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

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9 FINDINGS REGARDING PROJECT ALTERNATIVES Finding: The City Council rejects the Buildout of the Zoning Designation Alternative, on the following grounds, each of which individually provides sufficient justification for rejection of this alternative: (1) this alternative would not achieve the basic project objectives of developing a residential mixed -use residential project and would not implement the GPU's vision for the South Bristol Street Focus Area; and (2) the alternative is technically, financially, and legally infeasible given that the existing development at the Project site is reflective of the standards established under SD-48 and it is not realistic the site would be redeveloped with new or modified commercial uses consistent with the existing SD-48 zoning Thus, this alternative was eliminated from further consideration 9.1.2 Off -Site Alternative According to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.6[f][2][A], only locations that would avoid or substantially lessen any of the significant effects of the project need be considered for inclusion in the EIR. The Project would not cause any new significant impacts or substantial increase in previously identified significant impacts from those identified in the GPU PEIR. As discussed in the project objectives, a fundamental purpose of building out the Project at the selected Project site is to implement the vision and objectives established in the City of Santa Ana General Plan for the South Bristol Street Focus Area, primarily to transform auto -oriented shopping plazas into walkable, bike -friendly, and transit -friendly urban villages. Thus, the Project would redevelop an existing auto -oriented plaza that has already been disturbed by previous uses and is served by existing services, avoiding the need for new construction at an undeveloped site. Additionally, due to their age, the existing buildings at the South Coast Plaza Village have outdated infrastructure, which results in operational inefficiencies and outdated seismic code compliance. The Project site is located in a fully developed urban area of the City of Santa Ana and acquiring off -site property may not be financially reasonable or logistically feasible. Acquiring new property outside of the existing project site would also not eliminate the need to transform the existing auto - oriented shopping plazas in the South Bristol Street Focus Area into urban villages. Furthermore, there are limited, if any available properties comparable to the Project site of sufficient size, dimensions, and land use designation (District Center), and without existing residences that would otherwise require displacement within the GPU-identified South Bristol Street Focus Area and South Coast Metro Area that would allow for high -intensity mixed uses. Finding: The City Council rejects the Off -Site Alternative, on the following grounds, each of which individually provides sufficient justification for rejection of this alternative: (1) the alternative would not meet project objectives; and (2) acquiring off -site property may not be financially reasonable or logistically feasible. For these reasons, this alternative has been eliminated from further consideration. 9.2 ALTERNATIVES SELECTED FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS The following alternatives were selected for evaluation in Section 6.6 Alternatives Selected for Further Analysis of the Draft Supplemental EIR: • Alternative 1: No Project/No Build Alternative • Alternative 2: Reduced Project Alternative • Alternative 3: Reduced Project with No Subterranean Parking Alternative City of Santa Ana The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan Project August 2025 CEQA Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations 9-3