Item 28 - Public Hearing - Amendment Application for the Village Santa Ana Specific Plan

Home Browse Search

CHAPTER 8 FINDINGS REGARDING GROWTH -INDUCING IMPACTS Section 15126.2(e) of the State CEQA Guidelines requires a Draft EIR to discuss the ways the Project could foster economic or population growth or the construction of additional housing, directly or indirectly, in the surrounding environment. In accordance with State CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.2(e), a Project would be considered to have a growth -inducing effect if it would: • Directly or indirectly foster economic or population growth, or the construction of additional housing in the surrounding environment; • Remove obstacles to population growth (e.g., construction of an infrastructure expansion to allow for more construction in service areas); • Tax existing community service facilities, requiring the construction of new facilities that could cause significant environmental effects; or • Encourage and facilitate other activities that could significantly affect the environment, either individually or cumulatively. In addition, State CEQA Guidelines states that that growth inducement must not be assumed. State CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.2(e) states that growth -inducing effects are not to be construed as necessarily beneficial, detrimental or of little significance to the environment. Therefore, the following analysis is provided as additional information on ways in which the Project could contribute to significant changes in the environment beyond the direct consequences of developing the land use concepts examined in the Draft Supplemental EIR. Establish substantial new permanent employment opportunities or otherwise stimulate economic activity such that it would result in the need for additional housing, businesses, and services to support increased economic activities. The Project would redevelop the site to provide up to 1,583 residential units (encompassing approximately 1,850,000 square feet of building space), 80,000 square feet of retail space, 300,000 square feet of office space, and approximately 7.5 acres of publicly accessible open space and common areas. Based on employment factors provided in the GPU PEIR, the proposed retail and office space would generate approximately 985 jobs, resulting in a generated net increase of 657 jobs compared to existing conditions. The generated net increase resulting from the Project would not exceed the projected increase for nonresidential uses and employment in the South Bristol Street Focus Area and therefore, would not result in unplanned employment growth. In addition, the Project would slightly reduce (improve) the City's jobs to housing ratio and would benefit the City by introducing multi -family housing to the project site in a jobs -rich area in which employees would be able to easily commute to nearby employment opportunities. Because the area is jobs -rich, the addition of residential units in the area would not require additional job growth. Therefore, the residential units would not indirectly result in the need for additional employment opportunities, which could result in unplanned growth. City of Santa Ana The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan Project August 2025 CEQA Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations 8-1