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1 INTRODUCTION <br /> 1.1 Purpose and Scope <br />This document is a Clarification to the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Magnolia at the Park Multi- <br />Family Residential Project (Original Project) (SCH Number: 2018021031) located at 2525 N. Main Street in the City of <br />Santa Ana. The Draft EIR (DEIR), Final EIR, in conjunction with this Clarification, serve as the environmental review <br />for the proposed Modified Project. <br /> <br />Subsequent to circulation of the Draft EIR and preparation of the Final EIR for the Original Project, but prior to <br />certification of the Final EIR, the Project applicant has revised the development proposal to the City. This Clarification <br />document evaluates the revised development proposal (Modified Project), as described herein. The Modified Project <br />proposes reducing the number of residential units by 48.4 percent, reducing the scale of the structures, and revising <br />the vehicular parking and access to the site. This Clarification evaluates these modifications to determine if any new or <br />substantially more severe environmental impacts would occur from implementation of the Modified Project that were <br />not identified in the EIR. <br /> <br />Pursuant to the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (Pub. Resources Code, Section 21000 et seq.) <br />(CEQA) and the State CEQA Guidelines (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, Section 15000 et seq.), the City is the Lead Agency <br />charged with deciding whether or not to approve the Project with or without the proposed modifications. This <br />Clarification addresses the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed Modified Project and will be <br />considered by the City during the Project approval process, in tandem with the Draft EIR, the Final EIR, all oral and <br />written comments presented to the City, and all other documents comprising the Project’s administrative record. <br /> <br />1.2 Environmental Procedures <br />This Clarification to the Final EIR, which will be incorporated into the Final EIR, has been prepared to determine if the <br />proposed Modified Project would result in new or substantially increased environmental effects than were originally <br />identified in the EIR, and to determine if any of the conditions triggering the need to recirculate the EIR are present. <br />Pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15088.5, a Lead Agency is required to recirculate an EIR when significant <br />new information is added to the EIR after public notice is given of the availability of a draft EIR for public review, but <br />before the EIR is certified. “New information” includes changes in the proposed project or environmental setting, as <br />well as additional data or other information. CEQA considers new information to be “significant” when it deprives the <br />public of a meaningful opportunity to comment upon a substantial adverse environmental effect. <br />CEQA Guidelines Section 15088.5(a) specifies that “Significant new information” related to impacts that requires <br />recirculation include: <br />(1) A new significant environmental impact would result from the project or from a new mitigation measure <br />proposed to be implemented; or <br />(2) A substantial increase in the severity of an environmental impact would result unless mitigation measures are <br />adopted that reduce the impact to a level of insignificance. <br />In addition, CEQA Guidelines section 15088.5(e) states that a decision not to recirculate an EIR must be supported by <br />substantial evidence in the administrative record. Therefore, this Clarification considers whether the proposed <br />Modified Project would result in a new significant environmental impact, or a substantial increase in the severity of an <br />environmental impact previously identified in the EIR. <br /> <br />1.3 Summary of CEQA Analysis <br />In accordance with the State CEQA Guidelines, and as detailed herein, the City of Santa Ana completed a <br />comprehensive analysis of the proposed Modified Project and found that none of the conditions specified in CEQA <br />Guidelines Section 15088.5 are present. Accordingly, recirculation of the EIR is not required prior to the City’s <br />2-123