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CUMULATIVE IMPACTS Cumulative impacts are impacts which are individually or incrementally minor, but which, when combined with impacts associated with past and present approved projects and other reasonable anticipated future projects, accumulate to more substantial proportions. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) states that cumulative impacts shall be discussed when they are significant and that the discussions shall describe the severity of the impacts and the likelihood of their occurrence. CEQA also states that the discussion does not need to provide as great detail as is provided for the project alone. The discussion is to be guided by the standards of practicality and reasonableness. The proposed General Plan Amendment and subsequent development of residential uses in the project area and study area could result in the development of additional dwelling units, and therefore, additional persons living in the project area. Development of the project site and the potential development of the study area would contribute to the cumulative traffic, air quality, noise, and public services demand impacts. These impacts would be proportional to the increase in population growth. Mitigation measures for the significant cumulative impacts are presented in Section 3• CEQA states that mitigation measures for cumulative impacts may involve only adoption of ordinances or regulations rather than the impositions of conditions on a project by project basis. The following cumulative impacts are discussed in Section 3 of the Draft EIR. - Loss of prime agricultural land to urban development and additional adverse land use compatibility impacts. - Changes in planned land uses and the related weakening of the County's land use planning policy which encourages development in other areas of the County (growth inducement). - Additional traffic and related impacts such as noise and air quality degradation in the Tracy area. - Increases in the demand for public services, including, police, fire, schools, road maintenance, parks, recreation facilities, libraries and hospitals. 9-1