Item 28 - Public Hearing - ZOA No. 20204-01 South Coast Technology Center

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South Coast Technology Center Project CEQA Exemption 15183 include, but are not limited to, restricting idling on -site, electrifying warehousing docks to reduce diesel particulate matter, or requiring use of newer equipment and/or vehicles. T-BACTs identified in the HRA shall be identified as mitigation measures in the environmental document and/or incorporated into the site plan. 4.4 Biological Resources 4.4.1 GPU PEIR Findings According to the GPU PEIR, the City is built out with primarily industrial, commercial, and residential uses. Within the City, wildlife habitats are generally limited to open space/vacant parcels, the Santa Ana River, and the Santiago Creek. A total of 499 parcels are designated as Open Space land use within the City boundaries. An additional 135 parcels within the City boundaries were identified as vacant or containing natural resources but are not designated Open Space. The General Plan Update proposes no change in General Plan land use designation for the parcels identified as open space or vacant parcels within the City limits. The inventory of existing conditions conducted for the GPU PEIR determined that no parcels with a proposed land use designation that allows for development (i.e., not an open space designation) currently has sensitive vegetation. All parcels currently have ruderal vegetation and little to no biological value. Nevertheless, while no development or land use changes are proposed in the City's open space areas, and the GPU PEIR reported no indication that development in accordance with the General Plan Update would have significant biological impacts, the GPU PEIR concluded that there is potential for implementation of the General Plan Update to impact candidate, sensitive, or special status species, particularly if future development includes stream crossings. In addition, the GPU PEIR determined that development under the General Plan Update could result in vegetation removal, intrusion by humans and pets, and increase noise and air pollution, which could adversely affect wildlife movement, nesting sites, and migratory birds. Thus, the GPU PEIR concluded that impacts to candidate, sensitive, or special status species; wildlife movement; nesting sites; and migratory birds would be potentially significant even with implementation of RR B-1 through RR B-5. However, with incorporation of GPU PEIR MM BIO-1, which would require screening by a qualified biologist to determine if a site -specific biological resources report is required for projects that disturb vegetated land or major streams, impacts would be reduced to less than significant. No land use changes were proposed on parcels identified as riparian habitat, sensitive natural communities, or wetlands and jurisdictional waterways by the General Plan Update. Additionally, the City is not within a Natural Community Conservation Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan (NCCP/HCP) area. Thus, the GPU PEIR concluded that the General Plan Update would have a less than significant impact related to riparian habitat, sensitive natural communities, wetlands and jurisdictional waterways, and adopted NCCP/HCP. 4.4.2 Project Analysis The Project Site comprises an existing 10.2-acre office park that is fully developed with buildings, an artificial pond, and parking, and an approximately 5.6-acre vacant field. The proposed Project would demolish three buildings and a parking structure to construct three new industrial buildings for office, manufacturing, and/or warehouse use. The vacant field is disturbed, surrounded by urban uses, and does not contain any critical habitat for threatened and endangered species as July 2024 Page 35