Oceanside CA— The Coast Highway Corridor Study Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) was released for public review and comment on July 13, 2017. The 45-day review period ended on August 28, 2017. Approximately 200 comments were received from the public and government agencies.
The City of Oceanside and project team reviewed each comment received and determined that more work is required. Several areas of concern raised in the comments include:
- Traffic
- Visual Corridors
- Parking
- Addition of a Modified Alternative
- Forecasted Residential Dwelling Units
City staff has been working with the consultant team to amend the scope of work to identify additional effort and cost needed to address the comments. An amended scope of work has been produced and is anticipated to go before the City Council in February 2018.
Traffic
Additional traffic analyses will be conducted for the I-5 interchanges and for the traffic alternatives.
Visual Corridors
City staff will complete work necessary to better address how existing coastal view visual corridors will be preserved.
Parking
An on-street parking supply assessment will be completed for each alternative.
Addition of a Modified Alternative
The project will add one more study alternative that will include the road diet improvements and Incentive District (ID) from the North City limits ending at Morse Street.
Residential Dwelling Units on Coast Highway
The number of new housing units projected to be built along Coast Highway by 2035 was substantially overstated in the DEIR. Table 2-1 on page 2-2 in the DEIR implies that an estimated 5,871 new housing units will be built within the project study area over the next 18 years. In fact, this growth projection applies to all areas west of I-5, while the project study area is largely limited to properties that touch upon Coast Highway. The number of new housing units projected within the project study area by 2035 is 2,688 – less than half the number shown in Table 2-1 of the DEIR. In the Final EIR, Table 2-1 will be amended to reflect the number of new housing units projected within the project study area over the 18-year planning horizon.
The additional work described above will also require updated air quality, noise, and greenhouse gas studies. Any new and/or revised sections of the DEIR will be recirculated for public review and comment. The additional work is expected to be completed by June 2017, followed by a 45-day public review and comment period. The Final EIR is anticipated to go before the Planning Commission and the City Council in Fall of 2018.
Please make sure to sign up to receive project updates by emailing: CoastHighway@ArellanoAssociates.com.
Project Contact: John Amberson JAmberson@ci.oceanside.ca.us
Website: http://www.ci.oceanside.ca.us/gov/dev/coast_highway_corridor_study/default.asp
E-mail: CoastHighway@ArellanoAssociates.com