SU0013380 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

potential. This development pattern makes the most of the land converted, and could prevent the loss of some agricultural lands around existing cities that tend to convert to large lot or rural residential development. The proposed 'new town' development pattern will also result in an eventual jobs/housing balance within the town boundaries which will minimize regional traffic and air pollution impacts. The incorporation of the agriculturally related mitigation measures will also assist in this goal, and will in fact create buffers and agricultural open space easements which will be in place permanently and should minimize the growth inducing pressure normally associated with open space adjacent to urban areas. 2. Impact: The proposed project would generate up to 249,000 daily vehicle trips to, from, or within the project site in 2010 assuming current rates of trip-making. These added trips would contribute significantly to projected traffic growth, increase in vehicle miles traveled, and LOS deficiencies on the road system. Some of these impacts would be unavoidable and signficant. Mitigation: The EIR proposes a number of effective mitigation measures to minimize internal, local, and regional traffic impacts. These include an ambitious Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategy to reduce single-occupancy auto use;the construction of High Occupancy Vehicle(HOV) lanes along Grant Line Road; the provision of adequate levels of external, commute-oriented transit service;the preparation of Project Study Reports to identify specific freeway improvements and the applicant's funding responsibility; improvements to local roads; and the development of an internal circulation plan that maximizes transit, bicycle and pedestrian modes of travel. Finding: Specific economic, social, or other considerations make infeasible any mitigation measures or project alternatives identified in the Final EIR. Supporting Facts: The EIR states that even with the incorporation of all suggested mitigation measures, there would be significant traffic impacts. However, this would occur with or without the project. Traffic modeling for the County General Plan 2010 indicates that traffic on 1-205 and on 1-580 over the Aftamont Pass will exceed LOS F before the end of the planning period with or without the Mountain House project - in fact, a total of 14 lanes would have to be constructed to adequately serve the anticipated traffic. At most, an additional truck climbing lane is all that can practically be added to the existing 8 lane facility. Thus, other mitigation measures need to be implemented on a regional level to reduce this identified traffic impact, much like the ones being proposed for the Mountain House project. Because of the locational advantages of Mountain House, situated at the base of the Altamont Pass, it will intercept some commuter traffic that would otherwise go over the Pass. Traffic internal to the new community would be less than that which would normally occur if this was expansion growth around an existing city. This is true, since an effective, community-wide transportation network can be planned and implemented. This network can incorporate state-of- Attachment C C-2 (PC: 4-9-92)