WHAT IS SCOPING

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WHAT IS SCOPING???

• First opportunity for public to define the issues
  that should be analyzed in the Environmental
  Impact Report or EIR

Christina McGinnis, Bioregional Planning
Associates, mcginnis_at_peoplepc.com
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Sprawl The Threat to GaviotaAll that is
constant about the Californiaof my childhood is
the rate at which it disappears. -The writer
Joan Didio
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Will Our Eden Lose its Garden?
.
A recent survey by the Pew Center found that
suburban sprawl ties with crime as a top local
concern for most Americans
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What is our vision? The rural, natural
character of the coast must be preserved.

• Avoid coastal bluffs, Highway 101 corridor, the
  public viewshed, and sensitive habitat areas.
• Ocean and nearshore habitats, grasslands,
  wetlands, creeks and wildlife corridors are the
  primary areas that warrant protection.

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Background The south-central coastal bioregion

• Naples is an important part of the south coast
  region, which is recognized as one of the top
  hot spots for biodiversity in the world, and is
  considered of national and international
  significance.

When you turn to the mountains, think of the
sea..
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A Sample of Coastal Act Policies
California ranks second in the country in the
number of listed endangered and threatened
species. 2/3 of the listed species depend on
aquatic ecosystems during part of their life
cycle.

• The Coastal Act 30251 requires the protection
  of views in the ocean and scenic coastal areas of
  Naples.
• The Coastal Act 30240 protects environmentally
  sensitive habitat areas from significant
  disruption.
• The Coastal Act 30231 requires the protection
  of coastal and marine ecosystems from development
  and its impacts, including watersheds, wetlands,
  and kelp areas and associated marine
  biodiversity

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Major Scoping Issues and Concerns
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Important Policy Issues

• EIR should use a comprehensive baseline of
  constraints and existing policies to analyze
  impacts
• A worst-case policy assessment should be
  undertaken that addresses cumulative impacts,
  policy precedents, and the long-term implications
  of policy decisions

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Environmentally Sensitive Habitats

• Native vegetation, particularly grasslands, must
  be adequately buffered and protected.
• All wetlands should be characterized according to
  County Thresholds and Guidelines
• Maintain largest possible areas of contiguous
  open space to support habitat, wildlife
  corridors, and foraging areas.
• Assess collective losses to several animal
  populations on site and identify impacts on an
  individual, species-by-species basis.

The sensitive intertidal wetland
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VISUAL RESOURCES

• Changes in the scale, land use patterns, and
  visual character/compatibility
• Alternatives considered in the EIR should protect
  views and the rural character (Highway 101 and
  R.R.)
• 3-D simulations from the HWY 101 corridor
  (day/night). Design elements should be used to
  screen development.
• Required fire clearance areas for homes and
  soundwalls

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Growth Inducement

• Growth inducement from a project of this urban
  density in a rural area
• Extension of services (police, fire)
• No potential for extension of public sewer
  services to the area and major policy
  inconsistencies with the proposed Sewage
  Treatment Plant in the coastal zone.

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AGRICULTURE

• A thorough analysis of the project's and
  alternatives' consistency with agricultural
  protection policies and the Agricultural Preserve
  Program and Williamson Act must be undertaken.
• Eliminating grazing from the project site without
  a careful management and restoration plan could
  be a problem
• Cattle Removal and Weed Explosion should be
  analyzed

The project and associated zoning district must
be crafted to prevent a precedent for converting
agricultural lands
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• Noise near the Southern Pacific Railroad
  Crossing

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CULTURAL RESOURCES

• A full Phase I report should be prepared for the
  project site given the archaeological sensitivity
  of the western portion of the coastal side of the
  development.

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HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS

• Beachgoers and slides
• Landslides from unstable soils
• Protection for residents from fire hazards

Bluff Erosion
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GRADING AND EROSION CONCERNS

• The proposed grading plan would include over
  60,000 cubic yards of grading.
• Currently proposing major grading across a
  drainage
• Slope stability issues (landslides, mudslides,
  and erosion issues) associated with the Rincon
  formation and earthquake faults

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Geologic Concerns

• 75 year setback with sea level rise and coastal
  erosion should be revisited by the County. (75
  years not enough).
• Erosion and sedimentation during construction
  activities

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HYDROLOGIC CONCERNS

• State water allocations uncertain
• No apparent stable water source for the project.
• How much untreated water is available, and
  whether there is capacity to treat water on the
  site. In addition, there is the concern of the
  effluent-where will it go?
• Groundwater impacts from septic tanks and on-site
  retention basins
• Proposed inland dry wells may not percolate
  properly
• Increased surface runoff into the ocean
• Change in drainage patterns

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Public Services

• Occupancy estimates
• Which schools would serve the site? Do they have
  the capacity and how would students be bussed?
• Student generation rates
• Undergrounded utilties
• Any changes to offramps/onramps leading to the
  site should be designed so the rural character of
  the area is maintained and grading is minimized.

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RECREATION CONCERNS

• Access -Under the Coastal Act, recreation
  policies must be consistent with resource
  protection.
• Proposed concrete stairway overconstructed and
  visually undesirable
• Safety impacts of the publics use of the
  beach-Rincon Shale

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Project Alternatives

• Support detailed study of alternatives that would
  transfer development to existing urban sites.
  (LCP Policy 2-13)
• Many alternatives should be considered and
  addressed, assuming they have the potential to
  reduce impacts.
• Alternatives should be based on real, on the
  ground development potential, using a baseline
  created by a full analysis of constraints.
• Include alternatives in the EIR that do not rely
  on a package sewer plant.
• Include a broad range of alternatives in the EIR
  with onsite alternatives that do
  not involve placing development on adjacent
  properties. 
• Project Description (PD)
• The PD should state what the intent is for the
  sale and development of the lots. Would it be
  designed as a planned community development?
  How would the impacts to visual resources change
  if the property was an individual lot-sale,
  rather than a planned development?

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The Threatened Coastal and Marine Ecosystems of
the Naples
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Ecology of the coast
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Thinking Like a Watershed
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Impacts on Sensitive Ecosystems

• Impacts from urban and agricultural development
  on sensitive coastal and marine ecosystems and
  creeks

Tomate Canada Creek
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The Importance of Naples Reef

• Naples Reef, a reef wetland, is one of the few
  reef wetlands of this type found along the
  southern California coast.
• Naples Reef contains the highest diversity of
  intertidal organisms within the County. The
  benthic algae on Naples reef are considered one
  of the best examples on the South Coast.

Total Area 18.98 square n.m. Total Shoreline
length 6.49 n.m. Habitats Rocky reef, kelp
beds, sandy bottom. Depth range 0 to 145
fathoms, or 0 to 265 meters.
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Top marine areas in southern California

• The Santa Barbara County Comprehensive Plan
  Conservation Element recommends that Naples Reef
  be preserved as a scientific research and
  educational area because of its unusual
  biological character.

Snowy Egrets
The reefs in this area are incredibly diverse,
particularly the offshore Naples reef, and is
home to a rich diversity of benthic
invertebrates, fish and seaweeds that form a
unique ecosystem in this area. Naples Reef is
one of the two most thoroughly studied rocky
reefs in Southern California.
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Local Coastal Plan policies

• CLUP Policy 7-19 In order to protect the marine
  resources of Naples Reef and the
• adjacent beach as a hauling out area for harbor
  seals, intensive recreational use shall not be
  encouraged (emphasis added). Access to the site
  should continue to be by way of boats.
• CLUP Policy 9-24 Recreational activities near or
  on areas used for marine mammal
• hauling grounds shall be carefully monitored to
  ensure continued viability of these habitats.
• CLUP Policy 9-25 Marine mammal rookeries shall
  not be altered or disturbed by
• recreational, industrial, or any other uses
  during the times of the year when such areas are
  in use of reproductive activities, i.e., mating,
  pupping, and pup care.
• CLUP Policy 9-31 Only light recreational use
  shall be permitted on public beaches which
  include or are adjacent to rocky points or
  intertidal areas.
• CLUP Policy 9-33 Naples reef shall be maintained
  primarily as a site for scientific
• research and education. Recreational and
  commercial uses shall be permitted as long as
  such uses do not result in depletion of marine
  resources (emphasis added).

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Threats to the beach, nearshore and marine
environments from urban development -Water
quality impacts to intertidal, kelp and eelgrass
habitats.
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Shorebirds, raptors, and marine mammal haulout
Endangered Brown Pelicans
Black shouldered kite
Dead new born harbor seal
Black shouldered kite
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• The impacts from increased recreational use on
  the sensitive areas of the beach, particularly
  the marine mammal haul-out area and nearshore
  bird use of the intertidal area at low tide,
  should be analyzed.
• Limited public access should be allowed given
  these concerns.

Blue Heron
Curlews
Eel Grass
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• WHAT YOU CAN DO
• MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD
• ATTEND THE PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THE PROPOSED
  NAPLES DEVELOPMENT