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ter.; Nov 1 5 t rV V I RO�i C��I L'1V T 1939 1 . INTRODUCTION PER�;f,/ , �L fir`�, .T�! 1 . 1 PURPOSE AND NEED OF THE STUDY This expanded Initial Study has been prepared in conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970 (CEQA) as amended through February, 1982. It has also been prepared in conformance with City of Morgan Hill procedures for the preparation, processing and review of environmental documents. The primary purpose of an Initial Study is to determine if a project may have a significant effect on the environment. If any aspects of the project, either individually or cumulatively, may cause a significant effect on the environment, regardless of whether the overall effect of the project is adverse or beneficial, then an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) must be prepared (CEQA 15080) . Other purposes of the Initial Study are to: - enable an applicant or Lead Agency to modify a project, mitigating adverse impacts before an EIR is written; - focus an EIR, if one is required, on potentially significant environ- mental effects; - facilitate environmental assessment early in the design of a project; - provide documentation of the factual basis for the finding in a Negative Declaration that a project will not have a significant effect on the environment; and - eliminate unnecessary EIRs (CEQA 15080(b)) . The Initial Study is used to provide a written determination of whether a Negative Declaration or an EIR must be prepared for a project. Where a project is revised in response to an Initial Study so that potential adverse effects are mitigated to a point where no significant environmental effects would occur, a Negative Declaration would be prepared instead of an EIR. If the project would still result in one or more significant effects on the environment after mitigation measures are added to the project, an EIR must be prepared (CEQA 15080(d)) . This expanded Initial Study evaluates whether or not the project would result in significant effects on the environment. The City of Morgan Hill prepared the original Initial Study (Appendix 6.1 ) which identified several topics of potential project impact, warranting further consideration. This expanded Initial Study focuses on potential impacts identified by the city resulting from the El Toro Oaks residential project; the impact topics evaluated include public sector economics, traffic, and hydrology. The city' s Initial Study found that the project would have no significant effects on archaeology, _ cultural resources, erosion, energy, seismic hazard, public services, growth inducement, land use, visual aesthetics, noise, odors, biology and air quality; ,r therefore, these topics are not addressed in this expanded Initial Study. 1