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4.19 UTILITIES
1.
SUMMARY
Uses proposed by the Landmark Village project are within those allowed by the Newhall Ranch Specific Plan and
that were previously analyzed in the Newhall Ranch Specific Plan Program EIR. The Landmark Village project
would require energy resources and infrastructure to serve the project site. Projections for energy supply and
demand by Southern California Edison and the Southern California Gas Company indicate that the agencies would
have sufficient electricity and natural gas supply to serve the project site. Consistent with the Newhall Ranch
Specific Plan Program EIR, providing electricity and natural gas to the Landmark Village project site would not
require considerable extension of infrastructure. In addition, the Landmark Village project would be required to
comply with Title 24 and AB 970 energy conservation measures. With implementation of the mitigation measures
from the certified Newhall Ranch Specific Plan Program EIR, no significant impacts to electricity and natural gas
resources or infrastructure would occur as a result of the Landmark Village project.
2.
INTRODUCTION
a.
Relationship of Project to Newhall Ranch Specific Plan Program EIR
Sections 4.13 and 4.14 of the Newhall Ranch Specific Plan Program EIR identified and analyzed the
existing conditions, potential impacts, and mitigation measures associated with natural gas and electricity
resources, respectively, for the entire Newhall Ranch Specific Plan. The Newhall Ranch Specific Plan EIR
mitigation program was adopted by the County of Los Angeles (County) in findings and in the revised
Mitigation Monitoring Plan for the Specific Plan. The Newhall Ranch Specific Plan Program EIR
concluded that Specific Plan implementation would result in significant impacts to natural gas and
electricity resources, but that the identified mitigation measures would reduce the impacts to below levels
of significance. All subsequent project-specific development plans and tentative subdivision maps must
be consistent with the Newhall Ranch Specific Plan, and the County of Los Angeles General Plan and
Santa Clarita Valley Areawide Plan.
This project-level EIR is tiering from the previously certified Newhall Ranch Specific Plan Program EIR.
Section 4.19 discusses, at the project-specific level, the Landmark Village project's existing conditions
relative to utilities, the project's impacts on energy resources, the applicable mitigation measures from the
Newhall Ranch Specific Plan Program EIR, and any additional mitigation measures recommended by this
EIR for the Landmark Village project. 4.19 Utilities
Impact Sciences, Inc.
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November 2006
3.
SUMMARY OF THE NEWHALL RANCH SPECIFIC PLAN PROGRAM EIR
FINDINGS
a.
Electricity
Buildout of uses in the Specific Plan would place new demands on electrical service provided by
Southern California Edison (SCE), including the need for new delivery infrastructure; however, neither
the Newhall Ranch Specific Plan nor the anticipated cumulative project development would have a
significant impact on electrical resources provided by SCE. Nonetheless, because petroleum-based
energy is a nonrenewable and finite resource, the Specific Plan would be subject to the conservation
measures required under Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, which would assure responsible
electricity consumption on the part of the Specific Plan developer, residents, employees, and others. In
addition, the Specific Plan would be required to meet the requirements of SCE in terms of infrastructure
relocation (if applicable). Environmental safety concerns relative to the high-power transmission lines on
the project site and electromagnetic fields are discussed in Section 4.21, Environmental Safety.
b.
Natural Gas
Buildout of uses in the Specific Plan would place new demands on natural gas service provided by the
Southern California Gas Company (SCGC), including the need for new delivery infrastructure. Neither
the proposed Specific Plan (including the proposed water reclamation plant) nor anticipated cumulative
project development would have a significant impact on natural gas resources provided by SCGC.
However, because natural gas is a nonrenewable and finite resource, the Specific Plan would be subject to
the conservation measures required under Title 24 of the California Administrative Code, which would
assure responsible natural gas consumption on the part of the Specific Plan developer, residents,
employees, and others. In addition, the Specific Plan would be required to meet the requirements of
SCGC in terms of infrastructure relocation (if applicable) and development within SCGC easements.
Potential safety impacts relative to placing development in proximity to SCGC high-pressure
transmission lines are discussed in Section 4.21.
4.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
The information presented in the Newhall Ranch Specific Plan Program EIR, Sections 4.13 and 4.14,
Natural Gas and Electricity, respectively, assessed the existing setting of the entire Newhall Ranch
Specific Plan, including the Landmark Village project site. It was determined that all significant natural
gas and electricity effects were identified, adequately addressed and mitigated or avoided in the Newhall
Ranch Specific Plan Program EIR and related environmental findings. Therefore, at the project level, this
EIR incorporates by reference the existing conditions analysis and background information relating to 4.19 Utilities
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November 2006
natural gas and electricity resources and infrastructure from the certified Newhall Ranch Specific Plan
Program EIR (Sections 4.13 and 4.14).
a.
Electricity
The Landmark Village tract map site is currently vacant and no electrical distribution infrastructure
presently exists on the site. The nearest facility is an SCE tower located north of State Route 126 (SR-126)
and east of Chiquito Canyon Road. There is also an existing 66 kilovolts (kV)/16kV overhead electric
power line that runs parallel to SR-126. In addition, electrical lines exist approximately 700 feet north of
SR-126 and the eastern edge of the project site.
b.
Natural Gas
The Landmark Village tract map site is currently vacant and no natural gas infrastructure exists on the
site. The closest facility is an SCGC pipeline located in the northern utility easement and crosses Long
Canyon Road, in the western portion of the site. In addition, there is a gas distribution main that runs
east/west within the southern right-of-way of SR-126 and extends to Chiquito Canyon Road from The Old
Road.
c.
Energy Conservation
The California Energy Commission passed Assembly Bill (AB) 970 in the summer of 2000 and it was
signed into law on September 6, 2000. This legislation modified Title 24 requirements in order to
promote energy efficiency in new construction. The new standards are effective for building permits
issued on or after June 1, 2001. The standards are intended to reduce peak demand and so are more
stringent in areas with high cooling loads such as Sacramento, the Central Valley, and all of inland
Southern California. All new development projects are required to comply with the Title 24 requirements
for the climate zone in which the project is proposed. The primary changes involve tighter air duct
systems to reduce energy loss and high efficiency window glass. The new duct provisions will require
leakage to be less than 6 percent of nominal airflow and certification of installation from installers. The
improved windows have spectrally selective glass that reduces heat radiation. These standards are
estimated to improve energy efficiency up to 23 percent for residential uses in climate zone 15 (High
Desert). Certain features in the new standards require third party verification. 4.19 Utilities
Impact Sciences, Inc.
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5.
PROPOSED PROJECT IMPROVEMENTS
The applicant proposes to develop 1,444 residential dwelling units with a total residential population of
3,680
1
approximately 1,033,000 square feet of commercial/mixed use space, a 9-acre elementary school, a
16-acre Community Park, four private recreational facilities, open space and river trail uses, and
supporting roadway, drainage and infrastructure improvements. In addition, the applicant proposes to
construct the Long Canyon Road Bridge over the Santa Clara River, and install exposed and buried bank
stabilization on portions of the south and north side of the river. Please refer to Section 1.0, Project
Description, of this EIR for a complete description of the proposed project.
6.
PROJECT IMPACTS
The analysis of potential impacts to electricity and natural gas resources associated with construction and
operation of the proposed Landmark Village project, including the significance criteria applicable to
assessing such impacts, is presented below.
a.
Significance Threshold Criteria
(1)
Electricity
Appendix G of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines does not include thresholds for
determining the significance of impacts related to electricity. For purposes of this analysis, impacts
related to electricity are considered significant if the project would: Consume fuel or energy that could not be accommodated within the long-term electricity source and
distribution planning of SCE; Fail to comply with the energy building regulations adopted by the California Energy Commission
(Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations). Require utilities or services that are not available to serve the proposed project; or the