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6.Other Statutory Considerations The availability of sand and gravel aggregate resources does not, in itself, induce or encourage _ growth. The development of new sources of aggregate is typically considered a response to growth, not something that induces growth. Urban growth in San Joaquin County and Stanislaus County is controlled by their respective General Plans and is based on long-term land use — allocations and the availability of a variety of factors, including aggregate. In order to produce housing or roads,an area must have a source of reasonably priced building materials, including aggregate. The demand for construction materials is based primarily on market conditions, specifically for infrastructure and development projects, and these activities are controlled by a variety of other factors. The San Joaquin County General Plan and the Stanislaus County General Plan allow uses such as mining on land designated for agricultural uses and land that is zoned for agriculture with a conditional use permit. In addition, the site will be reclaimed back to its original agricultural land and open space uses. The San Joaquin County General Plan notes that the State has identified a number of regionally significant sand and gravel aggregate resource areas in the County. The most significant of these resources lies near Tracy. The General Plan also notes that the County is fortunate to have these _ deposits available locally, rather than having to import them, which increases the cost of development. The State,the County, and the City of Tracy enforce regulations geared to regulate the operations at these mining sites and reclaim them once the resources are exhausted. The San Joaquin County General Plan identifies the County as a leading agricultural producer, although it is noted that it is undergoing a transformation to more of an industrial and service economy. San Joaquin County's Census 2000 population of 563,598 is concentrated largely in the seven cities of Stockton,Tracy, Manteca,Lodi,Escalon,Ripon,and Lathrop. Based on State of California Department of Finance projections,total population is projected to be approximately 727,800 by 2010 and approximately 887,600 by 2020.The increasingly closer linkages with the San Francisco Bay Area, the Sacramento metropolitan area, and the larger Central Valley are beginning to strain the County's infrastructure, such as the roads, water supply systems, — wastewater treatment facilities, and drainage systems. If the County is to sustain this growth and achieve a more diversified economic base, new financial and regulatory mechanisms must be established to ensure timely and cost-efficient provision of, and improvements to, the County's infrastructure. The development of the project site for mining purposes would not be expected to induce substantial new population growth in the area; rather, it would serve to provide for the needed infrastructure of the County. RMC Pacific Vernalis Quarry Mining and Reclamation Project 6-2 ESA/203015 Draft Environmental Impact Report May 2006