Laserfiche WebLink
Santa Ana General Plan Update <br />CEQA Findings of Fact and Statement <br />Of Overriding Considerations -28- October 2021 <br />sensitive vegetation. All parcels currently have ruderal vegetation and little to no biological value. <br />Therefore, there is no current indication that future development in accordance with the GPU <br />would have significant unavoidable biological impacts. However, the programmatic analysis <br />prepared for this GPU was not at the detailed, site-specific analysis required for a specific <br />development project. Site-specific analyses could reveal biological resources not identified in the <br />Biological and Natural Resources Report. Therefore, there is a potential for biological impacts <br />associated with implementation of the GPU. Therefore, implementation of the GPU could result <br />in a potentially significant impact. <br />The letter received from CDFW states that the Santa Ana River and its tributaries historically <br />supported federally endangered southern California steelhead. CDFW’s letter requests that the <br />Draft PEIR include an analysis of any proposed major stream crossings in the context of fish <br />passage, and states that the analysis should include, but not be limited to, steelhead presence or <br />historic presence, existing conditions including habitat and barrier assessments, any known <br />projects to remove barriers or restore habitat that would affect or be affected by this project, and <br />cumulative impacts to steelhead populations and/or habitat resulting from this project. The GPU <br />does not propose any major stream crossings. If any future development project entails <br />improvements for stream crossings (e.g. Santa Ana River and Santiago Creek), project-level <br />CEQA compliance would require a biological resources report that would address potential <br />impacts to endangered species, including the California steelhead. <br />Impact 5.3-1 would be less than significant with compliance with all applicable federal, state, and <br />local regulations and incorporation of mitigation measure BIO-1. <br />Mitigation Measures <br />BIO-1 For development or redevelopment projects that would disturb vegetated land or major <br />stream and are subject to CEQA, a qualified biologist shall conduct an initial screening <br />to determine whether a site-specific biological resource report is warranted. If needed, <br />a qualified biologist shall conduct a field survey for the site and prepare a biological <br />resource assessment for the project, including an assessment of potential impacts to <br />sensitive species, habitats, and jurisdictional waters. The report shall recommend <br />mitigation measures, as appropriate, to avoid or limit potential biological resource <br />impacts to less than significant. <br />Finding <br />Finding 1. The City hereby makes Finding 1. Changes or alterations have been required in, or <br />incorporated into, the project that avoid or substantially lessen the significant environmental effect <br />as identified in the PEIR. These changes are identified in the form of the mitigation measures <br />above. The City of Santa Ana hereby finds that implementation of the mitigation measure is <br />feasible, and the measure is therefore adopted.