What is an “alternative” when preparing an EIS for a comprehensive plan? How is the no action alternative defined?
A range of alternatives should be evaluated, exploring the different land use options, including different urban growth area boundaries, characteristics and densities of development, etc. The no-action alternative for a comprehensive plan is generally defined as no change in existing regulation—zoning, development regulations, critical area ordinances, etc. (or the lack thereof) would be unchanged. The environmental impacts of predicted growth under this “no-action” scenario is then compared to that of the other alternatives.
Related Questions
- I’ve heard that Allegheny County is preparing a county-wide comprehensive land use plan. Where can I find out more about this?
- Why are the Alternative Arrangements being used in NOMA instead of preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)?
- What is an "alternative" when preparing an EIS for a comprehensive plan? How is the no action alternative defined?
