The City of Oceanside Wednesday posted the draft Environmental Impact Report for its Coast Highway Corridor Study. The deadline for comments is August 28, 2017.
Individual chapters can be found at the city’s website, while we have posted the entire 2,309 page document as a single PDF. The EIR describes two parts of the proposed project:
- the “Complete Streets improvements”, narrowing Coast Highway from 4 lanes to 2 (aka the “road diet”)
- the “Incentive District”, a group of development incentives that increase the density and maximum height along Coast Highway
In addition to the complete proposal — Complete Streets + Incentive District — document proposes four alternatives. Here is how page 5-4 of the EIR describes these alternatives:
- No Project Alternative, in which no project or project alternative would be adopted. The project area would remain as it is in existing conditions where Coast Highway would consist of four travel lanes, and the special management area for the Incentive District would not be established.
- Alternative 1, which would include Complete Streets improvements to extend from Harbor Drive to Oceanside Boulevard. The roadway would remain four lanes between Oceanside Boulevard and Vista Way, although streetscape improvements would continue to occur the length of the corridor. In addition, the Incentive District would be adopted.
- Alternative 2, which would include Complete Streets improvements to extend from Harbor Drive to Morse Street. The roadway would remain four lanes between Morse Street and Vista Way, although streetscape improvements would continue to occur the length of the corridor. In addition, the Incentive District would be adopted.
- Alternative 3, which would include Complete Streets improvements the length of the corridor (Harbor Drive to Vista Way), as is included in the proposed project. However, in this alternative the Incentive District would not be adopted.
In other words, Alternative 3 would impose the road diet on all of South O, and Alternative 2 would impose the road diet on the northern stretch, from Morse to Oceanside Boulevard; Alternative 1 would leave South O alone. Because the “No Project” option is unlikely, Save South O will be pushing for Alternative 1.
Save South O has not yet had a chance to review all 2,000+ pages. However, residents and business owners should start with Chapter 2 (Project Description) and Chapter 5 (which compares the various alternatives.
Below is the cover letter that the city sent in announcing the release of the EIR:
Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Document
The City of Oceanside has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Coast Highway Corridor Study. The purpose of a DEIR is to provide the public with information about the study and its potential environmental effects. The DEIR also evaluates measures that will offset and/or minimize any significant, adverse effects on the environment. The DEIR analyzes the potential impacts from the proposed Complete Streets improvements including modifications to the Coast Highway corridor and roadway, such as conversions to one lane in each direction, streetscape improvements, intersection roundabouts, pedestrian, parking and bicycle facilities. The proposed modifications to Coast Highway are from North City limits to South City limits. The Incentive District zoning overlay would apply to land uses that generally front Coast Highway from Seagaze Drive to south of Eaton Street. The Incentive District is a proposed optional zoning overlay program that individual developers could choose to apply for new development or redevelopment within the overlay boundary in lieu of existing underlying zoning.
A Notice of Availability (NOA) is a formal notice, published in the Federal Register that announces the issuance and public availability of a draft or final environmental document. Copies of the DEIR and supporting documents will be available for public review and comment on the City of Oceanside website:
http://www.ci.oceanside.ca.us/gov/dev/coast_highway_corridor_study/
Copies of the document will be available at the following locations: The City of Oceanside Planning Division counter located in the Civic Center at 300 North Coast Highway, the City of Oceanside Main Library located at 330 North Coast Highway, or the City of Oceanside Mission Branch Library located at 3861-B Mission Avenue. Please direct any questions regarding the DEIR to John Amberson, Transportation Planner, at (760) 435-5091. The DEIR public review period is from July 13, 2017 to August 28, 2017.
Comments are to be forwarded to Mr. Amberson at the City of Oceanside Planning Division, 300 North Coast Highway, Oceanside, CA 92054 or JAmberson@ci.oceanside.ca.us.
Save South O 