75D - PH - 2525 N MAIN - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

EIR No. 2018-01, DA No. 2018-01, GPA No. 2018-06, AA No. 2018-10 2525 North Main Street November 19, 2019 Page 12 District Centers with high intensity, mixed -use urban villages and pedestrian oriented experiences. Finally, the project would be consistent with Policy HE-2.4 to facilitate diverse types, prices and sizes of housing. The project would also be consistent with goals of the Land Use Element, including Goal 1 to promote a balance of land uses to address basic community needs, and Goal 6 to reduce residential overcrowding to promote public health and safety. The proposed project will provide additional market rate housing in the City, thereby assisting in addressing the shortage of available housing within the region. The project will also provide additional housing options for those seeking housing within the jobs rich northern area of the City. The upscale multi -family development will also support Urban Design Element Goal 1 to improve the physical appearance of the City through development of a district that projects a sense of place, positive community image, and quality environment. Amendment Application Currently, the zoning designation for this site is Professional (P), which permits a variety of business uses that aim to create a professional business environment and prohibits residential uses. To allow the construction of a multi -family residential development and parking on this parcel, an amendment application (zone change) to change from Professional (P) to a Specific Development No. 93 (SD-93) designation is required. The proposed SD designation will break the site into two distinct zones: Zone 1 will allow the residential development and a surface parking lot for the project, while Zone 2 will only allow surface parking. This action will ensure consistency between zoning and the General Plan, assuming the associated general plan amendment is approved. The Specific Development No. 93 (SD-93) will be established for the purpose of protecting and promoting the public health, safety and general welfare of the City and its residents. If the zone change is approved, a series of site -specific objectives and development standards will guide the development of the project. Specifically, the SD-93 document includes a menu of development standards which establish permitted and conditional uses and regulate density, circulation, open space, setbacks, parking, height and landscape requirements and includes provisions for construction and maintenance to allow the exclusive entitlement of the residential project. Approval of the proposal would allow for the construction of a high density residential development in an urbanized setting that is within close proximity to neighborhood services and amenities. When considering a zone change it is important to look at the surrounding land uses and economic factors. The jobs to housing balance is evaluated by comparing project -generated jobs and housing units to forecasts of employment and housing. An imbalance in the ratio, either too much housing or too many jobs, can result in longer commutes and air quality and traffic problems associated with commuting. Based on SCAG profiles and projections, Santa Ana is a jobs rich area with 2.06 jobs per housing unit. SCAG considers an area as balanced when the jobs -housing ratio is 1.36; therefore, providing more housing would reduce the ratio to 2.05. Furthermore, in the second quarter of 2019, the City's office occupancy rate was 12.72 percent, which remains higher than the neighboring central cities of Orange (10.64%) and Tustin (10.37%) and the County as a whole (11.4%), with the exception of Anaheim which currently has a higher vacancy rate (16.34%).