San Bernardino Valley College Master Plan-Stadium Expansion

The Proposed Project includes construction of a new welding building as part of the SBVC Career Pathways modernization program. The new welding building would support the college’s Career Technical Education programs with modern instructional and safety-compliant laboratories, improving energy performance, and enhancing student learning environments. The new facility would support the growing welding program that currently exists at SBVC by expanding upon existing welding instruction space in the East Wing building in the northeast area of the campus (SBCCD 2025). At approximately 12,000 gross square feet (GSF) and 6,800 assignable square feet (ASF), the building would include classrooms, lab/ fabrication space, exterior canopy, and storage. The current East Wing welding building would remain in place and connect to the new building through an outdoor canopy area. The 2017 Master Plan estimated 451,387 ASF of building space across the campus at buildout (SBCCD 2017). The Proposed Project would increase that square footage estimate by approximately 1.5 percent. The Project includes new storm drains, water, gas, sewer, and telecommunication lines that would connect to existing infrastructure in the Project vicinity. The Project also includes improvements to College Drive including new asphalt, concrete paving, parking spaces, and landscaping. San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) was established in the 1920s and is part of the San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD). SBVC currently serves the West Valley area of SBCCD. In 1996, as a result of the 1992 Landers and Big Bear earthquakes, SBC CD began investigations to locate the San Jacinto fault on the campus. As a result of the seismic hazard assessment conducted in 1996, building replacement projects were completed at the campus to replace buildings located within 50 feet of the fault zone, or within the folding zone, an area of uneven elevation changes during a seismic''· event. Measure M, a $500 million bond measure, was passed in February 2008. This bond measure allowed SBCCD to complete a campus Master Plan at SBVC and to provide funding for the design and construction of new facilities to implement the Master Plan. A Master Plan for SBVC was completed in 2010 to account for the various academic buildings, infrastructure improvements, and associated parking required to meet the planning challenges related to the fault and folding zone and to support an estimated future enrollment of 17,000 total students by 2030. A California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) was prepared for the SBVC Master Plan which evaluated the environmental effects of buildout of the campus under the Master Plan. The SBC CD Board of Trustees certified the PEIR in April 2010. When the PEIR was certified, a Statement of Overriding Considerations was adopted for significant, unavoidable adverse effects to historical resources, noise, and traffic in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15093. Specifically, the SBCCD Board of Trustees found that the benefits of the expansion of SBVC had sufficient benefit to override the unavoidable significant adverse impacts. After approval of the SBVC Master Plan and PEIR, a new stadium design was proposed that included an increase from 2,250 seats proposed in the 2010 Master Plan to 4,000 seats. After review, it was determined that this new stadium design could result in new or more severe impacts that were not discussed in the certified PEIR. A Supplemental EIR (SEIR) was prepared for the stadium expansion, which included updated studies for traffic and air quality/greenhouse gases. The SEIR was certified by the SBCCD Board of Trustees on July 11, 2013. In 2017, the SBCCD prepared an update to the Master Plan, which plans for campus growth through the buildout year of 2031. In 2018, San Bernardino County voters passed Measure CC, a $470 million bond measure to provide funding for improvement projects at SBCCD facilities, including the projects in the 2017 Master Plan. In 2019, an EIR Addendum was prepared that provided environmental analysis of the 2017 Master Plan update. In 2020, an EIR Addendum was prepared that analyzed changes proposed to Career Pathways 1 and 2 involving minor changes in building location and configuration. Since that time, changes have been proposed to Career Pathway 2 facilities that would involve construction of a new welding building. This EIR Addendum provides an environmental analysis of the proposed changes.