PROJECT DESCRIPTION L.O PROJECTDESCRIPTION
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SECTION 1.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION _ l.o PROJECTDESCRIPTION 1.1 INTRODUCTION Purpose The purpose of this section is to describe the proposed project for the public, reviewing agencies, and decisionmakers. For purposes of CEQA, a complete project description must contain the following information: (a) the precise location and boundaries of the proposed project, shown on a detailed map, along with a regional map of the project's location; (b) a statement of the objectives sought by the proposed project, which should include the underlying purpose of the project; (c) a general description of the project's technical, economic, and environmental characteristics; and, (d) a statement briefly describing the intended uses of the EIR. (CEQA Guidelines ~15124.) An adequate project description need not be exhaustive, but should supply the information necessary for the evaluation and review of the project's significant environmental effects. This section describes the proposed project, as well as its location and characteristics, and it includes statements describing the project's objectives and the intended uses of this EIR. 1.1.2 Introductory Project Description The proposed project is the adoption and subsequent implementation of the San Diego State University (I'SDSU")2007 Campus Master Plan Revision ("proposed project"). The proposed project will enable SDSU to meet the projected increases in student demand for higher education, and further enhance SDSU's standing as a premier undergraduate, graduate, and research university by providing the needed buildings, facilities, improvements, and services to support campus growth and development from the current SDSU enrollment of 25,000 full-time equivalent students ("FTES")to a new Campus Master Plan enrollment of 35,000 FTES by the 2024/25 academic year. To accommodate the projected student increase, the proposed project involves the development of classroom, student and faculty/staff housing, and student support facilities on approximately 55 acres of land located throughout the SDSU campus and immediately adjacent to it. As further described in this section, the proposed project consists of the following six development components: AdobeFalls Faculty/Sta~Housing - This project component, which would be developed in two phases, consists of the development of faculty and staff housing on a site approximately 33 acres in size located north of Interstate 8 (1'I-8"). The development lune 2007 1.0-1 SDSU2007Campus; would consist of an Upper Village and a Lower Village, and would include up to 348 housing units for university faculty and staff upon full buildout. This project component also would include a swimming pool, a 3,600 gross square-foot ("GSF") community center, and recreation areas for resident use only. ,T"neUpper Village portion of the site would be developed in the near-term following project approval, and would provide 48 townhomes. The Lower Village, which would be developed long-term, would include between 124 and 300 townhomes and/or condominiums. The total number of housing units ultimately to be developed on the Lower Village site is dependent on numerous factors, including available access routes and future market conditions. Alvarado Campus - This project component, which includes an expansion of the current Campus Master Plan northeastern boundary, consists of the multi-phase development (near-term and long-term) of approximately 612,000GSF of academic/research/medical space, and a 552,000GSF vehicle parking structure. A portion of this project component would be constructed in the near-term, following project approval, on Lot D, an existing surface parking lot, with the balance to be developed In future years on adjacent property presently owned by the SDSU Research Foundation.' Alvarado Hotel - This project component, which would be constructed in the near-term followingproject approval, consists of the development of an approximately60,000 GSF six-story building with approximately 120 hotel rooms and studio suites, located on approximately 2 acres of existing Lot C, immediately north of Villa Alvarado Residence Hall. The hotel, which would be owned by Aztec Shops: and operated in cooperation with the SDSU School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, will contain a small meeting room, exercise room, board room, business center, on-site restaurant, and hospitality suite. Student Housing - This project component, which would be developed in multiple phases, consists of the demolition of two existing student housing structures and the construction of five new housing structures, ultimately resulting in a net increase of 2,976 new student housing beds on campus. This component also includes the demolition of the existing Office of Housing Administration and Residential Education The SDSU Research Foundation is an awtiliary organization of SDSUIauthorized by the State of California. It is a non-profit corporation, self-financed and chartered to provide and augment programs that are an integral part of the educational mission at SDSU. lune 2007 1.0-2 SDSU2007Campusl ("HA/RE")building and the reconstruction of this facility immediately north of existing Lot H. Student Union - This project component consists of a 101000 GSF expansion and renovation of the existing Aztec Center to include social space, recreation facilities, student organization offices, food services, and retail services. Campus ConferenceCenter - This project component consists of the development of a new 70,000 GSF 3-story building to be used for meeting/conference space, office space, food services, and retail services, on approximately one-half acre located east of Cox Arena on the site of existing tennis courts. 1.1.3 Project Location The proposed project site is located on the SDSU campus, approximately eight miles east of downtown San Diego. (Figure 1.0-1, Regional Map.) ~e general boundaries of the SDSU campus are Montezuma Road to the south, East Campus Drive to the east, 55t-h Street/Remington Road to the west, and Adobe Falls Road/Del Cerro Boulevard (lying just north of I-8 to the north. (Figure 1.0·2, Vicinity Map.) The SDSU campus is located within the College Area and Navajo Communities of the City of San Diego. (Figure 1.0-3, College Area and Navajo Communitiesl) 1.1.4 Project Information Listed below is information pertinent to the proposed project, including the project title, the lead agency for the project, the project sponsor, the project contact person, the current zoning for the project site, ·and the level of environmental analysis to be conducted for the proposed project. Project Title SDSU 2007 Campus Master Plan Revision Lead Agency The Board of Trustees of The California State University 401 Golden Shore, 6th Floor Long Beach, California 90802 (562)951-4020 lune 2007 1.03 SDSUZOO~Campus; Orange County Riverside County Fallbrobk Camp Pendleton Valley -O ooa,,i~~C ~h- Vista Center -P C, ~n ' san ~7/ Marcos e~ -T\ Yr Escondido c, "'''"~ XYI. _ ~ Encinitas d Rancho Rancho i Bernardo d O ( a,t~F, o -PZ Poway Mim Mesa S~i d Santee B La Jolla Alpine ~r~O~ O/ --~IMesa SanD'e901 ~~~I w ) Lemon Grove National City Coronado ChulaVista Imperial Beach Otay Mesa Mexico Tijuana 1" = 8 Miles 200f Campus Master Plan Figure ~.011 Revision EIR SlwDan;osurr Regional Map UNivElu#n ; : ::: ::I ij·_ i71~"--- jl ArSL;F,:L~\I 7- j/ \I - ~-:-~$ x I ·:· O 2P~ ~U~ sDSUCar~us ~ IQ f,008F·$c~ ~ C~ii~i~puai~Ri~s~ F~Cb~n : ::: FZI~ : : - )F~:-"t~ R~"i~' EIR :: ::::: :: ~Cn3tY·1Uo;P as --·-- Community Area Boundary I SDSU Campus Boundary ,..,.., o 0.5 Z;~iiii~i~EjU~'~'~i:~,~~~~ ae s Figure 1.0-3 2007 Campus Master Plan Revision EIR SANDIEGO STATE College Area and Navajo Communities UNIVERSITY Project Sponsor San Diego State University Business and Financial Affairs Facilities Planning, Design and Construction 5500 Campanile Drive San Diego, California 92182-1624 Contact Person Lauren Cooper Associate Director, Facilities Planning, Design and Construction San Diego State University 5500 Campanile Drive San Diego, California 92182-1624 (619)594-5224 1.1.5 General Plan/Community Plan Designation/Zoning Institutional/University Campus and Park/R1-5000 1.1.6 Level of Environmental Review Under CEQA, a program EIR is prepared for a series of actions that can be characterized as one large project, with each action related as logical parts in the chain of contemplated actions. (CEQA Guidelines ~15168(a).) A program EIR allows the lead agency to consider broad policy alternatives and program-wide mitigation measures at an early time; subsequent project- specific activities in the program are examined in light of the program EIR to determine if additional environmental compliance is required. (CEQA Guidelines ~15168(b)-(c).) A program-level analysis is intended to provide the public and the decision-makers with an overview of the potential environmental impacts associated with a proposed project. A project EIR, in contrast, examines the environmental impacts of a specific development project, reviewing all phases of the project, including planning, construction, and operation. (CEQA Guidelines ~15161.) No further environmental review under CEQA is required following preparation of a project EIR. Certain development components of the SDSU 2007 Campus Master Plan Revision will be analyzed at the program level, while others will be analyzed at the project level. At this time, SDSU has sufficient site detail for development to proceed at the Upper Village of the Adobe Falls Faculty/Staff Housing component; the D Lot portion of the Alvarado Campus June 2007 Draft EIRfor the 1.0-7 SDSU2007 Campus Master Plan Revision component;' the Student Union/Aztec Center component; the G Lot Residence Hall, Olmeca and Maya Residence Halls and HA/RE reconstruction portions of the Student Housing component; and, the Alvarado Hotel component. Therefore, these seven portions of the proposed project are analyzed in this EIR at the project level, such that no further CEQA review will be required prior to project construction.