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Environmental Impact Report

HAZ-Y Construction Air Pollutant Best Management Practices

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Discretionary development projects that will generate construction-related air emissions shall be required to include the following types of emission reduction measures and potentially others, as recommended by VCAPCD in its Air Quality Assessment Guidelines or otherwise, to the extent applicable to the project as determined by the County: maintaining equipment per manufacturer specifications; lengthening construction duration to minimize number of vehicle and equipment operating at the same time during the summer months; use of Tier 3 at a minimum, or Tier 4 if commercially available diesel engines in all off-road construction diesel equipment; and, if feasible2 using electric-powered or other alternative fueled equipment in place of diesel powered equipment..

2. “Feasible” means that this mitigation measure shall be applied to future discretionary projects under the 2040 General Plan when and to the extent it is “capable of being accomplished in a successful manner within a reasonable period of time, taking into account economic, environmental, legal, social, and technological factors” as determined by the County in the context of such future projects based on substantial evidence. This definition is consistent with the definition of “feasible” set forth in CEQA (Pub. Res. Code, § 21066.1) and the CEQA Guidelines section 15164). The County shall be solely responsible for making this feasibility determination in accordance with CEQA

HAZ-Z Fugitive Dust Best Management Practices

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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.

HAZ-CC Revise the Construction Noise Threshold Criteria and Control Plan

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The County shall revise the Construction Noise Threshold Criteria and Control Plan within one year of 2040 General Plan adoption to consider all potential vibrationinducing activities and include various measures, setback distances, precautions, monitoring programs, and alternative methods to traditional construction activities with the potential to result in structural damage or excessive groundborne noise. Items that shall be addressed in the plan include, but are not limited to, the following:  

  • Ground vibration-producing activities, such as pile driving and blasting, shall be limited to the daytime hours between 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekdays or 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays.  
  • If pile driving is used, pile holes shall be predrilled to the maximum feasible depth to reduce the number of blows required to seat a pile.  
  • All construction equipment on construction sites shall be operated as far away from vibration-sensitive sites as reasonably possible.  
  • Earthmoving, blasting and groundimpacting operations shall be phased so as not to occur simultaneously in areas close to sensitive receptors, to the extent feasible. The total vibration level produced could be significantly less when each vibration source is operated at separate times.  
  • Minimum setback requirements for different types of ground vibrationproducing activities (e.g., pile driving and blasting) for the purpose of preventing damage to nearby structures shall be established. Factors to be considered include the specific nature of the vibration producing activity (e.g., type and duration of pile driving), local soil conditions, and the fragility/resiliency of the nearby structures. Established setback requirements (i.e., 100 feet) can be breached if a project-specific, site specific analysis is conducted by a qualified geotechnical engineer or ground vibration specialist that indicates that no structural damage would occur at nearby buildings or structures.  
  • Minimum setback requirements for different types of ground vibration producing activities (e.g., pile driving and blasting) for the purpose of preventing negative human response shall be established based on the specific nature of the vibration producing activity (e.g., type and duration of pile driving), local soil conditions, and the type of sensitive receptor. Established setback requirements (i.e., 300 feet) can be breached only if a project-specific, site-specific, technically adequate ground vibration study indicates that the buildings would not be exposed to ground vibration levels in excess of 80 VdB, and ground vibration measurements performed during the construction activity confirm that the buildings are not being exposed to levels in excess of 80 VdB.
  • All vibration-inducing activity within the distance parameters described above shall be monitored and documented for ground vibration noise and vibration noise levels at the nearest sensitive land use and associated recorded data submitted to Ventura County so as not to exceed the recommended FTA levels.  
  • Alternatives to traditional pile driving (e.g., sonic pile driving, jetting, castin- place or auger cast piles, nondisplacement piles, pile cushioning, torque or hydraulic piles) shall be considered and implemented where feasible4 to reduce vibration levels.

4 “Feasible” means that this mitigation measure shall be applied to future discretionary projects under the 2040 General Plan when and to the extent it is “capable of being accomplished in a successful manner within a reasonable period of time, taking into account economic, environmental, legal, social, and technological factors” as determined by the County in the context of such future projects based on substantial evidence. This definition is consistent with the definition of “feasible” set forth in CEQA (Pub. Res. Code, § 21066.1) and the CEQA Guidelines (§ 15164). The County shall be solely responsible for making this feasibility determination in accordance with CEQA.

COS-LL Greenhouse Gas Reduction Policy Enhancement Program

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The Climate Emergency Council that would be established under COS-CC shall develop recommended subprograms which implement the 52 policies identified in Table 4.8-7 of the draft EIR that do not have associated implementation programs in the 2040 General Plan. For any additional future policies that may be adopted as part of the County’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Strategy (2040 General Plan, Policy COS- 10.1), the CEC may recommend new subprograms. The CEC shall demonstrate in the materials submitted to the Board of Supervisors that the proposed subprograms and policies would result in quantifiable GHG emission reductions that further the County’s progress towards achieving the 2030, 2040, and 2050 GHG reduction targets and goals established in the 2040 General Plan. The GHG emission reduction policy topics that may be considered and analyzed by the CEC for recommendation to the Board of Supervisors are identified in the Table 4.8- 7 and include but are not limited to the following:

  • Sustainable Technologies;
  • Regional Bicycle Infrastructure;
  • Funding and Maintenance for Sidewalks;
  • Amtrak Service Improvements;
  • Routine Use of Alternative Transportation Options;
  • Permeable Pavement;
  • Facilities for Emerging Technologies;
  • Electric Vehicle Charging Stations;
  • Neighborhood Electric Vehicles;
  • Shared Mobility Operations;
  • Sustainable Community Facility Design;
  • Energy Efficient Facility Construction, Purchases, Leases, Retrofits, and Expansions;
  • Agricultural Waste Reuse;
  • Value-Added Alternatives to Waste Disposal;
  • Smart Grid Development;
  • Consistent Fire Protection Standards for New Development;
  • Soil Productivity;
  • Incentives for Energy Efficiency;
  • Battery Energy Storage Systems;
  • Air Pollutant Reduction;
  • Air Pollution Impact Mitigation Measures for Discretionary Development;
  • Transportation Control Measures Programs;
  • Alternative Transportation Modes;
  • Urban Greening;
  • Integrated Pest Management Practices;
  • Technological Innovation; and
  • Renewable Energy Facilities.

The CEC’s recommended GHG reduction subprograms and policies shall be presented to the Planning Commission for review and recommendation to the Board of Supervisors, and then to the Board of Supervisors for consideration and approval, no later than 2025. The Board of Supervisors shall have sole authority to adopt (including as modified) and direct the County’s implementation of the subprograms and policies that are developed and recommended by the CEC. Any CEC recommendation that would require amendments to the 2040 General Plan, County ordinances, policies or regulations shall be processed and approved by the County in accordance with all applicable legal requirements.

COS-HH Cultural Records Research

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As part of a discretionary application process, project applicants (Ventura County for County projects) shall initiate a records search and Sacred Lands File search with the South Central Coastal Information Center.

COS-II Cultural, Historical, Paleontological, and Archaeological Resource Assessment Procedures

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For discretionary projects, the County shall require the following:

  • Projects shall be designed to protect existing resources and shall avoid potential impacts to the maximum extent feasible1.
  • If determined necessary by the County, an archaeological or paleontological and/or Native American monitor shall be retained to monitor ground-disturbing activities during construction.
  • If any materials or artifacts are discovered during ground disturbance and/or construction activities, construction shall halt until a qualified archaeologist, paleontologist, or Native American monitor can access the discovery. A report or memorandum shall be prepared by the qualified monitor documenting any findings and identifying recommendations for protection or avoidance of discovered resources. Recommendations or mitigation identified by the qualified monitor shall be implemented prior to commencing
  1. “Feasible” means that this mitigation measure shall be applied to future discretionary projects under the 2040 General Plan when and to the extent it is “capable of being accomplished in a successful manner within a reasonable period of time, taking into account economic, environmental, legal, social, and technological factors” as determined by the County in the context of such future projects based on substantial evidence. This definition is consistent with the definition of “feasible” set forth in CEQA (Pub. Res. Code, § 21066.1) and the CEQA Guidelines (§ 15164). The County shall be solely responsible for making this feasibility determination in accordance with CEQA. or continuing project activities and/or construction.
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