2020-065 - Adopting Environmental Findings of Fact

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The Wamer Redhill Mixed -Use Project CEQA Findings of Fact Facts in Support of Findings: The proposed Project is anticipated to result in 2,081 residents at full occupancy and includes 174,555 square feet of exterior open space recreation area and approximately 8,008 square feet of interior amenities to total 183,363 square feet of recreational and open space onsite. These onsite amenities are anticipated to meet many of the park and recreation needs of Project residents. The new residential population is also anticipated to utilize existing off -site park and recreation facilities. As described listed in Draft EIR Table 5.13-1, there is currently 81.88 acres of Santa Ana parkland within 3-miles of the Project site. These existing City of Santa Ana parks provide a variety of facilities that include sports fields, exercise equipment, picnic areas, and playgrounds. In addition, there are 97.9 acres of parkland within the City of Tustin and 63.6 acres of parkland within the City of Irvine Park facilities (listed in Draft EIR Table 5.13-2 and the Final EIR Chapter 3) that are also within 3 miles of the Project site and are likely (due to location) to be used by residents of the proposed Project. This equals approximately 243.38 acres of existing parkland within three miles of the site, which equates to 5,094.49 acres of parkland per Project resident at full occupancy. Based on a standard of 2 acres of public park and/or recreational space per 1,000 residents (Municipal Code Section 35-108), the proposed Project would require 4.2 acres of parkland to serve the new residents. The Project includes a total of 4.2 acres (183,363 square feet) of park and recreation area. Therefore, the Project would include the Municipal Code required park and/or recreational space. Based on the existing amount of 243.38 acres of existing park and recreation facilities within 3 miles of the Project site, the recreation facilities that would be provided as part of the Project, and the number of residents at full capacity of the proposed Project, the Project is not anticipated to require the provision of new or physically altered park facilities in order to maintain acceptable service ratios. In addition, Municipal Code Sections 35-108, 35-110, and 35-111 require that residential development fees be paid for the acquisition, construction, and renovation of park and recreation facilities prior to the issuance of a building permit for any construction which adds net residential units. Thus, the proposed Project would be required to pay park and recreation fees to "preserve an appropriate balance between the demand by residents for use of park and recreational facilities", as stated in Municipal Code Section 35-110. Therefore, impacts related to park and recreation service facilities would be less than significant. Impact Finding: The Project would not result in increased use of existing neighborhood and regional parks or other recreational facilities such that substantial physical deterioration of the facility would occur or be accelerated (Draft EIR at p. 5.13-6). Facts in Support of Findings: Based on the California State Parks information for the southern California Region, the anticipated number of Project residents at full occupancy (2,081 residents), the distance and type of recreational facilities near the Project site, it is anticipated that the Project would generate 348 additional park users two or more times per week, 287 additional park users about once per week, 429 additional park users once or twice per month, 508 additional park users several times a year, and 314 additional park users once or twice a year that would utilize the 245.38 acres of parks within 3 miles of the Project site. City of Santa Ana 34 May 2020