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EIR No. 2018-01, DA No. 2018-01, GPA No. 2018-06, AA No. 2018-10 2525 North Main Street November 19, 2019 Page 3 The North Santa Ana Preservation Alliance continued to voice opposition to the project and stated that they would support three development options: rehabilitation and reuse of the existing office building, redevelopment of the site with a new office building built in compliance with the Professional zoning standards, or a residential project at a maximum density of 15 dwelling units per acre (89 dwelling units). The first two options would be feasible under the existing zoning and general plan. The third option would require a zone change to Two -Family Residential (R2) and a general plan amendment to Medium Density Residential (MR-15) General Plan land use designation. The applicant has indicated that the three development options proposed would make the residential development project infeasible. At its regular meeting on August 12, 2019, and after receiving public testimony on the item, the Planning Commission vote resulted in an impasse on the proposed 347-unit residential development. The project was scheduled for a City Council public hearing; however, in September the applicant advised staff that they would be making further modifications to the project to address the comments received at the August 12th Planning Commission meeting. The modifications to the project were substantially different than the project reviewed by the Planning Commission on August 12, 2019, and therefore, must be reviewed by the Planning Commission for a recommendation prior to returning to the City Council. Modified Project On September 5, 2019, a meeting between the applicant and neighborhood was held to discuss another series of modifications to the project that could include a reduction the number of units, reduction in project density and intensity, an increase in the parking ratio, and an additional increase in the building setbacks. The applicant expressed that their goals in making these modifications were to address community input and concerns, create an opportunity for additional parking for the Discovery Cube and the proposed development, to maintain as much of the existing development pattern and existing parking lot as feasible, and to minimize changes to the neighborhood at the project's edge. The modifications to the project to date represent a significant reduction from previous submissions. However, the modified project remains inconsistent with the development options that the North Santa Ana Preservation Alliance expressed they would support. In early October, the applicant formally submitted a modified project that consists of the following elements: • A reduction in the number of units to 256 units (formerly 347 units) • A reduction in the project density to 58 dwelling units per acre (formerly 59 du/ac) • An increase in the building setback on the east to 90 feet (formerly 66 feet) • An increase in the building setback on the south to 134 feet (formerly 15 feet) • The addition of residential surface level parking (104 spaces) along the east property line • The addition of a surface level parking lot with shared parking with the Discover Cube along the south property line (180 spaces) • An increase in parking to 2.0 parking spaces per unit and 2.7 spaces per unit when utilizing the shared parking lot (formerly 1.85 parking spaces per unit with 2.0 valet)