San Rafael officials have released the final environmental impact report on the massive housing plan for the Northgate mall.
The hefty, 1,480-page report examines the potential effects of the proposal for 1,422 homes mixed with shops and restaurants at the 45-acre site in Terra Linda.
Despite revised plans being submitted late in the game, the report says the changes “do not add significant new information” and “would not substantially change the construction and operational impacts.”
The report is consistent with a draft assessment released in January stating that greenhouse gas emissions and noise generated by the project would be “significant and unavoidable.”
Like the draft report, the final EIR, or FEIR, examines three other project alternatives, including a “no-project” option. In conclusion, the report says the “reduced residential alternative” — which proposes 63 fewer homes than what developers are seeking — would be the “environmentally superior alternative.”
The option would “slightly reduce” the effects on air quality, emissions, energy, noise and vehicle trip generation, the report says.
However, the report maintains that a list of required construction and mitigation measures would need to be followed to minimize disruptions.
The report says the reduced residential alternative would meet the stated project objectives just with 63 fewer homes.
More project information is at cityofsanrafael.org/northgate-town-square-rev/.