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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 33 <br />impacts to cultural resources related to the resource. Pursuant to the data recovery plan, the <br />qualified archaeologist and Native American representative, as appropriate, shall recover and <br />document the scientifically consequential information that justifies the resource’s significance. <br />The City shall review and approve the treatment plan and archaeological testing as appropriate, <br />and the resulting documentation shall be submitted to the regional repository of the California <br />Historical Resources Information System, per CCR Guidelines Section 15126.4(b)(3)(C). <br />Paleontological Resources <br />Ground-disturbing construction activities in previously undisturbed sediments with high <br />paleontological sensitivity could result in significant impacts to paleontological resources. Significant <br />impacts to paleontological resources include the destruction, damage, or loss of scientifically <br />important paleontological resources or associated stratigraphic data. <br />The Barone’s project site is mapped as Quaternary (Holocene) floodplain deposits by Helley and <br />Graymer (1997). Holocene floodplain deposits consist of gray sandy or silty clay with occasional <br />lenses of silt, sand, or gravel. Test borings conducted for the project’s geotechnical investigation <br />encountered a 7-inch layer of asphalt and artificial fill, clay, and sandy silt from 7 inches to 12 feet, <br />and clayey to gravelly sand from 12 to 48 feet (Geo-Logic Associates 2020). The description of the <br />sediments from 7 inches to 12 feet, which are anticipated to be the only sediments impacted by <br />Barone’s project construction, generally agrees with the description of Quaternary (Holocene) <br />floodplain deposits of Helley and Graymer (1997). Holocene-aged sediments are generally <br />considered too young (i.e., less than 5,000 years old) to preserve paleontological resources, as <br />described in the Society of Vertebrates Paleontology (SVP; 2010) guidelines. Therefore, Quaternary <br />(Holocene) floodplain deposits have low paleontological sensitivity. <br />Holocene-aged geologic units, such as Quaternary (Holocene) floodplain deposits, may be underlain <br />by older (i.e., 5,000 years old or more), higher-sensitivity sediments in the subsurface. The depth at <br />which this transition to 5,000-year-old sediments occurs is unknown. Ground-disturbing <br />construction activities for the Barone’s project will include grading for building pads and excavations <br />for new utilities, sewer lines, and storm water infrastructure, that is expected to require up to 4,200 <br />CY of excavated sediment. Grading for building pads is expected to reach as much as 5 feet below <br />the surface. At this depth, it is unlikely that 5,000-year-old sediments will occur. Excavations for <br />utility lines and stormwater infrastructure will reach as much as 9 feet below the surface. Although <br />it is more likely that older, potentially paleontologically sensitive sediments will be encountered at <br />this greater depth, the overall volume of such sediments would be small. Therefore, the potential <br />impacts to paleontological resources as a result of the Barone’s project are the same as those <br />identified in the Final EIR. <br />Human Remains <br />As discussed in the Final EIR, human remains could be disturbed during project grading and <br />excavation activities. The discovery of human remains is regulated by Public Resources Code Section <br />5097.98 and California Health and Safety Code Section 7050.5 and 7052. In the event of an <br />unanticipated discovery of human remains, the County Coroner must be notified immediately. If the <br />human remains are determined to be prehistoric, the coroner will notify the Native American <br />Heritage Commission, which will determine and notify a most likely descendant (MLD). The MLD <br />must complete the inspection of the site within 48 hours of being granted access and provide <br />recommendations as to the treatment of the remains to the landowner. With adherence to existing <br />regulations, impacts to human remains would be less than significant.