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Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Changes to the Original Project <br /> <br />Addendum to the City of Pleasanton Downtown Specific Plan Final Environmental Impact Report 31 <br />would not result in a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. <br />Additionally, because the single-family residence does not qualify as a historic resource, <br />development adjacent to the residence would not result in a substantial adverse change in the <br />significance of a historical resource by altering its setting. Impacts would be less than significant, <br />similar to those discussed in the Final EIR for the DSP as a whole. <br />Archaeological Resources <br />The following analysis incorporates information from the Archaeological Resources Assessment <br />(ARA) prepared for the proposed project by Rincon Consultants, Inc., in October 2023. The ARA is <br />included as Appendix C. The ARA included a records search of the Northwest Information Center <br />(NWIC) at Sonoma State University, and of the NRHP, CRHR, the California Historical Landmarks list, <br />the Built Environment Resources Directory, and the Archaeological Determination of Eligibility list. <br />Background and archival research undertaken as part of the ARA included a review of historical <br />aerial photographs and topographic maps, geologic maps, soils maps, and previously conducted <br />archaeological resource evaluation. The complete results of these searches are discussed in <br />Appendix C. The ARA also included a pedestrian survey of the project site. Exposed ground surfaces <br />were examined for artifacts, ecofacts, soil discoloration that might indicate the presence of a <br />cultural midden, soil depressions, and features indicative of the former presence of structures or <br />buildings (e.g., standing exterior walls, postholes, foundations) or historical debris (e.g., metal, glass, <br />ceramics). <br />The records search identified 10 previously conducted cultural resources studies within a 0.5 mile <br />radius of the project, two of which are the studies of the restaurant building and single-family <br />residence within the project site performed by TreanorHL and documented in the HRE (Appendix B). <br />No other previously conducted studies overlap with the project site, and none of these surveys <br />identified archaeological resources (Appendix C). The geologic maps review identified that the project <br />site has high sensitivity for buried archaeological resources due to underlying soil types and proximity <br />to Arroyo del Valle. The field survey did not identify archaeological resources (Appendix C). <br />The ARA did not identify archaeological resources or archaeological deposits in the project site. <br />However, the lack of surface evidence of archaeological materials does not preclude their <br />subsurface existence. Due to the project site’s geologic setting and its proximity to Arroyo Valle, <br />there is a high potential for buried archaeological deposits to be extant within the project site. <br />Construction of the project could result in a substantial adverse change in the significance of an <br />archaeological resource, which would be significant impact. <br />Pleasanton’s General Plan includes Program 5.2, which requires new development to “follow the <br />recommendations contained within archaeological and historical architecture studies regarding <br />rehabilitation or preservation of archaeologically or historically significant structures and sites” (City <br />of Pleasanton 2005).The ARA includes recommendations that would involve implementation of a <br />worker environmental awareness program, archaeological monitoring during construction, and <br />archaeological resource recovery protocol if resources are encountered during construction. <br />Accordingly, the project would involve implementation of the recommendations within the ARA as <br />conditions of approval, and the project would not result in a substantial adverse change in the <br />significance of an archaeological resource with compliance with General Plan Program 5.2 and the <br />recommendations made in the ARA. Impacts to archaeological resources would not be greater than <br />those anticipated in the Final EIR. The recommended conditions of approval to implement Program <br />5.2 are as follows: