Wildomar City Council
December 9, 2024

Department and applicable Wildlife Agencies. If conditions or circumstances change after the environmental analysis is conducted and prior to ground-disturbing activities associated with the action, the validity of the results shall be confirmed or an updated environmental analysis shall be conducted prior to impacting a project site. Refer to Figure 5.4-16, Flow Chart to Guide Aquatic Resources Recommendations.

BIO-13 If an action may impact potentially regulated aquatic resources, an aquatic resources delineation shall be conducted by a qualified biologist for a project consistent with the methods detailed within the Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual (Environmental Laboratory 1987), Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Arid West Region (USACE 2008), and State Wetlands Definitions and Procedures for Discharges of Dredged and Fill Material to Waters of the State, and local policies by the CDFW regarding their jurisdiction, following the definitions contained within the California Fish and Game Code pertaining to regulated resources (lakes, streams, and associated hydrophytic vegetation). If it is determined by a qualified biologist that potentially regulated aquatic resources are absent from a project site or will not be impacted by the action, no other measures are recommended and the habitat assessment shall be submitted to the City of Wildomar Community Development Department and USACE. If it is determined that potentially regulated aquatic resources may be impacted by the action, the delineation shall be submitted to the USACE, and a Preliminary Jurisdictional Determination or Approved Jurisdictional Determination shall be obtained. The project applicant shall obtain all required permits from the USACE and applicable agencies prior to the start of construction activities.

Refer to Figure 5.4-16, Flow Chart to Guide Aquatic Resources Recommendations.

Impact 5.4-3
See Mitigation Measures BIO-1, BIO-2, BIO-7, BIO-8, and BIO-9.

BIO-14 If an action will substantially impact wildlife movement, established wildlife corridors, or impede the use of nursery sites, measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate for significant impacts shall be determined in consultation with the appropriate regulatory agency (e.g., CDFW, USFWS, NMFS) and implemented prior to the start of ground disturbing activities.

Refer to Figure 5.4-17, Flow Chart to Guide Wildlife Corridor and Movement Protection Recommendations.

5.4.8 Level of Significance After Mitigation
Impact 5.4-1
Buildout of the Proposed General Plan could impact sensitive or special-status species known to occur in the City of Wildomar. Mitigation Measures BIO-1 and BIO-2 require worker environmental awareness training for biological resources and appropriate measures to avoid impacts to biological resources; Mitigation Measures BIO-3 through BIO-9 provide provisions to reduce impacts to wildlife species, such as an environmental analysis and other studies, as well as a pre-construction survey. However, even with the implementation of 337

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Mitigation Measures BIO-1 through BIO-9, Impact 5.4-1 would be significant and unavoidable as projectspecific information is unknown.

Impact 5.4-2
Impacts to sensitive natural communities, including riparian habitat and wetlands, could occur. Implementation of Mitigation Measures BIO-1 and BIO-2, as well as Mitigation Measures BIO-10 through BIO-13, which require an environmental analysis and DBESP for aquatic resources and natural vegetation communities, and a Lake or Streambed Alteration Notification, would be implemented. With the implementation of Mitigation Measures BIO-1, BIO-2, and BIO-10 through BIO-13, impacts would be reduced to less than significant with mitigation incorporated.

Impact 5.4-3
Buildout under the Proposed General Plan could impact wildlife movement in and around the City. See Mitigation Measures BIO-1, BIO-2, BIO-7, BIO-8, and BIO-9, as well as Mitigation Measure BIO-14, which requires measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate for significant impacts to be implemented, would reduce impacts to wildlife movement and corridors. Therefore, with the implementation of Mitigation Measures BIO1, BIO-2, BIO-7, BIO-8, BIO-9, and BIO-14, impacts would be reduced to less than significant with mitigation incorporated.

5.4.9 References
ECORP Consulting, Inc. (ECORP). 2024, March. Biological Resources Assessment: City of Wildomar General Plan Update. Appendix 5.4-1.

Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority (RCA). 2023. FAQs. https://www.wrc-rca.org/ faqs/.

Riverside County Land Management Agency (RCTLMA). 2023a, November. Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan. https://rctlma.org/multiple-species-habitat -conservation-plan-mshcp-volume-1-section-10
———. 2023b, November. Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan. https://rctlma.org/western-riverside-county-multiple-species-habitat-conservation-plan-mshcp-2. 338

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5.5 CULTURAL RESOURCES
Cultural resources comprise archaeological and historical resources. Archaeology studies human artifacts, such as places, objects, and settlements that reflect group or individual religious, cultural, or everyday activities. Historical resources include sites, structures, objects, or places that are at least 50 years old and are significant for their engineering, architecture, cultural use or association, etc. In California, historic resources cover human activities over the past 12,000 years. Cultural resources provide information on scientific progress, environmental adaptations, group ideology, or other human advancements. Section 5.18 Tribal Cultural Resources, includes an overview of existing conditions and analysis pertaining to tribal cultural resources. This section of the DEIR evaluates the potential for implementation of the proposed project to impact cultural resources in the City of Wildomar. The analysis in this section is based in part on the following information:
 Cultural Resources Assessment for City of Wildomar General Plan Update, Riverside County, California, ECORP Consulting, Inc., October 27, 2023
A complete copy of this study is included as Appendix 5.5-1 to this DEIR.

FOCAL POINT
This chapter concludes that future development under the Proposed General Plan could adversely impact existing and/or future historic resources in the City. There are four historic resources that have been evaluated as potentially eligible for future historic resources listing which may be vulnerable to development activities accompanying infill, redevelopment, or revitalization. The placement of new buildings adjacent to a historic resource or development activities to historic sites/structures have the ability to impact historic resources. In addition, other buildings or structures that could meet the National Register of Historic Places criteria upon reaching 50 years of age might be impacted by development or redevelopment activities that would be accommodated by the proposed project. As such, the loss and/or permanent alteration of historic resources could result in significant and unavoidable impacts. While ground-disturbing activities have the potential to impact archaeological resources and human remains, these impacts would be mitigated to a level of less than significant.

5.5.1 Environmental Setting

5.5.1.1 REGULATORY BACKGROUND
Federal Regulations
National Historic Preservation Act
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 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. 339

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Section 106 (Protection of Historic Properties) of the act requires federal agencies to take into account 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) 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.

National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (National Register) 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. It recognizes resources of local, state, and national significance which have been documented and evaluated according to uniform standards and criteria.

Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act, the National Register is part of the national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect historic and archaeological resources. The National Register is administered by the National Park Service, which is part of the U.S. 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. 340

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State Regulations
California Public Resources Code
Archaeological and historical sites are protected under a wide variety of state policies and regulations in the California Public Resources Code (PRC). In addition, cultural and paleontological resources are recognized as nonrenewable resources and receive protection under the PRC and CEQA.

PRC Sections 5020 to 5029.5 continued the former Historical Landmarks Advisory Committee as the State Historical Resources Commission. The commission oversees the administration of the California Register of Historical Resources and is responsible for designating State Historical Landmarks and Historical Points of Interest.

PRC Sections 5079 to 5079.65 define the functions and duties of the Office of Historic Preservation, which administers federal- and state-mandated historic preservation programs in California as well as the California Heritage Fund.

PRC Sections 5097.9 to 5097.991 provide protection to Native American historical and cultural resources and sacred sites; identify the powers and duties of the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC); require that descendants be notified when Native American human remains are discovered; and provide for treatment and disposition of human remains and associated grave goods.

California Register of Historical Resources
The State Historical Resources Commission has designed this program for use by state and local agencies, private groups, and citizens to identify, evaluate, register, and protect California’s historical resources. The California Register of Historic Resources (CRHR) is the authoritative guide to the state’s significant historical and archaeological resources.

The CRHR program encourages public recognition and protection of resources of architectural, historical, archaeological, and cultural significance; identifies historical resources for state and local planning purposes; determines eligibility for state historic preservation grant funding; and affords certain protections under CEQA.

To be eligible for listing in the CRHR, 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 local or regional history or the cultural heritage of California or the United States.  Is associated with the lives of persons important to local, California, or national history.  Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region, or method of construction; represents the work of a master; or possesses high artistic values.  Has yielded, or has the potential to yield, information important to the prehistory or history of the local area, California or the nation.
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In addition to having significance, resources must have integrity for the period of significance. The period of significance is the date or span of time within which significant events transpired or significant individuals made their important contributions. Integrity is the authenticity of a historical resource’s physical identity as evidenced by the survival of characteristics or historic fabric that existed during the resource’s period of significance. Alterations to a resource or changes in its use over time may change its historical, cultural, or architectural significance. Simply, resources must retain enough of their historic character or appearance to be recognizable as historical resources and to convey the reasons for their significance. A resource that has lost its historic character or appearance may still have sufficient integrity for the CRHR under Criterion 4 if it maintains the potential to yield significant scientific or historical information or specific data.

California Historical Landmarks
California Historical Landmarks are buildings, structures, sites, or places that have been determined to have statewide historical significance. The resource must be approved for designation by the county Board of Supervisors or the city council in whose jurisdiction it is located; be recommended by the State Historical Resources Commission; and be officially designated by the Director of California State Parks. A resource must meet at least one of these following criteria:
 Be the first, last, only, or most significant of its type in the state or within a large geographic region (northern, central, or southern California).
 Be associated with an individual or group having a profound influence on the history of California.  Be a prototype of, or an outstanding example of, a period, style, architectural movement, or construction or is one of the more notable works or the best surviving work in a region of a pioneer architect, designer, or master builder.

California Points of Historical Interest
California Points of Historical Interest are sites, buildings, features, or events that are of local (city or county) significance and have anthropological, cultural, military, political, architectural, economic, scientific or technical, religious, experimental, or other value. Points of Historical Interest designated after December 1997 and recommended by the State Historical Resources Commission are also listed in the CRHR. No historical resource may be designated as both a landmark and a point. If a point is subsequently granted as a landmark, the point designation is retired.

To be eligible for designation as a Point of Historical Interest, a resource must meet at least one of the following criteria:
 Be the first, last, only, or most significant of its type within the local geographic region (city or county).  Be associated with an individual or group having a profound influence on the history of the local area. 342

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 Be a prototype of, or an outstanding example of, a period, style, architectural movement or construction or be one of the more notable works or the best surviving work in the local region of a pioneer architect, designer, or master builder.

California Historic Building Code
The California Historic Building Code—California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 8—provides regulations for the preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, relocation, or reconstruction of buildings or properties designated as qualified historical buildings or properties. The California Historic Building Code is intended to provide solutions for the preservation of qualified historical buildings or properties, to promote sustainability, to provide access for persons with disabilities, to provide a cost-effective approach to preservation, and to provide for the reasonable safety of the occupants or users.

California Health and Safety Code
California Health and Safety Code Section 7050.5 requires that if human remains are discovered on the project area, disturbance of the site shall halt and 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. If the coroner determines that the remains are not subject to his or her authority and recognizes or has reason to believe the human remains are those of Native American, he or she shall contact the NAHC by telephone within 24 hours.

Mills Act
Under the Mills Act, California Government Code Sections 50280 et seq., a city or county may contract with the owner of any qualified historical property to restrict the use of the property. The owner continues to preserve the property and the State reduces property taxes. The City is not currently opted into the Mills Act (OHP 2023).

Regional Regulations
Riverside County Landmarks
The City of Wildomar is within Riverside County. To be eligible for consideration as a Riverside County Historic Landmark, a historic resource must be nominated through the following application and approval process:

A. Historical resources that may be considered by nomination include:
 Historical resources found as eligible for local, state, or national landmark status during CEQA cultural review.
 Historical resources found as eligible for local, state, or national landmark status during a historic resource survey.
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 A historic resource or district already designated under a municipal or county preservation or landmark ordinance. Riverside County Historic Preservation Districts are established by a different set of criteria under Riverside County Ordinance 578 and are not established under the criteria and procedures contained in this document.
 Nominations for historic resources not already having some level of landmark designation, or found to be eligible for such, will be reviewed under the criteria under Subheading B.

B. The typology and criteria listed below are consistent with those developed by the California Office of Historic Preservation but have been modified for local application at the county level. Types of resources eligible for nomination include:
 Building: A resource, such as a house, bar, church, factory, hotel, or similar structure created principally to shelter or assist in carrying out any form of human activity.  Site: A site is the location of a significant event, a prehistoric or historic occupation or activity, or a building or structure, whether standing, ruined, or vanished, where the location itself possessed historical, cultural, or archaeological value. A site need not be marked by physical remains if it is the location of a prehistoric or historic event. Nor is it required that a building, structure, or object marked the site at the time of its historic significance, occupation, or activity. Examples: trails, landscape features, battlefields, habitation sites, Native American ceremonial areas, and rock art.  Structure: The term “structure” is used to describe construction made for a functional purpose rather than creating human shelter. Examples: mines, flumes, roads, bridges, and tunnels.  Object: The term “object” is used to describe those constructions that are primarily artistic or commemorative in nature, relatively small in scale, and associated with a specific setting or environment. Objects that are located in museums are not eligible for landmark listing. Examples:
fountains, monuments, maritime resources, sculptures, and boundary markers.  Historic Districts: A geographic area designated as containing multiple historic resources that collectively have a special character, or value––historic, cultural, architectural, archaeological, community, or aesthetic. A district must meet at least one of the criteria discussed below.

To be considered a historic resource eligible for landmark listing, the resource must be at least 50 years of age at the time of nomination.

A historical resource must be significant under one or more of the following criteria in order to qualify for listing as a Riverside County Historical Landmark. - Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of Riverside County’s history and cultural heritage.
- Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of Riverside County’s history and cultural heritage.
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- Is associated with the lives of persons important to the history of Riverside County or its communities.
- Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, Riverside County region, or method of construction, or represents the work of an important creative individual or possesses high artistic values.
- Has yielded or may be likely to yield, information important in Riverside County, state of California, or national prehistory or history.
- Integrity: Historical resources that have been preserved, rehabilitated, or restored according to the U.S. Secretary of Interiors Standards for integrity will be given the highest consideration in the approval process.
- Reconstructed buildings will not be considered for landmark status unless they are more than 50 years old and embody traditional building methods and techniques or they exhibit artistic values in the execution of the reconstruction.

Local Regulations
City of Wildomar Municipal Code
As per Chapter 15.18, Historical Building Code, of the Wildomar Municipal Code, the City has adopted the 2022 California Historical Building Code into Title 15 of the Wildomar Municipal Code.

Chapter 15.88, Historic Preservation Districts, of the Wildomar Municipal Code is intended to recognize, protect, preserve, and enhance sites and structures having historic significance within the City.

5.5.1.2 EXISTING CONDITIONS
City of Wildomar
Rancho La Laguna was a grant of three-square leagues made by Mexican governor Manuel Micheltorena to Julian Manriquez in 1844. Rancho La Laguna included Lake Elsinore and what is now the City of Wildomar.

The land grant did not include the surrounding hills.

After Julian Manriquez died, Rancho La Laguna was sold to Abel Stearns in 1852. Stearns sold the rancho to Agustín Machado in 1858. When confirmed by the United States in 1872, the grant had an area of 13,339 acres. Machado’s widow and 11 of the 12 children sold most of the rancho to an Englishman, Charles A.

Sumner, in 1873. Sumner mortgaged his property in 1875 and lost the property through foreclosure and a sheriff ’s sale in 1877. The new owner sold the property to Frederick M. Sumner, the brother of Charles A.

Sumner. In 1881, ownership was transferred to a San Francisco bank and in 1883, it was purchased by Franklin Heald, William Collier, and Donald Graham. The partners subdivided part of the property and began selling lots in what would become the Town of Elsinore. These partners divided the La Laguna Ranch property in 1885 with Collier and Graham taking the area southeast of Corydon Road, which became the City of Wildomar.
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Wildomar began as the Car B station, established in 1884 by the California Southern Railroad Company (CSRR) six miles south of the Elsinore Junction station. The station began as a railroad car on a siding. The name was changed to Wildon and lots were surveyed and platted in 1885. Wildon was based on the names of William Collier and Donald Graham. A new plat was recorded in 1886 with the name changed to Wildomar.

The name Wildomar was formed using Wildon plus part of the first name of Margaret Collier, wife of William Collier and sister of Donald Graham.

The original townsite was between Palomar Street and Grand Avenue and between Gruwell Street and Pasadena Avenue, according to the 1901 edition of the U.S. Geological Survey Elsinore Quadrangle. The Wildomar post office and the elementary school were established in 1886. With the arrival of many Quaker families from West Branch, Iowa, Wildomar became a Quaker colony. Wildomar was one of the election precincts and school districts when Riverside County was formed in 1893. Wildomar’s growth slowed when the CSRR’s tracks in Temecula Canyon were washed out for the final time in 1892, which severed the connection with San Diego; the tracks were not rebuilt. In 1927, the track in Railroad Canyon washed out and the Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe railroad track from Perris to Temecula was abandoned, after which Wildomar no longer had rail service. Wildomar remained a rural farming and horse ranching community for most of the 20th century. Wildomar was incorporated as a city on July 1, 2008, with a population of 28,000.

Records Search
A records search request to the Eastern Information Center of the California Historical Resources Information System was submitted on April 11, 2022. The Eastern Information Center returned the results on April 22, 2022, which indicated a total of 82 previously recorded cultural resources in the City (ECORP 2023). These previously recorded cultural resources consist of 26 pre–Spanish contact sites, 15 pre-contact isolates, 10 historic sites, 18 historic buildings or structures, 10 historic isolates, and 3 multicomponent sites comprising both historic and pre-contact components (ECORP 2023).

Types of Sites
Both pre-contact and historic sites are known to exist within the City of Wildomar. Pre-contact sites include lithic reduction sites, bedrock milling features, hearths, and remnants of habitation sites, and isolated precontact artifacts. Historic sites include privies or refuse scatters, irrigation systems, family homes, farms, and ranches (ECORP 2023).

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 center of the City, 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 may be found throughout the City; however, these artifacts are isolated. 346

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Built Environment Resources Database
The Built Environment Resources Database lists 14 properties within the City whose dates of occupancy or construction range between the years 1885 to 1940, and which range from single-family homes to health resorts, as shown in Table 5.5-1, Previously Evaluated Built Environment Resources in the City. Although none are currently listed on the CRHR or National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), four resources have been evaluated as potentially eligible, with a status code of 3S.

Table 5.5-1 Previously Evaluated Built Environment Resources in the City Address Name Date of Construction CRHR/NRHP Code
25025 Catt Road -- 1940 5S2
2525 Catt Road Schwartz 1934 5S2
32785 Central Street Judge William Collier Home, Lois Cook House 21343 Dunn Street Ben Taylor House 1934 3S
35880 Frederick Street Heal Ranch, Robinson 1922 5S2
20619 Grand Avenue -- 1935 7N
21999 Grand Avenue R.J. Brown 1886 3S
22060 Grand Avenue Easterbrook 1886 3S
22180 Grand Avenue -- 1899 5S2
34860 Iodine Springs Road Iodine Springs 1925 5S2
21680 Lime Street -- 1945 6Y
Palomar Street Wildomar Bell 1887 5S2
21564 Palomar Street -- 1910 7N
21457 Pecan Street Dr. O.S. Brown 1888 3S
Source: ECORP 2023.

Notes: CRHR = California Register of Historical Places, NRHP = National Register of Historic Places 3S: Appears eligible for NRHP individually through survey evaluation. 5S2: Individually eligible for local listing or designation. 6Y: Determined ineligible for NRHP by consensus through Section 106 process – Not evaluated for CR local listing. 7N: Needs to be reevaluated – formerly coded as may become NRHP eligible with specific conditions.

National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places lists two properties near the City, both of which are in the City of Lake Elsinore. The first property is the Armory Hall—a meeting hall that was originally constructed in 1887 and used by the Grand Army of the Republic, a Civil War veterans’ organization (ECORP 2023). The hall is at 252 North Main Street in Lake Elsinore, approximately 2 miles west of the City. The second property is the Crescent Bath House, which is also approximately 2 miles west of the City, at 201 West Graham Avenue. This mineral bath house was built in the 1880s with Moorish-style architecture at the area’s largest mineral spring (ECORP 2023).
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California Historic Landmarks
The nearest California Historic Landmark to the City of Wildomar is the Santa Rosa Rancho, which is approximately 4.5 miles south of the City in unincorporated Riverside County (ECORP 2023).

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;  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:

C-1 Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource pursuant to Section 15064.5.

C-2 Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of an archaeological resource pursuant to Section 15064.5.

C-3 Disturb any human remains, including those interred outside of dedicated cemeteries.

5.5.3 Proposed General Plan Goals and Policies
Land Use Element
GOAL LU 1 Administration: The General Plan is utilized as the guiding planning document for the City and as the basis for regional collaboration.
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 Policy LU-1.3 Development Clustering and Density Transfers. Allow development clustering and/or density transfers to preserve open space, natural resources, cultural and/or biologically sensitive resources.

GOAL LU 13 Open Spaces: Open space lands are preserved as natural resources, utilized to buffer land uses and enhance community aesthetics, and protected from adverse impacts of new development.  Policy LU-13.1 Preservation of Open Space Lands. Provide for permanent preservation of open space lands that contain important natural resources, hazards, water features, watercourses, and scenic and recreational value.

Open Space and Conservation Element
GOAL OS 1: Biological resources are protected from development, conserved, restored, and enhanced.  Policy OS-1.4 Rewilding and Habitat Restoration. Pursue opportunities for rewilding and restoring critical habitats for sensitive species that include, but are not limited to the following: preserving, enhancing, restoring, and expanding an integrated network of open space to support beneficial uses, such as habitat, recreation, natural resources, historic and tribal resources, water management, and aesthetics.

GOAL OS 4: Cultural and historical resources that are protected, enhanced, and restored for the education, appreciation, and enjoyment of future generations.
 Policy OS-4.1 Adaptive Reuse. Repurpose buildings or structures of historical significance to preserve, maintain, and enhance them for future use, where appropriate and feasible.  Policy OS-4.2 Tribal Consultation. Consult Native American tribes as part of the SB 18 and AB 52 regulations on projects that could potentially have an impact on archaeological sites and other culturally significant properties. Ensure that any inadvertent discoveries of Native American cultural resources are treated with ap-propriate dignity.
 Policy OS-4.3 Paleontological and Archaeological Resources. Require new development to avoid if possible and to minimize impacts to paleontological and archaeological resources in accordance with the requirements of CEQA.
 Policy OS-4.4 Historic and Cultural Resources Inventory. Maintain and periodically update an inventory of recognized historic and cultural resources of local, regional or national significance, and those that might be eligible for recognition, in consultation with interested parties such as the Wildomar Historical Society.

5.5.4 Environmental Impacts
The applicable thresholds are identified in brackets after the impact statement. 349

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Impact 5.5-1: Future development under the proposed project could impact an identified historic resource. [Threshold C-1]
Future development under the Proposed General Plan could adversely impact current and/or future historic resources within the City 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 Proposed General Plan policies, and state and federal regulations restricting alteration, relocation, and demolition of historical resources.

Implementation of the Proposed General Plan policies, such as Policy LU-1.3, which allows for clustering of development to preserve culturally sensitive resources, and Policy OS-4.1, which encourages adaptive reuse of structures of historical significance for preservation, as well as compliance with state and federal regulations would ensure that development would not result in adverse impacts to identified historic and cultural resources. While regulations provide a process for recognizing historic buildings and places, they do not prevent the reuse or modification of such resources.

At the time a development project is proposed adjacent to or near a known or potential historic structure or resource, the project-level CEQA document of the development project would need to identify any impacts, direct or indirect, that the project could have on the identified historic structure or resource. The CEQA Guidelines require a project that will have potentially adverse impacts on historical resources to conform to the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties in order to mitigate any such impacts to a level of insignificance.

It is also important to note that the Proposed General Plan is a regulatory document that sets the framework for future growth and development in the City and does not directly result in development. Before any development or redevelopment activities can occur in the City, all such activities are required to be analyzed for conformance with the General Plan, zoning requirements, and other applicable local, state, and federal requirements; comply with the requirements of CEQA; and obtain all necessary clearances and permits.

Therefore, adoption of the proposed project in itself would not lead to demolition or material alteration of any historic resource.

However, identified historic structures and sites that are potentially eligible for future historic resources listing may be vulnerable to development activities accompanying infill, redevelopment, or revitalization that would be accommodated by the proposed project. For instance, the placement of new buildings adjacent to a historic resource may result in indirect impacts to access, visibility, and visual context, while renovations or modifications 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 NHRP criteria upon reaching 50 years of age might be impacted by development or redevelopment activities that would be accommodated by the proposed project. Regardless of the implementation of the Proposed General Plan policies and state regulations, some historic properties may be significantly affected by implementation of the proposed project; the loss and/or permanent alteration of historic resources would result in potentially significant impacts.

Level of Significance Before Mitigation: Impact 5.5-1 would be potentially significant. 350

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Mitigation Measures
CUL-1 Site-Specific Cultural Resources Study and Evaluation of Resources. For projects that are on land that has not previously been developed, or will involve construction on areas where no previous ground disturbance or excavation has occurred, or for structures that are 50 years of age, a site-specific cultural resources study shall be completed prior to project approval. This site-specific cultural resources study shall include, but not be limited to a, records search with the California Historical Resource Information System, review of historical documents, a Sacred Lands File search with the NAHC, and a field survey/site effort. The findings of the study shall be submitted as a report that follows the California Office of Historic Preservation’s recommended content and format. The report will provide the historic context, methods, results, and recommendations for appropriate findings.

Level of Significance After Mitigation: Impact 5.5-1 would be significant and unavoidable.

Impact 5.5-2: Future development of the proposed project could impact archaeological resources. [Threshold C-2]
Archaeological resources are the material evidence of human culture and activity in the past, and include artifacts, features, sites, and associated documentation. Long-term implementation of the Proposed General Plan could allow development (e.g., new development, infill development, redevelopment, and revitalization/restoration), including grading 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 potentially cause the disturbance of archaeological resources. Therefore, future development that would be accommodated by the proposed project could potentially unearth previously unrecorded resources.

Archaeological sites are protected by a wide variety of state policies and regulations enumerated under the California Public Resources Code. Cultural resources are also recognized as nonrenewable and therefore receive protection under the California Public Resources Code and CEQA. Per Public Resources Code Section 21083.2, the CEQA lead agency is required to determine whether a development project may have a significant 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 being prepared for the development project is required to address the issue of those resources.

The Proposed General Plan includes the following policies which would minimize impacts to archaeological resources: Policy LU-1.3, which allows for the clustering of development to preserve culturally sensitive resources, and Policy OS-4.3, which requires new development to avoid and minimize impacts to archaeological resources.

The Proposed General Plan 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 development activities can occur, they must be analyzed for conformance with the General Plan, zoning 351

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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 Proposed General Plan could allow development (e.g., infill development, redevelopment, and revitalization/restoration), including grading of known and unknown sensitive areas.

Grading activities of undeveloped areas or redevelopment that requires more intensive soil excavation than in the past could potentially cause the disturbance of archaeological resources. Therefore, impacts would be potentially significant. All development projects in the City would be required to implement Mitigation Measures TCR-1 through TCR-8, which outline procedures and requirements for the inadvertent discovery of archaeological resources, cultural resources disposition, retaining an archeologist, retaining Native American monitors from the Pechanga and Soboba tribes, preparation of archaeology Phase III and Phase IV reports, non-disclosure of reburial sites for inadvertent discoveries, and implementing no-build easements for reburial sites. With the implementation of Mitigation Measures TCR-1 through TCR-8, impacts would be less than significant.

Level of Significance Before Mitigation: Impact 5.5-2 would be potentially significant.

Mitigation Measures
See Mitigation Measure TCR-1 through Mitigation Measure TCR-8 in Section 5.18, Tribal Cultural Resources.

Level of Significance After Mitigation: Impact 5.5-2 would be less than significant.

Impact 5.5-3: Future grading activities could potentially disturb human remains. [Threshold C-3] California Health and Safety Code, Section 7050.5; CEQA Guidelines 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, excavation or disturbance of the site shall cease 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 Section 5097.98 of the Public Resources Code. If the coroner determines that the remains are not subject to his or her authority, and if the coroner recognizes or has reason to believe the human remains are those of a Native American, he or she shall contact the Native American Heritage Commission by telephone within 24 hours. Soil-disturbing activities associated with development in accordance with the Proposed General Plan could result in the discovery of human remains. Impacts would be potentially significant. However, all development projects in the City would be required to implement Mitigation Measure CUL-2, which requires compliance with State Health and Safety Code Section 7050.5 and Public Resource Code Section 5097.98(b), and Mitigation Measure TCR-7, which requires the non-disclosure of reburial sites for inadvertent discoveries. Therefore, impacts would be less than significant upon implementation of Mitigation Measure CUL-2 and Mitigation Measure TCR-7.

Level of Significance Before Mitigation: Impact 5.5-3 would be potentially significant. 352

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Mitigation Measures
See Mitigation Measure TCR-7 in Section 5.18, Tribal Cultural Resources.

CUL-2 Human Remains. If potential human remains are encountered, State Health and Safety Code Section 7050.5 states that no further disturbance shall occur until the Riverside County Coroner has made the necessary findings as to origin. Further, pursuant to Public Resource Code Section 5097.98(b) remains shall be left in place and free from disturbance until a final decision as to the treatment and disposition has been made. If the Riverside County Coroner determines the remains to be Native American, the Native American Heritage Commission shall be contacted within the period specified by law (24 hours). Subsequently, the Native American Heritage Commission shall identify the "most likely descendant" (MLD). The MLD shall then make recommendations and engage in consultation concerning the treatment of the remains as provided in Public Resources Code Section 5097.98. No photographs are to be taken of any human remains and/or cremations except by the coroner, with written approval by the consulting tribe(s).

Level of Significance After Mitigation: Impact 5.5-3 would be less than significant.

5.5.5 Cumulative Impacts
The cumulative context associated with the proposed project includes proposed, planned, reasonably foreseeable, and approved projects in the City and surrounding region. Much development has occurred in the region prior to protections for historic and prehistoric resources. Past urban development in the region has likely resulted in adverse impacts to historical and prehistoric resources, and there is potential for present and future development activities to affect undiscovered cultural resources and human remains. Federal, state, and local regulations provide protections for historical resources, but protection may not always be feasible.

For these reasons, cumulative effects of future development on cultural resources, tribal cultural resources, and human remains are considered significant.

Future development and redevelopment pursuant to the Proposed General Plan and other development projects in the surrounding area would involve grading and excavation activities on individual sites, which could uncover cultural resources. Compliance with local, state, and federal regulations would reduce impacts on cultural resources as a result of new development or redevelopment projects. Although proposed policies and mitigation are proposed to reduce impacts to historic resources, impacts would still occur. Therefore, development under the Proposed General Plan would result in a cumulatively considerable contribution to the significant cumulative impact on historic resources. This impact is cumulatively considerable.

5.5.6 Level of Significance Before Mitigation
Without mitigation, these impacts would be potentially significant:
 Impact 5.5-1 Implementation of the Proposed General Plan could impact historic resources. 353

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 Impact 5.5-2 Implementation of the Proposed General Plan could impact archaeological resources.
 Impact 5.5-3 Implementation of the Proposed General Plan could impact human remains.

5.5.7 Mitigation Measures
Impact 5.5-1
CUL-1 Site-Specific Cultural Resources Study and Evaluation of Resources. For projects that are on land that has not previously been developed, or will involve construction on areas where no previous ground disturbance or excavation has occurred, or for structures that are 50 years of age, a site-specific cultural resources study shall be completed prior to project approval. This site-specific cultural resources study shall include, but not be limited to a, records search with the California Historical Resource Information System, review of historical documents, a Sacred Lands File search with the NAHC, and a field survey/site effort. The findings of the study shall be submitted as a report that follows the California Office of Historic Preservation’s recommended content and format. The report will provide the historic context, methods, results, and recommendations for appropriate findings.

Impact 5.5-2
See Mitigation Measure TCR-1 through Mitigation Measure TCR-8 in Section 5.18, Tribal Cultural Resources.

Impact 5.5-3
See Mitigation Measure TCR-7 in Section 5.18, Tribal Cultural Resources.

CUL-2 Human Remains. If potential human remains are encountered, State Health and Safety Code Section 7050.5 states that no further disturbance shall occur until the Riverside County Coroner has made the necessary findings as to origin. Further, pursuant to Public Resource Code Section 5097.98(b) remains shall be left in place and free from disturbance until a final decision as to the treatment and disposition has been made. If the Riverside County Coroner determines the remains to be Native American, the Native American Heritage Commission shall be contacted within the period specified by law (24 hours). Subsequently, the Native American Heritage Commission shall identify the "most likely descendant" (MLD). The MLD shall then make recommendations and engage in consultation concerning the treatment of the remains as provided in Public Resources Code Section 5097.98. No photographs are to be taken of any human remains and/or cremations except by the coroner, with written approval by the consulting tribe(s). 354

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5.5.8 Level of Significance After Mitigation
Impact 5.5-1
Mitigation Measures CUL-1, which requires site-specific cultural resources study and evaluation of resources for projects, would reduce potential impacts associated with historic resources. However, if a proposed project would result in the demolition or significant alteration of a historical resource, it cannot be mitigated to a less than significant level. As a result, impacts on historic resources as a result of future development in accordance with the proposed General Plan Update are significant and unavoidable.

Impact 5.5-2
Mitigation Measures TCR-1 through TCR-8, which outline procedures and requirements for the inadvertent discovery of archaeological resources, cultural resources disposition, retaining an archeologist, retaining Native American monitors from the Pechanga and Soboba tribes, preparation of archaeology Phase III and Phase IV reports, non-disclosure of reburial sites for inadvertent discoveries, and implementing no-build easements for reburial sites, would reduce impacts to less than significant.

Impact 5.5-3
Mitigation Measure CUL-2, which requires compliance with State Health and Safety Code Section 7050.5 and Public Resource Code Section 5097.98(b), and Mitigation Measure TCR-7, which requires non-disclosure of reburial sites for inadvertent discoveries, would reduce impacts to less than significant.

5.5.9 References
ECORP Consulting, Inc. (ECORP). 2023, October 27. Cultural Resources Assessment for City of Wildomar General Plan Update, Riverside County, California. Appendix 5.5-1.

Office of Historic Preservation (OHP). 2023. Mills Act Contacts. https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30346. 355

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5.6 ENERGY
Public Resources Code Section 21100(b)(3) 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 DEIR includes relevant information and analyses that address the energy implications of the Wildomar Proposed General Plan (Proposed General Plan or proposed project). This section summarizes the proposed project’s anticipated energy needs, impacts, and conservation measures. The analysis in this section is based on vehicle miles traveled provided by Chen Ryan Associates (Appendix 5.17-1), electricity use data provided by the Southern California Edison (SCE), and natural gas use data provided by the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) (Appendix 5.3-1).

FOCAL POINT
This section includes a discussion of the energy impacts of the existing environment that would potentially be altered by implementation of the proposed project. Cumulative impacts related to energy impacts would be within the Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas service areas.

Future development projects within the City would temporarily increase demands for energy use during construction activities. However, the construction contractors shall implement practices to limit wasteful and unnecessary energy consumption during construction (e.g., California Code of Regulations Title 13, Article

4.8, Chapter 9, Section 2449). Therefore, the Proposed General Plan would not result in wasteful, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of fuel use during construction.

Due to population growth associated with the Proposed General Plan, new development could create additional demands for electricity and natural gas, and may increase overall vehicle miles traveled (VMT) compared to existing conditions. However, future development would be required to comply with the current and future updates to the Building Energy Efficiency Standards and CALGreen. Compliance with these regulations would encourage energy-efficient building practices and renewable energy strategies to reduce the City's energy consumption. Compliance with fuel efficiency regulations (e.g., Corporate Average Fuel Economy [CAFE] standards) would contribute to more fuel-efficient vehicles and less demand in fuels.

Additionally, the Proposed General Plan includes policies related to land use, transportation planning, energy efficiency, public and active transit, and renewable energy generation that would contribute to minimizing building and transportation-related energy demands. Overall, energy impacts associated with implementation and operation of land uses accommodated under the Proposed General Plan would be less than significant. 356

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Lastly, implementation of the Proposed General Plan would not conflict with or obstruct implementation of California’s Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) program, and no impact would occur.

5.6.1 Environmental Setting
Federal, state, and local laws, regulations, plans, or guidelines related to energy that are potentially applicable to the proposed project are summarized herein.

5.6.1.1 REGULATORY BACKGROUND
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 US 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 that required a fleet average of 54.5 miles per gallon (mpg) for model year 2025. However, on March 30, 2020, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 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)).

On December 21, 2021, under direction of Executive Order (EO) 13990 issued by President Biden, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration repealed SAFE Rule Part One, which had preempted state and local laws related to fuel economy standards. In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration finalized new fuel standards in response to EO 13990. Fuel efficiency under the standards will increase 8 percent annually for model years 2024 to 2025 and 10 percent annually 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 (Federal Register 2022).

On July 28, 2023, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed new CAFE standards for passenger cars and light trucks built in model years 2027-2032, and new fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans built in model years 2027-2035. If finalized, the proposal would require an industry fleet-wide average of approximately 58 miles per gallon for passenger cars and light trucks in model year 2032, by increasing fuel economy by 2 percent year over year for passenger cars and by 4 percent year over year for light trucks. For heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans, the proposal would increase fuel efficiency by 10 percent year over year (NHTSA 2023).
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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 energy fuels; improving vehicle fuel economy; and increasing the efficiency of products, buildings, and vehicles. It also seeks to improve the energy performance of federal government. The act sets increased CAFE 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 (US EPA 2023).

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 production 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 natural gas. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration within the Department of Transportation develops and enforces regulations for the safe, reliable, and environmentally sound operation of the nation's 2.6-million-mile pipeline transportation system.

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA)
On August 16, 2022, President Biden signed the IRA with eight titles, each providing provisions that address issues related to climate change. Some of the titles provide funding for new tax credits for electricity from clean and renewable resources, to increase energy or water efficiency for affordable housing projects, to the Department of Energy for energy rebates and energy infrastructure, and to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for low-carbon building materials and low- or no-emission energy projects. 358

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State Regulations
California Energy Commission
The California Energy Commission (CEC) was created in 1974 under the Warren-Alquist Act as the State’s principal energy planning organization to meet the energy challenges facing the state in response to the 1973 oil embargo. The CEC is charged with six basic responsibilities when designing state energy policy:
 Forecast statewide electricity needs.
 License power plants to meet those needs.
 Promote energy conservation and efficiency measures.
 Develop renewable energy resources and alternative energy technologies.  Promote research, development, and demonstration.
 Plan for and direct the state’s response to energy emergencies.

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 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.  All new commercial construction in California will be zero net energy by 2030.  Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (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 commercial 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, while space heating, water heating, and cooking account for over 90 percent of gas use. In 2006, schools and colleges 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).
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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 retrofitted 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 Standard
Senate Bills 1078, 107, X1-2, and Executive Order S-14-08 The RPS Program was established in 2002 under SB 1078 (Sher) and 107 (Simitian). The RPS program required 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. EO 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 legislature in 2011 (SB X1-2). The CPUC 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 year 2020, the three largest retail energy utilities provided an average of 43 percent of their supplies from renewable energy sources. Community choice aggregators provided an average of 41 percent of their 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 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, which replaces the SB 350 requirements. Under SB 100, the RPS for public-owned facilities and retail sellers consist 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 360

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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 of 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. 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 2045.

Appliance Efficiency Regulations
California’s Appliance Efficiency Regulations contain energy performance, energy design, water performance, and water design standards for appliances (including refrigerators, ice makers, vending machines, freezers, water heaters, 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 (CEC 2023a).

Title 24, Part 6, 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 Part 6 requires the design of building shells and building components to conserve energy. The standards are updated periodically to allow for consideration and possible incorporation of new energy efficiency technologies and methods.

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 went into effect on January 1, 2023, replacing the 2019 standards. 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 new standards 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 (CEC 2021).

Title 24, Part 11, Green Building Standards
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. It includes mandatory requirements for new residential and nonresidential buildings throughout California. CALGreen is intended to: 1) reduce GHG emissions from buildings; 2) promote environmentally responsible, cost-effective, healthier places to live and 361

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work; 3) reduce energy and water consumption; and 4) respond to the directives by the governor. 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 the 2022 Energy Code, became effective on January 1, 2023, and provides updates to the residential and non-residential voluntary measures.

Overall, CALGreen reduces construction waste, makes buildings more efficient in the use of materials and energy, and reduces environmental impacts during and after construction. It contains requirements for construction site selection, stormwater control during construction, construction waste reduction, indoor water use reduction, materials selection, natural resource conservation, and site irrigation conservation, etc. It provides for design options, allowing the designer to determine how best to achieve compliance for a given site or building condition. CALGreen 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).

Assembly Bill 1493
California vehicle GHG emission standards were enacted under AB 1493 (Pavley I). Pavley I is a clean-car standard that reduced GHG emissions from new passenger vehicles (light-duty auto to medium-duty vehicles) from 2009 through 2016 and was 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. In January 2012, the California Air Resources Board 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 and 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, EO N-79-20 was issued to set a time frame for the transition to zero-emissions (ZE) passenger vehicles, trucks, and off-road equipment. It directs the California Air Resources Board to develop and propose:
 Passenger vehicle and truck regulations requiring increasing volumes of new zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) sold in 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. 362

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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 are ZE by 2035. Starting in year 2026, ACC II requires that 35 percent of new vehicles sold be ZE or plug-in hybrids (CARB 2024).

Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation
In April 2023, CARB released the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation to accelerate the transition to zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (CARB 2023a). In conjunction with the Advanced Clean Trucks regulation, the ACF regulations help to ensure that medium- and heavy-duty ZEVs are brought to the market, by requiring certain fleets to purchase ZEVs. The ACF ZEV phase-in approach which provides initial focus where the best fleet electrification opportunities exist, sets clear targets for regulated fleets to make a full conversion to ZEVs, and creates a catalyst to accelerate development of a heavy-duty public infrastructure network.

The ACF regulations cover four main elements:

1. Manufacturer sales mandate. Manufacturers may sell only zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles starting in 2036.

2. Drayage fleets.1 Beginning January 1, 2024, trucks must be registered in the CARB Online System to conduct drayage activities in California. Non-zero-emission “legacy” drayage trucks may register in the CARB Online System through December 31, 2023. Legacy drayage trucks can continue to operate through their minimum useful life. Beginning January 1, 2024, only zero-emission drayage trucks may register in the CARB Online System. All drayage trucks entering seaports and intermodal railyards would be required to be zero-emission by 2035.

3. High priority and federal fleets. High priority and federal fleets must comply with the Model Year Schedule or may elect to use the optional ZEV Milestones Option to phase-in ZEVs into their fleets:
 Model Year Schedule: Fleets must purchase only ZEVs beginning 2024 and, starting January 1, 2025, must remove internal combustion engine vehicles at the end of their useful life as specified in the regulation.
 ZEV Milestones Option (Optional): Instead of the Model Year Schedule, fleets may elect to meet ZEV targets as a percentage of the total fleet starting with vehicle types that are most suitable for electrification.

4. State and local agencies. State and local government fleets, including city, county, special district, and State agency fleets, would be required to ensure 50 percent of vehicle purchases are zero-emission beginning in 2024 and 100 percent of vehicle purchases are zero-emission by 2027. Small government fleets (those with 10 or fewer vehicles) and those in designated counties would start their ZEV purchases beginning in 2027. Alternately, State and local government fleet owners may elect to meet ZEV targets using the ZEV Milestones Option. State and local government fleets may purchase either ZEVs or near1 Drayage trucks are in-use class 7 and 8 on-road vehicles that transport containers and bulk goods to and from seaports and intermodal railyards. Land ports of entry, which provide controlled entry to or departure from the United States, are not considered seaports or intermodal railyards (CARB 2023b). 363

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ZEVs, or a combination of ZEVs and near-ZEVs, until 2035. Starting in 2035, only ZEVs will meet the requirements.

The ACF regulations would also establish requirements that transform the medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sector and demonstrate independent utility through achievement of the following objectives:
 Achieve criteria and GHG emissions reductions consistent with the goals identified in the State Implementation Plan (SIP) Strategy and Scoping Plan.
 Provide emissions reductions in disadvantaged communities (DAC), thereby supporting the implementation of Assembly Bill (AB) 617 (Garcia, C., Chapter 136, Statutes of 2017).

Support the goals of Executive Order N-79-20 which calls for accelerated ZEV deployment with these targets:
 100 percent ZE drayage by 2035.
 100 percent ZE trucks and buses where feasible by 2045.  Ensure requirements, such as ZEV deployment schedules and related infrastructure build-out, are technologically feasible, cost-effective, and support market conditions.  Lead the transition away from petroleum fuels and towards electric drivetrains.  Contribute towards achieving carbon neutrality in California pursuant to Senate Bill (SB) 100, and in accordance with Executive Order B-55-18.
 Mindfully set requirements to allow time for public ZE infrastructure buildout for smaller fleets or for regional haul applications who would be reliant on a regional network of public chargers.  Ensure manufacturers and fleets work together to place ZEVs in service suitably and successfully as market expands.
 Establish a fair and level playing field among fleet owners.  Craft the Proposed Project in a way that ensures institutional capacity for CARB to manage, implement, and enforce requirements.

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.
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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. As part of SB 100, load serving entities (LSE) 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
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.

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. 365

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Regional
SCAG’s 2020-2045 RTP/SCS
The 2020-2045 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS), Connect SoCal, was adopted on September 3, 2020, and is an update to the 2016-2040 RTP/SCS (SCAG 2020). In general, the RTP/SCS outlines a development pattern for the region that, when integrated with the transportation network and other transportation measures and policies, would reduce VMT from automobiles and light duty trucks and thereby reduce energy consumption from these sources.

Connect SoCal focuses on the continued efforts of the previous RTP/SCSs to integrate transportation and land use strategies in development of the SCAG region through the horizon year 2045 (SCAG 2020). It forecasts that implementation of the plan will reduce VMT per capita in year 2045 by 4.1 percent compared to baseline conditions for that year. Connect SoCal includes a “Core Vision” that centers on maintaining and better managing the transportation network for moving people and goods, while expanding mobility choices by locating housing, jobs, and transit closer together; and increasing investments in transit and complete streets (SCAG 2020).

Local
City of Wildomar Municipal Code
According to Chapter 15.20, Green Building Code, the City has adopted the 2022 California Green Building Standards Code (California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 11), which provides regulations for energy efficiency, water efficiency, material conservation, environmental quality, and more. The City has also adopted the 2022 California Energy Code (California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 6) in Chapter 15.22, Energy Code.

5.6.1.2 EXISTING CONDITIONS
Electricity
Electricity is quantified using kilowatts (kW) and kilowatt-hours (kWh). A kW is a measure of 1,000 watts of electrical power and a kWh is a measure of electrical energy equivalent to a power consumption of 1,000 watts for one hour. The kWh is commonly used as a billing unit for energy delivered to consumers by electric utilities. A gigawatt is equal to one million kilowatts. Overall electricity consumption in California was 287,826 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in 2022 (CEC 2023b).

The City is in SCE’s service area, which spans much of southern California from Orange and Riverside counties on the south to Santa Barbara County on the west to Mono County on the north (SCE 2023a).

Sources of electricity sold by SCE in 2021, the latest year for which data are available, were:
 31.4 percent renewable, consisting mostly of solar and wind  2.3 percent large hydroelectric
 22.3 percent natural gas
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 9.2 percent nuclear
 0.2 percent other
 34.6 percent unspecified sources—that is, not traceable to specific sources (SCE 2023b)2 Total estimated existing electricity demand in Wildomar, based on data provided by SCE, is estimated at 133,215,294 kWh per year (133.2 GWh per year), as shown in Table 5.6-1, Existing Electricity Demand.

Table 5.6-1 Existing Electricity Demand
Area Electricity Usage (kWh per year)
Residential 91,443,491
Nonresidential 41,771,803
Total 133,215,294
Source: Annual electricity consumption for the year 2019 based on previous years data (2018-2022) provided by SCE (Appendix 5.3-1).

Natural Gas
Gas is typically quantified using the “therm,” which is a unit of heat energy equal to 100,000 British thermal units (BTU) and is the energy equivalent of burning 100 cubic feet of natural gas (US EIA 2023).

SoCalGas provides natural gas service in and has facilities throughout the City of Wildomar. The service area of SoCalGas spans much of the southern half of California, from Imperial County on the southeast to San Luis Obispo County on the northwest to part of Fresno County on the north to Riverside County and most of San Bernardino County on the east (CEC 2022). Total natural gas consumption in the SoCalGas service area was 6,565 million of therms for 2022 (CEC 2023c).

Existing natural gas demands in the City, based on data provided by SoCalGas, are estimated at 5.0 million therms per year, as shown in Table 5.6-2, Existing Natural Gas Demand.

Table 5.6-2 Existing Natural Gas Demand
Sector Natural Gas Usage (Therms per year)
Residential 4,378,058
Nonresidential 617,081
Total 4,995,139
Source: Annual natural gas consumption for year 2019 based on previous years data (2018-2022) provided by SoCalGas (Appendix 5.3-1).

Transportation Fuels
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, San Francisco Bay, and Central Valley regions. In 2 The electricity sources listed reflect changes after the 2013 closure of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, which is owned by SCE. Numbers are rounded up and may cause the total to not add up to exactly 100%. 367

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addition to producing petroleum, California is also one of the top consumers of fuel for transportation.

California’s transportation sector accounted for approximately 61 percent of California’s total energy demand in 2021, amounting to approximately 2,785.1 trillion BTUs (US EIA 2021).

Table 5.6-3, Existing Operation-Related Annual Fuel Usage, shows the fuel usage associated with VMT currently generated under existing baseline conditions based on fuel usage data obtained from EMFAC2021 (v. 1.0.2) and VMT data provided by Chen Ryan Associates (see Appendix 5.17-1). VMT is based on vehicle trips beginning and ending in the City boundaries and from external/internal trips (i.e., trips that either begin or end in the City).

Table 5.6-3 Existing Operation-Related Annual Fuel Usage Gas Diesel Compressed Natural Gas Electricity
VMT Gallons VMT Gallons VMT Gallons VMT kWh
Existing Baseline 284,999,873 12,421,204 25,473,771 3,074,054 676,576 116,984 2,572,479 874,658 Source: EMFAC2021, version 1.0.2. (Appendix 5.3-1)
Note: VMTs based on daily VMT provided by Chen Ryan Associates. VMT per year based on a conversion of VMT x 347 days per year to account for less travel on weekend, consistent with CARB statewide GHG emissions inventory methodology (CARB 2008).

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:

E-1 Result in potentially significant environmental impact due to wasteful, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy resources, during project construction or operation.

E-2 Conflict with or obstruct a state or local plan for renewable energy or energy efficiency.

The analysis also utilizes considerations identified in Appendix F of the CEQA Guidelines, as appropriate, to assist in answering Appendix G questions. The factors to evaluate energy impacts under Threshold (a) include:
 The project’s energy requirements and its energy use efficiencies by amount and fuel type for each stage of the project including construction, operation, maintenance and/or removal. If appropriate, the energy intensiveness of materials may be discussed.
 The effects of the project on local and regional energy supplies and on requirements for additional capacity.
 The effects of the project on peak and base period demands for electricity and other forms of energy.  The degree to which the project complies with existing energy standards.  The effects of the project on energy resources.
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 The project’s projected transportation energy use requirements and its overall use of efficient transportation alternatives

5.6.3 Proposed General Plan Goals and Policies
Open Space and Conservation Element
GOAL OS 2: Air quality is protected from adverse environmental factors that contribute to poor air quality.  Policy OS-2.4 Landscaping and Construction Equipment. Encourage the reduction of gasoline- or diesel-powered landscaping and construction equipment and increased use of electric equipment.  Policy OS-2.5 Vehicle Charging Infrastructure. Work with utility providers to expand EV charging infrastructure throughout the community to accelerate the use of zero emission vehicles, prioritizing multifamily, commercial, office, and municipal properties.  Policy OS-2.6 City Vehicles. Purchase City vehicles consistent with the state’s Advanced Clean Fleet regulations as feasible.

GOAL OS 3. Reliable and safe water supply that supports Wildomar’s current and future needs.  Policy OS-3.3 Water Conservation Strategies. Encourage water conserving site design and the use of water conserving fixtures in new development, and advocate for the adoption and implementation of water conservation strategies by water service agencies.  Policy OS-3.4 Water Conservation in Existing Development. Encourage existing development to use water-conserving mechanisms such as stormwater capture systems, graywater systems, water-efficient appliances, and drought-tolerant landscape planting.

GOAL OS 6: Energy is used efficiently and sourced from resilient, low carbon, and renewable energy supplies.
 Policy OS-6.1 Energy Conservation. Encourage energy audits and energy-efficient retrofitting of existing buildings throughout the City.
 Policy OS-6.2 Energy Transition. Work with local energy providers and contractors to support residents and business owners transitioning to all-electric appliances and renewable energy.  Policy OS-6.3 Grid Reliability. Support and encourage efforts by local energy service providers and other public agencies to improve the safety and resilience of the local power grid.  Policy OS-6.4 Energy Independence. Increase the installation of on-site renewable energy systems in new and existing developments with the capacity to support these systems, enforcing the renewable energy requirements of the California Building Standards Code and encouraging buildings not covered by State requirements to install renewable energy systems. 369

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 Policy OS-6.5 Energy Storage. Encourage new and existing buildings to include battery storage systems, especially at buildings with solar energy installations and municipal buildings that provide essential community services.
 Policy OS-6.6 Municipal Energy Transition. Transition municipal operations to renewable energy sources and electric building operations as feasible.
 Policy OS-6.7 Tree Canopy. Maintain and expand the tree canopy in residential and commercial neighborhoods to provide shade, improve air and water quality, reduce the heat island effect, and create habitat for birds and pollinators.
 Policy OS-6.8 Urban Cooling. Promote the construction of cool roofs, green roofs, and rooftop gardens, as feasible, to support decreased energy demand and urban cooling. Rooftop gardens also cool the surrounding area through moisture retention and surface reflectivity. The construction of rooftop gardens would reduce energy consumption and associated GHG emissions in the building energy sector.  Policy OS-6.9 Cooling Elements. Encourage site and building design that avoids unwanted heat gain from solar exposure and considers passive solar and wind design. Features that provide shading at suitable times of the day and year and generally should be “passive” or automatic, avoiding the need for occupants to regularly monitor or adjust them. Examples of passive and active solar and wind design include orienting buildings to maximize exposure to cooling effects of prevailing winds, daylighting design, natural ventilation, space planning, thermal massing, and locating landscaping and landscape structures to shade buildings.
 Policy OS-6.10 Financing. Partner with SCE, the Inland Regional Energy Network, and local solar installers to assist low-income homeowners and small business owners in identifying financing options for installation of rooftop solar energy systems, energy efficiency retrofits, energy storage, and electrification of existing buildings.

Recreation and Community Services Element
GOAL RC 3: A network of well-designed trails that provide recreational opportunities and connect residents to the places that they desire to go.
 Policy 3.1 Trails Master Plan. Implement a Trails Master Plan that builds upon the Trail Design Guidance in the Wildomar Active Transportation Plan (Figure 7-1) and includes an adopted Trails Map and specific trail design guidance appropriate for the surrounding built and/or natural environment.  Policy 3.2 Murrieta Creek Trail. Seek funding to design and build the Murrieta Creek Trail as a recreational amenity with appropriate access and safety considerations.  Policy 3.3 Equestrian Trails. Ensure that the Trails Master Plan provide some trails that support equestrian usage.
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 Policy 3.5 Trail Connectivity. Prioritize new trails that offer connectivity to open spaces, other trails or active transportation facilities, and local and regional destinations.

Land Use Element
GOAL LU 2 Development Capacity: Responsible growth through well-planned development provides for the needs of Wildomar’s residents and businesses, makes efficient use of land and infrastructure, protects important environmental resources, promotes the health of the community, and maintains the unique character distinguishing the City as a special place in the region.  Policy LU-2.1 Adequate Service Provision for New Development. Coordinate with local agencies, service providers and utilities to ensure adequate service provision for new development.

GOAL LU 4 Urban Form: A City of distinct centers and corridors surrounded by neighborhoods and connected to a network of parks and open spaces.
 Policy LU-4.1 Patterns and Distribution of Uses and Density. Accommodate land use development in accordance with the patterns and distribution of use and density depicted on the General Plan Land Use Plan (Figure LU-1) to promote efficient development; reduce automobile dependence and greenhouse gas emissions; ensure compatibility among uses; enhance community livability and health; and sustain economic vitality.
 Policy LU-4.2 Multi-Modal Linkages. Incorporate appropriate linkages for pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and other non-vehicular travel modes in the design and development of projects.

GOAL LU 8 Residential Neighborhoods. A City composed of neighborhoods with a variety of housing types that are desirable places to live, contribute to the quality of life, and are well maintained.  Policy LU-8.2 Connections and Linkages. Integrate networks of parks, plazas, public squares, bicycle trails and pedestrian paths into new residential development to provide both connections within each community and linkages with surrounding features and neighborhoods.  Policy LU-8.3 Activity Centers. Establish activity centers within or near residential neighborhoods that contain services such as child or adult care, recreation, public meeting rooms, convenience commercial uses, or similar facilities.
 GOAL LU 9: Commercial Areas. Vital, active, prosperous, and well-designed commercial centers and corridors offer a diversity of goods, services, and entertainment and contribute a positive experience for Wildomar’s residents and visitors.
 Policy LU-9.2 Concentrate Commercial Uses. Concentrate commercial uses near transportation facilities and higher-density residential areas and require the incorporation of facilities to promote the use of public transit, such as bus turnouts.
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 Policy LU-9.3 Battery Storage. Accommodate commercial battery storage as a permitted use in commercial areas to further the City’s goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving the resiliency of the City’s infrastructure.
 Policy LU-9.4 Internal and External Connections. Encourage the provision of non-vehicular access between commercial uses and adjoining neighborhoods and the development of internal crossconnections between commercial uses so as to reduce the number of curb cuts and number of vehicle trips on adjacent roadways.

GOAL LU 10 Mixed-Use Districts and Corridors: Well-designed districts and corridors contain an integrated mix of commercial, office, and/or housing that enable Wildomar’s residents to live close to businesses and employment, reduce automobile use, and actively engage and enhance pedestrian activity.  Policy LU-10.1 Mixed Use Design and Development. Encourage mixed use development, as designated in the Land Use Plan, that is designed appropriately for Wildomar.  Policy LU-10.2 Integrated Housing and Commercial Development. Support the development of housing integrated with commercial and/or office uses on existing commercially developed properties characterized by declining retail activity.
 Policy LU-10.4 Inclusion of Recreation and Amenities. Require that residential/commercial mixeduse projects provide on-site recreational areas and other pedestrian-scale amenities such as benches, fountains, and landscaping that contribute to the living environment of residents or contribute funds for their development within proximity of the project consistent with the City’s Parks Master Plan.

GOAL LU 11 Industrial Uses: Light industrial uses are accommodated to enhance economic activity and are located and designed in a compatible manner with surrounding land uses.  Policy LU-11.2: Concentrate Near Transportation and Utilities. Concentrate industrial and business park uses in proximity to transportation facilities and utilities.

Circulation Element
GOAL CI 1: A well-connected transportation network that is safe, comfortable, efficient, and accessible by users of all ages, abilities, and modes of travel, including pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers, equestrians, transit users, and movers of commercial goods.
 Policy CI-1.1 Complete Streets. Plan, design, operate, and maintain City streets using Complete Streets principles for all types of transportation projects within the City including new, retrofit/reconstruction, maintenance, and ongoing projects. Repurposing unneeded roadway pavement to implement bicycle and pedestrian improvements, for example lane or road diets, should be considered as one of the tools to implement Complete Streets.
 Policy CI-1.4 Walkable Town Center. Create a walkable town center, anchored around the Old Town core, with gathering places and trails that reflect the City of Wildomar’s unique qualities and history. 372

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Comfortable walking and bicycling connections will enhance access to the Old Town area from communities throughout the City.
 Policy CI-1.8 Enhance Connectivity. When feasible, require developments to incorporate short block spacing and a strong street grid network as a means to enhance connectivity for all travel modes.

Encourage the inclusion of non-motorized transportation corridors, such as paseos, promenades, and multi-use paths to improve connectivity along long blocks or non-continuous streets.

GOAL CI 2: Pedestrian infrastructure that is safe, connected, and comfortable for users of all ages and abilities, inclusive of accessible curb ramps and sidewalks, marked crosswalks, trail connections, lighting, and pedestrian crossing features.
 Policy CI-2.1 Pedestrian Network. Improve pedestrian safety, comfort, and connectivity throughout the City, with an emphasis on implementing the various pedestrian route types (shown On Figure 3-1), and connections serving schools, parks, and commercial/retail centers.  Policy CI-2.2 Close Connectivity Gaps. Improve pedestrian network connectivity by requiring development projects to close connectivity gaps by extending project frontage improvements to the nearest connecting sidewalk/trail, where feasible and/or where fee credit/reimbursement programs exist.

Factors to be considered may include, but are not limited to: the proposed project's land use, destinations created by the project, or destinations that could be reached by occupants of the new development, the length of the gap, etc.
 Policy CI-2.4 Implement Pedestrian Route Types. As adjacent parcels are developed and/or capital improvement projects are undertaken, implement the designated pedestrian route types, inclusive of the respective pedestrian route type toolkit features, where feasible.  Policy CI-2.7 Connections to Trailheads. Provide pedestrian connections to recreational trailheads, where feasible.
 Policy CI-2.9 Walking to School. Encourage walking as a preferred transportation mode for trips to and from elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as near-by destinations.

GOAL CI 3: A safe and connected bicycle network composed of context-appropriate bicycle facilities and supporting amenities that serve the needs of recreational and utilitarian bicyclists of all ages and abilities.  Policy CI-3.1 Bicycle Network. Improve bicycle safety, comfort, and connectivity throughout the City, with an emphasis on implementing the planned bicycle network (shown on Figure 3-2).  Policy CI-3.2 Close Connectivity Gaps. Improve bicycle network connectivity by requiring development projects to close connectivity gaps by extending project frontage improvements to the nearest connecting bicycle facility, where feasible and/or where fee credit/reimbursement programs exist.

Factors to be considered may include, but are not limited to, the proposed project's land use(s), 373

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destinations created by the project, or destinations that could be reached by occupants of the new development, the length of the gap, etc.
 Policy CI-3.4 Include Bicycle Facilities in Projects. Coordinate street resurfacing and restriping efforts, capital improvement projects, and development projects to include bicycle facilities identified in the planned bicycle network, where applicable.
 Policy CI-3.5 Connect with Adjacent Jurisdictions. Coordinate with adjacent jurisdictions to provide continuous and uniform bicycle connections to and from neighboring communities, where feasible.  Policy CI-3.8 Biking to Schools. Pursue collaborative opportunities with local schools to implement programs that promote bicycle education and safety and encourage usage among students.  Policy CI-3.9 Bicycle Parking. Bicycle parking shall be provided with all new developments as required by Section 17.188.060 of Wildomar’s Municipal Code.
 Policy CI-3.10 Bicycle Racks. Encourage existing retailers, shops, and shopping centers to install bicycle racks. Permit the reallocation of vehicular parking space(s) to bicycle parking spaces, if supported by a parking utilization study and/or if the remaining spaces are consistent with the minimum required for the respective land use as identified in Section 17.188.030 of Wildomar’s Municipal Code.  Policy CI-3.11 Employer-Provided Amenities. Encourage employers to install end-of-trip amenities for bicycle riders, such as bicycle parking, maintenance stations, lockers, and/or showers.  Policy CI-3.13 Freeway Crossings. As properties adjacent to I-15 develop, consider the feasibility of, and potential demand for, incorporating additional freeway crossings that prioritize pedestrian and bicycle mobility.

GOAL CI 4: A public transportation network that allows for convenient access to major destinations, both within Wildomar and the region.
 Policy CI-4.1 Transit Network. Work with Riverside Transit Agency (RTA), Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), and other regional partners to ensure that adequate transit service is provided consistent with future growth (shown on Figure 3-3).  Policy CI-4.2 Station Amenities. Coordinate with Riverside Transit Agency to focus station improvements and enhanced amenities at locations with the greatest ridership. In coordination with RTA and adjacent properties, provide secure bicycle parking options for high ridership transit stops, where feasible.
 Policy CI-4.3 First-Mile/Last-Mile Connectivity. Encourage convenient and safe pedestrian and bicycle linkages to and from bus stops to provide better first-mile/last-mile connectivity. This includes connectivity to/from existing and new development and along streets providing access to the bus stops. 374

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GOAL CI 5: Convenient and efficient vehicle circulation with minimal congestion that does not degrade pedestrian and bicycle safety, mobility, and access.
 Policy CI-5.2 Connect with Adjacent Jurisdictions. Work with adjacent jurisdictions to provide continuous vehicular connections to and from neighboring communities.  Policy CI-5.7 Evaluate Roadway Network. As development occurs, evaluate the need to designate additional roads as Circulation Element roadways, or amend existing designations, to help enhance vehicle circulation, reduce congestion, and increase connectivity throughout the City. Measures shall not come at the expense of pedestrian and/or bicycle safety, mobility, and access, unless approved by the City Engineer.
 Policy CI-5.12 Utilize Transportation Demand Management. Regularly update the Transportation Demand Management (TDM) ordinance to include best management practices for reducing VMT.

Updates to the ordinance should include consideration of private shuttle bus services, work from home programs, vanpool programs, and parking strategies that would incentivize use of public or private transportation for key development projects.
 Policy CI-5.14 Manage Curb Space. Manage curb space in activity areas to balance demands of all users such as emergency vehicles, buses, vehicle parking, bicycle/scooter parking, delivery loading/unloading, rideshare pick-up/drop-off, street furniture, electric vehicle charging stations, etc.

GOAL CI 7: A comprehensive trail network that provides for equestrian mobility and alternate recreational options.
 Policy CI-7.1 Murrieta Creek Regional Trail Project. Continue to pursue funding and implementation of the Murrieta Creek Regional Trail Project, including an emphasis on safe at-grade roadway crossings with the roadway network. Crossing treatments could include curb extensions, raised crosswalks, pedestrian hybrid beacons (also known as HAWK), rectangular rapid flash beacons (RRFB), etc.
 Policy CI-7.2 Close Connectivity Gaps. Analyze gaps in the trail system and develop an approach for closing gaps, including property acquisition and/or dedicated easements, where necessary and feasible.  Policy CI-7.3 Connect with Adjacent Jurisdictions. Leverage trails within other jurisdictions to provide connectivity from Wildomar to points beyond.
 Policy CI-7.4 Equestrian Trails. Preserve and enhance equestrian trails where they currently exist.  Policy CI-7.5 Trail Design Guidelines. Develop City-specific trail design guidelines or formally adopt guidelines, such as those provided in the County of Riverside Comprehensive Trails Plan, as part of a Trails Master Plan.

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GOAL CI 8: A robust network of infrastructure and utility systems supports the City’s growth.  Policy CI-8.1 Collaborate with Utilities and Service Providers. Work with utilities and service providers for water, wastewater, energy, and solid waste, including, but not limited to, Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD), CR&R, Southern California Edison (SCE) and SoCalGas, to ensure that services and facilities meet resident needs reliably and support the City’s growth.

5.6.4 Environmental Impacts

5.6.4.1 METHODOLOGY
The following is a summary of the assumptions used for the City’s energy analysis:
 On-Road Fuel Use. Fuel use was based on Origin-Destination Method VMT provided by Chen Ryan Associates (see Section 5.17, Transportation), and modeled using CARB’s EMFAC2021 v.1.0.2 web database and calendar year 2019 (existing) and 2045 fuel usage rates. 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 Targets Advisory Committee (CARB 2008).
 Energy (Natural Gas and Electricity). Emissions associated with natural gas use for residential and nonresidential land uses in the City were modeled based on data provided by SoCalGas, and electricity was modeled based on data provided by SCE (Appendix 5.3-1). Year 2045 forecasts are adjusted for increases in population and employment in the City.

5.6.4.2 IMPACT ANALYSIS
The applicable thresholds are identified in brackets after the impact statement.

Impact 5.6-1: Implementation of the Proposed General Plan 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
Development projects constructed under the Proposed General Plan 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.

Development projects would also temporarily increase demands for energy associated with transportation.

Transportation 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 376

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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 Wildomar. Moreover, future development projects within the City would be similar to the construction processes of any current development projects within Wildomar. 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 Proposed General Plan 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.

Non-transportation Energy
Electrical service to the City is provided by SCE through connections to existing off-site electrical lines and new on-site infrastructure. As shown in Table 5.6-4, Year 2045 Forecast Electricity Consumption, by horizon year 2045, electricity use in the City would increase by 109,987,393 kWh/year, or approximately 83 percent, from existing conditions.

Table 5.6-4 Year 2045 Forecast Electricity Consumption
Area
Electricity Usage, kWh per year
(Subtotal)
Existing Baseline1 Horizon Year 2045 Forecast2 Net Change Residential 91,443,491 160,033,737 68,590,246
Nonresidential 41,771,803 83,168,950 41,398,147
Total 133,215,294 243,202,687 109,987,393
1 Electricity usage is provided by SCE (Appendix 5.3-1). 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.

As shown in Table 5.6-5, Year 2045 Forecast Natural Gas Consumption, existing natural gas use in the City totals 4,995,139 therms annually. By 2045, natural gas use in the City would increase from existing conditions by 3,895,455 therms annually, or approximately 78 percent, to a total of 8,890,594 therms per year. 377

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Table 5.6-5 Year 2045 Forecast Natural Gas Consumption
Area
Natural Gas Usage, therms per year
(Subtotal)
Existing Baseline1 Horizon Year 2045 Forecast2 Net Change Residential 4,378,058 7,661,967 3,283,909
Nonresidential 617,081 1,228,627 611,546
Total 4,995,139 8,890,594 3,895,455
1 Natural gas usage data provided by SoCalGas (Appendix 5.3-1). 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.

While the electricity and natural gas demand for the City would increase compared to existing conditions, development accommodated under the Proposed General Plan would be required to comply with the current and future updates to the Building Energy Efficiency Standards and CALGreen, which would contribute to reducing the energy demands shown in Tables 5.6-3 and 5.6-4. New and replacement buildings in compliance with these standards would generally have greater energy efficiency than existing buildings. It is anticipated that each update to the Building Energy Efficiency Standards and CALGreen will result in greater building energy efficiency and move closer toward buildings achieving zero net energy usage.

In addition to the Building Energy Efficiency Standards and CALGreen, the Proposed General Plan includes policies in the Open Space and Conservation Element to increase energy efficiency and storage such as Policies OS-6.2, OS-6.4, OS-6.5, and OS-6.6. Policy OS-3.4 would encourage water-conserving mechanisms in existing development, such as stormwater capture systems, graywater systems, and drought-tolerant landscape planting. Encouraging sustainable and energy-efficient building practices and using more renewable energy strategies will further reduce energy consumption within the City and move closer toward achieving zero net energy.

Transportation Energy
The growth accommodated under the Proposed General Plan would consume transportation energy (e.g., gasoline, diesel, compressed natural gas, and electricity) from the use of motor vehicles. Table 5.6-6, OperationRelated Annual Fuel Usage: Net Change from Existing, shows the net change in VMT, fuel usage, and fuel efficiency (miles per gallon) under the Proposed General Plan conditions compared to existing conditions and existing uses under year 2045 conditions.
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Table 5.6-6 Operation-Related Annual Fuel Usage: Net Change from Existing Fuel Type
Existing Conditions
Year 2019 Existing Year 20451
Proposed General
Plan Year 2045
Net Change from
Proposed General
Plan Year 2045 and
Existing Conditions
Year 2019
Net Change from
Proposed General
Plan Year 2045
and Existing Year
2045
Gasoline
VMT2 284,999,873 254,915,559 409,356,200 124,356,326 154,440,641 Gallons 12,421,204 7,993,867 12,836,953 415,749 4,843,086 Miles Per Gallon 22.94 31.89 31.89 8.94 0
Diesel
VMT2 25,473,771 22,372,357 35,926,654 10,452,883 13,554,297 Gallons 3,074,054 2,593,587 4,164,912 1,090,858 1,571,325 Miles Per Gallon 8.29 8.63 8.63 0.34 0
Compressed Natural Gas
VMT2 676,576 504,183 809,643 133,066 305,460
Gallons 116,984 58,283 93,595 -23,390 35,311
Miles Per Gallon 5.78 8.65 8.65 2.87 0
Electricity
VMT2 2,572,479 35,930,601 57,699,162 55,126,683 21,768,561 kWh 874,658 9,315,923 14,959,976 14,085,318 5,644,054
Miles Per kWh 2.94 3.86 3.86 0.92 0
Total VMT 313,722,700 313,722,700 503,791,659 190,068,959 190,068,959 Source: EMFAC2021 Version 1.0.2. (Appendix 5.3-1)
Notes:
1 Represents existing uses as they currently exist in baseline year 2019 operating under year 2045 conditions. 2 Based on daily VMT provided by Chen Ryan Associates (see Appendix 5.17-1). VMT per year based on a conversion of VMT x 347 days per year to account for less travel on weekend, consistent with CARB statewide GHG emissions inventory methodology (CARB 2008).

When compared to existing conditions, the Proposed General Plan would result in an increase in VMT for gasoline-, electric-, diesel-, and compressed natural gas-powered vehicles. Although annual VMT would increase for diesel- and gasoline-powered vehicles, the fuel efficiency would increase by 8.94 mpg and

0.34 mpg, respectively. The overall VMT as shown in Table 5.6-6 would be primarily attributable to the population growth associated with the Proposed General Plan as shown in Table 5.14-7 in Chapter 5.14, Population and Housing. While VMT and fuel usage would generally increase from implementation of the Proposed General Plan when compared to existing uses, the fuel efficiency of vehicles would improve compared to existing conditions. For electric-powered vehicles, annual VMT would increase by 55,126,683 miles and annual consumption would increase by 14,085,318 kWh. The large increase in VMT and electricity usage for electric-powered vehicles are primarily based on the assumption in EMFAC that a greater mix of light-duty automobiles would be electric-powered in future years based on regulatory (e.g., Advanced Clean Cars) and consumer trends.

Compared to existing uses under the year 2045 conditions, the Proposed General Plan would also result in an increase in VMT and fuel usage for all fuel types (see “Net Change from Proposed General Plan Year 2045 and Existing Year 2045” column). However, the fuel efficiency between existing uses under year 2045 379

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conditions and the uses under the Proposed General Plan buildout would be the same, and implementation of the Proposed General Plan would not result in less efficiency in transportation fuel usage.

The improvement in fuel efficiency would be attributable to regulatory compliance (e.g., CAFE standards), resulting in new cars that are more fuel efficient and the attrition of older, less fuel-efficient vehicles. The CAFE standards are not directly applicable to residents or land use development projects, but to car manufacturers. Thus, residents and employees of Wildomar do not have direct control in determining the fuel efficiency of vehicles manufactured and that are made available. However, compliance with the CAFE standards by car manufacturers would ensure that vehicles produced in future years have greater fuel efficiency and would generally result in an overall benefit of reducing fuel usage by providing the population of the City more fuel-efficient vehicle options. Furthermore, while the demand in electricity would increase under the proposed project, in conjunction with the regulatory (i.e., Renewables Portfolio Standard, SB 350, and SB 100) and general trend toward increasing the supply and production of energy from renewable sources, it is anticipated that a greater share of electricity used to power electric vehicles would be from renewable sources in future years (e.g., individual photovoltaic systems, purchased electricity from SCE, and/or purchased electricity from SCE that is generated from renewable sources).

In addition to regulatory compliance that would contribute to more fuel-efficient vehicles and less demand in fuels, the Proposed General Plan includes policies that would contribute to minimizing overall VMT, and thus fuel usage associated with the City. Policies LU-4.2 and LU-9.4 in the Land Use Element would encourage non-vehicular travel modes in the design and development of future projects. Policies CI-1.1, CI-4.3, and CI5.12 in the Circulation Element would aid in minimizing VMT through TDM measures where feasible and improve connectivity along city streets.

Collectively, the policies and regulations listed above would minimize overall VMT, and thus fuel usage associated with potential future development in Wildomar. Furthermore, the proposed project would rely on mixed-use and infill development for projected growth in the Wildomar region, thus contributing to reduced energy use from the transportation sector. For example, Policies LU-10.1 and LU-10.2 in Land Use Element encourage housing to be integrated with commercial and/or office uses within the City. Although population and VMT is projected to grow, the jobs-housing ratio would increase to 0.58 to be closer to a more equal distribution of employment and housing (see Impact 5.14-1 of this DEIR). Having a jobs-rich city would encourage the creation of more employment opportunities for the city’s residents commuting out of Wildomar. Therefore, this could result in shorter distances traveled between where people work and live and to amenities.

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 Proposed General Plan includes policies related to land use and transportation planning and design, energy efficiency, public and active transit, and renewable energy generation that would contribute to minimizing building and transportation-related energy demands overall and demands on nonrenewable sources of energy.

Implementation of proposed policies under the Proposed General Plan in conjunction with and complementary to regulatory requirements, would ensure that energy demand associated with growth under 380

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the Proposed General Plan would not be inefficient, wasteful, or unnecessary. Therefore, energy impacts associated with implementation and operation of land uses accommodated under the Proposed General Plan would be less than significant.

Level of Significance Before Mitigation: Impact 5.6-1 would be less than significant.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.

Level of Significance After Mitigation: Impact 5.6-1 would be less than significant.

Impact 5.6-2: The Proposed General Plan would not conflict with or obstruct a state or local plan for renewable energy or energy efficiency. [Threshold E-2]
California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program
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), 90 percent by 2035 (SB 1020), 95 percent by 2040 (SB 1020), and 100 percent by 2045 (SB 100). 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. The statewide RPS requirements do not directly apply to individual development projects, but to utilities and energy providers such as SCE, whose compliance with RPS requirements would contribute to the State of California objective of transitioning to renewable energy. The land uses accommodated under the Proposed General Plan would comply with the current and future iterations of the Building Energy Efficiency Standards and CALGreen.

Furthermore, as discussed for Impact 5.6-1, the Proposed General Plan includes Open Space and Conservation Element policies which would support the statewide goal of transitioning the electricity grid to renewable sources. Policies OS-6.2, OS-6.4, and OS-6.6 would encourage the transition to all-electric appliances and installation of on-site renewable energy systems for new and existing developments. Policy OS-6.5 would promote battery storage systems, especially in buildings with solar energy installations and municipal buildings with essential community services. Therefore, implementation of the Proposed General Plan would not conflict with or obstruct implementation of California’s RPS program, and no impact would occur.

Level of Significance Before Mitigation: Impact 5.6-2 would be less than significant.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.

Level of Significance After Mitigation: Impact 5.6-2 would be less than significant. 381

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5.6.5 Cumulative Impacts
The area considered for cumulative impacts to electricity and natural gas supplies and facilities is SCE and SoCalGas service areas. Other future development in the SCE and SoCalGas service areas would be subject to existing state regulations. As described under Impacts 5.6-1 and 5.6-2, the Proposed General Plan includes policies to reduce energy consumption and promote renewable energy sources which align with the state’s goals for carbon neutrality. Cumulative impacts would be less than significant, and impacts would not be cumulatively considerable.

5.6.6 Level of Significance Before Mitigation
Upon implementation of regulatory requirements and standard conditions of approval, some impacts would be less than significant: 5.6-1 and 5.6-2.

5.6.7 Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.

5.6.8 Level of Significance After Mitigation
All impacts would be less than significant.

5.6.9 References
California Air Resources Board (CARB). 2008, October. Climate Change Proposed Scoping Plan: A Framework for Change. https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/classic/cc/scopingplan/document/psp.pdf. ———. 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. ———. 2023a, April. Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation. https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/ programs/advanced-clean-fleets/about.
———. 2023b, September. Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation - Drayage Truck Requirements. https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/fact-sheets/advanced-clean-fleets-regulation-drayage-truck -requirements#:~:text=Background,considered%20seaports%20or%20intermodal%20railyards. ———. 2024, February 19 (accessed). Advanced Clean Cars Program. https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/ programs/advanced-clean-cars-program/about#:~:text=The%20Advanced%20Clean%20 Cars%20II%20regulations%20were%20adopted%20in%202022,and%20California's%20carbon%20 neutrality%20targets.

California Building Standards Commission (CBSC). 2022, July. 2022 California Code of Regulations Title 24, Part 11. Accessed September 26, 2023.
https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/CAGBC2022P2/copyright. 382

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California Energy Commission (CEC). 2021. May 19. Environmental Impact Report: Amendments to the Building Energy Efficiency Standards (2022 Energy Code). CEC-400-2021-077. ———. 2022, January 24 (last updated). Natural Gas Detailed Utility Service Area California, 2020. https://cecgis-caenergy.opendata.arcgis.com/documents/natural-gas-utility-service-area-california -2020/explore.
———. 2023a, September 26 (accessed). Appliance Efficiency Regulations. https://www.energy.ca.gov/rules-and -regulations/appliance-efficiency-regulations-title-20/appliance-efficiency-proceedings. ———. 2023b, September 21 (accessed). Electricity Consumption by Planning Area. http://www.ecdms.energy.ca.gov/elecbyplan.aspx.
———. 2023c, September 21 (accessed). Gas Consumption by Planning Area. http://www.ecdms.energy.ca.gov/gasbyplan.aspx.

California Independent System Operator (CAISO). 2022, June. “A golden age of energy storage.” http://www.caiso.com/about/Pages/Blog/Posts/A-golden-age-of-energy-storage.aspx.

California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). 2011, January. CA Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan. https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/files/legacyfiles/c/ 5303-caenergyefficiencystrategicplan-jan2011.pdf.
———. 2021, May. 2021 Padilla Report: Costs and Savings for the RPS Program (Public Utilities Code Section 913.3). https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/industries-and-topics/ documents/energy/rps/2021-padilla-report_final.pdf.
———. 2022, December. CPUC Creates New Framework to Advance California’s Transition Away From Natural Gas. https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/reports/integrated-energy-policy-report/ 2019-integrated-energy-policy-report.

Federal Register. 2020. The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule for Model Years 2021-2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks. Final Rule, Vol. 85 Federal Register, No. 84 (April 30, 2020). ———. 2022, May 2. Rules and Regulations. Vol. 87, No. 84. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/ FR-2022-05-02/pdf/2022-07200.pdf.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 2022, April 1. USDOT Proposes Improved Fuel Economy Standards for MY 2024-2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks. Press release. https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/usdot-announces-new-vehicle-fuel-economy-standards -model-year-2024-2026.
———. 2023, July 28. Corporate Average Fuel Economy. NHTSA Announces New Proposal for CAFE and HDPUV Standards. https://www.nhtsa.gov/laws-regulations/corporate-average-fuel-economy.

Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). 2020, September 3. Connect SoCal Plan. The 2020– 2045 Regional Transportation Plan / Sustainable Communities Strategy of the Southern California Association of Governments. https://www.connectsocal.org/Pages/Connect-SoCal-Final-Plan.aspx. 383

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———. 2023, December 20 (accessed). SCAG Program Environmental Impact Report. Connect SoCal 2024 Draft PEIR and Notice of Availability. https://scag.ca.gov/connect-socal-2024-read-draft-plan.

Southern California Edison (SCE). 2023a, September 27 (Accessed). Our Service Territory. https://www.sce.com/about-us/who-we-are/leadership/our-service-territory. ———. 2023b, September 27 (Accessed). 2021 Power Content Label. https://www.sce.com/sites/ default/files/custom-files/Web%20files/2021%20Power%20Content%20Label.pdf.

United States Energy Information Administration (US EIA). 2021. 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. ———. 2023, October 11 (last updated). Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=45&t=7.

United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). 2023, September 21 (accessed). Summary of the Energy Independence and Security Act Public Law 110-140 (2007). https://www.epa.gov/laws -regulations/summary-energy-independence-and-security-act. 384

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5.7 GEOLOGY AND SOILS
This section of the DEIR evaluates the potential for implementation of the City of Wildomar General Plan to impact geological and soil resources, paleontological resources, or unique geologic features in the City of Wildomar. A summary of the relevant regulatory framework and existing conditions is followed by a discussion of potential impacts and cumulative impacts related to implementation of the proposed project.

FOCAL POINT
Soils are well understood and addressed in the building code and development standards. In general, it is important to avoid seismic faults and erosion. Design professionals use site-specific information to inform the design and ensure safe development. While there are many different types of soil in Wildomar, the development characteristics are well known and easily addressed through modern engineering and construction practices.

5.7.1 Environmental Setting

5.7.1.1 REGULATORY BACKGROUND
Federal Regulations
Paleontological Resources Preservation Act
This legislation directs the Secretaries of the U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of Agriculture to manage and protect paleontological resources on federal land using “scientific principles and expertise.” To formulate a consistent paleontological resources management framework, the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act (PRPA) incorporates most of the recommendations from the report of the Secretary of the Interior titled “Assessment of Fossil Management on Federal and Indian Lands” (USDI 2000).

In passing the PRPA, Congress officially recognized the scientific importance of paleontological resources on some federal lands by declaring that fossils from these lands are federal property that must be preserved and protected. The PRPA codifies existing policies of the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, US Forest Service, Bureau of Reclamation, and US Fish and Wildlife Service, and provides the following:
 Uniform criminal and civil penalties for illegal sale and transport, and theft and vandalism of fossils from federal lands.
 Uniform minimum requirements for paleontological resource-use permit issuance (terms, conditions, and qualifications of applicants).
 Uniform definitions for “paleontological resources” and “casual collecting.”  Uniform requirements for curation of federal fossils in approved repositories. 385

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National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, recognizes the continuing responsibility of the federal government to “preserve important historic, cultural, and natural aspects of our national heritage…” (42 US Code Sec. 4321). With the passage of the PRPA, paleontological resources are considered a significant resource and it is therefore now standard practice to include paleontological resources in NEPA studies in all instances where there is a possible impact.

Antiquities Act of 1906
The Antiquities Act of 1906 (16 USC 431-433) states, in part:

That any person who shall appropriate, excavate, injure or destroy any historic or prehistoric ruin or monument, or any object of antiquity, situated on lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States, without the permission of the Secretary of the Department of the Government having jurisdiction over the lands on which said antiquities are situated, shall upon conviction, be fined in a sum of not more than five hundred dollars or be imprisoned for a period of not more than ninety days, or shall suffer both fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court.

Although there is no specific mention of natural or paleontological resources in the Act itself, or in the Act's uniform rules and regulations (Title 43 Part 3, Code of Federal Regulations [43 CFR 3]), the term “objects of antiquity” has been interpreted to include fossils by the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, the US Forest Service, and other federal agencies. Permits to collect fossils on lands administered by federal agencies are authorized under this Act. However, due to the large gray areas left open to interpretation due to the imprecision of the wording, agencies are hesitant to interpret this act as governing paleontological resources.

Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act
The Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 was intended 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. Pursuant to this Act, the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program was established, which designates the Federal Emergency Management Agency as the lead agency of the program. Programs provide valuable resources to guide building code requirements and planning efforts such as emergency evacuation responsibilities and seismic code standards.

State Regulations
Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act
The Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act of 1972 was intended to mitigate the hazard of surface fault rupture by prohibiting the location of structures for human occupancy across the trace of an active fault. The Act delineates “Earthquake Fault Zones” along faults that are “sufficiently active” and “well defined.” The Act also 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. Pursuant to this Act, structures for human occupancy are not allowed within 50 feet of the trace of an active fault.
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Seismic Hazards Mapping Act
Earthquakes can cause significant damage even if surface ruptures do not occur. The Seismic Hazards Mapping Act of 1990 was intended to protect the public from the hazards of nonsurface fault rupture from earthquakes, including strong ground shaking, liquefaction, seismically induced landslides, or other ground failure. The California Geological Survey prepares and provides local governments with seismic hazard zone maps that identify areas susceptible to nonsurface fault hazards. The act requires responsible agencies to approve projects within seismic hazard zones only after a site-specific investigation to determine if the hazard is present, and the inclusion, if a hazard is found, of appropriate mitigation(s).

Natural Hazards Disclosure Act
The Natural Hazards Disclosure Act requires that sellers of real property and their agents provide prospective buyers with a “Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement” when the property being sold lies within one or more state-mapped hazard areas, including a Seismic Hazard Zone. California law also requires that when houses built before 1960 are sold, the seller must give the buyer a completed earthquake hazards disclosure report and a booklet titled “The Homeowners Guide to Earthquake Safety.” This publication was written and adopted by the California Seismic Safety Commission.

Soils Investigation Requirements
Requirements for soils investigations 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 Section 1802 of the California Building Code. 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.

California Building Code
Every public agency enforcing building regulations must adopt the provisions of the California Building Code (CBC), which is Title 24, Part 2 of the California Code of Regulations. The most recent version is the 2022 CBC, effective January 1, 2023. The CBC is updated every three years and 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 also 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 specified probability of occurring at a site. A city may adopt more restrictive codes than state law based on conditions in their community.

California General Plan Law and General Plan Guidelines State law (Government Code Section 65302) requires cities to adopt a comprehensive long-term general plan that includes a safety element. The safety element is intended to provide guidance for protecting the community from any unreasonable risks associated with the effects of seismically induced surface rupture, ground shaking, 387

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ground failure, tsunami, seiche, and dam failure; slope instability leading to mudslides and landslides; subsidence; liquefaction; other seismic hazards identified by Public Resources Code (PRC) Sections 2691 et. seq.; and other geologic hazards known to the legislative body. The seismic safety element must also include mapping of known seismic and geologic hazards from the California Geological Survey and a series of responsive goals, policies, and implementation programs to improve public safety.

Public Resources Code Section 5097.5 and Section 30244
State requirements for management of paleontological resources are included in PRC Section 5097.5 and Section 30244. These statutes prohibit the removal of any paleontological site or feature from public lands without permission of the jurisdictional agency, define the removal of paleontological sites or features as a misdemeanor, and require reasonable mitigation of adverse impacts on paleontological resources from developments on public (e.g., State, county, city, or district) lands.

Paleontological Assessment Standards
The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) has established guidelines for the identification, assessment, and mitigation of adverse impacts on nonrenewable paleontological resources. Most practicing paleontologists in the United States adhere closely to the SVP’s assessment, mitigation, and monitoring requirements as outlined in these guidelines, which were approved through a consensus of professional paleontologists. The SVP has helped define the value of paleontological resources and, in particular, indicates that geologic units of high paleontological potential are those from which vertebrate or significant invertebrate or plant fossils have been recovered in the past (i.e., are represented in institutional collections). Only invertebrate fossils that provide new information on existing flora or fauna or on the age of a rock unit would be considered significant. Geologic units of low paleontological potential are those that are not known to have produced a substantial body of significant paleontological material. As such, the sensitivity of an area with respect to paleontological resources hinges on its geologic setting and whether significant fossils have been discovered in the area or in similar geologic units.

Regional Regulations
Riverside County Fault Zone Studies
Due to rapid development, Riverside County has zoned fault systems and required similar special studies prior to development. Although many of the new fault zones were interpreted from groundwater studies and could be viewed as doubtful, until field evidence has been compiled, Riverside County considers them as a legitimate hazard. Riverside County also employs a County Engineering Geologist to review fault studies that are submitted to the County and to provide insight to development interests so that structures designed for human occupancy and critical infrastructure can avoid fault rupture impacts.

Regional Water Quality Control Board Basin Plans
The northern portion of the City is within the Santa Ana River Watershed and the southern portion of the City is within the Santa Margarita River Watershed. These watersheds are governed by the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), which is Region 8, and San Diego RWQCB, which is Region 9, 388

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respectively. Figure 5.10-1, Watersheds, in Section 5.10, Hydrology and Water Quality, of this DEIR, shows the boundaries for both watersheds.

The San Diego RWQCB encompasses portions of Orange, San Diego, and Riverside Counties. The San Diego RWQCB addresses the process and criteria needed for permitting of septic tanks in the Basin Plan. Chapter 5 of the Region 9 Basin Plan addresses waste discharge requirements that would be needed for waste discharges.

Septic tanks and advanced treatment systems are waste discharge requirements. Septic tanks are considered dischargers and are required to have permitting prior to implementation. The San Diego Basin Plan has plans for the RWQCB to develop criteria for minimum lot sizes for septic tanks (RWQCB 2021).

The Santa Ana RWQCB imposes a density limit for new developments that wish to use on-site septic tanks or subsurface leaching/percolation systems. Chapter 5 of the Santa Ana Region Basin Plan outlines the board’s regulations for septic systems, which specifically limit the density of new subsurface systems to lots developed with no more than two dwelling units per acre, and prohibits these systems in specific areas with water quality problems and where public sewer systems are in place. Exemptions to the minimum lot size are granted for replacement systems, residential expansion, and where offsets are made (when a number of existing dwelling units on septic systems are connected to the public sewer system in exchange for an equal number of new units to be placed on septic systems) (RWQCB 2019).

Although Wildomar is within the boundaries of two RWQCBs, an agreement has been reached between the City and the two RWQCBs that the San Diego RWQCB (Region 9) will have primary jurisdiction within the City for all stormwater and water quality issues.

However, any project that discharges stormwater from the northern portion of the City that flows into the Santa Ana River Watershed and ultimately into Lake Elsinore may be required to meet requirements issued by the Santa Ana RWQCB to ensure compliance with the Lake Elsinore-Canyon Lake Total Maximum Daily Loads.

Elsinore Valley Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan As a requirement of SGMA, high and medium priority basins must create and implement groundwater sustainability plans. Because the Elsinore Valley Groundwater Subbasin is designated a medium priority basin, a GSP was prepared in 2022 and approved by DWR in October 2023. The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) is the single GSA for this basin. The GSP describes current and historical groundwater conditions, prepares a water budget, establishes sustainable yield criteria and a groundwater monitoring network, and develops management programs to ensure that the basin will meet its sustainability goals. Some of the specific project management actions for the Elsinore Valley Subbasin include groundwater well replacement, managed groundwater pumping with recharge, and septic tank conversions.

Local Regulations
Wildomar Municipal Code
 Chapter 8.96, Sewage Discharges. This chapter provides the requirements for installation, construction, alteration, soil percolation tests, and groundwater evaluation report for onsite wastewater treatment systems 389

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(septic system), and requires coordination of applications with the Riverside County Department of Health.
 Chapter 15, Buildings and Construction. This chapter indicates that the 2022 California Building Code has been adopted by the City. This refers to the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 2, including Appendices C, I, H, and J.
 Chapter 15.76, Earthquake Fault Area Construction Regulations. This chapter describes the regulations for building on areas along the earthquake fault zones. It includes provisions, compliances, and requirements.
 Chapter 16.48, Soil Erosion. The purpose of this chapter is to provide information for the classifications of at-risk soils susceptible to erosion. Soil erosion control plans and requirements are provided in this chapter.

The City of Wildomar has requirements in the Municipal Code, Title 15, Buildings and Construction, for all grading purposes. These include preparation of relevant soil engineering reports, cut/ fills, drainage and erosion/ dust control, requirements for completion of work, and NPDES standards. “Grading Notes,” part of Title 15, include processes and recommendations for hillside developments.

Wildomar Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
The purpose of the local hazard mitigation plan is to identify the City’s hazards, review and assess past disaster occurrences, estimate the probability of future occurrences, and set goals and actions to reduce and/or eliminate potential risks to people and property from natural and manmade hazards (Wildomar 2022).

Wildomar 2021–2029 Safety Element
The City’s Safety Element conveys goals, policies, and actions to minimize the hazards to safety in and around Wildomar. It identifies the natural and human-caused hazards that affect existing and future development and provides guidelines for protecting residents, employees, visitors, and other community members from injury and death. It describes present and expected future conditions and sets policies and standards for improved public safety. The Safety Element also seeks to minimize physical harm to the buildings and infrastructure in and around Wildomar to reduce damage to local economic systems, community services, and ecosystems.
 Policy S-2. Continue to enforce penalties against grading without permits and ensure the restoration of land damaged or degraded from grading activities. Continue to educate the public about the benefits of grading with permits and the penalties for grading without them. If the penalties are determined to be ineffective, explore whether levying greater penalties would be more effective in deterring illegal grading and ensuring proper restoration of damaged lands.
 Policy S-5. Minimize fault rupture through enforcement of Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act provisions and the following policies:
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1. Require geologic studies or analyses for critical structures, and lifetime, high-occupancy, schools, and high-risk structures, within 0.5 miles of all Quaternary to historic faults shown on the Earthquakes Fault Studies Zones map.

2. Require geologic trenching studies within all designated Earthquake Fault Studies Zones, unless adequate evidence, as determined and accepted by the City of Wildomar Engineering Geologist, is presented. The City of Wildomar may require geologic trenching of non-zoned faults for especially critical or vulnerable structures or lifelines.

3. Require that infrastructure systems, such as energy, communications, and transportation infrastructure, be designed to resist, without failure, their crossing of a fault, should fault rupture occur.

4. Support efforts by the California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey, to develop geologic and engineering solutions in areas of ground deformation due to faulting and seismic activity, in those areas where a fault cannot be reliably located.

5. Encourage and support efforts by the geologic research community to better define the locations and risks of faults in and around the City of Wildomar. Such efforts could include data sharing and database development with regional entities, other local governments, private organizations, utility agencies or companies, and local universities.
 Policy S-6. Require automatic natural gas shutoff earthquake sensors in high-occupancy industrial and commercial facilities, as well as new homes, and encourage them for all existing residences.  Policy S-7. Require geological and geotechnical investigations in areas with potential for earthquakeinduced liquefaction, landslides, or settlement, for any building proposed for human occupancy and any structure whose damage would cause harm, except for accessory buildings.  Policy S-8. Require that a state-licensed civil engineer investigate the potential for liquefaction in areas designated as underlain by “Susceptible Sediments” and/or “Shallow Groundwater” for all general construction projects and proposed critical facilities, except for accessory buildings.  Policy S-9. Require that engineered slopes be designed to resist seismically-induced failure as appropriate.

For lower-risk projects, this may include requiring slope design to be based on pseudo-static stability analyses using soil engineering parameters that are established on a site-specific basis. For higher-risk projects, appropriate standards may include requiring the stability analyses to factor in the intensity of expected ground-shaking.
 Policy S-10. Within landslide susceptibility areas or liquefaction zones shown in Figure 2-0 and Figure 3-0 of the Safety Element, require that cut-and-fill transition lots be over-excavated to mitigate the potential of seismically-induced differential settlement.
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 Policy S-11. Require the following in landslide susceptibility classes III and above, or when deemed necessary by the California Environmental Quality Act, prior to the issuance of development permits or approval of project designs:

1. Preliminary geotechnical and geologic investigations, including certification regarding the stability of the site against adverse effects of earthquake and subsidence.

2. Evaluations of site stability, including any possible impact on adjacent properties.

3. Consultant reports, investigations, and design recommendations required for grading permits, building permits, and subdivision applications, prepared by state-licensed professionals.  Policy S-12. Require new development in areas prone to geologic hazards (e.g., landslides, steep topography, slope instability) to be designed to adequately reduce these hazards and loss of native vegetation. Grading plans, environmental assessments, engineering and geologic technical reports, irrigation and landscaping plans, including ecological restoration and revegetation plans, shall be required as appropriate, to ensure the adequate demonstration of a project’s ability to mitigate these potential impacts. Any development in hillside areas shall prepare drainage plans to direct runoff and drainage away from potentially unstable slopes.
 Policy S-13. During permit review, identify and require mitigation of on-site slope instability, debris flow, and erosion hazards on lots undergoing substantial improvements. “Substantial improvements” means any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50 percent of the market value of the structure before the start of construction of the improvement.
 Policy S-14. Conduct slope stabilization practices on existing public property and support slope stabilization activities on private property located on unstable hillside areas, especially slopes with recurring failures where City property or public right-of-way is threatened from slope instability, or where considered appropriate and urgent by the City of Wildomar Engineer, Fire Department, or Sheriff Department.  Policy S-15. Encourage building retrofits that improve resiliency to geologic and seismic hazards.  Policy S-16. Require geotechnical studies within documented subsidence zones, as shown in Figure 4-0 of the Safety Element, as well as zones that may be susceptible to subsidence, prior to the issuance of development permits. Within the documented subsidence zones of the Elsinore Valley, the studies must address the potential for reactivation of these zones, consider the potential impact on the project, and provide adequate and acceptable mitigation measures.
 Policy S-17. Coordinate with the County of Riverside and the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District to develop a liaison program with all Riverside County water districts to prevent water extraction-induced subsidence.
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 Policy S-18. Encourage and support efforts for long-term, permanent monitoring of topographic subsidence in the Elsinore Valley Groundwater Basin, irrespective of past subsidence.  Policy S-91. Conduct citywide drills for earthquakes and other hazards as appropriate. Use the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s HAZUS Program to develop internal scenarios for emergency response and test back-up power generators in public facilities and other critical facilities taking part in the earthquake drill. During emergency drills, encourage communication and cooperation between emergency response staff and designated contacts at hospitals, high-occupancy buildings, and dependent-care facilities.  Policy S-92. Develop a system to respond to short-term increases in hazard on the southern San Andreas Fault, based on probabilities associated with foreshocks.  Policy S-94. Maintain and continue to improve management and emergency dissemination of information using portable computers with geographic information systems (GIS) and disaster-resistant Internet access, to obtain:
 Hazardous Materials Disclosure Program Business Plans regarding the location and type of hazardous materials;
 Real-time information on seismic, geologic, or flood hazards; and  The locations of high-occupancy, immobile populations, potentially hazardous building structures, utilities, and other lifelines.
 Policy S-104. Strengthen the project permit and review process to ensure that proper actions are taken to reduce hazard impacts and encourage structural and nonstructural design and construction. Damage must be minimized for critical facilities, and susceptibility to structural collapse must be minimized, if not eliminated.

1. Ensure that special development standards, designs, and construction practices reduce risk to tolerable levels for projects involving critical facilities, large-scale residential development, and major commercial or industrial development through conditional use permits and the subdivision review process. If appropriate, impact fees should be assessed to finance required actions.

2. Require mitigation measures to reduce potential damage caused by ground failure for sites determined to have potential for liquefaction. Such measures shall apply to critical facilities, utilities, and large commercial and industrial projects as a condition of project approval.

3. Require that planned lifeline utilities, as a condition of project approval, be designed, located, structurally upgraded, fit with safety shutoff valves, designed for easy maintenance, and have redundant backup lines where unstable slopes, earth cracks, active faults, or areas of liquefaction cannot be avoided.
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4. Review proposed uses of fault setback areas closely to ensure that county infrastructure (roads, utilities, drains) are not unduly placed at risk by the developer. Insurance, bonding, or compensation plans should be used to compensate the County of Riverside for the potential costs of repair.  Policy S-107. Coordinate with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and/or use the Capital Improvement Program, to strengthen, relocate, or take other appropriate measures to safeguard high-voltage lines, water, sewer, natural gas and petroleum pipelines, and trunk electrical and telephone conduits that:
a) Extend through areas of high liquefaction potential. b) Cross active faults.
c) Traverse earth cracks or landslides.
 Policy S-108. Require additional design considerations for lifelines within subsidence areas.

5.7.1.2 EXISTING CONDITIONS
Regional Geology
The City of Wildomar is in western Riverside County. The Santa Ana Mountains form a dominant feature of the northern Peninsular Ranges Geomorphic Province, spanning 40 miles in a southeastern layout within Southern California. The general cross-section of the Santa Ana Mountains consists of an anticlinal fold1 across the Whittier-Elsinore fault zone (Morton and Miller 2006). The crest of the fold2 parallels the mountain’s ridgeline with a gently dipping southwestern flank and a steep, down-faulted northeastern limb. Additional intermediate folding has been superimposed on the major anticlinal feature. The primary bedrock in Riverside County is characterized as the Peninsular Ranges assemblage. Rocks vary in age from Quaternary3 to Paleozoic,4 and there is no known documentation of Precambrian5 rocks in the Peninsular Ranges Geomorphic Province (Morton and Miller 2006). Based on geographic database maps, the City of Wildomar lays directly and predominantly on Young Alluvial Valley Deposits6 and Granitic and other intrusive crystalline rocks7 of all ages. The northeastern and eastern portions of the City sit atop Young Alluvial Fan Deposits; the northwestern and western portions of the City sit atop pegmatite dikes and Monzogranite to granodiorite; and the southern portion of the City sits atop heterogeneous grantic rocks, sandstone member, and sandstone (Morton and Miller 2006). Figure 5.7-1, Geologic Map, identifies the geology of the City. 1 Anticlines are usually developed above thrust faults and are structurally an arch-like shape. 2 The crest represents the highest point of the fold surface of the fault ridge. 3 Quaternary rock age refers to the most recent period in the Cenozoic era in geology (2.5 million years ago-Today) 4 The era classified as “ancient life” relating to geologic eras (541-252 million years ago) 5 Era encompassing Hadean, Archean, and Proterozoic, making up roughly seven-eighths of Earth’s total history. 6 Small, limited deposits within the mountain valley, mostly consisting of gravel, sand, silt, and clay. 7 Large crystals that cool slowly without ever reaching the surface. 394
34 Wildomar Active Transportation Plan
Scott Rd
Murrie at Rd
Lakeshore Dr
Corydon Rd
Grand Ave
Clinton Keith Rd
Mission Trl
Palomar St
Washington Ave
Jefferson Ave
Jackson Ave
Nutmeg St
Hancock Ave
Prielipp Rd
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Elsinore
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Lake Elsinore
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Oaks Rd
Bundy Canyon R
Lemon St d Orange St
Palomar St
Lost Rd
Hills Rd
Canyon
Cottonwood Canyon Rd
Gruwell St
Salid
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ep R
as
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quale
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Dr
Inland Valley Dr
Hidden
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Malaga Rd
McVicar St
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La Estre lla St
Sidewalk
Missing Sidewalk
Wildomar Trail
Wildomar Trail
Wildomar Trail
Monte Vista Dr
Bundy Canyon Rd
Figure 2-8 Missing Sidewalk Inventory
PlaceWorks
Source: CR Associates 2021; Alta Planning and Design 2021.

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0 Scale (Miles)
1 Figure 5.17-1 - Missing Sidewalk Inventory

5. Environmental Analysis
City of Wildomar Boundary
Sidewalk
Missing Sidewalk
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Faulting and Seismicity
Southern California is a seismically active region, with seismic hazards depending on proximity and earthquake potential of nearby active faults and the local geologic and topographic conditions, which can either amplify or attenuate seismic waves. Seismic shaking refers to the movement of the earth’s surface resulting from an earthquake. This shaking is typically the primary cause of damage in earthquakes, which generally correlates to the magnitude of the earthquake and proximity to the event’s epicenter. The Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale measures the physical impact of an earthquake based on the amount of observed damage. Since the degree of shaking, and consequently damage, generally decreases as the seismic energy travels farther from the fault rupture’s point of origin, different sections of a city or region can report different MMI measurements in different locations. While the MMI scale replaced the Richter Scale, which loses its effectiveness when measuring stronger earthquakes, the Richter Scale is still used to detect the magnitude of the epicenter of an earthquake, whereas the MMI scale measures a specific location’s physical effects due to an earthquake (USGS 2024a, 2024b). Table 5.7-1 Modified Mercalli Earthquake Intensity Scales, shows the MMI intensity as well as the Richter Scale equivalent.

Table 5.7-1 Modified Mercalli Earthquake Intensity Scale MMI
Intensity Description Effects Observed
Richter Scale
Equivalent (M)
I Instrumental Felt only by a few people, under especially favorable conditions. No Effect. 1 to 2 II Feeble Felt only by a few people at rest, especially on the upper floors of buildings. Noticed only by sensitive people
2 to 3
III Slight Noticeable by people indoors, especially on upper floors, but not always recognized as an earthquake. Noticed only by sensitive people/ Resembles vibrations caused by heavy traffic. 3 to 4
IV Moderate Felt by many indoors, and by some outdoors. Sleeping people may be awakened. Dishes, windows, and doors are disturbed. Resembles vibrations caused by heavy traffic 4 V Slightly strong Felt by nearly everyone, and many sleeping people are awakened. Some dishes and windows broken, and unstable objects overturned. Sleepers awakened; bells ring 4 to 5
VI Strong Felt by everyone. Some heavy furniture is moved, and there is slight damage. Trees sway, some damage from falling objects
5 to 6
VII Very strong Negligible damage in well-built buildings, slight to moderate damage in ordinary buildings, and considerable damage in poorly built structures. General alarm, cracking of walls 6 VIII Destructive
Slight damage in well-built buildings, considerable damage and partial collapse in ordinary buildings, and great damage in poorly built structures. Chimneys fall and some damage to building
6 to 7
IX Ruinous
Considerable damage in specially designed structures. Significant damage and partial collapse in substantial buildings, and buildings are shifted off foundations. Ground crack, houses begin to collapse, pipes break
7 X Disastrous
Most foundations and buildings with masonry or frames are destroyed, along with some wellbuilt wood structures. Rail lines are bent. Ground badly cracked, many buildings destroyed.

Some landslides
7 to 8
XI Very
disastrous
Most or all masonry structures are destroyed, along with bridges. Rail lines are substantially bent. Few buildings remain standing, bridges destroyed. 8 XII Catastrophic Damage is total. The lines of sight are distorted, and objects are thrown into the air. Total destruction; objects thrown in air, shaking and distortion of ground 8 or greater
Source: USGS 2024a; Differen 2024.
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Major active fault zones are located within the City and surrounding areas. Based on review of the referenced geologic and seismic literature, there are mapped Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zones within the City limits associated with the San Andreas, San Jacinto, and the Whittier-Elsinore Faults, which all have capabilities of producing high magnitude earthquakes (Wildomar 2021; Morton and Miller 2006).

Regional fault zones located in and around the City are shown on Figure 5.7-2, Regional Fault Location Map.

Whittier-Elsinore Fault
The Glen Ivy/Temecula Segment of Whittier-Elsinore Fault Zone is the closest major fault system to the City—the Elsinore Fault Zone is in the City—and is one of the largest in Southern California. The Elsinore Fault Zone extends from near the United States-Mexico border northwesterly to the northern Santa Ana Mountains. At the northern end, the zone of mapped faults branches into two segments west and east, the Whittier Fault and the Chino-Central Avenue Fault. At the southern end of the Glen Ivy/Northern Temecula Segment are the Southern Temecula, Julian, and Coyote Mountain Segments, ending with the Laguna Salada Fault crossing south through the southern California-Mexico Border (Morton & Miller 2006; SCEDC 2024a).

The northern portion of the Elsinore Fault Zone is also referred to as the Glen Ivy segment, and runs directly through the City. The Glen Ivy segment is zoned under the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone Act.

Dominant movement along the fault is right-lateral strike-slip. The Glen Ivy segment could produce an earthquake with a maximum magnitude of 6.8 on the Richter scale. This would entail chimneys falling from buildings and some damage to buildings. At the northern end of the Glen Ivy segment the faulting is fragmented into a zone of discontinuous northwesterly trending faults along the eastern side of the Santa Ana Mountains in Wildomar. South of the City, the Southern Temecula segment continues from Lake Elsinore for 27 miles. The fault branches into the Whittier and Chino-Central Avenue faults near the Santa Ana River.

North of the Glen Ivy Segment and along the Whittier-Elsinore fault Zone, the fault branches off into the Chino-Central Avenue Fault and the Whittier fault segments. The fault branches away from the Elsinore (Glen Ivy) Fault and extends northwest for a distance of approximately 13 miles through the Prado Basin and into the Puente Hills. Dominant movement along the fault is right-reverse oblique slip.8 The Chino Fault could produce an earthquake with a maximum magnitude of 6.9 on the Richter Scale. The Chino Fault is zoned under the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Zone Act (SCEDC 2024a).

The Whittier Fault Zone extends approximately 24 miles from Whittier Narrows in Los Angeles County, southeasterly to the Santa Ana Canyon where it merges with the Elsinore Fault Zone. The Whittier Fault Zone averages 1,000 to 2,000 feet in width and is made up of many subparallel fault lines and an echelon fault splay9 which merge and branch along their course. The Whittier Fault Zone does not extend inside the City boundary, but the Elsinore segment does. Available information indicates that the Whittier Fault Zone is active and may be capable of generating an earthquake of magnitude 6.8 accompanied by surface rupture along one or more of its fault traces. The Whittier Fault portion of the Elsinore Fault Zone is zoned under the Alquist-Priolo 8 Compressional force bringing the sides of faults together in a down-slip motion. 9 Fault line fold. 397

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Earthquake Fault Zone Act northwest of the City in the Cities of Chino Hills and Whittier, approximately 35.5 miles away.

South of the Glen Ivy Segment, along the fault line, is the Temecula segment, which spans a distance of 39 miles. The northernmost part of the Temecula segment runs through the City of Wildomar. An estimated slip rate10 for the Whittier-Elsinore Fault is approximately 4.0 millimeters per year.

San Jacinto Fault
This fault zone extends for over 130 miles and is characterized by right-lateral strike-slip11 movement. The San Jacinto Fault is capable of a creating an earthquake with a maximum magnitude of 6.9 on the Richter Scale.

The fault is zoned under the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone Act (SCEDC 2024b).

San Andreas Fault
The San Bernardino and southern segments of the San Andreas Fault are approximately 45 miles north of the City. The overall fault zone trends generally northwest for almost the entire length of California, from Cape Mendocino south to near the Mexican border. Past studies estimated the recurrence interval for a 8.0 earthquake on the Richter Scale along the entire fault zone is between 50 and 200 years, and a 140- to 200-year recurrence interval for major (magnitudes of 7.0 to 7.9) to great (magnitudes of 8.0 or larger) earthquakes along the southern fault zone segment (SCEDC 2024c).

With the probability of earthquakes in and around the City, Table-5.7-2, Chances of Significant Earthquakes on Major Riverside County Faults, provides a breakdown of those probabilities by magnitude.

Table 5.7-2 Chances of Significant Earthquakes on Major Riverside County Faults Fault
Mean Chance by 2045
Magnitude 6.7 or
Greater
Magnitude 7.0 or
Greater
Magnitude 7.5 or
Greater
Magnitude 8.0 or
Greater
San Andreas 24.21% 21.29% 11.62% 3.15%
San Jacinto 6.71% 6.43% 5.29% 2.75%
Elsinore 3.66% 1.82% 0.95% < 0.01%
Source: Wildomar 2021.
10 The average rate of fault-slip during a certain period of time. 11 Displacement of the fault oriented to the right. 398
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Wildomar fault
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Glen Ivy South fault
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Mount Eden fault
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fault, certain
fault, certain
fault, certain

PROJECT NAME HERE

CITY OF PROJECT HERE
Figure XX - Figure Title Here

1. Introduction
PlaceWorks
Source: ESRI, 2018
0 5
Scale (Miles)
fault, certain
fault, concealed
fault, concealed, queried
fault, inferred, queried
thrust fault, certain
thrust fault, approx. located
thrust fault, concealed
dextral fault, certain
dextral fault, approx. located
dextral fault, concealed
sinistral fault, certain
sinistral fault, approx. located
sinistral fault, concealed
thrust fault, certain (2)
thrust fault, approx. located (2)
thrust fault, concealed (2)
fault, certain (ball and bar)
fault, approx. located (ball and bar)
fault, concealed (ball and bar)
dextral fault, certain (ball and bar)
fault, concealed, queried (ball and bar)
fault, concealed, queried (ball and bar, 2)
fault, certain (dip)
fault, approx. located (dip)
fault, concealed (dip)
reverse fault, certain
reverse fault, approx. located
reverse fault, concealed
Pre-Quaternary Faults
Representation: FAM_PreQt_Faults_Rep
fault, certain
fault, approx. located
fault, concealed
thrust fault, certain
thrust fault, approx. located
thrust fault, conceled
fault, certain (ball and bar)
fault, approx. located (ball and bar)
fault, concealed (ball and bar)
San Andreas
Fault Zone
San Jacinto
Fault Zone
Elsinore
Fault Zone
Source: Generated using ArcMap 2024.

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0 Scale (Miles)
5 Figure 5.7-2 - Regional Fault Location Map

5. Environmental Analysis

CITY OF WILDOMAR PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN DRAFT EIR

CITY OF WILDOMAR
Lake
Perris
Lake
Mathews
Diamond Valley
Lake
215
60 CALIFORNIA
60 CALIFORNIA
10 74

CALIFORNIA
74 CALIFORNIA
91 CALIFORNIA
Lake
Skinner
City of Wildomar Boundary
Faults
Elsinore Fault Zone
San Jacinto Fault Zone
San Andreas Fault Zone
Fault Zones
Alquist-Priolo Faults
Non-Alquist-Priolo Faults
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Soils
Soils that contain significant amounts of clay particles can alter their shape and movement when taking on or giving up water are considered expansive soils. Expansive soils shrink or swell as the moisture content decreases or increases. Structures built on these soils may experience shifting, cracking, and breaking damage as soils shrink and subside or expand.

Corrosive soils contain chemical constituents that may cause damage to construction materials such as concrete and ferrous metals. One such constituent is water soluble sulfate, which, if in high enough concentrations, can react with and damage concrete. Electrical resistivity, chloride content, and pH level are all indicators of the soil’s tendency to corrode ferrous metals.

Seismic Hazards
While earthquakes are likely to occur within and around the City, the likelihood of these earthquakes to cause major damage is rare but still possible. No major earthquake epicenters have been recorded in the City, however, earthquake epicenters surrounding Wildomar may cause substantial damage within the City. It is likely the City will experience a significantly damaging earthquake in the next two decades (Wildomar 2021).

Surface Rupture
Surface rupture involves displacement and cracking of the ground surface along a fault trace. Surface ruptures are visible instances of horizontal or vertical displacement, or a combination of the two, typically confined to a narrow zone along the fault. Surface rupture is more likely to occur in conjunction with active fault segments where earthquakes are large, or where the location of the movement (earthquake hypocenter) is shallow. The City is vulnerable to seismic-related earthquake fault rupture and shaking; however, no noticeable local damage has been experienced over the years (Wildomar 2022).

Landslides and Slope Failure
Landslides are perceptible downward movements of a mass of earth (soil and/or debris), rock, or a combination of the two under the influence of gravity. Landslide materials are commonly porous and very weathered in the upper portions and along the margins of the slide. They may also have open fractures or joints.

Slope failures can occur during or after periods of intense rainfall or in response to strong seismic shaking.

Areas of high topographic relief, such as steep canyon walls, are most likely to be impacted by slope failure.

Landslides, although minor are evident in Wildomar. Historically, precipitation has been low to moderate in and around Wildomar; however, landslides are expected to continue, with likely occurrences during high precipitation. Figure 5.7-3, Areas with Landslide Susceptibility, identifies potential landslide hazards in the City. 400
Wildomar Safety Element – August 2021 SE-19

LANDSLIDE SUSCEPTIBILITY
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1 City of Wildomar Boundary
Figure 5.7-3 - Areas with Landslide Susceptibility

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CITY OF WILDOMAR
Hospital
Local Law Enforcement Office
15 15
City Boundary
Fire Station

WILDOMAR WILDOMAR

MURRIETA

UNINCORPORATED

RIVERSIDE COUNTY

UNINCORPORATED

RIVERSIDE COUNTY

LAKE ELSINORE LAKE ELSINORE

CANYON LAKE CANYON LAKE

MENIFEE
0 III
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X

LANDSLIDE SUSCEPTIBILITY CLASSES
Percent of Population Whose Income
is Below Poverty Level (2019)
>15% of Population Transmission Line
Source: Generated using ArcMap 2021.
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Liquefaction and Related Ground Failure
Liquefaction is a process whereby strong ground shaking causes sediment layers that are saturated with groundwater to lose strength and behave as a fluid. This subsurface process can lead to near-surface or surface ground failure that can result in property damage and structural failure. If surface ground failure does occur, it is usually expressed as lateral spreading, flow failures, ground oscillation, and/or general loss of bearing strength. Sand boils (injections of fluidized sediment) can commonly accompany these different types of failure. In order to determine a region’s susceptibility to liquefaction, the following three major factors must be analyzed:
 The intensity and duration of ground shaking.
 The age and textural characteristic of the alluvial sediments. Generally, the younger, less-well-compacted sediments tend to have a higher susceptibility to liquefaction. Textural characteristics also play a dominant role in determining liquefaction susceptibility. Sand and silty sands deposited in river channels and floodplains tend to be more susceptible to liquefaction, and floodplains tend to be more susceptible to liquefaction than coarser or finer grained alluvial materials.  The depth to the groundwater. Groundwater saturation of sediments is required in order for earthquakeinduced liquefaction to occur. In general, groundwater depths shallower than 10 feet to the surface can cause the highest liquefaction susceptibility.

Research and historical data indicate that loose, granular materials at depths of less than 50 feet, with silt and clay contents of less than 30 percent, and saturated by a relatively shallow groundwater table are most susceptible to liquefaction. These geological conditions are typical in parts of southern California, including the City of Wildomar, and in valley regions and alluvial floodplains. The potential for liquefaction to occur in the City exists; areas with the highest potential for liquefaction are generally in the south/southwest, as shown in Figure 5.7-4, Liquefaction Hazards Zones.

Subsidence
The subsidence of basins attributed to overdraft of groundwater aquifers or over pumping of petroleum reserves has been reported in various parts of southern California (Wildomar 2021). Areas of subsidence, as shown on Figure 5.7-5, Subsidence Zone, are in the western portion of the City. This means the ground is susceptible to caving inward and sloping due to soil components in the area. Although areas of subsidence due to groundwater pumping are shown in the City, subsidence due to over-pumping of petroleum reserves does not cause a potential concern to people or structures in this portion of the City because there are no active oil wells in the City (Wildomar 2021).
402
Wildomar Safety Element – August 2021 SE-18

SEISMIC HAZARD PROGRAM LIQUEFACTION ZONE
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1 City of Wildomar Boundary
Figure 5.7-4 - Liquefaction Hazards Zones

5. Environmental Analysis

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CITY OF WILDOMAR
Hospital
Local Law Enforcement Office
15 15
City Boundary
Fire Station

WILDOMAR WILDOMAR

MURRIETA

UNINCORPORATED

RIVERSIDE COUNTY

UNINCORPORATED

RIVERSIDE COUNTY

LAKE ELSINORE LAKE ELSINORE

CANYON LAKE CANYON LAKE

MENIFEE
Liquefaction Zones
Transmission Line
Source: Generated using ArcMap 2021.
403
Wildomar Safety Element – August 2021 SE-22

SUBSIDENCE ZONE
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Source: Generated using ArcMap 2021.
0 Scale (Miles)
1 City of Wildomar Boundary
Figure 5.7-5 - Subsidence Zone

5. Environmental Analysis

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CITY OF WILDOMAR
Hospital
Local Law Enforcement Office
15 15
City Boundary
Fire Station

WILDOMAR WILDOMAR

MURRIETA

UNINCORPORATED

RIVERSIDE COUNTY

UNINCORPORATED

RIVERSIDE COUNTY

LAKE ELSINORE LAKE ELSINORE

CANYON LAKE CANYON LAKE

MENIFEE
Percent of Population Whose Income
is Below Poverty Level (2019)
>15% of Population
Transmission Line
Subsidence Zone
- Groundwater Pumping
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May 2024 Page 5.7-21
Unsafe Buildings
The principal threat in an earthquake is not ground shaking, fault rupture, or liquefaction, but the damage that the earthquake causes to buildings that house people or an essential function. Continuing advances in engineering design and building code standards over the past decade have greatly reduced the potential for collapse in an earthquake of most new buildings. However, many buildings in the City were built before some of the earthquake design standards were incorporated into the building code. Several specific building types are a particular concern in this regard.
 Unreinforced Masonry Buildings. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, unreinforced masonry was the most common type of construction for larger downtown commercial structures and for multistory apartment and hotel buildings. These were recognized as a collapse hazard following the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, the Santa Barbara earthquake of 1925, and again in the aftermath of the Long Beach earthquake of 1933. These buildings are still the most hazardous buildings in an earthquake. Per Senate Bill 547, local jurisdictions are required to enact structural hazard reduction programs by (a) inventorying pre-1943 unreinforced masonry buildings, and (b) developing mitigation programs to correct the structural hazards.  Precast Concrete Tilt-up Buildings. This building type was introduced following World War II and gained popularity in light industrial buildings during the late 1950s and 1960s. Extensive damage to concrete tilt-up buildings in the 1971 San Fernando earthquake revealed the need for better anchoring of walls to the roof, floor, and foundation elements of the building and for stronger roof diaphragms. In the typical damage to these buildings, the concrete wall panels would fall outward, and the roof would collapse.  Soft-Story Buildings. Soft-story buildings are those in which at least one story, commonly the ground floor, has significantly less rigidity and/or strength than the rest of the structure. This can form a weak link in the structure unless special design features are incorporated to give the building adequate structural integrity. Typical examples of soft-story construction are buildings with glass curtain walls on the first floor only, or buildings placed on stilts or columns, leaving the first story open for landscaping, street-friendly building entry, parking, or other purposes. In the early 1950s to early 1970s, soft-story buildings were a popular construction style for low- and midrise concrete frame structures.  Nonductile Concrete Frame Buildings. The brittle behavior of nonductile concrete frame buildings can create major damage and even collapse under strong ground shaking. This type of construction, which generally lacks masonry shear walls, was common in the very early days on reinforced concrete buildings, and they continued to be built until the codes were changed to require ductility in the moment-resisting frame in 1973. There were large numbers of these buildings built for commercial and light industrial use in California’s older, densely populated cities. Although many of these buildings have four to eight stories, there are many in the lower height range. This category also includes one-story parking garages with heavy concrete roof systems supported by nonductile concrete columns.

Paleontological Resources
Paleontological resources are the fossilized remains of organisms from prehistoric environments found in geologic strata. These are valued for the information they yield about the history of the earth and its past 405

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ecological settings. There are two types of resources: vertebrate and invertebrate. These resources are found in geologic strata conducive to their preservation, typically sedimentary formations. Paleontological sites are areas that show evidence of prehuman activity. Often, they are simply small outcroppings visible on the surface or sites encountered during grading. While the sites are important indications, it is the geologic formations that are the most important since they may contain important fossils. Potentially sensitive areas for the presence of paleontological resources are based on the underlying geologic formation. Figure 5.7-6, Paleontological Sensitivity, shows the paleontological sensitivity in the City.

5.7.2 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:

G-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. (Refer to Division of Mines and Geology Special Publication 42.)
ii) Strong seismic ground shaking.
iii) Seismic-related ground failure, including liquefaction. iv) Landslides.

G-2 Result in substantial soil erosion or the loss of topsoil.

G-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.

G-4 Be located on expansive soil, as defined in Table 18-1B of the Uniform building Code (1994), creating substantial direct or indirect risks to life or property.

G-5 Have soils incapable of adequately supporting the use of septic tanks or alternative waste water disposal systems where sewers are not available for the disposal of waste water.

G-6 Directly or indirectly destroy a unique paleontological resource or site or unique geologic feature? 406
§¨¦15
§¨¦15
Ä74
Ä79
§¨¦215
Ä74
Ä79
Ä74
ORANGE
COUNTY
§¨¦15
ORANGE
COUNTY
City of Wildomar Boundary High A (Ha)
High B (Hb)
Low
Undetermined
Highways
Waterbodies
Lake
Elsinore
Canyon
Lake
Diamond Valley Lake
Lake
Skinner
Vail
Lake
High B
(Hb)
Low
Undetermined
High A
(Ha)
High A
(Ha)
High B
(Hb)
High A
(Ha)
High A
(Ha)
High A
(Ha)
High A
(Ha)
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Undetermined
Undetermined
Undetermined
Undetermined
Low
Low
Undetermined
Undetermined
Undetermined
County Boundary
Source: Riverside County 2015.

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0 Scale (Miles)

2.5 Figure 5.7-6 - Paleontological Sensitivity

5. Environmental Analysis

CITY OF WILDOMAR PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN DRAFT EIR

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215
79 CALIFORNIA
74 CALIFORNIA
74 CALIFORNIA
15 74

CALIFORNIA
79 CALIFORNIA
15 15
§¨¦15
§¨¦15 §¨¦10
Ä91 Ä79
Ä74
Ä60
Ä79 Ä86
Ä62
Ä60 Ä62
Ä74
§¨¦10
§¨¦15
Ä
177
Ä243
Ä86S
Ä111
Ä Ä111 371
§¨¦215
§¨¦215
Ä74
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SAN

BERNARDINO
COUNTY
ORANGE
COUNTY

IMPERIAL
COUNTY

SAN DIEGO
COUNTY
SALTON
SEA

PACIFIC
OCEAN
PALEON
cts\Planning\SafetyElement\Subsidance.mxd
High A (Ha)
High B (Hb)
Low
Undetermined
Highways
Waterbodies
[
December 16, 2013 Disclaimer: Maps and data are to be used for reference purposes only. Map features are approximateand are not necessarily accurate to surveying or engineering standardsThe County of Orange
County of Riverside
County of San Diego
County of Riverside
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5.7.3 Proposed General Plan Goals and Policies
The following are relevant policies from the Proposed General Plan. The 2021-2029 Safety Element also includes applicable policies, which are listed under Section 5.7.1.2, Local Regulations, above.

Land Use Element
GOAL 7 Compatibility with the Natural Environment: Land uses and development intensities are compatible with scenic and natural resources and encourage environmental preservation.  Policy LU-7.1 Design to Respect Natural Settings. Require that new development conform building massing to topographic forms and minimize alteration of natural landforms and vegetation, incorporating natural drainage systems, allowing development clustering to maintain slopes, restricting grading of steep slopes, and encouraging the preservation of significant hillsides, canyon edges and hilltops as prominent visual features.

Open Space and Conservation Element
GOAL OS 1: Biological resources are protected from development, conserved, restored, and enhanced.  Policy OS-1.7 Project Siting. Require that new development projects respect, integrate with, and complement the natural features of the land including conforming building massing to topographic forms, restricting grading of steep slopes, and encouraging the preservation of visual horizon lines and significant hillsides as prominent visual features.
 Policy OS-1.8 Protect Ridgelines. Protect ridgelines from incompatible development that diminishes their scenic value, and ensure their conservation, preservation, and management.  Policy OS-1.9 Contour Grading. Utilize contour grading and slope rounding to gradually transition graded road slopes into a natural configuration consistent with the topography of the areas.

GOAL OS 4: Cultural and historical resources that are protected, enhanced, and restored for the education, appreciation, and enjoyment of future generations.
 Policy OS-4.3 Paleontological and Archeological Resources. Require new development to avoid if possible and to minimize impacts to paleontological and archeological resources in accordance with the requirements of CEQA.
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5.7.4 Environmental Impacts
The applicable thresholds are identified in brackets after the impact statement.

Impact 5.7-1: Project residents, employees, and visitors could be subject to potential seismic-related hazards. [Threshold G-1i-iv]
Seismic Hazards
Wildomar’s location and underlying geology make it susceptible to seismic and geologic hazards, including surface (fault) rupture and seismic ground shaking.

Ground Rupture
As shown on Figure 5.7-2, there are several fault lines and Alquist-Priolo Zones in or near the City. The Whittier-Elsinore Fault is the most prevalent Alquist-Priolo Zone within the City, as a portion of the Fault Zone (Glen Ivy/Temecula Segments) crosses directly through the southern portion of the City. Therefore, the City is vulnerable to seismic-related earthquake fault rupture and shaking although no noticeable local damage has been experienced over the years.

As required by the Alquist-Priolo Act Fault Zoning Act, the approval of projects within Earthquake Fault Zones must be in accordance with the policies and criteria established by the Surface Mining and Geology Board (PRC, Division 2, Chapter 7.5, Section 2623 (a)). These regulations require that fault investigation reports be prepared by a professional geologist registered in the State of California (14 CCR, Division 2, Chapter 8.1.3, Section 3603 (d)). Additionally, the Seismic Hazards Mapping Act requires projects for human occupancy that are within mapped fault zones to obtain a site-specific geotechnical report prior to the issuance of individual grading permits, and each new development would be required to retain a licensed geotechnical engineer to design new structures to withstand probable seismically induced ground shaking.

Furthermore, all new development in California is subject to the seismic design criteria of the CBC, which requires that all improvements be constructed to withstand anticipated ground shaking from regional fault sources. The CBC standards require all new developments to be designed consistent with a site specific, designlevel geotechnical report, which would be fully compliant with the seismic recommendations of a Californiaregistered professional geotechnical engineer. Adherence to the applicable CBC requirements, Alquist-Priolo Fault Zoning Act, Seismic Hazards Mapping Act, and General Plan policies—such as Policy LU-7.1 of the Proposed General Plan, which requires that new development conform building massing to topographic forms, and Policy S-5 of the Safety Element, which requires the enforcement of the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act provisions—would ensure that implementation of the Proposed General Plan would not directly or indirectly cause substantial adverse effects, including the risk of loss, injury, or death involving ground rupture of a fault. Additionally, implementation of Mitigation Measure GEO-1, which would require the incorporation of recommendations from a project’s geotechnical report, would reduce impacts to less than significant.
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Strong Seismic Ground Shaking
Ground shaking is responsible for most of the damage from earthquakes and can damage or destroy buildings, structures, pipelines, and other infrastructure. The intensity of shaking depends on the type of fault, distance to the epicenter, magnitude of the earthquake, and subsurface geology. The Whittier-Elsinore fault is potentially capable of producing the most intense ground accelerations in the City because portions of it runs through the City. The greatest severity of ground shaking would occur in central Wildomar due to centralized faults running along Palomar Street and crossing over Mission Trail and Bundy Canyon Road in the southward direction of I-15 (see Figure 5.7-2). In southern California, there is no way to avoid earthquake hazards.

However, compliance with the CBC, including specific provisions for seismic design, would mitigate and minimize the effects of earthquakes. The design of structures in accordance with the CBC is expected to minimize the effects of ground shaking to the greatest degree feasible.

Several policies would address seismic-related hazards, such as Policy S-7 which requires geological and geotechnical investigations to be performed at sites with potential geological hazards, and therefore, would reduce impacts to less than significant. Additionally, implementation of Mitigation Measure GEO-1, which would require incorporating recommendations from a project’s geotechnical report and implementing the requirements of the CBC, would reduce impacts to less than significant.

Secondary Effects
Secondary effects of earthquakes are nontectonic processes such as ground deformation, including fissures, settlement, displacement, and loss of bearing strength, and are the leading causes of damage to structures during a moderate to large earthquake. Secondary effects leading to ground deformation include liquefaction, seismically induced landslides, settlement, subsidence, and/or collapse, and ground lurching.

Liquefaction
Research and historical data indicate that loose, granular materials at depths of less than 50 feet with silt and clay contents of less than 30 percent saturated by a relatively shallow groundwater table are most susceptible to liquefaction. These geological conditions are typical in parts of southern California, including Wildomar, and in valley regions and alluvial floodplains. A small portion of the City’s southern edge, south of Palomar Street, is susceptible to liquefaction (see Figure 5.7-4, Liquefaction Hazards Zones.) Liquefaction is expected within the City. Based on mandatory compliance with regulations, preparation and submittal of soil engineering reports, and implementation of Mitigation Measure GEO-1 (which requires incorporation of recommendations from a project’s geotechnical report and implementation of the CBC) and the Safety Element policies, impacts would be less than significant. For example, Policy S-7, which requires geological and geotechnical investigations in areas with potential for earthquake-induced liquefaction, landslides, or settlement, for any building proposed for human occupancy and any structure whose damage would cause harm, would reduce impacts.
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Landslides
Marginally stable slopes (including existing landslides) may be subject to landslides caused by earthquakes. The landslide hazard depends on many factors, including existing slope stability, shaking potential, and presence of existing landslides. The terrain of the City varies from flat to hilly. Figure 5.7-3, Areas with Landslide Susceptibility, identifies potential landslide hazards in the City.

The City requires compliance with the regulations in the CBC when approaching building operations along hillsides, as referenced in Title 15 of the Wildomar Municipal Code, which also requires an engineering geology report be submitted to the City for approval before performing any project on hillsides.

In addition to implementing City engineering standards and building requirements, all future development in the City would be required to comply with the policies in the Safety Element and Proposed General Plan, such as Policy S-12, which would require new development in hazard-prone areas to be designed to adequately reduce such hazards. Moreover, implementation of Mitigation Measure GEO-1, which would require incorporating recommendations from a project’s geotechnical report and implementing requirements of the CBC, would reduce impacts to less than significant.

Settlement, Subsidence, and/or Collapse
The potential hazard posed by seismic settlement and/or collapse within 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 underlying a site by allowing sediment particles to become more tightly packed. Alluvial deposits are especially susceptible to this phenomenon. Artificial fills, if not adequately compacted, may also experience seismically induced settlement. Because unconsolidated soils and undocumented fill material are present within the City, seismically induced settlement and/or collapse are potential impacts.

Site-specific mass grading and compaction that would occur as part of future development within the City would serve to mitigate any potential impacts to seismically induced settlement, subsidence, and/or collapse in the City (Wildomar 2021). Additionally, Safety Element Policy S-16, which requires geotechnical studies within documented subsidence zones as well as zones that may be susceptible to subsidence, prior to the issuance of development permits, would also ensure impacts are reduced. Moreover, implementation of Mitigation Measure GEO-1, which would require incorporating recommendations from a project’s geotechnical report and implementing the requirements of the CBC, would reduce impacts to less than significant.

Ground Lurching
Seismically induced ground lurching occurs when soil or rock masses move at right angles to a cliff or steep slope in response to seismic waves. Structures built on these masses can experience significant lateral and vertical deformations if ground lurching occurs. Although ground lurching is expected within the City, mandatory compliance with existing regulations, including the preparation and submittal of soil engineering, engineering geology and seismicity reports, and implementation of Mitigation Measure GEO-1, which would 411

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require incorporating recommendations from a project’s geotechnical report and implementing requirements of the CBC, would reduce ground lurching impacts in any new developments to a less than significant level.

Summary
During construction of a project, the City’s municipal code (Title 15, Buildings and Constructions) requires that projects submit grading plans and a geotechnical evaluation to minimize differential settlement and the slipping or sliding of earth, minimizing impacts from unstable geologic or soil conditions. These include preparation of relevant soil engineering reports, cut/ fills, drainage and erosion/ dust control, requirements for completion of work, and NPDES standards. Recommendations in the geotechnical report(s) (e.g., soils engineering, engineering geology, and seismicity reports) are required to be included on grading plans and implemented during project construction activities. Mandatory compliance with existing regulations, including the preparation and submittal of soil engineering, geotechnical evaluation, seismicity reports for new developments, and implementation of Mitigation Measure GEO-1, which would require incorporating recommendations from a project’s geotechnical report and implementing requirements of the CBC, would reduce impacts to a less than significant level. Additionally, policies from the City’s Safety Element would ensure that risks to residents and businesses are minimized and impacts would be less than significant.

Level of Significance Before Mitigation: Impact 5.7-1 would be potentially significant.

Mitigation Measures
GEO-1 The project applicant/developer shall incorporate the recommendations of a project’s geotechnical report into project plans related to a proposed project. A project’s building plans shall demonstrate that they incorporate all applicable recommendations of the geotechnical report and comply with all applicable requirements of the latest adopted version of the California Building Code.

Level of Significance After Mitigation: Impact 5.7-1 would be less than significant.

Impact 5.7-2: Unstable geologic unit or soils conditions, including soil erosion and loss off topsoil, could result from development of the proposed project. [Thresholds G-2, G-3, and G-4] The Proposed General Plan would involve soil disturbance, construction, and operation of developed land uses that could each be subject to unstable soil conditions.

Soil Erosion
Soils are particularly prone to erosion during the grading phase of development, especially during heavy rains.

The use of a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), which specifies best management practices for temporary erosion control for sites disturbing one or more acres, would reduce the potential for erosion during construction activities. Standard erosion control measures would be implemented as part of a SWPPP for proposed projects within the City to minimize the risk of erosion or sedimentation during construction. The SWPPP must include an erosion control plan that prescribes measures, such as phasing grading, limiting areas of disturbance, designating restricted-entry zones, diverting runoff from disturbed areas, protective measures 412

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May 2024 Page 5.7-29
for sensitive areas, outlet protection, and provisions for revegetation or mulching. For future construction projects that disturb less than one acre of land, project applicants would still be required to implement an effective combination of erosion and sediment control BMPs. The City requires submittal of a Construction Runoff Management Plan for all construction sites and designates a minimum set of BMPs for erosion and sediment control, soil stabilization, and protection of natural hydrologic features.

Mandatory compliance with existing regulations, including the preparation and submittal of a SWPPP or Construction Runoff Management Plan, and a soil engineering evaluation; compliance with the Proposed General Plan policies, such as Policy LU-7.1 which requires that new development conform building massing to topographic forms; and implementation of Mitigation Measure GEO-1, which would require incorporating recommendations from a project’s geotechnical report and implementing requirements of the CBC, would reduce impacts to a less than significant level.

Expansive Soils
Most of the City is composed primarily of alluvial sediments and, therefore, there is some potential for expansive soils throughout the City. Expansive soils are possible wherever clays and elastic silts may be present, including alluvial soils and weathered granitic and fine-grained sedimentary rocks. The presence of expansive soils represents a potential hazard to structures and people.

The City has adopted the latest version of the CBC (2022 CBC). The CBC requires that structures be designed to mitigate for expansive soils. Methods that could be used to reduce the impact of expansive soils include drainage control devices to limit water infiltration near foundation, over-excavation and recompacting of engineered fill method, or support of the foundation with piles. These methods as well as the General Plan policies, such as Policy S-16, which would require geotechnical studies with documented subsidence zone; Policy S-18, which would encourage and support efforts for long-term, permanent monitoring of topographic subsidence in the Elsinore Valley Groundwater Basin, irrespective of past subsidence; and Mitigation Measure GEO-1, which would require incorporating recommendations from a project’s geotechnical report and implementing requirements of the CBC, would reduce the impact related to expansive soils to less than significant.

Settlement and Collapse
The risk of settlement or collapse has the potential to exist in areas with alluvial soils. Areas of large settlement can damage, or in extreme cases, destroy structures. The presence of compressible soil in the City represents a hazard to structures and people.

The CBC requires that structures be designed to mitigate compressible soils. Methods that could be used to reduce the impact of compressible soils include transferring the land to underlying non-compressible layers with piles and overexcavation of compressible soil and recompacting with engineered fill. These methods, as well as Mitigation Measure GEO-1, which would require incorporating recommendations from a project’s geotechnical report and requirements of the CBC, and Policy S-16, which would require geotechnical studies with documented subsidence zone, would reduce the impact of compressible soils to less than significant. 413

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Subsidence
Areas within the City that are susceptible to subsidence due to overdraft of groundwater aquifers are in the western portion of Wildomar around Corydon Road, Grand Avenue, Mission Road, all south of Interstate 15 (See Figure 5.7-5, Subsidence Zone). Subsidence due to overpumping of petroleum reserves, however, is not considered a potentially significant impact for the City because there are no active oil wells in the city (Wildomar 2021).

Because overdraft of groundwater can result in subsidence, groundwater storage by Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD), the Western Municipal Water District (WMWD), and statutory commitments to sustainable groundwater management practices would reduce the potential for future land subsidence.

Furthermore, ongoing surveying of the ground surface by EVMWD and/or WMWD provides a way to verify that its efforts in preventing subsidence are effective. The EVMWD currently has the Elsinore Valley Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan in place which describes current and historical groundwater conditions along with a groundwater monitoring network to ensure the basin will meet its sustainability goals. Additionally, implementation of Mitigation Measure GEO-1, which would require incorporating recommendations from a project’s geotechnical report and implementing requirements of the CBC, and the Wildomar Safety Element Policies, such as Policy S-16, which would require geotechnical studies with documented subsidence zone, and Policy S-18 which would encourage and support efforts for long-term, permanent monitoring of topographic subsidence in the Elsinore Valley Groundwater Basin, irrespective of past subsidence, would reduce the impact of subsidence to less than significant.

Level of Significance Before Mitigation: Impact 5.7-2 would be potentially significant.

Mitigation Measures
See Mitigation Measure GEO-1.

Level of Significance After Mitigation: Impact 5.7-2 would be less than significant.

Impact 5.7-3: Soil conditions would adequately support proposed septic tanks. [Threshold G-5] A majority of soil conditions in the City are adequate for support of proposed septic tanks. Large portions of the rural and mountainous areas of Wildomar, east of I-15 rely on septic tanks where nearby regional wastewater collection services are currently unavailable. As indicated in Section 5.19, Utilities and Service Systems, the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health’s adopted Local Agency Management Program provides minimum standards and requirements for the treatment and disposal of onsite septic systems. Given the soil components as discussed in Impact Section 5.7-2, many areas in Wildomar can adequately support septic tanks. There are specific areas within the City that septic tanks may be less favorable, such as areas of subsidence and potential for landslides. The implementation of Policies S-17 and S-18 would reduce the impacts of geologic-induced problems associated with septic tank because these policies aim at coordinating with water districts and encouraging permanent water monitoring for areas of past subsidence. Additionally, compliance with the Wildomar Municipal Code Chapter 8.96 provides requirements for septic system installations, which 414

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would ensure that soil conditions are adequate for future installation of septic tanks. Therefore, these policies would reduce the impact of soils conditions with respect to septic tanks.

Level of Significance Before Mitigation: Impact 5.7-3 would be less than significant.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.

Level of Significance After Mitigation: Impact 5.7-3 would be less than significant.

Impact 5.7-4: Development under the proposed project could directly or indirectly destroy a unique paleontological resource or unique geologic feature. [Threshold G-6] Paleontological resources are recognized as nonrenewable and therefore receive protection under the California Public Resources Code and CEQA. Adoption of the Proposed General Plan in itself would not directly affect paleontological resources. Long-term implementation of the Proposed General Plan land use plan could allow development (e.g., new development, infill development, redevelopment, and revitalization/restoration), including grading, 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 potentially disturb paleontological resources. Therefore, future development that would be accommodated by the Proposed General Plan could potentially unearth previously unrecorded resources. Review and protection of paleontological resources are also afforded by CEQA for individual development projects that would be accommodated by the Proposed General Plan, subject to discretionary actions that are implemented in accordance with the land use plan of the Proposed General Plan.

Under the California Public Resources Code, paleontological resources are recognized as non-renewable resources and receive protection. Figure 5.7-6, Paleontological Sensitivity, identifies areas of known paleontological sensitivity in the City. As shown in Figure 5.7-6, areas bounding I-15 and most of the central portion of the City have a high sensitivity for paleontological resources.

Long-term implementation of the Proposed General Plan could allow development, including grading, on portions of the City with sensitivity to paleontological resources. Grading and construction activities of undeveloped areas or redevelopment that requires more intensive soil excavation than in the past could potentially cause the disturbance of paleontological resources. Therefore, future development could potentially unearth previously unknown/unrecorded paleontological resources. Implementation of Mitigation Measure GEO-2, which requires an evaluation from a Certified Paleontologist, would reduce impacts to paleontological resources. Additionally, the Proposed General Plan includes Policy OS-4.3, which requires new development to minimize impacts to paleontological resources. Therefore, impacts would be less than significant with mitigation incorporated.

Level of Significance Before Mitigation: Impact 5.7-4 would be potentially significant. 415

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Mitigation Measures
GEO-2 Prior to issuance of a grading permit, the project applicant shall retain a Certified Paleontologist to assess the potential for presence of paleontological resources and the potential for project construction to affect such resources if present. If it is determined, to the satisfaction of the City, that there is low potential for discovery or disturbance of paleontological resources, no further action shall be required.

If potential for discovery is deemed moderate to high, the project applicant shall retain a Certified Paleontologist to monitor all initial ground-disturbing activities in native soils or sediments. If the paleontologist, upon observing initial earthwork, determines there is low potential for discovery, no further action shall be required, and the paleontologist shall submit a memo to the City confirming findings of low potential.

Should any paleontological resources (i.e., fossils) be uncovered during project construction activities, all work within a 100-foot radius of the discovery site shall be halted or diverted to other areas on the site and the City shall be immediately notified. A Certified Paleontologist shall evaluate the finds and recommend appropriate next steps to ensure that the resource is not substantially adversely impacted, including but not limited to avoidance, preservation in place, excavation, documentation, curation, data recovery, or other appropriate measures.

Further ground disturbance shall not resume within a 100-foot radius of the discovery site until an agreement has been reached between the project applicant, a Certified Paleontologist, and the City as to the appropriate preservation or mitigation measures to ensure that the resource is not substantially adversely impacted.

Salvage and collection of significant fossils shall be done in accordance with the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology guidelines. Any paleontological resources salvaged shall be provided for curation at a local curation facility, or any other local museum or repository, such as the Western Science Center or World Museum of Natural History, willing and able to accept and house the resource to preserve for future scientific study.

Level of Significance After Mitigation: Impact 5.7-4 would be less than significant.

5.7.5 Cumulative Impacts
The geographic context for the analysis of impacts resulting from geologic hazards generally is site specific rather than cumulative in nature, because each project site has a different set of geologic considerations that would be subject to uniform site development and construction standards and unique standards depending on the outcome of a project-specific geotechnical study. Therefore, the potential for cumulative impacts is limited.

Future development and redevelopment pursuant to the Proposed General Plan and other development projects in the surrounding area would involve grading and excavation activities on individual sites, which would result in changes to the area’s existing topography. Future hillside development may require cut and fill, 416

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manufactured slopes, and changes to the natural topography. Compliance with the CBC and the recommendations of individual geotechnical investigations would reduce geologic hazards to new development.

Earthquake faults in the City could pose surface rupture hazards to developments proposed over the fault traces. However, compliance with the Alquist-Priolo Act and policies such as Policy LU-7.1 of the Proposed General Plan, which requires that new development conform building massing to topographic forms, and Policy S-5 of the Safety Element, which requires the enforcement of the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone Act provisions, would minimize surface rupture hazards to new development and redevelopment in and near the City.

Ground shaking hazards due to regional earthquake events could lead to the damage of buildings, parking lots, and utility lines and subsequent fires, falling objects, and other structural hazards that could cause property damage and personal injuries. These ground-shaking hazards are not unlike the potential hazards in other areas of the region. Depending on the magnitude of the earthquake, distance to the development site, underlying soil conditions, and strength of structures and infrastructure, ground-shaking hazards may be significant.

Future development and redevelopment in the City would be designed and built in accordance with applicable standards in the CBC, including pertinent seismic design criteria. Existing buildings to be reused would be rehabilitated in accordance with the CBC and local building regulations. This would allow structures to withstand ground shaking and to maintain hazards at acceptable levels.

Site-specific geologic hazards would be addressed by the geotechnical investigation required by the City for each development proposal (Mitigation Measure GEO-1). This investigation would identify the geologic and seismic characteristics on a site and provide guidelines for engineering design and construction to ensure the structural integrity of proposed development. Compliance of individual projects with the recommendations of the geotechnical investigation would prevent hazards associated with unstable soils, landslide potential, lateral spreading, liquefaction, soil collapse, expansive soil, soil erosion, and other geologic issues. No cumulative adverse impacts are expected.

Future development in mountainous or rural areas may use septic tanks or alternative wastewater disposal systems in areas without sewer service. Compliance with the RWQCB regulations, the County of Riverside’s Septic Tank Regulations, and Chapter 8.96, Sewage Discharges, of the Wildomar Municipal Code would prevent hazards associated with soils incapable of supporting septic systems. In the City, septic tanks are allowed with permitting in specifically rural-zoned areas that do not have connection to the City’s sewer system.

Specific paleontological resources searches in the City were not conducted. Under the California Public Resources Code, paleontological resources are recognized as non-renewable resources and receive protection.

Wildomar is mapped as having areas with high potential for paleontological resources. All future development in the City would be required to implement Mitigation Measure GEO-2, which requires a certified paleontologist to be present when grading in bedrock occurs to further evaluate the fossil resources.

Adherence to relevant plans, codes, and regulations with respect to project design and construction would provide adequate levels of safety in the City of Wildomar and surrounding areas. Such adherence would ensure that the proposed project would not result in a cumulatively considerable contribution to cumulative impacts related to geologic and soil condition. Therefore, the cumulative impact would be less than significant 417

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5.7.6 Level of Significance Before Mitigation
Upon implementation of regulatory requirements and standard conditions of approval, the following impacts would be less than significant: 5.7-3.

Without mitigation, the following impact would be potentially significant:
 Impact 5.7-1 Implementation of the Proposed General Plan may expose people and buildings to seismic-related hazards.
 Impact 5.7-2 Implementation of the Proposed General Plan could result in unstable geologic unit or soil condition.
 Impact 5.7-4 Implementation of the Proposed General Plan could impact paleontological resources or geologic features due to development.

5.7.7 Mitigation Measures
GEO-1 The project applicant/developer shall incorporate the recommendations of a project’s geotechnical report into project plans related to a proposed project. A project’s building plans shall demonstrate that they incorporate all applicable recommendations of the geotechnical report and comply with all applicable requirements of the latest adopted version of the California Building Code.

GEO-2 Prior to issuance of a grading permit, the project applicant shall retain a Certified Paleontologist to assess the potential for presence of paleontological resources and the potential for project construction to affect such resources if present. If it is determined, to the satisfaction of the City, that there is low potential for discovery or disturbance of paleontological resources, no further action shall be required.

If potential for discovery is deemed moderate to high, the project applicant shall retain a Certified Paleontologist to monitor all initial ground-disturbing activities in native soils or sediments. If the paleontologist, upon observing initial earthwork, determines there is low potential for discovery, no further action shall be required, and the paleontologist shall submit a memo to the City confirming findings of low potential.

Should any paleontological resources (i.e., fossils) be uncovered during project construction activities, all work within a 100-foot radius of the discovery site shall be halted or diverted to other areas on the site and the City shall be immediately notified. A Certified Paleontologist shall evaluate the finds and recommend appropriate next steps to ensure that the resource is not substantially adversely impacted, including but not limited to avoidance, preservation in place, excavation, documentation, curation, data recovery, or other appropriate measures. 418

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Further ground disturbance shall not resume within a 100-foot radius of the discovery site until an agreement has been reached between the project applicant, a Certified Paleontologist, and the City as to the appropriate preservation or mitigation measures to ensure that the resource is not substantially adversely impacted.

Salvage and collection of significant fossils shall be done in accordance with the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology guidelines. Any paleontological resources salvaged shall be provided for curation at a local curation facility, or any other local museum or repository, such as the Western Science Center or World Museum of Natural History, willing and able to accept and house the resource to preserve for future scientific study.

5.7.8 Level of Significance After Mitigation
Impact 5.5-1 and Impact 5.5-2
Mitigation Measure GEO-1 would require the incorporation of the recommendations from a project’s geotechnical report into project plans to reduce seismic- and soil-related impacts. Therefore, impacts would be less than significant.

Impact 5.5-4
Mitigation Measure GEO-2 would require a certified paleontologist to be present when grading in bedrock occurs to further evaluate the fossil resources. Therefore, impacts would be less than significant.

5.7.9 References
California Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB). 2019. Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) for the Santa Ana River Basin. https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/santaana/water_issues/ programs/basin_plan/docs/2019/New/Chapter_1_June_2019.pdf. ———. 2021. Water Quality Control Plan for the San Diego Basin (Basin Plan). https://www.waterboards.ca .gov/sandiego/water_issues/programs/basin_plan/docs/cover_and_title_pgs.pdf.

Differen. 2024. Mercalli Scale vs. Richter Scale.
https://www.diffen.com/difference/Mercalli_Scale_vs_Richter_Scale.

Morton, Douglas M., and Fred K. Miller. 2006. Geologic Map of the San Bernardino and Santa Ana 30’ x 60’ Quadrangles, California. California Geological Survey Preliminary Geologic Map Series, scale 1:100,000.

Southern California Earthquake Data Center (SCEDC). 2024a. Elsinore Fault Zone. https://scedc.caltech.edu/earthquake/elsinore.html.
———. 2024b. San Jacinto Falt Zone. https://scedc.caltech.edu/earthquake/sanjacinto.html. ———. 2024c. San Andreas Fault Zone. https://scedc.caltech.edu/earthquake/sanandreas.html. 419

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United States Geologic Survey (USGS). 2024a. Earthquake Hazards Program. https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards.
———. 2024b. Natural Hazards. https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-difference-between-earthquake -magnitude-and-earthquake-intensity-what-modified-mercalli.

Wildomar, City of. 2021. Safety Element. https://www.cityofwildomar.org/DocumentCenter/View/ 401/2021-to-2029-Safety-Element-Adopted-October-13-2021-PDF. ———. 2022. Wildomar Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. https://www.cityofwildomar.org/ DocumentCenter/View/733/City-of-Wildomar-LHMP-2022-PDF?bidId=. 420

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5.8 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
This section of the DEIR evaluates the potential for the adoption and implementation of the City of Wildomar Proposed General Plan (Proposed General Plan) to impact 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 based on the GHG emissions reduction goals identified in the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) 2022 Scoping Plan. GHG emissions modeling is based on the emissions inventory and forecast included in Appendix 5.3-1 of this DEIR.

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 greenhouse gas absorbs relative to a molecule of carbon dioxide (CO2) over a given period of time (20, 100, and 500 years). CO2 has a GWP of 1.
 Carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e). The standard unit to measure the amount of greenhouse gases 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.

FOCAL POINT
This section includes a discussion of the GHG emission impacts of the existing environment that would potentially be altered by the proposed project’s implementation. Project-related GHG emissions are not confined to a particular air basin but are dispersed worldwide. Therefore, impacts identified under Impact 5.8- 1 and Impact 5.8-2 are not project-specific impacts to global warming, but the Proposed General Plan’s contribution to this cumulative impact.

At buildout of the Proposed General Plan, GHG emissions are projected to increase 21 percent more than the existing conditions and would 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 of AB 1279 and substantial progress toward the State’s carbon neutrality goals (refer to Table 5.8-5). The majority of the Proposed General Plan’s emissions are from on-road transportation (56 percent) and building energy use (28 percent).

While growth in the City would cumulatively contribute to GHG emissions impacts, implementation of the Proposed General Plan goals and policies would help minimize energy and mobile-source emissions. 421

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Furthermore, the Proposed General Plan's Open Space and Conservation Element includes policies that require the City to implement a Climate Action Plan to reduce GHG emissions consistent with statewide GHG reduction goals. However, it is uncertain whether these Climate Action Plan policies will lower the City’s GHG emissions to a less-than-significant level. Given the growth in population and employment within the City and the magnitude of emissions reductions needed to achieve the GHG reduction target, GHG emissions are considered significant and unavoidable.

Development projects accommodated under the Proposed General Plan are required to adhere to the programs and regulations identified by the CARB 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. Additionally, the Proposed General Plan contains goals and policies to minimize VMT and reduce VMT per service population, which in turn would reduce GHG emissions. Overall, implementation of the Proposed General Plan would help reduce GHG emissions and would not obstruct implementation of CARB Scoping Plan or SCAG's Connect SoCal goals.

5.8.1 Environmental Setting
Scientists have concluded that human activities are contributing to global climate change by adding large 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 (CH4), and ozone (O3)––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 contribute to global warming to a lesser extent are nitrous oxide (N2O), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and chlorofluorocarbons (IPCC 2001).1,2 Some of the major GHGs that are applicable to the proposed project are described below.  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 also as 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.
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 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 2022a). 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.
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 Nitrous oxide (N2O) 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 a stronger greenhouse effect 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 GHG to CO2-equivalence (CO2e) to show the relative potential that different GHGs have to retain infrared radiation in the atmosphere and contribute to the greenhouse effect. For example, under the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), GWP values for CH4, 10 MT of CH4 would be equivalent to 280 MT of CO2.

Table 5.8-1 GHG Emissions and Their Relative Global Warming Potential Compared to CO2 GHGs
Fourth Assessment Report
Global Warming
Potential Relative to CO2
1 Fifth Assessment Report
Global Warming
Potential Relative to CO2
1 Sixth Assessment Report
Global Warming
Potential Relative to CO2
1 Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 1 1 1
Methane (CH4)
2 25 28 30
Nitrous Oxide (N2O) 298 265 273
Source: IPCC 2007, 2013, and 2022.

Notes: The IPCC published updated GWP values in its Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) that reflect new 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 IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) summarizes the latest scientific consensus on climate change. It finds that atmospheric concentrations 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 2022a). 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 altering 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, and other conditions. 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).
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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 human 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 events. Climatechange 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 land areas.  Warmer and more frequent hot days and nights over most land areas.  An increase in frequency of warm spells/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 Assessment identifies the following climate change impacts under a business-as-usual scenario, in which no new actions are taken to curb GHG emissions:
 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 longer, 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. 424

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 Droughts are likely to become more frequent and persistent through 2100.3  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 is 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.
 Extreme wildfires (i.e., fires larger than 10,000 hectares or 24,710 acres) are expected to 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).

Global climate change risks to California are shown in Table 5.8-2, Summary of GHG Emissions Risks to California, and include impacts to public health, water resources, agriculture, coastal sea level, forest and biological resources, and energy.

Table 5.8-2 Summary of GHG Emissions Risks to California Impact Category Potential Risk
Public Health Impacts Heat waves will be more frequent, hotter, and longer Fewer extremely cold nights
Poor air quality made worse
Higher temperatures increase ground-level ozone levels
Water Resources 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
3 Overall, California has become drier over time, with five of the eight years of severe to extreme drought occurring between 2007 and 2016, and with unprecedented dry years in 2014 and 2015 (OEHHA 2018). Statewide precipitation has become increasingly variable from year to year, with the driest consecutive four years occurring from 2012 to 2015 (OEHHA 2018). 425

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Table 5.8-2 Summary of GHG Emissions Risks to California Impact Category Potential Risk
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
Source: CEC 2006, 2009; CCCC 2012; CNRA 2014; CalEOS 2020.

5.8.1.1 REGULATORY BACKGROUND
Federal Regulations
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 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 US Supreme Court decision that GHG emissions fit within the Clean Air Act definition of air pollutants (Massachusetts v. EPA, 549 U.S. 497 (2007)). The findings did not themselves impose any emission reduction requirements but allowed 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 2009).

To regulate GHGs from passenger vehicles, EPA was required to issue an endangerment finding. The finding identifies emissions of six key GHGs––CO2, CH4, N2O, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and SF6–– that have been the subject of scrutiny and intense analysis for decades by scientists in the United States and around the world.

US Mandatory Reporting 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 MTCO2e or more per year are required to submit an annual report. 426

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Update to Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards (2021 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 2021-2026. 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 NHTSA adopted new fuel standards on May 2, 2022. Fuel efficiency under the new standards will increase 8 percent annually for model years 2024 to 2025 and 10 percent 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 (Federal Register 2022).

On July 28, 2023, NHTSA proposed new CAFE standards for passenger cars and light trucks built in model years 2027-2032, and new fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans built in model years 2027-2035. If finalized, the proposal would require an industry fleet-wide average of approximately 58 miles per gallon for passenger cars and light trucks in model year 2032, by increasing fuel economy by 2 percent year over year for passenger cars and by 4 percent year over year for light trucks. For heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans, the proposal would increase fuel efficiency by 10 percent year over year (NHTSA 2023).

In 2024, the EPA issued a final rule, Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles, that sets new, more protective standards to reduce harmful air pollutant emissions from light-duty and medium-duty vehicles starting with model year 2027 (US EPA 2024).

The final rule builds upon EPA’s final standards for federal GHG emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks for model years 2023 through 2026 and leverages advances in clean car technology to help improve public health from vehicle emissions. These standards will phase in over model years 2027 through 2032.

State Regulations
Current State of California guidance and goals for reductions in GHG emissions are generally embodied in EOs S-03-05 and B-30-15, Assembly Bill (AB) 32, AB 1279, Senate Bill (SB) 32, and SB 375.

Executive Order S-03-05
Executive Order S-03-05, signed June 1, 2005, set the following GHG reduction targets for the state:
 2000 levels by 2010
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 1990 levels by 2020
 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050
Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act (2006) State of California guidance and targets for reductions in GHG emissions are generally embodied in the Global Warming Solutions Act, adopted with passage of AB 32. 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 emissions reduction goal 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
Executive Order B-30-15, signed April 29, 2015, sets a goal of reducing GHG emissions in the state to 40 percent below 1990 levels by year 2030. Executive Order B-30-15 also directs CARB to update the Scoping Plan to quantify the 2030 GHG reduction goal for the state and requires state agencies to implement measures to meet the interim 2030 goal as well as the long-term goal for 2050 in Executive Order S-03-05. It also requires the Natural Resources Agency to conduct triennial updates of the California adaption strategy, Safeguarding California, 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 Senate Bill 32 and Assembly Bill 197, making the Executive Order B-30-15 goal for year 2030 into a statewide, mandated legislative target. AB 197 established a joint legislative committee on climate change policies and requires CARB to prioritize direct emissions reductions rather than the market-based cap-and-trade program for large stationary, mobile, and other sources.

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 relevant 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.

Assembly Bill 1279
AB 1279, signed by Governor Newsom in September 2022, codifies the carbon neutrality targets of EO B55-18 for year 2045 and sets a new legislative target for year 2045 of 85 percent below 1990 levels for anthropogenic GHG emissions. CARB was required to update the Scoping Plan to identify and recommend measures to achieve the net-zero and GHG emissions-reduction goals. 428

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2022 Climate Change Scoping Plan
CARB adopted the 2022 Scoping Plan for Achieving Carbon Neutrality (2022 Scoping Plan) on December 15, 2022, which lays out a path to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 or earlier and to reduce the state’s anthropogenic GHG emissions (CARB 2022a). The Scoping Plan was updated to address the carbon neutrality goals of EO B-55-18 and the ambitious GHG reduction target as directed by AB 1279. Previous scoping plans focused on specific GHG reduction targets for industrial, energy, and transportation sectors— to meet 1990 levels by 2020, and then the more aggressive 40 percent below that for the 2030 target. This Plan expands upon earlier scoping plans with a target of reducing anthropogenic emissions to 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2045. 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 path forward was informed by the recent IPCC AR6; the measures would achieve 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2045 in accordance AB 1279. CARB’s 2022 Scoping Plan identifies strategies as shown in Table

5.8-3, Priority Strategies for Local Government Climate Action Plans, that would be most impactful at the local level for ensuring substantial process towards the State’s carbon neutrality goals.

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) and provide electric vehicle (EV) charging at public sites.

Create a jurisdiction-specific ZEV ecosystem to support deployment of ZEVs statewide (such as building standards that exceed State building codes, permit streamlining, infrastructure siting, consumer education, preferential parking policies, and ZEV readiness plans).

Vehicle Miles
Traveled (VMT)
Reduction
Reduce or eliminate minimum parking standards.

Implement complete streets policies and investments, consistent with general plan circulation element requirements.

Increase access to public transit by increasing density of development near transit, improving transit service by increasing service frequency, creating bus priority lanes, reducing or eliminating fares, microtransit, and other approaches.

Increase public access to clean mobility options by planning for and investing in electric shuttles, bike share, car share, and walking.

Implement parking pricing or transportation demand management pricing strategies.

Amend zoning or development codes to enable mixed-use, walkable, transit-oriented, and compact infill development (such as increasing allowable density of the neighborhood).

Preserve natural and working lands by implementing land use policies that guide development toward infill areas and do not convert “greenfield” land to urban uses (e.g., green belts, strategic conservation easements).

Building
Decarbonization
Adopt all-electric new construction reach codes for residential and commercial uses.

Adopt policies and incentive programs to implement energy efficiency retrofits for existing buildings, such as weatherization, lighting upgrades, and replacing energy-intensive appliances and equipment with more efficient systems (such as Energy Star-rated equipment and equipment controllers).

Adopt policies and incentive programs to electrify all appliances and equipment in existing buildings such as appliance rebates, existing building reach codes, or time of sale electrification ordinances.

Facilitate deployment of renewable energy production and distribution and energy storage on privately owned land uses (e.g., permit streamlining, information sharing).

Deploy renewable energy production and energy storage directly in new public projects and on existing public facilities (e.g., solar photovoltaic systems on rooftops of municipal buildings and on canopies in public parking lots, battery storage systems in municipal buildings).

Source: CARB 2022a.
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Residential and mixed-use development projects including the following key project attributes would accommodate growth in a manner consistent with State GHG reduction and equity prioritization goals. This is the first approach the State recommends for qualitatively determining whether a proposed residential or mixed-use residential development would align with the State’s climate goals while simultaneously advancing fair housing.

Key residential and mixed-use project attributes that reduce GHGs:
 Transportation Electrification
 Provide EV charging infrastructure that, at a minimum, meets the most ambitious voluntary standards in the California Green Building Standards Code at the time of project approval.  VMT Reduction
 Is located on infill sites that are surrounded by existing urban uses and reuses or redevelops previously undeveloped or underutilized land that is presently served by existing utilities and essential public services (e.g., transit, streets, water, and sewer).  Does not result in the loss or conversion of the state’s natural and working lands.  Consists of transit-supportive densities (minimum of 20 residential dwelling units/acre), or is in proximity to existing transit stops (within a half mile), or satisfies more detailed and stringent criteria specified in the region’s Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS).  Reduces parking requirements by:
- Eliminating parking requirements or including maximum allowable parking ratios (i.e., the ratio of parking spaces to residential units or square feet); or - Providing residential parking supply at a ratio of <1 parking space per dwelling unit; or - For multi-family residential development, requiring parking costs to be unbundled from costs to rent or own a residential unit.
 At least 20 percent of the units are affordable to lower-income residents.  Result in no net loss of existing affordable units.
 Building Decarbonization
 Use all electric appliances without any natural gas connections and does not use propane or other fossil fuels for space heating, water heating, or indoor cooking.

The second approach to project-level alignment with State climate goals is net zero GHG emissions, especially for new residential development. The third approach to demonstrating project-level alignment with 430

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State climate goals is to align with GHG thresholds of significance, which many local air quality management and air pollution control districts have developed or adopted (CARB 2022a).

Senate Bill 375
In 2008, SB 375, the Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act, was adopted to connect the GHG emissions reductions targets established in the 2008 Scoping Plan for the transportation section 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). The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is the MPO for the Southern California region, which includes the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura, and Imperial.
2017 Update to the SB 375 Targets
CARB is required to update the 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. The updated targets consider the need to further reduce VMT, as identified in the 2017 Scoping Plan Update, 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 relative 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 emissions reductions from SB 375 than are currently in place, which for 2035, translate 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 targets would result in an additional reduction of over 8 MMTCO2e in 2035 compared to the current targets. For the next round of SCS updates, CARB’s updated targets for the SCAG region are an 8 percent capita GHG reduction in 2020 from 2005 levels (unchanged from the 2010 target) and a 19 percent per capita GHG reduction in 2035 from 2005 levels (compared to the 2010 target of 13 percent) (CARB 2018).

Transportation Sector Specific Regulations
Advanced Clean Fleets and Advanced Clean Trucks
CARB adopted the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation in 2023 to accelerate the transition to zeroemission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. In conjunction with the Advanced Clean Trucks regulation, the ACF regulations helps to ensure that medium- and heavy-duty ZEVs are brought to the market, by requiring certain fleets to purchase ZEVs. The ACF ZEV phase-in approach provides initial focus where the best fleet electrification opportunities exist, sets clear targets for regulated fleets to make a full conversion to ZEVs, and creates a catalyst to accelerate development of a heavy-duty public charging infrastructure network. 431

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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 discussion on the updated to Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards [2021 to 2026]).

In January 2012, CARB approved the 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 with requirements for greater numbers of ZEVs into a single package of standards. Under California’s Advanced Clean Car program, by 2025 new automobiles will emit 34 percent less global warming gases and 75 percent less smog-forming emissions.

Executive Order S-01-07
On January 18, 2007, the state set a new low carbon fuel standard for transportation fuels sold in the state.

Executive Order S-01-07 sets a declining standard for GHG emissions measured in CO2e gram per unit of fuel energy sold in California. The standard requires 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 applies to refiners, blenders, producers, and importers of transportation fuels, and would use market-based mechanisms to allow these providers to choose how they reduce emissions during the “fuel cycle”.

Executive Order B-16-2012
Governor Brown issued EO B-16-2012 on March 2012, which directed that the CARB, the California Energy Commission (CEC), the Public Utilities Commission, and other relevant agencies work with the Plug-in Electric Vehicle Collaborative and the California Fuel Cell Partnership to establish benchmarks to accommodate ZEVs in major metropolitan areas, including infrastructure to support them (e.g., electric vehicle charging stations). The executive order also directed the number of ZEVs 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 zero emissions (ZE) by 2015 and at least 25 percent by 2020. The executive order also establishes a target for the transportation sector of reducing GHG emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels.

Executive Order N-79-20
On September 23, 2020, Governor Newsom signed EO N-79-20, establishing a goal that 100 percent of instate 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 executive order's goal for the State is to transition to 100 percent ZE off-road vehicles and equipment by 2035, where feasible. 432

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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 (RPS) established under Senate Bills 1078 (Sher) and 107 (Simitian). 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, 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 will decrease indirect GHG emissions from development projects because electricity production from renewable sources is generally considered carbon neutral.

Senate Bill 350
Senate Bill 350 (de Leon) was signed into law 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 consist of 44 percent renewable energy by 2024, 52 percent by 2027, and 60 percent by 2030.

Additionally, 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 of 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 zerocarbon resources to reach 100 percent clean electricity by 2045.

Energy Efficiency Regulations
California Building Code: Building Energ y 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. 433

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CEC adopted the 2022 Building Energy Efficiency Standards on August 11, 2021, and they went into effect on January 1, 2023. The 2022 standards encourage efficient electric heat pumps, establish electric-ready requirements for new homes, expand solar photovoltaic and battery storage standards, strengthen ventilation standards, among other approaches. 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 new standards include prescriptive photovoltaic system and battery requirements for high-rise, multi-family 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 2022).

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.4 The mandatory provisions of the California Green Building Code Standards became effective January 1, 2011, and were last updated in 2022. The 2022 CALGreen standards became effective on January 1, 2023. 2006 Appliance Efficiency Regulations
The 2006 Appliance Efficiency Regulations (20 CCR §§ 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 §§ 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 source 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) increase the statewide goal for waste diversion to 75 percent by 2020 and requires recycling of waste from commercial and multifamily residential land uses. Section 5.608 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. 4 The green building standards became mandatory in the 2010 edition of the code. 434

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AB 1327
The California Solid Waste Reuse and Recycling Access Act (AB 1327, Public Resources Code §§ 42900 et seq.) requires areas to be set aside for collecting and loading recyclable materials in development projects. The act required the California Integrated 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 generate by businesses and multifamily residential dwellings with five or more units. Organic waste means food waste, green waste, landscape and pruning waste, nonhazardous wood waste, and food-spoiled 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 conservation and authorized the DWR to prepare a plan implementing urban water conservation requirements (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 requires urban water providers to adopt a water conservation target of 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
Senate Bill 1383
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 CH4. Black carbon is the light-absorbing component of fine particulate matter produced during incomplete combustion of fuels.

SB 1383 required the State Air Resources Board (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 435

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a reduction 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 2017). In-use on-road rules are expected to reduce black carbon emissions from on-road sources by 80 percent between 2000 and 2020.

Regional Regulations
Southern California Association of Governments
SB 375 requires each MPO to prepare a sustainable communities strategy in its regional transportation plan.

For the SCAG region, the 2020-2045 RTP/SCS, Connect SoCal, was adopted on September 3, 2020 (SCAG 2020). In general, the RTP/SCS outlines a development pattern for the region that, when integrated with the transportation network and other transportation measures and policies, would reduce VMT from automobiles and light duty trucks and thereby reduce GHG emissions from these sources.

Connect SoCal focuses on the continued efforts of the previous RTP/SCSs to integrate transportation and land use strategies in development of the SCAG region through the horizon year 2045 (SCAG 2020).

Connect SoCal forecasts that the SCAG region will meet its GHG per capita reduction targets of 8 percent by 2020 and 19 percent by 2035. It also forecasts that implementation of the plan will reduce VMT per capita in year 2045 by 4.1 percent compared to baseline conditions for that year. Connect SoCal includes a “Core Vision” that centers on maintaining and better managing the transportation network for moving people and goods, while expanding mobility choices by locating housing, jobs, and transit closer together; and increasing investments in transit and complete streets (SCAG 2020).

Local
City of Wildomar Municipal Code
According to Chapter 15.20, Green Building Code, the City has adopted the 2022 California Green Building Standards Code (California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 11), which provides regulations for energy efficiency, water efficiency, material conservation, environmental quality, and more. The City has also adopted the 2022 California Energy Code (California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 6) in Chapter 15.22, Energy Code.

Chapter 8.104, Solid Waste Collection and Disposal, ensures proper management and disposal of solid waste are adhered to as required by AB 939.
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5.8.1.2 EXISTING CONDITIONS
California’s GHG Sources and Relative Contribution
In 2022, the statewide GHG emissions inventory was updated for 2000 to 2020 emissions using the GWPs in IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report (AR4), and reported that California produced 369.2 MMTCO2e GHG emissions in 2020, which was 35.3 MMTCO2e lower than 2019 levels and 61.8 MMTCO2e below the 2020 GHG Limit of 431 MMTCO2e (CARB 2022a). The 2019 to 2020 decrease in emissions is likely due in large part to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, since the peak level in 2004, California’s GHG emissions have generally followed a decreasing trend. In 2014, statewide GHG emissions dropped below the 2020 GHG limit as required by the California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32) and have remained below the limit since that time.5 Per capita GHG emissions in California have dropped from a 2001 peak of

13.8 metric tons per person to 9.3 metric tons per person in 2020, a 33-percent decrease (CARB 2022b).

California’s transportation sector remains the largest generator of GHG emissions, producing 37 percent of the state’s total emissions in 2020. Industrial sector emissions made up 20 percent and electric power generation made up 16 percent of the state’s emissions inventory. Other major sectors of GHG emissions include agriculture and forestry (8.6 percent), high-GWP gases (5.8 percent), commercial and residential (4 percent), and recycling and waste (2 percent) (CARB 2022b).

Transportation emissions continued to decline for the past three consecutive years with the rise of fuel efficiency for the passenger vehicle fleet and an increase in battery electric vehicles. The deployment of renewable and less carbon-intensive resources and higher energy efficiency standards have facilitated the continuing decline in fossil fuel electricity generation. The industrial sector trend has been relatively flat in recent years but saw a decrease of 7.1 MMTCO2e in 2020. Commercial and residential emissions saw a decrease of 1.7 MMTCO2e. Emissions from high-GWP gases have continued to increase as they replace ozone depleting substances that are being phased out under the 1987 Montreal Protocol. Emissions from other sectors have remained relatively constant in recent years. Overall trends in the inventory also continue to demonstrate that the carbon intensity of California’s economy (i.e., the amount of carbon pollution per million dollars of gross domestic product) is declining. From 2000 to 2020, the carbon intensity of California’s economy decreased by 49 percent while the gross domestic product increased by 56 percent (CARB 2022b).

Existing Community-Wide GHG Emissions
The existing land uses in Wildomar consist of residential, recreational, 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 5 Previous editions of the California GHG emissions inventory report indicated that total emissions dropped below the 2020 GHG Limit in 2016. The technical refinements implemented in the 2022 edition inventory resulted in updates to emissions data for previous years. The updated inventory indicates that emissions dropped below the 2020 GHG Limit in 2014. 437

CITY OF WILDOMAR PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN DRAFT EIR

CITY OF WILDOMAR

5. Environmental Analysis

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS