CITY OF HALF MOON BAY PARKS MASTER PLAN INITIAL STUDY / MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION OCTOBER 2018 2635 NORTH FIRST STREET, SUITE 149, SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA 95134 650-327-0429 | www.migcom.com This page is intentionally blank City of Half Moon Bay Parks Master Plan Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration October 2018 Prepared for: City of Half Moon Bay Planning Division 501 Main Street Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 Prepared by: MIG, Inc. 2635 North 1st Street, Suite 149 San Jose, CA 95134 (650) 327-0429 This page is intentionally blank Page 1 City of Half Moon Bay Park Master Plan Project Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration Project: Half Moon Bay Parks Master Plan Lead Agency: City of Half Moon Bay Project Proponent: City of Half Moon Bay Availability of Documents: The Initial Study for this Mitigated Negative Declaration is available for review at: Planning Division 501 Main Street Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 Contact: Scott Phillips, Associate Planner City of Half Moon Bay Planning Division Email: [email protected] (650) 726-8299 PROJECT DESCRIPTION The City intends to adopt and implement the City of Half Moon Bay Parks Master Plan (PMP) which identifies priorities for park improvements and development and is needed to provide overall guidance for long-term decision making by City staff. The PMP is intended to ensure that City parks meet the needs of the Half Moon Bay community, and to guide the Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC) in allocating resources over the next 15 years. The key components of the PMP include planning context, existing facilities assessment, visions and goals, identification of needs, development guidelines and recommendations for improvements to existing parks, and an implementation element, which includes priority projects. The PMP is focused on city-owned and developed parks in Half Moon Bay, and does not cover trails, natural open spaces, recreational facilities, or other non-City owned assets such as State beaches or county/regional parks. It also does not include recreational programming or facilities. PROPOSED FINDINGS The City of Half Moon Bay has reviewed the attached Initial Study and determined that the Initial Study identifies potentially significant project effects, but: 1. Revisions to the project plans incorporated herein as mitigation would avoid or mitigate the effects to a point where no significant effects would occur; and 2. There is no substantial evidence, in light of the whole record before the agency, that the project may have a significant effect on the environment. Pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Sections 15064(f)(3) and 15070(b), a Mitigated Negative Declaration has been prepared for consideration as the appropriate CEQA document for the project. BASIS OF FINDINGS Based on the environmental evaluation presented in the attached Initial Study, the project would not cause significant adverse effects related to agricultural and forestry resources, geology/soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards/hazardous materials, hydrology/water Half Moon Bay Parks Master Plan Project City of Half Moon Bay Mitigated Negative Declaration Page 2 quality, land use/planning, mineral resources, population/housing, public services, recreation traffic, and utilities/service systems. The project does not have impacts that are individually limited, but cumulatively considerable. The project would have potentially significant impacts to aesthetics (light/glare), air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, and tribal resources and mitigation measures have been incorporated into the project to reduce these impacts to less than significant levels. Mitigation Measures The project could result in significant adverse effects to air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, and tribal resources. However, the project has been revised to include the mitigation measures listed below, which reduce these impacts to a less-than-significant level. With implementation of these mitigation measures, the project would not substantially degrade the quality of the environment, reduce the habitat of a fish or wildlife species, cause a fish or wildlife population to drop below self-sustaining levels, threaten to eliminate a plant or animal community, or substantially reduce the number or restrict the range of a rare or endangered plant or animal. Nor would the project cause substantial adverse effects on humans, either directly or indirectly. Mitigation Measure AEST-1 (All Existing and Planned Parks): To avoid light and glare impacts from park projects and to protect the coastside dark night skies valued by the Park Master Plan, the City shall prepare a lighting plan for each park project that contains a night lighting element to it. The lighting plan should provide design and illumination requirements of the project and address how the plan reduces any light and glare impacts and protects dark night skies. The lighting plan shall specify how light will be shielded and contained within the park site to the greatest extent possible. Mitigation Measure AIR-1 (All Existing and Planned Parks): To reduce potential fugitive dust that may be generated by project construction activities, the City of Half Moon Bay shall implement the following BAAQMD basic construction measures when ground disturbing activities have the potential to generate fugitive dust (BAAQMD Guidelines pg. 8-3, Table 8-1): • Water all exposed surfaces (e.g., staging areas, soil piles, graded areas, and unpaved access roads during construction as necessary and adequately wet demolition surfaces to limit visible dust emissions. • Cover all haul trucks transporting soil, sand, or other loose materials off the project site. • Use a wet power vacuum street sweeper as necessary to remove all visible mud or dirt track-out onto adjacent public roads (dry power sweeping is prohibited) during construction of the proposed project. • Vehicle speeds on unpaved roads/areas shall not exceed 15 miles per hour. • Complete all areas to be paved as soon as possible and lay building pads as soon as possible after grading unless seeding or soil binders are used. • Minimize idling time of diesel-powered construction equipment to five minutes and post signs reminding workers of this idling restriction at access points and equipment staging areas during construction of the proposed project. • Maintain and properly tune all construction equipment in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications and have a CARB-certified visible emissions evaluator check equipment prior to use at the site. Half Moon Bay Parks Master Plan Project City of Half Moon Bay Mitigated Negative Declaration Page 3 • Post a publicly visible sign with the name and telephone number of the construction contractor and City staff person to contact regarding dust complaints. This person shall respond and take corrective action within 48 hours. The publicly visible sign shall also include the contact phone number for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to ensure compliance with applicable regulations. Mitigation Measure BIO-1 (Smith Field, Johnston House, Frenchmans Creek Park, Oak Avenue Park, John L. Carter Park, and Poplar Beach): Half Moon Bay Zoning Code 18.35.035 requires that a qualified biologist prepare a biological report prior to any project within 100 feet of any sensitive habitat area, riparian corridor, bluffs, sea cliffs, or wetlands. As a result, a biological report would be prepared for any project that occurred at Smith Field due to the seasonal wetlands within and nearby the park; Frenchmans Creek Park, Oak Avenue Park, and John L. Carter Park due to the riparian and creek habitat within or adjacent to the parks; Poplar Beach due to the sea cliff and wetland habitat on-site; and Johnston House due to the potential wetland adjacent to the park. These biological reports would include measures to protect sensitive natural communities and special-status plant species. Prior to conducting the biological survey at these parks, a map showing the park’s legal boundaries shall be prepared and be used as the basis for conducting field work. To supplement the requirements of Zoning Code 18.35.035, Mitigation Measure BIO-1 recommends that when park projects are located in or adjacent to sensitive plant species habitat, a qualified biologist shall work with the City and/or contractor to designate the work area and any staging areas with high-visibility orange construction fencing. Disturbance to vegetation shall be kept to the minimum necessary to complete the project activities Mitigation Measure BIO-2 (Poplar Beach, Smith Field): Half Moon Bay Zoning Code 18.35.035 requires that a qualified biologist prepare a biological report prior to any project within 100 feet of any sensitive habitat area, riparian corridor, bluffs, sea cliffs, or wetlands. As a result, a biological report would be prepared for any project that occurred at Poplar Beach and Smith Field. The biological report would include measures to protect sensitive natural communities and special-status plant species. To supplement the requirements of Zoning Code 18.35.035, Mitigation Measure BIO-2 recommends that, at a minimum, surveys at Poplar Beach and Smith Field shall include surveys for sensitive plant species be conducted prior to approval of any park project with ground disturbing activities within areas where suitable habitat for such species is present. Prior to conducting the biological survey at these parks, a map showing the park’s legal boundaries shall be prepared and