INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION PALMDALE TRANSIT AREA SPECIFIC PLAN (Tiered Document to Palmdale TOD Framework Plan Program Environmental Impact Report) SCH NO. 2020080470 Lead Agency City of Palmdale 38250 Sierra Highway Palmdale, CA 93550 Contact: Carlene Saxton, Deputy Director of Economic and Community Development 661.267.5293 Prepared By: Parsons 100 West Walnut Street Pasadena, CA 91124 Contact: Anne Kochaon, QEP, Principal Project Manager Josephine Alido, AICP, Principal Planner October 2020 This page intentionally left blank. City of Palmdale Transit Area Specific Plan Initial Study TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 4 Purpose of the Initial Study ............................................................................................................................. 4 CEQA Compliance ............................................................................................................................................ 6 II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION .................................................................................................................... 9 Location ............................................................................................................................................................ 9 Project Background ......................................................................................................................................... 9 Project Objectives .......................................................................................................................................... 10 Specific Plan Summary .................................................................................................................................. 12 Existing Environment ..................................................................................................................................... 20 Consistency of PTASP and Palmdale TOD Framework ............................................................................... 24 Environmental Review .................................................................................................................................. 25 Public Review of IS/Proposed ND ................................................................................................................. 27 III. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS POTENTIALLY AFFECTED ................................................................... 28 IV. POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ......................................................................................... 30 I. Aesthetics .............................................................................................................................................. 30 II. Agriculture and Forest Resources ........................................................................................................ 34 III. Air Quality .............................................................................................................................................. 36 IV. Biological Resources ............................................................................................................................. 41 V. Cultural Resources ................................................................................................................................ 47 VI. Energy .................................................................................................................................................... 50 VII. Geology and Soils .................................................................................................................................. 52 VIII. Greenhouse Gas Emissions .................................................................................................................. 59 IX. Hazards and Hazardous Materials ....................................................................................................... 61 X. Hydrology and Water Quality .............................................................................................................. 68 XI. Land Use and Planning ......................................................................................................................... 76 XII. Mineral Resources ................................................................................................................................ 81 XIII. Noise ...................................................................................................................................................... 82 XIV. Population and Housing ....................................................................................................................... 86 XV. Public Services ....................................................................................................................................... 89 XVI. Recreation ............................................................................................................................................. 93 XVII. Transportation ...................................................................................................................................... 95 XVIII. Tribal Cultural Resources ...................................................................................................................... 99 XIX. Utilities and Service Systems .............................................................................................................. 101 XX. Wildfire ................................................................................................................................................ 107 XXI. Mandatory Findings of Significance .................................................................................................. 108 V. PUBLIC COMMENTS .................................................................................................................... 111 VI. LIST OF PREPARERS ..................................................................................................................... 112 Consultants .................................................................................................................................................. 112 Persons Consulted ....................................................................................................................................... 112 VII. REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................ 114 APPENDIX A: COMMENTS RECEIVED DURING PUBLIC CIRCULATION PERIOD i City of Palmdale Transit Area Specific Plan Initial Study LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 – Project Location Map ......................................................................................................................... 5 Figure 2 – Proposed PTASP Boundary ................................................................................................................ 8 Figure 3 – PTASP Planning Area ........................................................................................................................ 11 Figure 4 – Urban Design Framework for PTASP Planning Area ...................................................................... 13 Figure 5 – PTASP Regulating Plan...................................................................................................................... 16 Figure 6 – PTASP Street Network Improvements ............................................................................................ 18 Figure 7 – Existing and Proposed Transportation Network within the PTASP .............................................. 19 Figure 8 – Existing Land Use Designations within PTASP Planning Area ........................................................ 21 Figure 9 – Existing Roadway Network around PTASP Planning Area ............................................................. 23 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 – PTASP Development Density/Intensity ............................................................................................ 17 Table 2 – Existing Land Use Designations within PTASP Planning Area ......................................................... 22 Table 3 – Factors Used in Determining PTASP Development Potential by 2045 .......................................... 24 Table 4 – Comparison of Palmdale TOD Framework Plan and PTASP Development Potential by 2035 .... 25 Table 5 – Existing Land Uses .............................................................................................................................. 77 Table 6 – Estimated Future Development under PTASP by 2045 .................................................................. 78 Table 7 – City of Palmdale Comparison with SCAG Projections ..................................................................... 79 ii City of Palmdale Transit Area Specific Plan Initial Study Date: August 26, 2020 Lead Agency: City of Palmdale 38250 Sierra Highway Palmdale, CA 93550 661-267-5200 Project Contact: Carlene Saxton, Deputy Director of Economic and Community Development City of Palmdale Department of Economic and Community Development 38250 Sierra Highway Palmdale, CA 93550 Project Title: Palmdale Transit Area Specific Plan (PTASP) – A Tiered Document to the Palmdale Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Framework Plan Project Location: The 746-acre planning area is bounded