2020-065 - Adopting Environmental Findings of Fact

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The Warner Redhill Mixed -Use Project CEQA Findings of Fact space on the Project site would result in fewer opportunities to improve the jobs -housing balance as fewer residents would have the potential to travel to local employment opportunities. The Reduced Project Alternative would meet the Project objectives, but not to the same extent as the proposed Project. The site would be redeveloped to provide housing to help meet the region's demand for housing, would provide a development consistent with other regional redevelopment in the Tustin Legacy Specific Plan and IBC. However, fewer residential units and less commercial space would be provided and a reduced improvement to the jobs -housing balance and VMT would occur. Additionally, the alternative would result in less implementation of SCAG RTP/SCS policies related to providing additional housing near employment centers. Overall, this alternative would meet the objectives of the proposed Project, but not to the some extent as the proposed Project. Finding: The City of Santa Ana finds that the Reduced Project Alternative is infeasible based several economic and social factors. A key consideration for the City is to develop housing to assist the City in meeting its jobs/housing balance, which would be less under this alternative than the proposed Project. Under the Reduced Project Alternative fewer residential units and less commercial space would be provided and a reduced improvement to the jobs -housing balance and VMT would occur. Additionally, the alternative would result in less implementation of SCAG RTP/SCS policies related to providing additional housing near employment centers. In addition, the Reduced Project Alternative would not eliminate all of the significant and unavoidable impacts of the proposed Project or eliminate the need for mitigation. Thus, the Reduced Project Alternative would not achieve the Project objectives to the same extent as the proposed Project, would continue to result in significant and unavoidable impacts, and would continue to require mitigation. The Reduced Project Alternative is rejected on that basis. Alternative 3 — Build Out of the Existing Land Use and Zoning Alternative The Build Out of the Existing Land Use and Zoning Alternative would result in 9,559 fewer daily vehicular trips than the proposed Project. The reduction in vehicular trips from this alternative would reduce the proposed Project's significant and unavoidable operational air quality emissions and transportation/traffic impacts to a less than significant level. However, significant and unavoidable impacts related to greenhouse gas emissions would continue to occur from implementation of this alternative. Additionally, the mitigation required for hazards and hazardous materials and tribal cultural resources for the proposed Project would continue to be required for the Build Out of the Existing Land Use and Zoning Alternative. Overall, although the volume of impacts would be less by the Build Out of the Existing Land Use and Zoning Alternative in comparison to the proposed Project, the Build Out of the Existing Land Use and Zoning Alternative would not eliminate all of the significant and unavoidable impacts of the proposed Project or eliminate the need for mitigation. Furthermore, the Build Out of the Existing Land Use and Zoning Alternative would result in a reduced beneficial impact, as it would not provide multi -family units on the Project site; and therefore, would not improve the jobs - housing balance. The Build Out of the Existing Land Use and Zoning Alternative would only meet one Project objective, to redevelop existing land uses that would utilize existing infrastructure, including: water, sewer, arterial roadways, transit, and freeways; and provide non -vehicular (pedestrian and bicycle) circulation. The site would not be redeveloped with new housing near existing employment centers, to meet the regions demand for housing or be developed consistent with the City of Santa Ana oL May 2020