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EIR No. 2020-03 and GPA No.2020-06 Santa Ana General Plan Update <br />February 15, 2022 <br />Page 14 <br />CEQA allows lead agencies to approve projects despite having significant and <br />unavoidable impacts by adopting a statement of overriding considerations. A statement <br />of overriding considerations documents the reasons why an agency chose to approve a <br />project despite its significant and unavoidable impacts based on range of balancing <br />factors, including economic, legal, social, technological, or other benefits conveyed by <br />project. <br />City staff is recommending adoption of a statement of overriding consideration for the <br />General Plan and its implementation actions. In this instance, the economic, social, and <br />other benefits of the General Plan implementation collectively outweigh the significant <br />and unavoidable impacts noted above. Such benefits include the implementation of <br />policies and programs preserving and enhancing community character, increasing <br />community sustainability, providing high -quality and diverse housing opportunities, <br />increasing economic vitality via new and business creation, supporting technological <br />advancements, and maintaining compliance with current law. The acceptance of the <br />noted significant and unavoidable impacts does not mean the City will forego efforts to <br />mitigate the impacts to extent feasible. In addition, future projects will be subject to the <br />discretionary review procedures through which the City will consider project specific <br />environmental impacts and/or subject to regulations to offset impacts. As these reviews <br />occur, decision makers will be updated on the status of application mitigation measures <br />when making decision on such projects. <br />Public notices for the City Council public hearing were mailed to interested parties, as <br />well as property owners and occupants/tenants in the five Land Use Focus Area and a <br />500-foot radius from the Focus Area boundaries. In addition, a newspaper posting was <br />published in the Orange County Reporter on November 26, 2021. <br />Airport Land Use Commission Review <br />The proposed changes to the Land Use Element to adopt the South Bristol and the 55 <br />Freeway/Dyer Road Focus Areas required the General Plan update to be presented to <br />the Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) for a determination of consistency with their <br />Airport Environs Land Use Plan (AELUP). On October 15th, 2020 the ALUC determined <br />that the General Plan update conflicts with the goals and objectives of the AELUP and <br />voted 5:0 to find the General Plan update inconsistent with their plan. As a result, on <br />October 16th, 2020, at a special City Council meeting, the Council directed staff to file a <br />Notice of Intent to Overrule the ALUC's determination. The draft City Council resolution <br />for overruling the ALUC's determination has been attached at Exhibit 8. <br />Based on the analysis provided within this report, staff recommends that the City Council <br />certifying Final Recirculated Program Environmental Impact Report No. 2020-03 (SCH No. <br />2020029087), including adoption of environmental findings of fact pursuant to the California <br />Environmental Quality Act, adoption of a Statement of Overriding Considerations, and <br />