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PC RES 2008-020 P.C. RESOLUTION NO® 2008-20 RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING I I F THE CITY OF RANCHOAL VERDES RECOMMENDINGTHAT THE CITY COUNCIL CERTIFY A NEGATIVE DECLARATION MAKINGCERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS IN ASSOCIATIONIT CASE NO. ZON2008-00149, A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT FOR THE CITY'S GENERAL PL SIN ELEMENT. WHEREAS,the City of Rancho Palos Verdes initiated a General Plan Amendment in 2007 in order to update the Housing Element of the City's General Plan, as required by State law; and, WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act, Public Resources Code Sections 21000 et. seq. ("CEQA"), the State CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Sections 15000 et. seq., the City's Local CEQA Guidelines, and Government Code Section 65952.5(e)(Hazardous Waste and Substances Statement), the City of Rancho Palos Verdes prepared an Initial Study and determined that, there is no substantial evidence that the approval of Case No. ZON2008-00149 for a General Plan Amendment would result in a significant adverse effect on the environment. The General Plan Amendment updates the City's General Plan Housing Element, and will not result in or create any significant impacts to Land Use and Planning, Population and Housing, Geologic Problems,Water,Air Quality, Transportation and Circulation, Biological Resources, Energy and Mineral Resources, Hazards, Noise, Public Services, Utilities and Service Systems, Aesthetics, Cultural Resources, or Recreation. Accordingly, a Draft Negative Declaration has been prepared and notice of that fact was given in the manner required by law; and, WHEREAS, the Initial Study was prepared on March 27, 2008 and distributed for circulation and review from March 28, 2008 through April 28, 2008; and, WHEREAS, copies of the draft Negative Declaration were distributed to the Planning Commission and prior to taking action on the proposed General Plan Amendment, the Planning Commission independently reviewed and considered the information and findings contained in the Negative Declaration and determined that the document was prepared in compliance with the requirements of CEQA and local guidelines, with respect thereto; and, WHEREAS, after issuing notice pursuant to the requirements of the City's Development Code and the State CEQA Guidelines,the Planning Commission of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes held a public hearing on May 27,2008,at which time all interested parties were given an opportunity to be heard and present evidence. NOW, THEREFORE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES DOES HEREBY FIND, DETERMINE, AND RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: Section 1: The Planning Commission finds that Case No. ZON2008-00149, a General Plan Amendment for the updated General Plan Housing Element, is necessary to comply with State law and is consistent with the General Plan. Section 2: The proposed project is an amendment to the Rancho Palos Verdes General Plan Housing Element in accordance with State Law requirements. The proposed amendment will not create or result in any significant impacts to the General Plan, Zoning Code, nor be in conflict with any applicable environmental plans or policies, be incompatible with existing land uses, affect agricultural resources, or disrupt the physical arrangement of the established community. Therefore,there will be no significant land use or planning impacts associated with this project. Section 3: The proposed amendment will consider updated population, employment and housing statistics. However,there will be no significant impacts to the regional or local population projections, nor induce substantial growth in the City, nor displace existing housing (especially affordable housing)as the proposed project's quantified objectives only provide for the construction of 60 new housing units, the rehabilitation of 40 existing housing units, and the conservation and preservation of 15 existing housing units, all of which are consistent with the estimated growth of the City as identified in the General Plan. Section 4: The proposed project does not include any physical modifications or alterations of the existing land or structures. Any physical modifications or alterations to existing land and/or structures as a result of the project objectives will be addressed through separate environmental analysis consistent with CEQA. As such, there will be no significant exposure to geological risks, nor any significant impacts to water resources, air quality, transportation/circulation, biological resources, energy and mineral resources, no significant hazardous conditions created, no significant noise impacts, no significant impacts to public services, no significant impacts to utilities and service systems, no significant aesthetic impacts, and no significant impacts to cultural and recreational resources, as a result of the proposed project. Section 5: For reasons discussed in the Initial Study,which is incorporated herein by reference, the project would not have any potential to achieve short-term, to the disadvantage of long-term, environmental goals, nor would the project have impacts which are individually limited, but cumulatively considerable. Section 6: The proposed project does not include any physical modifications or alterations of the existing land or structures. Any physical modifications or alterations to existing land and/or structures as a result of the project objectives will be addressed through separate environmental analysis consistent with CEQA. As such,the project does not have the potential to degrade the quality of the environment, substantially reduce the habitat of a fish or wildlife species, cause a fish or wildlife population to drop below self- sustaining levels,threaten to eliminate a plant or animal community, reduce the number or restrict the range of a rare or endangered plant or animal or eliminate important examples of the major periods of California history or prehistory. Further, for this reason, the proposed project does not have impacts that are individually limited but cumulatively P.C. Resolution No. 2008-20 Page 2 of 3 considerable, nor have environmental effects that would cause substantial adverse effects on human beings, directly or indirectly. Section 7: For the foregoing reasons and based on its independent review and evaluation of the information and findings contained in the Initial Study, Staff Reports, minutes, and records of the proceedings, the Planning Commission has determined that the project will not result in a significant adverse impact on the environment. Therefore,the Planning Commission hereby recommends that the City Council certify the Negative Declaration making certain environmental findings in association with Case No.ZON2008- 00149, a General Plan Amendment for the City's General Plan Housing Element. PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this 27th day of May 2008 by the following roll call vote: AYES: Gerstner, Knight, Lewis, Perestam, Ruttenberg, Tomblin NOES: None ABSTENTIONS: None ABSENT: Tetreault —erd4 Steph n Perestam Chairman 11\ Joel R• as AICP Direct.r of Planni' • :uilding, and C••e nforcement; and, Secretary to the Planning Commission P.C. Resolution No. 2008-20 Page 3 of 3