Funding Commitment for the Mather Veterans Village Phase 4 Affordable Multifamily Housing Project

2024070085

City of Rancho Cordova

NOE - Notice of Exemption

7/2/2024

7/2/2024

Stefan Heisler

City of Rancho Cordova

Housing Manager

Lead/Public Agency

2729 Prospect Park Drive
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670

(916) 851-8757

sheisler@cityofranchocordova.org

Stefan Heisler

City of Rancho Cordova

Housing Manager

Project Applicant

2729 Prospect Park Drive
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670

(916) 851-8757

sheisler@cityofranchocordova.org

067-0010-093-0000

Southeast corner of Bleckely St and Schirra Ave; 067-0010-093-0000 (approximately 2.0-acre northwest portion)

Categorical Exemption

Section 15332 Class 32, In-Fill Development

As an affordable housing development for very low-income homeless and disabled veterans and homeless families on the former Mather Air Force Base, located in a vehicle miles traveled efficient area, along public transit, in proximity to the Sacramento Veterans Administration Medical Center, the Project has been determined to be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with Guidelines Section 15332 (In-Fill Development Projects). This exemption applies to projects characterized as in-fill development meeting the conditions described below: a) The project is consistent with the applicable general plan designation and all applicable general plan policies as well as with applicable zoning designation and regulations; b) The proposed development occurs within city limits on a project site of no more than five acres substantially surrounded by urban uses; c) The project site has no value, as habitat for endangered, rare or threatened species; d) Approval of the project would not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality; and e) The site can be adequately served by all required utilities and public services. The Project was found to be consistent with the City of Rancho Cordova General Plan designation (Office Mixed Use) integrating residential uses into a predominantly office and business park, all applicable General Plan policies, generally in the promotion of additional housing for special needs populations, and zoning policies and regulations (condition a, above). The project also satisfies conditions b, c, and e as a previously developed site within the former Mather Air Force Base. A VMT Screening Memorandum and Trip Generation Memorandum were prepared and concluded that, as an infill project for very low-income homeless and disabled veterans and homeless families, the Project's vehicle miles traveled impact is less than significant, and no transportation mitigation is required. Similarly, the Trip Generation Memorandum concluded that the Project does not create any substantial changes to the existing roadway system and does not introduce any new operation or safety concerns for the travelling public. Approval of the project will be conditioned related to site infrastructure, safe indoor noise standards, air quality best management practices, water quality best management practices, and appropriate on-site treatment of water to ensure that the site is designed to appropriately handle stormwater and protect water quality. As a result, the Project would not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality, thereby satisfying condition (d) above.

Statutory Exemption

Section 15183, Projects Consistent with a Community Plan or Zoning

CEQA Guidelines Article 12, Special Situations, identifies circumstances for which certain CEQA-compliance procedures may apply. CEQA Guidelines Section 15183, Projects Consistent with a Community Plan or Zoning, provides a special streamlining process that exempts qualifying projects from additional environmental review, except as might be necessary to examine whether there are project-specific significant effects which are peculiar to the project or its site. Furthermore, if an impact is not peculiar to the parcel or to the project, has been addressed as a significant effect in the prior Environmental Impact Report (EIR), or can be substantially mitigated by the imposition of uniformly applied policies or standards, then an additional EIR does not need to be prepared for the project solely based on that impact. The project has been analyzed and is exempt per CEQA Guidelines Section 15183 "Projects Consistent with a Community Plan, General Plan or Zoning." The proposed multifamily residential project is a conditionally permitted use consistent with the development densities established by the City's General Plan and zoning for which an EIR was certified (June 2006). None of the exceptions identified in CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 apply to the project.

Statutory Exemption

Section 15194, Affordable Housing Exemption

In accordance with Section 15194 - Affordable Housing Exemption, CEQA does not apply to any development project that meets the following criteria: (a) The project meets threshold criteria set forth in section 15192; (b) the project meets specified size criteria; (c) the project meets specified requirements regarding location; and (d) the project meets specified requirements regarding provision of affordable housing. The Project has been found to (a) meet the threshold criteria set forth in section 15192. The Project will (b) not be on a site more than five acres in area; (c) meet location requirements relating to population density and site-specific location requirements on previously developed land as an urban use adjacent to other current developed urban uses; and (d) meet requirements regarding provision of affordable housing, the Project includes fewer than 100 units and the units will remain affordable for longer than 30 years.

Statutory Exemption

Section 21080.40, Affordable Housing Projects

AB 1449 (Chapter 761 . Statutes of 2023) adds PRC Section 21080.40 establishing a statutory exemption for affordable housing projects that meet specified criteria. The Project has been analyzed according to these criteria and will: consist of multifamily residential uses only, be dedicated to lower-income households, is within the city boundaries of the City of Rancho Cordova, and is on a parcel surrounded by urban uses. Furthermore the Project will be subject to a recorded California Tax Credit Allocation Committee regulatory agreement, can be adequately served by existing utilities, complies with the limitations on location found in Government Code 65913.4(a)(6)(B-K), does not contain tribal cultural resources, a Phase 1 environmental assessment has been completed and has determined that there is no potential for exposure of future occupants to significant health hazards, is not located on a site where multifamily housing is not permitted, is not located within 500 feet of a freeway or within 3,200 feet of a facility that actively extracts or refines oil or natural gas, and is not within a very high fire hazard severity zone. The Project is exempt pursuant to the AB 1449 (Chapter 761. Statues of 2023) PRC Section 21080.40 Affordable Housing statutory exemption.