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EIR for the RTRP—Page 2 6. Find that no feasible alternatives to the project have been proposed that will avoid or substantially lessen the significant environmental effects as identified in the draft project Environmental Impact Report; 7. Reject the comment letters received after the close of the public comment period as untimely; and 8. Approve Riverside Transmission Reliability Project based on and subject to the findings found in this staff report, the Environmental Impact Report, and administrative record. STAFF/PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommended approval of the RTRP. On April 5, 2012, the City Planning Commission recommended that the Draft EIR had been completed in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); that the RTRP will have a significant effect on the environment; that no feasible mitigation measures or alternatives to the Project have been identified that would avoid or substantially lessen the significant environmental effects as identified in the Draft EIR; and that the City Council adopt a Statement of Overriding Considerations (SOC) prior to certification of the EIR. The City Planning Commission made the aforementioned findings in the affirmative as contained in the attached minutes from the April 5, 2012 Planning Commission meeting (Attachment 2). As part of the recommendation, the Planning Commission recommended to the City Council that: 1) the Draft EIR has been completed in compliance with the CEQA; 2) the Project will have a significant effect on the environment; 3) no feasible alternatives to the Project have been proposed that will avoid or substantially lessen the significant environmental effects as identified in the Draft EIR; and 4) the City Council adopt a SOC prior to certification of the EIR. On April 12, 2012, the Riverside County Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) determined that the proposal to establish 69 kV transmission lines within the Riverside Municipal Airport Influence Area is consistent with the 2005 Riverside Municipal Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (RMALUCP) with specified conditions. In October 2012, the Regional Conservation Authority (RCA) conducted a Joint Project Review (JPR) and determined that the project is in compliance with the Western Riverside Multiple Species Habitat Plan (MSHCP) criteria and requirements. RCA submitted the JPR to the Wildlife Agencies for review and comment. BACKGROUND: As stated in the preceding section, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the EIR subject to staff's recommended findings and conditions of approval, with minor modifications as detailed in Attachment 2. In conjunction with this project, a Final EIR has been completed in accordance with all CEQA requirements. The required 45-day public comment (Notice of Availability) period for the Draft EIR occurred from August 1, 2011 to November 30, 2011. The Final EIR was published on October 29, 2012 to allow time for public review prior to the original November 27, 2012 public hearing 6-2