R-9627
F :\PPD\SHARE\ TRANSY ARDS\BBBSOC.doc
City Council Meeting 02-27-01
Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NO. 9627 (ees)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA MAKING THE CEQA FINDINGS
NECESSARY TO APPROVE THE BIG BLUE BUS FACILITY EXPANSION MASTER
PLAN, ADOPTING A STATEMENT OF OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS AND
ADOPTING A MITIGATION MONITORING PLAN.
WHEREAS, an Environmental Impact Report has been prepared which analyzes the
environmental effects of the Big Blue Bus Facility Expansion Master Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission recommended certification of the Final
Environmental Impact Report; and
WHEREAS, the City Council as Lead Agency, reviewed the Final Environmental
Impact Report in full compliance with State law and City CEQA Guidelines, and
WHEREAS, on February 27,2001, the City Council certified that the Environmental
Impact Report for the Big Blue Bus Facility Expansion Master Plan was prepared in full
compliance with State law and City CEQA Guidelines;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Consistent with Article VI, Section 12 of the City of Santa Monica
CEQA Guidelines and Sections 15091 and 15092 of the State of California CEQA
Guidelines, and as detailed in Final EIR Sections 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 4.10,
4.11,4.12,4.13,4.14,4.15,4.16 and 5.0, the City Council finds that there are no
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significant impacts for traffic, parking and circulation, land use, visual quality, employment,
housing and population, air quality, noise, earth and geologic resources, natural resources
and energy conservation, hazards, public services, utilities, cultural and historic resources,
biological resources, recreation, neighborhood effects and cumulative effects.
SECTION 2. The Final EIR determined that without mitigation all phases of the
project, could result in significant impacts on construction effects related to air quality,
noise, traffic, parking and circulation, cultural and historic resources and hazards.
Consistent with Article VI, Section 12 of the City of Santa Monica CEQA Guidelines and
Section 15091 of the State CEQA Guidelines, and as detailed in Final EIR Section 4.1, the
City Council finds that the following mitigation measures which have been required of the
project will reduce or mitigate the construction effects which are created by the project to
below a level of significance:
1) The applicant shall prepare a Construction Impact Mitigation Plan (CIMP). The
CIMP plan shall specifically address community concerns related to construction of
the proposed project. The CIMP shall, at a minimum, include the following
measures:
Air Quality
(1) Ozone Precursor Control Measures. Any construction equipment used on the
site must meet the following conditions in order to reduce NOx emissions:
. The engine size must be the minimum practical size;
. The number of pieces of equipment operating simultaneously must be
minimized through efficient management practices;
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· Construction equipment must be maintained in tune per manufacturer=s
specifications;
· Equipment shall be equipped with two- to four-degree engine timing retard or
pre-combustion chamber engines;
· Catalytic converters shall be installed, if feasible;
· Diesel-powered equipment such as booster pumps or generators should be
replaced by electric equipment, if feasible; and
· Construction truck trips shall be scheduled, to the extent feasible, to occur
during non-peak hours.
These requirements shall be included on all grading plans.
Noise
(2) All diesel equipment shall be operated with closed engine doors and shall be
equipped with factory-recommended mufflers.
(3) Electrical power shall be used to run air compressors and similar power tools.
(4) Construction shall comply with the City of Santa Monica Noise Ordinance. All
construction activity which generates noise levels above those allowed by the City
of Santa Monica Noise Ordinance shall be limited to between the hours of 10:00
a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Traffic, Parking, and Circulation
(5) Provide locations for construction worker parking and employee parking that will
minimize loss of existing street parking spaces.
(6) Maintain pedestrian access to retail and commercial uses along Colorado
Avenue and Lincoln Boulevard.
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(7) Designate truck routes that avoid the use of residential streets and prepare a
traffic control plan for streets surrounding the project area with specific information
regarding any construction activities that may disrupt area traffic flow.
(8) Prohibit hauling of dirt, construction debris, and construction materials during the
morning and afternoon peak traffic periods.
Cultural and Historic Resources
(9) At the commencement of project construction, all workers associated with earth
disturbing procedures shall be given an orientation regarding the possibility of
exposing unexpected cultural remains by an archaeologist and directed as to what
steps are to be taken if such a find is encountered.
(10) In the event that archaeological resources are unearthed during project
construction, all earth disturbing work within the vicinity of the find must be
temporarily suspended or redirected until an archaeologist has evaluated the nature
and significance of the find. After the find has been appropriately mitigated, work in
the area may resume. If human remains are unearthed, State health and Safety
Code Section 7050.5 requires that no further disturbance shall occur until the
County Coroner has made the necessary findings as to origin and disposition
pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 5097.98. Ifthe remains are determined
to be of Native American descent, the coroner has 24 hours to notify the Native
American Heritage Commission (NAHC). The NAHc will then identify the person(s)
thought to be the Most Likely Descendent (MLD) of the deceased Native American,
who will then help determine what course of action should be taken in dealing with
the remains.
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Hazards
(11) Consistent with the 1994 Federal Occupational Exposure to Asbestos
Standards, a Licensed Asbestos Inspector shall be retained to determine the
presence of asbestos and asbestos containing materials (ACM) within structures to
be demolished on the project site. If asbestos is discovered, a Licensed Asbestos
Abatement Contractor shall be retained to safely remove all asbestos and ACM=s
from the site.
SECTION 3. The Final EIR determined that without mitigation, the project could
result in significant impacts due to construction of the proposed project in the area of air
quality in that it is anticipated that South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD)
threshold standards for dust emissions (PM1o) will occur during construction of Phases 3
and 4 of the Big Blue Bus Facility Expansion Master Plan. Consistent with Article VI,
Section 12 of the City of Santa Monica CEQA Guidelines and Section 15091 of the State
CEQA Guidelines, and as detailed in Final EIR Section 4.1, the City Council finds that the
significant environmental effects as identified below can be reduced but cannot feasibly be
avoided or mitigated to below a level of significance. Nevertheless these impacts are
found to be acceptable due to overriding considerations as discussed in Section 5.
(a) While the project was determined to have a significant air quality impacts in the area
of dust emissions (particulate matter (PM10) during the construction of Phases 3 and
4, the mitigation listed below can reduce the impact, but not mitigate it to below a
level of significance.
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(1) Fugitive Dust Emission Reduction. Dust generated by the development
activities shall be kept to a minimum with a goal of retaining dust on the site
as follows:
. During clearing, grading, earth moving, excavation, or transportation of cut or
fill materials, water trucks or sprinkler systems are to be used to prevent dust
from leaving the site and to create a crust after each day=s activities cease.
Provisions shall be made prior to and during watering to prevent runoff from
leaving the site.
· During construction, water trucks or sprinklers systems shall be used to keep
all areas of vehicle movement damp enough to prevent dust from leaving the
site, particularly whenever wind exceeds 15 miles per hour.
· Soil stockpiled for more than two days shall be covered, kept moist, or
treated with soil binders to prevent dust generation.
These requirements shall be included on all grading plans.
SECTION 4. The CEQA mandated environmentally superior alternative was found
to be Alternative B which includes only Phases 1 through 4 of the Big Blue Bus Facility
Expansion Master Plan with the municipally-owned 5-level parking structure in Phase 5
deleted from the project. As ahalyzed in the Final EIR in Section 6, Alternative A,
Alternative B and the No Project alternative would result in impacts that would be less than
the impacts of the proposed project. However, consistent with Section 15091 of the State
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of California CEQA Guidelines, the City Council finds that Alternative B is not feasible as it
does not meet the key project objective of providing municipal parking opportunities to
alleviate congestion in the City's downtown core. In addition, Alternative A, which proposed
a reduced municipal parking structure in Phase 5, would not provide a sufficient number of
parking spaces to alleviate in any substantial or meaningful way. parking and traffic
congestion in the City's downtown core. In conclusion, Alternative A, Alternative B and the
No Project alternative are not feasible since these do not satisfy the project objectives for
imnrn\l",rI <:Inri ",yn<:lnrl",rI tr<:ln<::it <::",n/i,.,,,,<:: fnr th", ~i('l ~h I'" ~II<:: nnr rln th,:.\1 nrn\lirl",
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meaningful alternative municipal parking opportunities for visitors and employees of the
City's downtown core to alleviate traffic and parking congestion in the area.
SECTION 5. As fully described in Section 3, the Final EIR found that the project
would result in significant unavoidable adverse impacts during construction in the area of
air quality. Consistent with Section 15093 of the State of California CEQA Guidelines, the
City Council hereby makes a Statement of Overriding Considerations and finds that the
benefits of the project outweigh its unavoidable environmental impacts based on the
following reasons:
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Improvement Plan with the facilities proposed in the Big Blue Bus Master Pian,
including those proposed during Phases 3 and 4, which provide additional work
space, maintenance repair facilities, and parking to accommodate expansion ofthe
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bus fleet. This objective is consistent with Circulation Element Policy 4.5.5 which
calls for continued City support of its local bus system. The benefits of an expanded
public transit system and better transit service to the local community and the larger
Big Blue Bus regional service area far outweighs the short term dust-related air
quality impacts experienced during construction of Phases 3 and 4 of the Master
Plan.
(h \ ThA f::!r.ilitiA!': nmnn!':Arl in thA Rin Rh IA RII!': M::!!':tAr PI::!n in n::!rtir.lIl::!r th::!t nrnnn!':An
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during Phase 1, are consistent with the City of Santa Monica's policy of using iower
emission, altemative fuel vehicles were feasible by providing a LNG/cNG fueling
facility for new LNG buses and CNG service vehicles. The benefits of the long term
air quality improvements associated with LNG and CNG fueled vehicles, which
produce fewer emissions than gasoline or diesel fueled vehicles, outweigh the short
term dust related air quality impacts experienced during construction of Phases 3
and 4 of the Master Plan.
(c) The facilities proposed in the Big Blue Bus Master Plan, in particular those proposed
during Phases 2 and 3, will provide greater efficiency in Big Blue Bus operations as
an improved physical connection between administration, maintenance, and
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Big Blue Bus team environment. The increased efficiency in operation will lead to
better transit service to the local community and the larger Big Blue Bus regional
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service area, a benefit which outweighs the short term air quality impacts
experienced during the construction of Phases 3 and 4 of the Master Plan, which
impacts will not continue beyond the relevant stages of construction.
(d) The work proposed during Phase 2 of the Big Blue Bus Facility Expansion Master
Plan will upgrade the existing transportation administration building, which was
constructed in 1984 and damaged in the Northridge earthquake, to meet City
earthquake codes. The permanent seismic upgrading and repair of the existing
administration building is a benefit which far outweighs the short term air quality
impacts expected to occur during construction of Phases 3 and 4 of the Master
Plan.
SECTION 6. Consistent with Public Resources Code Section 21081.6, the City
Council adopts the Mitigation Monitoring Program, which is included as Attachment A, to
mitigate or avoid significant effects of the Project on the environment and to ensure
compliance during project implementation.
SECTION 7. Consistent with Section 21 081.6(d) of the California Environmental
Quality Act, the documents which constitute the record of proceedings for approving this
project are located in the Planning and Community Development Department, 1685 Main
Street, Room 212, Santa Monica, California. The custodian of these plans is Paul Foley,
Associate Planner in the City Planning Division of the Planning and Community
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Development Department.
SECTION 8. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and
thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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MARSHA JONES' MOUTRIE
City Attorney
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Attachment A: Mitigation Monitoring Program
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Adopted and approved this 27th of February, 2001.
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I, Maria M. Stewart, City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica. do hereby
certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 9627 (CCS) was duly adopted at a
meeting of the Santa Monica City Council held on the 27th of February, 2001, by
the following vote:
Ayes: Council members:
Holbrook, O'Connor, McKeown, Genser,
Katz, Mayor Pro Tem Bloom, Mayor
Feinstein
Noes: Council members:
None
Abstain: Council members:
None
Absent: Council members:
None
ATTEST:
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Maria M. Stewart \