Received from the Humboldt County Planning Division yesterday; if you’re interested in commenting, note the date of the public hearing, which is tonight in Eureka.
This is a revised version from the draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that was prepared in February and circulated in April.
According to its introduction, the Supplemental EIR was needed in order to make additions and changes in order to “comply with new State laws, such as the requirement to evaluate the project’s greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and to respond to new information such as the Humboldt County Health Assessment, prepared in 2007. There are also new policies in the Project (2009 Housing Element update), such as recommendations to implement Housing Opportunity Zones“.
It’s being recirculated to respond to comments received on the previous version, so the main new material should be found in Chapter 6 which presents the list of comments and commenters, and the responses to these comments.
NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY
RECIRCULATED SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
FOR THE DRAFT HUMBOLDT COUNTY HOUSING ELEMENT
SCH #2009022077
The County of Humboldt is in the process of updating the Humboldt County Housing Element, a required Element of the General Plan. The update is necessary to comply with State Law regarding Housing Elements, and to adopt local policy options to meet the documented housing needs. The project requires consideration and certification of a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR). The County prepared a DEIR for the 2003 Housing Element and proposes to supplement the findings in this document with a Supplemental DEIR. An initial draft of the Supplemental DEIR was circulated in April, 2009; a revised draft of the Supplemental DEIR is now available for public review.
Project Description: The Housing Element describes housing needs of residents of all income levels, and includes discussion of housing needs of specific groups as well, such as seniors, owner-builders, disabled persons and the homeless. The findings that emerge from analyzing the housing information direct policies and programs which are a commitment to implement new measures to meet the County’s housing needs as well as to maintain the most effective on-going programs. The Housing Element contains policies that affect the kinds, locations and intensities of land uses and new development within the unincorporated areas of Humboldt County.
Identified Impacts: Policies and programs in the Element as well as other existing requirements administered by public agencies are sufficient to reduce potential impacts to a level of insignificance for hazards and hazardous materials, land use and planning, noise, recreation, and utilities and service systems. Implementation of the Element is expected to cause significant and unavoidable impacts to aesthetics, agriculture resources, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, geology/soils, hydrology/ water quality, public services, transportation/traffic. The project will also likely result in significant unavoidable cumulative impacts. These impacts are similar those evaluated under the 2003 Element.
Project Location: This project will apply to all unincorporated areas of the County.
Review Period: Public comment will be accepted until August 2, 2009
Lead Agency: Humboldt County Department of Community Development Services
Direct Comments To:
Michael Richardson, Senior Planner
County of Humboldt
Department of Community Development Services, Planning Division
3015 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
EMAIL: mrichardson@co.humboldt.ca.usPublic Hearing: On the Draft Housing Element by the Humboldt County Planning Commission, June 18th @ 6:00pm, Humboldt County Courthouse
Copies of the Supplemental DEIR are available on the internet at www.planupdate.org. Copies are also available for review at the main branch of the County library at 1313 3rd Street Eureka, California ( (707) 445-7284), and at Humboldt County Community Development Services, 3015 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501. Information or copies can be obtained by contacting Michael Richardson at (707) 268-3723 or email at mrichardson@co.humboldt.ca.us.
