SECTION 10 LOCAL PROJECTS CONTRIBUTING TO CUMULATIVE IMPACTS
CEQA requires consideration of the incremental effects of a project that are "cumulatively considerable" when viewed in connection with "the effects of past projects, the effects of other current projects, and the effects of probable future projects." (Pub. Res. Code sections 21083(b), 21000.) The CEQA Guidelines provide that a discussion of "cumulative impacts" may be based either on a list of "past, present, and reasonably anticipated future projects," or on a "summary of projections contained in an adopted general plan or related regional planning document." (CEQA Guidelines section 15130(b).) The "list-based" approach relies upon lists of recently approved and proposed projects compiled by local agencies as the basis for estimating future regional growth. The "programmatic approach" uses population, employment, and housing projections or buildout of general and community plans as a basis for estimating future growth in the region.
The Laboratory activities proposed and analyzed in this EIS/EIR are in the vicinity of several local governments, each with its own general plan or general plan equivalent and each having its own projected planning horizon. Therefore, this EIS/EIR uses the list-based approach in defining cumulative development in the surrounding area that may compound the Laboratories' impacts on land use, traffic, visual/aesthetic, community services, and so on.
Where the resource subject to impact is clearly larger in scope, cumulative impact analyses, discussed in Section 5, address the appropriate resource area. The cumulative analysis for air, for example, accounts for projected impacts to the region regulated by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
Although CEQA does not apply to SNL, Livermore, discussions in this EIS/EIR, where appropriate because of their proximity, include activities and impacts at both LLNL and SNL, Livermore. To provide consistency in this section, both LLNL and SNL, Livermore are included in the following discussion. Approved and proposed projects in the vicinity of the LLNL Livermore site, LLNL Site 300, and SNL, Livermore are identified below.
LLNL Livermore Site and SNL, Livermore
Both the County of Alameda and the City of Livermore have approved or proposed projects in the vicinity of the LLNL Livermore site and SNL, Livermore.
County of Alameda
The only major land use planning activity currently proposed within the County of Alameda in the vicinity of the LLNL Livermore site and SNL, Livermore is the proposed South Livermore Valley General Plan Amendment (Stein, 1991). As an amendment to the Alameda County General Plan for the Livermore-Amador Valley Planning Unit, it would revise land classifications for the area and establish boundary areas, densities, and development conditions in order to protect viticultural uses (cultivation of grapes) and to promote the area as a wine region (County of Alameda, 1991). A preliminary draft of the South Livermore Valley General Plan Amendment was submitted to the County of Alameda Board of Supervisors for review on March 6, 1991. The location of the South Livermore Valley Plan Area is shown in Figure 10-1. No other specific development applications or approved (but unbuilt) projects had occurred near the LLNL Livermore site or SNL, Livermore within the County of Alameda as of March 1991.
City of Livermore
As of March 1991, the City of Livermore had approved several new commercial and industrial projects for construction in the vicinity of the LLNL Livermore site and SNL, Livermore. These projects, shown collectively as O1 on Figure 10-1, are located south of I-580 and north of Patterson Pass Road (Environmental Science Associates, Inc., 1991). Briefly described, these projects include:
- Orchard Properties. Project approval has been granted for a 55,800-sq-ft distribution factory on 5.3 acres along Vaughn Avenue and a 242,200-sq-ft industrial building on 11.3 acres along Lawrence Drive. In addition, the city has approved a factory outlet center as an addition to the Orchard Properties development. It would include approximately 515,000 sq ft of factory outlet, service retail, and general commercial uses on 53.5 acres between I-580 and Vaughn Avenue at Greenville Road.
- Kraft Foods. Construction has been approved for a 125,900-sq-ft distribution facility on 18.9 acres along Lawrence Drive.
- Signature Properties. Project approval has been granted for 19,000 sq ft of light industrial uses on 2.8 acres along Preston Avenue.
- Santa Fe. Approximately 175,000 sq ft of warehouse uses have been approved for 9.4 acres along Vaughn Avenue.
- Discovery Toys. Construction has been approved for a 175,000-sq-ft manufacturing and distribution facility on 9.1 acres east of Vasco Road.
- Pacific Gas and Electric. Project approval has been granted for a 50,000-sq-ft building on 35 acres south of Lavender Avenue for training and storage facilities.
In addition, the City has adopted the North Livermore Area "A" General Plan Amendment. This general plan amendment, adopted in 1988, allowed for another 3000 dwelling units, and approximately 170 more commercial acres to be built in the Springtown Community (City of Livermore, 1991). The approximate location of Area "A" is shown on Figure 10-1.
The City of Livermore is currently evaluating a proposal to establish the amount, mix, and pattern of future land uses and major circulation systems for a 15,500-acre area north and west of the North Livermore Area "A" planning area (see Figure 10-1). Most of this area is within unincorporated Alameda County. The city would bring this area into its sphere of influence and annex substantial portions prior to approval of specific development projects. The alternatives being evaluated include a range of densities for a mixed-use community of between 10,000 and 45,000 people; including open space/recreational, residential, commercial, business park, community center, and public facilities uses. To date, no specific development proposals are associated with this planning area (Brown, 1992).
LLNL Site 300
Planning efforts of the County of San Joaquin and the City of Tracy in the vicinity of LLNL Site 300 are described below.
County of San Joaquin
New planned communities and a major commercial and industrial complex are being proposed or are in the initial phases of consideration in the vicinity of LLNL Site 300 in San Joaquin County. The new planned communities will be considered in the update of the county's general plan, scheduled for completion in April 1992 (Islas, 1992a). These proposed projects are briefly described below, and their approximate locations are shown on Figure 10-1.
- Tracy Hills. A new community is proposed for development on approximately 5900 acres immediately northeast of LLNL Site 300. Tracy Hills would include 10,212 residential units and 479 acres of commercial and industrial uses (County of San Joaquin, 1991). The number of dwelling units proposed is a preliminary figure and may change as the project is further defined. The application for development of the Tracy Hills community will be processed through the City of Tracy since the applicant is seeking annexation to the city; however, no formal application had been made as of January 1992 (Conant, 1992).
- Tracy Highlands. A new community is being considered (no formal applications have been made as of January 1992) on approximately 1400 acres immediately north of LLNL Site 300 (Conant, 1992). Tracy Highlands proposes approximately 3500 residential units, 156 acres of commercial uses, and 267 acres of industrial uses (County of San Joaquin, 1991). These land use figures are preliminary and are subject to change as the project is further defined.
- New Jerusalem. A new community called "New Jerusalem" is being considered on 3024 acres approximately 11 miles east of LLNL Site 300 (Islas, 1992b). Preliminary plans for this community include 7566 residential units and approximately 478 acres of commercial and industrial uses (County of San Joaquin, 1991).
- Gateway Commercial Complex. A commercial and industrial center has been formally proposed on 687 acres between I-580 and I-205, approximately 7 miles north of LLNL Site 300. A Safeway grocery store is proposed on 171 acres of the site and is scheduled to be completed in 1992. A Bay Cities truck stop is proposed on 52 acres and is scheduled to be completed in 1995 (County of San Joaquin, 1991).
City of Tracy
According to the City of Tracy Planning Department, there are no approved or proposed projects within the City of Tracy in the vicinity of LLNL Site 300 (Conant, 1991). The project proponents of the Tracy Hills community, however, are considering requesting an annexation to the City of Tracy, which would be considered in the update of the City of Tracy General Plan scheduled for completion in June 1992 (Bell, 1991).
SECTION 10 REFERENCES
Bell, Allen, 1991, City of Tracy, personal communication, May 13, 1991.
Brown, Eric, 1992, City of Livermore Planning Department, personal communication, January 13, 1992.
City of Livermore, 1991, North Livermore General Plan Amendment, Livermore, CA.
Conant, Bob, 1991, City of Tracy Planning Department, personal communication, March 20, 1991.
Conant, Bob, 1992, City of Tracy Planning Department, personal communication, January 17, 1992.
County of Alameda, 1991, South Livermore Valley General Plan Amendment, Hayward, CA.
County of San Joaquin, 1991, San Joaquin County New Communities Descriptions, Stockton, CA.
Environmental Science Associates, Inc., 1991, Orchard Properties Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report, San Francisco, CA.
Islas, Lorre, 1992a, County of San Joaquin, personal communication, January 2, 1992.
Islas, Lorre, 1992b, County of San Joaquin, personal communication, February 4, 1992.
Stein, Deborah, 1991, County of Alameda Planning Department, personal communication,
March 20, 1991.
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