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A. Land UseLSA ASSOCIATES, INC. APPLE CAMPUS 2 PROJECT EIR JUNE 2015 V. SETTING, IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES A. LAND USE A. LAND USE This section describes existing land uses within and adjacent to the Apple Campus 2 Project site and evaluates potential land use impacts that could result from the proposed project. The analysis is based on a field reconnaissance, evaluation of aerial photographs, conversations with City staff, and a review of planning policy documents that are applicable to the area. The consistency of the project with planning -related policies adopted for the purpose of environ- mental protection is discussed in Chapter IV, Planning Policy. That chapter also summarizes relevant land use -related plans and policies. 1. Setting The following setting information provides an overview of the land uses within the project site and surrounding areas. The section begins with a discussion of the regional and local land use setting, and then provides more specific information about the project site and its vicinity. Land uses around the project site are shown in the aerial photograph provided in Figure III -2 in Chapter III, Project Description. a. Regional Setting. The project site is located in the northeast portion of the City of Cupertino, as shown in Figure III -1. Cupertino is located in an area known as the Silicon Valley, which has a high density of technology -related firms, and is loosely considered to include the Santa Clara Valley and the southern ends of the San Francisco Peninsula and East Bay. The City is located approximately 36 miles southeast of downtown San Francisco and 8 miles southwest of downtown San Jose. Cupertino is located in Santa Clara County and is bordered by the City of Sunnyvale and a small portion of the City of Los Altos to the north, the cities of Santa Clara and San Jose to the east, the City of Saratoga to the south, and unincorporated Santa Clara County to the west. Major transporta- tion corridors in the area include Interstate 280 (I-280) and State Route 85 (SR 85). b. Local Setting. Cupertino is a suburban community characterized by predominantly single- family residential subdivisions with distinct commercial and employment centers. The land use patterns within the City are influenced by the area's agricultural origins (orchards were widespread in Cupertino through World War II and up through the 1960s), the hilly terrain on the City's western margins, and the major roadways that extend through and around the City. In general, land use patterns are more urban in character as one travels northeast through the City, with predominantly larger -lot residential uses in the City's western foothills transitioning to smaller -lot residential uses interspersed with small commercial and industrial centers, schools, and other non-residential uses. East of SR 85, the land use pattern is even more urbanized, with hotels and major commercial uses along major highways, and large corporate campus facilities, including those within the project site. These corporate campuses are characterized by individual low-rise buildings surrounded by landscap- ing and surface parking lots. The Land Use/Community Design Element of the City's General Plan suggests that the City's suburban land use pattern "forces most residents and workers to rely on their automobiles for their daily activities" and that "Cupertino has responded by creating an automobile -based land use and transportation system."' The City is seeking to modify this land use pattern to provide additional 1 Cupertino, City of, 2005. City of Cupertino General Plan 2000-2020. November. P:\COC1101 Apple 2 Campus\PRODUCTS\DEIR\Public\5a-LandUse.doc (06/03/13) PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 185 LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. APPLE CAMPUS 2 PROJECT EIR JUNE 2015 V. SETTING, IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES A. LAND USE transportation choices by integrating land uses and building higher -density, transit -oriented urban centers in certain locations. The project site is located in the North Vallco area of the Vallco Industrial Park. The Vallco Industrial Park is a major commercial and employment center in the City. Land uses in the industrial park south of I-280 are primarily retail, with office and residential land use designations; north of I-280, land uses are primarily office and research and development. The North Vallco area, which contains the project site, is an approximately 240 -acre district bordered by East Homestead Road on the north; North Tantau Avenue on the east; I-280 on the south; and the primarily single-family residential neighborhood to the west of North Wolfe Road, which also contains retail, hotel, and apartment uses. C. Land Uses on the Project Site. The approximately 176 -acre project site consists of corporate campus buildings currently used by Apple and formerly by Hewlett-Packard, additional office buildings located east of Tantau Avenue, and a segment of Pruneridge Avenue that crosses the site along an approximately east/west transect. Key project site land uses are discussed by area in more detail below. Ridgeview Court. Ridgeview Court, which is considered part of Apple's Ridgeview Campus, comprises 56.1 acres and is bordered by Pruneridge Avenue on the north, North Tantau Avenue on the east, I-280 on the south, and The Hamptons apartment community on the west. Ridgeview Court contains nine buildings comprising approximately 1 million square feet of office space. These buildings are spaced throughout the site; each is surrounded by surface parking lots. In general, landscaped areas are small in size and are clustered around buildings. Pruneridge Campus. Pruneridge Campus, which is also known as the Hewlett-Packard Campus, comprises 98.2 acres and is bordered by East Homestead Road on the north, North Tantau Avenue on the east, Pruneridge Avenue on the south, and North Wolfe Road on the west. This portion of the project site contains nine buildings comprising approxi- mately 1.3 million square feet of office space. Buildings are generally clustered in the center of the Pruneridge Campus area along an east/west transect, resulting in bands of surface parking on the north and south sides of this area. Landscaping is located adjacent to these buildings and within internal courtyards. The Glendenning Barn, which is a City of Cupertino -designated historic site, is also located within the Pruneridge Campus, just north of Pruneridge Avenue. A grassy area, patio, and parking lot are located adjacent to the barn. Tantau Avenue Buildings. The project site also includes six office buildings located east of North Tantau Avenue on a 17.2 -acre site. This portion of the site is bisected by Pruneridge Avenue and is bordered by office buildings to the north, single-family residential uses and Jenny Strand Park to the east, I-280 to the south, and North Tantau Avenue to the west. The east of North Tantau Avenue buildings comprise approximately 260,000 square feet of office space and are currently occupied by Apple employees. • Pruneridge Avenue. A segment of Pruneridge Avenue, a public right-of-way comprising approximately 4.6 acres, extends through the project site on an east/west alignment. The street currently provides motor vehicle (including public transit), bike, and pedestrian access along an east/west alignment. This segment of roadway currently connects North Wolfe Road and North Tantau Avenue. P:\COC1101 Apple 2 Campus\PRODUCTS\DEIR\Public\5a-LandUse.doc (06/03/13) PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 186 LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. APPLE CAMPUS 2 PROJECT EIR JUNE 2015 V. SETTING, IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES A. LAND USE Several accessory buildings are also located throughout the project site. The existing buildings within the project site comprise approximately 2,657,000 square feet of office and research and development space. Calabazas Creek extends through the southeast corner of the project site. Within the project site, the creek (which has been designed to provide flood control) is fenced and contains planted riparian vegetation. d. Land Uses in the Vicinity of the Project Site. The uses that surround the project site are summarized below. Refer to Figure III -2 (in Chapter III, Project Description) for an aerial photograph of the project site and its immediate surroundings. • North: Beyond East Homestead Road to the north of the site is the Birdland Neighbors neighborhood in the City of Sunnyvale, which comprises primarily single-family residential land uses. East. Office and research and development facilities are located adjacent to the northeast portion of the site, across North Tantau Avenue (within the City of Cupertino). Predomi- nantly single-family residential uses are located east of the office and research and develop- ment uses located immediately north and south of the intersection of North Tantau Avenue and Pruneridge Avenue (in the City of Santa Clara). Jenny Strand Park, a City of Santa Clara park, is also located east of the site. Further to the east, also in the City of Santa Clara, is the Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center, a major regional health care facility. South. The Hamptons (a multi -family residential use) borders the site on the southwest. I- 280 is a major land use feature south of the site. Beyond I-280 is the Vallco Shopping Mall and adjacent retail, office, and research and development uses. West. A commercial district extends along the North Wolfe Road corridor east of the project site and consists primarily of retail uses, including restaurants and a grocery store. Hotels and apartments are also located in this area. This commercial area is also known as Cupertino Village. Beyond this commercial district is a predominantly single-family residential neighborhood (the southern portion of which is in the City of Cupertino and the northern portion of which is in the City of Sunnyvale). 2. Impacts and Mitigation Measures The following section presents a discussion of the impacts related to land use that could result from implementation of the proposed project. The section begins with the criteria of significance, which establish the thresholds to determine whether an impact is significant. The latter part of this section presents the land use impacts that would result from the proposed project. Impacts are organized into separate categories based on their significance according to the criteria listed below: less -than -signifi- cant impacts, which do not require mitigation, and significant impacts, which do require mitigation. a. Criteria of Significance. The proposed project would have a significant impact if it would: Physically divide an established community; • Conflict with any applicable land use plan, policy or regulation of an agency with jurisdic- tion over the project (including, but not limited to the General Plan, Specific Plan, local coastal program or zoning ordinance) adopted for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating an environmental effect; or P:\COC1101 Apple 2 Campus\PRODUCTS\DEIR\Public\5a-LandUse.doc (06/03/13) PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 187 LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. APPLE CAMPUS 2 PROJECT EIR JUNE 2015 V. SETTING, IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES A. LAND USE • Conflict with any applicable habitat conservation plan or natural community conservation plan. b. Less -Than -Significant Impacts. The following discussion describes the less -than -significant land use impacts associated with implementation the proposed project. (1) Divide an Established Community. The physical division of an established community typically refers to the construction of a physical feature (such as a wall, interstate highway, or railroad tracks) or the removal of a means of access (such as a local road or bridge) that would impair mobility within an existing community, or between a community and outlying areas. For example, the con- struction of an interstate highway through an existing community could constrain travel from one side of the community to another. Similarly, such construction could also impair travel to areas outside of the community. Implementation of the proposed project would result in the demolition and removal of the existing buildings within the project site, which comprise approximately 2,657,000 square feet of office and research and development space. These existing buildings would be replaced with a new consolidated campus that would ultimately contain 3,420,000 square feet of office, research, and development uses; 245,000 square feet of auditorium, fitness center, and Valet Parking Reception uses; 92,000 square feet of utility plants; and parking and ancillary buildings (such as security receptions and landscape maintenance buildings). Other physical aspects of the project include the development of 10,980 parking spaces (as compared to the current total of 9,220 parking spaces), and a total of approximately 102 acres of private open space on the site. Ridgeview Court and the Pruneridge Campus, which are both corporate facilities, are divided by Pruneridge Avenue. The project would result in the vacation of approximately 4.6 acres of Pruneridge Avenue, so the two sites can be joined in one unified campus. Existing traffic that would otherwise use Pruneridge Avenue would be routed to East Homestead Road, Vallco Parkway, and Stevens Creek Boulevard, while access to The Hamptons via North Wolfe Road and Pruneridge Avenue would be maintained. Besides the vacation of a portion of Pruneridge Avenue, the project would also result in the following changes to the transportation network within and in the vicinity of the project site (please refer to Chapter III, Project Description, for additional detail): • The segment of Pruneridge Avenue providing access to The Hamptons would be reduced to two lanes. This Pruneridge Avenue segment would function as the main public access to The Hamptons. An emergency access route would extend from North Tantau Avenue to The Hamptons along the southern boundary of the project site. • New vehicle lanes would be added to North Wolfe Road (including replacement bike facilities) by acquiring land from The Hamptons to the south of Pruneridge Avenue and by dedicating land from the project site to the north of Pruneridge Avenue. • North Tantau Avenue would be widened between I-280 and Calabazas Creek, and the travel lanes on the existing bridges over Calabazas Creek and I-280 would be reconfigured. • Existing driveways/access points within the site would be consolidated, and three new main vehicle entry points within the site would be established (not including transit or emer- gency access points, or access to Phase 2 facilities) along with several pedestrian access points. P:\COC1101 Apple 2 Campus\PRODUCTS\DEIR\Public\5a-LandUse.doc (06103113)PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 188 LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. APPLE CAMPUS 2 PROJECT EIR JUNE 2015 V. SETTING, IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES A. LAND USE The pedestrian and bike environment on the streets surrounding the project site would be enhanced in order to supplement existing bike and pedestrian facilities. These changes would include: providing additional landscaping and separated bike lanes and sidewalks; restriping and providing colored bike lanes; the use of specialty paving, signage, and other way -finding features; the provision of an off-street bike trail near the main project entrance; and reducing curb cuts and driveways. In addition, mitigation measures identified in Section V.I, Transportation and Circulation, would change the transportation network around the project site. Please refer to that section for additional detail about these mitigation measures. The vacation of a portion of Pruneridge Avenue, the establishment of a new emergency access route to The Hamptons, the closure of existing driveways along the perimeter of the site, and the widening of segments of North Wolfe Road and North Tantau Avenue, and improvements to existing bike and pedestrian facilities along the streets surrounding the project site would change travel patterns in the community. Pruneridge Avenue currently functions as a motor vehicle, transit, bike, and pedestrian route between North Tantau Avenue and North Wolfe Road (both of which contain bike facilities). Although it is used by modest volumes of bicyclists and pedestrians (some of which are current employees on the project site), it functions as the western segment of a longer -distance bike route that starts in the City of Santa Clara and allows cyclists to bypass busier, higher -volume roadways. The removal of the segment of Pruneridge Avenue within the project site would require cyclists and pedestrians (traveling from the vicinity of North Tantau Avenue and Pruneridge Avenue to points west of the project site) to either proceed along North Tantau Avenue, East Homestead Road, and North Wolfe Road, the latter two of which are higher -volume, multi -lane roadways, or proceed on North Tantau Avenue to the south, connecting to Vallco Parkway and North Wolfe Road. For a bicyclist or pedestrian wishing to reach the intersection of North Wolfe Road and Pruneridge Avenue from points to the east of the project site, this detour would increase travel distance by approximately 0.6 mile over current conditions. (Drivers would also be re-routed, but the detour and increase in travel time would not be as significant for drivers in a motor vehicle.) The removal of Pruneridge Avenue would affect bicyclists and pedestrians differently, depending on the ultimate destination. For instance, bicyclists and pedestrians traveling to Vallco Mall from the vicinity of North Tantau Avenue and Pruneridge Avenue may experience no increase in travel time or distance due to the removal of Pruneridge Avenue (and certain segments of the new route could be more comfortable or safer). However, persons traveling by bicycle or foot from The Hamptons to the Pruneridge Avenue bike lane east of North Tantau Avenue (in order to access the two parks in the vicinity — Westwood Oaks Park and Jenny Strand Park) would experience longer travel times and routes that are more difficult to navigate without a motor vehicle. On certain routes along North Tantau Avenue, Vallco Parkway, and North Wolfe Road, the bike and pedestrian improvements that would be built as part of the project would improve the travel experience on those roads for cyclists and pedestrians compared to existing conditions. In addition, the closure of a segment of Pruneridge Avenue would allow for the development of a secure campus and the establishment of an extensive internal bike and pedestrian network (and open space) within the site for Apple employees. P:\COC1101 Apple 2 Campus\PRODUCTS\DEIR\Public\5a-LandUse.doc (06103113)PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 189 LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. APPLE CAMPUS 2 PROJECT EIR JUNE 2015 V. SETTING, IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES A. LAND USE While the closure of a segment of Pruneridge Avenue would reinforce the existing superblock land use pattern in the North Vallco area, existing roads in the vicinity of the site (the conditions of which would be improved as part of the project for pedestrian and bike travel) would allow for adequate travel around the project site. Therefore, the removal of a segment of Pruneridge Avenue as part of the project would not create a significant barrier to travel such that an established community would be divided. Access between the neighborhoods to the east and west of the project site would be constrained in certain cases, but a barrier would not be created. However, as discussed in Chapter IV, Planning Policy, and Section V.I, Transportation and Circulation, the removal of a segment of Pruneridge Avenue would be considered a significant environmental effect for reasons of failure to fully implement certain applicable policies related to mobility, inconsistency with some of the City's transportation objectives, and the loss of existing bike and pedestrian facilities. Although the closure of a segment of Pruneridge Avenue would reduce bike and pedestrian mobility in the area, as described in Chapter IV, Planning Policy, and other sections, in more detail, this closure would not divide an established community. In addition, the widening of North Wolfe Road would require a land exchange with the owner of The Hamptons. Under the exchange agreement, the owner of The Hamptons would convey to the City approximately 11,500 square feet of land adjacent to the North Wolfe Road frontage in exchange for a similar amount of land that Apple owns adjacent to The Hamptons in Ridgeview Court, and/or other compensation. This land exchange would not substantially alter circulation patterns or access in the vicinity of The Hamptons (although it would increase the capacity of North Wolfe Road) and would not divide an established community. (2) Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan. The project site (and the entirety of the City of Cupertino) is located outside the boundaries of the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan. The only cities within the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan area are the cities of San Jose, Morgan Hill, and Gilroy. The project site is not located within any other habitat conservation plan or natural community conservation plan and would not conflict with any such plan. Although the project site is not within the boundaries of the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan, in response to the environmental concerns raised by the Habitat Plan, Apple has voluntarily agreed to pay a Nitrogen Deposition Fee, which is expected to be used to protect and enhance sensitive habitat throughout the region that is subject to degradation due to nitrogen deposition (related primarily to vehicle emissions). The fee, based on the assumption that the project would generate 35,106 net new daily trips, would amount to S 126,3 81.60. This amount would be paid to the Implementing Entity of the Habitat Conservation Plan, which is expected to be a Joint Powers Authority made up of the cities of San Jose, Gilroy and Morgan Hill; Santa Clara Valley Water District; Valley Transportation Authority; and Santa Clara County. Apple would pay the Nitrogen Deposition Fee upon issuance of the grading permit for the project, unless the Joint Powers Authority has not yet been formed. In that case, Apple would pay the fee upon formation of the Joint Powers Authority. C. Significant Impacts. The following discussion describes the significant land use impacts associated with implementation of the proposed project. P:\COC1101 Apple 2 Campus\PRODUCTS\DEIR\Public\5a-LandUse.doc (06103113)PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 190 LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. APPLE CAMPUS 2 PROJECT EIR JUNE 2015 V. SETTING, IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES A. LAND USE Conflict With Applicable Land Use Policies. As discussed in Chapter IV, the proposed project would not be fully consistent with several General Plan land use policies adopted for environmental protection. Conflicts with policies in the General Plan would result in significant environmental impacts. Impact LU -1: The proposed project would not be fully consistent with applicable land use pians and policies adopted for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating an environmental effect. (S) As discussed in Chapter IV, the proposed project would not be fully consistent with policies in the General Plan related to the development of parks and open space, the provision of trails, the provision of bike and pedestrian access, and the protection of a historic resource (if not appropriately relocated and preserved). These policies were adopted to avoid or mitigate environmental effects, including traffic congestion, air pollution, the absence of sufficient open space, and the destruction of historic resources. The conflicts that would result from the project would be primarily associated with the closure of a segment of Pruneridge Avenue within the project site, the lack of provision of a future segment of the Calabazas Creek trail identified in the General Plan, the change in designation of an approximately 1.1 -acre portion of the site designated Parks and Open Space to Industrial/Residential, and the relocation of Glendenning Barn. Implementation of the following mitigation measure would reduce impacts related to loss of the Parks and Open Space designation within the site and relocation of Glendenning Barn to a less -than - significant level. However, impacts related to the closure of a segment of Pruneridge Avenue within the project site and the lack of provision of a segment of the Calabazas Creek trail (as identified in the General Plan) would remain significant and unavoidable, primarily because no feasible mitigation has been identified to replace both the segment of Pruneridge Avenue that is proposed for closure and development of the segment of the potential future Calabazas Creek trail that would be precluded by implementation of the project. Apple has raised concerns that the fundamental objective of a secure campus would be compromised with the provision of public access through the project site, or a public trail through or adjacent to the project site. A creek -side trail for instance, depending on its design and associated landscaping, may not be completely visible from the street, heightening the possibility of unauthorized access into the project site. Even with security and design measures such as fencing, a trail would pose security concerns, according to Apple, because Apple has been the target of intense scrutiny regarding its future products. Public access through the site would thus conflict with the key project objective of fostering innovation and collaboration among Apple employees, according to Apple. Mitigation Measure LU -1: Implement Mitigation Measures PLAN -1, PLAN -2, PLAN -3, and CULT -1. (SU) d. Cumulative Impacts. CEQA defines cumulative impacts as "two or more individual effects, which, when considered together, are considerable, or which can compound or increase other envi- ronmental impacts." Section 15130 of the CEQA Guidelines requires that an EIR evaluate potential environmental impacts that are individually limited but cumulatively significant. These impacts can result from the proposed project alone, or together with other projects. Section 15355 of the CEQA Guidelines states: "The cumulative impact from several projects is the change in the environment which results from the incremental impact of the project when added to other closely related past, P:\COC1101 Apple 2 Campus\PRODUCTS\DEIR\Public\5a-LandUse.doc (06103113)PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 191 LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. APPLE CAMPUS 2 PROJECT EIR JUNE 2015 V. SETTING, IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES A. LAND USE present, and reasonably foreseeable probable future projects." Cumulative impacts can result from individually minor but collectively significant projects taking place over a period of time. When evaluating cumulative impacts, CEQA allows the use of either a list of past, present, and prob- able future projects, including projects outside the control of the lead agency, or a summary ofprojec- tions in an adopted planning document. This cumulative analysis (and the cumulative analyses in other topical sections in this chapter) uses primarily the first approach: a list of past, present, and probable future projects. This list is included in Appendix F and includes a mix of infill projects in the City, including residential, commercial, and institutional projects ranging from new hotels to senior residential developments. None of these projects is as large (in terms of the size of the project site or the volume of new interior square footage) as the proposed Apple Campus 2 Project. In addition, anticipated projects would generally result in fine-grained land use changes in the City, such as an increase in land use intensities along major transportation corridors. Therefore, in general, these smaller -scale projects would not result in significant land use impacts, but would instead incremen- tally increase land use intensities in the City in appropriate locations. No substantial changes to roadway configuration would result from these projects. As discussed above, the proposed project would not be fully consistent with policies adopted for the purpose of environmental protection, and —primarily due to the lack of a feasible measure to mitigate impacts associated with the removal of a segment of Pruneridge Avenue and lack of provision of a trail as shown in the General Plan — this impact would be considered significant and unavoidable. Although this impact would be significant in and of itself, it would not make a significant contribution to cumulative land use impacts because the project -related impacts would be specific to the location of the project site and the type of resources on the project site. For instance, although the removal of a segment of Pruneridge Avenue within the site, and the loss of a potential future trail segment along Calabazas Creek would impede mobility in the vicinity of the site, the effects would be cumulatively limited because access would remain approximately the same or be potentially enhanced in other neighborhoods of the City due to the continued implementation of mobility policies in the General Plan and other planning documents. Similarly, the project would reduce the local availability of parkland, and would result in the relocation of Glendenning Barn (a historic resource identified in the General Plan), although the barn may be relocated to a location allowing for enhanced public access and/or restored in an appropriate setting. These impacts would be place -specific and similar impacts are not expected to occur with development of other probable projects in the City. The City's existing historic resource protection and park development policies (refer to Chapter IV, Planning Policy) would ensure that area development would not result in a significant cumulative impact to historic resources or parks. In addition, the proposed project would not make a significant contribution to such impacts. P:\COC1101 Apple 2 Campus\PRODUCTS\DEIR\Public\5a-LandUse.doc (06103113)PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 192