EPD SOLUTIONS, INC. (ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS, INC.) (2)

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Proposal for CEQA Peer Review April 2024 Page 13 Task 2 Peer Review of CEQA 15183 Exemption and CEQA Project Management EPD will peer review the CEQA 15183 Exemption document to ensure the requirements of CEQA,the State CEQA Guidelines and City Policies related to CEQA are followed. We assume that the 15183 Exemption will be provided to EPD in electronic format (Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat PDF) for peer review in redline format and to view the print-ready version. Specifically, our review of the document will be to confirm the pertinent sections of the CEQA Guidelines governing preparation of a CEQA streamlining document (CEQA Guidelines Section 15183) are satisfied. This includes an analysis of whether the 15183 Exemption adequately describes that the project would have no peculiar impacts,would have no impacts that were not analyzed as significant effects in the General Plan Update EIR,would have no potentially significant off-site or cumulative impacts which were not discussed in the General Plan Update EIR and would not result in more severe adverse impacts than the previously identified significant effects discussed in the General Plan Update EIR. In addition, EPD's peer review will focus on how the General Plan Update's mitigation measures and the City's development policies are implemented and adhered to by the project. The peer review of the 15183 Exemption will also analyze the Project Description to confirm it is complete, accurate,and reflects project plans and application materials.As mentioned in Task 1,the Project Description will be reviewed for consistency with the descriptions used in the supporting technical studies and the Environmental Setting and existing conditions reflect the current site conditions. Finally, EPD will review the document for internal consistency. EPD will prepare written, clear, and concise comments in the 15183 Exemption document itself including recommendations for revisions to expedite the review and revision process for the Applicant. Overall, EPD will work with City Staff and the project Applicant's environmental team by conducting this peer review for the purpose of establishing the credibility and strengthening the integrity of the CEQA environmental documentation process by identifying any potential critical weaknesses and offering feedback for improvement. EPD will coordinate the comments with the City and if authorized, with the Applicant's consultant team. EPD will provide one set of comments for the first review and all comments are assumed to be addressed in the second review of the reports.Additional rounds of review would require an amendment to this scope of work and proposed budget. Task 3. Fiscal Impact Analysis EPD's subconsultant, DTA will mainly utilize a Per Capita/Employee Multiplier Approach (emphasizing average expenditures and revenues)to evaluate the City General Fund revenues expected to be generated by the project and costs associated with services expected to be provided by the City to the project. Under this approach, DTA will thoroughly review the City's current annual budget to determine costs related to the City's provision of services to its residents and all current City revenue sources. Certain project revenues,such as property taxes, sales taxes, rents, and other revenues derived from the site, as well as certain project costs,like park/landscape and public improvement maintenance costs,will be determined using a Case Study Approach. Under the Case Study Approach, DTA will utilize specific information provided by the City or project proponent,obtained from DTA's municipal cost database,gathered through internet research,and/or attained from reputable data sources in order to accurately assess large-scale project revenues and costs. DTA will ultimately determine the specific costs and revenues associated with the various components of the project at build-out. In doing so, DTA will determine whether the project is likely to generate a net fiscal surplus or net fiscal deficit for the City General Fund. DTA will undertake the following tasks to analyze the Project site: