CORRESPONDENCE - 75E (GENERAL COMMENTS)

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EIR No. 2018-01, DA No. 018-01, GPA No. 2018-06, AA No. 2018-10 2525 North Main Street February 5, 2019 Page 6 Analysis of the Issues Environmental Imoact ReDort �he applicant submitted a development proposal that requires the approval of several discretionary applications. �iven the size and location of the project, as well as the proposed zoning and general plan _ - Commented [DH101: This should he a red modifications, extensive environmental review was needed. After completion of the Initial Study for the flag to everyone] project, it was determined that the California Environmental Quality Ac[ (CEQA) required the preparation and certification of an environmental impact report (EIR) for this project. The purpose of an EIR is to identify the significant effects on the environment of a project, to identify alternatives to the project, and to indicate the manner in which those significant effects can be mitigated or avoided. To determine what potential effects would be caused by the project, the EIR analyzed issues related to Aesthetics; Air Quality; Biological Resources; Cultural/Historic Resources; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Hazards and Hazardous Materials; Land Use and Planning; Noise; Population and Housing; Public Services; Transportation and Circulation; Tribal Cultural Resources; Utilities and Service Systems; and Energy. On February 12, 2018, the Initial Study and Notice of Preparation were released to solicit comments regarding the scope and content of the Draft EIR (DEIR). A scoping meeting was held on March 1, 2018 with approximately 164 people in attendance and a total of 163 written comment letters were received at the conclusion of the 30 -day public comment period. �he comments were reviewed and additional areas of analysis and studies were added to the scope of the Draft EIR as appropriate. �he comments are included Commented [DH111:1 do not see the as Appendix A of the Draft EIR. additional areas of analysis that were added. This should be Identified. The Draft EIR analyzed the direct and indirect impacts resulting from construction and operation of the proposed project. In addition to analyzing fourteen environmental topic areas, the EIR also evaluated three options for access and egress to the project. The analysis included Main Street access only as proposed (Option A), access from Main Street plus a secondary access/egress driveway at the Main Street and Walkie Way/Santiago Park intersection (Option B), and access/egress from both Main Street and Edgewood Road (Option C). Three project alternatives were also analyzed within the document. These included a no build alternative, where the existing approximately 80,000 square foot building would remain as is and be reoccupied by an office use (Alternative 1); a reduced multi -family project consisting of a 30 percent reduction in density (Alternative 2); kind build out of the site under the existing Professional zoning district development standards, which could result in an approximately 390,000 square foot two and three-story office building (Alternative 3).L - The Draft EIR determined that the proposed project would require mitigation related to aesthetics, air quality, biological resources, hazardous materials, construction noise and vibration, interior noise, and tribal resources. Mmpacts related to aesthetics would remain significant and unavoidable after mitigation.l_ _ _ _ _ On August 7, 2018, the Draft EIR was circulated for review and comment to public, City Council, Planning Commission, local, regional and state agencies, and interested parties for a 45 -day public comment review period. In addition, a Planning Commission public hearing was held on August 27, 2018 where staff presented the EIR process and environmental information to the Planning Commission and pubic and received public comments on the DEIR. To allow for additional time for public review and comment, and at 75E-6 Commented [DH12]: The 390,000 square foot building that is referenced is a theoretical building size and not one that can actually be built in Santa Ana. The building would be two-thirds that size Commented [DH 131: I'm having real hard time finding what mitigation is taking place. Even so, this remains a significant and unavoidable Impact to Park Santiago.