5.0 Significant Unavoidable Environmental Effects/Significant Irreversible Environmental Changes 5.0 Significant Unavoidable Environmental Effects/Significant Irreversible Environmental Changes CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.2 (b) and (c) require that the significant unavoidable impacts of the project, as well as any significant irreversible environmental changes that would result from project implementation, be addressed in the EIR. 5.1 Significant Environmental Effects Which Cannot Be Avoided if the Project Is Implemented In accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.2 (b) any significant unavoidable impacts of a project, including those impacts that can be mitigated but not reduced to below a level of significance despite the applicant’s willingness to implement all feasible mitigation measures, must be identified in the EIR. For the project, impacts related to land use, historical resources, visual effects and neighborhood character, and noise would remain significant unavoidable effects of project development. Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, and 4.12 of this EIR provide more detail about the nature and extent of impacts related to the project. All other significant impacts identified in Section 4, Environmental Analysis, of this EIR as resulting from project implementation can be reduced to below a level of significance with the mitigation measures identified in Section 4 and in the MMRP contained within Section 10 of this EIR. 5.2 Irreversible Environmental Changes Which Would Result if the Project Is Implemented In accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.2 (c): Uses of nonrenewable resources during the initial and continued phases of the project may be irreversible since a large commitment of such resources makes removal or nonuse thereafter unlikely. Primary impacts and, particularly, secondary impacts (such as highway improvements which provide access to a previously inaccessible area) generally commit future generations to similar uses. Also irreversible damage can result from environmental accidents associated with the project. Irretrievable commitments of resources should be evaluated to assure that such current consumption is justified. Page 5-1 5.0 Significant Unavoidable Environmental Effects/Significant Irreversible Environmental Changes Non-renewable resources generally include biological habitat, agricultural land, historical and paleontological resources, mineral deposits, water bodies, and some energy sources. As evaluated in Sections 4.2, 4.6, 4.11, 4.13, 4.16, and Section 8, Effects Found Not to be Significant of this EIR, implementation of the project would not result in significant irreversible impacts to historical (archaeological), biological, paleontological, water, agricultural, or mineral resources. Implementation of the project would irreversibly impact historical resources (built environment) associated with the Balboa Park Historic District as discussed in Section 4.2. In addition, the project would require the irreversible consumption of natural resources and energy. Natural resource consumption would include lumber and other forest products, sand and gravel, asphalt, steel, copper, other metals, and water. Building materials, while perhaps recyclable in part at some long-term future date, would for practical purposes be considered permanently consumed. Energy derived from non-renewable sources, such as fossil and nuclear fuels, would be consumed during construction and operational lighting, heating, cooling, and transportation uses. To minimize the use of energy, water, and other natural resources, the project would incorporate sustainable practices into the site, such as drought-resistant landscaping where feasible and water conservation features such as low-flush toilets, low-flow faucets, and timers on irrigation sprinklers to reduce water demands. As described in Sections 4.7 and 4.15 of this EIR, design considerations aimed at improving energy efficiency and reducing water use have been incorporated into the project design and may serve to reduce irreversible water, energy, and building materials consumption associated with construction and occupation of the project. Page 5-2 6.0 Growth Inducement 6.0 Growth Inducement CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.2(d) requires that an EIR: Discuss the ways in which the proposed project could foster economic or population growth, or the construction of additional housing, either directly or indirectly, in the surrounding environment. Included in this are projects which would remove obstacles to population growth (for example, a major expansion of a waste water treatment plant might, for example, allow for more construction in service areas). Increases in the population might tax existing community services facilities, requiring construction of new facilities that could cause significant environmental effects. Also discuss the characteristic of some projects which may encourage and facilitate other activities that could significantly affect the environment, either individually or cumulatively. It must not be assumed that growth in any area is necessarily beneficial, detrimental, or of little significance to the environment. The City’s Significance Determination Thresholds provide further guidance to determine potential significance for growth inducement. Based on the Thresholds, a significant impact could occur if a project would: induce substantial population growth in an area, either directly (for example, by proposing new homes and businesses) or indirectly (for example, through extension of roads or other infrastructure). Accelerated growth may further strain existing community facilities or encourage activities that could significantly affect the surrounding environment. According to the City’s Significance Determination Thresholds, growth inducement “is usually associated with those projects that foster economic or population growth, or the construction of additional housing, either directly or indirectly which may result in the construction of major and new infrastructure facilities. Also, a change in land use policy or projects that provide economic stimulus, such as industrial or commercial uses, may induce growth.” In addition, the Thresholds state that “the analysis must avoid speculation and focus on probable growth patterns or projects” (City of San Diego 2011a). 6.1 Project Effects on Growth Since the project only involves improvements within Balboa Park, there are no elements associated with an increase in population or the provision or need for additional housing. Page 6-1 6.0 Growth Inducement In addition, the project would serve existing and future residents but does not contain any new elements, such as commercial or industrial uses, that would stimulate economic growth which would in turn induce population growth. While the proposed improvements are intended to enhance recreational use of Balboa Park, they would not remove any existing obstacles to growth. As a result, the project would not tax existing community services facilities, requiring construction of new facilities that could cause significant environmental effects For these reasons, the project would not be growth inducing. Page 6-2 7.0 Cumulative Impacts 7.0 Cumulative Impacts Section 15130(a) of the State CEQA Guidelines requires a discussion of cumulative impacts of a project “when the project’s incremental effect is cumulatively considerable.” Cumulatively considerable, as defined in Section 15065(a)(3), “means that the incremental effects of an individual project are significant when viewed in connection with the effects of past projects, the effects of other current projects, and the effects of probable future projects.” According to Section 15130(b) of the CEQA Guidelines, the discussion of cumulative effects “need not be provided as great detail as is provided the effects attributable to the project alone. The discussion should be guided by the standards of practicality and reasonableness.” According to Section 15130(b)(1) of the CEQA Guidelines, the discussion of cumulative effects is to be based on either (a) a list of past, present, and probable future projects producing related or cumulative impacts, including, if necessary, those impacts outside the control of the agency, or (b) a summary of projections contained in an adopted plan or related planning document that describes or evaluates conditions contributing to the cumulative effect. The basis of and geographic area for the analysis of cumulative impacts is dependent on the nature of the issue. For this analysis, where evaluation of potential cumulative impacts are localized (e.g., noise, traffic, visual quality, biological, and historical resources, and public utilities), a list of projects was employed. For potential cumulative impacts that are more regional in scope (e.g., air quality and global warming), planning documents were used in the analysis. List of Projects Considered for Cumulative Analysis Five projects (Figure 7-1) have been identified for consideration in this cumulative effects analysis—St. Paul’s Cathedral and Residences, Upas Street Jack-in-the-Box, Park Boulevard Promenade, and the Laurel Street (Cabrillo) Bridge Overcrossing Seismic Retrofit/Rehabilitation and Up-lighting projects. The St. Paul’s Cathedral and Residences project went to City Council, was revised, and approved on November 8, 2011. The project, as approved, includes renovation of existing Cathedral facilities and the development of mixed-used residential, office, and retail buildings. The project site contains a total