Comments on Catellus EIR



Brownfields: Comments on Catellus EIR: Noise Impacts

Catellus EIR

Cover Letter
Project Alternative
Analysis Failures
Deferred Mitigations
Report Organization
Land Use
Population and Housing
Traffic
Air Quality
Public Services
Noise
Drainage and Hydrology
Hazards

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Noise Impacts

Increases in traffic generated by the project will cause noise levels to exceed community standards. The Project EIR proposed to mitigate the significant impact in proposed residential areas of the project site. Residents living adjacent to the project site would suffer significant noise impacts for which the EIR identified no mitigation measures.

In January 2000, Renewed HOPE Housing Advocates, East Bay Housing Organizations, ARC Ecology and Clearwater Revival Co. submitted the following comments, to the City of Alameda, on the noise impacts caused by the Catellus Mixed-use Development EIR.

Increase noise on Atlantic Avenue (Table IV.J-8, page 341)

The EIR indicates that the 70 CNEL will extend 82 to 89 feet from the centerline of Atlantic Avenue between Main Street and Webster Street. This noise level is normally unacceptable for residential and school uses (see page 333). The new school and expensive single-family homes in the Project will be sheltered from this noise level by a noise wall up to 10 feet high, which would reflect even higher levels of noise towards the existing neighborhood. However, no mitigation is proposed for these noise levels on the existing school and housing south of Webster. Indeed, the impact of project-generated noise on off-site land uses is not discussed in the EIR. The Project will make a significant contribution to the noise levels along Atlantic Avenue, which will be a significant adverse impact, and the Project should be responsible for implementing measures to mitigate that impact to normally acceptable levels.
Additional Analysis Required: Compare noise level increases on both sides of Atlantic Avenue, both with and without the proposed sound wall (assuming that it will be 10 feet high). Consider mitigations other than the sound wall, including measures to reduce and calm traffic.

Cover Letter - Project Alternative - Analysis Failures - Deferred Mitigations
Report Organization - Land Use - Population and Housing - Traffic - Air Quality
Public Services - Noise - Drainage and Hydrology - Hazards