The Danville Planning Commission is set to review a draft environmental impact report Tuesday as the next step in town officials' work in the Housing Element update process.

The draft report on the table for discussion was made available to the public on the town's website on Sept. 13, where it will remain available through Oct. 28.

The upcoming public hearing before the Planning Commission is meant to function as a platform for commissioners and community members to discuss the document in detail during the review period.

While the draft EIR finds that environmental impacts to a majority of areas studied can be mitigated, the Housing Element update as a whole is expected to result in unavoidable environmental impacts on greenhouse gas emissions, transportation, and utilities and service systems. Additionally, several of the housing sites identified in the report are identified on a list of hazardous material sites.

The report identifies four potential alternatives that would mitigate overall environmental impacts, two of which have been rejected for further review – the location and reduced housing alternatives.

The two remaining alternatives for discussion by town officials are the "no project alternative" – under which Danville would be out of compliance with state housing law that requires officials to accommodate additional affordable housing – and the "reduced vehicle miles traveled" project.

Under the reduced vehicle miles traveled alternative, town officials would approve new housing in only four sub-areas identified in the report, with all other aspects of the Housing Element update remaining the same.

The Danville Planning Commission is set to meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday (Sept. 27). The agenda is available here.