CORRESPONDENCE - 75E (GENERAL COMMENTS)

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Orozco, Norma From: Plantamura (US), Michael < Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2019 12:28 PM To: eComment Cc: Plantamura (US), Michael Subject: February 5, 2019 Meeting Agenda Item 75E: 2525 North Main Street Project This project has been flawed and worked with the Developer's best interest without any consideration to the residents of Park Santiago from the onset. Here are the facts: 1. Even before the property was sold to the Developer the Project management team told the Developer that the property would be rezoned and that the Developer could build a multi -family complex of "unlimited density and height." What rational Planning Commissioner would allow such a thing? Would you give your teenage son or daughter a credit card and tell them that they have unlimited spending? Of course not!! 2. In order to meet the Developer's request to get this project to a vote from the City Council before the new councilmembers were in place they requested and were allowed to bring this project to the Planning Commission for a vote before the Final EIR was released right after the Thanksgiving break. Luckily the Planning Commission saw through this and ordered the Project Manager to reschedule the vote in January. 3. The Project Management team attempts to say that the density of 81 units per acre is in keeping with other projects in Santa Ana and give 7 examples of such. However as the residents of Park Santiago have been saying, and is proven out by using Google Satellite views, none of these projects is adjacent to a single family residential area. They are misleading assertions. 4. This project violates General Plan Policy 2.10 Land Use which states "Support new development which is harmonious in scale and character with existing development in the area." The Project Management team tries to assert that these parcels are not part to f Park Santiago and as such there does not need to be any extra consideration given to the resident's concerns. This is a false statement and neighborhood maps supplied by the City indicates that these parcels are in fact part of Park Santiago, thus this is a violation of the Land Use policy. 5. Parking Municipal Code requires a total of 1420 parking spots for this size development. The Project management team is allowing the Developer to have a total of 904 physical parking spots and to use "valet parking" to meet the requirement of 2.0 per unit! Valet parking? At an apartment complex? They admitted that valet parking for multi -family complexes has never been used in Santa Ana before. Another attempt to appease the Developer. Parking in the streets of Park Santiago by residents will happen. 6. The project also violates General Plan Floor Area Ratio (FAR) requirements for North Main Street which requires FAR < 1.5. The project FAR is 2.2811 If the Developer was to meet the General Plan requirements he would have to reduce the size of the project by roughly 35%!! 7. The EIR never considered the 190 units planned for the Main Place Mall redevelopment. Within a half mile radius of this project are plans for and/or under construction for an additional 3600 units not counting the Main Place Mall units. Main Place Mall units need to be considered. 8. Regional Housing Needs Allocation 2014— 2017 states that Santa Ana needs an additional 405 units of which 90 are listed as Above Moderate. So far they have added a total of 916 of which 768 were listed as Above Moderate. These are high end apartments and those who say we need affordable housing so you need to support this project are mistaken. To afford the rents a household would need to make between $80,000 and $148,000 using the 30% rule. Santa Ana household income is less than $50,000 for more than 46% of its residents. This project will not meet the needs of Santa Ana residents but will being in people from other regions, just adding to the overcrowding situation. Santa Ana housing units indicate more than 45% are multi- family and now we are adding more instead of developing single family homes. 9. The Developer promised the Discovery Center more than $1M if it would support their project. Again using money to sway votes. 10. The Project Management team acknowledges that this project is not in character with'the Park Santiago neighborhood but has done little to address this other than talk but no action. It is quite evident that the Project Management team is working more in line with the Developer than with the residents of Park Santiago.