Article 2 — Evaluation of Significant Effects

The decision whether or not a proposed project will have a significant effect on the environment calls for careful judgment on the part of the City, based to the extent possible on scientific and factual data. An ironclad definition of significant effect is not always possible because the significance of an activity may vary with the setting.

(§ 1, Ord. 2684 c.s., eff. April 17, 1993, as amended by § 4, Ord. 3125 c.s., eff. January 16, 2015)

The criteria for determining significant effects are not intended to be specific but are intended to give guidance in making an evaluation whether or not a particular project may have a substantial adverse effect on the environment. Significant effects may be due to primary consequences immediately related to the project or may be due to secondary consequences related more to the primary consequences than the project itself. Consequences that shall be considered significant are those that:

• (a) Have the potential to degrade the quality of the environment;

• (b) Achieve short-term to the disadvantage of long-term environmental goals;

• (c) Are individually limited but cumulatively considerable; and

• (d) Cause substantial adverse effects on human beings, either directly or indirectly. The significance of an effect of a particular project will generally be related to the following:

  • (1) Its magnitude;

  • (2) Its duration;

  • (3) Its proximity to the project site;

  • (4) The number of individuals directly or indirectly affected by it; and

  • (5) The closeness of its relationship to the physical and biological environment.

• (§ 1, Ord. 2684 c.s., eff. April 17, 1993)

In accordance with the legislative intent stated in the CEQA, a project will normally have a significant effect on the environment if it will:

• (a) Conflict with adopted environmental plans and goals of the community where it is located;

• (b) Have a substantial, demonstrable negative aesthetic effect;

• (c) Substantially affect a rare or endangered species of animal or plant or the habitat of the species;

• (d) Interfere substantially with the movement of any resident or migratory fish or wildlife

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City of Redondo Beach, CA

PLANNING AND ZONING

§ 10-3.203

§ 10-3.203

species;

• (e) Breach published national, state, or local standards relating to solid waste or litter control;

• (f) Substantially degrade water quality;

• (g) Contaminate a public water supply;

• (h) Substantially degrade or deplete ground water resources;

• (i) Interfere substantially with ground water recharge;

• (j) Disrupt or adversely affect a prehistoric or historic archaeological site or a property of historic or cultural significance to a community or ethnic or social group; or a paleonotological site except as a part of a scientific study;

• (k) Include substantial growth or concentration of population;

• (l) Conflict or be inconsistent with CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3 Subdivision (b) related to a project's increase in vehicle miles traveled;

• (m) Displace a large number of people;

• (n) Encourage activities which result in the use of large amounts of fuel, water, or energy;

• (o) Use fuel, water, or energy in a wasteful manner;

• (p) Increase substantially the ambient noise levels for adjoining areas;

• (q) Cause substantial flooding, erosion or siltation;

• (r) Expose people or structures to major geologic hazards;

• (s) Extend a sewer trunk line with capacity to serve new development;

• (t) Substantially diminish habitat for fish, wildlife or plants;

• (u) Disrupt or divide the physical arrangement of an established community;

• (v) Create a potential public health hazard or involve the use, production or disposal of materials which pose a hazard to people or animal or plant populations in the area affected;

• (w) Conflict with established recreational, educational, religious or scientific uses of the area;

• (x) Violate any ambient air quality standard, contribute substantially to an existing or projected air quality violation, or expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentration;

• (y) Convert prime agricultural land to non-agricultural use or impair the agricultural productivity or prime agricultural land;

• (z) Interfere with emergency response plans or emergency evacuation plans.

• (§ 1, Ord. 2684 c.s., eff. April 17, 1993; § 3, Ord. 3215 c.s., eff. July 20, 2021)

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City of Redondo Beach, CA