A hearing was held March 3, 2005 to alert the public that a portion of the EIR will be recirculated based on additional impacts to wetlands. This can be found on the Web at:

http://tinyurl.com/74t4k

Hard copies of the document are available at the County P&D office, 568-2000.

Additional wetlands work was performed by Glen Lukos Associates. This was the report that disclosed the new information which required a recirculation of the EIR.

David Magney and Wayne Ferren, wetlands experts, have been retained by the SMFC to review the Lukos report and the recirculated EIR.

The hearing date on the recirculated portion of the EIR will be on May 2, 2005, at 5:30 pm. The public will have the opportunity to make comments only on the new content of the EIR or information that has not yet been presented to the Planning Commission.

Close of public comments on the recirculated EIR is May 17, 2005 by 5:00 pm, in the P&D offices.

Main issues: One "two parameter" wetland polygon within LDEs of Lots 10 and 11 discovered in Lukos report.

The County has not acknowledged the need to re-do the grasslands analysis. This was confirmed by Melissa Mooney, County biologist, during the hearing.

SMFC members need to continue to request that the County Thresholds and Guidelines Manual be used to analyze impacts.

A redacted version of the cultural report will be available very soon from the County-release date to be determined.

The SMFC stated concerns during the March 3rd hearing about J. McKenna peer reviewing the SAIC cultural report. J. McKenna prepared the original report for the EIR, therefore an independent 3rd party should peer review the SAIC report.

The scope of extended cultural resources report is very narrow. The report should have included a review of the entire property.

Jim Steele of Tetra Tech, an expert in the area of geology, researched the fill area on the eastern portion of the SMF property, which is underlain by Rincon Shale. The SMFC asserted to the PC that the project should still be required to obtain a General Plan Amendment (GPA) to build on Rincon Shale given this information.

County geologist (B. Baca) stated during the hearing that the policy for Rincon Shale only applies to RS exposed at the surface, and that no GPA would be required by the County.

There is still no discussion or disclosure of the DR and how it will be managed or monitored. The SMFC continues to request this information from the County.

The County has stated that they will provide an expanded response to comments in the recirculated EIR. Coalition members and supporters should review these responses to see if they have addressed previous comments.

An inadequate baseline was used to determine environmental impacts for several issues, including wetlands and grasslands in particular.

A county Staff Report dated February 17, 2005 states that a revised policy consistency section of the EIR will be prepared as part of the recirculation.

M. McGinnes, a new planning commissioner, has recused himself from the SMF project decision because of his long-time affilation with the EDC.