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EPD will schedule a project initiation meeting with city staff to: <br />1. Obtain background information on the project, project plans, additional existing relevant technical <br />studies, and any other pertinent information; <br />2. Discuss any updates to the technical studies are needed; <br />3. Discuss the team's approach to the key issues and confirm project objectives; <br />A. Identify data needs and other information needed for EPD to complete its scope of work; and <br />5. Refine the project scope and environmental review schedule. <br />EPD will also review project plans and other project documentation and any relevant regulatory documents <br />and studies to assist in understanding the framework within which the project is going to be implemented. <br />EPD will review all options when recommending the appropriate environmental document required for CEQA <br />compliance. This includes the use of Statutory or Categorical Exemptions, Addendums, preparation of <br />Negative or Mitigated Negative Declarations, or preparation of an EIR for CEQA purposes. EPD will present <br />its findings to the city in a memorandum for consideration as a guide for the later steps. <br />In this first task, EPD will review the project plans and site conditions for CEQA streamlining opportunities <br />(available, for example, for certain infill developments) and exemption options. EPD will compare the project <br />against the potential CEQA streamlining options and determine if additional information is needed. EPD will <br />request additional information, as needed from the City or client to begin subsequent tasks. If streamlining <br />or an exemption is suitable for the proposed project, EPD will prepare a letter describing the justification of <br />the proposed finding. The letter will summarize the project, the site conditions, and explain why the <br />streamlining or exemption applies. If there is no appropriate streamlining or exemption, EPD would proceed <br />with Task 2. <br />At this initial stage, EPD will assist the City in meeting Assembly Bill 52 (AB 52) and Senate Bill 18 (SB 18) <br />requirements by drafting consultation letters and mailing to Tribal Representatives as determined by the <br />IEUA's AB 52 Tribal Consultation list and/or as provided by the NAHC. If requested,.EPD can manage the <br />responses. We have extensive experience in conducting tribal consultations, and as a value-added service, <br />EPD will assist the City with organizing and facilitating any required tribal consultations <br />Technical Studies <br />As part of the project Initiation, EPD will review environmental and technical reports commissioned by the <br />applicant for CEQA. We will provide written comments to the City to forward to the applicant team, and at <br />city staff's discretion, could coordinate with the applicant's subconsultants directly. <br />The types of studies needed will vary based on the scope of the project. EPD has included technical <br />subconsultants for the most frequently required studies in this scope of services, as well as details of services <br />as they relate to the City: <br />Traffic Impact Assessments and Parking Studies <br />EPD possesses the capability to perform modeling in house or with our subconsultants for Air Quality and <br />Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Assessments, Health Risk Assessments (HRA), Noise Assessments, Cultural Resources <br />Assessment, Biological Resources Assessments, and Environmental Site Assessments. Additionally, EPD has the <br />unique capability of an in-house Traffic Engineer who has over 18 years of experience in the transportation <br />field and regularly performs detailed traffic analyses using her deep understanding of local regulations <br />and CEQA. Our in-house Traffic Engineer, Meghan Macias, has extensive experience using traffic impact <br />analysis software such as Synchro and HCS and is knowledgeable in the application of technical traffic <br />analysis methodologies to all project types. Meghan has a proven track record of managing complicated <br />and controversial projects to achieve defensible and implementable solutions to technical issues. Meghan <br />serves on the Senate Bill 743 Subcommittee of the Institute of Transportation Engineers. Meghan has worked <br />on numerous projects across Southern California and has become familiar with various traffic analysis <br />Environmental and Planning Services RFQ #20-100 5 <br />EPD Solutions, Inc. <br />