HomeMy WebLinkAboutDEIR COMMENTSUptown Newport Project
DEIR, Sep. 2012
NOISE , Section 5.10 Bruce Asper, EQAC
This ambitious project is to be in the development and construction phases for a
period of at least seven years, from as early as 2013 to as late as 2021 or even
beyond. There are over 1200 residences in the 2 Phases of construction, similar to
the developments on the Irvine side of Jamboree as you proceed north and over
the 405. The construction related noise implications for people who either work
or live in the area are a big consideration, given both the scope in size as well as
build out time for the entire project.
The report does a very thorough and analytical job on the technicalities of
vibration noises, various types of sound and the City of Newport Beach’s
Conditions of Approval (the latter on p.5.10-51) . Arguably, the approach of the
report is too analytical and lacks human concern or empathy, especially for those
who live and work in the area. As but one small but important example, one of
the most impacted sites nearby is the UCI Child Care Development Center, across
the street from the project and less than 300 feet away.
If there is a regular theme to this DEIR noise section.it is, by implication, that the
whole area is already very noisy, given airplanes flying overhead at approach and
take-off level altitudes, heavy traffic on major traffic arteries such as Jamboree
road and its associated noise levels and other ongoing construction project
noises. The assumption implicitly is “ what’s a little more noise for a while”.
To drill down a bit on just one of these noise elements, traffic. Jamboree is far and
away the busiest in daily traffic volume of any of the streets measured in the
DEIR. A typical work day has traffic volumes of between 35,000 and nearly 46,000
vehicles a day, depending on the stretch of the street measured. Noise from this
source is already “the dominant noise in the vicinity of the project site” (p.5.10-
18, para #2). During the excavation phase of the project, it is the report’s estimate
that over 400 truck trips a day will be added to that number. The area already has
a noise level of 72 to 73 dBA within 100 feet of Jamboree (the desired goal is
below 65 dBA), without the additional truck traffic they will add in this phase.
Sound engineers they hired to analyze the incremental noise due to the project
indicated that the increase in noise level would only be “less than .2 dBA”( DEIR
p.5.10-22, IMPACT 5.10-1, Kimley-Horn and Assoc., 2012). I find this to be very
hard to believe, but I’m no sound engineer.
Still another area of concern is the exposure to noise to the people who will have
moved into residences in Phase ! as a result of the soon to follow Phase 2, which
begins with the demolition of the Tower-Jazz facility. The estimated noise levels
during this construction time for the nearest Phase 1 buildings will be from 83-96
dBA, from 18 to 21 decibels over the desired threshold of 65dBA (chart, p.5.10-
45), and this can go on for” up to 4 months” (same page as above, last para).
At minimum, it seems a reasonable requirement that the affected people in Phase
1 residences be assured of some serious evaluation of sound barriers, sound
walls or some protection for them and their hearing.
This project seems like too much and for too long.
UTILITIES
This is one of the feel good parts of the DEIR, in that the consumption of all the
utility sources will dramatically decrease when both Phases, 1& 2,are
completed.Most notably, the water consumption is estimated to drop by a
whopping 85%, from the Tower-Jazz and Half Dome buildings current rate of
1,400,000 gallons of water EACH DAY to a predicted consumption of just over
200,000 gallons each day upon project completion and occupancy. What is going
on at those two buildings that uses so much water, one may well ask.
From: Jim Hasty [JHasty@meyerprop.com]Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2012 2:25 PMTo: Ung, RosalinhCc: Denise BennettSubject: Uptown Newport EIR
Dear Rosalinh:
I don't know if you recall assisting me when I was trying to understand what PRES was planning on the property next to ours.
I'm currently out of the country and just learned comments on the Uptown Newport EIR are due today. Based upon my initial review I recall the EIR was deficient in addressing adverse impacts that could not be mitigated, in failing to provide the assumptions supporting their conclusion that a lower
density project was not feasible, their traffic conclusions were factually
untenable, they failed to fully address the magnitude of the construction
noise impacts and completely ignored permanent noise and air quality impacts
and the impacts on fire, police and schools were primarily ignored.
In short, the Draft EIR was inadequate, incomplete and unsatisfactory.
I'll be happy to provide you a letter to this effect upon my return should you request one.
Thank you in advance for our company's comments.
Sincerely,
Meyer Properties
James B. Hasty
Senior Vice President
Sent from my iPad
From: Alford, PatrickSent: Monday, October 08, 2012 7:51 AMTo: Ung, RosalinhSubject: FW: Submitted Public comment on the Uptown Newport DEIR impacts project on UCI CCDC.
-----Original Message-----From: Kimberly A. Jameson, Ph.D. [mailto:kjameson@uci.edu] Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2012 11:32 AMTo: Alford, PatrickCc: kjameson@uci.edu; Sabrina@uci.eduSubject: Submitted Public comment on the Uptown Newport DEIR impacts project on UCI CCDC.
Patrick Alford,
Herewith I submit one public comment on the DEIR for the Uptown Newport project proposed in the city of Newport Beach. Thank you for submitting the entire paragraph below in the comments on the Draft EIR that the city submits. And please inform me if you are unable to submit the entire text show below as numbered paragraph (1) as a public comment.
(1) What provisions and safe guards are planned for minimizing the sensitive receptors present at the UCI Child Care Development Center (approximately 875 feet southeast of the project site on Jamboree Road)? The Child Development Center Clinic engages in Outpatient Clinical Services, Neuropsychological and/or Psychoeducational Evaluations, Cognitive Behavioral Interventions, Parent Training Courses, Social Skills Courses with are all activities that require a nondisruptive enviroment free of environmental
toxins. As part of your response please describe plans related to factors of
project transportation, fencing, sound buffering plans that aime to minimizing
noise impacts on the UCI CCDC. Also provide analyses of Fugitive Dust
impacts, Construction traffic impacts, Toxic Emissions impacts and other hazards that will be present during all phases of this project. Pay particular attention to enumerating the impacts on the UCI CCDC during Phase 1 & 2 development, and describe in detail mitigated and unmitigated impacts analyses.
Thank you for submitting this comment.
Sincerely,
Kimberly A. Jameson
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/Kimberly A. Jameson, Ph.D.Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Sciences University of California, Irvine Social Science Plaza Irvine, CA 92697-5100 http://aris.ss.uci.edu/~kjameson/kjameson.html
From: Roger Stone [Rogers@stoneins.com]Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2012 1:35 PMTo: Ung, RosalinhSubject: Shopoff proposed developement
I am writing to you to communicate my huge concern over the proposed development of the land just
south of Birch and east of Jamboree, known as the Shopoff project.
I am one of the KCN Building owners and was informed that there is a good chance this development will be given a green light if not apposed. I actually like the idea of a nicer development replacing the Jazz building/parking lot. With the proper care, it would boost the area.
But, From what I understand , there will be over 1,200 units of housing built in this lot. I drive down jamboree to get to my office each day on Birch and Von Karmon. It gets pretty busy each morning and even worse between the hours of 4and 6pm when I drive home. If there were 8,000 more cars on the
road during those times, it would be a real crunch for most of us. Without any meaningful path for the
reduction in cars during the rush hours, we will all be sitting for a while. Not good for air quality and not
good for our nerves and sooner or later will detract from the leasing and employment potential for our
area.
8,000 additional units on the road spread out over 4 hours is 2,000 units per hour additional traffic in this heavy traffic area as it is. Its going to create a real problem.
Maybe an additional lane on each side of Macarthur, Jamboree, birch and Von Karmon may help. I
think adding 2,000 cars on the road may be livable, but 8,000 will kill the commerce around here. I
suggest that were think this project and make sure it allows for the commerce already here and
doesnt back us up into a nightmarish driving situation.
Roger Stone / PresidentRoger Stone Insurance Agency5015 Birch StreetNewport Beach, ca. 92660
an affiliate of Pacific Interstate Insurance Brokers
www.rogerstoneinsurance.com
ph. 949-265-4179 fax 949-757-0375