2014-060 - Adopting Findings Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act

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Sexlinger Farmhouse and Orchard Residential Development Project CEQA Findings E. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS 1. Impact: Would the project generate greenhouse gas emissions, either directly or indirectly, that may have a significant impact on the environment? Finding: Less Than Significant. (EIR, pp. 5 -48, 5 -49; January 2014 EIR Attachment, pp. 6 -7.) Analysis: The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) recommends a screening level threshold of 3,000 metric tons of GHG emissions per year for residential and commercial developments. The proposed project's maximum annual emissions are 507 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents from project operations. This accounts for 0,0001 percent of California's GHG emissions. GHG emissions from construction of the project would peak at approximately 2,371 pounds per day, with emissions for the whole construction period totaling 247.4 metric tons. An analysis of impacts to existing carbon sequestration resulting from the removal of the majority of the site's orange tree orchard was completed. This analysis determined that up to 1,300 metric tons of GHGs could be sequestered by the existing orchard. When the project's estimated GHG emissions are combined with the loss of sequestration, the overall project impact increases to 1,807 metric tons of GHG emissions per year. This amount is well below the significance threshold established by SCAQMD and therefore impacts are considered less than significant. (January 2014 EIR Attachment, pp. 9 -10, Table 1.) Impact: Would the project conflict with an applicable plan, policy or regulation adopted for the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions? Finding: Less Than Significant. (EIR, pp. 5 -48, 5 -49; January 2014 EIR Attachment, pp. 6 -7.) Analysis: California Assembly Bill 32 and Senate Bill 375 are polices adopted for the overall reduction of GHG emissions statewide. The proposed project's maximum annual emissions are 507 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents from project operations. This accounts for 0.0001 percent of California's GHG emissions. GHG emissions from construction of the project would peak at approximately 2,371 pounds per day, with emissions for the whole construction period totaling 247.4 metric tons. These amounts are so small that they do not conflict with, or impede implementation of, AB 32, SB 375, or any other plan, policy, or regulation adopted for the purpose of reducing GHG emissions. Therefore, impacts are less than significant. (EIR, p. 4 -48, 4 -49.) Further, an analysis of impacts to existing carbon sequestration resulting from the removal of the majority of the site's orange tree orchard was completed. This analysis determined that up to 1,300 metric tons of GHGs could be sequestered by the existing orchard. When the project's estimated GHG emissions are combined with the loss of sequestration, the overall project impact increases to 1,807 metric tons of GHG emissions per year. (January 2014 EIR Attachment, pp. 9 -10, Table 1) However, the analysis also determined that this increased total is still insignificant when compared against the State 13 "Exhibit A"