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

was A-2-2, the current zoning is R-1 and there are no areas that are currently being used for
agricultural purposes. The project is not located in a forest land, timberland, or area zoned for
timberland production. Consistent with the proposed Project, potential impacts to
agriculture/forest resources with the 1999 Tract Map Alternative would be considered less than
significant. No mitigation is required.

Air Quality

The 1999 Tract Map Alternative would require more earthwork compared to the proposed Project
due to the larger development footprint. As with the proposed project, the required earthwork (cut
and fill) would balance on-site and the import or export of materials would not be required. Due to
the increase in earthwork and a related increase in the duration of construction associated with
mass grading operations, it is expected that impacts related to the combined building construction
plus operational activities emissions for nitrogen oxides (NOx) would continue to occur. However,
these impacts would be mitigated to a level considered less than significant as with the proposed
Project. Trip generation would be reduced due to the reduction in dwelling units and would reduce
long-term emissions. Consistent with the proposed Project, long-term emissions would be less
than significant.

Biological Resources

The 1999 Tract Map Alternative would increase the development area of the Project site, resulting
in greater impacts related to biological resources as the proposed Project due to a larger
development footprint. This alternative would increase the development footprint by
approximately 366.3 acres when compared to the proposed Project. The areas that would be
developed as part of the 1999 Tract Map Alternative contain significant biological resources
including additional oak trees, therefore, development under this alternative would result in
greater impacts related to biological resources than what is anticipated to be impacted by the
proposed Project. Consistent with the proposed Project, these impacts would be reduced to less
than significant levels with implementation of mitigation measures identified in Section 5.4.

Cultural Resources

The 1999 Tract Map Alternative would expand the development area of the Project site by 366.3
acres, resulting in an increase in grading and ground disturbance. As addressed in Section 5.5 of
this Draft EIR, the site contains no known archaeological resources. Consistent with the proposed
Project, excavation in native soils always has the potential to uncover unknown archaeological
resources and human remains and there is no way to tell if the increase in development area
would also increase impacts. Therefore, as with the proposed project, potential impacts to
archaeological resources and human remains under this alternative can be mitigated to a level
considered less than significant.

As described in Section 5.5, the project site is underlain by the Saugus Formation, and to a lesser
extent, the Castaic Formation, both of which are determined to be of high paleontological
sensitivity. However, similar to the proposed project, the high paleontological sensitivity with
development of this alternative would continue to exist and there is no way to tell if the increase
in development area would increase direct impacts to paleontological resources. Therefore,
consistent with the proposed Project, these impacts would be reduced to less than significant
levels with implementation of identified mitigation measures.

R:\Projects\BLC\3BLC000100\Draft EIR\6.0 Alternatives.docx 6-14 Alternatives to the Proposed Project