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City of Santa Ana <br />4.5 Findings <br />4. Statement of Overriding Considerations <br />As presented in Chapter 2, CEQA Findings, the City has evaluated all significant and unavoidable <br />impacts and has analyzed all feasible mitigation measures and project revisions, and determined <br />that economic, social, or other considerations make infeasible the mitigation measures or project <br />alternatives in the EIR. <br />4.6 Overriding Considerations <br />Specific economic, social, or other considerations outweigh the impacts stated above. The reasons <br />for proceeding with the proposed project, even though all of the identified impacts are not fully <br />mitigated to a less -than -significant level, are described below. <br />1. Building upon the success of the original 2007 MEMU Overlay Zone adoption and expanding it <br />westward to create additional opportunities for mixed-use development. <br />Expansion of the Overlay Zone further increases opportunities for employees to live in <br />proximity to their jobs reducing the number and length of vehicle commutes. Expansion of the <br />Overlay Zone also provides for the conversion of retail and office properties for mixed-use <br />residential purposes, allowing for the originally proposed increase of 5,551 residential units to <br />be spread over a larger area. <br />The proposed project emphasizes the development of mixed-use structures that integrate <br />housing with ground level retail and office uses. In addition to providing opportunities for <br />residents to live closer to their jobs (live/work and other facilities), residents would be located <br />closer to retail, commercial services, and entertainment. Additionally, locating residents in <br />proximity to commercial uses increases the customer base and economic activity of businesses, <br />provides an "eyes -on" mixed-use community that improves public safety, and increases <br />pedestrian activity within the area. <br />4. Expansion of the Overlay Zone also provides the same development and design guidelines that <br />will maintain and enhance the character of the expansion area. It provides for management of <br />the design and scale of new structures within the Overlay Zone to preserve and enhance their <br />character and quality. It also distinguishes pedestrian- from automobile -oriented commercial <br />districts by regulating the location and design of sidewalk fronting, building elevations, location <br />of parking, and implementation of streetscape amenities in the latter. <br />Metro East Mixed -Use Overlay District Expansion and Elan August 2018 <br />Development Projects 4-4 ICF 19.18 <br />Findings of Fact/Statement of Overriding Considerations <br />