FINAL
FINDINGS RELATING TO ENACTMENT OF MPWMD ORDINANCE
NO. 109 TO
FACILITATE FINANCING AND EXPANSION
OF THE CAWD/PBCSD RECYCLED WATER PROJECT
AND DETERMINING COMPLIANCEWITH THE
The Board of Directors of the
Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD) makes the following
findings in support of its determination to enact Ordinance No. 109 to
facilitate financing and expansion of the CAWD/PBCSD Recycled Water Project. By adopting these findings, the Board
determines that it has complied with requirements of the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to California Public Resources Code
section 21000, et seq.
I.
Background.
1.
The
CAWD/PBCSD Wastewater Reclamation Project as originally proposed was approved
in 1989 (the “Original Project”). The
Original Project consisted of several discrete components, including: (a) new
tertiary treatment facilities at the Carmel Area Wastewater District (“CAWD,”
formerly known as the Carmel Sanitary District “CSD”), (b) a distribution system and a storage tank
to deliver and store the recycled water to and in Del Monte Forest, (c)
irrigation systems on the golf courses and other vegetated areas in Del Monte Forest,
and (d) financing of all costs of the project pursuant to MPWMD Ordinance No.
39 (the “Financing Plan”). The
wastewater treatment plant was designed to produce a minimum of 800 acre feet
annually (“AF”) of recycled water suitable for golf course irrigation, which in
turn freed up potable water that had previously been used for irrigation
purposes. The Financing Plan was based
on the grant and dedication, by MPWMD, of 380 AF of potable water (the “Water
Entitlement”) that could be used to develop specific lands in the Del Monte
Forest area of
2.
Prior
to approval of the Original Project, a Final Environmental Impact Report
(consisting of the CSD/PBCSD Wastewater Reclamation Project Draft EIR dated
March 1989, the CSD/PBCSD Wastewater Reclamation Project Final EIR dated June
1989, and the supplemental materials provided thereto (the “Project EIR”)), was
certified under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) by CAWD, as
the lead agency, on September 21, 1989.
The Project EIR was subsequently certified by the MPWMD, as a
responsible agency, on October 3, 1989, in MPWMD Resolution No. 89-21 (the
“Resolution”), as to the matters within MPWMD’s responsibility and
jurisdiction. The matters within the
responsibility and jurisdiction of MPWMD were the consistency of the Original
Project with the goals and objectives of MPWMD for the management and
conservation of the water resources of the
3.
The
Project EIR analyzed the growth inducing effects, and the resulting
environmental effects from such induced growth, of the Financing Plan (i.e.,
from the granting of the Water Entitlement to PBC), which would allow new
development in Del Monte Forest, where the constraint of water availability
would otherwise inhibit such development.
The environmental effects, both site-specific within Del Monte Forest
and on a cumulative basis, of building 900-1000 new residential units in Del
Monte Forest and an incremental amount of commercial development, were
evaluated in the Project EIR.
II.
Present
Status.
4.
The
facilities comprising the Original Project were constructed and completed as of
the Fall of 1994, and recycled water has been delivered for irrigation to the
golf courses and other vegetated areas in Del Monte Forest since then. In accordance with the Financing Plan, the
Water Entitlement was granted by MPWMD to PBC, J. Lohr Properties, Inc.
(“Lohr”), and the Hester Hyde Griffin Trust (“Griffin”) in the respective
amounts of 365 AF to PBC, 10 AF to Lohr, and 5 AF to Griffin for use on and
development of specific lands owned by them (referred to as the “Benefitted
Properties”), pursuant to the Wastewater Reclamation Project Fiscal Sponsorship
Agreement between MPWMD and PBC dated as of October 3, 1989.[1] Water Use Permits pursuant to MPWMD Rule 23.5
to evidence and memorialize the Water Entitlement were issued by MPWMD to PBC,
Lohr, and
5.
With
respect to PBC’s Water Entitlement, the Water Entitlement was granted and
dedicated to various PBC-owned Benefitted Properties in defined quantities and
connections (initially as set forth in Exhibit A to the Resolution and now as
provided by the Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement).
The Benefitted Properties consist primarily of undeveloped tracts of
land designated and zoned “Residential” in the Monterey County Del Monte Forest
Area Local Coastal Program (the “Del Monte Forest LCP,” certified by the
California Coastal Commission under the California Coastal Act in 1985) and the
Greater Monterey Peninsula Area Plan portion of the Monterey County General
Plan and applicable zoning (“GMPAP”), and other property designated
“Commercial” (Visitor Service, General, and Institutional) and “Open Space”
(Recreational) under the Del Monte Forest LCP.
The majority of the quantities and connections of the Water Entitlement
are presently dedicated to the Benefitted Properties designated and zoned
Residential. However, under Ordinance
No. 39 and the Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement, PBC has the right to reallocate
its Water Entitlement among its Benefitted Properties and to use the Water
Entitlement on any of its Benefitted Properties consistent with “planned uses.” “Planned Uses” are considered to be those
uses and development that are allowed under the applicable zoning regulations
(including those of the Del Monte Forest LCP).
This is an existing right of PBC, and is not subject to modification
without PBC’s consent.
6.
Since
approval of the Original Project in 1989, PBC has presented several proposals
for development of its Benefitted Properties.
With the support of PBC, an amendment to the Del Monte Forest LCP was
approved by
III.
Changes
to the Original Project.
7.
The
Original Project has supplied substantial quantities of recycled water for
irrigation, but it has not satisfied the Original Project objective because
supplemental potable water beyond that contemplated by the Original Project has
been needed to adequately supply the irrigation needs of the golf courses. The performance of the Original Project has
not met the expectations, either with regard to quantity or quality, due to a
number of factors beyond the consideration or control of any of the parties
participating in the Original Project.
Prominent among these factors are the salt-sensitivity of the dominant
grass species planted in the greens of many of the golf courses, inadequacy of
the drainage facilities to conduct accumulated salts away from the greens,
smaller than anticipated amounts of secondary effluent due to decreased flows
of influent to the CAWD wastewater plant (resulting in part from consumers’
water conservation efforts), increased amount of salinity in the recycled water
due to reduced influent flows caused by water conservation efforts, increased
salinity added by water softening units (the demand for which increased as the
source water became more saline), internal wastewater plant processes
contributing additional salinity loading, the lack of sufficient data
concerning the composition of the secondary effluent produced by the CAWD
Wastewater Treatment Plant or concerning the water quality and water quantity
requirements for golf course irrigation, and the absence of any seasonal
storage of recycled water. Improvements
are now proposed to the Original Project that will (a) provide advanced
treatment facilities at the CAWD tertiary treatment plant to reduce the
salinity of the recycled water; (b) provide 420 acre feet of additional storage
of recycled water at the Forest Lake Reservoir in Del Monte Forest; and (c)
provide a plan to finance the foregoing improvements to the Original
Project. The proposed financing plan
allows PBC to sell and convey a portion of its Water Entitlement for use on
other lands in Del Monte Forest, and to dedicate the consideration received
from the sale and conveyance of that portion of the PBC Water Entitlement to
the costs of the proposed improvements to the Original Project and,
secondarily, to the costs of the Original Project. The physical components of the improvements
to the Original Project described above are referred to herein as the “Project
Expansion,” and the plan to finance the Project Expansion described above is
referred to herein as the “Supplemental Financing Plan.” The Project Expansion is implemented through
Ordinance No. 109, the proposed Supplemental Financing Agreement, the Agreement
for Sale of Recycled Water, and the Supplemental Construction and Operation
Agreement.
IV.
CEQA
Requirements.
8. California Public Resources Code
section 21166, California Code of Regulations section 15000 et seq. (the “CEQA
Guidelines”), specifically section 15162, and applicable case law provide that,
where a subsequent discretionary approval is required for a project which has
been approved and for which a final EIR has been certified as complete, no
subsequent or supplemental EIR (or Negative Declaration) shall be required
unless there are substantial changes in the project, or substantial changes occur
with respect to the circumstances under which the project is being undertaken,
or new information becomes available that was not known or could not have been
known at the time the final EIR was certified, which indicate that the project
will have new or substantially more severe significant environmental effects
requiring major revisions to the previous EIR that were not considered in the
previous EIR.
9. The present proposal to provide
improvements to the Original Project through the Project Expansion requires a
discretionary approval by MPWMD under CEQA, but only with respect to the
changes in the Original Project which are within the responsibility and
jurisdiction of MPWMD. The only change
to the Original Project within the responsibility and jurisdiction of MPWMD is
the Supplemental Financing Plan authorized by Ordinance No. 109.
V.
Description
of the Supplemental Financing Plan.
10. Under the Financing Plan, PBC was granted
a dedication of 365 AF of potable water as
the Water Entitlement, which is evidenced by a Water Use Permit, authorizing
use on specific PBC-owned lands in Del Monte Forest and four lots immediately
adjacent thereto. Approximately 355 AF
of the Water Entitlement remains unused.
Under the Financing Plan, PBC’s Water Entitlement can be transferred
only among the Benefitted Properties owned by PBC, Lohr, and
11. The
Supplemental Financing Plan would authorize PBC to separately sell and convey,
for consideration, portions of PBC’s existing Water Entitlement for dedication
to property within the Del Monte Forest that is not owned by PBC as of the date
that Ordinance No. 109 is adopted. Any
portion of the Water Entitlement thus conveyed may be used only on the specific
property to which it is first dedicated following the conveyance, and the water
must be put solely to
Residential use (as defined in MPWMD Rule
11). All of the proceeds from each of these separate conveyances will be
applied exclusively to the costs of the Project Expansion and the Original
Project as more specifically described in Ordinance No. 109.
12. The
Supplemental Financing Plan does not affect the right and ability of PBC to use
and apply, on Benefitted Properties owned by PBC, the amount of PBC’s Water
Entitlement that is not separately sold and conveyed by PBC. PBC will continue to have the right and
ability to utilize its remaining Water Entitlement on any or all Benefitted
Properties owned by PBC as of the time that Ordinance No. 109 is adopted for
any lawful use as determined by the appropriate jurisdiction with land use
authority thereover, and to sell and convey a parcel of land that it owns
together with a portion of PBC’s Water Entitlement.
VI. CEQA Analysis.
13. The effect
of the Supplemental Financing Plan is to expand the locations in Del Monte
Forest where residential development may occur using a portion of the Water
Entitlement. Primarily, it would allow
vacant residential lots of record to be developed, and residential remodels on
existing residential lots to occur. This
development is presently restricted because there is no water available from
the California American Water Company (Cal-Am) system to serve such
development.
14.
The Project EIR analyzed the growth inducing effects, and
the resulting environmental effects from such induced growth, from the granting
of the Water Entitlement to PBC, which would remove the constraint of water
unavailability for new development in Del Monte Forest. This analysis is set forth in the Growth
Inducement Section, commencing on page 112 of the Project Draft EIR, as
modified beginning at page 30 of the Project Final EIR.
15.
The Project EIR also analyzed the potential growth
inducing effects of the freed up water (420 AF) not dedicated to the Fiscal
Sponsor on a more general level, but that water has not been allocated by
MPWMD.
16.
Growth inducing environmental effects were evaluated by
the Project EIR on the basis of building 1000 new residential units in Del
Monte Forest on then undeveloped land owned by PBC and others, and an
incremental amount of commercial development on land owned by PBC. Approximately 890 of these residential units
were in the coastal zone, and an additional 40 outside the coastal zone, on
undeveloped land owned by PBC. An
additional 96 units were on undeveloped land owned by others in Del Monte
Forest as referenced in Table 10 of Project Draft EIR, supplemented by pp.
30-33 of Project Final EIR.
17.
The Project Draft EIR, at page 117, noted that “the 987
unit buildout does not include approximately 220 existing lots of record that
are entitled to water from existing sources which could each accommodate a
single-family residence. As a part of
the Del Monte Forest LCP, these lots are given priority use under the County’s
existing water allocation program.
Therefore, potential buildout of existing lots of record are not
included in this analysis.” It is noted,
however, that the Project EIR states that analysis of the Traffic Impacts
includes the lots of record.
18.
The Project EIR analyzed the variety of environmental
effects that would or could occur from development of 1,000 new units in Del
Monte Forest. Included in the analysis
were site-specific physical impacts, traffic, public service demands, and
others. The vast majority of the land
scheduled for development and included in the analysis was land owned by PBC in
the coastal zone in largely undeveloped tracts.
19.
The Project EIR also included an analysis of the
cumulative impacts associated with such development. The cumulative impacts analysis addressed the
impacts of 1000 new residential units in Del Monte Forest when added to
specific proposed projects, and future development generally, in the
20.
The Supplemental Financing Plan will allow a portion of
the residential development to take place at different locations in Del Monte
Forest than were analyzed in the Project EIR.
By allowing separate conveyance of a portion of PBC’s existing Water
Entitlement for residential use, the Supplemental Financing Plan will allow
development for residential purposes of existing vacant lots of record (i.e.,
previously subdivided lots), and allow reconstruction or remodel of lots
presently developed and put to residential use.
21.
The map attached as Exhibit B to Ordinance No. 109 and
these Findings (the “Del Monte Forest Map”) shows Del Monte Forest with the
vacant residential lots of record highlighted in orange and the Benefitted
Properties owned by PBC to which the Water Entitlement is presently dedicated
highlighted in blue. The remaining lots
shown consist of existing developed residential, commercial, recreational, and
institutional parcels, and undeveloped and restricted open space parcels. There are presently 137 vacant residential
lots of record and approximately 2,800 existing developed residential lots in
Del Monte Forest. Specifically,
according to the records of Pebble Beach Company (which regularly tracks and
maintains such information because PBC Architectural Review Board approval is
required for all new or expanded residential construction in Del Monte Forest),
there are 81 vacant residential lots of record in the coastal zone, and 56
vacant residential lots of record not in the coastal zone. This count includes 6 existing homes built on
two existing legal lots (i.e., one residence on two lots), and one home built
on three existing legal lots. In the
latter situations, a total of 8 “vacant” lots of record has been attributed
since the one existing residence could be demolished and residences built in
replacement on each of the legal lots, or lot line adjustments among the legal
lots could be approved to accommodate another residence. However, the existing residential lots of
record with no development presently number 129.
22.
The overall effect of the Supplemental Financing Plan is
to reduce both the residential densities and the area of land to be developed
in Del Monte Forest. This is a
consequence of several factors. First,
the vacant residential lots of record, as legally subdivided lots, already
carry an entitlement to develop. The
only constraint to their development is the lack of presently available
water. It must be assumed that, at some
future time, additional potable water supplies will become available and (as
provided in the Del Monte Forest LCP and
23.
Second, to the extent PBC’s Water Entitlement is
transferred to existing developed residential lots for remodels or
reconstruction, there will be no increase in residential density in Del Monte
Forest because these existing developed residential lots are already included
in Del Monte Forest’s residential density.
Again, however, such transfers will reduce PBC’s ability to newly
subdivide and develop residential lots on PBC land, thereby decreasing the
overall density of PBC’s land that currently could be developed using a portion
of the Water Entitlement.
24.
Third, the buildout of all of PBC’s Benefited Properties
at the maximum densities of the Del Monte Forest LCP (as analyzed in the
Project EIR) necessarily means and includes development of all of such PBC
land. As clearly illustrated on the Del
Monte Forest Map, the land area of PBC’s Benefited Properties for which
residential development is allowed substantially exceeds the land area of the
other vacant residential lots of record.
VII. Assessment of the Environmental
Effects of the Supplemental Financing Plan Compared to the Environmental
Effects Analyzed in the Project EIR.
25.
The Project EIR stated, at page 118, that “construction
of new residential units in the Del Monte Forest will result in site specific
physical impacts, as well as increased traffic and public service demands.” The
Project EIR evaluated these impacts at a level appropriate for the Original
Project. The analysis of the Project
EIR, and an assessment of that analysis as it applies to the changes to the
Original Project through the Supplemental Financing Plan, are set forth in the
following paragraphs.
26.
With respect to Physical and Resource Impacts, the
Project EIR stated, at page 120,
“Resources within the Del Monte Forest that are
considered important include water quality, protection of trees and the
existing forest, environmentally sensitive habitats, and scenic and visual
resources. Future development may impact
these resources depending on location and density. Alteration of the forest through tree removal
or excavation could impact the soils, natural drainage system, and plant and
animal habitats. Sensitive habitats
include the rare
27.
The Project EIR further addressed Physical and Resource
Impacts, stating that “site specific development impacts . . . are difficult to
predict in the absence of development plans.”
(Project EIR at page 120.) It
pointed out, however, that the Del Monte Forest LCP (itself a plan complying with and
certified under CEQA by the California Coastal Commission, as a certified
regulatory agency under CEQA), the
GMPAP, and other Monterey County policies
(including CEQA review for specific developments) require compliance with
policies for “maximum protection of natural resources, especially water
quality, environmentally sensitive habitat areas, forest resources, and scenic
and visual resources.”
28.
The Project EIR analysis thus identified the potential
significant environmental effects, and the mitigation measures to reduce those
effects, of building 1000 residential
units on 732 acres of vacant PBC land. Although not included in the analysis in
the Project EIR of potential buildout of Del Monte Forest, the Project EIR
assumed buildout of vacant lots of record upon the conclusion that they “are
entitled to water from existing sources” and “are given priority use under the
County’s existing water allocation program.”
(Project Draft EIR, p. 117). That
assumption has proven to be true, since the number of the vacant, undeveloped
lots of record stated in the Project EIR (220) has been reduced to 137 at
present, without development of any residential lots on PBC-owned land. Development of the vacant lots of record has
been slowed to limitations on Cal-Am water service.
29.
As noted above, the Supplemental Financing Plan results
in both a reduction of the “buildout” density, and the actual land area that is
susceptible of development, as each was analyzed in the Project EIR. Further, the vacant residential lots of
record and existing developed residential lots that may acquire a portion of
PBC’s Water Entitlement are pocketed in existing developed neighborhoods where
the Monterey pine forest and its habitat (or other resources) are already
fragmented and isolated due to the immediately adjacent development, and to
which roads, utilities, and drainage systems have already been extended. By comparison, the PBC lands to which PBC’s
Water Entitlement may currently be applied are primarily larger undeveloped
tracts of Monterey pine forest and associated habitat (as is apparent from the
Del Monte Forest LUP) without roads, utilities, and drainage systems. Transfer of a portion of PBC’s Water Entitlement,
which is now available for development of these tracts of PBC land, to vacant
and existing developed residential lots will lessen the level of, and impacts
from, development in Del Monte Forest analyzed in the Project EIR. In particular, given the resources of the
undeveloped PBC land compared to the lots of record, the reduction of the
potential density of development on PBC’s land through transfer of a portion of
PBC’s Water Entitlement will benefit the environment by shifting development to
“infill” areas of lower resource value than the corresponding value that exists
on PBC’s undeveloped land.
30.
With respect to Traffic Impacts, the Project EIR analyzed
impacts from development of Del Monte Forest based on the Goodrich Traffic
Group Study of 1984 and an updated study by Barton Aschman Associates in
1989. Studies were based on maximum
development (including all lots of record) under the Del Monte Forest LCP, and
cumulative conditions.
31.
The conditions forecast by these traffic studies remain
valid. Development of the lots of record
through the Supplemental Financing Plan does not change the analysis of Traffic
Impacts in the Project EIR.
32.
With respect to Public Services, the Project EIR analyzed
the impact on Sewer Service, Fire Protection, Police Services, and Schools
based on the 1000 new units of residential development that would potentially
be induced by the Project. All services
were found to be capable of being adequately provided.
33.
Transfer of the Water Entitlement to allow development of
existing vacant residential lots of record and existing developed residential
lots does not affect the Project EIR analysis concerning Public Services. As existing residential lots with an
entitlement to develop, these lots already have the right to Public Services at
any time, a demand that must be satisfied.
Neither of these two types of lots can reasonably be placed in the
category of “new” lots placing demand on these public services. Therefore, there will be no additional
service demands beyond those analyzed in the Project EIR.
34.
With respect to Cumulative Impacts, the Project EIR
addressed the cumulative impacts of development of 900-1000 units in Del Monte
Forest when added to other potential development projects in nearby areas, and
development planned in the
VIII. Conclusions
Concerning Changes to the Project.
35.
The change to the Project within the responsibility and
jurisdiction of MPWMD is the authorization of the Supplemental Financing Plan,
which will allow the existing dedicated Water Entitlement of PBC to be
dedicated to and used in Del Monte Forest, for residential purposes, on land
which exceeds that initially authorized by the Financing Plan. This is a “change” to the project previously
approved by MPWMD.
36.
With respect to such change, the Board of Directors of the Monterey
Peninsula Water Management District finds
that:
(a) The change to the project is not
“substantial” (as defined by CEQA), because it does not alter the fundamental
objective of the Financing Plan to finance and support the Original Project
through private funds (without the contribution of public funds) to conserve
and reduce the demand for potable water for irrigation. It provides an additional financing vehicle
to support the Original Project objectives, and allows residential development
in Del Monte Forest as already contemplated by the Original Project
approval. It is consistent with and in
furtherance of the goals and objectives of MPWMD for the management and
conservation of the water resources of the
(b) Irrespective of subparagraph (a) above,
the change (1) will not involve new or substantially more severe significant
environmental effects; or (2) require major revisions to the previous EIR (the
Project EIR) due to any new or substantially more severe environmental effects;
and (3) all effects due to the Supplemental Financing Plan have already been
considered in the Project EIR, based on the findings set forth above.
IX.
Analysis and Conclusions Concerning Changes in Circumstances
and New Information.
37. There have
been changes in the circumstances surrounding the implementation of the
Original Project since it was approved in 1989, and there has been new
information that was not known at the time the Project EIR was certified, as
would be expected over time. The
relevant changes in circumstances and new information are as follows:
(a) The Original Project has not performed in the manner and to the extent contemplated in the Project EIR.
(b) Cal-Am has been limited in its ability to deliver potable water through California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Order No. 95-10, dated July 6, 1995, upon a finding by SWRCB that Cal-Am does not possess the legal right to divert from the Carmel River system the amount of water historically (and presently) being diverted by Cal-Am, and that such diversions are causing damage to the Carmel River environment.
(c) In the Seaside Groundwater Basin (a
separate water supply source from the Carmel River system from which Cal-Am
extracts a portion of its water to supply the Monterey Peninsula region),
current extractions appear to exceed the estimated annual yield of the Seaside
Groundwater Basin based on its estimated annual recharge. Over-pumping of the
(d) Two animal species that exist in the
(e) PBC’s plans for development on PBC’s land in Del Monte Forest have changed and
(f) Development on the
38.
The Board of Directors of the Monterey Peninsula Water
Management District finds that:
(a) The
changes in circumstances described in these CEQA Findings are not substantial
as they relate to the Supplemental Financing Plan, or Ordinance No. 109; or any
other matter within the responsibility of the Monterey Peninsula Water
Management District, and
(b) Neither
those changed circumstances, nor the new information, involve new or
substantially more severe significant environmental effects as they relate to
the Supplemental Financing Plan, or Ordinance No. 109, and thus do not require
revisions to the Project EIR.
39.
The Board of Directors of the Monterey Peninsula Water
Management District finds that:
(a) Original Project Performance. As detailed in Finding No. 7 above, while the
Original Project has supplied substantial amounts of recycled water for
irrigation (average of approximately 700 AF per year since inception), it has
not met the Original Project objectives either in quality (primarily due to
salinity of the recycled water) or quantity (primarily due to the lack of
storage for the recycled water to satisfy peak irrigation demand) to meet the
irrigation demands contemplated by the Original Project. As a consequence, an average of approximately
275 AF per year of potable water from the Cal-Am system has been required to
supplement the recycled water to adequately serve the irrigation needs of the
recycled water users under existing contracts.
The Project
Expansion is intended to remedy these shortcomings of the Original Project by
providing advanced treatment facilities and increased storage to meet all of
the irrigation needs of the recycled water users except in the case of an
interruption of recycled water deliveries due to extraordinary circumstances or
events.
(b) Effect of SWRCB Order No. 95-10,
Status of the
The adverse
environmental effects to the
The SWRCB has found
that diversions by Cal-Am from the Carmel River to satisfy the Water
Entitlement of 380 AF above the current limit of 11,285 AF will not violate
SWRCB Order No. 95-10 to the extent that it supports an equal or greater amount
of recycled water use for irrigation that otherwise would have to be satisfied
from the Cal-Am system. (Footnote No. 2
of Order No. 95-10; letters dated March 27, 1998, and October 18, 2001 to MPWMD
from SWRCB.) This criterion has clearly
been met to date. The SWRCB action is
based on the fact that the Original Project is a water conservation project
which benefits the
(c) Changes in PBC Plans. An amendment to the Del Monte Forest LCP was
approved by
PBC’s current
development plan is relevant only to the extent that it would involve new or
substantially more severe significant environmental effects that were not
considered in the Project EIR. The mere
change in development plans alone is not in itself a relevant factor, nor is
the Draft EIR currently underway. It is
the level of effects from such a change compared to the level of effects
analyzed in the Project EIR that is the pertinent consideration.
With respect to the
level of effects associated with PBC’s current development plan, it is apparent
that the level of effects will not exceed the level of effects analyzed in the
Project EIR, and in fact will be considerably less, for the following reasons:
(1) The Project EIR necessarily assumed full buildout
of all development areas, at their maximum permitted densities, identified in
the Del Monte Forest LCP. These
development areas consist largely of undeveloped tracts of
The environmental
effects of PBC’s current development plan is a reduction of the environmental effects
analyzed in the Project EIR because (1) with regard to physical resources
impacted, the impacts will be less due to the reduction of the area of
development of Monterey pine forest and associated habitat (and other
resources) analyzed in the Project EIR; (2) with respect to traffic impacts,
trip generation and other conditions are considerably less than analyzed in the
Project EIR; and (3) due to the substantial reduction in the development
proposed, public services demand will be less than analyzed in the Project EIR.
All of the parcels
proposed for development in PBC’s current plan are existing Benefitted
Properties under the existing Financing Plan, and PBC is thus entitled to use
its existing Water Entitlement for all such development. The Supplemental Financing Plan does not
change this existing right of PBC.
(d) Development on the
X. Ultimate
Findings and Conclusions.
40. The MPWMD
Board of Directors therefore finds that:
(a) The Supplemental Financing Plan and
Ordinance No. 109 are consistent with the goals and objectives of MPWMD for the
management and conservation of the water resources of the
(b) No subsequent or supplemental EIR is
required under CEQA for MPWMD’s discretionary approval of the Supplemental
Financing Plan and Ordinance No. 109, because:
(1) The changes within the responsibility
and jurisdiction of MPWMD are not substantial, and the Supplemental Financing
Plan will not require major revisions to the Project EIR due to the involvement
of any new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the
severity of previously identified significant effects.
(2) There are no changes in circumstances
under which the project is being undertaken that are substantial in relation to
the Supplemental Financing Plan or Ordinance No. 109, and any changes in
circumstances will not require major revisions to the Project EIR due to the
involvement of any new significant environmental effects or a substantial
increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects in
relation to the Supplemental Financing Plan or Ordinance No. 109.
(3) No new
information has become available since certification of the Project EIR, that
was not known or could not have been known at the time the Project EIR was
certified, that shows with respect to the effect of the Financing Plan and the
Supplemental Financing Plan within the responsibility and jurisdiction of
MPWMD, that the project will have one or more significant effects not discussed
in the Project EIR; or that significant effects examined will be substantially
more severe than shown in the Project EIR; or that mitigation measures
previously found not to be feasible would in fact be feasible and would
substantially reduce one or more significant effects but the project proponents
decline to adopt the mitigation measures or alternatives; or that mitigation
measures that are considerably different from those analyzed in the Project EIR
would substantially reduce one or more significant effects on the environment,
but the project proponents decline to adopt the mitigation measures or
alternatives as they relate to the Supplemental Financing Plan, or Ordinance
No. 109.
(c) MPWMD has considered the information in
the Project EIR prior to approving the Supplemental Financing Plan and
Ordinance No. 109.
XI. Other
Approvals for the Project Expansion.
41. MPWMD is
not the lead agency for the physical improvements to the CAWD plant and the
Forest Lake Reservoir comprising the Project Expansion. It is noted, however, that PBCSD has already
approved a Negative Declaration under CEQA for the Forest Lake Reservoir
component (Final Expanded Initial Study, Phase II – CAWD/PBCSD Wastewater
Reclamation Project, dated February 23, 1996 and Negative Declaration adopted
in PBCSD Resolution No. 96-04 adopted February 23, 1996, with Addendum dated
May 2001 and the Negative Declaration adopted July 27, 2001 by PBCSD). The
Initial Study and Negative Declaration confirmed that the
U:\staff\word\boardpacket\2004\2004findings\FinalOrd109Findings.doc
[1] This agreement has been amended by several Technical Amendments to designate additional properties as “Benefitted Properties” defined in the agreement, and as so amended, is referred to in these Findings as the “Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement.”