SU0013451 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

4.4 NOISE Noise and Land Use Compatibility As shown in the setting section, the project site is currently exposed to low noise levels. Vineyards adjoin the site to the east and pasture grazed by live stock are found to the north (Figure 4.1-1). The proposed residences would be located around the perimeter of the lakes (Figure 2-3). The nearest proposed residence to the adjacent vineyards would be at a minimum setback of 900 feet. Agriculture equipment, such as tractors, typically generate noise levels as high as 90 dB at a distance of 50 feet. Such equipment, when operating along the property line adjacent to the site could generate maximum noise levels up to 65 dB at the nearest residences. This would occur rather infrequently and would not be considered a significant impact. Except for the random and infrequent agricultural machinery noise, noise levels on the site would be quite low. The noise environment on the site and where the proposed residences would be located, would be well within acceptable limits identified in the Noise Element of the General Plan for San Joaquin County. Project-Generated Traffic The project site is currently accessed from Forest Lake Road. The development plan calls for limited access of the site from this roadway. The main access route to the site would be off Peltier Road, north along the existing Davis Road and a new extension road north of Davis Road. Future noise levels along the main access road to the site are calculated using traffic data supplied for this project (Omni-Means, 1991). A traffic noise prediction model,based on Federal Highway Administration Publication(FHWA RD-77-108),was used to predict the noise exposure for existing residences along the main access road to the site. The model used the average daily traffic volume (ADT), speed of vehicles and vehicle composition (cars, medium trucks and heavy trucks) as input to compute noise levels (L,J at selected distances from the roadway. Based on the results of the modeling,noise levels along Davis Road, north of Peltier Road with implementation of the proposed project, would reach an L,, of 48 dB at a distance of 100 feet from the road, the typical minimum setback of existing residences to the road. The current noise exposure of residences along Davis Road is estimated at an L,, of 45 dB. Traffic associated with the proposed development would increase noise levels along Davis Road by 3 dB. Noise level increases at buildout due to project-related traffic would be undetectable for other streets serving the site. Noise level increases below 5 dB are not considered to be significant. Project generated traffic would not result in a significant noise impact for existing residences along the streets accessing the site. Excavation-Related Noise The bottom of the two ephemeral lakes on the site will be excavated and the excavated material would be transported by trucks to the New Hope Reclamation District Levee. A total of 1.6 million cubic yards of excavated material would be extracted from 78 acres of the site. The excavation period is estimated to last five years, ending on April 15, 1997. The applicant has filed a quarry excavation application with the County which details the conditions and specifics of the operation(Catwil Corporation, 1989). The extracted material would be processed on site and transported by truck on a designated haul route. The 4.4-6