Water-demand projects (as defined in Section 15155 of the State CEQA Guidelines) that require service from a public water system shall prepare a water supply assessment prior to project approval. If the projected water demand associated with the project was not accounted for in the most recently adopted urban water management plan, or the public water system has no urban water management plan, the water supply assessment must address the public water system’s total projected water supplies available during normal, single-dry, and multiple-dry water years for a 20-year projection. The assessment shall describe if the new water service will be sufficiently met under this 20- year projection. The water supply assessment shall be prepared to the satisfaction of and approved by the governing body of the affected public water system and the County. A water-demand project that includes a new water service from a public water system shall not be approved unless adequate water supplies are demonstrated.
Environmental Impact Report
WR-I Demonstrate Adequate Water Supply during Normal, Single-Dry, and Multiple- Dry Years
Water-demand projects (as defined in Section 15155 of the State CEQA Guidelines) that require service from a public water system shall prepare a water supply assessment prior to project approval. If the projected water demand associated with the project was not accounted for in the most recently adopted urban water management plan, or the public water system has no urban water management plan, the water supply assessment must address the public water system’s total projected water supplies available during normal, single-dry, and multiple-dry water years for a 20-year projection. The assessment shall describe if the new water service will be sufficiently met under this 20- year projection. The water supply assessment shall be prepared to the satisfaction of and approved by the governing body of the affected public water system and the County. A water-demand project that includes a new water service from a public water system shall not be approved unless adequate water supplies are demonstrated.
AG-O Establish an Agricultural Conservation Easement
Discretionary projects that would result in direct or indirect loss of Important Farmland in exceedance of the acreage loss thresholds listed in the table below shall ensure the permanent protection of offsite farmland of equal quality at a 1:1 ratio (acres preserved: acres converted) through the establishment of an offsite agricultural conservation easement. “Offsite” means an area that is outside of the project’s permit boundaries if applicable, would not be disturbed by the project with respect to agricultural soils or production, and that otherwise complies with the below-stated requirements. Discretionary projects to develop and provide housing for use by farmworkers and their families are not subject to this agricultural conservation easement requirement.
If the Planning Division, in consultation with the Agricultural Commissioner, determines that a discretionary project would result in direct or indirect loss of Important Farmland in exceedance of the acreage loss thresholds listed in the table above, the project applicant shall prepare and submit a report for the review and approval of the Planning Division in consultation with the Agricultural Commissioner which identifies a minimum of one proposed potential mitigation site suitable for ensuring the permanent protection of offsite farmland of equal quality at a 1:1ratio (acres preserved: acres converted) through the establishment of one or more offsite agricultural conservation easements. The preservation of more than one site agricultural conservation easement may be considered in order to meet the required number of acres. The applicant shall also deposit funds with the County to contract with a qualified third-party agricultural economic consultant to review and advise the Planning Division and Agricultural Commissioner regarding the establishment and implementation of the agricultural conservation easement(s). The contents of the report shall be determined, reviewed, and approved by the Planning Division in consultation with the Agricultural Commissioner (hereafter referred to as the “reviewing agencies”), and shall include information necessary for the reviewing agencies and a qualified entity responsible for holding the conservation easement (e.g., a land trust organization) to determine the viability of the proposed mitigation site(s) for the establishment of a permanent agricultural conservation easement.
Among the factors necessary for approval by the reviewing agencies, the proposed mitigation site(s) shall be located in the County of Ventura unincorporated area, must not already have permanent protection, must be equivalent to or greater than the type of Important Farmland (e.g., Unique farmland) that would be converted by the project, and must be of sufficient size to be viable for long term farming use as determined by the County. Among other terms that may be required by the reviewing agencies in consultation with a qualified entity, the terms of an agricultural conservation easement shall include a requirement that it run with the land. There must also be a provision for annual monitoring by the qualified entity or its representative to ensure adherence to the terms of the conservation easement. Project applicants are responsible for all costs incurred by the County and the qualified entity to successfully implement this mitigation measure. Proof of the successful establishment of an agricultural conservation easement shall be provided to the Planning Division prior to issuance of a zoning clearance for inauguration of the project.
AG-O Establish an Agricultural Conservation Easement
Discretionary projects that would result in direct or indirect loss of Important Farmland in exceedance of the acreage loss thresholds listed in the table below shall ensure the permanent protection of offsite farmland of equal quality at a 1:1 ratio (acres preserved: acres converted) through the establishment of an offsite agricultural conservation easement. “Offsite” means an area that is outside of the project’s permit boundaries if applicable, would not be disturbed by the project with respect to agricultural soils or production, and that otherwise complies with the below-stated requirements. Discretionary projects to develop and provide housing for use by farmworkers and their families are not subject to this agricultural conservation easement requirement.
If the Planning Division, in consultation with the Agricultural Commissioner, determines that a discretionary project would result in direct or indirect loss of Important Farmland in exceedance of the acreage loss thresholds listed in the table above, the project applicant shall prepare and submit a report for the review and approval of the Planning Division in consultation with the Agricultural Commissioner which identifies a minimum of one proposed potential mitigation site suitable for ensuring the permanent protection of offsite farmland of equal quality at a 1:1ratio (acres preserved: acres converted) through the establishment of one or more offsite agricultural conservation easements. The preservation of more than one site agricultural conservation easement may be considered in order to meet the required number of acres. The applicant shall also deposit funds with the County to contract with a qualified third-party agricultural economic consultant to review and advise the Planning Division and Agricultural Commissioner regarding the establishment and implementation of the agricultural conservation easement(s). The contents of the report shall be determined, reviewed, and approved by the Planning Division in consultation with the Agricultural Commissioner (hereafter referred to as the “reviewing agencies”), and shall include information necessary for the reviewing agencies and a qualified entity responsible for holding the conservation easement (e.g., a land trust organization) to determine the viability of the proposed mitigation site(s) for the establishment of a permanent agricultural conservation easement.
Among the factors necessary for approval by the reviewing agencies, the proposed mitigation site(s) shall be located in the County of Ventura unincorporated area, must not already have permanent protection, must be equivalent to or greater than the type of Important Farmland (e.g., Unique farmland) that would be converted by the project, and must be of sufficient size to be viable for long term farming use as determined by the County. Among other terms that may be required by the reviewing agencies in consultation with a qualified entity, the terms of an agricultural conservation easement shall include a requirement that it run with the land. There must also be a provision for annual monitoring by the qualified entity or its representative to ensure adherence to the terms of the conservation easement. Project applicants are responsible for all costs incurred by the County and the qualified entity to successfully implement this mitigation measure. Proof of the successful establishment of an agricultural conservation easement shall be provided to the Planning Division prior to issuance of a zoning clearance for inauguration of the project.
HAZ-BB Building Energy Saving Ordinance for Industrial Buildings
To address GHG emissions associated with electricity consumption by industrial buildings, which were not quantified in the GHG Inventory and Forecasting due to utility privacy rules, the County shall implement a program to adopt a Building Energy Saving Ordinance, no later than 2025, for industrial buildings over 25,000 square feet in size, modeled after the local benchmarking ordinances adopted in other local jurisdictions in California (CEC 2019). The County shall prepare reports showing the energy performance of industrial buildings relative to similar buildings in California and the United States and make these reports available to the public by request. The County, through its building department shall provide recommendations on energy efficiency retrofits and green building strategies to improve energy performance to property owners and tenants subject to the reporting requirements.
HAZ-Z Fugitive Dust Best Management Practices
Discretionary development projects that will generate construction-related fugitive dust emissions shall be required by the County to include dust reduction measures recommended by VCAPCD in its Air Quality Assessment Guidelines, or otherwise, such as:
- The area disturbed by clearing, grading, earth moving, or excavation operations shall be minimized to prevent excess amounts of dust.
- The area disturbed by clearing, grading, earth moving, or excavation operations shall be minimized to prevent excess amounts of dust.
- Pre-grading/excavation activities shall include watering the area to be graded or excavated before commencement of grading or excavation operations. Application of watering (preferably reclaimed, if available) should penetrate sufficiently to minimize fugitive dust during grading activities.
- Fugitive dust produced during grading, excavation, and construction activities shall be controlled by the following activities:
- All trucks shall be required to cover their loads as required by California Vehicle Code Section 23114.
- All graded and excavated material, exposed soil areas, and active portions of the construction site, including unpaved on-site roadways, shall be treated to prevent fugitive dust. Treatment shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, periodic watering, application of environmentally-safe soil stabilization materials, and/or roll-compaction as appropriate. Watering shall be done as often as necessary and reclaimed water shall be used whenever possible.
- Graded and/or excavated inactive areas of the construction site shall be monitored by (indicate by whom) at least weekly for dust stabilization. Soil stabilization methods, such as water and roll-compaction, and environmentally-safe dust control materials, shall be periodically applied to portions of the construction site that are inactive for over four days. If no further grading or excavation operations are planned for the area, the area should be seeded and watered until grass growth is evident, or periodically treated with environmentally-safe dust suppressants, to prevent excessive fugitive dust.
- Signs shall be posted on-site limiting traffic to 15 miles per hour or less.
- During periods of high winds (i.e., wind speed sufficient to cause fugitive dust to impact adjacent properties), all clearing, grading, earth moving, and excavation operations shall be curtailed to the degree necessary to prevent fugitive dust created by on-site activities and operations from being a nuisance or hazard, either off-site or on-site. The site superintendent/supervisor shall use his/her discretion in conjunction with VCAPCD when winds are excessive.
- Adjacent streets and roads shall be swept at least once per day, preferably at the end of the day, if visible soil material is carried over to adjacent streets and roads.
- Personnel involved in grading operations, including contractors and subcontractors, should be advised to wear respiratory protection in accordance with California Division of Occupational Safety and Health regulations.