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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02160029_Sec05-09 Public Services Project Impacts West Ming Specific Plan - Draft EIR Public Services Michael Brandman Associates 5.9-1 H:\Client (PN-JN)\0216\02160029\DEIR 9-1\02160029_Sec05-09 Public Services.doc 5.9 - Public Services 5.9.1 - Introduction This section provides baseline information on, and evaluates the impacts to, public services and utilities, including fire and police protection, and schools. Information in this section is based on the following documents: • Public Services Report, McIntosh and Associates, September 14, 2005 and revised August 24, 2006. The complete report is contained in Appendix K of the Technical Appendices of the DEIR. • Metropolitan Bakersfield General Plan, December of 2002. This document is available for review. 5.9.2 - Environmental Setting Fire Services The City of Bakersfield Fire Department currently provides fire protection and emergency medical response services to the project site. Within the City there are 15 fire stations. The City of Bakersfield and the County of Kern maintain a Joint Powers agreement that determines agency functions within the Metropolitan Bakersfield area. Development is required to be in accordance with the 2000 Edition of the Uniform Fire Code and the Uniform Fire Code Standards, which are nationally recognized compilations of proposed rules, regulations, and standards. According to Fire Chief Ron Fraze, fire stations have been situated throughout the Metropolitan Bakersfield area to meet an emergency response time of six minutes or less (90 percent of the time), although this goal does not reflect actual experience in all situations. Response times for individual stations range from a low of 2.9 minutes to a high of 10 minutes. An overall average response time for engine and truck companies is 5.2 minutes for any property within a 2.6-mile area around a specific station. The nearest fire station to the project site is Station No. 15 located at the intersection of Deer Peak Avenue and Buena Vista Road, which is approximately 1.2 miles from the northeast corner of the site, while the furthest point is approximately 3 miles away. In addition, a future fire station is planned for construction within the McAllister Ranch project, immediately south of the West Ming Specific Plan. This station is anticipated to be operational in approximately 2008. Police Services The Bakersfield Police Department currently provides police protection services to the project area. The City of Bakersfield maintains its own police department from its Truxtun Avenue headquarters. Upon annexation, the property area will be served by the Bakersfield Police Department. However, the Kern County Sheriff’s Department also has a metropolitan area precinct that provides law enforcement within the general Bakersfield area. Because the site is currently under agricultural and petroleum production, the current demand for law enforcement is minimal. The City has a newly Project Impacts Public Services West Ming Specific Plan - Draft EIR 5.9-2 Michael Brandman Associates H:\Client (PN-JN)\0216\02160029\DEIR 9-1\02160029_Sec05-09 Public Services.doc constructed substation adjacent to Fire Station No. 15, which will service and support project residents. This Bakersfield Police Department Substation is located at the intersection of Buena Vista Road and Deer Peak Drive. It is currently staffed by 52 patrol officers, 1 graffiti investigator, 1 K9 officer, 4 Service technicians, 1 clerk, and 1 lieutenant. Substation personnel provides service to the community west of Highway 99, within the city limits. Dispatch and 911 services for the Metropolitan area are handled from the County Communications Center at Panorama Drive. The City of Bakersfield and the County of Kern have a formal mutual aid agreement for law enforcement and emergency services. Sheriff’s patrol units traveling through unincorporated cities within the County will respond to observed police problems and then call for City Police for follow- up. Schools The project site is located within the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District and Kern High School District (Stockdale High School). Panama-Buena Vista Union School District The Panama-Buena Vista Union School District (PBVUSD) operates sixteen elementary schools (grades K-6) and four Junior High Schools (grades 7-8). District enrollment is currently about 13,500 students. Elementary schools (based on site construction size) typically house from 600-800, and junior highs house 700-900. All existing schools within the District are at or near capacity. The PBVUSD specified that the Education Code requires school districts to provide for children of parents employed within the District. However at this time, PBVUSD has not established a generation rate factor for commercial and industrial development. PBVUSD has established generation factors for residential development as shown in Table 5.9-1 in Section 5.9.4. Kern High School District The Kern High School District (KHSD) currently operates 10 high schools within the Metropolitan Bakersfield area. It is the only high school district serving the Metropolitan Bakersfield area. Stockdale High currently serves the project site. Other nearby schools serving the general vicinity are Liberty High School, located approximately 3 miles north of the project site and West High School, located approximately 5.5 miles east of the project site. According to the KHSD the district is growing at approximately one-half a high school a year with some acceleration in the past two years. One new high school (Frontier High School), located at Allen Road and Kratzmeyer Road (approximately 6-miles north of the project) is expected to open in 2006. The KHSD Board will revise school boundaries upon completion of the new Frontier High School. However, it is anticipated that Stockdale High School will still serve the project site after district boundaries are redrawn. In addition, the District anticipates constructing two additional schools by the fall of 2008 and a total of four schools within the next ten years. Project Impacts West Ming Specific Plan - Draft EIR Public Services Michael Brandman Associates 5.9-3 H:\Client (PN-JN)\0216\02160029\DEIR 9-1\02160029_Sec05-09 Public Services.doc High schools constructed by KHSD typically have a capacity of approximately 2,150 to 2,180 students, but can accommodate approximately 100 students over this capacity. Stockdale High School has a current enrollment of 2,322 students, approximately 150-200 students over capacity. The Kern High School District is currently studying a new student generation rate, based upon the rapid growth of the Metropolitan area. 5.9.3 - Thresholds of Significance Appendix G of the CEQA Guidelines indicates that the project would result in a significant impact to public services if it would: • Result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered governmental facilities, need for new or physically altered governmental facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times or other performance objectives for any of the following public services: - Fire protection; - Police protection; and/or - Schools. 5.9.4 - Project Impacts and Mitigation Measures This section discusses potential impacts associated with the development of the project and provides mitigation measures where appropriate. The following impact analyses are based on the projected population increase associated with the proposed project. As discussed in Section 3.4.2, the projected population increase associated with the project is 19,020. Fire Protection Services Impact 5.9.A: The project would not result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision or need of new or physically altered fire protection facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times or other performance objectives. The proposed project will introduce new and more intense land uses to the area. The project will result in a substantial increase in population and buildings on the project site and will increase the demand for fire protection and emergency medical services. The proposed project will improve access throughout the project site with the proposed circulation system. The proposed circulation system will facilitate more efficient access. The City of Bakersfield Fire Department has not established a ratio of staff to resident population, but the national industry standard is 1.0-fire personnel per 1,000 population. Currently, the City of Bakersfield operates at approximately 0.7 fire personnel per 1,000 population. Using the current City of Bakersfield ratio, 13 additional personnel would be required for fire protection and emergency purposes for the proposed project site at build-out. Project Impacts Public Services West Ming Specific Plan - Draft EIR 5.9-4 Michael Brandman Associates H:\Client (PN-JN)\0216\02160029\DEIR 9-1\02160029_Sec05-09 Public Services.doc According to Chief Fraze, personnel at Station No. 15 will provide the required services to the project site in conformance with the six-minute response time. Station No. 15, which became operational in 2004, will provide the required services until the timing for new personnel and facilities is required at project build-out. An additional fire station is proposed south of the project site within McAllister Ranch. This station is anticipated to be operational in approximately 2008. Station No. 15 and the proposed fire station would be adequate to serve the area and maintain current response times. Local sales tax revenue would be generated by operation of the proposed commercial and industrial uses, and property tax revenues would be generated by the proposed project. These revenues would contribute to funding for adequate equipment, facilities and personnel to serve and meet the fire protection needs of the project. Further, the development agreement provides for additional contributions in excess of the project’s fair-share of revenues required to meet these needs. As required by the Uniform Fire Code and the City of Bakersfield Municipal Code Sections 15.64.010 to 15.64.480, the proposed project will be required to include specific design features such as ensuring appropriate emergency access, and requiring structures to be built with approved building materials, etc. Conformance with these codes helps reduce the risks associated with fire hazards. Implementation of the proposed project would result in less than significant effects related to fire protection services. Mitigation Measures No mitigation measures are required. Level of Significance After Mitigation Less than significant. Police Protection Services Impact 5.9.B: The project would not result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision or need of new or physically altered police protection facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times or other performance objectives. As previously stated, the proposed project will introduce new and more intense land uses to the area. The project will result in a substantial increase in population in the project vicinity and will increase the demand for law enforcement services. This increased demand will result from the addition of people and structures on the project site. Notably, the proposed project will improve the circulation system within the project area, facilitating more efficient access. The City uses a staffing goal of 1.3 officers per 1,000 population. According to the Police Department, this goal is not being met currently due to budget constraints; thus, implementation of the project will have a direct impact upon police services in the area because the introduction of residential and commercial uses will increase the likelihood of criminal activity. Specifically, the Project Impacts West Ming Specific Plan - Draft EIR Public Services Michael Brandman Associates 5.9-5 H:\Client (PN-JN)\0216\02160029\DEIR 9-1\02160029_Sec05-09 Public Services.doc proposed project is anticipated to incrementally increase criminal activity such as vandalism, burglary, and theft and will result in a significant impact on existing police protection services. Using the current City of Bakersfield staffing goal, 25 additional personnel would be required for law enforcement services. Therefore, based upon an estimated population increase of 19,020, the proposed project will require additional personnel and equipment to provide law enforcement services. Furthermore, according to the City of Bakersfield Police Department, the project will increase the need for police personnel, support staff, and equipment. According to Police Chief, Bill Rector, the police substation located adjacent to Fire Station 15, will be adequate to serve the project residents at this time. Local sales tax revenue would be generated by operation of the proposed commercial and industrial uses, and property tax revenues would be generated by the proposed project. These revenues would contribute to funding for adequate equipment, facilities and personnel to serve and meet the police protection needs of the project. Further, the development agreement provides for additional contributions in excess of the project’s fair-share revenues required to meet these needs. Implementation of the proposed project would result in less than significant effects related to police protection services. Mitigation Measures No mitigation measures are required. Level of Significance After Mitigation Less than significant. Schools Impact 5.9.C: The project may potentially result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision or need of new or physically altered school facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios or other performance objectives. As previously stated, the proposed project will introduce new and more intense land uses to the area. The development of residential uses will result in a substantial increase in population in the project vicinity and the corresponding generation of school children will increase the demand for school facilities. Panama-Buena Vista Union School District Mike Killeen, former Facilities Director for the District, notes that all of the approximately 7,450 dwelling units proposed as part of this project are within their district. Using student generation rates provided by Mr. Killeen, as shown in Table 5.9-1 below, the proposed project is estimated to generate approximately 2,427 elementary students and 1,484 middle school students. Project Impacts Public Services West Ming Specific Plan - Draft EIR 5.9-6 Michael Brandman Associates H:\Client (PN-JN)\0216\02160029\DEIR 9-1\02160029_Sec05-09 Public Services.doc Table 5.9-1: Student Generation Rates Residential Use Number of Dwelling Units Generation Rates Total Students Elementary - 0.36591 1,737 Single-family (detached)¹ 4,748 Middle School - 0.11529 547 Elementary - 0.27051 731 Multi-family² 2,702 Middle School - 0.6827 184 Elementary 2,468 Total 7,450 Middle School 731 ¹ Considers both Low Density and Low-Medium Density residential to be Single-Family. ² Includes all residential dwelling units other than Single-Family. Source: McIntosh and Associates (June, 2006). The generation of approximately 2,468 elementary students and 731 middle school students will significantly impact the school district and necessitate the construction of additional school facilities to serve the project’s student population. The proposed project includes several conceptually sited elementary schools and one junior high school within the project boundary. If required, the future school sites will be developed in consultation with the Panama Buena Vista School district and located per the District’s requirements. The location and designation of the schools are not established because the City of Bakersfield does not designate school sites at the General Plan or zoning level of planning. In accordance with the City’s General Plan and zoning designations, the schools could be located within any of the residential areas. Offsite school sites and facilities may be utilized in lieu of onsite school sites and facilities where available and appropriate. Kern High School District As previously stated, high schools constructed by KHSD typically have a capacity of approximately 2,150 to 2,180 students, but can accommodate approximately 100 students over this capacity. Stockdale High School currently serves the project site, and currently has an enrollment of 150-200 students over capacity. The Kern High School District is currently studying a new student generation rate, based upon the rapid growth of the Metropolitan area. Nonetheless, according to the Kern Council of Governments (KERNCOG) Profile of General Demographic Characteristics, U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Data, the overall student generation rate for the Bakersfield area is 0.22 students per residential unit. Using a student generation rate of 0.22 students per residential unit, the proposed project (7,450 units) is estimated to generate approximately 1,639 new high school students. The generation of approximately 1,639 new high school students indicates that 0.75 new high schools would be required to accommodate this population; therefore, the proposed project will significantly Project Impacts West Ming Specific Plan - Draft EIR Public Services Michael Brandman Associates 5.9-7 H:\Client (PN-JN)\0216\02160029\DEIR 9-1\02160029_Sec05-09 Public Services.doc impact the school district and necessitate the construction of an additional high school facility to serve the student the population anticipated within the project site. Mitigation Measures 5.9.C.1 Prior to the issuance of building permits, the project applicant shall pay Panama- Buena Vista Union School District and Kern High School District adopted development impact school fees in accordance with the statutory fees that are in effect at the time of issuing each permit. Level of Significance After Mitigation Less than significant.