Page 17 - tesoro_sdeir0218

Tesoro del Valle (Phases A, B, C)
Draft Supplemental EIR

the Project. This represents a reduction of 581 lots in Phases B and C and the unrecorded portion
of Phase A when compared to the proposed project. Residential land uses were approved as
follows:

 Unrecorded Portion of Phase A (12.5 acres) – 2 single-family units

 Phase B (595.5 acres) – 122 single-family units
 Phase C (668.7 acres) –115 single-family units

Other approved land uses included a 4.3-acre fire station site in Phase B, a 9.9-acre park and
35.3 acres of passive open space uses in Phase C, 61.5 acres of local str eets, utility infrastructure
(water tank sites; water, sewer, and power lines), and approximately 516.8 acres of undisturbed
open space, including preservation of approximately 29 acres of SEA lands in Phase C. An
estimated total of 9.6 million cubic yards (mcy) each of cut and fill balanced on-site (approximately
3.5 mcy in Phase B and 6.1 mcy in Phase C) was anticipated for implementation of Phases B and
C as approved in 1999. Under this alternative, approximately 759.9 acres would be impacted
through grading and earth disturbance associated with development and fuel modification areas
within Phases B and C and the unrecorded portion of Phase A, as shown on Exhibit 4-2 as the
1999 Plan Footprint.

Alternative 3 – Reduced Development Area Alternative. The purpose of the Reduced
Development Area Alternative is to reduce significant aesthetic impacts and project traffic impacts
that would occur with the proposed project by reducing the acreage and number of units proposed
for development. Specifically, the Reduced Development Area Alternative would involve
development of 245 dwelling units which would be comprised of 132 single family homes and 113
age-qualified senior housing, which would avoid significant and unavoidable traffic impacts. In
order to accommodate the senior housing component of this alternative and in order to avoid
aesthetic impacts associated with development on the ridgelines, development would be
clustered within the eastern portion of the project site from an extension of Avenida Rancho
Tesoro via a loop road connecting to Reyes Adobe Way as shown on Exhibit 6-3 in Section 6.0,
Alternatives. Development would be limited to Area B and would not occur within Areas A and C.
This alternative would produce a reduced development and resulting development footprint as
compared to the proposed project and therefore, would result in less earthwork quantities and
activities.

Alternative 4 – Modified 2012 Santa Clarita Valley Area Plan Alternative. The purpose of the
Modified 2012 Santa Clarita Valley Area Plan Alternative is to illustrate what could be built on the
project site based on the density authorized by the current Community Plan and zoning
ordinances, but without the addition of new significant impacts as noted previously in Section
6.5.2. As discussed previously, the 2012 Santa Clarita Valley Area Plan would allow for
development of a 79.8-acre area in Phase B and a 322.7-acre area in Phase C. However,
development of the Phase C area would introduce new impacts related to air quality, biological
resources, noise, and traffic; therefore, this alternative evaluates a modified version of what would
be allowable under the 2012 Santa Clarita Valley Area Plan by limiting development to Phase B
and avoiding the introduction of new impacts. The Project Site would be subject to the Castaic
Community Services District and Hillside Management Areas (HMA) Ordinance, both of which
would locate development outside of hillside management areas (HMAs) to the extent possible;
locate development in areas with the fewest hillside constraints; and use hillside design
techniques to guide design within the HMAs. According to the HMA Ordinance, development
would be restricted in areas with 50 percent or greater natural slopes. Additionally, in compliance
with the Castaic Area Community Standards District (CSD), development would avoid primary
and secondary ridgelines. Therefore, with application of the restrictions for development identified
in the HMA Ordinance and Castaic CSD, assuming an average of 5,000 square foot lots, and

R:\Projects\BLC\3BLC000100\Draft EIR\1.0 Exec Summary.docx 1-3 Executive Summary