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After six years of intensive study
by a long list of independent traffic, water and
environmental experts, Monterey County planning
staff has published a two volume, 1500+ page Draft
Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) on the Phelps
Family project. The release of the DEIR launches a
process prescribed by California law that includes
an opportunity for public review and comment,
consideration of project alternatives, and
modifications in the proposed project that will
avoid or minimize environmental impacts. The county
must complete and certify an adequate Final EIR
before it can act to approve the proposed project.
Download the DEIR Volume I here and go to the
county website for more info and Volume II.
Send comments on the DEIR by
July 16, 2010 to: Luis Osorio, Senior Planner,
County of Monterey Planning Department, 168 West
Alisal Street, 2nd Floor, Salinas, CA 93901.
Volume I describes the proposed
project, analyzes the existing environmental setting
and potential impacts of the proposal, and examines
alternatives to the project. It concludes with a set
of mitigation measures that, if adopted as
conditions of approval, would minimize potential
environmental impacts of the project. Volume II is a
set of appendices with data from six years of
traffic, water and other environmental studies.
Overall, the DEIR finds that
proposed mitigation measures reduce all
environmental impacts to a “less than significant”
except one — the potential impact on groundwater
levels. The Phelps project, as proposed, recharges
groundwater at a rate of 10.04 acre-foot per year (afy)
and uses 11.34 afy annually, resulting in a deficit
of 1.3 afy. (The average suburban home uses .33 afy
about 75% of it for landscaping.) If, however, the
project were modified as outlined in the LEED Silver
Alternative, there would be a net benefit to
groundwater supply. The LEED Silver Alternative
would increase groundwater recharge to 10.92 afy
while reducing water consumption to 6.46 afy
resulting in “a net positive water balance of 4.46
afy” The Phelps family has embraced the LEED Silver
Alternative.
The DEIR also documents potential
benefits from the project, including benefits to
local employment and, more importantly, reduced
traffic on Highway 68. The DEIR finds that local
residents who now shop in Monterey, Seaside or
Salinas, would be able to shop closer to home,
resulting in “a net reduction of 3,470 vehicles
miles traveled per day” and reducing the community’s
carbon footprint. |
