ST9902-CS090820 (2)
(3/15/2010) Keith Marvin - Sandy Lake Road - City Planner InquiriesPage 1
From:
"Alma Canning" <alma@civilassociates.com>
To:
<sieb@ci.coppell.tx.us>
CC:
"Keith Marvin" <kmarvin@ci.coppell.tx.us>, "Madeline Percin" <madeline@c...
Date:
8/20/2009 1:04 PM
Subject:
Sandy Lake Road - City Planner Inquiries
Attachments:
Re: Sandy Lake CSJ 0918-45-773
Mr. Sieb,
Civil Associates, Inc. (CAI) is finalizing the Categorical Exclusion (CE) for Sandy Lake Road project for the
Texas Department of Transportation. This CE evaluates the social, economic, and environmental impacts
that would result from the implementation of the proposed reconstruction of Sandy Lake Road from North
Coppell Road to South Coppell Road in the City of Coppell, Dallas County, Texas. The proposed project
consists of widening the existing two-lane undivided roadway to a four-lane divided roadway with drainage
improvements within the project limits.
New TxDOT guidelines for indirect and cumulative impacts analysis mandate that quantitative data be
used when possible in reporting indirect and cumulative impacts resulting from the implementation of
roadway projects. Indirect impacts are caused by the action and are later in
time and farther removed in distance, but are still reasonably foreseeable. Indirect impacts may include
growth-inducing effects and other effects related to induced changes in the
pattern of land use, population density or growth rate and related effects on air and water and other
natural systems, including ecosystems. (40 CFR § 1508.7). Cumulative impacts are the impacts on the
environment which results from the incremental impact of the action when added to other past, present,
and reasonably foreseeable future actions regardless of what agency (federal or non-federal) or person
undertakes such other actions. Cumulative impacts can result from individually minor but collectively
significant actions taking place over a period of time." (40 CFR §1508.7)
The first step in analyzing this impact analysis is to determine a geographic area boundary (please see
attached). We evaluated that given the type and scale of the proposed project (approximately 0.35 mile),
we felt that a 1-mile radius would suffice in capturing the indirect and cumulative impacts. If you do not
feel otherwise, please do let us know. We have access to the City's comprehensive plan but part of the
task is to get the view from the City Planner. CAI would be grateful for any information the City could
provide to us regarding indirect and cumulative effects.
1. For land use indirect effects, would you please provide us with any information that you have regarding
new developments or redevelopments that are anticipated to occur as a result of the proposed project
within the given 1-mile radius (developments that are project dependent, i.e. if the proposed project does
not take place, what anticipated development would not take place)? We must report the types, names (if
available), locations, and acreages of the new developments or redevelopments.
2. For economic indirect effects, would you please provide us with any information that you have regarding
estimated employment growth, employment opportunities, and City revenue that are anticipated to occur
as a result of the implementation of the proposed project?
(3/15/2010) Keith Marvin - Sandy Lake Road - City Planner InquiriesPage 2
3. Cumulative effects covers all development where Indirect impacts covers only those developments that
are anticipated to occur as a result of the proposed project. For cumulative effects, CAI must report past,
present, and reasonably foreseeable actions. These actions would include all development and roadway
projects from 2000 to 2030. Extending the timeframe forward to 2030 for cumulative impacts matches the
North Central Texas Council of Government's Mobility 2030, the Metropolitan Transportation Plan.
Extending the timeframe back to 2000 incorporates the last decennial U.S. Census to account for trends
in population growth and demographic change, and includes a substantial period of the business cycle
(since the last major economic growth occurred in 1990's), which is also a determinant in regional and
community growth. This thirty-year period should also be sufficient to capture cumulative impacts resulting
from those actions for which construction has been initiated, but not yet completed.
Would you please provide us with any information that you have regarding past, present, and reasonably
foreseeable actions that extend from 2000 to 2030? When reporting past, present, and reasonably
foreseeable actions, CAI needs the following information:
a. Development history of the area from 2000 to present. This should include residential,
retail/commercial, institutional, and transportation projects, and their year of construction.
b. Any reasonably foreseeable developments in the city. These developments may or may not be a
result of the proposed project.
c. For all development and transportation projects, CAI must report the name of the development, type,
location, and acreage.
d. Any expected employment growth or employment opportunities resulting from development in the city.
This growth and employment opportunities may or may not be a result of the proposed project.
We realize that we are requesting a substantial amount of information; however, this is what the guidelines
now require and we cannot gather this data without your help. Our deadline is the end of this month, if
you could please provide us with any information as soon as you are able. Please call or email me with
any further questions or comments. Thank you for your help.
Sincerely,
Alma R. Canning
Senior Environmental Scientist
Civil Associates, Inc.
(3/15/2010) Keith Marvin - Sandy Lake Road - City Planner InquiriesPage 3
1521 Northwest Highway
Garland, Texas 75041
Phone: 214-703-5151 x 236
Fax: 214-703-5150
alma@civilassociates.com
www.civilassociates.com
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