TN/City of Banning Comprehensive General Plan/Draft EIR Section II – Regional Environmental Setting

CITY OF BANNING COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL PLAN DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT

SECTION II. REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING

Introduction This section of the EIR provides a general introduction to the environmental setting of the Banning Pass area, of which the City of Banning is at the center. Discussions are based on a regional perspective to provide a broad and comprehensive understanding of the issues associated with implementation of the proposed General Plan. Topics discussed include existing and surrounding land use patterns in Banning and the vicinity, regional climate, topography, soils and geology, and biological resources. Also addressed are air quality issues, cultural resources, traffic and circulation, visual resources, and public services and facilities.

The City of Banning conducted an Initial Study in accordance with Section 15063, 15064, and 15065 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines (see Appendix A). Issues identified as potentially significant in the Initial Study are analyzed in detail in Section III of this document. A Notice of Preparation (NOP) for this EIR was transmitted on January 7, 2005 and comments received are included in Appendix A of this document.

The General Plan study area encompasses a total of approximately 23.2± square miles of incorporated City lands, including about 8.5± square miles of Sphere-of-Influence lands, and about 5.2± square miles outside the SOI and the City but within the General Plan study area.

A. Existing Land Use

Development in the City of Banning is focused primarily on the valley floor along U.S. Interstate 10 due to the dramatic topographic relief of the San Bernardino Mountains to the north and south, the Banning Bench in the north central portion of the City, and the Banning Water Canyon, which runs through the northeastern and east-central portions of the City. The current

II-1 TN/City of Banning Comprehensive General Plan/Draft EIR Section II – Regional Environmental Setting land use pattern in the City is characterized by a strong residential component, supported by local commercial and industrial development, with public and private open spaces interspersed throughout the City. Commercial and industrial land uses are generally clustered along U.S. I-10 and the Union Pacific Railroad, and near the Banning Municipal Airport.

The General Plan study area consists of a total of 23,555± acres, of which 14,887± acres are in the City limits. Approximately 8,668 acres are in the City’s Sphere-of-Influence and unincorporated lands outside the sphere-of-influence referred to as the City’s “planning area.” Developed commercial lands include a variety of retail commercial establishments within the Ramsey Street corridor and the Downtown commercial area, as well as freeway-serving commercial such as fast food and gasoline stations. Developed commercial lands represent 8% (428± acres) of all developed lands in the General Plan study area. Developed lands designated as Industrial comprise approximately 10% (511± acres) of the total developed lands in the study area. These include airport-related uses, traditional industrial, ranging from light industrial to heavy manufacturing, and one operating sand and gravel facility.

About 22% (5,168± acres) of the General Plan study area is developed. Residential land use represents about 66 % (3,415± acres) of developed lands, dominated by rural residential single- family dwelling units in the City limits and in the balance of the General Plan study area. Of the City’s total housing stock, about 79% (8,227 units), are attached and detached single-family homes, and approximately 21% (2,177 units) are multi-family units, including mobile homes. Public facilities, schools and other major community facilities comprise 5% (242± acres) of all developed lands in the General Plan study area.

Under the existing General Plan no agricultural lands are specifically identified within the City limits, however Residential Agriculture (0-0.5 du/acre) and Rural Residential (0-1 du/acre) uses allow for agricultural and ranching activities. These two uses account for 1,608 acres in the City and 3,116 acres in the planning area. Also, approximately 1,101 acres are identified in the planning area as residential Agriculture, which allows for the construction of on dwelling unit per acres. Each of these agricultural related uses are accounted for in the land use calculations.

Within the planning area, Open Space lands account for about 24% (5,577± acres) of the total study area; these include lands reserved for: existing and proposed parks and golf courses; natural resources, such as water and geological hazard; hillside preservation; conservation; and land reserved for recreation.

Other Land Uses Under the current General Plan, less than 1% (426± acres) of lands within the study area are designated “Indian jurisdiction” are currently vacant and undeveloped. These occur outside the City limits and SOI lands. The existing General Plan designates land uses for which there is currently no General Plan land use designation as “Miscellaneous”, and these account for less than 1% (221± acres) of lands in the study area, and occur within the City limits. Neither of these land use designations are included in the Preferred Alternative.

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B. Surrounding Land Use

The General Plan study area is bordered on the north by lands that occur within the County of San Bernardino, and lands within the San Bernardino National Forest. The County of Riverside and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians reservation border the City of Banning on the east. County lands consist of primarily of Conservation and Rural Mountainous (10 acre minimum), with some Agriculture, Rural Desert (10 acre minimum) and Rural Residential (5 acre minimum) land use designations. Land uses on Morongo tribal lands include commercial development comprised of a resort hotel and casino complex, commercial and highway-serving retail development, and residential, mixed use, industrial and public facilities associated with the reservation. Lands in the northern portion of the Morongo reservation, northeast of the planning area, are preserved as open space.

The unincorporated Riverside County community of Cabazon occurs southeast of the planning area. To the south are lands primarily under the jurisdiction of Riverside County, areas subject to Indian jurisdiction, as well as public lands in the San Jacinto/Santa Rosa Mountains National Monument. Surrounding land uses under the jurisdiction of the County of Riverside include a combination of Very Low Density Residential (1 ac minimum), Low Density Residential (0.5 ac minimum), Rural Mountainous (10 acre minimum) and Agriculture.

Lands to the west are under the jurisdiction of the County of Riverside and the City of Beaumont. Those lands that occur in Riverside County include Conservation, Very Low Density Rural Residential (1 acre minimum), Rural Mountainous (10 acre minimum), and a small portion of Morongo tribal land. Those lands that occur in the City of Beaumont and include a mix of residential, commercial, industrial and professional office, as well as institutional uses. Lands to the northwest are under the jurisdiction of Riverside County comprised of the community of Cherry Valley. Lands further northwest are under the jurisdiction of the County of San Bernardino.

C. Topography

The relief of the City of Banning is characterized by dramatic topographical contrasts. The largest portion of the City occupies the narrow, southeast-trending valley known as the San Gorgonio Pass, nestled between the San Bernardino Mountains to the north and the San Jacinto Mountains to the south. As the complex San Andreas fault system slices through San Gorgonio Pass, it separates the San Bernardino Mountains segment of the Transverse Ranges from the San Jacinto Mountains segment of the Peninsular Ranges. The Peninsular Ranges extends southward from the Los Angeles Basin to the tip of Baja California.

The central and northern parts of the City extend into the foothills of the steep San Bernardino Mountains, with the northernmost portion lying inside the San Bernardino National Forest. Behind the foothills, the mountains rise abruptly to San Gorgonio Peak, which, with an elevation of 11,499 feet, is the highest peak in southern California. The San Jacinto mountains, which rise steeply from the southern margin of the City, has the second highest peak, the San Jacinto Peak, with an elevation of 10,804 feet.

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The Gorgonio Pass valley, extends westward from the Coachella Valley, rises to its highest elevation (approximately 2,600 feet) near Beaumont. Farther west, it merges with the Beaumont Plain and the San Timoteo Badlands. Within the City of Banning, elevations range from 2,080 feet above mean sea level in the eastern part of the Valley to about 5,200 feet in the mountains. Bounded by steep and rugged escarpments to the north and south, the Valley has the most spectacular scenery in southern California.

Numerous tributaries, which emerge from the deeply incised, and narrow canyons in the San Bernardino Mountains, and the San Jacinto Mountains descend onto the valley floor of San Gorgonio Pass and flow eastward toward the Coachella Valley. The largest of these is the San Gorgonio River, which flows through Banning Canyon with the largest drainage basin area, collecting overland flows from several large canyons along its lower reaches before exiting the City near Interstate (I-10).

Tributaries of the San Gorgonio River, such as Smith Creek (the largest tributary within the City), Gilman, Big Oaks, Mias, Hathaway, Potrero, drain the western part of the City, while Montgomery Creek, together with other smaller unnamed creeks, drains the central part. These channels coalesce along the southern edge of the City, and surface water is conveyed toward the Coachella Valley. Streams in the Banning area are intermittent streams and are dry most of the year except during the wet winter months.

D. Climate

The City of Banning and surrounding areas has a subtropical desert climate. The aridity is partially caused by the dominance of the Subtropical High (a continental anticyclone that originates over Arizona) throughout most of the year, and partially caused by the rain shadow effect created by the San Jacinto Mountains segment of the Peninsular Range which act as a barrier and isolate the sheltered San Gorgonio valley from the cool, moist marine conditions from the west. The mountains shield the valley from the western maritime air masses that originate in the Pacific Ocean, and channel the prevailing westerly winds into the narrow San Gorgonio Pass.

In low-latitude subtropical desert climate, intense sunlight produces scorching heat on the parched landscape. Maxim daytime temperatures during the summer can exceed 122 ºF, although 104 º F are more common, thus the climate has a large temperature range, often between 27 ºF to 45 ºF, and occasionally higher. In the middle of the day, the relative humidity is usually between 5% and 25%. At night, the air’s relatively low water vapor content allows for rapid cooling from night-time radiation from the earth. Minimum temperatures often drop below 77 ºF. Thus, the desert climate has a large daily temperature range. Temperatures in the surrounding mountains are generally cooler than those on the valley floor with a 5.5 ºF drop in temperature per 1,000 ft. of elevation gain (the Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate) is 5.5 ºF of temperature decrease per 1,000 ft. of ascent.1

1 “Essentials of Meteorology,” by Donald Ahrens, August 2004.

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The mean annual rainfull is very low from the desert floor into the foothills with an average of less than 20" a year. Rainfall on the mountain slopes increases with elevation as a result of orographic ( mountain-induced) type of precipitation. Average annual precipitation in the local mountains is more than 25 inches compared with 19 to 20 inches a year in adjacent valley of Banning. The majority of the rainfall occurs in the winter months brought on by the mid-latitude cyclones from the Pacific Ocean.

The frontal type of precipitation occurs as warmer air masses collide with cooler air masses along a front (zone of discontinuity), resulting in the rising of the warmer air over the cooler air and subsequent cooling, condensation, and precipitation of the ascending air. These types of winter storms are characterized by heavy, and prolonged downpours over a large area. Theses frontal storms usually occur between November and April and in the case of southern California originate usually in the Pacific Ocean. The frontal storms from the Pacific Ocean move eastward (and inland).

Mountain ranges, such as the San Jacinto and San Bernardino Mountains, form a rain shadow, slowing down or stopping the eastward movement of this moisture. When the moist air is blocked by mountains and it is forced to travel upslope, resulting in cooling, condensation, and precipitation. Most of this type of precipitation is dropped on the windward sides of San Jacinto and San Bernardino Mountains as snow. The local thunderstorms that occur in a localized area in the summer months in the valley are a result of convective lifting, caused by intense heating of the ground surfaces.

Due to its unique location in San Gorgonio Pass, the straddle of two steep mountains, the City experiences high wind conditions primarily from April to June. Strong regional winds, such as the Santa Ana winds, from the Subtropical High Pressure (anticylone) over Arizona, or coastal air masses from the Pacific Ocean, are funneled through the San Gorgonio Pass, creating strong winds, which transport large quantities of sand. Wind-blown sand, when channeled through San Gorgonio Pass into the Coachella Valley, poses an environmental hazardous and may result in major health problems. Particulates of 10 micron or less in diameter (also known as PM10) can lodge in the lungs of people with respiratory problems, resulting in serious inflammatory conditions.

E. Geology and Soils

Seismicity A major portion of the City of Banning is located in a narrow, east-trending valley known as the San Gorgonio Pass that extends westward from the Coachella Valley and joins with the Beaumont Plain and the San Timoteo Badlands to the west. The City is bounded to the north by the San Bernardino Mountains and the San Jacinto Mountains to the south. The City of Banning is in a highly complex geologically region, being located at the boundary between two tectonic plates, the Pacific Oceanic Plate to the west and the North American Continental Plate to the east. The two colliding plates slide past one another in a northwesterly direction at a rate of two and a half inches a year in a relative right-lateral motion, resulting in the formation of the San Andreas Fault system. Complicating the seismic landscape is that a small "kink" or a "knot" as it

II-5 TN/City of Banning Comprehensive General Plan/Draft EIR Section II – Regional Environmental Setting is often called, occurs in the Banning planning area as a result of a slight bend and a step in the main fault's surface trace. As with the "Big Bend" a similar kink, but on a large scale, north of Los Angeles, complex fault patterns, including thrust faulting have developed in this area to accommodate these changes. Consequently, the Banning planning area is exposed to seismic risks from multiple types of earthquake producing faults. The highest risks originate from the San Andreas Fault zone, San Jacinto Fault zone, and the Banning Fault zone, the San Gorgonio Pass Fault zone, and smaller nearby related faults. Each one of these faults will be discussed in more detail in Section III, Geology and Soils.

Soils Geotechnical constraints in the Banning area are also affected by the characteristics of the rocks and sediments that lie beneath the area. These are primarily comprised of Holocene (deposited within the last 11,000 years) surficial sediments, active channel deposits, and alluvial fan deposits.

Valley floor sediments can be classified as either stream-deposited (alluvium) or wind-deposited (Aeolian) sand. The windblown deposits consist of reworked alluvium which has been picked up by strong winds and redistributed as silty, fine, and medium-grained sands found in active stream channels, floodplains and washes throughout the City. Soils deposited on the valley floor are underlain by consolidated and semi-consolidated sedimentary rock, which are underlain by bedrock similar to that exposed in the San Jacinto and San Bernardino Mountains. The bedrock that comprises these mountains consists of distorted, schist and gneiss (subject to the highest degree of metamorphism), which in intruded by granitic rocks. A more detail discussion of the geologic units underlying the planning area is provided in Section III.

F. Hydrology

The high mountains define the City of Banning to the north and to the south, particularly the San Jacinto range, which creates a barrier to the prevailing air masses from the Pacific Ocean, thereby resulting in a rain shadow effect on the sheltered side of the mountains where the City is situated. Capturing precipitation from strong Pacific frontal storms that pass through from the Pacific Ocean, the mountains create an arid condition on the leeward side. Thus, the City of Banning has a subtropical desert climate shaped by topography with very low mean annual rainfall with an average of less than 20" a year except in the surrounding mountains. Mountain areas generally receive more precipitation than the adjacent valley. Average annual precipitation in the local mountains is more than 25 inches whereas in the San Gorgonio Pass valley, only 18 to 19 inches fall annually. Not only does rain vary dramatically from one locale to another within short distances, it is also extremely variable from year to year as in all southern California. Based on readings recorded at the Riverside County Flood Control rain gage, which records data continuously, on the upper part of the Banning Bench (elevation 3,600 ft.), the annual rainfall in Banning ranged from a low of 4.44 inches to a high of 49.54 inches.

Although the valley floor is generally dry throughout the year, high-intensity rainfall can quickly saturate the ground creating substantial runoffs. This is primarily due to the composition of regional soils, the absence of groundcover, and large expanses of paved surfaces. Overland flow,

II-6 TN/City of Banning Comprehensive General Plan/Draft EIR Section II – Regional Environmental Setting which occurs when rainfall intensity exceeds the infiltration capacity of the soil, is especially prevalent on the hillsides and paved urban areas. Summer storms are often capable of producing high volumes of rainfall in a short period of time, creating a high risk for flash floods. Winter storms often produce equal amounts of rain, but over a longer duration, thereby reducing the hazards associated with flooding.

The Federal Emergency Agency (FEMA) publishes Flood Insurance Rage Maps (FIRM), which depict varying degrees of potential flood hazards for developed or developing areas of communities throughout the United States. FIRM maps serve as the basis for determining the need for federal flood insurance and assist local government in providing for safe land use and floodplain development. According to FEMA maps for the City of Banning planning area, lands within the 100-year flood plain (designated Zone A) are in major portions of the San Gorgonio River, including portions of the upper Smith Creek Drainage.

The Riverside County Flood Control District (RCFCD) is responsible for the management of regional drainage within and in the vicinity of Banning. It is empowered with broad management functions, including flood control planning, the construction of drainage improvements for regional flood control facilities, and watershed and watercourse protection. The City is directly responsible for the management of local drainage.

RCFCD has published the Banning Master Drainage, which proposes several new structures including storm drains, open channels, box culverts, and debris basins. Although the City currently does not have a floodplain management ordinance, upon its completion and adoption, the Master Drainage Plan, will serve as a guide for future development, and the operation tool for technical guidelines, and developer requirements regarding flood control improvements. A more detailed discussion of flood control protection, improvements and issues is provided in Section III of this document.

G. Water Resources/Quality

The primary source of domestic water in the San Gorgonio Pass is groundwater extracted from a large subsurface aquifer, which underlies the City of Banning. The U.S. Geological Survey and the California Department of Water Resources has determined that the basin is separated into distinct subbasins, which are further divided into smaller subunits based on geologic and or hydrologic characteristics.

The San Gorgonio Pass Subbasin is westerly most subbasin of the Coachella Valley Hydrologic Unit and is the primary groundwater repository for the San Gorgonio Pass and the City of Banning. It is approximately 15 miles long and encompasses approximately 60 square miles in the narrow east-west trending valley between San Jacinto and San Bernardino Mountains. The subbasin contains an estimated groundwater storage capacity of 2,200,000 acre-feet with an estimated 1,400,000 acre feet of groundwater in storage. The portion of the subbasin that underlies the City of Banning is divided into a six subunits: the Banning Canyon Storage Unit, the Banning Bench Storage Unit, the East and West Banning Storage Units, the Beaumont Storage Unit and the Cabazon Storage Unit.

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The City of Banning currently relies on groundwater that is recharged by precipitation and runoff from the adjacent mountains. Hydrographs dating back to 1964 indicate the historic steady decline in the San Gorgonio Subbasin, with total average demand increasing from 7,376 acre feet per year (acre-ft/yr) in 1991 to 10,053 acre-ft/yr in 2003. Depletion of groundwater in storage has continued with the expansion of development of the City of Banning.

The total amount of groundwater in storage within the City of Banning area, including the Beaumont Storage Unit, is estimated between 1.4 and 2.6 million acre feet. Groundwater production by the City of Banning is increasing at a rate of approximately 180 acre-ft/yr. The increase production, combined with the below average rainfall from 1999 through 2003 has led to declines in the groundwater levels in the Banning subunits. This depletion of groundwater in the Banning area has led to a condition known as overdraft, in which the demand for groundwater exceeds the amount of recharge into the groundwater basin over a period of time.

In order to ensure an on-going supply of domestic water, the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency (SGPWA) is working with the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District and the California Department of Water Resources Division of Engineering to complete the East Branch Extension Project of the State Water Project. Phase I of the East Branch Extension has been completed and may bring up to 8,650 acre-ft/yr to the San Gorgonio Pass Subbasin. Phase II is planned and would bring an additional 8,650 acre-ft/yr to the subbasin. SGPWA plans to use the imported water to recharge the Beaumont Storage Unit, via the Noble Creek Spreading Grounds in Cherry Valley. The City of Banning is entitled to 3,278 acre-ft/yr per phase. In addition, to reduce consumption of groundwater, the City has considered the use of recycled water for those customers that could use reclaimed water for irrigation.

Groundwater quality in the City of Banning is considered excellent. However, high bicarbonate levels are typical of runoff from the San Bernardino Mountains. In general, total dissolved solids (TDS) concentrations are lowest at the head of Banning Canyon and increase slightly at the base of the canyon and the valley floor. Another potential impact on area groundwater is contamination associated with long-term discharge from on-lot septic systems. While much of the development in the City of Banning is connected to the community sewer system, development in outlying areas continues to utilize individual septic systems. Scattered residential sites in the northern parts of the City continue to rely on private septic systems for the disposal of wastewater. Many of these systems will be abandoned over time, as future development occurs and infrastructure is expanded. Water resources and water quality are discussed in greater detail in Section III of this document.

H. Biological Resources

The San Gorgonio Pass Region is located in the transition zone between the eastern edge of the inland valleys and the western edge of the Colorado Desert sub-region of the Sonoran Desert. Over a distance of approximately twenty miles, coastal climatic influences merge with desert climate to produce profound changes in flora and fauna. The General Plan study area receives higher rainfall than surrounding valley and desert communities. Summer temperatures are

II-8 TN/City of Banning Comprehensive General Plan/Draft EIR Section II – Regional Environmental Setting typically milder and winter temperatures cooler than those surrounding areas. Topography of the planning area ranges from the floor of the San Gorgonio Pass to the lower slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains, the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains, and includes several major drainages. The General Plan study area supports a number of common species, as well as sensitive species, which are listed by federal and/or state governments as endangered, threatened, or species of concern. The various habitat types supported in the General Plan study area are briefly described below.

Habitats and Communities Within the Banning General Plan planning area there are seven separate natural communities represented. The communities support a wide variety of plant and animal species and various types of habitats.

Riparian Scrub This habitat is supported by the primary watercourses that flow through the planning area and consists of small areas of water-dependent plants. It is dominated by willows, mulefat, and a variety of annuals, and many weedy non-native species are present. Although this habitat comprises a smaller proportion of vegetation in the planning area, it is valuable for the diversity of wildlife that it supports. In the planning area, this habitat is found in the channels of the San Gorgonio River, Smith Creek, and Mias Canyon.

Coastal Sage Scrub This habitat is the object of substantial conservation efforts in southern California, and there are several patches of Coastal Sage Scrub within the planning area. The largest areas are found in a portion of the City’s northwest sphere of influence, as well as along the City’s southern boundary. This habitat sometimes develops as an early successional stage after wildland fires, and is subsequently replaced by chaparral over time.

Riversidean Alluvial Fan Sage Scrub This community is restricted to major washes and dry rivers and provides habitat for several unique plants and animals. Unique species include Federal listed species such as the San Bernardino kangaroo rat, slender horned spineflower and Santa Ana woolly-star, for which the City is out of range. However, since alluvial fan sage scrub is found along a two-mile stretch of the San Gorgonio River north of the main urban are, there is a relatively high potential for detection of rare plant species in this area.

Chaparral This is a common, fire-dependent community found at mid-elevations on hillsides throughout California. Chaparral is composed of stiff shrubs with woody debris, including chamise, manzanita, black sage and wild lilac. In the planning area it occurs in the San Gorgonio River watershed, and surrounding Mias Canyon in the eastern sphere of influence.

Grassland This habitat comprises most undeveloped lands in the planning area that are not in use for agriculture. It is found in the southern and western portions of the planning area, composed of

II-9 TN/City of Banning Comprehensive General Plan/Draft EIR Section II – Regional Environmental Setting weedy species such as red brome, wild oats and ripgut grass. No native grasses were detected in the planning area. Non-native grassland, although it has relatively low floristic diversity, provides habitat for wildlife favoring low vegetative cover, such as burrowing owls, foraging raptors, and some amphibians and songbirds.

Meadows and Marshes This plant community was not found to be present during field surveys, although mapping conducted for the Western Riverside County MSHCP indicates a plant community designated as “meadows and marshes” in the uppermost reaches of Banning Canyon. This wetland community may have existed in the past but has been dried out by groundwater extraction.

Montane Coniferous Forest This community is limited to the northern study area, on watershed slopes bordering the San Gorgonio River and tributaries near the San Bernardino County line.

In addition to natural plant communities, there are also lands in the planning area in urban and rural development. Ornamental plants support a few native wildlife species that have adapted to the presence of humans in urbanized areas. Further, a substantial portion of the planning area is or has been previously used for agriculture. Abandoned farmland is now occupied by non-native grassland that provides open space for a variety of common species, as well as foraging habitat for birds of prey.

Sensitive Plant and Animal Species The General Plan study area supports a number of sensitive species, which are listed by federal and/or state governments as endangered, threatened, or species of concern. Sensitive and special status wildlife that occurs or may occur in the planning area include the Mountain Yellow-legged Frog, Stephen’s Kangaroo Rat, Los Angeles Pocket Mouse, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, and Burrowing Owl. Sensitive plants that occur or may occur in the planning area include the Yucaipa Onion, Mojave Tarplant, and Parish’s Checkerbloom.

Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan The City of Banning, along with other cities in Western Riverside County and east of the Coachella Valley, is a participant in the Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP). This MSHCP is a regional plan that provides for protection for plant and animal species listed by the federal and state governments as threatened or endangered. The City is subject to applicable features of the MSHCP, which are further discussed in Section III-F of this document.

Potential impacts associated with biological resources are also discussed in greater detail in Section III-F.

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I. Cultural Resources

Cultural resources in the Banning area include Native American settlements that were established before and after the arrival of European-Americans, as well as historical structures and features that were built and used as early as the 1700’s by European settlers.

The Prehistoric Period The “pre-historic” period refers to a time prior to the arrival of non-native peoples, when Native American society, which was based on traditions resulting from thousands of years of cultural development, was intact and viable. In the San Gorgonio Pass, the prehistoric period is generally divided into the Late Prehistoric Period and the Archaic Period.

The Archaic Period is defined as occurring before AD 1000, prior to the introduction of pottery to the region. Important cultural developments during the Archaic Period include the introduction of the bow and arrow (about AD 500) and change from burial practices to cremations. Around AD 1000, the San Gorgonio Pass region was introduced to pottery by the Colorado River cultures, marking the transition between the Archaic and Late Prehistoric Periods. Pottery was an innovation of peoples of the Colorado River, and its distribution across the upper Colorado and Mojave Deserts indicates that there was contact and trade between local tribes and those of the Colorado River.

The Late Prehistoric Period is defined as occurring after AD 1000 until around the late 1700s, when foreign influences brought profound changes to Native American society and ushered in the “historic period” in the San Gorgonio Pass. Archaeological evidence indicates that a large number of settlements and rancherias were established in the San Gorgonio Pass region during the prehistoric period. Such sites included villages, milling sites used on a seasonal basis to process food materials, lithic workshops for making stone tools and weapons, and rock art sites used for artistic and/or religious purposes.

Cahuilla Culture The most recent identifiable native culture to evolve in the San Gorgonio Pass region is that of the Pass Cahuilla Indians. The Cahuilla were a Takic-speaking people consisting of hunters and gatherers. The Cahuilla population is estimated to have ranged between 3,600 and 10,000 persons prior to European contact. A large number of Indian villages, occupied by the Cahuilla, were observed in the mid-19th century throughout the San Gorgonio Pass. The environment was often harsh, with extreme variations in rainfall, wind and temperature, and occasional flash flooding and faulting activity that altered available water resources. However, the mountains, canyons and desert floor provided important sources of food and fiber, water and supplies.

During the early 1770s when Spaniards crossed through Cahuilla territory in search of new land routes between Mexico it is believed that Europeans made the first contact with the Cahuilla, and northern California. Relations between the Cahuilla and Europeans become strained over time due to conflicts over land ownership and exploitation, as well as religious and cultural practices. The Cahuilla had no immunity to smallpox, and in the early 1860s a smallpox epidemic decimated the Cahuilla population, which reduced the population to about 2,500 individuals.

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Reservations were established beginning in the 1870s and allowed the Cahuilla to preserve their cultural traditions in relative isolation from Anglo-Americans

The Historic Period Historically significant sites are generally more than forty-five to fifty years of age, but range from the period of the earliest European contact (around the late 1770s in the San Gorgonio Pass) to about the end of World War II. Potentially significant historic sites range from permanent trails and highways to living areas and small-scale remains of single activities.

By the late 18th century, Spanish explorers sought to colonize California before other European nations and established religious missions and military strongholds along the California coast. Spanish and Mexican explorers traveled through the San Gorgonio Pass in search of easily passable supply routes from Mexico to colonies on the northern Monterey Peninsula of California.

During the 1870s and 1880s non-Indian settlement in the San Gorgonio Pass expanded, with the establishment of railroad stations along the Southern Pacific line and the implementation of the Homestead Act and Desert Land Act, which opened public land for claims. With the completion of the Southern Pacific Railway in 1877, the focal point of local growth shifted from the northern foothills to the present-day downtown area. After the founding of Banning in 1884, the town became the unmistakable center of population and community growth in the area. Banning continued to benefit during the 20th century from its strategic location at the nexus of the various transportation arteries, including the original Ocean-to-Ocean Highway (U.S. Route 60, 70, 99, now Ramsey Street) and today’s Interstate 10, roughly halfway between the Riverside-San Bernardino area and the growing desert resort communities in the Coachella Valley.

Additional information about the cultural resources of the Banning Area and the potential impacts to those resources resulting from the implementation and adoption of the proposed General Plan are further discussed in Section III-G, Cultural Resources, of this document.

J. Visual Resources

The spectacular views of the deep San Gorgonio Pass, flanked by two steep mountain ranges, are among the most valuable assets of the City of Banning. Bounded by the San Bernardino Mountains to the north and the San Jacinto Mountains to the south, a large portion of the City of Banning is located in this narrow, east-trending valley of the San Gorgonio Pass, which extends west from the Coachella Valley and rises to its highest elevation at about 2,600 feet near Beaumont to the west.

San Gorgonio Peak, just 12 miles north of City Hall, is the highest peak in the San Bernardino Mountains, rising to an elevation of 11,499 feet. The sparsely populated central and northern parts of the City extend into the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains, with the northernmost portion lying inside the San Bernardino National Forest.

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Along the southern margin of the City, the San Jacinto Mountains include the second highest peak, San Jacinto Peak at an elevation of 10,804 feet. With approximately 10,000 ft. of elevation gain from the valley floor, the San Jacinto Mountains form a precipitous and rugged backdrop to the City from the south. The peaks of the two flanking mountains are occasionally blanketed with snow during winter storms, providing an aesthetically attractive viewshed that gives the San Gorgonio Pass valley its unique feature. Visual resources are further discussed in Section III-J of this document.

K. Air Quality

Air quality in the San Gorgonio Pass region and the City of Banning has exceeded state and federal standards for some pollutants in the past. The region’s air quality is impacted by continued regional urbanization, such as has occurred over the past few decades, which has contributed to the degradation of the air quality due to population growth, increased traffic, construction activities and various other site disturbances. Further, air quality in the region is subject to transport of pollutants, particularly ozone and ozone pre-cursor emissions, from coastal areas to the west easterly into inland valleys, including the Pass region.

The City of Banning and the San Gorgonio Pass are located in the South Coast Air Basin (Basin). The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) is responsible for establishing air quality management criteria and management policies for the Basin, as well as for neighboring air basins. These include the Salton Sea Air Basin to the east, in which the Coachella Valley is located. Pollution levels are monitored daily by SCAQMD. The City is located in SCAQMD’s Source Receptor Area (SRA) 29, with a local air quality monitoring station located at the Banning Municipal Airport.

Ozone and PM10 are the two pollutants of greatest concern in the Pass Region and the General Plan study area. The South Coast Air Basin, which has historically exceeded state and federal ozone standards, is currently designated as an “extreme” ozone non-attainment area under the federal Clean Air Act. Based on this designation, the Basin must comply with federal ozone air quality standards by November 15, 2010. Elevated PM10 emissions in the Pass region emissions are the result of both human activities such as vehicle use and construction activity, as well as natural occurrences, such as windstorms. The Basin is currently designated a non-attainment area for PM10, under the Federal Clean Air Act. Although the Basin was to have complied with federal PM10 air quality standards by December 31, 2001, SCAQMD has applied for a five-year extension to demonstrate compliance by 2006. However, it is expected that compliance with state standards would occur beyond 2010. To further reduce impacts, the City has established nuisance abatement ordinances dealing with smoke and soot such as that which is generated by internal combustion engines, residential fireplaces or stoves, or industrial smokestacks. The City also relies on applicable state code and AQMD Rules, including Rule 403 (Fugitive Dust), for authority to enforce fugitive dust compliance as needed, and refers complaints regarding fugitive dust violations directly to SCAQMD for compliance enforcement.

In addition to criteria pollutants such as ozone and PM10, a variety of federal, state and local programs regulate Toxic Air Contaminants (TACs) generation and emissions in the SCAQMD.

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TACs, which include substances such as asbestos, benzene, beryllium, inorganic arsenic, mercury, and vinyl chloride, are generated by a variety of sources, such as electroplating and anodizing operations, gasoline distribution facilities, petroleum refineries, and others. About 70 percent of the health risk from TACs has been attributed to diesel particulate emissions, and approximately 20 percent to other toxics associated with mobile sources. The Pass region and the General Plan study are subject to substantial exposure to mobile source emissions, including diesel-fueled locomotives and motor vehicles.

Buildout of the General Plan study area associated with the implementation of the General Plan update could potentially result in occasional and temporary exceedances in both state and federal standards for various air pollutants. A full assessment of issues related to air quality is included in Section III-I.

L. Noise

In today’s environment noise is among the most pervasive pollutants. The general population has been exposed to and affected by the substantial increase of noise levels in the environment over the past several decades. The effects of intrusive noise levels can include temporary or permanent physical damage, psychological distress, hearing loss, stress, high blood pressure, sleep loss, anxiety, distraction, lost productivity. Intrusive noise levels can overall reduce the quality of life.

Most common sounds occur in the range of 40 to 100 dB. Normal human conservation at three feet is approximately 60 dBA, while the noise of a loud jet engine, which can create serious discomfort equates to about 110 dBA. Community noise impacts are generally assessed using the Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL) noise index. The CNEL index converts the effect of daily noise exposure into a single number and is weighted to account for the increased noise sensitivity people experience during sensitive evening and nighttime hours.

The City of Banning generally enjoys a quiet noise environment. The primary source of noise is motor vehicle traffic. Higher noise levels in the planning area are associated with motor vehicle and rail traffic along the U.S. Interstate 10/Union Pacific Railroad corridor, which bisects the planning area into distinct north and south communities. Noise levels from this transportation corridor generally impact the central and southern portions of the planning area to the greatest extent. The noise environment of the planning area is also affected by occasionally intrusive but intermittent impacts associate with operation of the Banning Municipal Airport, which is located in the southeastern portion of the City. The northern end of the General Plan study area experiences a quieter noise environment than do the central and southern portions of the study area, due to their more remote and rural settings further from major roadways, the I-10/UPRR corridor, and the airport. Other sources of community noise include construction and mechanical equipment serving commercial land uses and major institutions, as well as industrial operations.

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M. Traffic/Circulation

The General Plan planning area, as well as the San Gorgonio Pass region, are situated along the U.S. Interstate 10/Union Pacific Railroad corridor. This transportation corridor runs east to west through the planning area and divides the City of Banning into two distinct north-south communities. U.S. Interstate-10 is a critical part of the local road network that moves people and goods into and through the Pass region. It connects the region with the Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside metropolitan areas to the west and the Phoenix region to the east. The planning area is linked by State Highway 243 to the Idyllwild area, which connects to local roadways and ultimately to U.S. I-10 from the south. SR 243 is designated a scenic highway, the Banning-Idyllwild Panoramic Highway, from the Banning City limits to State Route 74.

The designated State Highway begins on Eighth Street south of I-10 and runs south to Lincoln Street, continuing east on Lincoln Street to San Gorgonio Avenue to the City limits, where it becomes the Banning-Idyllwild Panoramic Highway. It is designated as a State Scenic Highway from the Banning City limits to State Route 74, 28.2 miles south, near the community of Idyllwild.

The City’s arterial roadway network, which runs parallel to U.S Interstate 10, is built along a modified grid system with a primarily east-west orientation. Major east-west roadways in the planning area include Ramsey Street, Wilson Street, and Lincoln Street. Major north-south roadways include Highland Springs Avenue and Highland Home Road.

The current functionality of the City’s circulation system and projected future demands associated with General Plan buildout are discussed in detail in Section III-C of this document.

N. Public Services and Facilities

A wide range of public facilities and services are currently provided in the City of Banning. Service providers are identified below, and the extent of their services is discussed further in Section III-L.

Domestic Water The City of Banning depends on the San Gorgonio Pass groundwater basin as its primary source of water. The basin is recharged from runoffs and a series of retention basins. The hydrological and geophysical characteristics of the basin are addressed in detail in the Water Resources Element of the General Plan.

Domestic water services to the City are provided by the City Public Works and Utilities Department. The Department also provides domestic water services to the unincorporated Riverside County lands located southwest of the City corporate limits. The City owns and operates wells, reservoirs, and a distribution line system to deliver domestic water within their service area. The City Water Master Plan 1994 Map shows distribution lines ranging in size from 2" to 30" in diameter. There are existing water maps showing eight, twelve and fourteen- inch water mains located within the San Gorgonio Avenue right-of-way; eight and twelve-inch

II-15 TN/City of Banning Comprehensive General Plan/Draft EIR Section II – Regional Environmental Setting water mains within the 8th Street right-of-way, twelve, fourteen, and eighteen-inch water lines within the Sunset right-of-way. Within Wilson right-of-way, there are water pipelines ranging from four to eighteen inches within the Westward Avenue right-of-way. The Sun Lakes community is served by eight, ten, twelve and sixteen-inch waterlines.

In addition to the City Public Works Department, there is a private water purveyor, the Banning Heights Mutual Water, providing services to the northwestern half of the City. Water, diverted from the San Gorgonio River, is delivered to this service area for primarily irrigational purpose.

Wastewater Treatment Sanitary wastewater services are provided by the City of Banning Public Works-Wastewater Division, located at 2242 East Charles Street. The City contracts with United Waters Services for the operation and maintenance of the water reclamation plant. The plant receives an average flow of a approximately 2.4 to 3.4 million gallons-per-day. Recent upgrade of the plant resulted in an increase of secondary treatment capacity design to 3.6 million gallons-per-day, including the addition of several plant parts, which could accommodate future capacity to approximately 5.8 million gallons-per-day.

Collected wastewater is transported by sewer main lines of 8,10, 15, and 18 inches in diameter, which are connected to trunk lines. The trunk lines, ranging from 24 to 30 inches in diameter, convey wastewater to the plant. Trunk lines are located within the City major public right-of- ways.

Sewer services are provided not only to the entire City and also to the unincorporated Riverside County lands surrounding the southeastern portion of the City of Banning. Planning areas without sewer facilities are serviced by septic tanks.

Electric Service The City of Banning Public Works - Electric Division provides electric services and facilities to the City. The City purchases electricity from Southern California Edison (SCE). SCE relies upon a broad mix of power sources, including wind, solar, co-generation, nuclear and natural gas. The company also purchases power from hydroelectric and coal generators located outside California. SCE delivers power via 115 KV transmission lines to a substation located on East Ramsey Street from which power is transmitted by four 33 KV transmission lines, three of which distribute power outside the Banning area. Issues concerning electrical services in the General Plan study area are further discussed in Section III-L, Public Services and Facilities.

Educational Facilities and Services The Banning Unified School District (BUSD) provides kindergarten through 12th grade public education services to most of the City of Banning. In 2004, BUSD schools enrolled an average of 4,700 students in eight schools and an independent study home schooling program. There are four elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, and one continuation high school in the District. The District is averaging an approximately 5 percent annual growth rate in enrollment, and has maintained a student-teacher ratio of 20-1 in Kindergarten through 3rd grade levels. All of the District's schools are operating at or beyond capacity, and many use temporary,

II-16 TN/City of Banning Comprehensive General Plan/Draft EIR Section II – Regional Environmental Setting portable buildings for additional classroom space. Impacts to educational services resulting from the adoption and implementation of the proposed General Plan are further discussed in Section III-L, Public Services and Facilities.

Library The main 9,573 esq. Banning Public Library, located at 21 W. Nicolet Street, and together with its 1,300 sq.ft. Cabazon branch, own approximately 76,000 volumes of books. The library participates in the Inland Library System, an-eighteen member cooperative of independent public libraries in Riverside, San Bernardino and Inyo Counties. The library provides internet access, ESL and adult literacy classes, and a range of children's services and materials. The main branch has an extensive collection of historical documents and photographs.

Health Facilities San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital, located at 600 North Highland Springs Avenue, provides medical services to the City of Banning. The 85,000 sq.ft. hospital, which opened in 1951, is licensed for 70 beds. The hospital started as a state district hospital, funded by a percentage of property tax from local residents within the hospital district. It is one of the only four non-profit hospitals in Riverside County. It provides general medical-surgical care, intensive care, emergency care, obstetrics, in and outpatient surgery, and a range of ambulatory services including physical therapy and cardiac rehabilitation. Staffing includes the only round-the-clock board certified emergency physicians in the Banning area. The single-story hospital acute care facilities currently meet State-mandated hospital seismic safety requirements.

The hospital recently (2004) opened a 1,5000 sq.ft. State-of-the-art Women's Center that provides birthing, diagnostic, surgical and preventative medicine services. The hospital has also launched a $6 million capital campaign to fund expansion of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The expanded ICU is expected to be operational within three years.

Fire Department Fire protection services are provided to the City through a contractual agreement with the Riverside County Fire Department, which in turn contracts with the California Department of Forestry. The contract provides various fire related services, including emergency medical services, fire prevention, disaster preparedness, fire safety inspections, hazardous materials business plan programs and plan reviews.

Police Protection Police protection services within City limits are provided by the Banning Police Department, located adjacent to City Hall, at 125 East Ramsey Street. The City has historically maintained a goal of 1.8 police officers per 1,000 residents. Currently, the City maintains a ration of 1.4 sworn officers fro every 1,000 residents. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department provides police protection services to the City’s Sphere of Influence and Planning area.

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O. Hazardous and Toxic Materials

A search of the US EPA Envirofacts Data Warehouse for the City of Banning identified two facilities that produce and release air pollutants, two facilities that have reported toxic releases, 31 facilities that have reported hazardous waste activities, and one facility that is permitted to discharge to waters of the United States.2

Hazardous Materials The EPA database identifies three large industrial/commercial users of hazardous materials in the City of Banning, which include electronic switchboard/connector manufacturing, metal plating, and a gas station with a convenience store. Twenty-three small quantity hazardous/toxic material generators are located in the City, and these are associated with commercial, and quasi-industrial and medical operations, which have the potential to be associated with accidental spills, purposeful illegal dumping, air emission, and other uncontrolled discharges into the environment. In addition, two hazardous materials transporters are located in the City. Improper use and management of these materials by service stations, petroleum product and equipment suppliers, automotive dealers, medical practitioners, hospitals and clinics pose a potential threat to the community and its environment. In addition, a wide variety of chemical and purified chemical compounds, products, and elements that are considered hazardous or toxic are used in households.

Underground storage tanks, such as those typically located at service stations and the City Maintenance Yard, and at the airport, pose the most significant hazards due to potential leakage. The U.S. EPA requires all service stations to retrofit or replace underground storage tanks with double-walled construction. Several sites in the City have already complied with this rule.

Due to the concentration of various industrial activities in the southern portion of the City, this area has an increased potential for the discharge of hazardous materials.

Natural Gas and Fuel Lines The Gas Company provides natural gas services and facilities to the City of Banning. Natural gas supply to the City originates from Texas, transported by two major east-west trending gas lines. These high pressure gas lines, of varying sizes up to 36 inches in diameter, traverse through the eastern desert areas to the western end of Riverside County. In addition to the two major east- west trending high-pressure transmission gas lines, other natural gas high pressure lines are located underground in Wilson and Lincoln Streets. A pipeline designed to carry liquid fuels runs east-west through the City. Though not currently in use, this pipeline has been used to transport crude oil, diesel fuel and gasoline.

The primary danger from these pipelines is fire resulting from accidental leaks or spillage. As part of the right-of-way and maintenance easements for these lines, the appropriate identification and setbacks should be maintained in order to insure the safety of adjacent development. Any construction activities in proximity to these lines should be appropriately restricted.

2 “http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/toxic_releases.html” accessed May 17, 2005.

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Regulation Responsibility California Government Code Section 65302(g) mandates that the General Plan of a community address safety issues, including but not limited to hazardous materials. Responsibility for regulating and monitoring the management, disposal, labeling, and use of toxic and hazardous materials lies with a variety of federal, state, and local agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the California Office of Health Planning and Development, and the Riverside County Department of Health. AB 2948 (Chapter 1504, Statutes of 1986), commonly known as the Tanner Bill, authorizes counties to prepare Hazardous Waste Management Plans (HWMP) in response to the need for safe management of hazardous materials and waste products. In addition, hazardous wastes must be managed in accordance with the California Hazardous Waste Control Law (California Health and Safety Code, Division 20, Chapter 6.5) and the Hazardous Waste Control Regulations (California Cod of Regulations, Title 22, Division 4.5).

The California Regional Water Quality Control Board (CRWQCB), as well as the City, Banning Heights Mutual Water Company, and High Valley Water District maintain information concerning contaminated water wells and groundwater. The state and federal environmental protection agencies and the state Department of Health also provide information concerning specific hazardous waste sites. Furthermore, the City requires Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessments for projects on a case-by-case basis in order to identify potential impacts associated with toxic and hazardous materials.

P. Socio-Economic Resources

According to the U.S. Census, the population of the City of Banning has increased from 14,020 in 1980, to 20,572 in 1990, to 23,562 in 2000. The U.S. Census indicates that the City’s median age increased from 32.8 years in 1980, to 36.8 years in 1990, to 39.9 years in 2000. According to the U.S. Census, in 1980 the City had a total of 6,190 housing units, in 1990 the City had a total of 8,194 units, and in 2000 the City had a total of 9,724 housing units. The average persons per household went from 2.6 in 1980, to 2.7 in 1990, and to 2.4 in 2000.

The 1990 Census identified the City’s median household income as $28,467. Based on U.S. Census 2000, the City’s median household income was $32,076, which represents a 13% increase over the City’s 1990 median household income. The 2000 Census also indicates that the per capita income for the City of Banning was $16,231.

According to the Inland Empire Quarterly Economic Report, the median home price in the City in the second quarter of 2003 was $145,000 for existing homes and $201,500 for new homes. This compares with $232,727 and $285,000 for existing and new homes in Riverside County for the same period. Socio-economic impacts associated with the implementation of the proposed General Plan are further analyzed in Section III-L, Socio-Economic Resources.

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