classified as VHFHSZ and is generally flat with gentle slopes.8 The proposed project site is located approximately 5.3 miles northwest of the nearest SRA VHFHSZ and is within a heavily urbanized area surrounded by commercial, residential, and industrial uses (see Chapter 1, Project Description). The proposed project would not exacerbate wildfire risks, thereby exposing project occupants to pollutant concentrations from a wildfire or the uncontrolled spread of a wildfire.
Therefore, there would be no impact. No further analysis is warranted.
c. No Impact. The proposed project would result in no impact to wildfire in relation to requiring the installation or maintenance of associated infrastructure such as roads, fuel breaks, emergency water sources, power lines or other utilities that would exacerbate fire risk or that may result in temporary or ongoing impacts to the environment. The proposed project site is located approximately 5.3 miles northwest of the nearest SRA VHFHSZ, within a heavily urbanized area surrounded by commercial, residential, and residential uses. However, the fire threat level at the proposed project site is little to no threat. The proposed project is located within a developed Right-of-Way (ROW) and would not restrict potential emergency access. The proposed project would remove existing railroad infrastructure and construct a paved path with minimal planting, marked street crossings, access gates, and signage. Goal 5.5.2 of the 2023 Safety Element update requires all construction in the City to be in conformance with the California Building Code, which includes general construction requirements relating to fire and safety. 9 The proposed
project would include a two-way publicly accessible path for cyclists and pedestrians during operations, and would contribute to the City’s build-out, thus minimizing the potential for fire conditions. The proposed project area is not located in or near SRA or lands classified as VHFHSZ, would not exacerbate wildfire risks, and not require the installation or maintenance of infrastructure to avoid exacerbating impacts from a wildfire. Therefore, there would be no impact.
No further analysis is warranted.
d. No Impact. The proposed project would result in no impact to wildfire in relation to exposure of people or structures to significant risks, including downslope or downstream flooding or landslides, as a result of runoff, postfire slope instability, or drainage changes. The proposed project site is not located in or near SRA or lands classified as VHFHSZ. The proposed project site is generally flat with gentle slopes from east to west. Moreover, the City has no recorded history of landslide activity as indicated by the California Geological Survey. 10 As discussed in
Section 3.10, Hydrology and Water Quality, the proposed project site is not located within a flood- susceptible area. Although the proposed project site would include a paved concrete surface that could decrease permeability, drainage is not expected to significantly change compared to existing conditions. Additionally, the fire threat level at the proposed project site is little to no threat. The proposed project includes a 1.75-mile trail alignment extension that would provide innovative nonmotorized and sustainable transit modes, connecting the project area to various parts of the City and surrounding region. As such, users would be transient along the trail and would not be subject to significant wildfire risk. Since the proposed project site is not located in or near SRA or lands classified as VHFHSZ and a flood-susceptible area or in an area with landslide
8 City of Rialto Public Works Department. January 2022. Feasibility Study: Pacific Electric (PE) Trail Expansion. https://www.yourrialto.com/DocumentCenter/View/2499/Pacific-Electric-Trail-Expansion-Feasibility-Study?bidId= (accessed December 2024).
9 City of Rialto Community Development Department. September 2023. Safety and Noise. Public Draft. Prepared by Dudek. https://www.yourrialto.com/DocumentCenter/View/4458/2023-Safety-Element?bidId= (accessed December 2024).
10 City of Rialto Community Development Department. September 2023. Safety and Noise. Public Draft. Prepared by Dudek. https://www.yourrialto.com/DocumentCenter/View/4458/2023-Safety-Element?bidId= (accessed December 2024).
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activity, the proposed project would not expose people or structures to significant risk from wildfire. Therefore, there would be no impact. No further analysis is warranted.
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3.21 Mandatory Findings of Significance
Potentially
Significant
Impact
Less than
Significant with
Mitigation
Incorporated
Less than
Significant
Impact
No
Impact
Would the project:
a) Does the project have the potential to
degrade the quality of the environment,
substantially reduce the habitat of a fish or
wildlife species, cause a fish or wildlife
population to drop below self-sustaining
levels, threaten to eliminate a plant or animal
community, reduce the number or restrict the
range of a rare or endangered plant or animal
or eliminate important examples of the major
periods of California history or prehistory?
☐ ☒ ☐ ☐
b) Does the project have impacts that are
individually limited but cumulatively
considerable? (“Cumulatively considerable”
means that the incremental effects of a project
are considerable when viewed in connection
with the effects of past projects, the effects of
other current projects, and the effects of
probable future projects)?
☐ ☐ ☒ ☐
c) Does the project have environmental
effects which will cause substantial adverse
effects on human beings, either directly or
indirectly?
☐ ☒ ☐ ☐
Explanation
a. Less than significant with mitigation incorporated. The proposed project would have a significant impact if it were to have the potential to degrade the quality of the environment in a way that would substantially reduce wildlife populations or California history or prehistory. As discussed in Section 3.4, Biological Resources, the proposed project would result in no impacts or less than significant impacts in relation to five of six environmental issue areas. The proposed project would have the potential to result in potentially significant impacts in relation to the movement of any native resident or migratory fish and/or wildlife species or established native resident or migratory wildlife corridors, or native wildlife nursery sites. However, mitigation measure BIO-1 would reduce potential impacts to below the level of significance.
As discussed in Section 3.5, Cultural Resources, the proposed project would have a less than significant impact with mitigation incorporated for historical resources but has no potential to eliminate important examples of the major periods of California history or prehistory. Analysis within the Cultural Resources Technical Report (Appendix E), Historical Properties Evaluation Report (see Appendix F, Draft Section 106 Documentation ), and the Archaeological Survey Report (Appendix F), determined that the proposed project would not be within or adjacent to any known sensitive tribal cultural resources or known archaeological sites. However, the proposed project encompasses four historic built environment resources that, while ineligible for inclusion Rialto Pacific Electric Trail Project Initial Study
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in the National Register of Historic Places and California Register of Historical Resources, do meet the City of Rialto Historic Preservation Ordinance criteria for Local Listing.
As discussed in Sections 3.5, Cultural Resources , and 3.18, Tribal Cultural Resources , the potential presence of significant buried tribal or cultural resources is low in previously disturbed soils, however, in native undisturbed soils, the potential to encounter intact buried cultural and tribal cultural deposits increases. As a result of coordination undertaken with Native American tribes pursuant to AB 52, mitigation measures CUL-1, CUL-2, CUL-3, and TRC-1 would be implemented to reduce potential impacts to below the level of significance. Therefore, the proposed project would have less than significant impacts with mitigation incorporated in relation to eliminating important examples of the major periods of California history or prehistory or other historical resources.
b. Less than significant impact. The list of related projects that could combine with the proposed project to result in a cumulative impact are listed in Table 1.12-1, List of Related Projects , in Section 1.0, Project Description. As shown in Table 1.12-1 and Figure 1.12-1, Related Projects Map, there are no planned or in-process recreational projects within 5 miles of the project area.
The proposed project could result in impacts due to potentially overlapping construction schedules of the related projects. However, as discussed in Section 3.17, Transportation, the proposed project would have no impact in relation to traffic or traffic-related hazards. With respect to air quality, as discussed in Section 3.3, Air Quality , the proposed project would not result in a cumulatively considerable increase of any criteria air pollutant.
Nonetheless, there is a possibility that the proposed project could have overlapping construction activities with the related projects that could result in other types of cumulative impacts. These cumulative impacts would be temporary and occur only during the timeline of construction activities and only within construction times during days. Furthermore, the City would be responsible for issuing construction permits for each of the related projects as well as the proposed project. As part of standard procedure, the City would coordinate construction times, days, and truck routes
1 with the proposed project and related projects to avoid or minimize potential hazards (i.e., safety, traffic/truck routes, air quality, noise, etc.). As such, the proposed project would result in a less than significant impact.
c. Less than significant with mitigation incorporated. The proposed project would have a significant impact if it would result in substantial adverse effects on human beings, either directly or indirectly. The proposed project would include an additional route for non-motorized transportation via a multi-use trail system intended to improve the quality of life and health for Rialto residents.
As detailed throughout this Initial Study, the proposed project would not exceed any significance thresholds or result in significant impacts in relation to several of the environmental categories typically associated with indirect or direct effects to human beings, including aesthetics, air quality, and public services.
As discussed in Section 3.9, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, the proposed project would result in no impacts or less than significant impacts in relation to five of seven environmental issue areas. The proposed project would have the potential to result in potentially significant impacts in relation to creating a significant hazard to the public or the environment through reasonably
1 Truck routes within the City of Rialto are regulated by Ordinance No. 1684.
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foreseeable upset and accident conditions involving the release of hazardous materials into the environment; and in relation to emitting hazard ous emissions or handle hazardous or acutely hazardous materials, substances, or waste within one-quarter mile of an existing or proposed school. However, mitigation measure HAZ-1 would reduce impacts to below the level of significance.
As discussed in Section 3.13, Noise, the proposed project would result in no impacts or less than significant impacts in relation to two of thr ee environmental issue areas. The proposed project would have the potential to result in potentially significant impacts in relation to generating a substantial temporary or permanent increase in ambient noise levels in the vicinity of the project in excess of standards established in the local general plan or noise ordinance, or applicable standards of other agencies. However, mitigation measure NOISE-1 would reduce impacts to below the level of significance.
As discussed in Section 3.27, Transportation and Traffic, the proposed project would result in no impacts or less than significant impacts in relation to three of four environmental issue areas. The proposed project would have the potential to result in potentially significant impacts in relation to resulting in inadequate emergency access. However, implementation of mitigation measure TRANS-1 would reduce impacts to below the level of significance.
As such, significant impacts related to substantial adverse effects on human beings would not occur after implementation of mitigation measures.
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SECTION 4.0
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