2019-047 - Adopting Mitigated Negative Declaration Environmental Review No. 2018-75

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CEQA. For this project, the City's General Plan Land Use Plan defines the assumptions that are represented in the AQMP. The project site is designated Low Density Residential (LR-7) by the City of Santa Ana General Plan Land Use Plan and requires a General Plan Amendment to Urban Neighborhood (UN) to allow the number of residential units proposed for the site. Although the project requires a general plan amendment, it is not inconsistent with the AQMP. According to SCAQMD, a project is considered to be consistent with the AQMP if the project furthers one of more policies of the AQMP and noes not obstruct other AQMP policies. In the case of the proposed project, the higher density than currently allowed for the site can reduce congestion and motor vehicle emissions because of the availability of alternative transportation adjacent to the site and the available of shopping, restaurants and entertainment within close proximity to the site to allow residents to walk to these locations. The higher density allows a smaller ecological footprint and provides long-term economic sustainability. In addition, the project would implement contemporary energy -efficient technologies and regulatory/operational programs that are required by Title 24, CALGreen and the City of Santa Ana. Generally, project compliance with SCAQMD emissions thresholds, reductions and control requirements, which the project meets, act to reduce project air emissions. The project's compliance with all applicable SCAQMD air quality standards allows the project to meet and be in conformance with the AQMD. Therefore, the project would not exceed the AQMP assumptions for the project site and is found to be consistent with the AQMP for Criteria 2. Because the project is consistent with the AQMP, the project would not impact the AQMP. b) Result in a cumulatively considerable net increase of any criteria pollutants for which the project region is non -attainment under an applicable federal or state ambient air quality standard? Less Than Significant Impact. Cumulative projects include local development as well as general growth within the project area. However, as with most development, the greatest source of emissions is from mobile sources that travel well out of the local area. Therefore, from an air quality standpoint, the cumulative analysis would extend beyond any local projects and when wind patterns are considered, would cover an even larger area. The project site is located within the SCAB, which is non -attainment for ozone and PM10 particulate matter. The emissions generated with the construction and operation of cumulative projects would further degrade the local air quality, as well as the air quality of the SCAB. The greatest cumulative impact on the regional air quality is the incremental addition of pollutants mainly from increased traffic by residential, commercial, and industrial development and the use of heavy equipment and trucks to construct these projects. Air quality would be temporarily degraded during construction activities that occur separately or simultaneously. However, in accordance with the SCAQMD methodology, projects that do not exceed the SCAQMD criteria or can be mitigated to less than criteria levels are not significant and do not add to the overall cumulative impact. As stated in section "Ill.c)" below the project would not generate any short- or long-term air emissions that exceed SCAQMD emission thresholds. Therefore, the project would not have any significant cumulative criteria pollutant impacts. c) Expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations? Less Than Significant Impact. A sensitive receptor is a person in the population who is particularly susceptible to health effects due to exposure to an air contaminant. The following are land uses (sensitive sites) where sensitive receptors are typically located: Legacy Sunflower Apartments Page 34 Mitigated Negative Declaration — March 14, 2019