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City of Santa Ana <br />3. Findings Regarding Project Alternatives <br />that could accommodate a development similar to the Elan Project. Therefore, this alternative has <br />been rejected from further consideration. <br />Alternative E3: Reduced Project/Reduced Site considers avoiding demolition of the existing Elks <br />Lodge building and instead focusing development to the northern one-third of the site <br />(approximately 2 acres). Therefore, this alternative would essentially reduce the project by two- <br />thirds, yielding a potential development of approximately 200 residential units and approximately <br />2,800 square feet of commercial uses on the ground floor. All impacts associated with the proposed <br />Elan Project would be reduced, including air quality, traffic, and noise, as well as the significant and <br />unavoidable cultural resources impact associated with demolition of the Elks Lodge building. <br />However, as noted above, the Elks Lodge operations are moving out of the existing building to a new <br />facility, which could result in the building falling into disrepair if not maintained or re -occupied with <br />another use. <br />This alternative is not considered feasible because it would render the proposed Elan Development <br />Project physically unable to meet the development standards of the MEMU Overlay District for <br />mixed-use projects on a small portion of the entire development site. It would be very difficult to <br />disguise the parking (underground or wrap) and build a mixed-use building with all of the frontage, <br />setbacks, open space, and other development standards on the remaining lot. This alternative would <br />also not achieve many of the project objectives, including, but not limited to, facilitating well- <br />designed new mixed-use development projects through innovative and flexible design solutions, <br />achieving harmonious integration of new mixed-use development, creating extensive outdoor <br />amenities, or creating creative parking solutions that enhance the area's urban form. A smaller <br />project on the northern one-third of the site, combined with the existing surrounding development <br />and the remaining Elks Lodge building, would result in design challenges that do not achieve the <br />City's desired planning objectives. For these reasons, this alternative has been rejected from further <br />consideration. <br />Alternative Ela: No Project/No Development <br />Under the No Project/No Development Alternative, development of the Elan Project would not <br />occur. The existing site would remain in its current state—the northern one-third of the property <br />would remain vacant and undeveloped, and the Elks Lodge building would remain intact on site. As <br />part of a separate project, the Elks Lodge operations are moving their operations to a new 52,720 - <br />square -foot facility at 1701 East Saint Andrew Place in Santa Ana. Therefore, the Elks Lodge building <br />would be vacated and could fall into disrepair if not maintained or re -occupied with another use. All <br />impacts associated with the proposed Elan Project would be avoided, including the significant and <br />unavoidable cultural resources impact associated with demolition of the Elks Lodge building. <br />Findings <br />The City hereby finds that the No Project/No Development Alternative for the Elan Development <br />Project is inferior to the proposed project because it would not meet any of the objectives of the Elan <br />Development Project. <br />Metro East Mixed -Use Overlay District Expansion and Elan August 2018 <br />Development Projects 3-7 ICF 19.18 <br />Findings of Fact/Statement of Overriding Considerations <br />