2007-026 - Approving the Final Environmental Impact

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Chapter 3 Findings Regarding Project Alternatives . Transportation-Under this alternative, a greater level of commercial development could result in greater velucle trips associated with the proposed project site, resulting in potentially greater unpacts. Implementation of Alternative 2 would result in lesser environmental impacts than the proposed project with respect to Aesthetics, Population and Housing, Public Services, and Utilities and Service Systems due to the lack of changes to existing land uses that would occur at the proposed project site. Impacts with respect to Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Geology and Soils, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Hydrology and Water Quality, and Land Use would result m impacts similar to the propDsed project under this alternative. Rnd/ngs The City hereby fmds that the No Project/Development Under Existing General Plan Alternative is infeasible for the following environmental, economic, social, and other considerations: . Would nDr create an active, mixed-use urban village where it is possible tD live, work, shop and play all within a short walk of each other to the extent Df the proposed project. . Would not aclueve the harmoniDus integration of new mixed-use develDpment within the existing fabric of the mid-rise and Iugh-rise office environment due to the reduced development intensity compared to the proposed project. . Would not create a differentiation between different areas of the Overlay Zone. · Would not provide for a mix of housing in order to encourage a continuwn of living and a variety of household types to the extent of the proposed project. . Would not facilitate project designs that encourage adequate amounts of retail or commercial space to service residents and/or employees within the development and the larger Overlay Zone. . Would not allow for the development of varied residential types in a mixed-use configuration including, but not limited to, loft-style units, live/work units, attached row houses, and high- quality stacked flats to the extent of the proposed project. . Alternative 3: Reduced Residential Component Alternative The Reduced Residential Component Alternative would involve construction of a smaller mixed-use development on the project site. TIlls alternative would construct the buildings in the same location as under the proposed project, and maintain the ground floor use as commercial; however the height of each residential tower would be reduced to a maximum of 19 stories each. This would reduce the total FAR of the property from a 2.7 FAR under the proposed project, to a 2.5 FAR under this alternative, which is the minimum envisioned FAR in the Active Urban district under the proposed Overlay Zone. With a reduced height limit, the number of residential units would also be reduced ftom 374 to approximately 335. ImplementatiDn of Alternative 2 would result in lesser environmental impacts than the proposed project with respect to Air Quality, Noise, Population and Housing, Public Semces, Transportation, and Utilities and Service Systems due to the reduced level of development that would occur at the proposed project site. Impacts with respect to Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Geology and Soils, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Hydrology and Water Quality, and Land Use wDuld result in impacts similar tD the prDpDsed project under this alternative. Metro East Mixed Use OVertay Zone ElR Findings of Fact/Statement of OVarrtdlng ConJI:reS~WJWsR ~~g:~~ 'D~~~ 3-9