Imperial Avenue Terminal Transit Center Expansion and Joint Development Project – San Diego Foundation Collaboration Agreement
Summary
SCH Number
2023060488
Public Agency
San Diego Metropolitan Transit
Document Title
Imperial Avenue Terminal Transit Center Expansion and Joint Development Project – San Diego Foundation Collaboration Agreement
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/16/2023
Document Description
On June 15, 2023, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit
System (“MTS”) Board of Directors authorized the
Chief Executive Officer to execute a Collaboration
Agreement with the San Diego Foundation outlining
the developer selection process for a potential joint
development project at 1313 National Avenue and
1344 National Avenue (IMT Joint Development
Project). The agreement provides for the San Diego
Foundation to conduct a competitive solicitation
process to identify a developer or developers to
partner with the San Diego Foundation to design,
permit, and/or construct a joint development project
on the National Avenue property.
The agreement sets the Goals and Policy Objectives
that both MTS and the San Diego Foundation are
seeking to achieve with the IMT Joint Development
Project and identifies the process that the San Diego
Foundation, with MTS participation, will follow to
identify and select a development partner and prepare
a development proposal for presentation to the MTS
Board for approval in the form of a Development and
Disposition Agreement (DDA).
The Goals and Policy Objectives are intentionally
broad so that the San Diego Foundation and MTS can
engage in an interactive process with potential
developers and with community stakeholders to
identify the most effective and beneficial project that
can be completed. The Goals and Policy Objectives
include efficiently and effectively completing Transit
Center improvements to centralize existing transit
facilities; completing necessary drainage and
stormwater improvements; maximizing, to the extent
feasible and commercially reasonable, affordable and
workforce housing and multi-family residential rental
units on the property in a manner that promotes the
use of nearby transit and thereby reduces vehicle
miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions;
satisfying Government Code section 54233’s
requirement that a minimum of 15% of any potential
project’s rental housing units are affordable units;
satisfying the prevailing wage requirements
applicable to public works projects under California
Labor Code sections 1770-1785, the skilled labor
requirements under Public Utilities Code section
120221.5, and in accordance with MTS policies and
guidelines, as applicable; promoting equity through
consistent design and building standards across
affordable, workforce and market rate units;
incorporating green building and sustainability
features that meet or exceed applicable law; and
incorporating, if feasible and commercially
reasonable, ground-floor activating uses such as
commercial, government and nonprofit services, and
childcare.
On October 20, 2022, the MTS Board accepted a 2022
Transit Intercity Rail Capital Program Grant Award
for the Zero Emission Transit Enhancement Project,
which is intended to be used to increase transit
ridership, passenger safety, and efficiency,
particularly in disadvantaged and low-income
communities, and thereby reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. The Grant Award includes $13.65 million
(inclusive of $2.73 million local match) for the
purposes of enhancing and centralizing transit
capacity around the 12th and Imperial Transit Center
and enabling future potential transit-oriented
development on or near the properties.
Contact Information
Name
Kena Teon
Agency Name
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System
Job Title
MTS Grants Administrator
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
San Diego
Counties
San Diego
Regions
Citywide, Countywide
Cross Streets
National Avenue and Imperial Avenue
Jobs
100
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
Pub. Resources Code, § 21065; 14 Cal. Code Regs., § 15378, subd. (a) 14 Cal. Code Regs., § 15061, subd. (b)(3) (common
Reasons for Exemption
Authorization of the Collaboration Agreement does
not constitute a “project” subject to environmental
review under the California Environmental Quality
Act (“CEQA”) because it does not have the potential
for resulting in either a direct physical change in the
environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect
physical change in the environment. (Pub. Resources
Code, § 21065; 14 Cal. Code Regs., § 15378, subd.
(a).)
Further, authorization of the Collaboration
Agreement is covered by the common sense
exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that
have the potential for causing a significant effect on
the environment. There is no possibility authorization
of the Collaboration Agreement may have a
significant effect on the environment, and therefore it
is not subject to CEQA. (14 Cal. Code Regs., § 15061,
subd. (b)(3).)
The Collaboration Agreement does not commit MTS
to any potential development proposal, which would
be subject to compliance with CEQA, as required, for
any future project approval. Moreover, the details of
the IMT Joint Development Project concept are too
speculative at this juncture to enable meaningful
CEQA review
County Clerk
San Diego
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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