Draft Environmental Impact Report - California Off Highway Vehicle ...

5.0 Other CEQA Required Analysis
site, and improvements to existing recreational opportunities at the SVRA would not generate
substantial population growth in the area or require additional housing demand.
5.1.5 Recreation
As described in Chapter 2, implementing the General Plan would involve improvements to existing
recreational opportunities at Clay Pit SVRA. Implementing recreation improvements at the SVRA
would not create additional demand for other external recreational facilities (e.g., local or regional
parks) or affect the capacity of these facilities. Therefore, there would be no impact to external
recreation facilities and this impact is not discussed as a separate or stand alone topic. In addition,
implementation of facility improvements at the SVRA could result in physical effects to the
environment, that are fully analyzed in Chapter 3, “Environmental Analysis,” and Chapter 4,
“Cumulative Analysis,” of this DEIR.
5.2 Unavoidable Significant Environmental Impacts
As required by State CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.2(b), an EIR must describe any significant
impacts that cannot be avoided, including those impacts that can be mitigated but not reduced to a
less‐than‐significant level. Chapter 3 of this DEIR describes potential environmental impacts that
may occur with implementation of the Clay Pit SVRA General Plan, including construction and
operation of the headquarters facilities. For all issue areas, implementation of the General Plan
would not result in unavoidable significant environmental impacts.
5.3 Significant Irreversible Environmental Changes
As required by Section 21100(b)(2)(B) of the CEQA Statutes and Sections 15126(c) and 15127 of
the State CEQA Guidelines, an EIR must analyze the extent to which the project’s primary and
secondary effects would affect the environment and commit nonrenewable resources to uses that
future generations would not be able to reverse. Irretrievable commitment of these resources is
required to be evaluated to ensure that such consumption is justified. Implementation of the Clay
Pit SVRA General Plan, including construction and operation of the headquarters facilities, would
cause the following irreversible environmental changes:
The natural environment would be altered as a consequence of the development process.
Implementation of the General Plan, including construction and operation of the
headquarters facilities, would represent a commitment of land to OHV use and
development of new recreation, administration, and maintenance facilities. This
commitment of land resources would be consistent with the current use and land use
designation of the site and would improve those recreation opportunities offered at Clay
Pit SVRA that are specifically important for the local community.
Requirements of public services and utilities would increase, which represents a
permanent commitment of these resources. As described in Section 3.9, “Public Services
Clay Pit State Vehicular Recreation Area
February 2012 5-2 Draft EIR