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Goleta council certifies EIR and approves 56‑home Shelby subdivision, citing VMT as unavoidable impact
Summary
The City Council certified the final EIR and approved the Shelby Residential Project (56 single‑family homes, 11 deed‑restricted for‑sale units) after concluding mitigation would reduce but not eliminate vehicle‑miles‑traveled impacts; council also accepted multiple mitigation measures and fire‑safety improvements.
The Goleta City Council on March 17 certified the final Environmental Impact Report and approved the Shelby Residential Project, a 56‑home subdivision at 7400 Cathedral Oaks Road that includes 11 deed‑restricted affordable for‑sale units.
Staff and the CEQA consultant identified one significant and unavoidable impact under CEQA: vehicle‑miles traveled (VMT). CEQA consultant Maddie Majors told the council that even with mitigation the project’s per‑resident VMT could be reduced to an estimated 17.03 but would not fall below the city’s adopted threshold of 16.79. “Even with implementation of TRA‑1, the project is a low‑density single family housing project, which inherently is VMT intensive,” Majors said.
The EIR includes a VMT reduction plan (TRA‑1) with measures such as…
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