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Recommendation to receive supporting documentation into the record, and conclude the public hearing;
Adopt resolution approving and adopting a Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (EIR-03-21) to the General Plan Land Use Element and Urban Design Element Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) (PEIR-SCH# 2015051054), in accordance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 15164 of the CEQA Guidelines, and making certain CEQA Findings and Determinations relative thereto, including a finding that the adopted General Plan Land Use Element PEIR Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program shall apply; and that no new or different mitigation measures are required; approving the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (2205-02); and
DISCUSSION
On January 5, 2021, the City Council confirmed the proposed Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) and directed City staff to prepare the Draft Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) (Attachment A). The CAAP is a mechanism for the City of Long Beach (City) to establish a set of iterative programs and policies for how the City will achieve two main objectives: (1) meet the statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) target of 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and generally minimize the City's contribution to global GHG emissions (Action); and, (2) adapt to the impacts of climate change while maintaining quality of life, prosperity, and equity for all of its residents (Adaptation). The City completed technical studies of climate stressors and community-wide vulnerabilities to inform development of the CAAP. The CAAP establishes a framework for creating or updating its policies, programs, practices, and incentives to reduce the City’s GHG footprint while enhancing local economic, environmental, and social benefits.
The City’s goals and efforts to reduce GHG emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 aligns with the same statewide goal set by Senate Bill (SB) 32. A citywide reduction of at least 1,984,272 Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (MT CO2e) is needed to meet this goal and the CAAP sets an additional aspirational goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2045, which also matches the Statewide 2045 carbon neutrality goal established by Executive Order B-55-18 in 2018. The proposed CAAP, including the GHG reduction target, as well as all the CAAP technical appendices, were confirmed by the City Council on January 5, 2021 and can be found in Attachment A. The CAAP is in alignment with and helps implement elements of the Long Beach General Plan and State law and consists of policies and programs to reduce future carbon emissions, lessen the impacts of climate change on Long Beach residents and communities, and ensure sustainable future development (Attachment B).
Environmental Review
While the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is most commonly thought of as applying to development projects such as construction of a warehouse, changes in zoning, or adoption of programmatic documents such as a new specific plan, it also applies to all discretionary actions before the City Council, including in this case, the CAAP, which is designed to lessen the impact on the environment from the activities within the City but must still be evaluated pursuant to CEQA.
The Development Services Department has prepared the CAAP Draft SEIR to evaluate the environmental impacts that may result from implementation of the proposed CAAP, as well as a proposed update to the General Plan Safety Element which builds upon the CAAP and is designed to address recent State legislation requiring cities to include goals, policies, objectives, and feasible implementation measures in the Safety Element that place a greater emphasis on climate change impacts, including increased risks related to wildfires and flooding. The proposed amendments would bring the Safety Element up to date and into compliance with a number of State laws relating to climate change and resiliency. This Draft SEIR constitutes the environmental review of the proposed CAAP and Safety Element Update as planning documents. Neither the proposed CAAP nor the Safety Element Update proposes physical improvements, and approval of these planning and policy documents would not constitute approval of any physical development. Any development or physical improvements incorporating features of the proposed CAAP would be subject to project-specific CEQA review (Attachment C). Although the SEIR analyzes and environmentally clears the proposed Safety Element Update, updates to the Safety Element are not being proposed for adoption at this time.
The SEIR is subsequent to the previously certified Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) adopted for the General Plan Land Use Element (LUE) and Urban Design Elements which was certified by the City Council on December 3, 2019 (General Plan LUE EIR), EIR 03-16, State Clearinghouse No. 2015051054 (Attachment D). The GHG reduction goals of the CAAP were informed by the development assumptions of the adopted Land Use Element (LUE) and the General Plan buildout conditions. As the proposed CAAP would not alter the land uses designations or development assumptions of the adopted LUE, the proposed project would not result in impacts greater than those anticipated in the 2019 Certified PEIR. All CAAP Actions and Adaptation Actions would be reviewed at the project level and under CEQA, as applicable. Therefore, the analysis in this Draft SEIR focuses on the potential impacts from the mitigation measures included in the CAAP Checklist for future discretionary projects and the potential impacts of the CAAP Actions and Adaptation Actions at a programmatic level. No new significant impacts to the environment were identified based on the analysis in the SEIR (Attachment E).
As a qualified climate action plan pursuant to CEQA, the proposed CAAP may be used to streamline the GHG analysis for future plans and projects undergoing CEQA review pursuant to Section 15183.5 of the State CEQA Guidelines. Subsequent plans and projects that are consistent with the GHG reduction strategies and targets in the CAAP will be eligible to streamline the GHG impact analysis for a project pursuant to CEQA through demonstration of consistency with the CAAP. The CAAP Consistency Review Checklist establishes screening criteria for future discretionary projects, including those proposed by private developers as well as City-implemented municipal projects, to ensure consistency with the CAAP. Use of these streamlining tools will help the City meet related goals of creating adequate housing supply in a compact and sustainable manner.
The City has already undertaken significant efforts to implement CAAP goals and strategies, including through zoning code updates to focus new development near transit consistent with the LUE, adoption of the City’s Vehicle Miles Traveled approach consistent with SB 743, and adoption of new Ordinances related to organics processing consistent with SB 1383. Once adopted, the CAAP is designed to be a living document that calls for adjusting strategies at least every five years if the City is not on track to meeting its GHG reduction targets. A GHG inventory is required every two years to evaluate CAAP implementation, and adjustments are to be made accordingly.
Public Hearing Notice
Public notice of this hearing was published in the Long Beach Press Telegram on July 26, 2022 and notices were posted in public locations citywide, in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 21.21 of the Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC). Any timely comments received prior to the City Council hearing will be provided to the City Council.
This matter was reviewed by Michael J. Mais, Retired Annuitant Attorney on, June 16, 2022, and by Revenue Management Officer Geraldine Alejo on May 23, 2022.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on August 9, 2022, subsequent to the Planning Commission recommendation for adoption of the CAAP and certification of the SEIR at its May 19, 2022 meeting (Attachment F). The LBMC Section 21.25.103 states that within 60 days of positive Planning Commission action, the Commission’s recommendation shall be transmitted to the City Clerk for presentation to the City Council. Additionally, timely action is required to meet the City’s obligations regarding GHG reduction under State law, as well as to meet its obligations under the GPLUE Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program.
FISCAL IMPACT
The CAAP calls for City actions focused on identifying opportunities to better align CAAP actions with the annual City budget and the Capital Improvement Program, as well as establishing a framework for creating and/or updating policies, programs, practices, and incentives to reduce its GHG footprint. As part of the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 budget development process, City staff are evaluating resources required to implement the CAAP and oversee the various related citywide efforts. Furthermore, additional funding for other CAAP actions and objectives has not yet been identified and further detailed cost estimates will be determined as implementation moves forward. As actions and objectives are pursued, their financial implications will be disclosed and brought back to the City Council for approval. Additionally, City staff will continue to seek and explore opportunities for grant funding to further assist CAAP-related efforts. This includes the Long Beach Youth Climate Corps funded by the Californians For All Youth Workforce Development Program. In the long-term, while the CAAP does seek to help improve the local economy, the exact fiscal impact of these actions is dependent on future macro-economic conditions that will occur over two decades, and therefore, cannot be estimated at this time. The recommendation to receive the supporting documentation into the record, conclude the public hearing, and adopt related resolutions has no immediate staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with existing City Council priorities. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
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Respectfully Submitted,
OSCAR W. ORCI
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER