DRAFT GENERIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT for CITYGATE Project Location: Southeast Quadrant of East Henrietta Road and Westfall Road (formerly the Iola Campus) Project Sponsor / Applicant: Anthony J. Costello and Son (Spencer) Development, LLC One Airport Way Rochester International Airport Rochester, NY 14624 Consultant: Bergmann Associates 200 First Federal Plaza 28 East Main Street Rochester, New York 14614 Lead Agency: Arthur Ientilucci Director of Zoning City of Rochester 30 Church Street, City Hall, Room 125B Rochester, NY 14614 October 2008 DRAFT GENERIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT PROPOSED CITYGATE PROJECT CITY OF ROCHESTER, MONROE COUNTY, NY Positive Declaration Issued: April 3, 2008 Public Scoping Session Held: April 23, 2008 Comments Accepted Through: April 30, 2008 Final Scope Accepted: May 22, 2008 Contact Person: Dorraine Laudisi City of Rochester 30 Church Street City Hall, Room 125 B Rochester, New York 14614 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. 2 2.0 PROJECT OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................ 9 2.1 Project Location and Setting ................................................................................................. 9 2.2 Project Description ................................................................................................................ 9 2.3 Purpose, Need, and Benefits ............................................................................................... 17 3.0 STATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY REVIEW (SEQR) PROCESS.......................................... 18 3.1 Project Classification and Lead Agency Designation ........................................................ 18 3.2 The Scoping Process ........................................................................................................... 19 3.3 SEQR Review Agencies ....................................................................................................... 19 4.0 EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING, IMPACTS, AND MITIGATION MEASURES/ALTERNATIVES .............................................................................................................. 20 4.1 The Environmental Setting .................................................................................................. 20 4.2 Surface Water Resources .................................................................................................... 23 4.3 Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology .......................................................................................... 25 4.4 Visual Setting and Aesthetic Resources ............................................................................. 33 4.5 Historic, Archaeological, and Cultural Resources .............................................................. 41 4.6 Traffic and Transportation ................................................................................................... 71 4.6 Utilities and Energy Usage .................................................................................................. 87 4.7 Noise, Lighting, and Odor Impacts ...................................................................................... 92 4.8 Socioeconomic Considerations .......................................................................................... 95 5.0 ASSESSMENT OF REASONABLE ALTERNATIVES ............................................................. 118 5.1 No Action ............................................................................................................................ 118 5.2 Alternative Site Plan 2 – Town of Brighton Comprehensive Plan 2000 ........................... 119 5.3 Alternative Site Plan 3 – Town of Brighton Existing Zoning (Low Density Residential) . 123 5.4 Alternative Site Plan 4 – Town of Brighton RHD-2 (High Density District) ...................... 124 6.0 TEMPORARY AND SHORT-TERM IMPACTS ......................................................................... 127 7.0 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ......................................................................................................... 132 8.0 GROWTH INDUCING IMPACTS.............................................................................................. 133 9.0 UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ..................................................... 134 10.0 IRRETRIEVABLE COMMITMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES ............................... 134 11.0 USE AND CONSERVATION OF ENERGY RESOURCES ....................................................... 135 FIGURES Figure 1. Project Location Map Figure 2. Proposed Concept Plan Figure 3. Proposed Parking Facilities Map Figure 4. Proposed Land Use Map Figure 5. Rezoning Map Figure 6. Existing Structures Figure 7. Existing Topography Map Figure 8. Soil Types Figure 9. Wetland Delineation Map Figure 10. Existing Tree Survey Figure 11. East Henrietta Road Corridor Figure 12. Westfall Road Corridor Figure 13. Northwest Corner View of Proposed Plan Figure 14. Southeast Corner View of Proposed Plan Figure 15. Neighborhood Mixed Use District Southeast Corner View Figure 16. Neighborhood Mixed Use District Southwest Corner View Figure 17. Alternative Site Plan Preserving Buildings 1,7, and 10 Figure 18. Area Census Tracts Figure 19. Area RTA Bus Routes Figure 20. Area RTA Bus Routes Figure 21. Existing Land Use Map Figure 22. Existing Zoning Districts Figure 23. Alternative Site Plan #2 (General Office) Figure 24. Alternative Site Plan #3 (Low Density Residential) Figure 25. A.J. Costello & Son Projects Figure 26. Existing Stormwater Flow Figure 27. Proposed Stormwater Flow Figure 28. Proposed Construction Phasing Plan Figure 29. Alternative Site Plan #4 (RHD-2 Residential High Density District) Appendices Appendix A. Planned District Development #11 Regulations Appendix B. Lead Agency Agreement Appendix C. Adopted Scoping Document Appendix D. Stormwater Management and Water Reports (Bergmann Associates) Appendix E. Wetland Delineation Report (Environmental Resources, LLC) Appendix F. Threatened and Endangered Species Correspondence Letter Appendix G. Design Guidelines Appendix H. Historic Images (Saralinda Hooker, Planning Development, Historic Preservation and Market Analysis) Appendix I. Iola Campus Historic Resource Evaluation (Bero Associates Architects) Appendix J. Structural Condition Report (Torchia Structural Engineering & Design, LLC) Appendix K. Iola Campus Architectural Assessment (Razak Associates, LLC) Appendix L. Lead Based Paint Inspection Report (Paradigm Environmental Services, Inc.) Appendix M. Forensic Building Science and Microbial Investigative Report (Building Science Investigations, Inc.) Appendix N. Cultural Resource Management Report (Rochester Museum and Science Center) Appendix O. Traffic Impact Study (Bergmann Associates) Appendix P. Executive Summary of Site and Building Assessment, Real Estate Market Conditions and Financial Analysis Report (RKG Associates Inc.) Appendix Q. Citygate Town Center Retail Market Analysis Cover Page (Gibbs Planning Group) and Market Analysis for the Development of Citygate and Canal Cove (Robert Charles Lesser & Co.) Appendix R. Letters to local school districts, fire and police departments. Appendix S. United States Army Corps of Engineers Jurisdiction Determination Letter 1 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Project Location and Description The project site is located at the southeast corner of the intersection of East Henrietta Road and Westfall Road and is situated in two municipalities – the City of Rochester and Town of Brighton, Monroe County, New York. Approximately 44 acres of the 63 acre site are located in the City of Rochester and approximately 19 acres are located in the Town of Brighton. The property is bounded by Westfall Road to the north, Brighton Meadows Office Park to the east, the Erie Canal to the south, and East Henrietta Road to the west Interstate 390, a major north-south expressway through the Rochester region, is located south of the site, beyond the southern edge of the Erie Canal. The proposed Citygate project will be a diverse yet complementary mix of residential and non-residential uses, incorporating a variety of multi-family housing options, retail, office, hotels, and recreational opportunities within close proximity to the University of Rochester, Monroe Community Hospital and the Monroe Community College. The proposed Citygate project will be comprised of four design and land use districts – Neighborhood Mixed-Use, Canal Front Mixed-Use, Commercial, and Residential. Incorporating sustainable land use initiatives, the proposed development will promote pedestrian activity and function as a mixed-used center of activity. The development will create pockets of living and office space over first story retail, with a proposed parking structure and surface parking lots in multiple locations throughout the development. Public amenities will include open space areas and access to the Erie Canal and multi-use trails. Construction of the project will comprise of four phases and is anticipated to be completed within five years. Phase I will include most of the Neighborhood Mixed Use District and residential areas. Phase II will include the construction of a hotel and loft buildings along the Erie Canal. Phase III and IV will complete the development and includes the areas surrounding the Children’s Detention Center, Rochester Pure Waters Operation Center