Central Corridor Supplemental DEIS Chapter 9: Indirect and Cumulative

Central Corridor LRT Project Chapter 9 Indirect and Cumulative Impacts 9.0 INDIRECT AND CUMULATIVE IMPACTS This chapter identifies the potential indirect and cumulative impacts that could occur with implementation of the Central Corridor LRT Project. Section 9.1 introduces the concepts of indirect and cumulative impacts, and how and why the analysis is done. Section 9.2 presents the methods used to decide what data was needed, how it was collected, and how it was analyzed. This section also describes some general trends in the study area and provides a table of the significant and reasonably foreseeable future projects in the study area. Finally, this section demonstrates how each topic was selected according to its potential for indirect and cumulative impacts. Section 9.3 presents a discussion of potential indirect impacts for each topic and a discussion of cumulative impacts. Section 9.4 summarizes the potential indirect and cumulative effects of the AA/DEIS LPA and the Key Project Elements and lists available mitigation measures that could be applied where indirect and cumulative impacts may occur. 9.1 Introduction The Central Corridor Alternatives Analysis and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (AA/DEIS) did not include a separate section for an indirect and cumulative effects analysis (ICEA). This section, therefore, is intended to provide a basic discussion of ICEA and to describe the potential for indirect effects and cumulative impacts from the AA/DEIS Locally Preferred Alternative (AA/DEIS LPA), as well as to the Key Project Elements, in combination with other past, present, and future actions. For this chapter, the AA/DEIS LPA and the Key Project Elements are referred to as the Central Corridor LRT project. Direct impacts of the proposed changes to the AA/DEIS LPA are discussed in the previous chapters of this Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS). These are defined by the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR 1500–1508) as effects, “which are caused by the action and occur at the same time and place (40 CFR 1508.8).” The same section of the CEQ regulations define indirect effects as those that are caused by the action and are later in time or farther removed in distance, but are still reasonably foreseeable. Further: “Indirect effects may include growth inducing effects and other effects related to induced changes in the pattern of land use, population density or growth rate, and related effects on air and water and other natural systems, including ecosystems.” Examples of indirect effects include new development and land use changes such as residential, commercial, and industrial development (or redevelopment) that could occur due to transit improvements. They also include the associated changes in population density from additional residents and labor, and any effects to natural features from the land use change. When an improvement action enables indirect effects, it does not directly cause the change, but along with other factors, it helps to provide more opportunities for change. Cumulative impacts are not causally linked to the AA/DEIS LPA and the Key Project Elements, but are the total effect of actions with similar impacts in a broader geographic area. The purpose of a cumulative impacts analysis is to look for impacts that may be minimal and therefore neither significant nor adverse when examined within the context of Supplemental DEIS 9-1 June 2008 Central Corridor LRT Project Indirect and Cumulative Impacts Chapter 9 the proposed action, but that may accumulate and become both significant and adverse over a large number of actions. The CEQ regulations define cumulative effects thusly: "Cumulative impact" is the impact on the environment which results from the incremental impact of the action when added to other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions regardless of what agency (Federal or non-Federal) or person undertakes such other actions. Cumulative impacts can result from individually minor but collectively significant actions taking place over a period of time (40 CFR 1508.7).” The Central Corridor LRT project may potentially cause indirect and cumulative effects through improvements to transit service and mobility. It is important to note that transportation improvements are but one of the many factors that influence land use decisions and development patterns. Other factors that influence land use include the supply and demand for developable property, which is a fixed resource, institutional factors such as land use controls (zoning and subdivision regulations for example), and the economic health of the community. For development and redevelopment to occur, demand for developable property, supplies of developable property and institutional requirements must be compatible and must be present at the same time and place. The Central Corridor has demonstrated for the last several years that this is the case—in anticipation of LRT service, redevelopment has already been occurring. The following discussion of indirect and cumulative impacts is based on the information presented in previous sections of this SDEIS, which describe the AA/DEIS LPA and changes that have occurred since the publication of the AA/DEIS, and the impacts that would occur with the Key Project Elements. 9.2 Methodology 9.2.1 Study Area Definition The SDEIS typically uses an area of 0.5 mile on each side of the project alignment to study effects on most resources. The indirect and cumulative impacts analyses, however, require a somewhat broader geographic area to be considered. This allows the indirect effects that occur at a distance from the project and the combined effects of reasonably foreseeable future projects to be considered. These analyses also allow the analyst to take into account political and natural resource boundaries. For this analysis, the study area was expanded to include an area of about a mile on each side of the project alignment. 9.2.2 Time Frame Many of the potential impacts considered in this analysis are related to direct effects of changes to and intensification of, land use and associated infrastructure. Cumulative impacts analysis suggests considering past conditions and activities, present day actions, as well as reasonably foreseeable future changes. Because of the fully developed urban nature of the Central Corridor, this analysis starts with existing conditions, and includes foreseeable developments to the year 2030. The year 2030 represents the current extent of transportation and land use planning in the Twin Cities metropolitan region, as well as available demographic forecasts and analyses. June 2008 9-2 Supplemental DEIS Central Corridor LRT Project Chapter 9 Indirect and Cumulative Impacts 9.2.3 Factors considered The following factors were taken into account in the analysis of the potential for indirect, and especially, cumulative impacts: • Existing condition of each potentially affected resource and how it has been affected by other actions (public or private) described in the previous chapters of the SDEIS • Impacts from the AA/DEIS and the Key Project Elements on the resources described in the previous chapters of the SDEIS • Present actions and reasonably foreseeable future actions and their possible impacts on the resource • Potential for indirect impacts on the resource including special designations or standards that relate to the resource, ongoing regulatory authority, policies and plans that afford some measure of protection to the affected resource, and measures that could avoid or minimize negative effects on the resource • Potential for cumulative impacts on the resource including special designations or standards that relate to the resource, ongoing regulatory authority, policies and plans that afford some measure of protection to the affected resource, and measures that could avoid or minimize negative effects on the resource • Status/viability and historical context of each potentially affected resource and how these may affect the potential for indirect and cumulative impacts 9.2.4 Existing Conditions and Development Trends Much of the Central Corridor is being redeveloped and revitalized with a mix of uses—some of the recent and ongoing development has been done in anticipation of the implementation of the proposed Central Corridor LRT and in accordance with local plans. As a result, in some areas where once there were only cultural, industrial, and institutional uses and buildings, populations of residents and employees mingle in mixed-use neighborhoods. Areas that were never anticipated for residential uses now have numerous multifamily units (condominiums and apartments) in new and redeveloped buildings. Activities in the development and redevelopment sector can be described as infill, intensification of land use, and integration of commercial and residential uses in revitalized neighborhoods. Some vacant lots in commercial districts are being filled with new businesses, some parking lots are being developed into new retail spaces or parks, and new community gathering places, such as the Rondo Community Outreach Library, are bringing new focus to old neighborhoods. The Central Corridor is also the home of “hundreds of nonprofits” Including Minnesota Health and Housing Alliance, YMCA-Midway Branch, HealthEast Foundation, and Children’s Miracle Network of the Upper Midwest. (Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal, January 2008). Since 2000, 12,900 residential units have been completed or are under construction

Load more