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Meadow Farms ADA Project Inyo County, California DISTRICT 9 – INY – 395 (PM 117.3-117.9) 09-36680/0916000021 Initial Study with Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration / Environmental Assessment Prepared by the State of California, Department of Transportation The environmental review, consultation, and any other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by Caltrans pursuant to 23 USC 327 and the Memorandum of Understanding dated December 23, 2016, and executed by FHWA and Caltrans. April 2020 General Information about This Document What’s in this document: The California Department of Transportation (Department), as assigned by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), has prepared this Initial Study/Environmental Assessment (IS/EA), which examines the potential environmental impacts of the alternatives being considered for the proposed project located in Inyo County, California. The Department is the lead agency under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Department is the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The document tells you why the project is being proposed, what alternatives we have considered for the project, how the existing environment could be affected by the project, the potential impacts of each of the alternatives, and the proposed avoidance, minimization, and/or mitigation measures. What you should do: • Please read this document. • Additional copies of this document and the related technical studies are available for review at the Caltrans District 9 office located at 500 S. Main Street, Bishop, CA 93514. This document may be downloaded at the following website: https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-9 • We’d like to hear what you think. If you have any comments about the proposed project or would like to request a public meeting, please send your written comments or request via postal mail or email to the Department by the deadline. • Send comments via postal mail to: Angela Calloway, Environmental Branch Chief, Attention: Bradley Bowers Department of Transportation, Environmental Analysis 500 S. Main Street, Bishop, CA 93514 • Send comments via email to: [email protected] • Be sure to send comments by the deadline: May 16, 2020. What happens next: After comments are received from the public and reviewing agencies, the Department, as assigned by the FHWA, may: (1) give environmental approval to the proposed project, (2) do additional environmental studies, or (3) abandon the project. If the project is given environmental approval and funding is obtained, the Department could design and construct all or part of the project. Alternative Formats: For individuals with sensory disabilities, this document can be made available in Braille, in large print, on audiocassette, or on computer disk. To obtain a copy in one of these alternate formats, please call or write to Department of Transportation, Attn: Florene Trainor, Public Information Officer, 500 South Main Street, Bishop CA 93513; (760) 872-0601 (Voice) or use the California Relay Service 1 (800) 735-2929 (TTY), 1 (800) 735-2929 (Voice) or 711. 2 3 PROPOSED MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION Pursuant to: Division 13, Public Resources Code Project Description In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the California Government Code Sections 4450 et seq., the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) proposes to upgrade pedestrian facilities to comply with State pedestrian accesibility design standards. The scope of the project includes upgrading non-standard curb ramps, driveways, pedestrian push buttons, restriping pavement markings, relocating traffic signals and masts, and constructing new pedestrian and bicycle facilities on both sides of U.S. Highway 395 between North See Vee Lane (postmile 117.3) and North Barlow Lane (postmile 117.8). Determination This proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) is included to give notice to interested agencies and the public that it is the Department’s intent to adopt an MND for this project. This does not mean that the Department’s decision regarding the project is final. This MND is subject to change based on comments received by interested agencies and the public. The Department has prepared an Initial Study for this project and, pending public review, expects to determine from this study that the proposed project would not have a significant effect on the environment for the following reasons: The proposed project would have no effect on Agriculture, Air Quality, Energy, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Land Use, Mineral Resources, Population and Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Transportation, Tribal Resources, and Wildfire. In addition, the proposed project would have less than significant effects on Aesthetics, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Geology, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Hydrology, Noise, Utilities, and the Human Environment (Community Impacts; Alternative 1 only). With the following mitigation measures incorporated, the proposed project would have less than significant effects on the Human Environment (Community Impacts; Alternative 2 only). COM-2: Alternative 2 proposes to purchase and develop an off-street parking area to replace the loss of parking spaces. ________________________________ ______________________ Ryan Dermody Date Deputy District Director Planning and Environmental Analysis District 9 California Department of Transportation 4 Table of Contents PROPOSED MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION 4 LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES 6 Introduction 8 Project Description 11 Alternatives 12 Permits and Approvals Needed 21 CHAPTER 2 – AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES, AND AVOIDANCE, MINIMIZATION, AND/OR MITIGATION MEASURES 22 Topics Considered but Determined Not to be Relevant 22 Human Environment 26 Existing and Future Land Use 26 Consistency with State, Regional, and Local Plans and Programs 32 Environmental Justice 43 Traffic and Transportation/Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities 48 Access and Circulation 48 Cultural Resources 71 Physical Environment 76 Hazardous Waste/Materials 76 Biological Environment 81 Wetlands And Other Waters 81 Animal Species 89 CHAPTER 3 – CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) EVALUATION 92 Determining Significance under CEQA 92 CEQA Environmental Checklist 93 Climate Change 122 CHAPTER 4 – COMMENTS AND COORDINATION 135 CHAPTER 5 – LIST OF PREPARERS 136 APPENDICES 137 5 APPENDIX B. TITLE VI POLICY STATEMENT 138 APPENDIX C. ALQUIST-PRIOLO EARTHQUAKE HAZARD MAP 139 APPENDIX D. LAHONTAN REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD LETTER FOR 2319 NORTH SIERRA HIGHWAY (NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED) 140 APPENDIX E. AVOIDANCE, MINIMIZATION AND/OR MITIGATION SUMMARY 147 List of Tables and Figures FIGURE 1 - PROJECT VICINITY MAP, COUNTY. 9 FIGURE 2 - PROJECT VICINITY MAP, CITY. 10 FIGURE 3 - PROJECT VICINITY MAP, COMMUNITY. PROPOSED PROJECT LIMITS EXTEND ON U.S. 395 (NORTH SIERRA HIGHWAY) FROM POSTMILE 117.3 (PIN #1) TO 117.8 (PIN #2) 10 FIGURE 4 - SIDEWALK GAPS ON NORTH (RIGHT) AND SOUTHBOUND SIDES OF U.S. 395 AT BISHOP CREEK BRIDGE.12 FIGURE 5 - APPROXIMATE LOCATION OF PROPOSED EASTERN SIERRA TRANSIT BUS TURNOUT ON NORTH SIERRA HIGHWAY. 13 FIGURE 6 - ALTERNATIVE 1 CONCEPTUAL CROSS-SECTION 15 FIGURE 7 - ALTERNATIVE 2 CONCEPTUAL CROSS-SECTION 16 FIGURE 8 - PROPOSED PUBLIC PARKING AREA #1; LOCATED ON NORTHBOUND U.S. 395 NEAR MAHOGANY SMOKED MEATS 16 FIGURE 9 - PROPOSED PUBLIC PARKING AREA #2; LOCATED ON SOUTHBOUND U.S. 395 BETWEEN WAVE RAVE OUTLET AND PETITE PANTRY 17 FIGURE 10 - PROJECT LOCATION MAP WITH CITY, COUNTY, AND TRIBAL BOUNDARIES 27 FIGURE 11 - END OF EXISTING BICYCLE LANE AT NORTH SEE VEE LANE. BOTH ALTERNATIVES WOULD EXTEND THE PAINTED BICYCLE LANES TO NORTH BARLOW LANE. 33 FIGURE 12 - PROJECT AREA LAND USE MAP 35 FIGURE 13 - PROJECT AREA COUNTY ZONING MAP 36 FIGURE 14 - CENSUS TRACTS NEAR PROPOSED PROJECT AREA 45 FIGURE 15 - ON-STREET PARKING SURVEY AREAS ON NORTH (N#) AND SOUTH (S#) SIDES OF U.S. 395 51 FIGURE 16 - OFF-STREET PARKING SURVEY AREAS 52 FIGURE 17 - MAXIMUM NUMBER OF ON-STREET PARKING SPACES USED (NORTHBOUND US 395) 53 FIGURE 18 - MAXIMUM NUMBER OF ON-STREET PARKING SPACES USED (SOUTHBOUND US 395) 54 FIGURE 19 - MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES USED; OFF-STREET PARKING LOTS 55 FIGURE 20 - MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES USED; OFF-STREET PARKING LOTS 55 FIGURE 21 - MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES USED; OFF-STREET PARKING LOTS 56 FIGURE 22 - MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES USED; OFF-STREET PARKING LOTS 56 FIGURE 23 - MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES USED; OFF-STREET PARKING LOTS 57 FIGURE 24 - MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES USED; OFF-STREET PARKING LOTS 57 25 - POTENTIAL PARKING CHANGES FOR ALTERNATIVE 1 (1/2) 63 26 - POTENTIAL PARKING CHANGES FOR ALTERNATIVE 1 (2/2) 64 FIGURE 27 - POTENTIAL PARKING CHANGES FOR ALTERNATIVE 2 (1/2) 66 FIGURE 28 - POTENTIAL PARKING CHANGES FOR ALTERNATIVE 2 (2/2) 67 FIGURE 29 - POTENTIAL OFF-STREET PARKING AREA #1 (BLUE STAR) 2319 NORTH SIERRA HIGHWAY 68 FIGURE 30 - POTENTIAL OFF-SITE PARKING AREA #2 (YELLOW STAR) 2320 NORTH SIERRA HIGHWAY 69 FIGURE 31 - MAP OF FORMER EXXON GAS STATION WITHIN POTENTIAL OFF-STREET PARKING LOT 1 MITIGATION SITE (ALTERNATIVE 2). MAP FROM LAHONTAN WATER BOARD SITE ASSESSMENT CASE #6B1400776T 77 FIGURE 32 - STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD GEOTRACKER DATABASE MAP SEARCH RESULTS FOR MEADOW FARMS PROJECT AREA (MARCH 2020) 79 FIGURE 33 - AQUATIC RESOURCES IN PROJECT VICINITY; OVERVIEW 83 6 FIGURE 34 - AQUATIC