Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Report

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of La Verne has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the City of La Verne General Plan and Zoning Ordinance Update. The City is the lead agency for the project. This Notice of Availability has been issued to notify interested parties that the Draft EIR is available for public review and comment. The City is requesting comments on the EIR from responsible and trustee agencies, interested public agencies, organizations, and the general public.
 
PROJECT LOCATION
As shown on Figure 1, the City of La Verne is located at the eastern edge of the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles County, approximately 30 miles east of Los Angeles and approximately 23 miles east of Pasadena. The City is located adjacent to the San Gabriel Mountains. Route 210 runs through the City, with the City lying approximately two miles north of Interstate 10 and three miles east of State Route 57.
 
The Planning Area is the geographic area for which the Plan provides a framework for long-term growth and resource conservation. State law requires the Plan to include all territory within La Verne’s incorporated area as well as "any land outside its boundaries which in the planning agency's judgment bears relation to its planning" (California Government Code Section 65300). The Planning Area, as shown in Figure 2, includes the entire city limits (approximately 5,450 acres) as well as the City of La Verne’s Sphere of Influence (approximately 1,500 acres); the entire Planning Area is approximately 6,950 acres (10.5 square miles).
 
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
State law requires the City to adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for the physical development of its planning area. The General Plan must include land use, circulation, housing, conservation, open space, air quality, noise, safety, and environmental justice elements, as specified in Government Code Section 65302, to the extent that the issues identified by State law exist in the City’s planning area; the City of La Verne is not required to prepare an environmental justice element. The City’s 2021-2029 Housing Element was adopted on November 21, 2022 and is not part of this update. Additional elements that relate to the physical development of the City may also be addressed in the General Plan. The degree of specificity and level of detail of the discussion of each General Plan Element need only reflect local conditions and circumstances. The City of La Verne has prepared a comprehensive update to its existing General Plan. The General Plan was prepared to address the requirements of State law and the relevant items addressed in Government Code Section 65300 et seq. The La Verne General Plan will include all of the State-mandated elements, and will address five optional topics: Community Design, Community Services and Facilities, Economic Development, Fiscal Sustainability, and Health and Wellness.
 
The updated La Verne General Plan is expected to be adopted in 2024 and will guide the City’s development and conservation through land use objectives and policy guidance. The General Plan is intended to be an expression of the community’s vision for the City and Planning Area and constitutes the policy and regulatory framework by which future development projects will be reviewed and public improvements will be implemented. The La Verne General Plan includes a comprehensive set of goals, policies, and actions (implementation measures), as well as a revised Land Use Map (Figure 3). The revisions to the Land Use Map include simplifying how Specific Plans are shown on the map through utilization of the new Specific Plan – Residential and Specific Plan – Mixed-Use land use designations and various other updates to reflect amendments to the land use map reviewed and approved since the last comprehensive update. A new Very High Density Residential land use category allowing for up to 32 dwelling units per acre is also provided for potential future development. The City will implement the General Plan by requiring development, infrastructure improvements, and other projects to be consistent with its policies and by implementing the actions included in the General Plan.
 
The La Verne General Plan Update is intended to reflect the desires and vision of La Verne residents, businesses, the Planning Commission, and City Council. The following objectives were identified for the proposed update to the General Plan:
 
1.Reflect the current goals and vision and address issues and concerns expressed by city residents, businesses, decision-makers, and other stakeholders;
2.Celebrate La Verne’s family-oriented environment, character, and sense of community;
3.Provide a range of high-quality housing options;
4.Accommodate new growth around the future Metro L Line Station and along the community’s transportation corridors;
5.Support the initiatives of community partners including the University of La Verne;
6.Attract and retain businesses and industries that provide high-quality and high-paying jobs so that residents can live and work in La Verne;
7.Expand retail opportunities to provide better local services and increased sales tax revenues;
8.Continue to maintain the road network and improve active transportation opportunities;
9.Maintain strong fiscal sustainability and continue to provide efficient and adequate public services; and
10.Address new requirements of State law.
 
The City’s Zoning Ordinance, codified in Title 18, Zoning of the City of La Verne Municipal Code, is to designate and regulate, the best location, use and design of buildings, structures and land for residence, commerce, trade, industry, water conservation, environmental preservation, or other purposes in appropriate places and in accordance with the La Verne General Plan. The City’s Zoning Ordinance is the tool for implementing the City General Plan, and by State law, must be consistent with the General Plan. Thus, the Zoning Ordinance update revisions will ensure consistency with the revised General Plan.
 
GENERAL PLAN BUILDOUT SUMMARY
The EIR evaluates the anticipated development that could occur within the Planning Area if every parcel developed at the densities and intensities expected under the General Plan. While no specific development projects are proposed as part of the La Verne General Plan Update, the General Plan will accommodate future growth in La Verne, including new businesses, expansion of existing businesses, and new residential uses. No new development is anticipated within the Sphere of Influence. The buildout analysis assumes a 20-year planning horizon, and 2045 is to be the full buildout year of the General Plan (the point at which all parcels in the City are developed according to their General Plan land use designation).
 
Table 1 provides a statistical summary of the buildout potential associated with the Proposed Land Use Map compared to existing on-the-ground conditions and the currently adopted General Plan. 
Table 1 Buildout Statistical Summary

	Housing Units	Population	Nonresidential Square Footage	Jobs	Jobs per Housing Unit
Existing Conditions (3/3/23)	11,700	32,300	5,500,000	11,300	0.96
Current General Plan	12,900	35,600	7,500,000	15,000	1.16
Proposed Land Use Map	14,400	37,500	8,000,000	16,500	1.14
New Growth Potential Over Existing Conditions	2,700	5,200	2,500,000	5,200	N/A
New Growth Potential Over Current General Plan	1,500	1,900	500,000	1,500	N/A

 
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
The City of La Verne General Plan and Zoning Ordinance Update evaluates the project’s potential environmental impacts and focuses on the following environmental issues:

Aesthetics Air Quality Agriculture and Forestry Resources Biological Resources Cultural Resources Energy Geology/Soils Greenhouse Gases Emissions Hazards and Hazardous Materials Hydrology/Water Quality Land Use and Planning

Mineral Resources Noise Population and Housing Public Services Parks and Recreation Transportation and Traffic Tribal Cultural Resources Utilities and Service Systems Wildfires Mandatory Findings of Significance

The Draft EIR identifies impacts that could not be mitigated to below a level of significance, despite mitigation, related to the following environmental topics: Air Quality and Cumulative Air Quality, Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Cumulative Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Transportation related to Vehicle Miles Traveled.
PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD:
The Draft EIR is available for a public review period commencing on August 8, 2024, and ending on September 23, 2024. In accordance with the State CEQA Guidelines, should you have any comments on the Draft EIR, please provide such comments during this time. It is preferable that comments be e-mailed to Candice Bowcock at Planning@cityoflaverne.org with the subject line: GENERAL PLAN UPDATE PROJECT DEIR COMMENT. Comments may also be mailed to Ms. Bowcock at the address listed above.
LOCATIONS WHERE DRAFT EIR IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW:     
Pursuant to the California Governor’s Executive Orders), electronic copies of the Draft EIR and all documents referenced therein are available for download on the City’s website at https://www.cityoflaverne.org/DocumentCenter/Index/56. Also, all materials will be submitted electronically to the State Clearinghouse via the CEQAnet Web Portal (https://ceqanet.opr.ca.gov/). Should you have trouble accessing these documents, please contact Principal Planner, Candice Bowcock.