Uniform Rules Update Revised Draft EIR Environmental Comment Hearing Revised Cumulative Impact Analysis 04EIR-08 SCH# County of Santa Barbara Office of Long Range Planning August 15, 2007 Solvang Veteran’s Hall
Uniform Rules Timeline BOS Kick-Off Apr 03 Proposed Final EIR Aug 06 Env. Hearing Oct 05 Draft EIR Aug 05 EIR NOP Apr 04 APAC Public Workshops May 03- June day Public Comment PC Briefing Oct 06 BOS Hearing Feb 07 BOS Hearing Dec 06 Environmental Review PhaseAdoption PhaseProject Development Phase BOS Kick-Off Apr 03 Proposed Final EIR Aug 06 Env. Hearing Oct 05 Draft EIR Aug 05 EIR NOP Apr 04 APAC Public Workshops May 03- June day Public Comment Revised Draft EIR Release EIR Comment Meetings July-Sept 07 Community Meeting EIR Revision Cum. Projects March 10, day Public Comment Closes September 4th Board of Supervisors Hearings Public Comment September 18,2007
Environmental Hearing Purpose of tonight’s hearing 1.Describe the environmental findings of the draft CEQA document 2.Receive your comments on environmental issues discussed in the revised cumulative impacts analysis
Environmental Hearing California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Revised cumulative impacts analysis is consistent with State and County CEQA Guidelines DEIR prepared so the public can see and comment on the Lead Agency evaluation 45-day public comment period ends September 4, 2007 How to submit written comments
Cumulative Impact Analysis Summary ► Cumulative impact consists of “an impact which is created as a result of the combination of the project evaluated in the EIR together with other projects…” ► Analysis focuses on issues where project’s contribution is “cumulatively considerable” ► Cumulative impacts that do not result in part from the project need not be discussed
Factors Used to Determine Applicability of Cumulative Projects ► Geographically related ► Reasonably foreseeable ► Project scope/timing known ► Procedural v. physical project ► Potential for physical change
Types of Cumulative Projects ► Tier 1 – County policy initiatives, ordinance amendments, and programs ► Tier 2 – Discretionary and ministerial projects affecting rural lands ► Tier 3 – Major pending and potential projects, including proposed annexations and urban developments
Issues Studied ► Agricultural Resources/Land Use ► Visual Resources ► Noise ► Transportation/Circulation ► Air Quality ► Groundwater Resources
Key Findings ► Overall cumulative impacts similar to general findings of the DEIR analysis ► Significant and unavoidable (Class I) cumulative impacts were identified in all six issue areas ► Largest contribution to cumulative impacts from large Tier 3 projects Bradley Lands annexation (Santa Maria) Purisima Hills Annexation (Lompoc) North Hills Development (Orcutt) Mahoney Ranch Specific Plan (Santa Maria)
Environmental Hearing Protocol 1.Please fill out a speaker slip if you wish to comment 2.Limit comments to environmental issues as presented in the revised cumulative impact analysis 3.Oral comments will be treated the same as written comments 4.Please keep to the time limit 5.Comments on the project’s merit can be made at the BOS hearing in September
Contact Information ► David Matson - Deputy Director, General Plan ► David Lackie – Supervising Planner ► Uniform Rules Website Rules/default.asp