III. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING

Section 15125 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines requires that an EIR include a description of the existing environment. This section is intended to give a general overview of the environmental setting for the Hidden Creeks Estates project. More detailed information on existing conditions is provided under each individual environmental topic studied in Section IV, Environmental Impact Analysis. This section also provides an overview of related projects that are considered as part of the future conditions in evaluating cumulative impacts.

A. OVERVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING

1. Project Site and Surrounding Area

Location

The Hidden Creeks Estates project site is located in the northern part of the at the base of the . The site is bound by the Santa Susana Mountains to the north and east, and the Simi Hills to the west. The site elevation ranges from approximately 1,500 to 2,700 feet above mean sea level as measured from the US Geological Survey 7.5-Minute Oat Mountain Quadrangle Topographic Map (USGS, 1951, revised 1969).

Existing Land Uses

The project site consists of approximately 285 acres of hilly terrain. The site currently contains two ranches: one for cattle and one for horses, and several experimental dwelling units. The Hidden Creeks Ranch has also been occasionally used as a location for the filming of television and movie productions and contains some sets built for filming on the southern end of the ranch. The Hidden Creeks Ranch, one of two ranches on the property, primarily consists of open space and grazing land for cattle. Approximately 40 head of cattle currently use the ranch for grazing. A filming set is located near the southern end of the ranch. Two small cabins, a barn, and other structures are also present on the ranch. The Mountain Meadow Ranch, the second of the two ranches on the project site, boards approximately 80 horses. This 12-acre ranch consists of a ranch house, stables, corals, a barn, and tack sheds. Located south of the two ranches are several unoccupied experimental residential units. The residences were constructed to test the use of Styrofoam as residential insulation.

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County of General Plan Land Use and Zoning Designations

Currently the Hidden Creeks Estates project site is located within an unincorporated area of the County of Los Angeles; therefore, land use is governed by the County of Los Angeles Zoning Ordinance and the County of Los Angeles General Plan. According to the County General Plan, the land use designation for the project site is Non-Urban. According to the County of Los Angeles Zoning Ordinance, the zoning designation for the project site is A-2-1. This zoning designation allows for light and heavy agriculture uses, as well as single family residences, crops, greenhouses, the raising of cattle, horses, sheep, goats, poultry, birds, earthworms, the operation of hospitals, dairies, dog kennels, livestock feed lots, manure spreading, and oil wells.

Surrounding Land Uses

The project site is located adjacent to the City of Los Angeles. Immediately east of the project site is City of Los Angeles land that includes a strip of open space as well as land currently being developed with an additional implementation phase of the Porter Ranch Specific Plan. Further to the east is the community of Porter Ranch. Located immediately north of the project site is additional undeveloped County of Los Angeles land. Further north of the project site are the Santa Susana Mountains. Located west of the project site is the Michael D. Antonovich Regional Park at Joughin Ranch, which is dedicated open space, and beyond the Michael Antonovich Park is the Los Angeles- and additional undeveloped open space. South of the project site is Browns Canyon Road, which provides local access to ranches and equestrian centers within Browns Canyon. Further south of the project site is the Ronald Reagan Freeway (SR-118) and the San Fernando Valley.

Watershed

The project site is located within the Bull Canyon sub-watershed, which is tributary to the Hydrological Unit, which itself is located within the South Coast Hydrologic Region. The size of the watershed is approximately 2,250 acres, or approximately 3.5 square miles. The project site is located near drainage headwaters, where steep, erosional, generally south-draining faces direct water toward the project site.

Topography

Elevations within the Hidden Creeks Estates property range from approximately 2,145 feet above mean sea level in the northernmost extent of the property to 1,350 feet in the southernmost, at the confluence of the Browns Canyon Wash and Mormon Canyon. Topography on the site ranges from rolling hills with slopes of 5 percent or less to steep hillsides and highly eroded streambanks with maximum slopes in

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excess of 60 percent. Erosional surfaces are the major landscape feature found throughout the property. Steep hillsides, naturally erodable and unconsolidated soils, and the long-term impacts of cattle grazing (such as loss of native vegetation, soil compaction, eroded streambanks, decreased rainwater infiltration, and increased overland surface flows) have all resulted in landscape features associated with high levels of erosion. These features include slumped hillsides, a number of ephemeral washes, and the formation of deeply eroded gullies with concomitant soil and vegetation loss.

Hydrology

Water is the driving force in creating and sustaining stream habitat and riparian vegetation. Apart from the two primary channels of Mormon Canyon and Browns Canyon Wash, the dominant water sources for the project site are surface and subsurface flows originating within the boundary of the project site. Additional water sources include runoff from the Santa Susana Mountains to the north, most notably within the Mormon Canyon and Browns Canyon Wash channels. In general, directional flows are oriented to the south.

The project site is located in two distinct watersheds: Mormon Canyon to the east and Browns Canyon Wash to the west. The eastern half of the project site contains the upper headwaters of three tributaries to Mormon Canyon, as well as three segments of the mainstem of Mormon Canyon. The western half of the project site contains one tributary to Browns Canyon Wash and two segments of the mainstem of Browns Canyon Wash. Additionally, the project site contains the confluence of the two main streams where Mormon Canyon enters Browns Canyon Wash. The upstream reaches of both Mormon Canyon and Browns Canyon Wash are located off the project site to the northeast and northwest respectively.

The dominant hydrologic feature on the project site is gently to steeply eroded ephemeral washes tributary to the two primary channels. In general, erosional forces within the tributaries steadily increase moving downstream, and then decrease prior to entering the main channels. Both Browns Canyon Wash and Mormon Canyon flow through steep-walled canyons upstream and north of their convergence at the southernmost edge of the project site. Other hydrologic features on the project site include a limited number of flat and depressed areas that contain vegetative and hydrologic characteristics associated with both seasonal and permanent wetlands.

Soils

Soils within the property boundary, as mapped by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), are Balcom and Gazos series silty clay loam with slopes between 15 and 50 percent. Additionally, a small distribution of Lopez series shaley clay loam with slopes of 30 to 50 percent exist outside the property boundary, but within an area of interest.

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Biological Resources

Vegetation

The combination of topography, hydrology, and land use dictates the extent and type of vegetative communities found on the project site; specifically, vegetative types are largely determined by relative slope, the location of surface and subsurface flows, and the presence/absence of cattle grazing. A total of 14 plant communities have been identified on the project site. These include non-native grassland, mixed sage scrub, coastal sage chaparral scrub, California sagebrush scrub, chamise chaparral, coast live oak woodland, California walnut woodland, mixed California walnut-coast live oak woodland, mixed willow riparian woodland, mixed coast live oak-willow riparian woodland, mulefat scrub, tamarisk scrub, bulrush-cattail wetland, and disturbed areas that have been built upon, mowed, or plowed.

Upland Vegetation

The vast majority of the project site is comprised of upland vegetative communities. In general, on-site upland vegetation can be divided into two categories: vegetation readily accessed by cattle and thus impacted by grazing; and inaccessible vegetation that exhibits little to no grazing impacts. Areas heavily grazed include easily accessed, gentle- to medium-sloped hillsides, ridges, and plateaus. Non-native grassland dominates these areas. Areas marginally impacted by grazing include dry, steep hillsides in which sparse groundcover and the lack of regular grazing allow native vegetation to persist. In general, somewhat disturbed scrub communities, including mixed sage scrub, coastal sage chaparral scrub, California sagebrush scrub, and chamise chaparral comprise these areas. Vegetation in such areas exhibits signs of disturbance, including spaced shrubs with non-native grasses growing in the understory, but still contains the plants that comprise the named scrub communities. Upland areas not impacted by grazing include remote canyons and ravines with especially steep slopes in which native vegetation was never supplanted by introduced grasses. These areas include mixed sage scrub and coastal sage chaparral scrub. In addition to the scrub communities found in upland areas on the project site, coast live oak woodland, California walnut woodland, mixed California walnut-coast live oak woodland, mixed mulefat scrub, tamarisk scrub, and disturbed vegetation communities are found within upland areas. The mulefat scrub occurs where disturbance has created habitat for this disturbance-loving species, and the tamarisk scrub and disturbed vegetation communities are found where human disturbance (including the planting of non-native plant species) has altered the natural landscape.

Riparian and Wetland Vegetation

Of the 14 plant communities on the project site, mixed willow riparian woodland and mixed coast live oak-willow riparian woodland are associated with stream channels and riparian corridors. In addition,

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bulrush-cattail wetland vegetation community occurs in wetland areas on the project site and associated impact areas. The locations, characteristics, and extent of these plant communities within the project site are discussed in detail in Section IV.C, Biological Resources.

Fauna

Many wildlife species or evidence of species were observed on the Hidden Creeks project site during reconnaissance and focused field surveys. In addition to those species observed on the site, it is surmised that many other wildlife species, which are known to occur in the project area in habitat similar to that found on site, also occur there. More information about fauna occurring on the project site is discussed in Section IV.C, Biological Resources.

Amphibians

Amphibians require high moisture (either standing or flowing water or high soil moisture) for at least part of their life cycle. The Hidden Creeks project site provides perennial water in Browns Canyon and Mormon Canyon drainages, as well as in tributaries and bulrush-cattail wetland habitat. Naturally occurring sulfur in the upper portion of Mormon Canyon drainage inhibits most aquatic life and makes the water unsuitable for amphibians. However, Browns Canyon drainage, on-site tributaries, and the two wetlands provide suitable habitat for some amphibian species. Two amphibian species were observed during field surveys conducted on the project site, Pacific chorus frog (Pseudacris regilla) and western toad (Bufo boreas). In addition, based on knowledge of the project region and reports of common amphibian species located on near-by project sites, it is likely that several other common amphibian species also occur within on-site drainage or wetland habitat, including Pacific slender salamander (Batrachoseps pacificus), ensatina salamander (Ensatina eschscholtzii), arboreal salamander (Aneides lugubris), and black- bellied salamander (Batrachoseps nigriventris).

Reptiles

A high number of species are commonly found in the project area, and are adapted to the scrub, chaparral, grassland, and woodland plant communities found on site. Several reptile species were observed on site, including: western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis), side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana), gopher (Pituophis catenifer), and southwestern rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis helleri). In addition, it is likely that the following common reptile species occur within on-site plant communities: common kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulus), coachwhip ( flagellum), California whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis), night snake (Hypsiglena torquata), southern alligator lizard (Gerrhonotus multicarinatus), western skink (Eumeces skiltonianus), and western whiptail (Cnemidophorus tigris).

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Birds

Birds were the most abundant wildlife group observed on site, occurring in each habitat type. The following common bird species were observed on the project site during reconnaissance surveys conducted by Impact Sciences and/or during gnatcatcher presence/absence surveys conducted by Dave Crawford of Compliance Biology: turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), California quail (Callipepla californica), mourning dove (Zenaida macroura), barn owl (Tyto alba), white- throated swift (Aeronautes saxatalis), black-chinned hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri), Anna’s hummingbird (Calypte anna), acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus), Nuttall’s woodpecker (Picoides nuttallii), northern flicker (Colaptes auratus), black phoebe (Sayornis nigricans), Say’s phoebe (Sayornis saya), western kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis), violet-green swallow (Tachycineta thalassina), northern rough- winged swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis), cliff swallow (Hirundo pyrrhonota), barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), western scrub jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens), American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos), common raven (Coruvs corax), bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus), Bewick’s wren (Thryomanes bewickii), American robin (Turdus migratorius), wrentit (Chamaea fasciata), northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos), phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens), European starling (Sturnus vulgaris), spotted towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus), California towhee (Pipilo crissalis), chipping sparrow (Spizella passerina), white-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys), Brewer’s blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus), Bullock’s oriole (Icterus bullockii), brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater), house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus), lesser goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria), and house sparrow (Passer domestics). In addition to those birds observed on the project site, many other bird species are expected to utilize the site, either year-round, or at some point in their annual cycle.

Mammals

Mammal species observed during field surveys include the following: desert cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii), brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmanni), Botta’s pocket gopher (Thomomys bottae), California ground squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi), coyote (Canis latrans), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). The nest of dusk-footed wood rat (Neotoma fuscipes) was observed on site. Due to its location and on-site vegetation communities, it is also expected that the project site would provide habitat for many other mammal species known to occur in the project region.

Access

Regional access is provided to the project site from the Ronald Reagan Freeway (Highway 118), an east- west freeway, and from the San Diego Freeway (I-405), a north-south freeway. Local access to the project

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site is provided via Browns Canyon Road, located north of Highway 118 and west of the existing Porter Ranch community.

Transportation

The project site is located in Browns Canyon to the north and west of the Porter Ranch Community. The Porter Ranch area is currently served by a network of streets and highways providing local circulation and access to the developed area to the east and south. This street system is only partially completed north of State Route 118 (SR-118), which is also known as the Ronald Reagan Freeway. Within the Porter Ranch Specific Plan area, a system of interior secondary and major highways will be constructed as extensions of existing thoroughfares. These streets will be in addition to an extensive network of local and collector streets to be built throughout the project area. Each of these is discussed in more detail in Section IV.L, Transportation, of this Draft EIR.

Public Services and Utility Systems

Police Protection

The Hidden Creeks Estates project site is located within the unincorporated portion of Los Angeles County. Therefore, police protection for the Hidden Creeks Estates project site is currently provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff. Upon annexation of the project site into the City of Los Angeles, police protection services would be provided by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).

Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services

The Hidden Creeks Estates project site is located within the unincorporated portion of Los Angeles County. Therefore, fire protection for the Hidden Creeks Estates project site is currently provided by the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Upon annexation of the project site into the City of Los Angeles, fire protection and emergency medical services would be provided by the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).

Schools

The Hidden Creeks Estates project site is located within the unincorporated portion of Los Angeles County. Currently, the project site is served by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Upon annexation of the project site into the City of Los Angeles, LAUSD would continue to be the school district serving the site.

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Recreation and Parks

The Hidden Creeks Estates project site is located within the unincorporated portion of Los Angeles County. Four public parks operated by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation of Parks are located within 2 miles of the project site. These four parks and other facilities in the project vicinity feature equestrian and hiking trails.

Libraries

The Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) system maintains libraries and provides library services within the City of Los Angeles. Library usage is available to City and non-City residents. The Hidden Creeks Estates project is located within the Chatsworth-Porter Ranch area of Los Angeles and would be served by the Porter Ranch Branch Library. The 12,300-square-foot library contains 65,500 volumes and is staffed by five librarians. The Chatsworth Branch Library is also located near the project site. This 12,500-square-foot library features 50,000 volumes, six full-time and six part-time staff members, and 30 public computers.

Water

No water service provider or conveyance infrastructure currently serves the project site. The water needs of the former uses on the property have been met by two on-site wells, which produce a total of 80 gallons per minute. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) would be the water provider for the project upon annexation to the City of Los Angeles. Infrastructure maintained by LADWP currently exists in the vicinity of the project site in the Porter Ranch area. The three primary sources of water for the City of Los Angeles are the Los Angeles Aqueduct, groundwater, and purchases from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD).

Wastewater

No wastewater service provider or sewage conveyance infrastructure currently serves the project site. The City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works (LADPW), Bureau of Sanitation would provide wastewater services to the project site upon annexation to the City of Los Angeles. Infrastructure maintained by LADPW, Bureau of Sanitation currently exists in the vicinity of the project site in the Porter Ranch area. Hyperion Treatment Plant (HTP) treats most wastewater generated by the City of Los Angeles and is currently operating at approximately 110 million gallons per day below capacity.

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Solid Waste

No municipal solid waste collection service is currently provided to the project site. The City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works (LADPW), Bureau of Sanitation would provide weekly curbside collection and other special disposal services to the project site upon annexation to the City of Los Angeles. LADPW, Bureau of Sanitation currently serves residences in the project vicinity in the Porter Ranch area. The City of Los Angeles deposits waste into several landfills located within and outside the City limits and has been diverting at least 60 percent of its waste from landfills in recent years.

Energy

No power or natural gas providers currently serve the project site. Additionally, no conveyance infrastructure currently exists on the project site. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and the Gas Company (the Gas Company) would provide electricity service and natural gas service, respectively, to the project site upon annexation to the City of Los Angeles. LADWP and the Gas Company currently serve residences in the vicinity of the project site in the Porter Ranch area.

Scenic and Visual Resources

Scenic Highways

The City of Los Angeles has designated several scenic highways within the Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community Plan Area. Scenic roadways north of the SR-118 Freeway include Mason Avenue, Sesnon Boulevard, Porter Ranch Drive, Tampa Avenue, Corbin Avenue, Reseda Boulevard, and Rinaldi Street. Scenic highways south of the SR-118 Freeway are Tampa Avenue until Devonshire Street, De Soto Avenue until Rinaldi Street, Rinaldi Street between Canoga Avenue and De Soto Avenue, the Santa Susana Pass Road, Lassen Street west of Topanga Canyon Boulevard, and Plummer Street/Valley Circle Boulevard west of Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Additionally, the SR-118 Freeway is a Scenic Freeway.

Recreational Hiking and Equestrian Trails

Several hiking and equestrian trails are located to the north, west, and east of the project site. The Michael D. Antonovich Regional Park at Joughin Ranch, featuring several hiking trails, is adjacent to the project site to the west. Additionally, the site is potentially visible to trails across the San Fernando Valley, especially those within the Santa Monica Mountains, which contain scenic vistas of the Valley and the Santa Susana Mountains.

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2. Plans and Policies

The following presents an overview of the regulatory framework applicable to the project site. A review of the consistency of the project with these location and regional plans is included in Section IV, Environmental Impact Analysis.

County of Los Angeles General Plan

The project site is currently located on unincorporated land within the County of Los Angeles; however, the project is applying for annexation to the City of Los Angeles. The County of Los Angeles General Plan (County General Plan) serves as the blueprint for growth and development within the unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County. The County General Plan provides goals, objectives, and implementation policies only for the unincorporated areas; it has no jurisdiction over the 88 incorporated cities located within the County. The County General Plan also maintains 13 local plans that provide specific land use policies for certain unincorporated sections. These local plans are classified as Area Plans, Community Plans, or Coastal Zone Plans; the project site is not located within the boundaries of a local plan.

The currently adopted County General Plan consists of 10 elements: General Goals and Policies, Land Use, Transportation, Housing, Conservation/Open Space, Noise, Safety, Water and Waste Management, Economic Development, and Scenic Highways. The general goals are:

 Full and equal opportunity, including eradicating housing and job discrimination, emphasizing the location of low and moderate income housing, promoting diversity in housing type, and providing an adequate supply of housing;

 Conservation of resources and environmental protection, including preserving cultural resources, avoiding development in severe natural hazard areas, protecting areas with significant natural resources and scenic values, conserving energy, water supply and water quality, promoting recycling and reuse of materials, and ensuring that development in non-urban areas is compatible with rural lifestyles; and

 Revitalization of urban areas, including reversing population loss in older urban areas, maintaining sound existing development, preserving areas of urban design significance, developing an improved public transportation system, and fostering rehabilitation rather than replacement of housing units where economically feasible.

City of Los Angeles General Plan

Adopted in 1996, the City of Los Angeles General Plan Framework Element presents the long-range, comprehensive growth strategy and provides a Citywide context within which local planning can take place. The City’s General Plan Land Use Element is composed of community plans that establish land

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use policy and standards for each of the 30 community planning areas. The project site is currently located within the County of Los Angeles; however, upon annexation of the site into the City of Los Angeles, the project site would lie within the Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community Plan Area. The Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community Plan Area is surrounded by County of Los Angeles land to the north and west, the Northridge Community Plan Area to the east, and the Canoga Park-West Hills- Winnetka-Woodland Hills Community Plan Area to the south.

Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community Plan

As discussed above, upon annexation of the project site into the City of Los Angeles, the site would lie within the Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community Plan Area. The Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community Plan Area is located in the most northwestern portion of the City of Los Angeles. The general boundaries of the Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community Plan Area are the city limit line on the north and west, Roscoe Boulevard to the south, Tampa Boulevard to the east until SR-118, and then undeveloped County of Los Angeles land to the northeast.

The Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community Plan is the official guide to land use planning and future development within the Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community Plan Area and implements the Land Use Element for the City’s General Plan. The Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community Plan promotes an arrangement of land use, infrastructure, and services intended to enhance the economic, social, and physical health, safety, welfare, and convenience of the people who live, work, and invest in the community. By serving to guide development, the plan encourages progress and change within the community to meet anticipated needs and circumstances, promotes balanced growth, builds on economic strengths and opportunities while protecting the physical, economic, and social investments in the community to the extent reasonable and feasible.

The Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community Plan was developed to provide a vision for the Chatsworth- Porter Ranch Community Plan Area in an effort:

 To coordinate the development of the Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community with that of other parts of the City of Los Angeles;

 To designate lands in quantities and at densities, at appropriate locations, for the various private uses; and to designate the need for public facilities and the general locations thereof, as required to accommodate population and activities projected to the year 2010;

 To make provisions for the housing required to satisfy the varying needs and desires of all economic segments of the Community, maximizing the opportunity for individual choice;

 To encourage the preservation and enhancement of the varied and distinctive residential character of the Community. In hillside residential areas to: (a) minimize grading so as to retain

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the natural terrain and ecological balance; (b) provide a standard of land use intensity and population density which will be compatible with street capacity, public service facilities and utilities, and topography and in coordination with development in the remainder of the City;

 To promote economic well-being and public convenience through: (a) allocating and distributing commercial lands for retail, service, and other facilities in quantities and patterns based on Los Angeles City Planning Department accepted planning principles and standards; and (b) designating lands for industrial development that can be used without detriment to adjacent uses of other types, and imposing such restrictions on the types and intensities of industrial uses as are necessary to this purpose;

 To provide a basis for the location and programming of public services and utilities and to coordinate the phasing of public facilities with private development;

 To make provisions for a circulation system coordinated with land uses and densities and adequate to accommodate traffic; and to encourage the expansion and improvement of public transportation service;

 To encourage open space for recreational uses, and to promote the preservation of views, natural character and topography of mountainous parts of the Community for the enjoyment of both local residents and persons throughout the Los Angeles region;

 To improve jobs/housing balance in the Community by providing more affordable housing opportunities for employees currently working in the Community's industrial areas;

 To provide design guidelines and/or objectives for development;

 To improve vehicular circulation patterns within the Community and encourage specific improvements to key streets, highways, and intersections to improve the flow of traffic and accommodate future demand;

 To address noise and air quality impacts and the potential for a diminished quality of life experienced by residents and others as a result of future build-out permitted under the 1974 District Plan;

 To provide for the identification and preservation of cultural and historical monuments located within the Community;

 To further define the link between the Chatsworth Reservoir, wildlife corridors, and the community by identifying natural wildlife habitats, migration paths, and archaeological/paleontological sites and planning for their preservation;

 To develop and maintain equestrian trails, linkages, and bicycle routes within the Community; and

 To study and evaluate existing and future drainage conditions below the Simi Valley-San Fernando Valley Freeway.

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City of Los Angeles Municipal Code

Upon annexation of the project site into the City of Los Angeles, the site would be subject to the provisions of the City of Los Angeles Municipal Code, particularly the planning and zoning provisions of Chapter 1. The Los Angeles Zoning Code is the primary tool for implementing the General Plan Land Use Element. For each defined zone, the ordinance identifies permitted uses and applicable development standards for characteristics of development, such as density, height, parking and landscaping requirements.

SCAG Regional Comprehensive Plan and Guide

The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for the Southern California region. The project site is within the six-County jurisdiction of SCAG, which includes portions of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, and Imperial Counties.

To coordinate regional planning efforts, SCAG has prepared the Regional Comprehensive Plan and Guide (RCPG). The RCPG is a comprehensive document intended to serve the SCAG region as a framework for decision-making for the next 20 years. The plan includes broad goals for the region and identifies strategies designed to guide local decision-making. The Growth Management Chapter of the RCPG focuses on the relationship of land use patterns and transportation in the region. This chapter provides guidelines for development in relation to growth and land use issues.

Employment, housing, and population forecasts are included for each sub-region within the RCPG. These forecasts provide parameters for the development of the Regional Mobility Element. The Regional Mobility Element links the goal of sustaining mobility with the goals of fostering economic development, enhancing the environment, reducing energy consumption, promoting transportation-friendly development patterns, and encouraging fair and equitable access to residents affected by socio-economic, geographic, and commercial limitations.

SCAG Regional Transportation Plan

In addition to the RCPG, SCAG has prepared the 2001 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). The RTP is a 20-year transportation plan that envisions a future multi-modal transportation system for the region. In compliance with state and federal requirements, SCAG prepares the Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP) to implement projects and programs listed in the RTP. Updated every other year, the RTIP includes a listing of all transportation capital projects proposed for the region over a six-year horizon.

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Los Angeles County Congestion Management Plan

Los Angeles is one of 32 “urbanized” counties in California required by state statute to develop a Congestion Management Program (CMP). The Los Angeles County CMP also meets the federal requirements for a Congestion Management System (CMS) pursuant to the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA). The MTA is the designated Congestion Management Agency for Los Angeles County. The CMP not only addresses regional congestion, but also supports efforts to improve air quality. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) is consulted to ensure that the CMP is developed in accordance with the region’s air quality goals. The CMP provides an opportunity to coordinate transportation control measures (TCM) with the SCAQMD’s Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP). Increased mobility and reduced congestion also serve the goal of benefiting the local economy. Moreover, the CMP contains specific provisions to pursue economic development opportunities while managing congestion. The closest CMP intersection to the project site is Topanga Canyon Boulevard at the SR-118 westbound ramps.

South Coast Air Quality Management Plan

The Hidden Creeks Estates project site is located within the jurisdiction of the SCAQMD. In 2003, the SCAQMD adopted a new AQMP to accommodate growth, to reduce levels of pollutants within the air basin, and to return clean air to the region while maintaining a healthy economy. Projects that are considered to be consistent with the AQMP would not interfere with attainment because this growth is included in the projections utilized in the formulation of the AQMP. Therefore, projects, uses, and activities that are consistent with the applicable assumptions used in the development of the AQMP would not jeopardize attainment of the air quality levels identified in the AQMP, even if they exceed the SCAQMD’s recommended daily emissions thresholds.

Los Angeles Basin Regional Water Quality Control Plan

The project site is located within the 414-square-mile Santa Monica Bay Water Management Area (WMA). The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (LARWQCB) protects ground and surface water quality in the Los Angeles Region, including the coastal watersheds of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. The LARWQCB has adopted a Water Quality Control Plan for the Los Angeles Basin as a resource, information source and implementation tool for preserving and enhancing water quality in the region. This document designates beneficial uses of water bodies, sets water quality objectives to protect those uses, addresses localized water quality problems and sets forth a plan to protect water quality. General discharge permits issued by the LARWQCB under the Basin Plan are used to regulate polluted storm water runoff, treated groundwater, non-hazardous soil disposal and other discharges.

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B. RELATED PROJECTS

The analysis contained in Section IV of this EIR examines both project-specific impacts and the potential environmental effects associated with cumulative development. CEQA requires that an EIR evaluate cumulative impacts. CEQA Guidelines, Section 15355, defines “cumulative impacts” in part as “two or more individual effects which, when considered together, are considerable or which compound or increase other environmental impacts.” Section 15130(b)(1) states that cumulative impact analysis should be based on either a list of past, present and probable future projects or a summary of projections contained in an adopted General Plan or related document. The selection of methodology is dependent on the appropriateness and availability of the data. When assessing cumulative impacts upon broad regional issues, such as air quality, the analysis takes into consideration projections of cumulative growth that are contained in adopted planning documents of the City, SCAG, or the SCAQMD. Conversely, the analysis of the cumulative effects of localized impacts focuses on a list of related projects in the project vicinity.

A list of potential projects in the project vicinity that might be developed within the study time frame was compiled based on information currently available from the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) and the County of Los Angeles Department of Regional Planning (DRP). The list is presented as Table III-1, Related Projects – Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community Plan Area and Unincorporated Chatsworth Area. Both the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County were asked to identify pending or approved future developments within the vicinity of the proposed project site. The following Community Plan Areas within the City of Los Angeles were considered for the identification of related projects: Chatsworth-Porter Ranch; Canoga Park-West Hills-Winnetka-Woodland Hills; Northridge; and Reseda-West . The LADOT identified one related project located at 11700 Corbin Avenue (see Table III-1, Map No. 6), which is within the Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community Plan Area. Additionally, the buildout of the Porter Ranch Specific Plan (Map No. 7), which would introduce 2,195 single-family residences adjacent to the project site, and a residential development at Dayton Canyon (Map No. 5), which would introduce 150 single-family residences, are included as related projects within the City.

For consideration of related projects within Los Angeles County, the DRP recommended that related projects within the Chatsworth District be identified in order to include projects on unincorporated County land. Projects identified within the Chatsworth District are presented in Table III-1 (Map Nos. 1- 4). The locations of the projects relative to the proposed project site are shown in Figure III-1, Related Projects – Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community Plan Area and Unincorporated Chatsworth Area. This list of projects accurately reflects the related project proposals at the time of preparation of this document and is limited in detail to the information that was made available by the reporting agencies.

Impact Sciences, Inc. III-15 Hidden Creeks Estates Draft EIR 860.01 April 2008 III. Environmental Setting

Table III-1 Related Projects – Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community Plan Area1 and Unincorporated Chatsworth Area2

Map Net Change No. Location (Address) in Size Description 1 11211 Iverson Road 52.0 du Single-familyresidenceson52acres 2 Woolsey Canyon Road East of Ventura County Line 4.0 du Single-familyresidenceson23acres 3 24303WoolseyCanyonRoad 15.0 du Single-familyresidenceson11.26acres 4 Deerlake Ranch 388 du Single-familyresidences 5 Dayton Canyon 150 du Single-familyresidences 6 11700 Corbin Avenue 653 du Single-familyresidences 7 PorterRanchSpecificPlanArea 1,698 du Single-familyresidences

1 Email correspondence with Ken Aitchinson, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Valley Development Review, February 5, 2007. 2 Written communication from the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning, January 23, 2007.

Impact Sciences, Inc. III-16 Hidden Creeks Estates Draft EIR 860.01 April 2008 Map No. Location (Address) 1 11211 Iverson Road 2 Woolsey Canyon Road East of Ventura County Line 3 24303 Woolsey Canyon Road 4 11700 Corbin Avenue

Project Site

7

4 6

LIFORN CA IA 1 118

2 3

5

Map No. Location (Address) Map No. Location (Address)

1 11211 Iverson Road 5 Dayton Canyon 2 Woolsey Canyon Road East of Ventura County Line 6 11700 Corbin Avenue 3 24303 Woolsey Canyon Road 7 Porter Ranch Specific Plan Area n NOT TO SCALE 4 Deerlake Ranch

SOURCE: Google Earth, Impact Sciences, Inc. – April 2007 FIGURE III-1 Related Projects - Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community Plan Area and Unicorporated Chatsworth Area

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