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Worse site visitors and poor air high quality brought on by building are among the many impacts anticipated when Menlo Park builds out its formidable new housing plans spurred by state mandates, in line with an environmental evaluation reviewed by the Menlo Park Planning Fee on Nov. 14.
The evaluation is a part of town’s housing component replace, a state-mandated course of that happens as soon as each eight years. This time round, the state is strongly implementing the rules.
The housing component requires cities to construct in line with projected progress, with an eye fixed towards balancing jobs and housing. Menlo Park’s housing goal, also referred to as the Regional Housing Wants Allocation (RHNA), requires town to plan for shut to three,800 new housing models by 2031.
Although Menlo Park submitted its housing component to the state in July, which predicted town wouldn’t solely attain its RHNA necessities however exceed it by over 2,000 models, it was rejected by the California Division of Housing and Group Improvement (HCD) on Oct. 9. Menlo Park is required to revise and resubmit a housing component to the state to reveal it may construct what’s proposed. The town has till Jan. 31 to submit a sound housing component for approval. Failing to fulfill the deadline means town would have a noncompliant component, which may lead to builder’s treatment and open the door for builders to construct important housing tasks with out having to adjust to native zoning guidelines.
The draft supplemental environmental affect report (SEIR) has discovered that even with mitigation there might be “important and unavoidable” impacts on air high quality and site visitors in Menlo Park. The plan is predicted to generate a big quantity of auto miles traveled and create air pollution from building as a result of issues corresponding to gear exhaust.
The fee reviewed the housing component’s SEIR on the assembly, which is open for public touch upon till Dec. 19, and plans to proceed its dialogue at a gathering subsequent month.
Three residents spoke out with issues concerning the draft SEIR and commented on revisions they needed to see. Resident Pam Jones mentioned that she had issues that HCD could be in search of a extra thorough evaluation of the environmental results of potential housing, as a few of the environmental justice parts of the draft EIR had been primarily based on the Join Menlo zoning plan that started in 2014, and that the data was outdated.
“I’ve concern that this doc, this course of, will not be even addressing what we all know we’ll have to handle within the response to the HDC,” Jones mentioned.
One other resident, Jenny Michelle, mentioned that increased density unfold throughout town, together with in low-density areas, is important to mitigating environmental elements.
“We’d like house owners coming ahead stating ‘Sure, in my yard, we’re going to construct density housing right here and that may enhance the environmental affect,'” Michelle mentioned.
Naomi Goodman, a Menlo Park resident representing the Sequoia Audubon Society spoke out concerning the security of birds and different wildlife, particularly concerning the enforcement of bird-safe design requirements, which she mentioned is usually waived, and the significance of lowering gentle air pollution.
The town-commissioned SEIR used the 30% buffer for deliberate housing, which HCD suggests cities embody. The one factor that might set off an extra examine at this level is that if over years, circumstances modified or new state rules are adopted, however the metropolis at present has the flexibility to work off of the draft EIR beforehand submitted.
Planning Fee Chair Chris Decardy applauded metropolis workers for recognizing cultural parts of Menlo Park within the draft SEIR and aiming to protect them.
“I admire your level about how conservative you had been on the cultural sources,” Decardy mentioned. “I do not suppose it ought to be used for the fallacious functions. And if our city cares deeply about our historic structure or different historic parts, then we should always make investments the trouble so as to have the ability to have a city-wide have a look at that.”
The Planning Fee continued the dialogue of the SEIR to Dec. 6, saying that the feedback made so far might be thought-about in revisions, and the general public is welcome to proceed submitting feedback till Dec. 19.
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