Woodland Research and Technology Park Specific Plan

 ** NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY **
 
DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
May 14, 2021
 
Comment Period May 14, 2021 to July 2, 2021

Notice is hereby given that the City of Woodland, as lead agency, has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR) (State Clearinghouse Number 2017062042) for the below referenced Woodland Research and Technology Park (WRTP) Specific Plan. The Draft EIR analyzes the potential environmental effects associated with the proposed Specific Plan in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). In accordance with Section 15087 of the CEQA Guidelines, the City of Woodland has prepared this Notice of Availability (NOA) to provide responsible agencies and other interested parties with notice that the Draft EIR is now available for review, and to solicit comments and concerns regarding the environmental issues associated with the proposed WRTP Specific Plan from May 14, 2021 to July 2, 2021, which exceeds the standard 45-day review period.

PROJECT LOCATION:
The WRTP Specific Plan Area is an approximately 350-acre area located in the southern-central portion of the City’s Planning Area, identified as “new growth” area SP-1A in the City’s General Plan. The WRTP Specific Plan Area is south of Farmers Central Road, east of State Route 113, west of Harry Lorenzo Avenue, and north of the Urban Limit Line.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:               
The WRTP Specific Plan is the overarching policy and planning document for the City’s designated new growth area for future specific plan development, SP-1A, as identified in the 2035 General Plan. The WRTP Specific Plan is comprehensive in scope, addressing land use, transportation, community design, housing, conservation of resources, economic development, public facilities and infrastructure, public safety, and open space, among many other subjects. The WRTP Specific Plan would provide for a variety of housing types and non-residential land uses, as well as parks and open space and supportive public facilities and infrastructure. A multi-modal street network and bike-pedestrian trail system in the WRTP Specific Plan have been designed to balance the circulation and flow of vehicular traffic with the provision of safe and accessible facilities for walking, biking, public transit, and ride share drop-off/pick-up. A modified grid street network provides circulation and access within the WRTP Specific Plan Area, to the Spring Lake Specific Plan Area, and adjacent areas of the city. While not a part of the WRTP Specific Plan Area, the Draft EIR also addresses potential impacts associated with off-site improvement areas.

SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS:
The Draft EIR has identified the below-listed environmental issue areas as having potentially significant environmental impacts from implementation of the WRTP Specific Plan. Those resources indicated with an asterisk (*) have been identified as having significant and unavoidable impacts. These findings are consistent with those of the City’s 2035 General Plan and CAP EIR.

• Aesthetics and Visual Resources*
• Agricultural and Forestry Resources*
• Air Quality*
• Cultural and Tribal Cultural Resources*
• Geology, Soils, Minerals, and Paleontological Resources
• Hazards and Hazardous Materials
• Hydrology, Flooding, and Water Quality Noise and Vibration*
• Transportation and Circulation

There are no sites in the WRTP Specific Plan area that are listed on the Hazardous Waste and Substances Sites List as set forth in Government Code Section 65962.5.

PUBLIC REVIEW: A public review period for the Draft EIR will commence on May 14, 2021 and end on July 2, 2021, for interested individuals and public agencies to submit written comments on the document. Written comments on the Draft EIR must be submitted to the mailing address or email address listed below:  

Erika Bumgardner, Business Development Liaison
City of Woodland Economic Development Department
300 First Street
Woodland, CA 95695
Erika.bumgardner@cityofwoodland.org

Copies of the Public Review Draft WRTP Specific Plan, the Draft EIR, and documents incorporated by reference are available through the City of Woodland Community Development Department at the address listed above. Detailed information related to the WRTP Specific Plan and this EIR are available at the City of Woodland City Hall and online at the project webpage: https://www.cityofwoodland.org/585/Documents. The General Plan, Climate Action Plan and related EIR are also available online at the General Plan Update Website: https://www.cityofwoodland.org/1000/Documents.

PUBLIC MEETING: The City of Woodland will provide a brief presentation on the Draft EIR at a public meeting of the Woodland Planning Commission on June 17, 2021, at 6:30 p.m., or soon thereafter. Consistent with Executive Order N-29-20 issued on March 17, 2020, and Executive Order N-35-20 issued on March 21, 2020, by the Governor of the State of California, this meeting will be held online only via Zoom.  Visit https://www.cityofwoodland.org/654/Meetings-Agendas for meeting agendas and virtual login information.  

* COMMENTS / QUESTIONS *

Your comments or questions are welcome at any time now and throughout the entitlement process.  For comments or questions regarding the Specific Plan, please contact Erika Bumgardner, Principal Planner/Business Development Liaison, at (530) 661-5886, or email your comments to researchpark@cityofwoodland.org.

(Do not “reply” to this email newsletter.)

 
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