Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout02160029_Sec05-10 Recreation Project Impacts West Ming Specific Plan - Draft EIR Recreation Michael Brandman Associates 5.10-1 H:\Client (PN-JN)\0216\02160029\DEIR 9-1\02160029_Sec05-10 Recreation.doc 5.10 - Recreation 5.10.1 - Introduction Information in this section is based upon the following documents: • Public Services Report, September 14,2005, and revised August 24, 2006. McIntosh and Associates. The complete report is contained in Appendix K of the Technical Appendices of the Draft EIR. • Metropolitan Bakersfield General Plan, December 2002. City of Bakersfield. This document is available for review at the City of Bakersfield Planning Department at 1715 Chester Avenue, Bakersfield, California 93301. 5.10.2 - Environmental Setting Recreation and park facilities that are located in the vicinity of the project site include Tevis Park (7.5 acres), Campus Park South (12.12 acres), Campus Park North (11.07 acres), Garden Park (5.85 acres) Pin Oak Park (16.81 acres), Windemere Park (5.87 acres), River Oaks Park (12.36 acres), Deer Peak Park (6.04 acres), and The Park at River Walk (32 acres). Recreational facilities are generally classified as one of the following: local parks consisting of mini-parks; neighborhood parks; and community park centers; or as regional parks. Local parks generally range from 1-2.5 acres (mini- parks), to 5-10 acres (neighborhood parks), and 30 acres (community parks). The City of Bakersfield requires minimum size standards for park improvements: mini-parks (2.5 usable acres), neighborhood parks/playgrounds (10 usable acres), and community park/playfield (20 usable acres). Local parks generally serve a population within a three-quarter mile radius. Regional parks, on the other hand, can range anywhere from 20 to 1,000 acres and serve a population living within a distance of one hour’s drive. The provision of regional parks has been primarily the responsibility of the County of Kern. Local parks have been provided by the City and developers within the City. The Metropolitan Bakersfield General Plan states that the park service level is at 1.88 acre per 1,000 population. California’s Quimby Act was instituted for the purpose of preserving open space and providing park facilities for California’s growing population, and provides enabling authority to local governments to require land dedication or in-lieu fees in conjunction with approvals of residential subdivision projects, to help fund acquisition of public parkland. Pursuant to the Quimby Act, the City has adopted an ordinance requiring parkland dedication or in-lieu fees for new residential subdivision projects at a standard of 2.5 acres per 1,000 persons who will reside in the city as a result of the proposed development (BMC §15.80.050). Typically, funds for park maintenance services are provided by property tax revenues generated by development. BMC Chapter 15.82 requires payment of a park development fee at the time of issuance of a residential building permit. However, the developer may enter into an agreement, such as a Development Agreement, with the City to construct the public parks instead of payment of the Park Development Fee. Project Impacts Recreation West Ming Specific Plan - Draft EIR 5.10-2 Michael Brandman Associates H:\Client (PN-JN)\0216\02160029\DEIR 9-1\02160029_Sec05-10 Recreation.doc 5.10.3 - Thresholds of Significance According to Appendix G of the State CEQA Guidelines, a project would normally have a significant effect on the environment if a project: • Would increase the use of existing neighborhood and regional parks or other recreational facilities such that substantial physical deterioration of the facility would occur or be accelerated; or • Includes recreational facilities or requires the construction or expansion of recreational facilities which might have an adverse physical effect on the environment. 5.10.4 - Project Impacts and Mitigation Measures Existing Recreational Facilities Impact 5.10.A: The proposed project will increase the onsite population by 19,020 persons; however, this increase would not result in a substantial physical deterioration of existing neighborhood and regional parks or other recreational facilities, or result in the acceleration of the physical deterioration of existing recreational facilities. Implementation of the proposed project would result in an increase in onsite residential population of 19,020 persons. The project also includes the implementation of public and private parks; there are 6 public parks encompassing 56 acres, and there are four private parks encompassing 35 acres. In accordance with the City’s adopted parkland requirement of 2.5 acres per 1,000 persons, the proposed project would be required to include 47.55 acres of parkland. Since the proposed project will include 56 acres of public parkland on the project site, implementation of the project would provide more than adequate recreational facilities for future residents on the project site. Therefore, existing recreational facilities would not experience substantial physical deterioration or experience an acceleration of physical deterioration. The proposed project would result in a less than significant impact on existing recreational facilities. Mitigation Measures No mitigation measures are required. Level of Significance Ater Mitigation Less than significant. Proposed Recreational Facilities Impact 5.10.B: The proposed project includes the implementation of new recreational facilities on the project site to provide the project site’s future population of 19,020 persons with adequate recreational facilities. The construction of these recreational facilities would not have an adverse physical effect on the environment. The proposed project includes the implementation of new public and private recreational facilities on the project site. The public facilities would encompass 56 acres and the private facilities would encompass 35 acres. The construction of these facilities on the project site would result in air emissions (as discussed in Section 5.2 in this Draft EIR), noise (as discussed in Section 5.8 in this Project Impacts West Ming Specific Plan - Draft EIR Recreation Michael Brandman Associates 5.10-3 H:\Client (PN-JN)\0216\02160029\DEIR 9-1\02160029_Sec05-10 Recreation.doc Draft EIR), and traffic (as discussed in Section 5.11 in this Draft EIR). In addition, the future maintenance of the private recreational lake may result in health hazards (as discussed in Section 5.6 in this Draft EIR). Although future recreational facilities may result in a physical effect on the environment; these physical effects on the environment associated with the facilities are expected to be less than significant. Mitigation Measures No mitigation measures are required. Level of Significance After Mitigation Less than significant.