Interstate 10/Avenue 50 New Interchange Project Growth-Related Impact Analysis City of Coachella, CA 08-RIV-10- PM R62.3/R63.7 EA 08-452100 PN 0800000721 December 2016 Table of Contents ES Executive Summary ....................................................................1 1.0 Introduction ...............................................................................3 1.1 Project Setting ............................................................................................................................... 4 1.1.1 Study Area ............................................................................................................................. 4 1.1.2 Description of Alternatives ................................................................................................... 4 1.2 First-Cut Screening ...................................................................................................................... 15 1.3 Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 18 1.3.1 Research and Documentation ............................................................................................. 19 1.3.2 Delphi Method .................................................................................................................... 20 2.0 Environmental Resources of Concern ........................................ 21 2.1 Air Quality ................................................................................................................................... 21 2.2 Biological Resources .................................................................................................................... 25 2.3 Community Resources ................................................................................................................ 35 2.3.1 Land Use .............................................................................................................................. 35 2.3.2 Community Character and Cohesion (Population, Housing, Employment) ........................ 49 2.3.3 Traffic and Transportation .................................................................................................. 61 2.4 Cultural Resources ...................................................................................................................... 66 2.5 Water Resources ......................................................................................................................... 73 3.0 Analysis .................................................................................... 79 3.1 Step 1: Review the Previous Project Information and Right-Size the Analysis ........................... 79 3.2 Step 2: Identify the Potential for Growth for Each Alternative .................................................. 79 3.2.1 No-Build Alternative ............................................................................................................ 80 3.2.2 Build Alternatives ................................................................................................................ 81 3.3 Step 3: Assess the Growth-Related Effects of Each Alternative to Environmental Resources of Concern ................................................................................................................................................... 85 3.3.1 Air Quality ........................................................................................................................... 86 3.3.2 Biological Resources ............................................................................................................ 89 3.3.3 Community Resources ........................................................................................................ 95 3.3.4 Cultural Resources ............................................................................................................ 107 3.3.5 Water Resources ............................................................................................................... 108 3.3.6 Cumulative Impacts .......................................................................................................... 113 3.4 Step 4: Consider Additional Opportunities to Avoid and Minimize Growth-Related Impacts . 145 3.5 Step 5: Comparison of Analysis Results .................................................................................... 147 3.6 Step 6: Document the Process, Findings, and Conclusions of the Analysis .............................. 148 List of Tables Table 1: Research Sources .......................................................................................................................... 19 Table 2: Special Status Biological Resources with the Potential to Occur in the Growth Study Area ........ 27 Table 3: Study Area Land Use Designations ................................................................................................ 36 Table 4: Subareas in the Study Area ........................................................................................................... 36 Table 5: Reasonably Foreseeable Proposed Specific Plans in the Study Area ............................................ 36 Table 6: La Entrada Specific Plan Phasing ................................................................................................... 37 Table 7: General Plan Land Use Designations and NRCS Farmlands in the Study Area.............................. 40 Table 8: Regional, Local and Study Area Demographics ............................................................................. 54 Table 9: Regional, Local and Study Area Ethnic and Racial Composition ................................................... 55 Table 10: Population, Housing Unit and Employment Projections for the City and County ...................... 56 Table 11: Population Projections for all Cities in Riverside County through 2040 ..................................... 57 Table 12: Household Tenure, Vacancy Rates, and Median Home Values .................................................. 59 Table 13: Major Employers in the City and Study Area .............................................................................. 60 Table 14: Modal Transportation Split in the City of Coachella ................................................................... 66 Table 15: Cultural Resources with the Potential to Occur in the Growth Study Area ................................ 67 Table 16: La Entrada Specific Plan Total Area and Residential/Commercial Area Percentages by Phase.. 80 Table 17: Long-Term Regional Operational Emissions for La Entrada Phases 1 Through 4 ....................... 87 Table 18: Long-Term Regional Operational Emissions for La Entrada Phases 1 Through 5 ....................... 87 Table 19: Design Horizon Year (2040) Peak Hour Intersection LOS ............................................................ 98 Table 20: Design Horizon Year (2040) Peak Hour Freeway Segment LOS .................................................. 99 Table 21: Assigned Land Use Percent Imperviousness ............................................................................. 109 Table 22: Reasonably Foreseeable Projects List for the Visual/Aesthetic Resources RSA ....................... 115 Table 23: Reasonably Foreseeable Projects List for the Cultural Resources RSA ..................................... 120 Table 24: Reasonably Foreseeable Projects List for the Water Quality/Storm Water Runoff RSA .......... 124 Table 25: Reasonably Foreseeable Projects List for the Biological Resources RSA .................................. 131 Table 26: Animal Species That Occur or Have the Potential to Occur in the Biological Resources RSA... 132 Table 27: Summary of Potential Growth Impacts Under the No-Build and Build Alternatives ................ 147 List of Exhibits Exhibit 1: Project Vicinity .............................................................................................................................. 7 Exhibit 2: Growth Impact Study Area ............................................................................................................ 9 Exhibit 3: Build Alternative 3 ....................................................................................................................... 11 Exhibit 4: Build Alternative 4 ....................................................................................................................... 13 Exhibit 5: Analysis Considerations Related to Determining Potential for Project-Related Growth ........... 18 Exhibit 6: Air Quality Sensitive Receptors ................................................................................................... 23 Exhibit 7: Biological Resources – General Plan and Project Special Status Species Distribution Map ....... 29 Exhibit 8: Biological Resources - La Entrada Specific Plan and Project Special Status Natural Communities Map ........................................................................................................ 31 Exhibit 9: Biological Resources - CVMSHCP Conservation and Land Use/Riparian Habitat Map ............... 33 Exhibit 10: Community Resources – Land Use Designations ...................................................................... 41 Exhibit 11: Community Resources – General Plan Subareas ...................................................................... 43 Exhibit 12: Community Resources – La Entrada Specific Plan and Phasing ...............................................