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Sustainability Policy and Regulatory UpdateScoping Meeting for the Environmental Impact Report

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Meeting Overview and Format

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Introduction & Purpose

Proposed Project Overview

Environmental Review Process

Comments

Meeting is being recorded and will be posted on the County’s website2

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Introduction & Purpose01

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Project Team

County of Santa Cruz Planning Department

Sustainability and Special Projects Group

Stephanie Hansen – Principal Planner

Dudek – EIR Consultant

Stephanie Strelow – EIR Project Manager

Catherine Wade – Deputy Project Manager

Kimley-Horn – Transportation Consultant

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Scoping Meeting Purpose

▪ Inform the community and agencies about the proposed project

▪ Inform the community and agencies about the EIR process and scope

▪ Inform the community about how to submit comments and future

opportunities for input

▪ Receive oral comments on “Notice of Preparation” - EIR scope of work

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Proposed Project Overview02

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Project Location

▪ Unincorporated Santa Cruz County

▪ Diverse natural features and topography▪ Santa Cruz Mountains

▪ Coastal terraces

▪ Agricultural use

▪ Distinction between urban and rural areas

▪ Within Urban Services Line▪ Live Oak, Soquel, Aptos, and Freedom

▪ Within Rural Services Line▪ Davenport

▪ Boulder Creek, Boulder Creek Country Club, Bar Creek Estates

▪ Ben Lomond, Felton, Paradise Park

▪ La Selva Beach, Place De Mer, Sand Dollar Beach, Canon del Sol

▪ Sunset Beach, Pajaro Dunes

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Project Background

▪ Proposed Project = Sustainability Policy and

Regulatory Update

▪ Existing General Plan/Local Coastal Program (LCP)

adopted in 1994

▪ Define a more sustainable growth pattern for the

future

▪ Arises from:

▪ Sustainable Santa Cruz County Plan (SSCC) (2014)

▪ Code Modification project (2015/2016)

▪ County Strategic Plan (2018)

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Project Goals

▪ AMBAG Population, housing, and employment projections

▪ Sustainability vision and guiding principles of the SSCC

▪ Land use and transportation planning to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

▪ New land use designations to Increase housing choices and workplace

flexibility

▪ Modernization and update of County Code

▪ New Countywide Design Guidelines – Pleasure Point Corridor Vision/Portola

Drive Streetscape Concepts

▪ Recent changes in state law

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Key Project Components

1. General Plan/LCP amendments

2. County Code amendments

3. Countywide Design Guidelines and

Pleasure Point Corridor Vision and

Design Principles/Portola Drive

Concepts

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General Plan/LCP Amendments

Chapter 1: Introduction

▪ Context of Sustainability for the plan

Chapter 2: Built Environment Element

▪ Land use and transportation policies

aligned

▪ Complete neighborhoods

▪ Housing options

▪ Workplace options

▪ Community Design

▪ Disadvantaged Communities

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General Plan/LCP Amendments

Chapter 3: Access + Mobility Element

▪ Multi-modal transportation corridors

▪ Complete streets and layered network

▪ Planned transportation and trail projects

▪ Coastal access

Chapter 5: Agriculture, Natural Resources +

Conservation Element

▪ Agricultural uses

▪ Timber lands

▪ Scenic Resources

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General Plan/LCP Amendments

Chapter 7: Parks, Recreation + Public Facilities Element

▪ Partial update to recognize existing conditions of parks and public

facilities

▪ Coastal access

▪ Groundwater management

▪ Recognize other districts and planning documents

No changes:

▪ Chapter 4: Housing Element

▪ Chapter 6: Public Safety Element

▪ Chapter 9: Noise Element

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County Code Amendments

Zoning Regulations

▪ Ancillary agricultural uses

▪ Single family and multi-family zone districts

▪ Mixed-use development

▪ Medical mixed uses

▪ Timber management plan requirements

▪ General site standards, including agricultural standards, parking

requirements, outdoor storage

▪ Regulations for special uses

▪ New “Residential Flex” and “Workplace Flex” zone districts

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County Code Amendments

Site Development and Design

▪ Site development permitting

▪ Shift toward objective standards

▪ Context-appropriate community design

Access, circulation, and parking

▪ Consolidation and update

▪ Address transportation impacts on

County’s roadway system

Permitting procedures

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Countywide Design Guidelines

New Countywide Design Guidelines

▪ Multi-family residential,

commercial, and mixed use

▪ Objective standards

▪ Illustrated design concepts

▪ Best design practices

Pleasure Point Corridor Vision and

Guiding Design Principles

▪ Portola Drive Streetscape Concepts

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Land Use and Zoning Map Amendments

Analysis to support potential future rezoning

▪ Accommodate growth in targeted approach within the Urban Services

Line

▪ Limited rezoning of large vacant or underutilized sites along

transportation corridors

General Plan land use designation/zoning map alignment

▪ Correction of known inconsistencies

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More Information on the Sustainability Update

Additional proposed project information can be found online at the following

web address:

https://www.sccoplanning.com/sustainabilityupdate

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Environmental Review Process03

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California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)

Applies to “projects”

▪ A discretionary action by a public agency which has the potential to result in a physical change in the environment, either directly or indirectly

CEQA Lead Agency – County of Santa Cruz

▪ Board of Supervisors is decision-making body

Purpose▪ Inform agency decision-makers and the public of significant project environmental effects

▪ Identify feasible ways to avoid or reduce significant impacts, including mitigation measures and alternatives

▪ Provide an opportunity for the public and agencies to comment on the environmental analyses

“Significant effect on the environment”▪ A substantial, or potentially substantial, adverse change in physical conditions within the project area

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EIR Process per CEQA

Notice of Preparation

Prepare Draft EIR

Publish Draft EIR for Public Review

Prepare and Distribute Final EIR including

Responses to Comments on Draft EIR

Certify Final EIR, Render Decision on

Project, and File Notice of Determination

Public Comment Period (30 days)

Public Scoping Meeting

Public Review Period

Public Hearings

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EIR Topics

▪ Aesthetics

▪ Agriculture and Forestry Resources

▪ Air Quality

▪ Biological Resources

▪ Cultural Resources

▪ Energy

▪ Geology and Soils

▪ Greenhouse Gas Emissions

▪ Hazards and Hazardous Materials

▪ Hydrology and Water Quality

▪ Land Use and Planning

▪ Mineral Resources

▪ Noise

▪ Population and Housing

▪ Public Services

▪ Recreation

▪ Transportation

▪ Tribal Cultural Resources

▪ Utilities and Service Systems

▪ Wildfire

▪ Required CEQA Sections▪ Growth Inducement

▪ Cumulative Impacts

▪ Alternatives

Program-Level EIR

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EIR Topics of Particular Concern

▪ Aesthetics

▪ Land Use

▪ Population and Housing

▪ Public Services and Utilities

▪ Transportation

▪ New Method for Transportation Impact Analysis

▪ Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)

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EIR Schedule

CEQA Scoping

July-August 2020

Public comment period (30 days)

Draft EIR Public Review

Winter/Spring 2021

Public review period (extended)

Final EIR

Fall 2021

Board of Supervisors Consideration and Certification

Fall 2021/Winter 2022

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Opportunities for Public Input

▪ EIR NOP and Scoping Meeting

▪ Public Review and Comments on

Draft EIR

▪ Community Meetings regarding

Project Elements

▪ Planning Commission and Board of

Supervisor Public Hearings prior to

EIR certification and project adoption

▪ For updates:

https://www.sccoplanning.com/sustainabilityupdate

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Comments04

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How to Provide Comments

Provide oral comments tonight

Provide written comments by August 3, 2020

We invite your comments on:

▪ Environmental issues that should be studied

▪ Nature and extent of potential environmental impacts

▪ Methods of analysis

▪ Measures that could reduce environmental impacts

▪ Alternatives that could avoid or reduce impacts

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How to Provide Written Comments

Submit written comments by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, August 3, 2020, to:

Stephanie Hansen, AICP, Principal Planner

Santa Cruz County Planning Department

701 Ocean Street, Fourth Floor

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Email: CEQA-NEPA@santacruzcounty.us

(subject line of emails: “Sustainability Update EIR Scoping Comments”)

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How to Provide Comments Tonight

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Public CommentsPLEASE “RAISE YOUR HAND” IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE AN ORAL COMMENT