DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (SCH # 2010111094) FOR THE CITY OF LA QUINTA GENERAL PLAN Prepared For City of La Quinta 78-495 Calle Tampico La Quinta, CA 92253 Prepared By Terra Nova Planning & Research, Inc.® 42635 Melanie Place, Suite 101 Palm Desert, CA 92211 July 2012 Terra Nova/La Quinta General Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report Table of Contents Table of Contents List of Exhibits iv List of Tables v List of Appendices vii Environmental Summary Matrix M-1 I. INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT DESCRIPTION I-1 A. Lead Agency I-1 B. Introduction I-1 C. Document Organization I-2 D. CEQA And Other Requirements I-2 E. Project Location And Description I-4 F. Statistical Summary: General Plan Land Use I-15 II. REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING II-1 A. Aesthetics II-1 B. Agriculture Resources II-2 C. Air Quality And Greenhouse Gasses II-3 D. Climate II-4 E. Biological Resources II-5 F. Cultural Resources II-6 G. Geology And Soils II-7 H. Topography II-8 I. Hazards And Hazardous Materials II-11 J. Hydrology And Water Quality II-11 K. Existing Land Use II-14 L. Surrounding Land Use II-16 M. Mineral Resources II-17 N. Noise II-17 O. Population And Housing II-18 P. Public Services And Utilities II-19 Q. Recreation II-23 R. Transportation/Traffic II-24 i Terra Nova/La Quinta General Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report Table of Contents III. EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, PROJECT IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES III-1 A. Aesthetics III-1 1. Existing Conditions III-2 2. Project Impacts III-4 3. Mitigation Measures III-6 B. Agricultural Resources III-7 1. Existing Conditions III-7 2. Project Impacts III-10 3. Mitigation Measures III-12 C. Air Quality And Greenhouse Gases III-13 1. Existing Conditions III-15 2. Project Impacts III-25 3. Mitigation Measures III-33 D. Biological Resources III-36 1. Existing Conditions III-37 2. Project Impacts III-51 3. Mitigation III-53 E. Cultural Resources III-55 1. Existing Conditions III-57 2. Project Impacts III-66 3. Mitigation Measures III-66 F. Geology And Soils III-67 1. Existing Conditions III-68 2. Project Impacts III-88 3. Mitigation Measures III-90 G. Hazards And Hazardous Materials III-91 1. Existing Conditions III-92 2. Project Impacts III-97 3. Mitigation Measures III-100 H. Hydrology III-101 1. Existing Conditions III-102 2. Project Impacts III-112 3. Mitigation Measures III-113 I Land Use And Planning III-114 1. Existing Conditions III-115 2. Project Impacts III-120 3. Mitigation Measures III-130 J. Mineral Resources III-130 1. Existing Conditions III-130 2. Project Impacts III-133 3. Mitigation Measures III-133 ii Terra Nova/La Quinta General Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report Table of Contents K. Noise III-134 1. Existing Conditions III-134 2. Project Impacts III-151 3. Mitigation Measures III-162 L. Population And Housing III-164 1. Existing Conditions III-164 2. Project Impacts III-166 3. Mitigation Measures III-168 M. Public Services & Utilities III-169 N. Recreational Resources III-193 1. Existing Conditions III-193 2. Project Impacts III-196 3. Mitigation Measures III-197 O. Transportation/Traffic III-197 1. Existing Conditions III-204 2. Project Impacts III-220 3. Mitigation Measures III-228 P. Water Resources & Quality III-237 1. Existing Conditions III-238 2. Project Impacts III-249 3. Mitigation III-255 IV. UNAVOIDABLE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS IV-1 V. PROJECT ALTERNATIVES V-1 A. Introduction V-1 B. Statement Of Project Objectives V-3 C. Alternative Projects Selected For Detailed Analysis V-5 1. No Project Alternative V-5 2. Alternative 1 V-10 3. Alternative 2 V-14 D. Alternative Projects Analysis V-18 E. Environmentally Superior Alternative V-64 VI. SHORT-TERM USE VERSUS LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY VI-1 VII. IRREVERSIBLE AND IRRETRIEVABLE COMMITMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES VII-1 iii Terra Nova/La Quinta General Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report Table of Contents VIII- GROWTH INDUCEMENT AND CUMULATIVE IMPACTS VIII-1 IX- ORGANIZATIONS, PERSONS AND DOCUMENTS CONSULTED IX-1 List of Exhibits Exhibit I-1 Regional Map I-6 Exhibit I-2 Vicinity Map I-7 Exhibit I-3 General Plan Planning Area Boundaries I-8 Exhibit I-4 2002 General Plan Land Use Map I-14 Exhibit I-5 Preferred Alternative Land Use Map I-24 Exhibit II-1 Topography Map II-10 Exhibit III-1 Vegetation Communities III-40 Exhibit III-2 CNDDB, Critical Habitat & Modeled Habitat III-47 Exhibit III-3 Land Ownership And Conservation Areas III-49 Exhibit III-4 Paleontological Sensitivity Map III-60 Exhibit III-5 Cultural Resources Survey Map III-64 Exhibit III-6 Geologic Map Of The Planning Area III-72 Exhibit III-7 Wind Erosion Susceptibility Map III-78 Exhibit III-8 Faults And Historical Seismicity Map III-83 Exhibit III-9 Seismic Hazards III-87 Exhibit III-10 FEMA Flood Hazard Zones And Flood Control Facilities III-107 Exhibit III-11 Mineral Resource Zone Map III-132 Exhibit III-12 Land Use And Noise Compatibility III-137 Exhibit III-13 Noise Monitoring Locations In The Study Area III-142 Exhibit III-14 Existing Truck And Bus Routes III-145 Exhibit III-15 Existing Airport Noise Contours III-149 Exhibit III-16 Future Airport Noise Contours (Jacqueline Cochran Airport) III-160 Exhibit III-17 Existing (2010) Average Daily Traffic Volumes III-211 Exhibit III-18 General Plan Roadway Classifications III-213 Exhibit III-19 General Plan Street Cross Sections III-214 Exhibit III-20 General Plan Build Out (2035) Average Daily Volumes III-225 Exhibit III-21 Prescribed Intersection Improvement III-232 Exhibit V-1 No Project Alternative Land Use Map V-6 Exhibit V-2 Alternative 1 Land Use Map V-13 Exhibit V-3 Alternative 2 Land Use Map V-17 iv Terra Nova/La Quinta General Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report Table of Contents List of Tables Table I-1 Preferred Alternative General Plan Update Land Use Acreage Summary I-16 Table I-2 General Plan Update Build Out Summary: City Limits I-17 Table I-3 General Plan Update Build Out Summary: Sphere of Influence I-17 Table I-4 General Plan Update Build Out Summary: Entire Planning Area I-18 Table I-5 City of La Quinta General Plan Proposed Land Use Designations I-19 Table III-1 Emissions Thresholds For SCAQMD III-14 Table III-2 State And Federal Ambient Air Quality Standards III-19 Table III-3 Pm10 Monitoring Data For The Coachella Valley III-20 Table III-4 Pm2.5 Monitoring Data For The Coachella Valley III-21 Table III-5 Ozone Monitoring Data III-22 Table III-6 Construction Emissions For The Planning Area III-27 Table III-7 Projected Daily Emissions At General Plan Build Out III-29 Table III-8 GHG Emissions From Construction Of The General Plan III-31 Table III-9 GHG Emissions From Operation At General Plan Build Out III-31 Table III-10 Air Quality Control Methods III-34 Table III-11 Special Status Plants In The La Quinta General Plan Area And Vicinity III-43 Table III-12 Special Status Reptiles In The La Quinta General Plan Area And Vicinity III-43 Table III-13 Special Status Bird Species In The La Quinta General Plan Area And Vicinity III-43 Table III-14 Special Status Mammal In The La Quinta General Plan Area And Vicinity III-44 Table III-15 Horizontal Peak Ground Accelerations And Seismic Intensities III-80 Table III-16 Existing Land Use Designations Within City Limits III-117 Table III-17 2002 Land Use Designations Within Sphere Of Influence III-118 Table III-18 2002 Land Use Designations Within Planning Areas III-119 Table III-19 Existing Land Use Summary III-120 Table III-20 Proposed Land Use For City Limits III-122 Table III-21 Riverside County Vista Santa Rosa Land Use III-123 Table III-22 Riverside County Land Use North Sphere III-124 Table III-23 Riverside County Land Use Sphere Summary III-124 Table III-24 General Plan Update East Sphere Land Use III-125 Table III-25 General Plan Update Land Use North Sphere III-125 Table III-26 General Plan Update Land Use Sphere Summary III-126 Table III-27 Proposed Land Use Summary III-128 Table III-28 Exterior Noise Limits III-138 Table III-29 Existing (Ambient) Short-Term Noise Level Measurements III-139 Table III-30 Existing (Ambient24-Hour Noise Level Measurements III-141 Table III-31 City Of La Quinta Hourly Traffic Flow Distribution III-143 Table III-32 Existing Noise Exposure Adjacent To General Plan Update Study Area Roadways III-146 Table III-33 Year 2035 Build Out Conditions Noise Contours III-152 Table III-34 Year 2035 Preferred Alternative Noise Contour Comparison III-156 Table III-35 Desert Sands Unified School District Enrollment And Capacity III-171 v Terra Nova/La Quinta General Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report Table of Contents Table III-36 Coachella Valley Unified School District Enrollment And Capacity III-172 Table III-37 Potential Student Generation La Quinta City Limits III-173 Table III-38 Potential Student Generation Sphere Of Influence III-174 Table III-39 Potential Student Generation Planning Area Summary III-174 Table III-40 Estimated Electricity Usage Rates III-182 Table III-41 Natural Gas Consumption Factors III-184 Table III-42 Solid Waste Generation At General Plan Build Out III-191 Table III-43 Level Of Service Description III-200 Table III-44 Intersection Level Of Service Descriptions III-201 Table III-45 City Roadway Classifications Level of Service Volumes/Capacity Values (Average Daily Trips – ADT) III-202 Table III-46 Existing Daily Volumes And Capacity Summary III-215 Table III-47 Existing Peak Hour Intersection LOS III-218 Table III-48 General Plan Build Out (2035) Roadway Segment Analysis III-221 Table III-49 General Plan Build Out (2035) Intersection Analysis III-226 Table III-50 Coachella Valley