EIR Process
The environmental review process for the Baylands Specific Plan began in 2006, when the City determined that the specific plan proposed by the property owner (UPC) could have significant environmental impacts and that an environmental impact report (EIR) would need to be prepared. The City sent out an EIR Notice of Preparation and held a number of scoping meetings to discuss topics that should be addressed in the upcoming EIR. The 2006 process is detailed on the Notice of Preparation page.
From 2007-2009 the City undertook an extensive community-based process to develop an alternative land use plan to be studied in the upcoming EIR. The community-based plan, as recommended for study in the EIR at the same level of detail as the developer’s proposal, is based heavily on maximizing the public space qualities and values of the project and concentrating development at the north end of the site near existing and planned transit. Background information regarding the community alternative plan and process can be found on the Community Alternative Page. A renewable energy alternative has also been identified for study in the forthcoming EIR.
Subsequent to the identification of the community alternative in July 2009, UPC revised their specific plan proposal and submitted an updated project executive summary in November 2010.
Changes to the applicant’s proposal, the development of a community alternative and the time elapsed since the 2006 Notice of Preparation (NOP) was published have led the City to publish a revised NOP on December 10, 2011.
It is anticipated that a draft EIR will be published in early 2012, as depicted on the EIR Process Flow Chart.
EIR Notice of Preparation