Item 26 - Public Hearing Vista Heritage Charter School (601 North Fairview Street)

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Vista Charter Public Schools District Office and Outdoor Space Project CEQA Exemption 15183 General Plan Update would result in a reduction of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per service population in comparison to existing conditions at the time the GPU EIR was prepared and would achieve a VMT per service population of at least 15 percent lower than the Countywide VMT per service population. The GPU EIR also determined that buildout of the General Plan Update would not substantially increase hazards due to a geometric design feature or result in inadequate emergency access following implementation of RR T-2. RR T-2 requires projects pursuant to the General Plan Update to implement fire protection requirements as detailed in the Orange County Fire Authority's Fire Prevention Guidelines and the California Fire Code. 4.17.2 Project Analysis No changes are proposed to the existing circulation system in the project area and thus, the proposed project would not conflict with any program plan, ordinance or policy addressing the circulation system. According to the City of Santa Ana Traffic Impact Study Guidelines (City Traffic Guidelines), a project can be presumed to have a less -than -significant VMT impact if the project satisfies one of the following screening criteria: 29 • Projects which serve the local community and have the potential to reduce VMT, such as neighborhood K-12 schools and local -serving retail less than 50,000 sq. ft. (Charter schools are excluded from this criteria). • Projects that generate less than 110 net daily trips. • Projects located within Transit Priority Areas (TPAs); refer to City Traffic Guidelines Appendix A, Santa Ana Transit Priority Areas. • Projects located in a low-VMT generating Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ). City Traffic Guidelines Appendix B, VMT/SP in Santa Ana as Compared to Orange County Average, shows VMT per service population in Santa Ana as compared to the County average. Low-VMT TAZs per Santa Ana's threshold of significance are any TAZs generating VMT 15 percent below the County average. The proposed project would renovate the approximately 5,837-square foot former automotive repair building as the Vista Charter Public Schools district office. According to the Vista Heritage Global Academy Expansion Trip Generation Assessment (Trip Generation Memo), prepared by Urban Crossroads, Inc. and dated July 24, 2023, the proposed project would generate approximately 84 average daily trips with 14 morning peak hour trips and 12 afternoon peak hour trips; refer to Attachment C, Trip Generation Memo. Therefore, the proposed project would meet the screening criteria related to projects that generate less than 110 net daily trips. Additionally, according to City Traffic Guidelines Appendix A, Santa Ana Transit Priority Areas, the project site is located within a TPA, which is defined as a 0.5-mile radius around an existing or planned major transit stop (e.g., Metrolink Station, Streetcar Station, etc.) or an existing stop along a high -quality transit corridor. Thus, the project also meets the screening criteria related to projects located within TPAs. 29 City of Santa Ana, City of Santa Ana Traffic Impact Study Guidelines, September 2019. Dec i y ouncil 26 —113 1/16/20'2 e 53