5.0_Chapter 5.0 - Growth InducementChapter 5.0
Growth Inducement
Chapter 5.0 – Growth Inducement
Espola Road Improvement Project Final EIR 5-1
May 2013
5.0 GROWTH INDUCEMENT
Section 15126.2(d) of the State CEQA Guidelines requires a discussion of a project’s potential to
foster economic or population growth, or the construction of additional housing, either directly
or indirectly, in the surrounding environment. Included in this are projects that would remove
obstacles to population growth (e.g., a major expansion of a waste water treatment plant might
allow for more construction in service areas, or provision of a road through an area where none
currently exists might allow development to grow along it). Based on the CEQA Guidelines,
growth inducement is any growth that exceeds planned growth of an area and results in new
development that would not have taken place without implementation of the project.
Consideration of the topic is important because, depending upon the type, magnitude, and
location of growth, increases in the population may tax existing community service facilities,
requiring construction of new facilities that could cause substantial environmental effects. The
Project’s growth inducing potential is considered significant under CEQA if it could result in
unavoidable significant effects in one or more environmental issue areas.
As previously described, the Project corridor is essentially built out. With or without the Espola
Road improvements, potential possible development eventually would add approximately
100 homes to the northeast Poway area. Construction of those homes is not dependent upon
whether or not improvements are implemented along Espola Road. Similarly, utility upgrades to
the water and storm drain system in the roadway would repair existing degraded facilities and be
completed to serve the existing uses/stormwater runoff. Overall, there would be no net impact
on potential housing construction in the Project area, or the surrounding region.
The average daily trips along Espola Road within the Project area are not projected to increase
substantially with or without the proposed Project. The roadway currently exceeds design
capacity and the proposed roadway widening is consistent with the City’s TME, which identifies
Espola Road as a three-lane facility.
Improvement of Espola Road—including the center turn lane, the improved bike lanes and
abutting pedestrian sidewalks—would not affect growth within the local community or the
region.
Chapter 5.0 – Growth Inducement
Espola Road Improvement Project Final EIR 5-2
May 2013
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK