030. Additionally, the CPUC has established a target of 15 GW of energy storage capacity by 2030 (CPUC 2022).
The Integrated Resource Plan (IRP)
CAISO develops a coordinated grid management plan to integrate the generation and storage capacities of LSEs, called the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). The IRP is a comprehensive planning document that outlines CAISO’s forecasts for electricity demand, supply, and transmission needs over a 20 -year planning horizon, as well as its strategies for integrating renewable energy resources and other grid services to meet those needs. The plan is developed in collaboration with LSEs, regulators, and other stakeholders, and is updated periodically to reflect changes in the energy landscape and evolving policy goals. Overall, the IRP plays a critical role in ensuring the reliability and resilience of California ’s electricity grid as the state continues to transition to a cleaner and more sustainable energy system.
When an individual Battery Energy Storage (BES) facility or generation infrastructure (i.e., solar panels) comes online in California, it is typically included in the IRP through a process known as the Interconnection Queue. The Interconnection Queue is managed by the CAISO, which oversees the operation of the State’s electricity grid.
The Interconnection Queue
The Interconnection Queue is an application process that functions as a waiting list of proposed electricity generation and storage projects that are seeking to connect to the grid. When a new BES facility or generation infrastructure is proposed, the developer submits an application to CAISO to request an interconnection to the grid. CAISO evaluates the application to ensure that the facility meets technical and operational requirements, such as voltage regulation and frequency response, and that it can be integrated effectively into the grid.
Packet Pg. 1065
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-9
Once the BES facility or generation infrastructure is approved by CAISO , it is assigned a point of interconnection on the grid, and its output is added to the IRP as a resource that can provide electricity and other grid services, such as frequency regulation or ramping support. The facility is then dispatched by CAISO based on its bids into the day-ahead and real-time electricity markets, and its output is used to help balance supply and demand on the grid in real-time.
Overall, the Interconnection Queue is an important mechanism for integrating new BES facilities and other electricity resources into the California grid, and for ensuring that the grid remains reliable and resilient as the state continues to transition to a cleaner and more sustainable energy system.
Local Regulations
2000-2020 Redding General Plan
Natural Resources Element
▪ Goal NR14: Reduce consumption of nonrenewable energy sources and support the development and utilization of new energy sources.
o Policy NR14A: Provide an electric -usage analysis and efficiency recommendations for those customers who request the service.
o Policy NR14B: Encourage electric utility customers to alter their consumption of electric power to reduce the City's overall and peak electric load.
o Policy NR14C: Explore the commercial viability of extracting natural gas resources within the vicinity of the Redding Municipal Airport.
o Policy NR14D: Continue current source-reduction, recycling, and composting programs that are contained in the joint County of Shasta, City of Redding, and City of Anderson Source Reduction and Recycling Element.
o Policy NR14E: Encourage design that takes advantage of solar orientation and access.
City of Redding Municipal Code
According to Chapter 16.08, Green Building Standards Code, the City has adopted the 2019 Green Building Standards Code, and according to Chapter 16.07, Energy Code, the City has adopted the 2019 California Energy Code.
Packet Pg. 1066
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-10 FEBRUARY 2024
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Energy Providers
Redding Electric Utility
Founded in 1921, Redding Electric Utility (REU) serves as the electricity provider for the City of Redding and operates as a not-for-profit public agency. Total electricity consumption within REU’s service area was 757 gigawatt-hours in 202 1. Sources of electricity sold by REU in 2021, the latest year for which data are available, were (REU 2021):
▪ 43.8 percent renewable, consisting mostly of solar and wind ▪ 36.7 percent large hydroelectric
▪ 17.9 percent natural gas
▪ 0.9 percent nuclear
▪ 0.1 percent other
▪ 0.5 percent unspecified sources—that is, not traceable to specific sources The electricity consumption attributable to nonresidential and residential land uses in the City of Redding from 2019-2021 is shown in Table 5.6-1, Electricity Consumption in Redding 2019 -2021. As indicated, the demand gradually increased between 2019 and 2021.
TABLE 5.6-1 ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION IN REDDING 2019-2021 Year
Nonresidential Electricity Consumption
(Megawatt Hours)a
2019 368,909
2020 360,941
2021 371,376
Annual Average (Nonresidential) 367,076
Year
Residential Electricity Consumption
(Megawatt Hours)a
2019 357,921
2020 383,360
2021 391,093
Annual Average (Residential) 377,458
Total Annual Average 744,534
2020 Service Populationb 173,517
Annual Average Per Service Population Consumption 4.29
a . Based on electricity usage data provided by REU.
b. Service population consists of existing (2020) population and employment estimates for the City of Redding and its Sphere of Influence.
Packet Pg. 1067
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-11
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
PG&E is a publicly traded utility company that generates, purchases, and transmits energy under contract with the CPUC. Its service territory is 70,000 square miles in area, roughly extending north to south from Eureka to Bakersfield, and east to west from the Sierra Nevada range to the Pacific Ocean. The electricity distribution system of PG&E consists of 106,681 circuit miles of electric distribution lines and 18,466 circuit miles of interconnected transmission lines. PG&E owns and maintains above- and below-ground networks of electric and gas transmission and distribution facilities throughout Berkeley.
PG&E electricity is generated by a combination of sources such as coal -fired power plants, nuclear power plants, and hydro-electric dams, as well as newer sources of energy, such as wind turbines and photovoltaic plants or “solar farms.” “The Grid,” or bulk el ectric grid, is a network of high -voltage transmission lines, linked to power plants within the PG&E system. The distribution system, comp osed of lower -voltage secondary lines, is at the street and neighborhood level, and consists of overhead or underground distribution lines, transformers, and individual service “drops” that connect to the individual customer .
PG&E gas transmission pipeline systems serve approximately 4.5 million gas customers in northern and central California (PG&E 2022). The system is operated under an inspection and monitoring program. The system operates in real time on a 24-hour basis, and includes leak inspections, surveys, and patrols of the pipelines. A new program, the Pipeline 2020 program, aims to modernize criti cal pipeline infrastructure, expand the use of automatic or remotely operated shut-off valves, catalyze development of next-generation inspection technologies, develop industry -leading best practices, and enhance public safety partnerships with local communities, public officials, and first responders.
The natural gas consumption attributable to nonresidential and residential land uses in the City of Redding from 2019-2021 is shown in Table 5.6-2, Natural Gas Consumption in Redding 2019 -2021. As shown, demand has decreased slightly between 2019 and 2021.
Packet Pg. 1068
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-12 FEBRUARY 2024
TABLE 5.6-2 NATURAL GAS CONSUMPTION IN REDDING 2019-2021 Year
Nonresidential Natural Gas Consumption
(Thousands of Therms)a
2019 2,018
2020 1,506
2021 4,877
Annual Average (Nonresidential) 2,801
Year
Residential Natural Gas Consumption
(Thousands of Therms)a
2019 13,704
2020 13,219
2021 12,550
Annual Average (Residential) 13,158
Total Annual Average 13,158
2020 Service Populationb 173,517
Annual Average Per Service Population Consumption 0.08
a. Based on electricity usage data provided by PG&E.
b. Service population consists of existing (2020) population and employment estimates for the City of Redding and its Sphere of Influence.
Propane Consumption
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), or propane, is a mixture of hydrocarbon gases predominantly composed of propane and butane used as an alternative source of fuel . Propane is commonly used for residential and commercial heating, cooking, transportation, agriculture, industrial processes, power generation, and refrigeration and air conditioning. Within the City of Redding, propane suppliers include Suburban Propane, AmeriGas, Blue Star Gas, and Shasta Gas, which generally supply propane for residential uses in the City.
Nonresidential propane consumption is not anticipated to be a substantial contribution to propane consumption in the City.
Transportation Fuel Consumption
California is among the top producers of petroleum in the country, with crude oil pipelines throughout the state connecting to oil refineries in the Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay, and the Central Valley regions.
In addition to producing petroleum, California is also one of the top consumers of fuel for transportation.
California’s transportation sector account ed for approximately 35 percent of California’s total energy demand in 2020, amounting to approximately 2,355.5 trillion British Thermal Units (BTU) (USEIA 2020a). In addition, in 2020, California’s transportation sector consumed approximately 433 million barrels of petroleum fuels (USEIA 2020b). Furthermore, according to the CEC, California’s 2021 fuel sales were approximately 13,818 million gallons of gasoline and 3,744 million gallons of diesel (CEC 2022). In Shasta County, approximately 79 million gallons of gasoline and 22 million gallons of diesel fuel were sold in 2021 (CEC 2022).
Packet Pg. 1069
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-13
Alternative fuels for the transportation sector, such as hydrogen, biodiesel, and electricity, are used to reduce the demand of petroleum. Use of these fuels is encouraged through statewide regulations and plans, including the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCF S) and SB 32. In particular, use of electricity within the transportation sector has become more prominent. Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles may rely directly on electricity from the power grid. In addition, emerging technology such as fuel cells are c urrently being explored to use electricity generated from the vehicle to power motors. California currently has 13,774 EV charging stations, with approximately 37,314 charging ports across all station locations (USDE 2022).
5.6.2 THRESHOLDS OF SIGNIFICANCE
According to Appendix G of the CEQA Guidelines, a project would normally have a significant effect on the environment if the project would:
ENE-1 Result in potentially significant environmental impact due to wasteful, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy resources, during project construction or operation.
ENE-2 Conflict with or obstruct a state or local plan for renewable energy or energy efficiency.
ENE-3 Require or result in the relocation or construction of new or expanded energy facilities, the construction or relocation of which could cause significant environmental effects.
ENE-4 In combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, result in cumulative impacts with respect to energy.
5.6.3 METHODOLOGY
To determine whether the proposed project would result in wasteful, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy resources, this analysis will utilize the guidance provided in Appendix F of the CEQA Guidelines as well as the analytical precedent set by League to Save Lake Tahoe Mountain etc. v. County of Placer (2022) (75 Cal.App.5th 63, 164-168).
According to Appendix F of the CEQA Guidelines, the goal of conserving energy is translated to include decreasing overall per capita energy consumption; decreasing reliance on fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and oil; and increasing reliance on renewable energy sources. In League to Save Lake Tahoe Mountain etc. v. County of Placer (2022) (75 Cal.App.5th 63, 164-168), the Appellate Court concluded that the analysis of wasteful, inefficient, and unnecessary energy consumption was not adequate because it did not consider whether additional renewable energy features could be added to the project.
The proposed project would be considered to result in a potentially significant impact if it would result in wasteful, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy resources. Considering the guidance provided by Appendix F of the CEQA Guidelines and t he Appellate Court decision in League to Save Lake Tahoe Mountain etc. v. County of Placer (2022) (75 Cal.App.5 th 63, 164 -168), the proposed project would be Packet Pg. 1070
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-14 FEBRUARY 2024
considered to result in wasteful, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy resources if it would conflict with the following energy conservation goals:
▪ Decreasing overall per capita energy consumption;
▪ Decreasing reliance on fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, or oil; and ▪ Increasing reliance on renewable energy sources.
The following is a summary of the assumptions used for the City’s energy analysis:
▪ On-Road Fuel Use. Fuel use is analyzed based on Origin-Destination Method VMT provided by GHD (see Chapter 5.16, Transportation). The VMT provided includes the full trip length for land uses in the City (origin -destination approach) and a 50 percent reduction in the trip length for external - internal/internal-external trips, consistent with the recommendations of CARB’s Regional Ta rgets Advisory Committee. Due to varying conditions that influence fuel consumption, such as vehicle fuel type and fuel economy, VMT generation is utilized herein as a performance metric to measure anticipated fuel consumption during existing (2020) and future (2045) conditions. ▪ Energy (Natural Gas and Electricity). Energy consumption associated with natural gas use for residential and nonresidential land uses in the City were interpolated based on data provided by PG&E, and electricity was interpolated based on data provided by REU (Appendix 5.3-1). Year 2050 forecasts are adjusted for increases in population and employment in the City.
5.6.4 PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN POLICIES
The following are relevant policies of the Redding General Plan Update, which may reduce energy impacts as a result of implementation of the proposed project.
Transportation Element
▪ Policy T1A: Strive to ensure that where complete street infrastructure is constructed, it improves transportation choices for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public transportation riders and that users of all ages and abilities are considered in the planning, design, approval, construction, and operation of new streets, and the alteration and maintenance phases of existing streets by:
o Including infrastructure that promotes a safe means of travel for all users along the right of way, such as sidewalks, shared-use paths, bicycle lanes (including protected bicycle lanes or buffered bicycle lanes where feasible) or paved shoulders. o Providing pedestrian and bike connections from developments to adjacent main streets, open space areas, parks, transit stops, schools, commercial and employment centers, and other activity centers as opportunities arise.
o Designing new development to incorporate street connectivity for all users.
Packet Pg. 1071
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-15
o Including new or alteration of existing infrastructure that facilitates safe crossing of the right-of-way for all users, such as: accessible curb ramps, high -visibility crosswalks, pedestrian refuge islands, smaller curb radii, corner bulb -outs, pedestrian signals, and bicycle detection at traffic signals where warranted.
o Incorporating features that improve the comfort, convenience, and safety of users such as pedestrian-oriented/wayfinding signs, pedestrian-scale lighting, benches and other street furniture, bicycle parking facilities, comfortable and attractive public tra nsportation stops and facilities, street trees, landscape, and planting strips. ▪ Policy T1B: Seek funding to establish a systematic complete street retrofit program that will effectively alter existing appropriately identified streets into complete streets. ▪ Policy T1C: Update the Redding Active Transportation Plan every four to seven years to ensure successful implementation of the City’s planned bicycle and pedestrian networks by undertaking the following:
o Work to identify and prioritize physical improvements that would make bicycle and pedestrian travel safer along current key bicycling and walking routes. o Pursue an implementation strategy to construct needed improvements. o Undertake improvements as part of street projects where reasonable and feasible. ▪ Policy T1D: Consider requiring that development projects dedicate street rights-of-way and construct both on - and off -site improvements as appropriate to provide access and street connectivity for users of all ages and abilities, mitigate the effects of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) attributable to the project, and not degrade peak-hour LOS below the following adopted thresholds nor conflict with multi -modal performance standards. The City Council may, at its sole discretion, determine that the degradation of LOS is appropriate given the extraordinary circumstances of the project being proposed. The traffic analysis used to establish mitigation or improvement measures shall be based on the regional travel demand model or other City-approved methods. At the option of the City and as may be provided by City ordinance, improvements m ay be deferred by the City upon approval of a Deferred Improvement Plan which identifies improvements needed, costs, funding sources, and other pertinent data required by the City. ▪ Policy T1E: Strive to complete the planned build-out street network as illustrated on the Circulation Plan map, and ensure that the accompanying design standards, programs, and procedures include complete streets implementation as a main focus by undertaking the following measures. o Review as necessary the City’s design guidelines and standard cross-sections for streets, intersections (including roundabouts and traffic circles), pedestrian facilities, bicycle facilities, and transit facilities and revise as necessary to be consistent with National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) and its guidelines regarding complete streets.
Packet Pg. 1072
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-16 FEBRUARY 2024
o Consider establishing performance measures to evaluate multimodal travel conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists, such as Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) criteria, to guide development of the street network.
o Collaborate with the Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA) and other service providers to incorporate infrastructure to assist users in employing multiple modes of transportation in a single trip in order to increase transportation access and flexibility. Examples include but are not limited to, provisions for bicycle and wheelchair access on public transportation, secure bicycle racks at transit stops, and public transportation access to trails and recreational locations.
o Consider the development of a Complete Streets Design Manual that can serve as a guide for public and private development projects that propose new streets or modifications of existing streets.
▪ Policy T1F: Strive to complete the Planned Pedestrian Improvements identified in the Redding Active Transportation Plan, and support the provision of an attractive, safe, and continuous system of sidewalks and other pedestrian facilities by undertaking the following m easures where appropriate:
o Seek funding for the design and/or, construction, of the sidewalk, path, and crossing improvements identified in the Active Transportation Plan. Focus on securing funds to match federal and State grant program opportunities.
o Where feasible and appropriate, seek to provide pedestrian -oriented features, such as benches, enhanced landscape, and trash receptacles, in commercial areas, including the Downtown and Redding Riverfront Specific Plan areas.
o Require new developments provide sidewalks or other pedestrian -dedicated facilities on both sides of new public streets contained within the development. Exceptions may be appropriate where the topography is difficult, proposed lots are of a rural or semi -rural nature, or where the development plan illustrates that pedestrians will be accommodated by alternative means.
o Work with local organizations and neighborhood groups to develop a plan to determine where curbs, gutters, and sidewalks are needed on unimproved local streets and how to pay for the improvements; establishing sidewalk continuity wherever feasible is a priority. o Pursue funding for the continued replacement and repair of sidewalks that have deteriorated due to age and tree-root invasion.
o Work to develop and seek funding to implement a program to identify, prioritize, and construct the retrofitting of existing intersections that do not currently have accessibility ramps and accommodations at the street corners.
Packet Pg. 1073
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-17
o Strive to ensure that all new or renovated pedestrian facilities be of a sufficient width to ensure pedestrian comfort and safety and to accommodate the special needs of persons with physical disabilities wherever feasible.
▪ Policy T1G: Strive to complete the Build -Out Bikeway Network identified in the Redding Active Transportation Plan, and support related measures to make bicycling a safe, accessible, comfortable, and sustainable transportation mode by:
o Working to secure funding to construct the bikeway network improvements identified in the Active Transportation Plan.
o Pursuing the installation of protected bicycle lanes (Class IV separated bikeway treatments) where feasible on arterial streets.
o Seeking to incorporate appropriate bicycle facilities in the design of interchanges, intersections, and other street-improvement/maintenance projects. o As funding allows, making improvements to streets, signs, and traffic signals as needed to improve bicycle travel, and keep bikeways free of overhanging shrubbery, debris, and other obstacles.
o Supporting to the extent possible the efforts of public transit providers including the Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA) to provide bicycle racks on all buses within the system. o As appropriate, supporting the requirement that new development provides bicycle facilities or pay in-lieu fees based on the fair share of that development’s impacts on the bikeway system and needs identified on the Comprehensive Bikeway Plan. ▪ Policy T1H: Strive to achieve the level of service described in this Element for motor vehicle traffic on roadway segments and at intersections during weekday peak-hours, except where achieving the LOS standard would conflict with complete streets goals and standards or the City Council determines that extraordinary circumstances exist to require deviation from the LOS standard by requiring new development to provide improvements , pay in -lieu fees and/or pay development impact fees as approved by the City Council and based on the fair share of that development’s contribution of improvements needed to achieve the following peak-hour LOS standard/thresholds:
o Level of Service "C" on all City roadways and intersections, except at those specific locations/roadway segments identified within this Element, where a LOS "D" is appropriate including the Downtown Specific Plan area, streets within the state highway system and interchanges and river -crossing street corridors whose capacity is affected by adjacent intersections.
▪ Policy T2A: Support the provision of a connected network of low -stress walk and bikeways to connect major activity centers, including the provision of appropriate low-stress walk and bikeway access to Downtown Redding and the Redding Transit Center by considering implementation of the measures identified below. Low -stress bikeways should generally consist of separated bikeways Packet Pg. 1074
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-18 FEBRUARY 2024
(Class IV bikeways), sometimes referred to as “protected bicycle lanes”, on arterial or collector streets; bicycle boulevard treatments on local streets; or multi-use paths. o Work to identify and prioritize routes for a connected network of low -stress walk and bikeways, identifying barriers to low -stress travel with plans to address them. and Incorporate maps and plans into future updates of the Redding Active Transportation Plan.
Pursue funding to construct the network.
o Work to identify networks for walking and biking to connect with key travel nodes, and activity centers, including transit nodes and strategic growth areas. Consider accessibility to all neighborhoods and housing, striving to ensure access to a connected network of low- stress walk and bikeways within one-half-mile radius to all residents. Key travel nodes and activity nodes include Downtown Redding, Redding Transit Center, transit nodes (where multiple transit lines intersect), schools, City Hall, County Go vernment Center, Shasta College, Simpson University, major parks and recreation centers, employment centers/business parks, neighborhood commercial nodes and regional commercial centers. o As funding permits, develop design standards for the low-stress walk and bikeway network that establishes a "kit of parts" set of standards for the three low -stress facility types: 1) separated bike lanes on arterial and collector streets, 2) neighborhood greenways, and 3) off-street paths and trails. An implementation strategy to construct needed improvements to the network should be established.
o Work with the Cities of Anderson and Shasta Lake, and Shasta County to identify low-stress walk, bike routes that connect to the downtown core strategic -growth areas of the cities and towns of Shasta County.
o Support to the extent feasible and as funding allows operation of amenities and programming to enable daily transportation by people biking and walking, including bikeshare services, the Shasta Bike Depot at the Redding Transit Center, secure bike parking, short-term bike parking racks, and similar secure bike parking and e-bike charging stations to meet existing and future needs for the encouragement and education of those who travel via walking or biking.
o Work with the local school districts to develop specific transportation plans associated with schools and the surrounding neighborhoods to address conflicts with; traffic, pedestrian movements, safety during school hours, and bicycle facilities to and from schools. This may include a plan to implement slower speed school zones while children are present and flashing beacons to identify when these school zones are in effect. ▪ Policy T2B: Support provision of continuous greenbelt trails within and between parks, and along the Sacramento River connecting Redding to the City of Shasta Lake, the City of Anderson, and Cottonwood. Efforts may include:
Packet Pg. 1075
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-19
o Striving to provide trail access to all residents within a one -half mile radius to all residents and connect trails to all parks which should be equipped with safe and secure bike parking and electric charging stations for bikes and vehicles.
o Striving to connect trails to all schools, parks, and other large recreation destinations such as the Sacramento River Parkway, Downtown, the Civic Auditorium, Waterworks Park, and the YMCA, as well as civic buildings such as the Courthouse, Library, Shast a County government building on Court Street, and City Hall.
▪ Policy T3A: Support the provision of enhanced transit service that is timely, cost -effective, responsive to growth patterns, and meet the diverse needs of existing and future transit demand. by: (EJ)
o Working with the Shasta Regional Transportation Agency (SRTA) and public transit providers including the Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA) on an ongoing basis to plan and implement additional public transit services.
o Supporting to the extent feasible and as funding allows the continuation and expansion of private commercial or nonprofit bus operations to provide additional regional transit opportunities for residents.
o Promoting coordination of public transit, on-demand service, autonomous vehicles, intercity rail, bicycle share program, intercity bus, and air transportation services to enhance the transportation options available for residents and visitors to the Redding community.
o Supporting to the extent feasible and as funding allows provision of intercity bus service. o Developing policies and procedures to implement shared mobility devices to help enhance public transit options. These micro -transit shared mobility type devices could include scooters and e-bikes, and autonomous vehicles, and but may be expanded as technology develops.
▪ Policy T3B: Provide physical measures to enhance transit service by considering to undertake the following:
o Require new development to install and maintain passenger amenities at designated bus stops when relevant to accommodating project trips or mitigating VMT as appropriate. o Provide bus facilities along arterial streets as indicated in an applicable transit development plan. Determine the precise locations during the development plan review or at the time of major street improvement or reconstruction.
o Work with RABA to provide safe, attractive, well -lit, comfortable, and protected waiting areas for bus passengers.
▪ Policy T4A: Support measures that help reduce VMT below regional averages on a “residential per capita” and “per employee” basis by:
Packet Pg. 1076
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-20 FEBRUARY 2024
o Monitoring traffic trends through advanced technological solutions to determine mobility options, infrastructure improvements, and development decisions. o Encouraging employers, colleges, and schools to provide incentives and facilities (e.g., showers) for employees and students utilizing alternatives to the single -occupant automobile, such as carpools, vanpools, buses, bicycling, and walking. o Encouraging employers, including government agencies, to allow telecommuting and flex time and to promote staggered shifts or base work hours that do not coincide with peak - period traffic to reduce peak-hour trips.
▪ Policy T4B: Consider establishing an EV/AV Commercialization Opportunities Work Group to analyze and prioritize the development and deployment of advancing autonomous vehicle technology.
Ensure that –
o the full range of tools and smart infrastructure required are readily available or developed in partnership with service providers
o all levels of automated vehicles advance the City’s adopted Vision Zero policies o the system contributes to improved time reliability and system efficiency by reducing vehicle miles traveled; and
o the system benefits all segments of the community.
▪ Policy T4CT4B: Prioritize infill and mixed -use development, and encourage new development in close proximity to existing employment, housing, schools, commercial centers, and other services and amenities as addressed in the Community Development and Design Element. ▪ Policy T6A: Strive to retain alleys and streets in the Downtown area to create shared spaces for bicycling and walking, and convenient service access, to local businesses. ▪ Policy T6B: Work to identify and seek funding for motorized and low -stress non-motorized transportation linkages to connect Downtown Redding. Destinations outside of Downtown that would require additional connections include Park Marina, Turtle Bay, and Redding Civic Auditorium areas.
▪ Policy T7A: Strive to maintain adequate on -street and public off - street parking areas, including electric vehicle charging stations, to meet ongoing parking demands by considering the following measures:
o Pursue funding options and strategies for the construction and maintenance of shared parking facilities/structures Downtown.
o Seek funding to provide electric charging stations at parking lots and rest areas for cars, trucks, and bicycles throughout the City.
o Encourage and facilitate the provision of electric-vehicle charging facilities in new parking lots and multi-family residential developments.
Packet Pg. 1077
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-21
o Strive to install secure bicycle parking with electric charging stations and large enough for cargo bikes in the Downtown area and at City parks, civic buildings, and other community centers.
▪ Policy T7B: Endeavor Periodically review to ensure that required parking provisions for private development and modify as necessary to supports efforts to encourage multimodal travel and reduce VMT by:
o Pursuing Evaluating the use of maximum and minimum standards for automobile parking spaces in transit corridors and Downtown to promote use of alternate modes of travel as may be appropriate.
o Pursuing minimum standards for bicycle parking, including both long-term and short-term bicycle parking spaces.
Natural Resources Element
▪ Policy NR11A: Strive to offer technical assistance and recommendations to customers who seek such analysis as appropriate to help identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption and increase the adoption of electrification measures. Strive to provide information to customers about modifying energy consumption to mitigate the City’s peak electric demand. ▪ Policy NR11B: Continue to utilize the California Green Building Standards Code in commercial and residential construction to address energy and other resource efficiencies. ▪ Policy NR11C: Continue to evaluate and implement as appropriate, electrification and other new energy resource technologies that reduce environmental impacts from fossil fuel consumption and energy usage.
▪ Policy NR11D: Continue to invest in and promote public electric vehicle charging infrastructure through the application of manageable planning and development policies to encourage a robust charging network at various locations and facilities throughout the community. Support third-party investments in the development of charging infrastructure in multiple -family housing developments and in those areas that increase traffic to the City for purposes of shopping, entertainment, work, and/ or similar purposes.
▪ Policy NR11E: Continue to support the increased adoption of building and transportation electrification technologies by implementing standard policies and procedures that encourage investments in public and private infrastructure.
▪ Policy NR11F: Consider the use of integrated resource planning processes to establish a long-term Energy Resource Plan that meets or exceeds the state’s clean energy mandates while balancing reliability and affordability, and continually assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of the Utility’s resource plan.
Packet Pg. 1078
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-22 FEBRUARY 2024
Community Health Wellness and Environmental Justice Element ▪ Policy EJ4D: Consider amending development codes and/or incentivizing the use of cool roof technologies, porous pavements, and energy and water-efficient residential and commercial building upgrades.
▪ Policy EJ5F: Increase citizen awareness and implementation of water and energy efficiency, weatherization, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and mitigation, wildfire smoke protection, and safety from extreme heat through public engagement, incentives, and assistance with a special focus on underserved residents and areas with vulnerable populations. ▪ Policy EJ6C: Periodically evaluate public facilities for health hazards and ensure their safety and resiliency. Locate new public facilities in an equitable manner that strive to ensure that they are well-designed, energy efficient, and compatible with adjacent land uses.
Community Development and Design Element
▪ Policy CDD4C: Continue to develop along the riverfront:
o Public access areas as additional lands are made available o Active and passive public recreational facilities as discussed in the Recreation Element o Active engagement with natural areas through trails, wildlife observation, and educational displays while limiting impact to existing wildlife habitat and other developed properties o Pedestrian and bicycle trails and connections to schools, recreational facilities and other major public and nonprofit/institutional owned open-space areas o A robust trail network system requiring developments located along planned trail routes to dedicate trails and trail easements through private donations or by public purchase, as appropriate
▪ Policy CDD4K: Identify opportunity areas along the river and creek corridors and strive to incorporate specific uses to create a public realm by promoting safe pedestrian and bicycle access, establishing new trail connections, and providing parks and recreational oppor tunities, visitor friendly amenities, visual resources, and ample public access to the river without compromising on the security and privacy of adjacent residences.
▪ Policy CDD7B: Link special community facilities, parks, and other uses to and through Downtown by establishing clear, accessible, convenient, and attractive pedestrian, bike, and automobile connections where appropriate and feasible.
▪ Policy CDD10D: Encourage development in the City to include inviting, attractive, accessible, and walkable urban mixed -use neighborhoods combining residential, commercial, recreational, open space, and employment to maximize the use of underused urban lots.
Packet Pg. 1079
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-23
▪ Policy CDD 10I: Provide safe and comprehensive transportation facilities with appropriate accessibility standards, consistent with approved transit plans and policies. Pursue incorporation of bicycle and pedestrian routes, public transit stops, and bus shelters into the design of new developments and redevelopment of older projects to help residents access services, commerce, employment, education, and recreation consistent with approved transit plans and policies. ▪ Policy CDD11A: Encourage developers to create new residential developments in infill priority areas that are available to a broad segment of the community. The developments should be pedestrian and bicycle friendly, to make efficient use of available infrastructure and at densities that will help facilitate the provision and use of public transit where it is available. ▪ Policy CDD11E: Facilitate to the extent feasible, the construction of new affordable housing units that are within walking distance to transit, everyday services, schools, and employment centers. ▪ Policy CDD14C: Strive to facilitate and promote the development of commercial mixed-use centers at strategic locations that are walkable and/or bikeable and well connected by transit to enhance community access.
▪ Policy CDD14D: Consider designating commercial-zoned land as mixed-use, provided it would not change or impact the existing primary uses, and when doing so, to facilitate the following:
o Provide community facilities for residents with diverse needs. o Enhance the existing use.
o Provide pedestrian and bicycle connections.
o Provide housing opportunities.
5.6.5 IMPACT DISCUSSION
ENE-1: Implementation of the General Plan Update would not result in potentially significant environmental impact due to wasteful, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy resources. [Threshold E-1] Short-Term Construction Impacts
Construction of d evelopment projects facilitated by the General Plan Update would create temporary demands for electricity. Natural gas is not generally required to power construction equipment , and therefore is not anticipated during construction phases. Electricity use would fluctuate according to the phase of construction. Additionally, it is anticipated that most electric-powered construction equipment would be hand tools (e.g., power drills, table saws, compressors) and lighting, which would result in minimal electricity usage during construction activities.
Packet Pg. 1080
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-24 FEBRUARY 2024
Construction of d evelopment projects facilitated by the General Plan Update would also temporarily increase demands for energy associated with transportation. T ransportation energy use depends on the type and number of trips, VMT, fuel efficiency of vehicles, and travel mode. Energy use during construction would come from the transport and use of construction equipment, delivery vehicles and haul trucks, and construction employee vehicles that would use diesel fuel or gasoline. The use of energy resources by these vehicles would fluctuate according to the phase of construction and would be temporary. It is anticipated that most off-road construction equipment, such as those used during demolition and grading, would be gas or diesel powered. In addition, all operation of construction equipment would cease upon completion of project construction.
Furthermore, the construction contractors would minimize nonessential idling of construction equipment during construction in accordance with the California Code of Regulations Title 13, Article 4.8, Chapter 9, Section 2449. Such required practices would limit wasteful and unnecessary energy consumption in development in Redding. Moreover, future development projects within the City would be similar to the construction processes of any current development projects within Redding. Therefore, the proposed project would not result in wasteful, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of fuel use during construction.
Long-Term Impacts During Operation
Operation of new development projects accommodated under the General Plan Update would create additional demands for electricity and natural gas compared to existing conditions. Operational use of electricity and natural gas would include heating, cooling, and ventilation of buildings; water heating; operation of electrical systems; use of on-site equipment and appliances; and lighting.
Decreasing Overall Per Capita Energy Consumption
Building Electricity
Electrical service to the City is provided by REU through connections to existing off-site electrical lines and new on-site infrastructure. As shown in Table 5.6-3, Year 2045 Forecast Electricity Consumption, by horizon year 2045, electricity use in the City is estimated to increase by 126,814 kWh/year, or approximately 17 percent, from existing conditions. As a result, the per service population electricity consumption was estimated to increase from 4.29 kWh per person per year in 2020 to 4.30 kWh per person per year in 2045.
However, the 2045 electricity consumption estimates reflect the electricity consumption rates of the existing community which is made up of a building stock that consists of varying ages and energy efficiency performances. All new development facilitated by the proposed project would be required to demonstrate compliance with the current California Building Standards Code and CALGreen and would result in reductions in electricity consumption on a per dwelling unit and per square foot ba sis when compared to existing development in the City. Moreover, General Plan Policies NR11A, NR11B, NR11C, NR11D, NR11E, and NR11F would serve to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption in new development Packet Pg. 1081
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-25
facilitated by the proposed project. As a result, per service population building electricity consumption is expected to decrease in 2045 compared to existing 2020 conditions.
TABLE 5.6-3 YEAR 2045 FORECAST ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION
Source
Electricity Usage, kWh per year
Existing Baseline1
Horizon Year 2045
Forecast2 Net Change
Nonresidential 367,075.512 431,674.832 64,599
Residential 377,458.114 439,672.332 62,214
Total 744,534 871,347 126,814
Service Population 173,517 202,737 29,220
Per Service Population Annual Consumption 4.29 4.30 0.01 1 Electricity usage is provided by REU.
2 Residential energy and nonresidential energy forecasts are adjusted for increases in housing and employment, respectively, in the city and do not account for reductions due to increase in energy efficiency from compliance with the Building Energy Efficiency Standards and CALGreen.
Building Natural Gas and Propane
As shown in Table 5.6-4, Year 2045 Forecast Natural Gas and Propane Consumption, existing annual natural gas and propane use in the City totals 15,958,219 therms and 140,647 million British thermal units (MMBTU), respectively. By 2045, natural gas use in the City would increase by 2,661,553 therms annually, or approximately 17 percent, from existing conditions to a total of 18,619,771 therms per year . By 2045, propane use in the City would increase by 23,182 MMBTU annually, or approximately 16 percent, from existing conditions to a total of 163,829 MMBTU per year . As a result, the per service population natural gas consumption was estimated to decrease from 91.97 therms per pe rson per year in 2020 to 91.84 therms per person per year in 2045 for natural gas. Propane, however, is estimated to remain relatively constant between 2020 and 2045 at approximately 0.81 MMBTU per person per year . Similar to electricity consumption, all new development facilitated by the proposed project would be required to demonstrate compliance with the current California Building Standards Code and CALGreen and would result in reductions in heating fuel (i.e., natural gas or propane) consumption on a per dwelling unit and per square foot basis when compared to existing development in the City. Moreover, General Plan Policies NR11A, NR11B, NR11C, NR11D, NR11E, and NR11F would serve to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption in new development facilitated by the proposed project. As a result, per service population heating fuel consumption is expected to decrease in 2045 compared to existing 2020 conditions.
Packet Pg. 1082
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-26 FEBRUARY 2024
TABLE 5.6-4 YEAR 2045 FORECAST NATURAL GAS AND PROPANE CONSUMPTION Source
Natural Gas Usage, Therms per year
Existing Baseline1
Horizon Year 2045
Forecast2 Net Change
Nonresidential 2,800,523 3,293,369 492,846
Residential 13,157,696 15,326,402 2,168,706
Total 15,958,219 18,619,771 2,661,553
Service Population 173,517 202,737 29,220
Per Service Population Annual Consumption 91.97 91.84 -0.13 Propane Usage, MMBTU per year3
Residential 140,647 163,829 23,182
Service Population 173,517 202,737 29,220
Per Service Population Annual Consumption 0.81 0.81 0.01 1 Electricity usage is provided by REU.
2 Residential energy and nonresidential energy forecasts are adjusted for increases in housing and employment, respectively, in the city and do not account for reductions due to increase in energy efficiency from compliance with the Building Energy Efficiency Standards and CALGreen.
3. Propane use is approximated for residential uses only.
Transportation Energy
The growth accommodated under the General Plan Update would consume transportation energy from the use of motor vehicles (e.g., gasoline, diesel, compressed natural gas, electricity). As shown in Table 5.16-3, Redding 2020 and 2045 VMT Summary , of Chapter 5.16, Transportation, implementation of the proposed project would increase daily VMT from 1,451,321 in 2020 to 2,106,149 vehicle miles per day in 2045 in the City, or about 69 percent. Service population, which is the sum of employees and residents in the City of Redding and Sphere of Influence (SOI), would also increase under the proposed project . To identify the service population for the City and SOI, the existing and forecasted dwelling units were multiplied by the City’s average persons per household rate of 2.41 and combined with the employment estimates provided by GHD (2022) and contained on Page 1 of Appendix 5.3 -1. As shown therein, the service population for the City and SOI would increase from approximately 173,517 people to 202,737 people, or an increase of approximately 17 percent. As a result, per person daily VMT would increase from approximately 6.64 miles traveled to approximately 10.39 miles traveled daily.
As previously stated under Section 5.6.3, Methodology, due to varying conditions that influence fuel consumption, such as vehicle fuel type and fuel economy, VMT generation is utilized herein as a performance metric to measure anticipated fuel consumption during existing (2020) and future (2045) conditions. At the programmatic level, it is speculative to discuss the specific types of vehicles and fuels that would be used and consumed during operation of the proposed project.
As identified, the proposed project would result in greater daily per person VMT under future (2045) conditions than under existing (2020) conditions. Nonetheless, the proposed project is also anticipated to result in the incorporation of areas in the City ’s Sphere of Influence, resulting in future residents and Packet Pg. 1083
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-27
employees needing to drive farther distances to reach existing and future businesses and residences. In addition, the average vehicle fuel economy would improve between 2020 and 2045 as vehicle manufacturers comply with CAFE standards and other fuel econom y standards, resulting in lower transportation energy consumption per mile traveled. Therefore, while overall and per person VMT would increase as a result of the proposed project, it is anticipated that per person transportation energy consumed would decrease over time as vehicles’ fuel efficiency improves.
Decreasing Reliance on Fossil Fuels
The proposed project would be considered to conflict with this criterion if it did not take steps to decrease the reliance on fossil fuels. As discussed in Chapter 5.8, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, individual development projects accommodated by the proposed project would be required to comply with the California Building Standards Code (CBSC) that is current at the time of their building application submittal. As the current CBSC is the 2022 CBSC, individual development projects going through the application process today would result in greater energy efficiency than the current performance of existing structures in the City. In addition, the 2022 CBSC currently requires a variety of development projects , that do not meet specific exceptions or exemptions of the Code, to include rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems and battery energy storage (BES) infrastructure. Specifically, the 2022 CBSC requires new single-family residences, multi-family residences no greater than 3 stories, and many nonresidential land uses no greater than 3 stories to include rooftop PV systems and multi-family and nonresidential land uses that require PV systems to also have BES infrastructure.
In addition to improvements in energy efficiency and on -site renewable energy generation and energy storage requirements, SB 100 requires that LSEs incrementally increase their energy procurement sources to include eligible renewable and carbon-free sources. By January 1, 2046, all LSEs in California are required to source 100 percent of their in-state electricity sales from renewable and carbon-free sources. As a result, individual development projects accommodated by the proposed project would improve the ir energy efficiency through compliance with the CBSC current at the time of their building application submittal and LSEs would supply electricity that is increasingly sourced from carbon -free sources. Moreover, consistent with Executive Order N-79-20, vehicles utilized by future residents and employees accommodated by the proposed project are expected to consist more of EVs than what is experienced under existing conditions.
In addition, the proposed project includes goals and policies that are intended t o reduce the use of nonrenewable energy. Specifically, Policies NR11A and NR11C encourages the reduction of nonrenewable energy use and the development and utilization of new energy sources and building electrification.
Increasing Reliance on Renewable Energy
As previously discussed, the 2022 CBSC currently requires a variety of development projects that do not meet specific exceptions or exemptions to include rooftop PV systems and BES infrastructure. Specifically, the 2022 CBSC requires new single-family residences, multi-family residences no greater than 3 stories, and many nonresidential land uses no greater than 3 stories to include rooftop PV systems and multi-family and nonresidential land uses that require PV systems to also have BES infrastructure. In addition, it is anticipated Packet Pg. 1084
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-28 FEBRUARY 2024
that each new code cycle for the CBSC improves on the last one and requires higher performance for energy efficiency and incorporates additional requirements for on -site renewable energy and EV charging infrastructure. Future development projects accommodated by the proposed project would therefore result in a net increase from existing conditions in on -site PV electricity generation and EV charging stations and associated infrastructure, further supporting and accelerating the adoption of EVs and the use of renewable energy in future years.
Similarly, LSEs that serve future development projects accommodated by the proposed project, such as REU, would be required to incrementally increase their energy procurement sources to include eligible renewable and carbon -free sources through 2045 under SB 100. As a result, electricity consumed by individual development projects under the proposed project as well as existing structures in the City would rely more on renewable and carbon -free sources for electricity in future years than is experienced unde r existing conditions. Moreover, the proposed project includes various policies that are intended to support the use of renewable energy beyond compliance with the CBSC , including creating a walkable urban environment to encourage future residents and employees in the City to use active modes of transportation instead of motorized vehicles. Policies that support the use of renewable energy resources are listed below:
▪ Policy T1C: Update the Redding Active Transportation Plan every four to seven years to ensure successful implementation of the City’s planned bicycle and pedestrian networks by undertaking the following:
o Work to identify and prioritize physical improvements that would make bicycle and pedestrian travel safer along current key bicycling and walking routes. o Pursue an implementation strategy to construct needed improvements. ▪ Policy T1D: Consider requiring that development projects dedicate street rights -of-way and construct both on - and off -site improvements as appropriate to provide access and street connectivity for users of all ages and abilities, mitigate the effects of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) attributable to the project, and not degrade peak-hour LOS below the following adopted thresholds nor conflict with multi -modal performance standards. The City Council may, at its sole discretion, determine that the degradation of LOS is appropriate given the extraordinary circumstances of the project being proposed. The traffic analysis used to establish mitigation or improvement measures shall be based on the regional travel demand model or other City-approved methods. At the option of the City and as may be provided by City ordinance, improvements may be deferred by the City upon approval of a Deferred Improvement Plan which identifies improvements needed, costs, funding sources, and other pertinent data required by the City. ▪ Policy T2A: Support the provision of a connected network of low -stress walk and bikeways to connect major activity centers, including the provision of appropriate low-stress walk and bikeway access to Downtown Redding and the Redding Transit Center by considering implementation of the measures identified below. Low -stress bikeways should generally consist of separated bikeways (Class IV bikeways), sometimes referred to as “protected bicycle lanes”, on arterial or collector Packet Pg. 1085
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-29
streets; bicycle boulevard treatments on local streets; or multi -use paths . (See Section 5.6.4, Proposed General Plan Policies, for the full policy.)
▪ Policy T6A: Strive to retain alleys and streets in the Downtown area to create shared spaces for bicycling and walking, and convenient service access, to local businesses. ▪ Policy T7A: Strive to maintain adequate on -street and public off - street parking areas, including electric vehicle charging stations, to meet ongoing parking demands by considering the following measures:
o Pursue funding options and strategies for the construction and maintenance of shared parking facilities/structures Downtown.
o Seek funding to provide electric charging stations at parking lots and rest areas for cars, trucks, and bicycles throughout the City.
o Encourage and facilitate the provision of electric-vehicle charging facilities in new parking lots and multi-family residential developments.
o Strive to install secure bicycle parking with electric charging stations and large enough for cargo bikes in the Downtown area and at City parks, civic buildings, and other community centers.
▪ Policy NR11A: Strive to offer technical assistance and recommendations to customers who seek such analysis as appropriate to help identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption and increase the adoption of electrification measures. Strive to provide information to customers about modifying energy consumption to mitigate the City’s peak electric demand. ▪ Policy NR11C: Continue to evaluate and implement as appropriate, electrification and other new energy resource technologies that reduce environmental impacts from fossil fuel consumption and energy usage.
▪ Policy CDD10I: Provide safe and comprehensive transportation facilities with appropriate accessibility standards, consistent with approved transit plans and policies. Integrate bicycle and pedestrian routes, public transit stops, and bus shelters into the design of new d evelopments and redevelopment of older projects to help residents access services, commerce, employment, education, and recreation consistent with approved transit plans and policies. ▪ Policy CDD14C: Stive to facilitate and promote the development of commercial mixed-use centers at strategic locations that are walkable and/or bikeable and well connected by transit to enhance community access.
▪ Policy CDD4C: Continue to develop along the riverfront:
o Public access areas as additional lands are made available o Active and passive public recreational facilities as discussed in the Recreation Element Packet Pg. 1086
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-30 FEBRUARY 2024
o Active engagement with natural areas through trails, wildlife observation, and educational displays while limiting impact to existing wildlife habitat and other developed properties o Pedestrian and bicycle trails and connections to schools, recreational facilities and other major public and nonprofit/institutional owned open-space areas o A robust trail network system requiring developments located along planned trail routes to dedicate trails and trail easements through private donations or by public purchase, as appropriate.
Summary
Compliance with federal, State, and local regulations (e.g., Building Energy Efficiency Standards, CALGreen, Renewable Portfolio Standards, and CAFE standards) will increase building energy efficiency and vehicle fuel efficiency and reduce building energy demand and transportation -related fuel usage. Additionally, the General Plan Update includes policies related to land use and transportation planning and design, energy efficiency, public and active transit, and renewable energy generation that will contri bute to minimizing building and transportation -related energy demands overall and demands on nonrenewable sources of energy. Implementation of proposed policies under the General Plan Update in conjunction with and complementary to regulatory requirements, will ensure that energy demand associated with growth under the General Plan Update would not be inefficient, wasteful, or unnecessary. Therefore, energy impacts associated with implementation and operation of land uses accommodated under the General Plan Update would be less than significant.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: ENE-1 would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
ENE-2: The project would not conflict with or obstruct a State or local plan for renewable energy or energy efficiency. [Threshold E-2]
The State’s electricity grid is transitioning to renewable energy under California’s RPS Program. Renewable sources of electricity include wind, small hydropower, solar, geothermal, biomass, and biogas. As stated, the RPS goals have been updated since adoption of SB 1078 in 2002. In general, California has RPS requirements of 33 percent renewable energy by 2020 (SB X1 -2), 40 percent by 2024 (SB 350), 50 percent by 2026 (SB 100), 60 percent by 2030 (SB 100), and 100 percent by 2045 (SB 100). SB 100 also esta blishes RPS requirements for publicly owned utilities that consist of 44 percent renewable energy by 2024, 52 percent by 2027, and 60 percent by 2030. The statewide RPS requirements do not directly apply to individual development projects, but to utilities and energy providers such as REU, whose compliance with RPS requirements would contribute to the State of California objective of transitioning to renewable energy. The Packet Pg. 1087
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-31
land uses accommodated under the General Plan Update would comply with the current and future iterations of the Building Energy Efficiency Standards and CALGreen.
Furthermore, as previously discussed, the General Plan Update includes policies, such as NR11A and NR11C, which would support the statewide goal of transitioning the electricity grid to renewable sources. Moreover, the General Plan Update includes policies, such as those contained in the Transportation Element (e.g., T1C, T1D, T2A, T6A, T7A) and Community Development and Design Element (e.g., CDD10I, CDD14C, CDD4C) that would encourage active modes of transportation and reduce future residents’ and employees’ dependence on motorized vehicles. Therefore, implementation of the General Plan Update would not conflict with or obstruct implementation of California’s RPS program, and this impact would be less than significant.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: ENE-2 would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
ENE-3: The project would not require or result in the relocation or construction of new or expanded energy facilities, the construction or relocation of which could cause significant environmental effects. [Threshold E-3] The proposed project would accommodate future growth in the City that would require new or expanded energy facilities; however, the proposed project would not directly result in the construction of new or expanded energy facilities. As discussed in Section 5.6.1.1, Regulatory Framework, the IRP is the principal planning document that identifies CAISO’s forecasts for electricity demand, supply, and transmission needs over a 20 -year planning horizon, as well as its strategies for integrating renewable energy resources and other grid services to meet those needs. These forecasts take into account the expected growth in population and development in corresponding LSE’s service areas, such as the population and development envisioned under the proposed project within REU’s service area.
The IRP is developed in collaboration with LSEs, regulators, and other stakeholders, and is updated periodically to reflect changes in the energy landscape and evolving policy goals (CEC 2020). Overall, the IRP plays a critical role in ensuring the reliability and resilience of California ’s electricity grid as the state continues to transition to a cleaner and more sustainable energy system. When an LSE identifies that new or expanded energy facilities are needed to accommodate the population and development growth in its service area, those proposed improvements are reviewed to identify consistency with local, State, and federal regulatory c ompliance as well as potential environmental effects that may result. For on -site systems, such as rooftop solar, the review would be conducted by the applicable lead agency as part of that individual development project. For energy infrastructure improvements that involve the construction o f new or expanded existing transmission lines, generation systems, or BES facilities , separate from an individual development project, the review would be conducted by the CPUC and/or CEC depending on the Packet Pg. 1088
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-32 FEBRUARY 2024
type of facility. The CEC typically acts as a CEQA lead or responsible agency for energy infrastructure improvements involving generation or BES systems, whereas the CPUC typically acts as a CEQA lead or responsible agency for improvements involving transmission lines or other distribution infrastructure.
Once the new or expanded energy facility is reviewed and approved, incorporating any necessary and appropriate mitigation, it is assigned a point of interconnection on the grid, and its output is added to the IRP as a resource that can provide electricity and other grid services, such as frequency regulation or ramping support. The facility is then dispatched by CAISO based on its bids into the day -ahead and real - time electricity markets, and its output is used to help balance supply and demand on the grid in real-time.
CAISO operates a wholesale electricity market in which LSEs can participate by offering to buy or sell electricity and other grid services, such as demand response or energy storage. This market helps to ensure that the electricity system operates efficiently and reliably by providing economic incentives for elect ricity providers to use their resources effectively.
In addition to the IRP , which principally governs the planning efforts for new and expanded electricity and natural gas facilities, the CPUC in December 2022 adopted a new framework to comprehensively review utility natural gas infrastructure investments in order to help the State transition away from natural -gas fueled technologies and avoid stranded assets in the gas system. The new framework requires utilities to seek CPUC approval of natural gas infrastructure projects of $75 million or more or those wi th significant air quality impacts. The new framework is intended to capture natural gas projects likely to have the most substantial community and environmental impacts and to require demonstrate project compliance with CEQA (CPUC 2022). Therefore, while the proposed project may result in increased energy resource demand by facilitating population and development growth in the City, and subsequently in REU’s service area, any new or expanded facilities needed as a result of meeting that increased demand wo uld undergo its own review to mitigate potentially significant environmental effects and demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements. As such, the proposed project would not result in new or expanded energy facilities which may cause significant environmental effects. This impact would be less than significant.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: ENE-3 would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
Packet Pg. 1089
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-33
5.6.6 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS
ENE-4 The proposed project, in combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, would result in less -than-significant cumulative impacts with respect to energy.
The area considered for cumulative impacts to electricity and natural gas supplies and facilities is REU and PG&E’s service areas. Other projects in the REU and PG&E ’s service area s would be subject to existing regulations, including the CBC which requires new buildings increase energy efficiency. The proposed project includes policies to reduce energy use and measures to align with the state’s goals for carbon neutrality. Cumulative impacts would be less than significant, and impacts would not be cumulativ ely considerable.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: ENE-4 would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
Packet Pg. 1090
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-34 FEBRUARY 2024
5.6.7 REFERENCES
California Air Resources Board (CARB). 2017, January 18. California’s Advanced Clean Cars Midterm Review. https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2020-01/ACC%20MTR%20Summary_Ac.pdf.
California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) . 2018, December . 2019 Building Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential and Nonresidential Buildings (Title 24, Part 6). https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2021-06/CEC-400-2018-020-CMF_0.pdf ______. 2022. 2022 California Code of Regulations Title 24, Part 11. https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/CAGBC2022P2?examId=.
California Energy Commission (CEC). 2018a, May 9. Energy Commission Adopts Standards Requiring Solar Systems for New Homes, First in Nation. News release. https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2018- 05/energy-commission-adopts-standards-requiring-solar-systems-new-homes-first. ______. 2018b. 2019 Building Energy Efficiency Standards Frequently Asked Questions. https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2020-
03/Title_24_2019_Building_Standards_FAQ_ada.pdf.
______. 2020, February 20. Final 2019 Integrated Energy Policy Report including Errata. Accessed April 12, 2023. https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/reports/integrated-energy-policy-report/2019- integrated-energy-policy-report.
______. 2021. Amendments to the Building Energy Efficiency Standards (2022 Energy Code) Draft Environmental Report. CEC-400-2021-077-D
______. 2022. California Retail Fuel Outlet Annual Reporting (CEC -A15) Results, https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/transportation-energy/california-retail- fuel-outlet-annual-reporting, California Energy Commission Website, accessed December 2, 2022.
California Independent System Operator (CAISO). 2022, June 14. “A golden age of energy storage”. Accessed April 10, 2023. http://www.caiso.com/about/Pages/Blog/Posts/A-golden-age-of-energy- storage.aspx.
California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). 2022, December 1. CPUC Creates New Framework to Advance California’s Transition Away From Natural Gas. Accessed April 12, 2023. https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/reports/integrated-energy-policy-report/2019- integrated-energy-policy-report.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 2022, April 1. USDOT Announces New Vehicle Fuel Economy Standards for Model Year 2024 -2026. https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/usdot- announces-new-vehicle-fuel-economy-standards-model-year-2024-2026.
Packet Pg. 1091
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY
PLACEWORKS 5.6-35
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). 2022, December 4 (accessed). Company Profile, PG&E Website, https://www.pge.com/en_US/about-pge/company-information/profile/profile.page.
Redding Electric Utility (REU). 2021. 2021 Power Content Label. Accessed April 11, 2023. https://www.cityofredding.org/home/showpublisheddocument/28181/637995388915430000.
United States Department of Energy (USDE). 2022. Alternative Fuels Data Center: Electric Vehicle Charging Station Locations . https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/electricity_locations.html#/analyze?region=US- CA&fuel=ELEC&ev_levels=all, United States Department of Energy Website, accessed December 5, 2022.
United States Energy Information Administration (USEIA). 2020a. Table F33: Total Energy Consumption, Price, and Expenditure Estimates, United States Energy Information Administration Website, https://www.eia.gov/state/seds/sep_fuel/html/pdf/fuel_te.pdf, accessed December 2, 2022. ______. 2020b. Table F16: Total Petroleum Consumption Estimates, United States Energy Information Administration Website, https://www.eia.gov/state/seds/sep_fuel/html/pdf/fuel_te.pdf, accessed December 2, 2022.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). 2022, May 12 (updated). Summary of the Energy Independence and Security Act Public Law 110 -140 (2007). Accessed March 1, 2023. https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-energy-independence-and-security-act.
Packet Pg. 1092
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
5.6-36 FEBRUARY 2024
This page intentionally left blank.
Packet Pg. 1093
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
PLACEWORKS 5.7-1
5.7 GEOLOGY AND SOILS
This chapter describes the regulatory framework and existing conditions in the Plan ning Area related to geology and soils , and the potential to impact these resources, including paleontological resources or unique geologic features.
5.7.1 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
This section summarizes key federal, State, regional, and local regulations and programs related to geology and soils for the proposed General Plan Update.
Federal Regulations
International Building Code
The International Building Code (IBC) has been adopted throughout the United States and has been in use since 2007. The purpose of the IBC is to establish minimum regulations for building systems, including fire safety, building safety, foundation, wall and roof constructions, materials used in construction, elevators and escalators, and existing structures.
Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act
The Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act was enacted in 1997 to “reduce the risks to life and property from future earthquakes in the United States through the establishment and maintenance of an effective earthquake hazards and reduction program.” To accomplish this, the act established the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP), which refined the descri ption of agency responsibilities, program goals, and objectives. NEHRP’s mission includes improved understanding, characterization, and prediction of hazards and vulnerabilities; improvement of building codes and land use practices; risk reduction through post-earthquake investigations and education; development and improvement of design and construction techniques; improvement of mitigation capacity; and accelerated application of research results. NEHRP designates the Federal Emergency Management Agency as the lead agency of the program and assigns it several planning, coordinating, and reporting responsibilities. Programs under NEHRP help inform and guide planning and building code requirements such as emergency evacuation responsibilities and seismic code standards.
Paleontological Resources Preservation Act
The federal Paleontological Resources Preservation Act of 2002 limits the collection of vertebrate fossils and other rare and scientifically significant fossils to qualified researchers who have obtained a permit from the appropriate state or federal agenc y. Additionally, it specifies these researchers must agree to donate any Packet Pg. 1094
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
5.7-2 FEBRUARY 2024
materials recovered to recognized public institutions, where they will remain accessible to the public and other researchers. The Paleontological Resources Preservation Act incorporates key findings of a report, Fossils on Federal Land and Indian Lands, issued by the Secretary of Interior in 2000, which establishes that most vertebrate fossils and some invertebrate and plant fossils are considered rare resources (USDI 2000).
Antiquities Act of 1906
The Antiquities Act of 1906 (Public Law [P .L.] 59-209; 16 United States Code [USC] 431-433, 34 Statute 225) has been cited in past efforts to protect paleontological resources on federal lands, and requires protection of historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest on federal lands. The Antiquities Act of 1906 forbids disturbance of any object of antiquity on federal land without a permit issued by the responsible managing agency.
State Regulations
California Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act
The California Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act was signed into state law in 1972, and amended, with its primary purpose being to mitigate the hazard of fault rupture by prohibiting the location of structures for human occupancy across the trace of an active fault. This act (or state law) was a direct result of the 1971 San Fernando Earthquake, which was associated with extensive surface fault ruptures that damaged numerous homes, commercial buildings, and other structures. The act requires the St ate Geologist (California Geologic Survey, CGS) to delineate regulatory zones known as “earthquake fault zones” along faults that are “sufficiently active” and “well defined” and to issue and distribute appropriate maps to all affected cities, counties, an d state agencies for their use in planning and controlling new or renewed construction. Pursuant to this act and as stipulated in Section 3603(a) of the California Code of Regulations, structures for human occupancy are not permitted to be placed across the trace of an active fault. The act also prohibits structures for human occupancy within 50 feet of the trace of an active fault, unless proven by an appropriate geotechnical investigation and report that the development site is not underlain by active branches of the active fault, as stipulated in Section 3603(a) of the California Code of Regulations.
Furthermore, the act requires that cities and counties withhold development permits for sites within an earthquake fault zone until geologic investigations demonstrate that the sites are not threatened by surface displacement from future faulting, as stipulated in Section 3603(d) of the California Code of Regulations.
Seismic Hazard Mapping Act
The Seismic Hazard Mapping Act was adopted by the state in 1990 for the purpose of protecting the public from the effects of fault rupture earthquake hazards, including strong ground shaking, liquefaction, seismically induced landslides, or other ground fa ilure caused by earthquakes. The goal of the act is to minimize loss of life and property by identifying and mitigating seismic hazards. The CGS prepares and provides local governments with seismic hazard zones maps that identify areas susceptible to ampli fied shaking, liquefaction, earthquake-induced landslides, and other ground failures.
Packet Pg. 1095
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
PLACEWORKS 5.7-3
California Building Code
Current law states that every local agency enforcing building regulations, such as cities and counties, must adopt the provisions of the California Building Code (CBC) within 180 days of its publication. The publication date of the CBC is established by the California Building Standards Commission, and the code is under Title 24, Part 2, of the California Code of Regulations. The CBC provides minimum standards to protect property and public safety by regulating the design and construction of excavations, foundations, building frames, retaining walls, and other building elements to mitigate the effects of seismic shaking and adverse soil conditions. The CBC contains provisions for earthquake safety based on factors including occupancy type, the types of soil and rock onsite, and the strength of ground shaking with a specified pro bability at a site.
The 2022 CBC took effect on January 1, 2023.
Requirements for Geotechnical Investigations
Requirements for geotechnical investigations are included in CBC Appendix J, Grading, Section J104; additional requirements for subdivisions requiring tentative and final maps and for other specified types of structures are in California Health and Safety Code Sections 17953 to 17955 and in CBC Section 1802.
Testing of samples from subsurface investigations is required, such as from borings or test pits. Studies must be done as needed to evaluate slope stability, soil strength, position and adequacy of load-bearing soils, the effect of moisture variation on load-bearing capacity, compressibility, liquefaction, differential settlement, and expansiveness. CBC Section J106 sets forth requirements for inspection and observation during and after grading.
California Public Resources Code
The State of California Public Resources Code, Chapter 1.7, Sections 5097.5 and 30244, includes additional state level requirements for the assessment and management of paleontological resources. These statutes require reasonable mitigation of adverse impacts to paleontological resources resulting from development on state lands, define the removal of paleontological “sites” or “features” from state lands as a misdemeanor, and prohibit the removal of any paleontological “site” or “feature” from State land w ithout permission of the jurisdictional agency. These protections apply only to State of California land.
Local Regulations
2000-2020 Redding General Plan
The following policies are included in the existing General Plan regarding geology and soils. The numbering is from the existing General Plan and therefore may not be consecutive.
Health and Safety Element
▪ Goal HS-1: Minimize the loss of life, injury, and property damage due to seismic and geologic hazards.
Packet Pg. 1096
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
5.7-4 FEBRUARY 2024
o Policy HS1A: Continue to require that new structures and alterations to existing structures comply with the seismic safety requirements of the Uniform Building Code (UBC); adopt updated provisions of the UBC related to seismic safety as they become available.
o Policy HS1B: Require liquefaction mitigation plans for proposed developments, including necessary infrastructure in areas determined to have a "high" liquefaction potential.
o Policy HS1C: Require determination of the landslide, slope -instability, and erosion potential of proposed development sites located in potential hazard areas. Utilize building setbacks, grading techniques, or appropriate measures when constructing in or near unstable areas.
Natural Resources Element
▪ Goal NR1 : Minimize Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Problems Resulting from Development Activities; Improve the Quality of Stormwater Runoff.
o Policy NR1B : Require development applicants to submit and receive Public Works Department approval for erosion - and sediment -control plans prior to undertaking grading activities.
o Policy NR1C : Minimize soil erosion and sedimentation created during and after construction activities to the fullest extent practicable, using Best Management Practices (BMPs).
o Policy NR1D: Make project monitoring and enforcement activities a priority to ensure that erosion- control measures are in place prior to the start of the rainy season and function properly and effectively:
▪ Installed properly.
▪ In place prior to the start of the rainy season.
▪ Functional and effective.
o Policy NR1E : Aggressively pursue immediate remediation when erosion damage is discovered and/or initial control measures fail.
o Policy NR1F: Establish and levy fines for failure to comply with the requirements of the Grading Ordinance and/or an approved erosion- and sediment-control plan. o Policy NR1G : Support and/or jointly sponsor erosion - and sedimentation -control training and education activities in conjunction with the development community. o Policy NR1H : Ensure that employees responsible for monitoring and enforcing the City's Grading Ordinance receive adequate training regarding erosion - and sediment- control practices.
Packet Pg. 1097
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
PLACEWORKS 5.7-5
City of Redding Municipal Code
Chapter 16.02, Building Code
The City of Redding has incorporated and adopted the 2022 CBC with the City's amendments as Municipal Code Section 16.02.010. This section also outlines edits to the provisions of the CBC for development in Redding.
Chapter 16.12, Clearing, Grading Fills and Excavation
Chapter 16.12 establishes the minimum requirements for grading, clearing, and erosion and sediment control in the City of Redding. Per Section 16.12.060(C), a soil report must be prepared by a registered civil or soils engineer and must include data on the nature, distribution, and strength of existing soils; conclusions and recommendations for grading procedures; design criteria for corrective measures; or other criteria as may be necessary to support the construction. Recommendations included in the geote chnical soils report, and approved by the city engineer, must be incorporated into the grading plans or specifications.
In addition, an engineering geology report may be required by the city engineer under Section 16.12.060(C).
The engineering geology report must be prepared by a registered engineering geologist. The recommendations of the engineering geology report that has been approved by the city engineer shall be incorporated into the grading plans of any given project.
Erosion control requirements for grading and construction are set forth in Municipal Code Section
16.12.060(D), and are required for any project that disturbs more than one acre of land. The plan must be professionally prepared and include a delineation and description of the measures, including best management practices (BMPs), to be undertaken to retain sediment on the site, including, but not limited to, the designs and specifications for sediment detention basins and traps and a schedule for their maintenance and upkeep. The approved plan becomes part of the approval to clear land.
Chapter 17.40, Final Maps and Parcel Maps
The purpose of Chapter 17.40 is to provide standards for the design of subdivisions in accordance with the guidance of the general plan, zoning ordinance, this title, and other applicable provisions of the Redding Municipal Code. Per Section 17.40.040(6), a preliminary soils report shall be provided. The City Engineer may require a geotechnical report with improvement plans (Chapter 17.70, Improvement Design, Plans, and Final Survey).
Chapter 17.70, Improvement Design, Plans, and Final Survey Chapter 17.70 provides criteria for the design, plan preparation, and approval of required subdivision improvements and for final subdivision survey and monumentation. Under Section 17.70.040(E) a preliminary soils report for improvement plans.
Packet Pg. 1098
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
5.7-6 FEBRUARY 2024
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Geology
The City of Redding is near the north end of the Great Valley Geomorphic Province, which is about 400 miles long and 50 miles wide. The Great Valley geomorphic province is comprised primarily of marine sandstone, shale, and conglomerate. Rocks in this province date to the Cretaceous and Tertiary ages. Recent alluvial sediment is present along the Sacramento River and its tributaries.
The City of Redding is in the Sacramento Valley, the northerly of two large valleys comprising the Province; the San Joaquin Valley is the southerly. The northern Sacramento Valley is surrounded by the Sierra Nevada to the southeast, the Coast Ranges including the Trinity Mountains to the west, and the Cascade Range to the north and northeast (CGS 2002). The City of Redding and surroundings are set on plains in the north end of the Sacramento Valley dissected by numerous rivers and streams emerging from the Trinity Mountains to the west and the Cascade Range to the north and east. The Sacramento River bisects the city.
Soils
Figure 5.7-1, Natural Resource Conservation Service Soil Types , illustrates the 75 soil types that fall within the Planning Area (NRCS 2022a). Of these 75 soil types, 26 contain hydric components. Hydric soils are defined as a soil that formed under conditions of saturation, flooding, or ponding long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part. Hydric soils and their associated component landforms are associated with soils found within basin floors, basin rims, alluvial fans, fan aprons, or sloughs. These soil types are identified in Table 5.7-1, List of NRCS soil types within the Planning Area (NRCS 2022b).
Packet Pg. 1099
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding) Source: ECORP , 2023.
Figure 5.7-1
Natural Resource Conservation Service Soil Types
0 Scale (Miles)
2 REDDING GENERAL PLAN UPDATED DRAFT EIR
CITY OF REDDING
5.7 GEOLOGY AND SOILS
PLACEWORKS
Packet Pg. 1100
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
5.7-8 FEBRUARY 2024
This page intentionally left blank.
Packet Pg. 1101
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
PLACEWORKS 5.7-9
TABLE 5.7-1 LIST OF NRCS SOIL TYPES WITHIN THE PLANNING AREA Soil Type Landform Erosion Hazard
Ad - gravelly sandy loam Channels Slight
Ae - Anderson gravelly sandy loam, moderately deep Channels Slight CeA - Churn gravelly loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes Channels Slight CeB - Churn gravelly loam, 3 to 8 percent slopes Channels Moderate CfA - Churn gravelly loam, deep, 0 to 3 percent slopes Channels Slight CfB - Churn gravelly loam, deep, 3 to 8 percent slopes Channels Moderate CcB - Churn loam, 3 to 8 percent slopes Channels Moderate CdA - Churn loam, slightly wet, 0 to 3 percent slopes Channels Slight Ch - Cobbly alluvial land Channels Not rated
Ck - Cobbly alluvial land, frequently flooded Floodplains Not rated HhA - Honn gravelly sandy loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes Floodplains, Channels Slight MhA - Moda loam, seeped, 0 to 3 percent slopes Drainageways, Fan remnants, Stream terraces Slight
MkB - Moda loam, shallow, 0 to 5 percent slopes Fan remnants, Stream terraces Slight PmA - Perkins gravelly loam, gravelly clay loam substratum, 0 to 3 percent slopes, MLRA 17 Drainageways, Stream terraces Slight RcA - Red Bluff gravelly loam, moderately deep, 0 to 3 percent slopes Fan remnants Slight RcB - Red Bluff gravelly loam, moderately deep, 3 to 8 percent slopes Fan remnants Moderate RbA - Red Bluff loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes, MLRA 17, moist Fan remnants Slight RdA - Redding gravelly loam, 0 to 5 percent slopes, moist, MLRA 17 Fan remnants Slight ReA - Redding-Red Bluff gravelly loams, 0 to 3 percent slopes Fan remnants Slight ReB - Redding-Red Bluff gravelly loams, 3 to 8 percent slopes Fan remnants Moderate RmA - Reiff loam, seeped, 0 to 3 percent slopes Floodplains Slight Rw - Riverwash Channels Not rated
TaD - Tailings and placer diggings Floodplains Not rated TfA - Tujunga loamy sand, 0 to 3 percent slopes Floodplains, Channels Slight TfB - Tujunga loamy, 3 to 8 percent slopes Floodplains, Channels Moderate Wa - Wet alluvial land Floodplains Not rated
Source: ECORP Consulting, Inc. 2022, November. Draft Biological Resources Technical Memorandum for the City of Redding General Plan Update. Prepared for the City of Redding.
Regional Seismicity and Faulting
The Earth’s crust includes tectonic plates that locally collide with or slide past one another along plate boundaries. California is particularly susceptible to such plate movements, notably the largely horizontal or “strike-slip” movements of the Pacific Plate, as it impinges on the North American Plate. In general, earthquakes occur when the accumulated stress along a plate boundary or fault is suddenly released, resulting in seismic slippage. This slippage can vary widely in magnitude, ranging in scale f rom a few millimeters or centimeters to tens of feet.
Packet Pg. 1102
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
5.7-10 FEBRUARY 2024
The performance of human -made structures during a major seismic event varies widely due to a number of factors, including:
▪ Location, with respect to active fault traces or areas prone to liquefaction or seismically -induced landslides;
▪ Type of building construction (i.e., wood frame, unreinforced masonry, non -ductile concrete frame);
▪ Proximity, magnitude, depth, and intensity of the seismic event itself as well as many other factors.
In general, evidence from past earthquakes shows that wood frame structures tend to perform well during a seismic event, especially when their foundations are properly designed and anchored. Conversely, older, unreinforced masonry structures and non-ductile reinforced concrete buildings (especially those built in the 1960s and early 1970s), do not perform as well, especially if they have not undergone appropriate seismic retrofitting. Applicable building code requirements, such as those found in the CBC, in clude seismic requirements that are designed to ensure the satisfactory performance of building materials under prescribed seismic conditions.
The Richter Scale is used to describe the magnitude of an earthquake. Each one-point increase in magnitude (M) represents a 10 -fold increase in earthquake wave size and a 30 -fold increase in energy release (strength). For example, an M8 earthquake produces 10 times the ground motion amplitude of an M7 earthquake, 100 times that of an M6 quake, and 1,000 times the motion of a magnitude 5. However, the M8 earthquake is 27,000 times stronger than an M5 quake. Typically, earthquakes of M5 or greater are considered strong earthquakes capable of producing damage.
Table 5.7-2, Distances and Directions to Relevant Faults, provides a summary of the key faults that could produce significant earthquakes (exceeding M5) that could impact Redding. The table also includes the maximum associated magnitudes of earthquakes along each fault. Locations of these faults relative to Redding are shown on Figure 5.7-2, Regional Fault Map. Due to the proximity of active fault lines, Redding is historically susceptible to earthquake-related hazards which include ground shaking and liquefaction.
TABLE 5.7-2 DISTANCES AND DIRECTIONS TO RELEVANT FAULTS Fault
Approx. Distance and
Direction from Redding
Fault Length
(miles)
Maximum
Magnitude
Slip Rate
(mm/yr)
Battle Creek 5 miles southeast 45 6.5 1.0
Rocky Ledge 36 miles northeast 11 6.8 1.0
Hat Creek-McArthur 46 miles east 37 6.7 5.0
Bartlett Springs (Lake Mountain) 58 miles southwest 99 7.5 5.0 Great Valley Segment 1 59 miles south 27 Unspecified 0.2 Foothills Fault System 83 miles southeast 126 Unspecified Unspecified Note: Distances are approximate; mm/yr = millimeters per year Sources: Blakeslee and Kattenhorn 2013; Martin 2020; Wills et. al. 2008 Packet Pg. 1103
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding) Redding
Red Bluff
Figure 4.6.1
Fault Map
Source: California Geological Survey, 2016; PlaceWorks, 2017.
CLIENT NAME (CENTURY GOTHIC, 12 PT)
PROJECT NAME (CENTURY GOTHIC, 12 PT)
0 10 205
Miles
%&'(5
·|}þ299
Fault Classification
Recency of Movement
Historic
Holocene
Late Quaternary
Quaternary
Quaternary Faults
Pre-Quaternary Faults
Project Site
^_
^_%&'(5
Battle Creek Fault
RockyLedgeFault
S
Whiskeytown
Lake
Trinity
Lake
hasta
Lake
HatCreekFault·|}þ299
Sacramento River
Source: California Geological Survey, 2016; PlaceWorks, 2017.
Figure 4.6-1
Fault Map
CHAPTER 4 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
RIVER CROSSING MARKETPLACE SPECIFIC PLAN DRAFTEIR
CITY OF REDDING
PLACEWORKS
Source: California Geological Survey, 2016; PlaceWorks, 2017.
Figure 5.7-2
Regional Fault Map
6565
7575
7070
6565
7575
7070
6565
7575
7070
7575
7070
7070 7575
0 Scale (Miles)
10 5.7 GEOLOGY AND SOILS
REDDING GENERAL PLAN UPDATED DRAFT EIR
CITY OF REDDING
PLACEWORKS
Packet Pg. 1104
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
5.7-12 FEBRUARY 2024
This page intentionally left blank.
Packet Pg. 1105
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
PLACEWORKS 5.7-13
The nearest active faults are the Rocky Ledge Fault about 36 miles northeast of Redding and the Hat Creek Fault approximately 46 miles east of Redding. Active faults are those showing evidence of surface displacement within the last 11,000 years (CGS 2017a). The nearest fault is the Battle Creek Fault about 5 miles to the south east (see Figure 5.7-2). The segment of the Battle Creek Fault east of the Sacramento River shows evidence of displacement within approximately the last 700,000 years, while the segm ent of the fault west of the River shows displacement within about the last 2.6 million years (CGS 2016). As such, this fault is not considered active by the California Geological Survey—that is, there is no evidence of surface displacement of the fault within the last 11,000 years —but is considered conditionally active by the US Bureau of Reclamation. The US Bureau of Reclamation defines an active fault as having ruptured within the last 35,000 years. A conditionally active fault , however, is defined as having ruptured in the Quaternary period (within the last 1.6 million years) , but its displacement history during the last 35,000 years is unknown. The nearest Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone is along the Rocky Ledge Fault about 4 1 miles to the northeast (CGS 1991).
Soils
The Sacramento Valley is a region renowned for its fertile soils as a result of thick marine and non -marine deposits from millions of years ago. Redding is relatively flat, with gently sloping toward the east and south, toward the Sacramento River . The predominant soil types in Redding include loams and sands of the Anderson, Auburn, Churn, Goulding, Moda, Newtown, Perkins, Red Bluff, Redding, Reiff, Toomes and Tujunga associations (NRCS 1974).
Seismic Hazards
Ground Shaking
Ground shaking is motion that occurs as a result of energy released during faulting and is the most dangerous effect of earthquakes. Damage to structures from the ground vibrations is determined by physical characteristics of rock and soil, building materials, earthquake magnitude, distance from epicenter, and character and duration of the ground motion.
The Richter Scale is used to describe the magnitude of an earthquake. Each one-point increase in magnitude (M) represents a 10 -fold increase in earthquake wave size and a 30 -fold increase in energy release (strength). For example, an M8 earthquake produces 10 times the ground motion amplitude of an M7 earthquake, 100 times that of an M6 quake, and 1,000 times the motion of a magnitude 5. The M8 earthquake is 27,000 times stronger than an M5 quake. Typically, earthquakes of M5 or greater are considered strong earthquakes capable of producing damage.
The energy released by an earthquake is measured as moment magnitude (Mw). The moment magnitude scale is logarithmic; therefore, each one -point increase in magnitude represents a tenfold increase in amplitude of the waves as measured at a specific location and a 32 -fold increase in energy. That is, a magnitude 7 earthquake produces 100 times (10 x 10) the ground motion amplitude of a magnitude 5 Packet Pg. 1106
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
5.7-14 FEBRUARY 2024
earthquake. An earthquake of about 5.4 magnitude occurred in the northwest part of the City of Redding in 1998 (CGS 1998). Table 5.7-2 lists the faults most relevant to Redding along with their maximum magnitudes. Based on the distances from the faults the City of Redding has a relatively low risk for strong seismic ground shaking.
Liquefaction
Liquefaction, which may occur from strong ground shaking during earthquakes, is the transformation of a granular sediment or fill material from a solid state to a temporarily liquid state. Liquefaction is a serious hazard because buildings in areas that experience liquefaction may sink or suffer major structural damage.
Liquefaction occurs in saturated soils when pore pressure exceeds the natural frictional strength between grains. This is most common in loose soils with no cohesion. As a result, the soil loses strength and starts to flow. Liquefaction is most often triggered by seismic shaking, but can also be due to improper grading, landslides, or other factors. In dry soils, seismic shaking may cause soil to settle rather than flow, a process known as densification. Loose granular soils and silts that are saturated by relatively shallow groundwater are susceptible to liquefaction.
Areas with the highest potential for liquefaction are located along the Sacramento River and its tributaries.
Sites with low liquefaction potential are generally located in the gently sloping areas between the river and the foothills. Sites within the foothills are considered to have no liquefaction potential (Redding 2000).
Seismic Ground Settlement
Ground shaking can cause unconsolidated sediments to settle. Loose to medium dense granular material with no fine (clay or silt) particles or with low -plasticity fine particles are most susceptible to seismic compression. The potential hazard posed by seismic settlement and/or collapse in the city is considered moderate based on the compressibility of the underlying alluvial soils and the presence of shallow groundwater . Strong ground shaking can cause settlement of alluvial soils and artificial fills if they are not adequately compacted. Because unconsolidated soils and undocumented fill material are present in the City, seismically induced settlement and/or collapse are possible.
Lateral Spreading
Lateral spreading is the downslope movement of surface sediment due to liquefaction in a subsurface layer .
Lateral spreading most commonly occurs when weak, saturated soils are bordered by a steep embankment or slope. Ground lurching occurs as earthquake -triggered horizontal movements on relatively steep embankments or slopes result in the cracking of the groun d surface. Sites with liquefaction potential bordered by a free face are susceptible to lateral spreading.
Packet Pg. 1107
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
PLACEWORKS 5.7-15
Other Geologic Hazards
Landslides
Landslides are gravity -driven movements of earth materials that can include rock, soil, unconsolidated sediment, or combinations of such materials. The rate of landslide movement can vary; some move rapidly, as in a soil or rock avalanche, while other land slides creep or move slowly for long periods of time. The susceptibility of a given area to landslides depends on many variables, although the general characteristics that influence landslide hazards are widely acknowledged. Some important factors are:
▪ Slope Material. Loose, unconsolidated soils and soft, weak rocks are more hazardous than are firm, consolidated soils or hard bedrock.
▪ Slope Steepness. Most landslides occur on moderate to steep slopes. ▪ Structure and Physical Properties of Materials. This includes the orientation of layering and zones of weakness relative to slope direction.
▪ Water Content. Increased water content increases landslide hazard by decreasing friction and adding weight to the materials on a slope.
▪ Vegetation Coverage. Abundant vegetation with deep roots promotes slope stability. ▪ Proximity to Areas of Erosion or Human -made Cuts. Undercutting slopes can greatly increase landslide potential.
▪ Earthquake Ground Motions. Strong seismic ground motions can trigger landslides in marginally stable slopes or loosen slope materials, and also increase the risk of future landslides.
Most of the city is relatively flat to gently sloping. The western, northern, and northeastern portions of the city may be susceptible to landslides, as seen in Figure 5.7-3, Landslide Susceptibility in Redding.
Erosion
Erosion is the movement of soil from place to place, and is a natural process. The main natural agents of erosion in the region are wind and flowing water . Erosion can be accelerated dramatically by ground - disturbing activities if effective erosion control measures are not used. Soil can be carried off construction sites or bare land by wind and water, and tracked off construction sites by vehicles. Sediments can increase the turbidity (cloudiness) of water, clog fish gills, reduce spawning habitat, lower s urvival rates of young aquatic organisms, smother bottom-dwelling organisms, and suppress aquatic vegetation growth.
As described in Section 5.7.1.2 Existing Conditions, Soils, the predominant geological unit of the Planning Area is largely marine sandstone, shale, and conglomerate . As seen in Table 5.7 -1, the soil types found in the Planning Area have slight to moderate erosion potential. The areas most subject to erosion are typically steep with sparse vegetation and exposed areas adjacent to waterways.
Packet Pg. 1108
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
5.7-16 FEBRUARY 2024
Ground Subsidence
Subsidence is the gradual sinking of the ground as a result of loss of subsurface materials, with little or no horizontal motion. It is often accompanied by large-scale ground cracking, and in some cases, the cracking has movement across it, making it into incipient faulting.
Ground cracking from subsidence in the future would be expected to occur along the boundaries of groundwater basins, such as a contact between alluvium and bedrock, or over prominent geologic structures, i.e., faults.
Subsidence of the ground surface has been reported in alluvial basins where significant amounts of groundwater (often in an overdraft condition) or petroleum are withdrawn over long periods. The primary cause of non-tectonic subsidence has been the alluvial compaction by closing of porosity due to removal of large quantities of groundwater or petroleum and a significant lowering of the groundwater levels. Shifts in the water table or loss of groundwater are major causes.
The major causes of ground subsidence are the excessive withdrawal of groundwater and the withdrawal of petroleum. The city is not in an area of known significant ground subsidence due to the withdrawal of subsurface fluids. Therefore, the potential for subsidence occurring within the city due to the withdrawal of oil, gas, or water is considered low.
Expansive Soils
Expansive soils can change dramatically in volume depending on moisture content. When wet, these soils can expand; conversely, when dry, they can contract or shrink. Sources of moisture that can trigger this shrink-swell phenomenon can include seasonal rainfall, landscape irrigation, utility leakage, and/or perched groundwater . Expansive soil can exhibit wide cracks in the dry season, and changes in soil volume have the potential to damage concrete slabs, foundations, and pavement. Special building/structur e design or soil treatment are often needed in areas with expansive soils.
Expansive soils are typically very fine -grained with a high to very high percentage of clay, typically montmorillonite, smectite, or bentonite clay. Linear extensibility soil tests are often used to identify expansive soils, wherein soil sample volume/leng th changes in response to reduced moisture content. A linear extensibility of 3 percent or greater connotes moderate to high shrink -swell potential. This soil behavior has the potential to cause damage to buildings, roads, and other structures. A majority of soils within the city are comprised of fine sandy loams and sandy loams. These soils are not considered to be subject to expansion. Based on the overall prevalence of granular soils with low to moderate linear extensibilities within the city, expansive soils are not a significant concern (NRCS 2022).
Packet Pg. 1109
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
REDDING GENERAL PLAN UPDATED DRAFT EIR
CITY OF REDDING
Source: Generated using ArcGISPro, 2023; City of Redding GIS 2022; California Geologic Survey, 2018 Figure 5.7-3
Landslide Susceptibility Areas in Redding
PLACEWORKS
0 Scale (Miles)
2 5.7 Geology and Soils
Packet Pg. 1110
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
5.7-18 FEBRUARY 2024
This page intentionally left blank.
Packet Pg. 1111
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
PLACEWORKS 5.7-19
Volcanic Hazards
Two major active volcanoes in the Cascade Range are near the Redding region: Mt. Shasta, about 56 miles north of the Planning Area, and Mt. Lassen, approximately 46 miles to the east. Mt. Lassen last erupted in 1914-1917, and Mt. Shasta in 1786 (Redding 2015). Both volcanoes are classified as very high threat volcanoes by the US Geological Survey (Shasta County 2016). The City of Redding faces a low probability of impact from eruptions occurring at either Mount Shasta or Lassen Peak due to the large distance between the volcanoes and the city (Redding 2015). Smaller volcanoes are found closer to Redding than Mt. Shasta and Mt. Lassen; the closest being Black Butte, a dormant cinder cone located about 14.5 miles southeast of the city that last erupted over 400,000 years ago (Hardwood and Helley 1987).
5.7.2 THRESHOLDS OF SIGNIFICANCE
According to Appendix G of the State CEQA Guidelines, the proposed Project would result in a significant geology and soils impact if it would:
GEO-1 Directly or indirectly cause potential substantial adverse effects, including the risk of loss, injury or death involving: i) Rupture of a known earthquake fault, as delineated on the most recent Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Map issued by the State Geologist for the area or based on other substantial evidence of a known fault ; ii) Strong seismic ground shaking; iii) Seismic- related ground failure, including liquefaction ; iv) Landslides, mudslides, or other similar hazards.
GEO-2 Result in substantial soil erosion or the loss of topsoil.
GEO-3 Be located on a geologic unit or soil that is unstable, or that would become unstable as a result of the project, and potentially result in on - or off-site landslide, lateral spreading, subsidence, liquefaction, or collapse.
GEO-4 Be located on expansive soil, as defined by Table 18 -1-B of the Uniform Building Code (1994), creating substantial direct or indirect risks to life or property.
GEO-5 Have soils incapable of adequately supporting the use of septic tanks or alternative wastewater disposal systems where sewers are not available for the disposal of wastewater.
GEO-6 Directly or indirectly destroy a unique paleontological resource or site or unique geologic feature.
GEO-7 In combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, result in significant cumulative impacts with respect to geology and soils.
Packet Pg. 1112
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
5.7-20 FEBRUARY 2024
5.7.3 PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN POLICIES
The following are relevant policies of the Redding General Plan Update, which may contribute to a reduction in seismic and geologic hazards and impacts on paleontological resources as a result of implementation of the proposed project.
Community Development and Design Element
▪ Policy CDD1F: Generally oppose development of community septic systems, wastewater package plants, and/or temporary sewage disposal facilities within the Primary and Secondary Growth areas for developments within the jurisdiction of Shasta County. Exceptions include situations where public health and safety concerns, with existing development, need to be addressed.
Public Safety Element
▪ Policy PS1A: Continue to require that new structures and alterations to existing structures comply with the seismic safety requirements of the California Building Code ( CBC); adopt updated provisions of the CBC related to seismic safety as they become available. ▪ Policy PS1B: Geotechnical investigations for proposed developments on sites with potential hazards, including necessary infrastructure in areas determined to have a "high" liquefaction potential shall be prepared as may be required by the Building Official. ▪ Policy PS1C: As may be required by the Building Official and/or City Engineer, project proponents shall determine the landslide, slope -instability, and erosion potential of proposed development sites located in potential hazard areas. Consider utilizing building setbacks, grading techniques, or appropriate measures when constructing in or near unstable areas. ▪ Policy PS10B: Encourage owners of existing critical, sensitive, and high -occupancy facilities with significant seismic vulnerabilities to upgrade, relocate, or phase out the facilities as appropriate.
Natural Resources Element
▪ Policy NR1A: Consider updating the process and requirements for the development, review, and approval of erosion- and sedimentation-control plans for development projects to include the use of best available practices.
▪ Policy NR1D: Strive to ensure Ensure that erosion control devices are installed and maintained in accordance with the requirements of the grading ordinance, NPDES, conditions of granting permit approval, and any other applicable requirements; and that project monitoring and erosion-control enforcement activities are undertaken to ensure that that the facilities function effectively. ▪ Policy NR1E : Pursue immediate remediation to the extent feasible when erosion damage is discovered and/or initial control measures fail.
Packet Pg. 1113
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
PLACEWORKS 5.7-21
▪ Policy NR1F : Continue to enforce the provisions of the RMC for failure to comply with the requirements of the Grading Ordinance and/or an approved erosion - and sedimentation-control plan.
▪ Policy NR1G : Continue supporting and/or jointly sponsor erosion - and sedimentation -control training and education activities in conjunction with local/ regional jurisdictions and the development community. Encourage neighboring jurisdictions to adopt and enforce consistent erosion- and sedimentation-control measures.
▪ Policy NR1H : Provide opportunities for staff responsible for monitoring and enforcing the City's Grading Ordinance to receive adequate training regarding erosion - and sedimentation-control practices.
Parks, Trails, and Recreation Element
▪ Policy R4C: Promote and encourage consultation and partnership with Wintu tribes and historical research groups and others for the protection, improvement, and preservation of archaeological, paleontological, historical and cultural resources in parks.
5.7.4 IMPACT DISCUSSION
GEO-1: The project would not exacerbate hazards from surface rupture of a known active fault, strong seismic ground shaking, seismic -related ground failure, or landslides.
Rupture of a Known Earthquake Fault
The nearest active faults are the Rocky Ledge Fault about 36 miles northeast of the city, and the Hat Creek Fault approximately 46 miles east of the city. The Battle Creek Fault, about 5 miles south of the city, is not considered active by the California Geological Survey—that is, there is no evidence of surface displacement of the fault within the last 11,000 years—but is considered active by the US Bureau of Reclamation. As seen in Figure 5.7 -2, t he segment of the Battle Creek Fault east of the Sacramento River shows evidence of displacement within approximately the last 700,000 years, while the segment of the fault west of the River shows displacement within about the last 2.6 million years (CGS 2016).
The Public Safety Element of the General Plan Update contains policies that address potential fault rupture impacts, such as Policy PS1A, which requires that new structures and alterations to existing structures comply with the seismic safety requirements of the CBC; Policy PS1B, which calls for geotechnical investigations for proposed developments on sites with potential hazards ; and Policy PS10B, which encourages owners of existing critical, sensitive, and high -occupancy facilities with significant seismic vulnerabilities to upgrade, relocate, or phase out the facilities. All new construction in Redding would be required to comply with the latest version of the CBC, which contains criteria and standards designed to Packet Pg. 1114
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
5.7-22 FEBRUARY 2024
reduce ground rupture risks to acceptable levels. To apply this code to site development, the City of Redding requires that new construction be in accordance with building, grading, and erosion -control ordinances of the City’s Municipal Code, and include s inspections during plan check and construction to ensure that design standards are met. The proposed General Plan Update goals and policies, in combination with the Alquist-Priolo Act, CBC, and other State and local requirements, would reduce potential impacts associated with surface fault rupture to less than significant.
Seismic Ground Shaking
Shasta County has a low level of historic seismic activity. Most of the stronger intensity seismic activity in Shasta County has occurred in the eastern half of the county near Lassen Peak. The City of Redding is in the less seismically active western half of Shasta County, referred to as an area of moderate seismicity.
Regardless, moderate to strong ground shaking associated with seismic activity could cause damage to structures and injury or death to inhabitants. The implementation of the following Public Health and Safety Element policies of the General Plan Update would address potential ground-shaking hazards: Policy PS1A, which requires that new structures and alterations to existing structures comply with the seismic safety requirements of the CBC; Policy PS1B, which calls for geotechnical investigations for proposed developments on sites with potential hazards; and Policy PS10B, which encourages owners of existing critical, sensitive, and high-occupancy facilities with significant seismic vulnerabilities to upgrade, relocate, or phase out the facilities.
Furthermore, new construction in Redding is required to comply with the latest version of the California Building Standards Code, which contains seismic building criteria and standards that are designed to reduce ground-shaking risks to acceptable levels. The proposed General Plan Update goals, policies, and actions, in combination with the CBC and other State and local requirements, would reduce potential ground-shaking impacts to a less-than-significant level.
Seismic-Related Ground Failure (Liquefaction)
During an earthquake, liquefaction may occur in areas with loose soils and high water tables. Areas of concern are located along the Sacramento River and its tributaries due to the presence of the Holocene alluvial deposits. Holocene deposits may contain significant amounts of gravel-size materials which have been shown to be susceptible to liquefaction. Future development and redevelopment under the proposed General Plan Update in these areas could be exposed to liquefaction hazards. These hazards include soil settlement, loss of bearing capacity in foundation soils, and the buoyant rise of structures, leading to structural distress or failure. Excess hydrostatic pressure may also lead to sand boils, mud spouts, and seepage of wate r through ground cracks. The implementation of the following Health and Safety Element policies of the General Plan Update would address potential seismic-related ground failure hazards:
Policy PS1A, which requires that new structures and alterations to existing structures comply with the seismic safety requirements of the UBC; Policy PS1B, which calls for geotechnical investigations for proposed developments on sites with potential hazards; and Policy PS10B, which encourages owners of existing Packet Pg. 1115
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
PLACEWORKS 5.7-23
critical, sensitive, and high-occupancy facilities with significant seismic vulnerabilities to upgrade, relocate, or phase out the facilities.
In accordance with the CBC, geotechnical investigations for new development and redevelopment would determine on-site geologic conditions and identify appropriate recommendations for earthwork, grading, slopes, foundations, pavements, and other necessary g eologic and seismic design considerations.
Compliance with the CBC would identify potential for liquefaction hazards on individual development sites and the construction of buildings and infrastructure that ensures structural integrity to withstand liquefaction hazards. The proposed General Plan Update goals, policies, and actions, in combination with the CBC and other State and local requirements, would reduce potential seismic-related ground failure impacts to a less-than-significant level.
Landslides
Slope instability and landslides are a common problem where there are steep slopes and unstable geologic formations. Most of the city is relatively flat to gently sloping. The western portion of the city does contain slopes that may be susceptible to landslides. Slump-type failures and lateral spreading failures would likely occur at the edge of alluvial terraces and along the floodplain of the Sacramento River .
The Public Safety Element of the General Plan Update includes the following policies that address potential landslide hazards: Policy PS1B, which calls for geotechnical investigations for proposed developments on sites with potential hazards, and Policy PS1C which requires project proponents to determine the landslide, slope-instability, and erosion potential of proposed development sites located in potential hazard areas and to u tilize building setbacks, grading techniques, or appropriate measures when constructing in or near unstable areas. The proposed General Plan Update goals and policies, in combination with the CBC, Grading and Erosion Control Ordinances of the City’s Municipal Code, and other State and local requirements, would ensure that potential slope instability and landslide impacts would be less than significant.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: GEO-1 would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
GEO-2: The project would not result in substantial soil erosion or the loss of topsoil.
Erosion results in the loss of topsoil that may cause sedimentation downstream, and in extreme cases, can lead to landslides. Erosion hazards are of particular concern in the western and northern portions of the city. Approximately 11,000 acres within Redding have erosive soil consisting of the following soil types (Redding 1998):
▪ Newton gravelly loams (5 to 50 percent slopes)
Packet Pg. 1116
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
5.7-24 FEBRUARY 2024
▪ Auburn very stoney loams (8 to 30 percent slopes)
▪ Perkins gravelly loams (15 to 30 percent slopes)
Accelerated erosion may result from development in areas of moderate to steep topography. Soil and wind erosion could result from vegetation removal, improper farming practices, grading for roadways and construction, and improper diversion and discharge of water . During the winter months, there is an increased risk of soil erosion on construction sites, where bare soil can be exposed and potentially unstable slopes can be created. The Public Safety Element and Natural Resource Element of the General Plan Update includes the following policies that addresses soil erosion impacts:
▪ Policy PS1B: Geotechnical investigations for proposed developments on sites with potential hazards, including necessary infrastructure in areas determined to have a "high" liquefaction potential shall be prepared as may be required by the Building Official. ▪ Policy PS1C: As may be required by the Building Official and/or City Engineer, project proponents shall determine the landslide, slope -instability, and erosion potential of proposed development sites located in potential hazard areas. Consider utilizing building setbacks, grading techniques, or appropriate measures when constructing in or near unstable areas. ▪ Policy NR1A: Consider updating the process for the development, review, and approval of erosion- and sedimentation- control plans for development projects prior to include the use of best available practices.
▪ Policy NR1D: Strive to ensure Ensure that erosion control devices are installed and maintained in accordance with the requirements of the grading ordinance, NPDES, conditions of granting permit approval, and any other applicable requirements; and that project monitoring and erosion-control enforcement activities are undertaken to ensure that that the facilities function effectively. ▪ Policy NR1E: Pursue immediate remediation to the extent feasible when erosion damage is discovered and/or initial control measures fail.
▪ Policy NR1F: Continue to enforce the provisions of the RMC for failure to comply with the requirements of the Grading Ordinance and/or an approved erosion - and sedimentation-control plan.
▪ Policy NR1G: Continue supporting and/or jointly sponsor erosion - and sedimentation -control training and education activities in conjunction with local/ regional jurisdictions and the development community. Encourage neighboring jurisdictions to adopt and enforce consistent erosion- and sedimentation-control measures.
▪ Policy NR1H: Provide opportunities for staff responsible for monitoring and enforcing the City's Grading Ordinance to receive adequate training regarding erosion - and sedimentation -control practices.
Packet Pg. 1117
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
PLACEWORKS 5.7-25
New construction in Redding would also be required to comply with the Grading Ordinance in the City’s Municipal Code, which includes requirements for control of erosion due to construction activities for certain project types and locations. The proposed General Plan Update goals and policies, in combination with the Redding Grading Ordinance and other State and local requirements, would reduce potential erosion impacts to a less-than-significant level.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: GEO-2 would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
GEO-3: The project would not result in a significant impact related to development on a geologic unit or soil that is unstable, or that would become unstable as a result of the project, and potentially result in on - or off -site landslide, lateral spreading, subsidence, liquefaction, or collapse.
As shown on Figure 5.7-1, there are multiple soil types in the City that could result in landslides, subsidence, and liquefaction (CGS 2023). New development allowed by the General Plan Update could occur in such hazard areas. Several areas that are part of the proposed General Plan Update could be subject to seismically induced landslides and liquefaction. Areas of Redding may be subject to the effects of liquefaction due to the presence of the Holocene alluvial deposits. Holocene deposits may contain significant amounts of gravel-size materials which have been shown to be susceptible to liquefaction.
These areas are generally found along the areas of concern are located along the Sacramento River and its tributaries (Redding 2000). These saturated, cohesionless soils could lose strength and behave like a viscous liquid in the event of strong ground shaking. This loss of strength could result in the sudden collapse or overturning of structures and collapse of pavement.
The potential for subsidence occurring within the city due to the withdrawal of oil, gas, or water is considered low. Regardless, the Public Health and Safety Element of the General Plan Update includes the following policies that address potential unstable soil impacts: Policy PS1B, which calls for geotechnical investigations for proposed developments on sites with potential hazards, including necessary infrastructure in areas determined to have a "high" liquefaction potential , and Policy PS1C which requires project proponents to determine the landslide, slope -instability, and erosion potential of proposed development sites located in potential hazard areas and to utilize building setbacks, grading techniques, or appropriate measures when constructing in or near unstable areas.
New construction in Redding is also required to comply with the California Building Standards Code, which contains building criteria and standards that are designed to reduce geologic risks to acceptable levels.
Additionally, standard geotechnical engineering procedures, soil testin g, proper design, and quality Packet Pg. 1118
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
5.7-26 FEBRUARY 2024
construction controls can identify and mitigate for liquefiable soils or unstable soils during site development. By applying knowledge about the kinds of soils, their strengths, and groundwater conditions, and by properly designing and constructing fills a nd foundations, modern soil engineering practices have improved greatly. Through adherence to current standards, subsidence and settlement damage, including liquefaction, can be reduced to levels that are generally considered acceptable.
The proposed General Plan Update goals, policies, and actions, in combination with the CBC, Grading Ordinance, and other State and local requirements, would ensure that potential unstable soil impacts would be less than significant.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: GEO-3 would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
GEO-4: The project would not create substantial risks to life or property as a result of its location on expansive soil, as defined in Section 1803.5.3 of the California Building Code, creating substantial direct or indirect risks to life or property.
The General Plan Update would allow new development in areas with expansive soils. However, most soils within the city are comprised of fine sandy loams and sandy loams (Redding 1998). These soils are not considered to be subject to expansion. Moreover, because of the overall prevalence of granular soils (gravel, sand, or silt, with little to no clay content) with low to moderate linear extensibilities (shrink / swell) within the city, expansive soils are not a significant concern. Newly constructed buildings, pavements, and utilities in areas with expansive soils could be damaged by differential sett lement due to soil expansion and contraction. These variations in ground settlement may ultimately lead to structural failure and damage to infrastructure.
The adverse effects of expansive soils can be avoided through proper subsoil preparation, drainage, and foundation design. However, to design an adequate foundation, the conditions must be assessed through appropriate soil sampling and laboratory soils testing. Expansive soils are identified through expansion tests of samples of soil or rock. Procedures employed in expansive soils testing are found in the CBC that has been adopted by the City of Redding.
The Public Safety Element of the General Plan Update includes the following policy that addresses potential hazards from expansive soils: Policy PS1B, which calls for geotechnical investigations for proposed developments on sites with potential hazards . The proposed General Plan Update goals and policies, in combination with the CBC and other State and local requirements, would ensure that potential expansive soil impacts would be less than significant.
Packet Pg. 1119
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
PLACEWORKS 5.7-27
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: GEO-4 would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
GEO-5: The project would not utilize septic tanks or alternative wastewater disposal systems where soils would be incapable of adequately supporting the in cases where sewers are not available for the disposal of wastewater.
There are portions of Redding that have soils that are unsuitable for wastewater disposal through septic systems. These include areas with shallow groundwater, impermeable clay soils, and/or steep slopes. Future development under the General Plan Update would connect to the City’s sewer system, where feasible. The following policy in the Community Development and Design Element of the General Plan Update addresses septic tanks: Policy CDD1F, which generally opposes development of community septic systems, wastewater package plants, and/or temporary sewage disposal facilities within the Primary and Secondary Growth areas for developments within the jurisdiction of Shasta County. The General Plan Update policy, in combination with State and local requirements would ensure impacts are less than significant.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: GEO-5 would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
GEO-6: Project development would not directly or indirectly destroy a unique paleontological resource or unique geologic feature.
Future development allowed under the General Plan Update may result in impacts to paleontological resources or unique geological features. Ground-disturbing activities in sensitive areas may cause damage to or destruction of paleontological resources. Additionally, development of previous undeveloped areas could result in the discovery of paleontological resources, which would be considered a significant impact.
The Park, Trails, and Recreation Element of the General Plan Update includes the following policy pertaining to paleontological resources, Policy R4C which seeks to p romote and encourage consultation and partnership with Wintu tribes and historical research groups and others for the protection, improvement, and preservation of archaeological, paleontological, historical and cultural resources in parks. The proposed policies of the General Plan Update, federal and state regulations, as well as mitigation measures GEO -1 and GEO-2 would reduce potential impacts to less than significant.
Packet Pg. 1120
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
5.7-28 FEBRUARY 2024
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: GEO-6 would be potentially significant.
Mitigation Measures
GEO-1 Prior to issuance of a grading permit for projects involving ground disturbance in previously undisturbed, the project applicant shall consult with a geologist or paleontologist to confirm whether the grading would occur at depths that could encounter highly sensitive sediments for paleontological resources. If confirmed that underlying sediments may have sensitivity, construction activity shall be monitored by a qualified paleontologist. The paleontologist shall have the authority to halt construction during ground -disturbing activities, as outlined in Mitigation Measure GEO-2.
GEO-2 In the event of any fossil discovery, regardless of depth or geologic formation, ground - disturbing activities shall halt within a 50-foot radius of the find until its significance can be determined by a qualified paleontologist. Significant fossils shall be recovered, prepared to the point of curation, identified by qualified experts, listed in a database to facilitate analysis, and deposited in a designated paleontological curation facility, in accordance with the standards of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. The repository shall be identified, and a curatorial arrangement shall be signed prior to collection of the fossils.
Level of Significance After Mitigation: GEO-6 would be less than significant.
5.7.5 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS
GEO-7 The proposed project, in combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, would result in less -than-significant cumulative impacts with respect to geology and soils.
Development in Redding would continue to expose people and property to seismic hazards and adverse soil conditions. The policies contained in the General Plan Update, along with compliance with State and local regulations addressing building construction, and mitigation measures GEO -and GEO-2, would reduce project-level impacts associated with geology and soils to a less-than-significant level. Development projects in other communities would also be subject to federal, State, and local policies and regulations that would address seismic and geologic hazard impacts.
Overall, federal, state, and local policies and regulations would address potential local and site -specific impacts associated with geology and soils. Therefore, the cumulative geology and soils impact would be less than significant.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: GEO-7 would be less than significant.
Packet Pg. 1121
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
PLACEWORKS 5.7-29
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.
Packet Pg. 1122
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
5.7-30 FEBRUARY 2024
5.7.6 REFERENCES
Blakeslee, M. W. and S. A. Kattenhorn . 2013. Revised earthquake hazard of the Hat Creek fault, northern California: A case example of a normal fault dissecting variable -age basaltic lavas, Geosphere; October 2013; v. 9; no. 5; p. 1397-1409
California Geological Survey (CGS). 1991. Special Studies Zones Map Cassel Quadrangle, http://gmw.conservation.ca.gov/, accessed January 4, 2023. ______. 1998. Historic Earthquake Online Database,
http://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/historicearthquakes/, accessed January 4, 2023 ______. 2002, December . Note 36: California Geomorphic Provinces, http://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/information/publications/cgs_notes/Pages/index.aspx. ______. 2016, August 18. Fault Activity Map of California (2010). http://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/fam/.
______. 2017a. Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act . https://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/alquist- priolo, accessed January 4, 2023.
_____. 2023, April 25 (Accessed). CGS Seismic Hazards Program: Liquefaction Zones (webmap). https://gis.data.ca.gov/datasets/cadoc::cgs-seismic-hazards-program-liquefaction-zones- 1/explore?location=40.120087%2C-121.125042%2C8.10
Harwood, D. S., and E. J. Helley . 1987. Late Cenozoic Tectonism of the Sacramento Valley, California, U. S.
Geological Survey Professional Paper 1359 . https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1359/report.pdf, accessed January 4, 2023.
Martin, G. 2020. The Rocky Ledge Fault, Shasta County, NE California: Development and Morphology of a Quaternary Oblique Normal Fault in Basalt, Portland State University, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. https://www.proquest.com/openview/c7de5575a917a257644e1a8c71683481/1?pq- origsite=gscholar&cbl=44156, accessed April 27, 2022.
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). 2022a. Web Soil Survey. http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/. Accessed April 2022. ––––––. 2022b. Soil Data Access Hydric Soils List.
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/mail/soils/use/hydric/. Accessed June 2022.
Redding, City of. 1998, July. 2000 -2020 General Plan Background Report. https://www.cityofredding.org/home/showpublisheddocument/26287/637672947986030000 ––––––. 2000, October . 2000 -2020 General Plan.
https://www.cityofredding.org/home/showpublisheddocument/5506/635791168569530000 Packet Pg. 1123
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
PLACEWORKS 5.7-31
––––––. 2015, November . Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. http://www.cityofredding.org/home/ showdocument?id=5627, accessed January 4, 2023.
Shasta County Department of Public Works (Shasta County). 2016, September. Shasta County and City of Anderson Multi -Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan . http://www.co.shasta.ca.us/docs/libraries/public-works-docs/schmp-2015-update/2015-schmp- admin-draft_062016.pdf?sfvrsn=6, accessed January 4, 2023.
U. S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). 1974. Soil Survey of Shasta County Area,
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/california/CA607/0/shasta.pdf, accessed April 26, 2022.
______. 2022, Web Soil Survey Website. https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/WebSoilSurvey.aspx, accessed January 4, 2023.
United States Department of the Interior (USDI). 2000. Assessment of Fossil Management on Federal and Indian Lands.
Wills, C. J., R. J. Weldon II, and W. A. Bryant (Wills et. al.). 2008. Appendix A: California Fault Parameters for the National Seismic Hazard Maps and Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities 2007. https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1437/a/of2007-1437a.pdf, accessed April 27, 2022.
Packet Pg. 1124
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
5.7-32 FEBRUARY 2024
This page intentionally left blank.
Packet Pg. 1125
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-1
5.8 GREENHOUSE GASES
This section of the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) evaluates the potential for the City of Redding General Plan Update (proposed project) to impact the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in a local and regional context. Because no single project is large enough to result in a measurable increase in global concentrations of GHG, climate change impacts of a project are considered on a cumulative basis.
5.8.1 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
5.8.1.1 TERMINOLOGY
The following are definitions for terms used throughout this section. ▪ Greenhouse gases (GHG). Gases in the atmosphere that absorb infrared light, thereby retaining heat in the atmosphere and contributing to a greenhouse effect. ▪ Global warming potential (GWP). Metric used to describe how much heat a molecule of a GHG absorbs relative to a molecule of carbon dioxide (CO2) over a given period (20, 100, and 500 years).
CO2 has a GWP of 1.
▪ Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2e). The standard unit to measure the amount of GHGs in terms of the amount of CO2 that would cause the same amount of warming. CO2e is based on the GWP ratios between the various GHGs relative to CO2.
▪ MTCO2e. Metric ton of CO2e.
▪ MMTCO2e. Million metric tons of CO2e.
Packet Pg. 1126
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-2 FEBR UARY 2024
5.8.1.2 GREENHOUSE GASSES AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Human activities are contributing to global climate change by adding substantial amounts of heat-trapping gases, known as GHGs, to the atmosphere. The primary source of these GHGs is fossil fuel use. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has identified four major GHGs —water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH 4), and ozone (O 3)—that are the likely cause of an increase in global average temperatures observed in the 20th and 21st centuries. Other GHGs identified by the IPCC that contributes to global warming to a lesser extent are nitrous oxide (N2O), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and chlorofluorocarbon s (IPCC 2001). 1 ,2 The major GHGs applicable to the proposed project are briefly described.
The major GHGs are described as follows:
▪ Carbon dioxide (Co2) enters the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal), solid waste, trees and wood products, and respiration, and a result of other chemical reactions (e.g., manufacture of cement). Carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere (sequestered) when it is absorbed by plants as part of the biological carbon cycle. ▪ Methane (CH4) is emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil. Methane emissions also result from livestock and other agricultural practices and from the decay of organic waste in landfills and water treatment facilities.
▪ Nitrous oxide (N 2O) is emitted during agricultural and industrial activities as well as during the combustion of fossil fuels and solid waste.
GHGs are dependent on the lifetime, or persistence, of the gas molecule in the atmosphere. Some GHGs have stronger greenhouse effects than others, these are referred to as high GWP gases. The GWP of GHG emissions are shown in Table 5.8-1, GHG Emissions and Their Relative Global Warming Potential Compared to CO2. The GWP is used to convert GHGs to CO 2-equivalence (CO 2e) to show the relative potential that different GHGs must retain infrared radiation in the atmosphere and contribute to the greenhouse effect.
For example, under the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), GWP values for CH 4, 10 MT of CH 4 would be equivalent to 280 MT of CO2.
1 Water vapor (H2O) is the strongest GHG and the most variable in its phases (vapor, cloud droplets, ice crystals); however, water vapor is not considered a pollutant because it is considered part of the feedback loop rather than a primary cause of change. 2 Black carbon contributes to climate change both directly, by absorbing sunlight, and indirectly, by depositing on snow (making it melt faster) and by interacting with clouds and affecting cloud formation. Black carbon is the most strongly light - absorbing component of particulate matter (PM) emitted from burning fuels such as coal, diesel, and biomass. The share of black carbon emissions from transportation is dropping rapidly and is expected to continue to do so between now and 2030 as a resul t of California’s air quality programs. The remaining black carbon emissions will come largely from woodstoves/fireplaces, off -road applications, and industrial/commercial combustion (CARB 2022). However, state and national GHG inventories do not include black carbon due to ongoing work resolving the precise global warming potential of black carbon. Guidance for CEQA documents does not yet include black carbon.
Packet Pg. 1127
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-3
TABLE 5.8-1 GHG EMISSIONS AND THEIR RELATIVE GLOBAL WARMING POTENTIAL COMPARED TO CO2 GHGs
Fifth Assessment Report
Global Warming
Potential Relative to CO21
Sixth Assessment Report
Global Warming
Potential Relative to CO21
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 1 1
Methane (CH4)2 28 30
Nitrous Oxide (N2O) 265 273
Source: IPCC 2013, 2021.
Notes: The IPCC published updated GWP values in its Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) that reflect latest information on atmospheric lifetimes of GHGs and an improved calculation of the radiative forcing of CO2. However, GWP values identified in AR5 are used by the 2022 Scoping Plan for long-term emissions forecasting. Therefore, this analysis utilizes AR5 GWP values consistent with the current Scoping Plan. 1 Based on 100-year time horizon of the GWP of the air pollutant compared to CO2. 2 The methane GWP includes direct effects and indirect effects due to the production of tropospheric ozone and stratospheric water vapor. The indirect effect due to the production of CO2 is not included.
Human Influence on Climate Change
For approximately 1,000 years before the Industrial Revolution, the amount of GHGs in the atmosphere remained relatively constant. During the 20th century scientists observed a rapid change in the climate and the quantity of climate change pollutants in the Earth’s atmosphere that is attributable to human activities.
The recent Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) summarizes the latest scientific consensus on climate change. It finds that atmospheric concentr ations of CO2 have increased by 50 percent since the industrial revolution and continue to increase at a rate of two parts per million each year. By the 2030s, and no later than 2040, the world will exceed 1.5°C warming (CARB 2022). These recent changes in the quantity and concentration of climate change pollutants far exceed the extremes of the ice ages, and the global mean temperature is warming at a rate that cannot be explained by natural causes alone. Human activities are directly alt ering the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the buildup of climate change pollutants (CAT 2006). In the past, gradual changes in the earth’s temperature changed the distribution of species, availability of water, etc. Human activities are accelerating this process so that environmental impacts associated with climate change no longer occur in a geologic time frame but within a human lifetime (IPCC 2007).
Like the variability in the projections of the expected increase in global surface temperatures, the environmental consequences of gradual changes in the Earth’s temperature are hard to predict. Projections of climate change depend heavily upon future huma n activity. Therefore, climate models are based on different emission scenarios that account for historical trends in emissions and on observations of the climate record that assess the human influence of the trend and projections for extreme weather event s.
Climate-change scenarios are affected by varying degrees of uncertainty. For example, there are varying degrees of certainty on the magnitude of the trends for:
▪ Warmer and fewer cold days and nights over most land areas. ▪ Warmer and more frequent hot days and nights over most land areas.
Packet Pg. 1128
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-4 FEBR UARY 2024
▪ An increase in the frequency of warm spells and heat waves over most land areas. ▪ An increase in frequency of heavy precipitation events (or proportion of total rainfall from heavy falls) over most areas.
▪ Larger areas affected by drought.
▪ Intense tropical cyclone activity increases.
▪ Increased incidence of extreme high sea level (excluding tsunamis).
Potential Climate Change Impacts for California
There is at least a greater than 50 percent likelihood that global warming will reach or exceed 1.5°C in the near-term, even for the very low GHG emissions scenario (IPCC 2022). Climate change is already impacting California and will continue to affect it for the foreseeable future. For example, the average temperature in most areas of California is already 1°F higher than historical levels, and some areas have seen average increases in excess of 2° F (CalOES 2020). The California Fourth Climate Change Asses sment identifies the following climate change impacts under a business-as-usual scenario:
▪ Annual average daily high temperatures in California are expected to rise by 2.7°F by 2040, 5.8°F by 2070, and 8.8°F by 2100 compared to observed and modeled historical conditions. These changes are statewide averages. Heat waves are projected to become lo nger, more intense, and more frequent.
▪ Warming temperatures are expected to increase soil moisture loss and lead to drier seasonal conditions. Summer dryness may become prolonged, with soil drying beginning earlier in the spring and lasting longer into the fall and winter rainy season. ▪ High heat increases the risk of death from cardiovascular, respiratory, cerebrovascular, and other diseases.
▪ Droughts are likely to become more frequent and persistent. ▪ Climate change is projected to increase the strength of the most intense precipitation and storm events affecting California.
▪ Mountain ranges in California are already seeing a reduction in the percentage of precipitation falling as snow. Snowpack levels are projected to decline significantly by 2100 due to reduced snowfall and faster snowmelt. California’s water storage system i s designed with the expectation that snow will stay frozen for many months, and that as it melts, it will be stored in a series of reservoirs and dams, many of which are used to generate electricity. Changing waterfall patterns therefore impact both water supply and electricity supply. ▪ Marine layer clouds are projected to decrease, though more research is needed to better understand their sensitivity to climate change.
Packet Pg. 1129
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-5
▪ Extreme wildfires (i.e., fires larger than 10,000 hectares or 24,710 acres) would occur 50 percent more frequently. The maximum area burned statewide may increase 178 percent by the end of the century. Drought and reduced water supplies can increase wildfire risk. ▪ Exposure to wildfire smoke is linked to increased incidence of respiratory illness. ▪ Sea level rise is expected to continue to increase erosion of beaches, cliffs, and bluffs . (CalOES 2020).
Table 5.8-2, Summary of GHG Emissions Risk to California, shows the global climate change risks to California which include impacts public health, water resources, agriculture, coastal sea level, forest and biological resources, and energy.
TABLE 5.8-2 SUMMARY OF GHG EMISSIONS RISK TO CALIFORNIA Impact Category Potential Risks
Public Health Impacts
Heat waves will be more frequent, hotter, and longer
Poor air quality made worse.
Higher temperatures increase ground-level ozone (i.e., smog) levels Water Resource Impacts
Decreasing Sierra Nevada snowpack
Challenges in securing adequate water supply
Potential reduction in hydropower
Loss of winter recreation
Agricultural Impacts
Increasing temperature
Increasing threats from pests and pathogens
Expanded ranges of agricultural weeds
Declining productivity
Irregular blooms and harvests
Coastal Sea Level Impacts
Accelerated sea level rise.
Increasing coastal floods
Shrinking beaches
Worsened impacts on infrastructure
Forest and Biological Resource Impacts
Increased risk and severity of wildfires
Lengthening of the wildfire season
Movement of forest areas
Conversion of forest to grassland
Declining forest productivity
Increasing threats from pest and pathogens
Shifting vegetation and species distribution
Altered timing of migration and mating habits
Loss of sensitive or slow-moving species
Energy Demand Impacts Potential reduction in hydropower Increased energy demand
Sources: CEC 2006, 2009; CCCC 2012; CNRA 2014; CalEOS 2020 Packet Pg. 1130
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-6 FEBR UARY 2024
▪ Water Resources Impacts. By late this century, all projections show drying, and half of the projections suggest 30-year average precipitation will decline by more than 10 percent below the historical average. Even in projections with relatively little or no decline in precipitation, central and southern parts of the state are expected to be drier from the warming effects alone because the spring snowpack will melt sooner, and the moisture in soils will evaporate during long dry summer months.
▪ Wildfire Risks. Earlier snowmelt, higher temperatures, and longer dry periods over a longer fire season will directly increase wildfire risk. Indirectly, wildfire risk will also be influenced by potential climate-related changes in vegetation and ignition potential from lightning. Human activities will continue to be the biggest factor in ignition risk. The number of large fires statewide is estimated to increase by 58 percent to 128 percent above historical levels by 2085. Under the same emissions scenario, estimated burned area will increase by 57 percent to 169 percent, depending on location. ▪ Health Impacts. Many of the gravest threats to public health in California stem from the increase of extreme conditions, principally more frequent, more intense, and longer heat waves. Particular concern centers on the increasing tendency for multiple hot days in succession, and simultaneous heat waves in several regions throughout the state. Public health could also be affected by climate change impacts on air quality, food production, the amount and quality of water supplies, energy pricing and availabili ty, and the spread of infectious diseases. Higher temperatures also increase ground-level ozone levels. Furthermore, wildfires can increase particulate air pollution in the major air basins of California.
▪ Increase Energy Demand. Increases in average temperature and higher frequency of extreme heat events combined with new residential development across the state will drive up the demand for cooling in the increasingly hot and longer summer season and decrease demand for heating in the cooler season. Warmer, drier summers also increase system losses at natural gas plants (reduced efficiency in the electricity generation process at higher temperatures) and hydropower plants (lower reservoir levels). Transmissi on of electricity will also be affected by climate change.
Transmission lines lose 7 percent to 8 percent of transmitting capacity in high temperatures while needing to transport greater loads. This means that more electricity needs to be produced to make up for the loss in capacity and the growing demand (CCST 2012).
5.8.1.3 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
Federal Regulations
The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) announced on December 7, 2009, that GHG emissions threaten the public health and welfare of the American people and that GHG emissions from on -road vehicles contribute to that threat. The EPA’s final findings respond to the 2007 U.S. Supreme Court decision that GHG emissions fit within the Clean Air Act definition of air pollutants. The findings do not impose any Packet Pg. 1131
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-7
emission reduction requirements but allow the EPA to finalize the GHG standards proposed in 2009 for new light-duty vehicles as part of the joint rulemaking with the Department of Transportation (USEPA 2009a).
To regulate GHGs from passenger vehicles, EPA was required to issue an endangerment finding (USEPA 2009b). The finding identified emissions of six key GHGs —CO2, CH 4, N 2O, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and SF 6—that have been the subject of scrutiny and intense analysis for decades by scientists in the United States and around the world. The first three are applicable to the proposed project’s GHG emissions inventory because they constitute the majority of GHG emissions and, according to guidance by the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD), are the GHG emissions that should be evaluated as part of a project’s GHG emissions inventory (SMAQMD 2021).
US Mandatory Report Rule for GHGs (2009)
In response to the endangerment finding, the EPA issued the Mandatory Reporting of GHG Rule that requires substantial emitters of GHG emissions (large stationary sources, etc.) to report GHG emissions data.
Facilities that emit 25,000 MT or more of CO2e per year are required to submit an annual report.
Update to Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards (2017 to 2026) The federal government issued new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards in 2012 for model years 2017 to 2025, which required a fleet average of 54.5 miles per gallon (MPG) in 2025. However, on March 30, 2020, the EPA finalized an updated CAFE and GHG emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks and established new standards covering model years 2021 through 2026, known as the Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Final Rule for Model Years 2021 to 2026. Under SAFE, the fuel economy standards will increase 1.5 percent per year compared to the 5 percent per year under the CAFE standards established in 2012. Overall, SAFE requires a fleet average of 40.4 MPG for model year 2026 vehicles (85 Federal Register 24174 (April 30, 2020)).
On December 21, 2021, under the direction of Executive Order (EO) 13990 issued by President Biden, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) repealed SAFE Vehicles Rule Part One, which had preempted state and local laws related to fuel economy standards. In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced new proposed fuel standards on March 31, 2022. Fuel efficiency under the new standards proposed will increase 8 percent annually for model years 2024 to 2025 and 10 percent annual for model year 2026. Overall, the new CAFE standards require a fleet average of 49 MPG for passenger vehicles and light trucks for model year 2026, which would be a 10 MPG increase relative to model year 2021 (NHTSA 2022).
Packet Pg. 1132
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-8 FEBR UARY 2024
State Regulations
Current State of California guidance and goals for reductions in GHG emissions are embodied in EO S-03- 05, EO B-30-15, EO B-55-18, Assembly Bill 32 (AB 32), AB 1279, Senate Bill 32 (SB 32), and SB 375.
Executive Order S-3-05
Executive Order S-3-05 set forth a series of target dates by which statewide emissions of GHGs would be progressively reduced, as follows:
▪ By 2010, reduce GHG emissions to 2000 levels.
▪ By 2020, reduce GHG emissions to 1990 levels.
▪ By 2050, reduce GHG emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels.
Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act (2006) AB 32 was passed by the California state legislature on August 31, 2006, to place the state on a course toward reducing its contribution of GHG emissions. AB 32 follows the 2020 tier of emissions reduction targets established in EO S 03 05. CARB prepared the 2008 Scoping Plan to outline a plan to achieve the GHG emissions reduction targets of AB 32.
Executive Order B-30-15 (2015)
EO B-30-15, signed April 29, 2015, set a goal of reducing GHG emissions in the state to 40 percent of 1990 levels by year 2030. Executive Order B-30-15 also directed CARB to update the Scoping Plan to quantify the 2030 GHG reduction goal for the state and re quires state agencies to implement measures to meet the interim 2030 goal as well as the long-term goal for 2050 in EO S-03-05. It also requires the Natural Resources Agency to conduct triennial updates of the California adaption strategy, Safeguarding California, in order to ensure climate change is accounted for in state planning and investment decisions.
Senate Bill 32 and Assembly Bill 197
In September 2016, Governor Brown signed SB 32 and AB 197 into law, making the executive order goal for year 2030 into a statewide mandated legislative target. AB 197 established a joint legislative committee on climate change policies and requires the CAR B to prioritize direct emissions reductions rather than the market-based cap-and-trade program for large stationary, mobile, and other sources.
Assembly Bill 1279, the California Climate Crisis Act
AB 1279 declares the state to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 and maintain a negative greenhouse gas emissions thereafter, and to ensure that by 2045, statewide anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to at least 85 percent below the 1990 levels.
Packet Pg. 1133
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-9
2017 Climate Change Scoping Plan Update
EO B-30-15 and SB 32 required CARB to prepare another update to the Scoping Plan to address the 2030 target for the state. On December 24, 2017, CARB adopted the 2017 Climate Change Scoping Plan Update, which outlined potential regulations and programs, including strategies consistent with AB 197 requirements, to achieve the 2030 target. The 2017 Scoping Plan established a new emissions limit of 260 MMTCO2e for the year 2030, which corresponds to a 40 percent decrease in 1990 levels by 2030 (CARB 2017b).
California’s climate strategy will require contributions from all sectors of the economy, including an enhanced focus on zero - and near-zero emission (ZE/NZE) vehicle technologies; continued investment in renewables, such as solar roofs, wind, and other types of distributed generation; greater use of low carbon fuels; integrated land conservation and development strategies; coordinated efforts to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (methane, black carbon, and fluorinated gases); and an increa sed focus on integrated land use planning, to support livable, transit -connected communities and conservation of agricultural and other lands. Requirements for GHG reductions at stationary sources complement local air pollution control efforts by the local air districts to tighten criteria air pollutants and toxic air contaminants emissions limits on a broad spectrum of industrial sources. Major elements of the 2017 Scoping Plan framework include:
▪ Implementing and/or increasing the standards of the Mobile Source Strategy, which include increasing ZE buses and trucks.
▪ Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), with an increased stringency (18 percent by 2030). ▪ Implementation of SB 350, which expands the Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) to 50 percent RPS and doubles energy efficiency savings by 2030.
▪ California Sustainable Freight Action Plan, which improves freight system efficiency, utilizes near - zero emissions technology, and deployment of ZE trucks. ▪ Implementing the Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Strategy, which focuses on reducing methane and hydrofluorocarbon emissions by 40 percent and anthropogenic black carbon emissions by 50 percent by year 2030.
▪ Post-2020 Cap-and-Trade Program that includes declining caps. ▪ Continued implementation of SB 375.
▪ Development of a Natural and Working Lands Action Plan to secure California’s land base as a net carbon sink.
To the degree a project relies on GHG mitigation measures, CARB recommends that lead agencies prioritize on-site design features that reduce emissions, especially from vehicle miles traveled ( VMT), and direct investments in GHG reductions within the project’s region that contribute to potential air quality, health, and economic co -benefits. Where further project design or regional investments are infeasible or not Packet Pg. 1134
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-10 FEBR UARY 2024
proven to be effective, CARB recommends mitigating potential GHG impacts through purchasing and retiring carbon credits (CARB 2017b).
Executive Order B-55-18
Executive Order B-55-18, signed September 10, 2018, sets a goal “to achieve carbon neutrality as soon as possible, and no later than 2045, and achieve and maintain net negative emissions thereafter .” Executive Order B-55-18 directs CARB to work with releva nt state agencies to ensure future Scoping Plans identify and recommend measures to achieve the carbon neutrality goal. The goal of carbon neutrality by 2045 is in addition to other statewide goals, meaning not only should emissions be reduced to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, but that, by no later than 2045, the remaining emissions be offset by equivalent net removals of CO2e from the atmosphere, including through sequestration in forests, soils, and other natural landscapes.
2022 Climate Change Scoping Plan Update
CARB released the Draft 2022 Scoping Plan on May 10, 2022. The Scoping Plan was updated to address the carbon neutrality goals of EO B-55-18. Previous Scoping Plans focused on specific GHG reduction targets for our industrial, energy, and transportation sectors —to meet 1990 levels by 2020, and then the more aggressive 40 percent below that for the 2030 target. Carbon neutrality takes it one step further by expanding actions to capture and store carbon including through natural and working lands and mechanical technologies, while drastically reducing anthropogenic sources of carbon pollution at the same time . The measures in the Scoping Plan would achieve 80 percent below 1990 lev els by 2050. Final adoption of the 2022 Scoping Plan is anticipated in late fall 2022 (CARB 2022).
CARB’s 2022 Scoping Plan identifies strategies that would be most impactful at the local level for ensuring substantial process towards the State’s carbon neutrality goals (see Table 5.8-3, Priority Strategies for Local Government Climate Action Plans).
Packet Pg. 1135
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-11
TABLE 5.8-3 PRIORITY STRATEGIES FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT CLIMATE ACTION PLANS Priority Area Priority Strategies
Transportation Electrification
Convert local government fleets to zero-emission vehicles (ZEV).
Create a jurisdiction-specific ZEV ecosystem to support deployment of ZEVs statewide (such as permit streamlining, infrastructure siting, consumer education, or preferential parking policies).
VMT Reduction
Reduce or eliminate minimum parking standards in new developments, Adopt and implement Complete Streets policies and investments, consistent with general plan circulation element requirements,
Increase public access to shared clean mobility options (such as planning for and investing in electric shuttles, bike share, car share, transit).
Implement parking pricing or transportation demand management pricing strategies.
Amend zoning or development codes to enable mixed -use, walkable, and compact infill development (such as increasing allowable density of the neighborhood).
Preserve natural and working lands.
Building Decarbonization
Adopt policies and incentive programs to implement energy efficiency retrofits (such as weatherization, lighting upgrades, replacing energy intensive appliances and equipment with more efficient systems, etc.).
Adopt policies and incentive programs to electrify all appliances and equipment in existing buildings.
Adopt policies and incentive programs to reduce electrical loads from equipment plugged into outlets (such as purchasing Energy Star equipment for municipal buildings, occupancy sensors, smart power strips, equipment controllers, etc.).
Facilitate deployment of renewable energy production and distribution and energy storage.
Source: CARB 2022
For CEQA projects for proposed land use developments, CARB recommends demonstrating that they are aligned with State climate goals based on the attributes of land use development that reduce operational GHG emissions while simultaneously advancing fair housing. Attributes that accommodate growth in a manner consistent with the GHG and equity goals of SB 32 have all the following attributes:
▪ At least 20 percent of the units are affordable to lower-income residents; ▪ Result in no net loss of existing affordable units;
▪ Utilize existing infill sites that are surrounded by urban uses, and reuse or redevelop previously developed, underutilized land presently served by existing utilities and essential public services (e.g., transit, streets, water, sewer);
▪ Include transit -supportive densities (minimum of 20 residential dwelling units/acre), or are in proximity to existing transit (within ½ mile), or satisfy more detailed and stringent criteria specified in the region’s Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS), for “SCS consistency” that would go further to reduce emissions;
▪ Do not result in the loss or conversion of the State’s natural and working lands; Packet Pg. 1136
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-12 FEBR UARY 2024
▪ Use all electric appliances, without any natural gas connections, and would not use propane or other fossil fuels for space heating, water heating, or indoor cooking ▪ Provide EV charging infrastructure at least in accordance with the California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen) Tier 2 standards; and
▪ Relax parking requirements by:
o Eliminating parking requirements or including maximum allowable parking ratios. o Providing residential parking supply at a ratio of <1 parking space per unit. o Unbundling residential parking costs from costs to rent or lease. (CARB 2022) The second approach to project -level alignment with State climate goals is net zero GHG emissions. The third approach to demonstrating project -level alignment with State climate goals is to align with GHG thresholds of significance, which many local air qu ality management (AQMDs) and air pollution control districts (APCDs) have developed or adopted (CARB 2022).
Assembly Bill 1279
Assembly Bill 1279, signed by Governor Newsom in September 2022, codified the carbon neutrality targets of EO B-55-18 for year 2045 and sets a new legislative target for year 2045 of 85 percent below 1990 levels for anthropogenic GHG emissions. SB 1279 also requires CARB to update the Scoping Plan to address these new targets.
Senate Bill 375
SB 375, the Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act, adopted in 2008 to connect the GHG emissions reduction targets established in the 2008 Scoping Plan for the transportation sector to local land use decisions that affect travel behavior . Its intent is to reduce GHG emissions from light -duty trucks and automobiles (excludes emissions associated with goods movement) by aligning regional long -range transportation plans, investments, and housing allocations to local land use planning to reduce VMT and vehicle trips. Specifically, SB 375 required CARB to establish GHG emissions reduction targets for each of the 18 metropolitan planning organizations (MPO). Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is the MPO for the Bay region, which includes Napa, Marin, San Francisco, and Contra Costa counties. Pursuant to the recommendations of the Regional Transportation Advisory Committee, CARB adopted per capita reduction targets for each of the MPOs rather than a total magnitude reduction target. 2017 Update to the SB 375 Targets
CARB is required to update targets for the MPOs every eight years. In June 2017, CARB released updated targets and technical methodology and recently released another update in February 2018, which became effective in October 2018. CARB adopted the updated targets and methodology on March 22, 2018. All SCSs adopted after October 1, 2018, are subject to these new targets. The updated targets consider the need to Packet Pg. 1137
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-13
further reduce VMT, as identified in CARB’s Scoping Plan, while balancing the need for additional and more flexible revenue sources to incentivize positive planning and action toward sustainable communities. Like the 2010 targets, the updated SB 375 targets are in units of percent per capita reduction in GHG emissions from automobiles and light trucks compared to 2005. This excludes reductions anticipated from implementation of state technology and fuels strategies and any potential future state strategies such as statewide road user pricing. The proposed targets call for greater per-capita GHG emission reductions from SB 375 than are currently in place, which for 2035 translates into proposed targets that either match or exceed the emission reduction levels in the MPOs’ currently adopted sustainable communities’ strategies (SCS). As proposed, CARB staff’s proposed targets would result in an additional reduction of over 8 MMTCO2e in 2035 compared to the current targets (CARB 2018).
Transportation Sector Specific Regulations
Assembly Bill 1493
California vehicle GHG emission standards were enacted under AB 1493 (Pavley I). Pavley I is a clean -car standard that reduces GHG emissions from new passenger vehicles (light -duty auto to medium -duty vehicles) from 2009 through 2016 and is anticipated to reduce GHG emissions from new passenger vehicles by 30 percent in 2016. California implements the Pavley I standards through a waiver granted to California by the EPA. In 2012, the EPA issued a Final Rulemaking that sets even more stringent fuel economy and GHG emissions standards for model years 2017 through 2025 light -duty vehicles. (See also the previous discussion in federal regulations under “Update to Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards [2017 to 2026].”) In January 2012, CARB approved the Advance d Clean Cars program (formerly known as Pavley II) for model years 2017 through 2025. The program combines the control of smog, soot, and GHGs with requirements for greater numbers of ZE vehicles into a single package of standards. Under California’s Advanced Clean Car program, by 2025 new automobiles will emit 34 percent less GHG emissions and 75 percent less smog-forming emissions.
Executive Order S-01-07
On January 18, 2007, the state set a new LCFS for transportation fuels sold in the state. EO S -01-07 set a declining standard for GHG emissions measured in CO2e gram per unit of fuel energy sold in California. The LCFS required a reduction of 2.5 percent in the carbon intensity of California’s transportation fuels by 2015 and a reduction of at least 10 percent by 2020. The standard applied to refiners, blenders, producers, and importers of transportation fuels, and used market-based mechanisms to allow these providers to choose the most economically feasible methods for reducing emissions during the “fuel cycle.” Executive Order B-16-2012
On March 23, 2012, the state identified that CARB, the California Energy Commission (CEC), the Public Utilities Commission, and other relevant agencies worked with the Plug-in Electric Vehicle Collaborative and the California Fuel Cell Partnership to estab lish benchmarks to accommodate ZE vehicles in major Packet Pg. 1138
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-14 FEBR UARY 2024
metropolitan areas, including infrastructure to support them (e.g., electric vehicle charging stations). EO B 16-2012 also directed the number of ZE vehicles in California’s state vehicle fleet to increase through the normal course of fleet replacement so that at least 10 percent of fleet purchases of light-duty vehicles are ZE by 2015 and at least 25 percent by 2020. The executive order also established a target for the transportation sector of reducing GHG emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels.
Executive Order N-79-20
On September 23, 2020, Governor Newsom signed EO N-79-20, whose goal is that 100 percent of in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks will be ZE by 2035. Additionally, the fleet goals for trucks are that 100 percent of drayage trucks are ZE by 2035, and 100 percent of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in the state are ZE by 2045, where feasible. The EO’s goal for the state is to transition to 100 percent ZE off -road vehicles and equipment by 2035, where feasible.
Renewables Portfolio: Carbon Neutrality Regulations
Senate Bills 1078, 107, and X1-2 and Executive Order S 14 08 A major component of California’s Renewable Energy Program is the renewables portfolio standard established under Senate Bills 1078 and 107. Under the RPS, certain retail sellers of electricity were required to increase the amount of renewable energy each year by at least 1 percent to reach at least 20 percent by December 30, 2010. EO S -14-08, signed in November 2008, expanded the state’s renewable energy standard to 33 percent renewable power by 2020. This standard was adopted by the legislature in 2011 (SB X1-2). Renewable sources of electricity include wind, small hydropower, solar, geothermal, biomass, and biogas. The increase in renewable sources for electricity production decreases indirect GHG emissions from development projects because electricity pr oduction from renewable sources is generally considered carbon neutral.
Senate Bill 350
Senate Bill 350 was signed into law in September 2015 and establishes tiered increases to the RPS —40 percent by 2024, 45 percent by 2027, and 50 percent by 2030. SB 350 also set a new goal to double the energy-efficiency savings in electricity and natural gas through energy efficiency and conservation measures.
Senate Bill 100
On September 10, 2018, Governor Brown signed SB 100. Under SB 100, the RPS for public-owned facilities and retail sellers consists of 44 percent renewable energy by 2024, 52 percent by 2027, and 60 percent by 2030. SB 100 also established a new RPS require ment of 50 percent by 2026. Furthermore, the bill establishes an overall state policy that eligible renewable energy resources and zero -carbon resources supply 100 percent of all retail sales of electricity to California end -use customers and 100 percent o f Packet Pg. 1139
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-15
electricity procured to serve all state agencies by December 31, 2045. Under the bill, the state cannot increase carbon emissions elsewhere in the western grid or allow resource shuffling to achieve the 100 percent carbon-free electricity target.
Senate Bill 1020
SB 1020 was signed into law on September 16, 2022. SB 1020 provides interim RPS targets (90 percent renewable energy by 2035 and 95 percent renewable energy by 2040) and requires renewable energy and zero-carbon resources to reach 100 percent clean electricity by 2045.
Energy Efficiency Regulations
California Building Energy Efficiency Standards
Energy conservation standards for new residential and nonresidential buildings were adopted by the California Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (now the CEC) in June 1977 (Title 24, Part 6, of the California Code of Regulations [CCR] ). Title 24 requires the design of building shells and building components to conserve energy. The standards are updated periodically to allow for the consideration and possible incorporation of new energy efficiency technologies and methods.
The 2022 Building Energy Efficiency Standards were adopted on August 11, 2021, and went into effect on January 1, 2023. The 2022 standards encourage efficient electric heat pumps, establishes electric -ready requirements for new homes, expands solar photovoltaic and battery storage standards, strengthens ventilation standards, and more. The 2022 standards require mixed-fuel single-family homes to be electric- ready to accommodate replacement of gas appliances with electric appliances. In addition, the standar ds also include prescriptive photovoltaic system and battery requirements for high-rise, multifamily buildings (i.e., more than three stories) and noncommercial buildings such as hotels, offices, medical offices, restaurants, retail stores, schools, warehouses, theaters, and convention centers.
California Building Code: CALGreen
On July 17, 2008, the California Building Standards Commission adopted the nation’s first green building standards. The California Green Building Standards Code (24 CCR, Part 11, known as “CALGreen”) was adopted as part of the California Building Standards Code. CALGreen established planning and design standards for sustainable site development, energy efficiency (in excess of the California Energy Code requirements), water conservation, material conservation, and internal air contaminants. The green building standards became mandatory in the 2010 edition of the code. The mandatory provisions of CALGreen became effective January 1, 2011, and were last updated in 2022. The 2022 CALGreen standards became effective on January 1, 2023.
Packet Pg. 1140
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-16 FEBR UARY 2024
2006 Appliance Efficiency Regulations
The 2006 Appliance Efficiency Regulations (20 CCR Sections 1601–1608) were adopted by the CEC on October 11, 2006, and approved by the California Office of Administrative Law on December 14, 2006. The regulations include standards for both federally regulated appliances and non –federally regulated appliances. Though these regulations are now often viewed as “business as usual,” they exceed the standards imposed by all other states, and they reduce GHG emissions by reducing energy demand.
Solid Waste Diversion Regulations
AB 939: Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989
California’s Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 (AB 939, Public Resources Code Section 40050 et seq.) set a requirement for cities and counties throughout the state to divert 50 percent of all solid waste from landfills by January 1, 2000, through sou rce reduction, recycling, and composting. In 2008, the requirements were modified to reflect a per capita requirement rather than tonnage. To help achieve this, the Act requires that each city and county prepare and submit a source reduction and recycling element.
AB 939 also established the goal for all California counties to provide at least 15 years of ongoing landfill capacity.
AB 341
AB 341 (Chapter 476, Statutes of 2011) increased the statewide goal for waste diversion to 75 percent by 2020 and requires recycling of waste from commercial and multifamily residential land uses. Section 5.408 of CALGreen also requires that at least 65 percent of the nonhazardous construction and demolition waste from nonresidential construction operations be recycled and/or salvaged for reuse.
AB 1327
The California Solid Waste Reuse and Recycling Access Act (AB 1327, Public Resources Code Section 42900 et seq.) requires areas to be set aside for collecting and loading recyclable materials in development projects. The act required the California Integra ted Waste Management Board to develop a model ordinance for adoption by any local agency requiring adequate areas for collection and loading of recyclable materials as part of development projects. Local agencies are required to adopt the model or an ordinance of their own.
AB 1826
In October of 2014, Governor Brown signed AB 1826 requiring businesses to recycle their organic waste on and after April 1, 2016, depending on the amount of waste they generate per week. This law also requires that on and after January 1, 2016, local jurisdictions across the state implement an organic waste recycling program to divert organic waste generated by businesses and multifamily residential dwellings with five or Packet Pg. 1141
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-17
more units. Organic waste means food waste, green waste, landscape and pruning waste, nonhazardous wood waste, and food-soiled paper waste that is mixed with food waste.
Water Efficiency Regulations
SBX7-7
The 20x2020 Water Conservation Plan was issued by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) in 2010 pursuant to Senate Bill 7, which was adopted during the 7th Extraordinary Session of 2009 –2010 and therefore dubbed “SBX7 -7.” SBX7 -7 mandated urban water cons ervation and authorized the DWR to prepare a plan implementing urban water conservation requirement (20x2020 Water Conservation Plan).
In addition, it required agricultural water providers to prepare agricultural water management plans, measure water deliveries to customers, and implement other efficiency measures. SBX7 -7 required urban water providers to adopt a water conservation target of a 20 percent reduction in urban per capita water use by 2020 compared to 2005 baseline use.
AB 1881: Water Conservation in Landscaping Act
The Water Conservation in Landscaping Act of 2006 (AB 1881) requires local agencies to adopt the updated DWR model ordinance or an equivalent. AB 1881 also requires the CEC to consult with the DWR to adopt, by regulation, performance standards and labeling requirements for landscape irrigation equipment, including irrigation controllers, moisture sensors, emission devices, and valves, to reduce the wasteful, uneconomic, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy or water .
Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy
On September 19, 2016, the Governor signed SB 1383 to supplement the GHG reduction strategies in the Scoping Plan to consider short-lived climate pollutants, including black carbon and methane. Black carbon is the light-absorbing component of fine particulate matter produced during the incomplete combustion of fuels. SB 1383 required the state board, no later than January 1, 2018, to approve and begin implementing a comprehensive strategy to reduce emissions of short -lived climate pollutants to achieve a re duction in methane by 40 percent, hydrofluorocarbon gases by 40 percent, and anthropogenic black carbon by 50 percent below 2013 levels by 2030. The bill also established targets for reducing organic waste in landfills.
On March 14, 2017, CARB adopted the Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy, which identifies the state’s approach to reducing anthropogenic and biogenic sources of short -lived climate pollutants.
Anthropogenic sources of black carbon include on - and off-road transportation, residential wood burning, fuel combustion (charbroiling), and industrial processes. According to CARB, ambient levels of black carbon in California are 90 percent lower than in the early 1960s, despite the tripling of diesel fuel use (CARB 2017a). In-use on-road rules were expected to reduce black carbon emissions from on-road sources by 80 percent between 2000 and 2020.
Packet Pg. 1142
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-18 FEBR UARY 2024
Regional Regulations
Shasta County Air Quality Management District
The Shasta County A ir Quality Management District (SCAQMD) does not have an adopted Climate Action Plan, greenhouse gas threshold of significance, or guidance for assessing GHG emission impacts under CEQA.
Shasta Regional Transportation Agency
In October 2018, Shasta Regional Transportation Agency (SRTA) adopted the 2018 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) for Shasta County, which contains SRTA’s Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS). The 2018 RTP includes an updated SCS as required by California Senate Bill 375, the Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008 (SB 375). The per-capita regional emission reduction target set by CARB under the purview of SB 375 are as follows:
▪ 0 percent (no increase) below 2005 rates by 2020
▪ 0 percent (no increase) below 2005 rates by 2035
As a result of the SCS development process, seven Strategic Growth Areas (SGAs) were included in the final SCS. Factors included in the SCS and utilized in travel demand and emissions modeling include:
▪ Population and employment shift to SGAs
▪ Increased residential densities in the SGAs
▪ Increased automobile operating costs
▪ Increased public transportation services frequency plus on-demand transit ▪ Accelerated delivery of active transportation investment in SGAs with an emphasis on transformational projects and programs that expand accessibility to all ages and abilities ▪ Accelerated adoption of plug-in electric vehicles
The project includes the Downtown Redding SGA. Therefore, the 201 8 RTP/SCS recommendation for increased density would apply to the project in the downtown area.
The County is currently in the process of updating and accepting public comments on the 2022 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (2022 RTP/SCS) (SRTA 2023).
Packet Pg. 1143
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-19
Local Regulations
2000-2020 General Plan
The existing General Plan does not contain goals or policies directly aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, g oals and policies within the Community Development and Design Element, Transportation Element, and Air Quality Element indirectly affect or reduce greenhouse gas generation by requiring or promoting alternative transit infrastructure.
Community Development and Design Element
▪ Goal CDD10: Provide for a pattern that: establishes distinct neighborhoods, districts, and activity centers; promotes mixed -use development; places employment, shopping, and other activity centers in or near residential neighborhoods; encourages walking, bicycling, and transit use. o Policy CDD10F : Provide comprehensive transportation facilities, including bicycle and pedestrian routes. Integrate pedestrian and bicycle routes into developments to provide alternative access to public and private parks and open space, transit stops, nearby commercial developments, and schools.
Transportation Element
▪ Goal T1: Provide safe, efficient, and comfortable routes for walking, bicycling, and public transportation to increase the use of these modes of transportation, enable convenient and active travel as part of daily activities, and meet the needs of all users of the streets. o Policy T1A: Ensure that multimodal infrastructure improves transportation choices for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public transportation riders of all ages and abilities and that all users are considered and included in the planning, design, approval, construction, and operation of new streets, and the alteration and maintenance phases of existing streets by:
▪ Including infrastructure that promotes a safe means of travel for all users along the right of way, such as sidewalks, shared -use paths, bicycle lanes, and paved shoulders.
▪ Provide pedestrian and bike connections from developments to adjacent main streets, open space areas, parks, transit stops, schools, commercial and employment centers, and other activity centers as opportunities arise. ▪ Designing new development to incorporate street connectivity for all users. ▪ Including new or alteration of existing infrastructure that facilitates safe crossing of the right -of-way for all users, such as: accessible curb ramps, high -visibility crosswalks, pedestrian refuge islands, smaller curb radii, corner bulbouts, pedestrian signals, and bicycle detection at traffic signals where warranted.
Packet Pg. 1144
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-20 FEBR UARY 2024
▪ Incorporating street design features and techniques that promote safe and comfortable travel along streets by pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transportation riders. Examples include: constructing traffic -calming mechanisms in neighborhoods; providing pedestrian refuge medians on busy streets; reducing the number of motor vehicle lanes and/or widths where appropriate; providing transit turnouts; and constructing physical buffers and separations between vehicular traffic and other users.
▪ Providing features that improve the comfort, convenience, and safety of users such as pedestrian -oriented/wayfinding signs, pedestrian -scale lighting, benches and other street furniture, bicycle parking facilities, comfortable and attractive public transportation stops and facilities, street trees, landscape, and planting strips. ▪ Goal T5: Coordinate transportation and land use planning; protect existing and planned land uses from transportation-related conflicts; promote multi-modal transportation options. o Policy T5D: Encourage employers to provide incentives for employees utilizing alternatives to the single -occupant automobile, such as car pools, van pools, buses, bicycling, and walking
o Policy T5E: Encourage employers, including government agencies, to allow telecommuting and flex time and to promote staggered shifts or base work hours that do not coincide with peak-period traffic to reduce peak-hour trips.
o Policy T10A: Provide pedestrian-oriented features, such as benches, enhanced landscape, and trash receptacles, in commercial areas, particularly in the Downtown and Park Marina areas.
o Policy T10B: Require new development to provide sidewalks or other pedestrian dedicated facilities on both sides of new public streets. Exceptions may be appropriate where topography is difficult, proposed lots are of a rural or semi -rural nature, or where the development plan illustrates that pedestrians will be accommodated by alternative means. o Policy T10F: Require all new or renovated pedestrian facilities to be of a sufficient width to ensure pedestrian comfort and safety and to accommodate the special needs of the physically disabled.
▪ Goal T12: Make it easier and safer for people to travel by bicycle. o Policy T12G: Require new development to provide bicycle facilities or pay in-lieu fees based on the fair share of that development’s impacts on the bikeway system and needs identified on the Comprehensive Bikeway Plan.
Packet Pg. 1145
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-21
Air Quality Element
▪ Goal 2 : Reduce motor vehicle trips and vehicle miles travelled and increase average vehicle ridership (AVR).
o Policy 17 Transit and Pedestrian-Oriented Design Guidelines: The City shall make air quality and mobility prime considerations when reviewing any proposed change to the land -use pattern. Such consideration shall include, as much as possible, increased transit and pedestrian mobility. This step shall be part of the CEQA process and apply reasonable Best Available Mitigation Measures (BAMM) to projects that exceed the significance thresholds promulgated by the Air Quality Management District.
Redding Municipal Code
The Redding Municipal Code includes various directives to minimize adverse impacts from GHG emissions in the City of Redding as listed below:
▪ Chapter 16.08, California Green Building Standards Code : incorporates the CCR Title 24, Part 11, California Green Building Standards Code.
▪ Chapter 16.02, Building Code: Section 16.03.020, Small residential rooftop solar energy systems , allows for an expedited review of effective installations of small residential rooftop solar energy systems.
The California Green Building Standards represents the first -in-the-nation mandatory green building standards code that aims to reduce GHG emissions from the built environment and often includes requirements for the installation of solar panels and other renewable energy and energy-efficient designs and technologies.
5.8.1.4 EXISTING CONDITIONS
Climate and Meteorology
The proposed Project is located at the northern end of the Northern Sacramento Valley Air Basin (NSVAB).
The NSVAB consist of seven counties: Sutter, Yuba, Butte, Glenn, Tehama, and Shasta. The prevailing winds in the area are from the south and southwest. Sea breezes flow over the San Francisco Bay Area and into the Sacramento Valley, transporting pollutants from the large urban areas. Growth and urbanization in Shasta County have also contributed to an increase in emissions.
California’s GHG Sources and Relative Contribution
In 2021, the statewide GHG emissions inventory was updated for 2000 to 2019 emissions using the GWPs in IPCC’s AR4 (IPCC 2013). Based on these GWPs, California produced 418.2 MMTCO2e GHG emissions in 2019. California’s transportation sector was the single largest generator of GHG emissions, producing 39.7 Packet Pg. 1146
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-22 FEBR UARY 2024
percent of the state’s total emissions. Industrial sector emissions made up 21.1 percent, and electric power generation made up 14.1 percent of the state’s emissions inventory. Other major sectors of GHG emissions include commercial and residential (10.5 p ercent), agriculture and forestry (7.6 percent), high GWP (4.9 percent), and recycling and waste (2.1 percent) (CARB 2021).
Since the peak level in 2004, California’s GHG emissions have followed a decreasing trend. In 2016, California statewide GHG emissions dropped below the AB 32 target for year 2020 of 431 MMTCO2e and have remained below this target since then. In 2019, emissions from routine GHG -emitting activities statewide were almost 13 MMTCO2e lower than the AB 32 target for year 2020. Per capita GHG emissions in California have dropped from a 2001 peak of 14.0 MTCO2e per person to 10.5 MTCO2e per person in 2019, a 25 percent decrease.
Transportation emissions continued to decline in 2019 statewide as they had done in 2018, with even more substantial reductions due to a significant increase in renewable diesel. Since 2008, California’s electricity sector has followed an overall downward trend in emissions. In 2019, solar power generation continued its rapid growth since 2013. Emissions from high -GWP gases comprised 4.9 percent of California’s emissions in 2019. This continues the increasing trend as the gases replace ozone-depleting substances being phased out under the 1987 Montreal Protocol. Overall trends in the inventory also demonstrate that the carbon intensity of California’s economy (the amount of carbon pollution per million dollars of gross domestic product) has declined 45 percent since the 2001 peak, though the state’s gross domestic product grew 63 percent during this period (CARB 2021).
Existing Communitywide GHG Emissions
The existing land uses in Redding consist of single - and multifamily residences, retail, office, commercial, industrial, and institutional uses. Operation of these land uses generates GHG emissions from natural gas used for energy, heating, and cooking; electricity usage; vehicle trips for employees and residents; area sources such as landscaping equipment and consumer cleaning products; water demand; waste generation; and solid waste generation. 3 Table 5.8-4, Existing City of Redding GHG Emissions Inventory, shows the emissions associated with existing land uses in the city.
3 Emissions from water demand and wastewater are emissions associated with electricity used to supply, treat, and distribute water.
Packet Pg. 1147
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-23
TABLE 5.8-4 EXISTING CITY OF REDDING GHG EMISSIONS INVENTORY Sector
Existing
MTCO2e/year Percent of Total
Building Electricity 126,196 21.7%
Building Natural Gas 84,924 14.6%
Building Propane Fuel 867 0.1%
On-Road Transportation 236,188 40.7%
Off-Road Vehicles and Equipment2 24,513 4.2%
Solid Waste / Landfills 8,778 1.5%
Refrigerants 45,162 7.8%
Water Use 2,435 0.4%
Wastewater Treatment 51,295 8.8%
Total 580,360 100%
Service Population 149,415 NA
MTCO2e/SP 3.9 NA
Source: Appendix 5.3-1.
Note: Totals may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.
5.8.2 THRESHOLDS OF SIGNIFICANCE
According to Appendix G of the State CEQA Guidelines, the proposed Project would have a significant impact if it would:
GHG-1 Generate GHG emissions, either directly or indirectly, that may have a significant impact on the environment.
GHG-2 Conflict with an applicable plan, policy, or regulation adopted for the purpose of reducing the emissions of GHGs.
GHG-3 In combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects, result in cumulative impacts with respect to greenhouse gas emissions.
Determining Significance Thresholds
SCAQMD has not formally adopted GHG thresholds. In the context of CEQA, a project that achieves “no net increase” from the CEQA baseline would not result in significant GHG impacts. This is reiterated in the Natural Resources Agency’s 2009 Final Statement of Reasons pursuant to Senate Bill 97, which states that:
“section 15054.4(b)(1) is not intended to imply a zero net emissions threshold of significance. As case law makes clear, there is no ‘one molecule’ rule in CEQA.” Consequently, a zero net increase in GHG emissions is used to determine whether the project would result in a substantial increase in GHG emissions.
Packet Pg. 1148
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-24 FEBR UARY 2024
This analysis also assesses the potential for the project to conflict with the GHG reduction goals established by the State under AB 1279, which requires an 85 percent reduction in statewide GHG emissions from 1990 levels and a statewide goal for carbon neutrality by year 2045. Because the City’s 1990 emission inventory is unknown, the City’s existing emissions inventory (year 2020) is used herein as the emissions baseline from which the AB 1279 target of an 85 -percent reduction is based on. Given that the State’s carbon neutrality goals cannot be achieved without carbon dioxide removal (CDR), which is outside of the jurisdictional control of cities and counties, this CEQA document evaluates consistency with the 85 percent reduction from 2020 levels and subs tantial progress toward the State’s carbon neutrality goals. Based on the City’s existing emissions inventory (2020), an 85 percent reduction in emissions from 2020 levels would be 87,054 MTCO2e by 2045.
Mass Emissions and Health Effects
On December 24, 2018, in the case, Sierra Club et al. v. County of Fresno et al. (Friant Ranch), the California Supreme Court determined that the EIR for the proposed Friant Ranch project failed to adequately analyze the project’s air quality impacts on human health. The EIR prepared for the project, which involved a master planned re tirement community in Fresno County, showed that project -related mass emissions would exceed the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s regional significance thresholds. In its findings, the California Supreme Court affirmed the holding of the Court of Appeal that EIRs for projects must not only identify impacts to human health, but also provide an “analysis of the correlation between the project's emissions and hum an health impacts” related to each criteria air pollutant that exceeds the regional significance thresholds or explain why it could not make such a connection. In general, the ruling focuses on the correlation of emissions of toxic air contaminants and cri teria air pollutants and their impact to human health.
In 2009, the EPA issued an endangerment finding for six GHGs (CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs, and SF6) in order to regulate GHG emissions from passenger vehicles. The endangerment finding is based on evidence that shows an increase in mortality and morbidity associated with increases in average temperatures, which increase the likelihood of heat waves and ozone levels. The effects of climate change are identified in Table
5.8-2. While these identified effects such as sea level rise and increased in extreme weather, can indirectly impact human health, neither the EPA nor CARB has established ambient air qua lity standards for GHG emissions. The State’s GHG reduction strategy outlines a path to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change. Yet the State’s GHG reduction goals and strategies are based on the State’s path toward reducing statewide cumulative GHGs as outlined in AB 32, SB 32, AB 1279, and EO B-55-18.
As mentioned above, the two significance thresholds that the City uses to analyze GHG impacts are based on achieving the statewide GHG reduction goals (GHG -1) and relying on consistency with policies or plans adopted to reduce GHG emissions (GHG-2). Further, because no single project is large enough to result in a measurable increase in global concentration of GHG emissions, climate change impacts of a project are considered on a cumulative basis. Without federal ambient air quality standards for GHG emissi ons and given the cumulative nature of GHG emissions and the City’s significance thresholds that are tied to Packet Pg. 1149
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-25
reducing the State’s cumulative GHG emissions, it is not feasible at this time to connect the project’s specific GHG emissions to the potential health impacts of climate change.
5.8.3 PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN POLICIES
Community Design and Development Element
▪ Policy CDD10C: Consider establishing incentives for medium - to high -density, mixed-use developments, where appropriate, with emphasis on Downtown and in the "Mixed Use Neighborhood Overlay" Districts. Review and amend as necessary the Mixed Use Neighborhood Overlay zoning district to ensure that it serves to facilitate and incentivize the development of new mixed use neighborhoods to the extent feasible.
▪ Policy CDD10D: Encourage development in the City to include inviting, attractive, accessible, and walkable urban mixed -use neighborhoods combining residential, commercial, recreational, open space, and employment to maximize the use of underused urban lots. ▪ Policy CDD11A: Encourage developers to create new residential developments in infill priority areas that are available to a broad segment of the community . The developments should be pedestrian and bicycle friendly, to make efficient use of available infrastructure and at densities that will help facilitate the provision and use of public transit where it is available. ▪ Policy CDD11C: Consider developing form-based codes specific to infill priority areas and develop small lot zoning standards for existing lots below the City’s minimum lot size to facilitate residential development in infill priority areas.
▪ Policy CDD11D: Explore options for incentivizing parcel assemblage in infill priority areas to support residential and mixed-use developments.
▪ Policy CDD111E: Facilitate to the extent feasible, the construction of new affordable housing units that are within walking distance of transit, everyday services, schools, and employment centers. ▪ Policy CDD1 1K: Provide opportunities to develop multiple-family housing throughout the community, and especially near arterial streets, Downtown, major commercial areas, and neighborhood commercial areas.
Community Health, Wellness, and Environmental Justice Element ▪ Policy EJ3C: Partner with local, regional, and federal agencies to seek grants and other opportunities towards the development and expansion of clean air centers, building ventilation upgrades, and other available and accessible technological advancements to provide better air quality and to reduce negative health impacts during wildfires and extreme weather events. ▪ Policy EJ3E: Consider the development and adoption of a Climate Action and Resiliency Plan.
Support plans, standards, regulations, incentives, investments, and seek grants and other funding to reduce the impacts of climate change on vulnerable residents.
Packet Pg. 1150
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-26 FEBR UARY 2024
▪ Policy EJ3F: Work with Shasta County Air Quality Management District or other appropriate entities to develop a public information campaign to educate residents on the risks and mitigation measures; to be undertaken when living within 1,000 feet of a freeway. ▪ Policy EJ3G: Monitor changes in technology that will prevent and mitigate transportation -related noise and air quality impacts on residential and sensitive uses in the community. Support traffic and highway improvements that will reduce noise and air quality impacts of vehicles. Alternatives to sound walls should be considered where possible.
Public Safety Element
▪ Policy PS10D: Partner with local, regional, and federal agencies, as appropriate, to seek grants and other opportunities towards development and expansion of clean air centers, building ventilation upgrades, and other available and accessible technological advancements to provide better air quality to vulnerable residents to reduce negative health impacts of wildfires.
Transportation Element
▪ Policy T1A: Strive to ensure that where complete streets infrastructure is constructed, it improves transportation choices for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public transportation riders and that users of all ages and abilities are considered in the planning, design, ap proval, construction, and operation of new streets, and the alteration and maintenance phases of existing streets by:
o Including infrastructure that promotes a safe means of travel for all users along the right of way, such as sidewalks, shared-use paths, bicycle lanes (including protected bicycle lanes or buffered bicycle lanes where feasible) or paved shoulders. o Providing pedestrian and bike connections from developments to adjacent main streets, open space areas, parks, transit stops, schools, commercial and employment centers, and other activity centers as opportunities arise.
o Designing new development to incorporate street connectivity for all users. o Including new or alteration of existing infrastructure that facilitates safe crossing of the right-of-way for all users, such as: accessible curb ramps, high -visibility crosswalks, pedestrian refuge islands, smaller curb radii, corner bulbouts, pedestrian signals, and bicycle detection at traffic signals where warranted.
o Incorporating features that improve the comfort, convenience, and safety of users such as pedestrian-oriented/wayfinding signs, pedestrian-scale lighting, benches and other street furniture, bicycle parking facilities, comfortable and attractive public tra nsportation stops and facilities, street trees, landscape, and planting strips. ▪ Policy T1B: Seek funding to establish a systematic complete street retrofit program that will effectively alter existing appropriately identified streets into complete streets.
Packet Pg. 1151
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-27
▪ Policy T1C: Update the Redding Active Transportation Plan every four to seven years to ensure successful implementation of the City’s planned bicycle and pedestrian networks by undertaking the following:
o Work to identify and prioritize physical improvements that would make bicycle and pedestrian travel safer along current key bicycling and walking routes. o Pursue an implementation strategy to construct needed improvements. o Undertake improvements as part of street projects where reasonable and feasible. ▪ Policy T1D: Consider requiring that development projects dedicate street rights -of-way and construct both on - and off -site improvements as appropriate to provide access and street connectivity for users of all ages and abilities, mitigate the effects of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) attributable to the project, and not degrade peak-hour LOS below the following adopted thresholds nor conflict with multi -modal performance standards. The City Council may, at its sole discretion, determine that the degradation of LOS is appropriate given the extraordinary circumstances of the project being proposed. The traffic analysis used to establish mitigation or improvement measures shall be based on the regional travel demand model or other City-approved methods. At the option of the City and as may be provided by City ordinance, improvements may be deferred by the City upon approval of a Deferred Improvement Plan which identifies improvements needed, costs, funding sources, and other pertinent data required by the City. ▪ Policy T1E: Strive to complete the planned build-out street network as illustrated on the Circulation Plan map, and ensure that the accompanying design standards, programs, and procedures include complete streets implementation as a main focus by undertaking the following measures. o Review as necessary the City’s design guidelines and standard cross -sections for streets, intersections (including roundabouts and traffic circles), pedestrian facilities, bicycle facilities, and transit facilities and revise as necessary to be consistent with National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) and its guidelines regarding complete streets.
o Consider establishing performance measures to evaluate multimodal travel conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists, such as Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) criteria, to guide development of the street network.
o Collaborate with the Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA) and other service providers to incorporate infrastructure to assist users in employing multiple modes of transportation in a single trip in order to increase transportation access and flexibility. Examples include but are not limited to, provisions for bicycle and wheelchair access on public transportation, secure bicycle racks at transit stops, and public transportation access to trails and recreational locations.
Packet Pg. 1152
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-28 FEBR UARY 2024
o Consider the development of a Complete Streets Design Manual that can serve as a guide for public and private development projects that propose new streets or modifications of existing streets.
▪ Policy T1F: Strive to complete the Planned Pedestrian Improvements identified in the Redding Active Transportation Plan, and support the provision of an attractive, safe, and continuous system of sidewalks and other pedestrian facilities by undertaking the following measures where appropriate:
o Seek funding for the design and/or, construction, of the sidewalk, path, and crossing improvements identified in the Active Transportation Plan. Focus on securing funds to match federal and State grant program opportunities.
o Where feasible and appropriate, seek to provide pedestrian -oriented features, such as benches, enhanced landscape, and trash receptacles, in commercial areas, including the Downtown and Redding Riverfront Specific Plan areas.
o Require new developments provide sidewalks or other pedestrian -dedicated facilities on both sides of new public streets contained within the development. Exceptions may be appropriate where the topography is difficult, proposed lots are of a rural or semi -rural nature, or where the development plan illustrates that pedestrians will be accommodated by alternative means.
o Work with local organizations and neighborhood groups to develop a plan to determine where curbs, gutters, and sidewalks are needed on unimproved local streets and how to pay for the improvements; establishing sidewalk continuity wherever feasible is a priority. o Pursue funding for the continued replacement and repair of sidewalks that have deteriorated due to age and tree-root invasion.
o Work to develop and seek funding to implement a program to identify, prioritize, and construct the retrofitting of existing intersections that do not currently have accessibility ramps and accommodations at the street corners.
o Strive to ensure that all new or renovated pedestrian facilities be of a sufficient width to ensure pedestrian comfort and safety and to accommodate the special needs of persons with physical disabilities wherever feasible.
▪ Policy T1G: Strive to complete the Build -Out Bikeway Network identified in the Redding Active Transportation Plan, and support related measures to make bicycling a safe, accessible, comfortable, and sustainable transportation mode by:
o Working to secure funding to construct the bikeway network improvements identified in the Active Transportation
o Pursuing the installation of protected bicycle lanes (Class IV separated bikeway treatments) where feasible on arterial streets
Packet Pg. 1153
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-29
o Seeking to incorporate appropriate bicycle facilities in the design of interchanges, intersections, and other street-improvement/maintenance projects. o As funding allows, making improvements to streets, signs, and traffic signals as needed to improve bicycle travel, and keep bikeways free of overhanging shrubbery, debris, and other obstacles.
o Supporting to the extent possible the efforts of public transit providers including the Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA) to provide bicycle racks on all buses within the system. o As appropriate, supporting the requirement that new development provides bicycle facilities or pay in-lieu fees based on the fair share of that development’s impacts on the bikeway system and needs identified on the Comprehensive Bikeway Plan. ▪ Policy T1I: Work with the public, stakeholders, and other jurisdictions and agencies to promote, design, and construct an effective transportation system that serves users of all ages and abilities by:
o Pursuing appropriate targeted outreach and public participation in community decisions concerning street design and use.
o Collaborating with Shasta County, the City of Anderson, the City of Shasta Lake, Caltrans, and the Shasta Regional Transportation Agency to integrate bicycle, pedestrian, and public transportation facility planning into regional and local transportation planning programs to encourage connectivity between jurisdictions. Encourage coordination among these agencies to develop appropriate joint prioritization, capital planning and programming, and implementation of street improvement projects and programs. o Consulting with local public safety agencies to determine critical evacuation routes and recommended street design on designated routes to allow for adequate evacuations during emergency situations
o Designing a roadway network that should have adequate circulation to allow for secondary and tertiary access points and should avoid developments with single points of access.
Existing areas with single points of access should be prioritized to create seco ndary road access points. Road connections required for secondary access should be designed to meet a minimum road standard allowed by the City Engineer and the Fire Marshall. ▪ Policy T2A : Support the provision of a connected network of low -stress walk and bikeways to connect major activity centers, including the provision of appropriate low-stress walk and bikeway access to Downtown Redding and the Redding Transit Center . Low-stress bikeways should generally consist of separated bikeways (Class IV bikeways), sometimes referred to as “protect ed bicycle lanes”, on arterial or collector streets; bicycle boulevard treatments on local streets; or multi -use paths.
Packet Pg. 1154
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-30 FEBR UARY 2024
o Work to identify and prioritize routes for a connected network of low -stress walk and bikeways, identifying barriers to low -stress travel with plans to address them. and Incorporate maps and plans into future updates of the Redding Active Transportation Plan.
Pursue funding to construct the network.
o Work to identify networks for walking and biking to connect with key travel nodes, and activity centers, including transit nodes and strategic growth areas. Consider accessibility to all neighborhoods and housing, striving to ensure access to a connected network of low- stress walk and bikeways within one-half-mile radius to all residents. Key travel nodes and activity nodes include Downtown Redding, Redding Transit Center, transit nodes (where multiple transit lines intersect), schools, City Hall, County Go vernment Center, Shasta College, Simpson University, major parks and recreation centers, employment centers/business parks, neighborhood commercial nodes and regional commercial centers. o As funding permits, develop design standards for the low-stress walk and bikeway network that establishes a "kit of parts" set of standards for the three low -stress facility types: 1) separated bike lanes on arterial and collector streets, 2) neighborhood greenways, and 3) off-street paths and trails. An implementation strategy to construct needed improvements to the network should be established.
o Work with the Cities of Anderson and Shasta Lake, and Shasta County to identify low-stress walk, bike routes that connect to the downtown core strategic -growth areas of the cities and towns of Shasta County.
o Support to the extent feasible and as funding allows operation of amenities and programming to enable daily transportation by people biking and walking, including bikeshare services, the Shasta Bike Depot at the Redding Transit Center, secure bike parking, short-term bike parking racks, and similar secure bike parking and e-bike charging stations to meet existing and future needs for the encouragement and education of those who travel via walking or biking.
o Work with the local school districts to develop specific transportation plans associated with schools and the surrounding neighborhoods to address conflicts with; traffic, pedestrian movements, safety during school hours, and bicycle facilities to and from schools. This may include a plan to implement slower speed school zones while children are present and flashing beacons to identify when these school zones are in effect. ▪ Policy T3A : Support the provision of enhanced transit service that is timely, cost -effective, responsive to growth patterns, and meet the needs of existing and future transit demand. Bby: (EJ) o Working with the Shasta Regional transportation Agency (SRTA) and public transit providers including the Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA) on an ongoing basis to plan and implement additional public transit services
Packet Pg. 1155
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-31
o Supporting to the extent feasible and as funding allows the continuation and expansion of private commercial or nonprofit bus operations to provide additional regional transit opportunities for residents.
o Promoting coordination of public transit, on-demand service, autonomous vehicles, intercity rail, bicycle share program, intercity bus, and air transportation services to enhance the transportation options available for residents and visitors to the Redding community.
o Supporting to the extent feasible and as funding allows provision of intercity bus service. o Developing policies and procedures to implement shared mobility devices to help enhance public transit options. These micro -transit shared mobility type devices could include scooters and e-bikes, and autonomous vehicles, and but may be expanded as technology develops.
▪ Policy T3B: Provide physical measures to enhance transit service by considering to undertake the following:
o Require new development to install and maintain passenger amenities at designated bus stops when relevant to accommodating project trips or mitigating VMT as appropriate. o Provide bus facilities along arterial streets as indicated in an applicable transit development plan. Determine the precise locations during the development plan review or at the time of major street improvement or reconstruction.
o Work with RABA to provide safe, attractive, well -lit, comfortable, and protected waiting areas for bus passengers.
▪ Policy T4A: Support measures that help reduce VMT below regional averages on a “residential per capita” and “per employee” basis by:
o Monitoring traffic trends through advanced technological solutions to determine mobility options, infrastructure improvements, and development decisions. o Encouraging employers, colleges, and schools to provide incentives and facilities (e.g., showers) for employees and students utilizing alternatives to the single -occupant automobile, such as carpools, vanpools, buses, bicycling, and walking. o Encouraging employers, including government agencies, to allow telecommuting and flex time and to promote staggered shifts or base work hours that do not coincide with peak - period traffic to reduce peak-hour trips.
▪ Policy T4B: Consider establishing an EV/AV Commercialization Opportunities Work Group to analyze and prioritize the development and deployment of advancing autonomous vehicle technology.
Ensure that:
Packet Pg. 1156
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-32 FEBR UARY 2024
o the full range of tools and smart infrastructure required are readily available or developed in partnership with service providers
o all levels of automated vehicles advance the City’s adopted Vision Zero policies o the system contributes to improved time reliability and system efficiency by reducing vehicle miles traveled; and
o the system benefits all segments of the community
▪ Policy T4C T4B: Prioritize infill and mixed -use development, and encourage new development in close proximity to existing employment, housing, schools, commercial centers, and other services and amenities as addressed in the Community Development and Design Element. ▪ Policy T7A: Strive to m aintain adequate on -street and public off - street parking areas, including electric vehicle charging stations, to meet ongoing parking demands by considering the following measures:
o Pursue funding options and strategies for the construction and maintenance of shared parking facilities/structures Downtown.
o Seek funding to provide electric charging stations at parking lots and rest areas for cars, trucks, and bicycles throughout the City.
o Encourage and facilitate the provision of electric-vehicle charging facilities in new parking lots and multi-family residential developments.
o Strive to install secure bicycle parking with electric charging stations and large enough for cargo bikes in the Downtown area and at City parks, civic buildings, and other community centers.
▪ Policy T7B: Endeavor to ensure that required parking provisions for private development supports efforts to encourage multimodal travel and reduce VMT by:
o Pursuing maximum and minimum standards for automobile parking spaces in transit corridors and Downtown to promote use of alternate modes of travel as may be appropriate.
o Pursuing minimum standards for bicycle parking, including both long-term and short-term bicycle parking spaces.
▪ Policy T7C : Generally, prohibit on -street automobile parking on arterial streets if there is not adequate space for bike lanes and parking lanes outside the Downtown area to reduce congestion and conflicts.
▪ Policy T7D: Work to ensure the provision of adequate curbside or off-street space where applicable to accommodate passenger pick-up/drop-off activity by transportation network companies (TNC), and delivery services.
Packet Pg. 1157
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-33
Natural Resources Element
▪ Policy NR14A: Consider developing and adopting a “Climate Action and Resiliency Plan” for Redding.
Such plan, if adopted, should establish GHG emissions reduction goals for 2035 and 2050, include an effective progress reporting timeline, and update the GHG inventory and forecast s at appropriate intervals.
▪ Policy NR14B: Strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new development by encouraging development that lowers vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and discouraging auto -dependent sprawl and dependence on the private automobile; promoting development that is compact, mixe d-use, pedestrian friendly, and transit oriented; promoting energy -efficient building design and site planning; improving the jobs/housing ratio; and other methods of reducing emissions while maintaining the balance of housing types and stock.
▪ Policy NR14C: Coordinate with SCAQMD to ensure projects incorporate feasible mitigation measures to reduce GHG emissions and air pollution from both construction and operations, if not already provided for through project design.
▪ Policy NR14D: Consider the appropriate use of CEQA streamlining mechanisms for projects that are consistent with this General Plan and its EIR.
▪ Policy NR14E: Work toward establishing a formal internal process for use in the project review stage to determine and document the following criteria established are in evidence for projects where streamlining is proposed.
5.8.4 IMPACT DISCUSSION
GHG-1: The project would generate greenhouse gas emissions, either directly or indirectly, that may have a significant impact on the environment . [Threshold GHG-1]
Development under the proposed project would contribute to global climate change through direct and indirect emissions of GHG from land uses within the City. A General Plan does not directly result in development without additional approvals. However, the General Plan Update would guide and facilitate development throughout the City. Before any development can occur in the City, it must be analyzed for consistency with the General Plan, zoning requirements, and other applicable local and State requirements; comply with the requirements of CEQA; and obtain all necessary clearances and permits.
Emissions Forecast
The General Plan Update would guide the City’s growth through the next 2 2 years and serve as an opportunity to address issues related to climate adaptation , environmental justice, and other State - mandated laws. As mentioned in Table 3-2, 2045 General Plan Planning Horizon Forecast, buildout from the proposed project anticipate s 8,066 new dwelling units, 9,781 jobs, and 5,650 students beyond existing Packet Pg. 1158
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-34 FEBR UARY 2024
conditions. Overall, implementation of the General Plan Update would accommodate growth in population and employment as well as future development of new residential and nonresidential land use. As a result, the General Plan Update would accommodate new activities , such as energy consumption, vehicular transport, and emission -generating product consumption, that would result in the generation of GHG emissions.
To identify GHG emissions generated by development facilitated by the General Plan Update in its horizon year of 2045 when compared to existing conditions, several emission sources and data were retrieved and analyzed for existing and future 2045 conditions. Quantification methodology for all emissions presented in this analysis are provided below.
▪ Building Energy. Emissions associated with natural gas and electricity use for residential and nonresidential land uses in the City were calculated based on data provided by Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and the Redding Electric Utility (REU), respectively. Due to the 15/15 Rule , electricity use data for industrial land uses was aggregated with the nonresidential land uses in the data provided by REU. 4 Existing 20 20 emissions are based on the 2019-2021 annual average electricity and natural gas use. Forecasts for year 2045 are adjusted for increases in population for residential electricity and natural gas use and nonresidential square footage for nonresidential electricity and natural gas use in the City. Carbon intensity for year 2020 and 2045 are based on the carbon intensity for REU identified in the 2022 CalEEMod User’s Guide, Appendix G (CAPCOA 2022). ▪ Propane Use. For propane emissions, proposal consumption was identified for residential uses only, using US Census Bureau data for houses using bottled, tank, or LP gas for house heating fuels and US Energy Information Administration data for propane consumption, and w as applied to the growth in residential units through 2045. Nonresidential propane consumption was not identified as that is not anticipated to be a substantial contribution to propane consumption in the City. Please refer to Appendix 5.3-1 for propane source emission calculations. ▪ Transportation. Transportation emissions forecasts were modeled using emissions data from CARB’s EMFAC2021 V1.0.2 web database. Model runs were based on daily VMT data provided by GHD (see Chapter 5.16, Transportation) and calendar year 2020 (existing) and 2045 emission rates.5 The VMT
4 The 15/15 Rule was adopted by the California Public Utilities Commission in the Direct Access Proceeding (CPUC Decision 97-10- 031) to protect customer confidentiality. The 15/15 rule requires that any aggregated information provided by a utility must be made up of at least 15 customers, and a single customer’s load must be less than 15 percent of an assigned category. If the number of customers in the compiled data is below 15, or if a single customer’s load is more than 15 percent of the total data, categories must be combined before the information is released. The Rule further requires that if the 15/15 Rule is triggered for a seco nd time after the data ha ve been screened once already using the 15/15 Rule, the customer be dropped from the information provided.
5 The Year 2045 inventory is represented by the projected emissions that the existing land uses would generate in the future, using year 2045 emission factors for on -road vehicles. To isolate the impacts related to the change in land uses proposed under the General Plan Update, emissions related to the update will be based on the difference in emissions generated by the existing and proposed land uses under year 2045 conditions. This approach is taken because existing land uses would be subject to regulations that come into effect in the future that reduce mobile-source emissions. Thus, the level of emissions the existing land uses generate today would not be generated in perpetuity, but would be affected by these state regulations.
Packet Pg. 1159
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-35
is based on the origin-destination using the Shasta County Transportation Model and includes the full trip length for land uses in the City and a 50 percent reduction in the trip length for external - internal/internal-external trips based on the recommendations of CARB’s Regional Targets Advisory Committee under SB 375.6 Consistent with CARB’s methodology within the Climate Change Scoping Plan Measure Documentation Supplement, daily VMT was multiplied by 347 days per year to account for reduced traffic on weekends and holidays to determine annual emissions. ▪ Off-Road Equipment. OFFROAD is a database of equipment use and associated emissions for each county compiled by CARB. Off-road equipment in the City is based on year 2020 emission rates for Shasta County obtained from CARB’s OFFROAD V1.0.3 web database. OFFROAD was used to estimate emissions from lawn and garden, light commercial, and construction equipment in the City. To determine the percentage of emissions attributable to the City, light commercial equipment is estimated based on employment for Redding as a percentage of Shasta County and forecast based on the change in employment in the City. Construction equipment use is estimated based on building permit data for Redding and County of Shasta from data compiled by the US Census and assumes that construction emissions for the forecast year would be similar to historical levels. Lawn and garden equipment is based on the percentage of population in Redding compared to Shasta County and forecast based on the change in population in the City. ▪ Refrigerant Leakage. Refrigerants are based on the statewide 2019 refrigerant use and statewide population based on the 2020 census data in order to derive emissions per person. Emissions from this sector are based on AR4 since the inventory is not available with AR5 GWPs. ▪ Solid Waste Disposal. GHG emissions from solid waste disposal by residents and employees in the city were quantified based on the waste -in-place method. This method assumes that the degradable organic component in waste decays slowly throughout a few decades, during which CH4 and biogenic CO2 are formed. If conditions are constant, the rate of CH4 production depends solely on the amount of carbon remaining in the waste. As a result, emissions of CH4 from waste deposited in a disposal site are highest in the first few years, then gradually decline. Significant CH4 production typically begins one or two years after waste disposal in a landfill and continues for 10 to 60 years or longer . Waste disposal was averaged over several years to account for fluctuations in average annual solid waste disposal. Waste generated was based on data obtained from the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), to provide an estimate of GHG emissions for existing conditions (202 0). GHG emissions from solid waste disposal in the baseline year were modeled using CARB’s Landfill Emissions Tool Version 1.09, which includes waste
6 For accounting purposes, there are three types of trips: (1) Internal-Internal. Vehicle trips that originated and terminated within the City (Internal-Internal, I-I). Using the accounting rules established by RTAC, 100 percent of the length of these trips and their emissions are attributed to the City, (2) Internal-External/External-Internal. Vehicle trips that either originated or terminated (but not both) in the City (Internal-External or External-Internal, I-X and X-I). Using the accounting rules established by RTAC, 50 percent of the trip length for thes e trips is attributed to the City ; and (3) External-External. Vehicle trips that neither originated nor terminated in the City. These trips are commonly called pass -through trips (External -External, X-X). Using the accounting rules established by RTAC, these trips are not counted toward the City's VMT or emissions.
Packet Pg. 1160
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-36 FEBR UARY 2024
characterization data from CalRecycle. Because the landfill gas captured is not under the jurisdiction of the City of Redding, the landfill gas emissions from the capture system are not included in the inventory. Only fugitive sources of GHG emissions from landfills are included. Modeling assumes a 75 percent reduction in fugitive GHG emissions from the landfill's Landfill Gas Capture System. The landfill gas capture efficiency is based on CARB’s LGOP , Version 1.3. Total GHG emissions from waste disposal in 2020 were forecast based on the percentage increase in population for the City. The emissions forecast does not account for reductions from increasing waste diversion. ▪ Water Use and Wastewater Treatment. GHG emissions from this sector include indirect GHG emissions from the embodied energy associated with water use and wastewater generation and fugitive GHG emissions from processing wastewater . The total annual existing and proposed project water demand in the City are based on data retrieved from the three water purveyors in the City, Redding Water Utility, Bella Vista Water District, and Centerville Water District. The total annual existing and proposed project wastewat er generation in the City are based on the City’s 2022 Wastewater Utility Master Plan (Redding 2022). Electricity use from water use is estimated using energy rates identified by in the 2022 CalEEMod Users Guide (CAPCOA 2022). Then energy is multiplied by the carbon intensity of energy for PG&E. Wastewater treatment also results in direct CH4 emissions from wastewater processing, which are based on the emission rates identified in the 2022 CalEEMod Users Guide (CAPCOA 2022).
Industrial sources of emissions that require a permit from SCAQMD are not included in the community inventory. Life-cycle emissions are not included in this analysis because not enough information is available for the General Plan Update; therefore, quantification of life-cycle emissions would be speculative. 7 Black carbon emissions are not included in the GHG analysis because CARB does not include this short -lived climate pollutant in the State’s GHG emissions inventory but treats it separately.8 As mentioned in Chapter 5.3, Air Quality, to identify the expected growth in nonresidential building square footage between 2020 and 2045, the existing nonresidential square footage inventory was provided by the City and multiplied by the same growth rate that employment would experience between 2020 and 2045.
The community GHG emissions inventory and forecast for the City is shown in Table 5.8-5, City of Redding
7 Life cycle emissions include indirect emissions associated with materials manufacture. However, these indirect emissions involve numerous parties, each of which is responsible for GHG emissions of their particular activity. The California Resources Agenc y, in adopting the CEQA Guidelines Amendments on GHG emissions found that lifecycle analysis was not warranted for project-specific CEQA analysis in most situations, for a variety of reasons, including lack of control over some sources, and the possibility of double- counting emissions (see Final Statement of Reasons for Regulatory Action, December 2009). Because the amount of materials consumed during the operation or construction of the proposed project is not known, the origin of the raw materials purchased is not known, and manufacturing information for those raw materials is also not known, calc ulation of life cycle emissions would be speculative. A life-cycle analysis is not warranted (OPR 2008). 8 Particulate matter emissions, which include black carbon, are analyzed in Section 5.3, Air Quality. The majority of anthropogenic sources come from transportation —specifically, heavy-duty vehicles. The share of black carbon emissions from transportation is dropping rapidly and is expected to continue to do so between now and 2030 as a result of California’s air quality programs. The remaining black carbon emissions will come largely from woodstoves/fireplaces, off -road applications, and industrial/commercial combustion (CARB 2022).
Packet Pg. 1161
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-37
GHG Emissions Forecast. Buildout of the General Plan Update with up to 8,066 new dwelling units, 43,383 new residents, 5,591,974 new nonresidential square footage, and 9,781 new employees would result in an estimated 584,307 MTCO2e GHG emissions per year in 2045, or a decrease of approximately 2 percent from 2020 conditions . As shown on Table 5.8 -5, the continued increase in renewable and carbon -free electricity generation sources, as required under SB 100, would lead to a net decrease in electricity-related GHG emissions, including those associated with water treatment and transport. Similarly, the gradual increase of ele ctric vehicles in the average fleet mix combined with increased standard for vehicle fuel economy through 2045 would result in a net decrease in on-road vehicle GHG emissions. All other emission sources, as shown in Table 5.8-5, would increase from existing conditions as a result of population and employment growth throughout the City through 2045.
TABLE 5.8-5 CITY OF REDDING GHG EMISSIONS FORECAST
Emissions Sector
GHG Emissions (MTCO2e/Year)
Existing Proposed Project 2045 Net Change
Building Electricity 126,196 21% 99,393 17% -26,803 -21% Building Natural Gas 84,924 14% 99,088 17% 14,164 17%
Building Propane Fuel 867 <1% 1,010 <1% 143 16%
Hearth Use 3,113 1% 3,626 1% 513 16%
On-Road Transportation 236,188 40% 220,596 38% -15,592 -7% Off-Road Vehicles and Equipment 24,513 4% 25,538 4% 1,025 4% Solid Waste/Landfills 8,778 1% 10,256 2% 1,478 17%
Refrigerants 56,762 10% 66,118 11% 9,356 16%
Water Use 2,435 <1% 1,290 <1% -1,145 -47%
Wastewater Treatment 51,295 9% 57,390 10% 6,095 12%
Total Community Emissions 595,073 100% 584,307 100% -10,766 -2% Service Population (SP) 173,517 ― 202,737 ― 29,220 17%
MTCO2e/SP 3.4 ― 2.9 ― -0.5 -16%
AB 1279 Target for Year 20451 ― ― 89,261 -85% ― ―
Does Project Meet Target? ― ― No ― ― ―
Source: See Appendix 5.3-1
Notes: Emissions may not total to 100 percent due to rounding. Based on GWPs in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5). 1 The AB 1279 Target for Year 2045 represents an 85-percent emissions reduction from existing conditions.
As shown in Table 5.8-5, buildout of the land u ses accommodated under the General Plan Update would result in a net decrease of GHG emissions from existing conditions. Similarly, GHG emissions per service population (SP) would decrease. The primary reason for the decrease in GHG emissions per service populationis due to regulations adopted to reduce GHG emissions and turnover of California’s on -road vehicle fleets.
It should be noted that the majority of annual GHG emissions generated by development facilitated by the proposed project are the result of vehicle use. Energy source emissions, meaning emissions associated with Packet Pg. 1162
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-38 FEBR UARY 2024
the consumption of electricity and natural gas for power generation, constitute the next largest source of GHG emissions during operation. However, adopted State measures aim to target and reduce mobile and energy sources to reduce GHG emissions, such as:
▪ The RPS requires increases in renewable electricity supplies. ▪ The Clean Car Standards require increased fuel efficiency of on-road vehicles and decreased carbon intensity of vehicle fuels.
▪ The updated Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards require new buildings to achieve increased energy efficiency targets.
▪ The Climate Change Scoping Plan LCFS mandates reduced carbon intensity of fuels used in off-road equipment.
▪ SB 100 also establishes RPS requirements for publicly owned utilities that consist of 44 percent renewable energy by 2024, 52 percent by 2027, and 60 percent by 2030. ▪ SB 1020 adds interim targets to require renewable and zero -carbon generation sources to supply 90 percent of all retail electricity sales by 2035 and 95 percent of all retail electricity sales by 2040. ▪ SB 1383 aims for a 75 percent reduction in organic wastes by 2025 aimed to tackle climate change. ▪ SB 350 directs CARB, in coordination with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and (CEC), to establish 2030 GHG emissions targets for the electricity sector in general and each electricity provider.
Consistency with the State’s 2045 Carbon Neutrality Goals To determine whether the proposed project would result in a potentially significant impact, the proposed project must demonstrate consistency with the State’s 2045 GHG reduction target of carbon neutrality.
Under the General Plan Update, new growth would be focused on areas of the City where services exist or can be expanded and/or extended to serve additional and more intensive development . As identified in Table 5.8-5, the proposed project would result in a slight decrease in emissions but would not achieve an 85 percent reduction in GHG emissions by 2045. Therefore, until such time, GHG emissions impacts for the Redding General Plan Update are considered potentially significant regarding meeting the long -term year 2045 reduction goal.
General Plan Policies That May Reduce GHG Emissions
While growth in the City would cumulatively contribute to GHG emissions impacts, implementation of various General Plan Update policies would help to minimize GHG emissions. Such policies that would help reduce GHG emission generation during project operation are listed below:
Packet Pg. 1163
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-39
▪ Policy CDD10: Encourage development in the City to include inviting, attractive, accessible, and walkable urban mixed -use neighborhoods combining residential, commercial, recreational, open space, and employment to maximize the use of underused urban lots. ▪ Policy CDD11A: Encourage developers to create new residential developments in infill priority areas that are available to a broad segment of the community . The developments should be pedestrian and bicycle friendly to make efficient use of available infrastructure and at densities that will help facilitate the provision and use of public transit where it is available. ▪ Policy CDD11C: Consider developing form-based codes specific to infill priority areas and develop small lot zoning standards for existing lots below the City’s minimum lot size to facilitate residential development in infill priority areas.
▪ Policy CDD11D: Explore options for incentivizing parcel assemblage in infill priority areas to support residential and mixed-use developments.
▪ Policy CDD11E: Facilitate to the extent feasible, the construction of new affordable housing units that are within walking distance to transit, everyday services, schools, and employment centers. ▪ Policy T3A : Support the provision of enhanced transit service that is timely, cost -effective, responsive to growth patterns, and meet the needs of existing and future transit demand. Bby: (EJ) o Working with the Shasta Regional transportation Agency (SRTA) and public transit providers including the Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA) on an ongoing basis to plan and implement additional public transit services
o Supporting to the extent feasible and as funding allows the continuation and expansion of private commercial or nonprofit bus operations to provide additional regional transit opportunities for residents.
o Promoting coordination of public transit, on-demand service, autonomous vehicles, intercity rail, bicycle share program, intercity bus, and air transportation services to enhance the transportation options available for residents and visitors to the Redding community.
o Supporting to the extent feasible and as funding allows provision of intercity bus service. o Developing policies and procedures to implement shared mobility devices to help enhance public transit options. These micro-transit shared mobility type devices could include scooters and e-bikes, and autonomous vehicles, and but may be expanded as technology develops.
▪ Policy T3B: Provide physical measures to enhance transit service by considering to undertake the following:
o Require new development to install and maintain passenger amenities at designated bus stops when relevant to accommodating project trips or mitigating VMT as appropriate.
Packet Pg. 1164
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-40 FEBR UARY 2024
o Provide bus facilities along arterial streets as indicated in an applicable transit development plan. Determine the precise locations during the development plan review or at the time of major street improvement or reconstruction. o Work with RABA to provide safe, attractive, well-lit, comfortable, and protected waiting areas for bus passengers.
▪ Policy T4A: Support measures that help reduce VMT below regional averages on a “residential per capita” and “per employee” basis by:
o Monitoring traffic trends through advanced technological solutions to determine mobility options, infrastructure improvements, and development decisions. o Encouraging employers, colleges, and schools to provide incentives and facilities (e.g., showers) for employees and students utilizing alternatives to the single-occupant automobile, such as carpools, vanpools, buses, bicycling, and walking. o Encouraging employers, including government agencies, to allow telecommuting and flex time and to promote staggered shifts or base work hours that do not coincide with peak - period traffic to reduce peak-hour trips.
▪ Policy T7A: Strive to m aintain adequate on -street and public off - street parking areas, including electric vehicle charging stations, to meet ongoing parking demands by considering the following measures:
o Pursue funding options and strategies for the construction and maintenance of shared parking facilities/structures Downtown.
o Seek funding to provide electric charging stations at parking lots and rest areas for cars, trucks, and bicycles throughout the City.
o Encourage and facilitate the provision of electric-vehicle charging facilities in new parking lots and multi-family residential developments.
o Strive to install secure bicycle parking with electric charging stations and large enough for cargo bikes in the Downtown area and at City parks, civic buildings, and other community centers.
▪ Policy T7B: Endeavor to ensure that required parking provisions for private development supports efforts to encourage multimodal travel and reduce VMT by:
o Pursuing maximum and minimum standards for automobile parking spaces in transit corridors and Downtown to promote use of alternate modes of travel as may be appropriate.
o Pursuing minimum standards for bicycle parking, including both long-term and short-term bicycle parking spaces.
Packet Pg. 1165
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-41
The primary mechanism by which local jurisdictions can ensure consistency with the State GHG reduction goals is through preparation of a Climate Action Plan. Natural Resources Element Policy NR14A would require the City to develop and implement a Climate Action Plan:
▪ Policy NR14A: Consider developing and adopting a “Climate Action and Resiliency Plan” for Redding. Such plan, if adopted, should establish GHG emissions reduction goals for 2035 and 2050, include an effective progress reporting timeline, and update the GHG inventory and forecasts at appropriate intervals.
Summary
While sector emissions would be generated under the proposed project largely due to the forecast growth in population and employment , the above General Plan Update policies would support GHG emission reductions through individual development projects facilitated by the proposed project. Implementation of these policies and other proposed policies of the General Plan Update would contribute to minimizing GHG emissions associated with the city to the extent feasible. However, as shown in Table 5.8-5, GHG emissions are projected to result in a slight decrease in emissions from the CEQA baseline but not result in the 85 percent reduction from existing conditions necessary to ensure the City is on a trajectory to achieve the long-term reductions goals AB 1279 and substantial progress toward the State’s carbon neutrality goals for year 2045. Although the General Plan Updates includes Natural Resource Element Policy NR14A that requires that the city to develop and implement a Climate Action Plan and implementation measures to support this goal, it is uncertain whether these policies will, in effect, lower the City’s GHG emissions to a less-than-significant level. Therefore, GHG emissions associated with the proposed project are considered significant.
Level of Significance Before Mitigation: GHG-1 would be potentially significant.
Mitigation Measures
There are no feasible mitigation measures. The General Plan Update includes Natural Resource Element Policy NR14A, which directs the City to consider developing and implementing a Climate Action Plan. The Climate Action Plan would outline additional measures new development should take to ensure that the city is consistent with the State’s carbon neutrality goals.
Level of Significance After Mitigation: GHG-1 would be significant and unavoidable.
Implementation of the Redding General Plan Natural Resource Element Policy NR14A would ensure that the City to develop and implement a Climate Action Plan to achieve the GHG and substantial progress toward the State’s carbon neutrality goals for year 205 0. However, given the growth in population and employment within the City and the magnitude of emissions reductions needed to achieve the GHG reduction target, it is uncertain whether Natural Resource Element Policy NR14A would lower GHG emissions to less -than-significant levels. Therefore, GHG emissions are considered significant and unavoidable.
Packet Pg. 1166
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
5.8-42 FEBR UARY 2024
GHG-2: The proposed project would not conflict with an applicable plan, policy, or regulation adopted for the purpose of reducing the emissions of GHGs. [Threshold GHG-2]
Applicable plans adopted for the purpose of reducing GHG emissions include CARB’s Scoping Plan and SRTA’s Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS). A consistency analysis with these plans is presented below.
CARB Scoping Plan
The CARB Scoping Plan is applicable to state agencies but is not directly applicable to cities/counties and individual projects (i.e., the Scoping Plan does not require local jurisdictions to adopt its policies, programs, or regulations to reduce GHG emissions). However, new regulations adopted by the State agencies from the Scoping Plan result in GHG emissions reductions at the local level. So local jurisdictions benefit from reductions in transportation emissions rates, increases in water efficiency in the building and landscape codes, and other statewide actions that affect a local jurisdiction’s emissions inventory from the top down.
Statewide strategies to reduce GHG emissions include the LCFS mandate and changes in the corporate average fuel economy standards.
Development projects accommodated under the proposed project are required to adhere to the programs and regulations identified by the Scoping Plan and implemented by state, regional, and local agencies to achieve the statewide GHG reduction goals of AB 32, SB 32, and AB 1279. Future development projects would be required to comply with these state GHG emissions reduction measures because they are statewide strategies. For example, new buildings under the proposed project would be required to meet the CALGreen and Building Energy Efficiency Standards in effect at the time when applying for building permits. Furthermore, as discussed under the discussion for Impact GHG -1, the proposed project includes General Plan Update policies that would help reduce GHG emissions and therefore help achieve GHG reduction goals. Implementation of the proposed project would not obstruct implementation of the CARB Scoping Plan, and impacts would be less than significant.
SRTA’s Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS)
The RTP/SCS is the Shasta County regional transportation plan to achieve the passenger vehicle emissions reductions identified under SB 375. The 2018 RTP/SCS includes an updated SCS which features seven SGAs where strategies are focused to reduce per capita vehicle miles traveled and associated GHGs. Strategies are intended to increase population and employment density within SGAs and to provide a range of practical mobility alternatives (SRTA 2018). The General Plan Update would include development within a designated SGA which is the City of Redding ’s Downtown area. The County ’s RTP directs the focus of development in infill areas, such as the downtown area . As shown in Table 5.8 -6, RTP/SCS Consistency Packet Pg. 1167
Attachment: Final Environmental Impact Report (2.1--Comprehensive Update of the General Plan & Final EIR, by City of Redding)
R E D D I N G G E N E R A L P L A N U P D A T E D R A F T E I R
C I T Y O F R E D D I N G
GREENHOUSE GASES
PLACEWORKS 5.8-43
Analysis, the proposed project would be consistent with the goals of the RTP as the proposed project aims to direct its future growth in infill areas.
TABLE 5.8-6 RTP/SCS CONSISTENCY ANALYSIS
Goals Consistency Analysis
#1: Optimize the use of existing
interregional and regionally
significant roadways to prolong
functionally and maximize return-
on-investment
Policy T1I in the Transportation Element encourages the public, stakeholders, and other jurisdictions and agencies to promote, design, and construct an effective transportation system that serves users of all ages and abilities. It includes the Shasta Regional Transportation Agency, consulting with local public safety agencies, and designing a roadway network that has adequate circulation to allow for secondary and tertiary access points. Existing areas with single points of access should be prioritized to create secondary access points. Road connections required for secondary access should be designed to meet a minimum road standard allowed by the City Engineer and the Fire Marshall.
#2: Strategically increase capacity
on interregional and regionally
significant roadways to keep people
and freight moving effectively and
efficiently
See response in Goal #1. In addition, Policy T3A supports the provision of enhanced transit service that is timely, cost-effective, responsive to growth patterns, and meets the needs of existing and future transit demand.
#3: Provide an integrated, context-
appropriate range of practical
transportation choices
The General Plan Update includes policies in the Transportation Element that promote and supports alternative modes of transportation (Policies T1C, T2A, T2B, T3A, T3B,T6A, T6B)
#4: Create people-centered
communities that support public
safety, health, and well-being
The General Plan Update also includes policies in the Community Development and Design Element and Transportation Element that promote mixed-use development (Policies CDD9C, CDD9D, CDD10C, CDD10D, CDD10E, CDD13C, CDD13D, T4A, T4B, 10A)
#5: Strengthen regional economic
competitiveness for long-term
prosperity
The General Plan Update includes the Economic Development Element which contains policies aimed at increasing economic opportunities in the City. Such as Policy ED5E and ED5F seek to leverage economic opportunities such as tourism, while Policy ED12A seeks to maximize the benefits of existing economic development partnerships and non-profit organizations.
#6: Promote public access,
awareness, and action in planning
and decision-making processes.