2014-069 - Final Environmental Impact Report No. 2014-01

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HARBOR BLVD. MIXED USE TRANSIT CORRIDOR PLAN FINAL FIR CITY OF SANTA ANA 5. Environmental Analysis LAND USE AND PLANNING Table 5.8 -1 General Plan Consistency Analysis Applicable City of Santa Ana General Plan Policies Pro ect Compliance with Policy cross - streets: 5th Street, 1st Street, McFadden Avenue, and Westminster Boulevard. Proposed improvements include the enlargement of sidewalk and parkway areas to facilitate safe bicycle and pedestrian travel along Harbor Boulevard and efficient connections to the local and regional bicycle network. Policy 3.1: Support the efforts of regional, state, Consistent: Bravo! Route 543 —the new limited -stop Orange County Transportation and federal agencies to enhance local and express Authority (OCTA) bus service along Harbor Boulevard—began operating June 10, bus services. 2013, and is designed for more efficient travel down Harbor Boulevard. Project implementation would not impede or affect OCTA's ability to provide adequate and efficient bus service along Harbor Boulevard. No project design features would be implemented that would intrude into or impede the existing bus stops or travel lanes that are used by the buses. In contrast, the Harbor Corridor Plan outlines improvements (e.g., provisions for enhanced parkways and streetscapes) that would help enhance the public right -of -way along the corridor, including the areas around and near existing bus stops. Project implementation would also enhance OCTA's ability to increase ridership, because the high -density and mixed -use residential uses permitted along the corridor would increase the number of people that would use of multimodal forms of transportation, including OCTA's Bravo! Route 543 and other local bus lines. Policy 3.5: Enhance sidewalks and pedestrian Consistent: See response to Circulation Element Policy 1. 11, above. systems to promote their use as a means of travel. The design and layout of the land uses in the Harbor Corridor Plan would encourage safe and convenient pedestrian activity through the creation of pedestrian- scaled development. Additionally, the enhancements called for along the existing roadway - adjacent sidewalks (e.g., transition of existing sidewalks to parkway - separated walkways) that front the corridor would help provide a safe, pedestrian- friendly environment, with strong connectivity to adjacent commercial, residential, and mixed - use areas. Policy 3.6: Maximize the use of public rights-of-way Consistent: See responses to Circulation Element Policies 1.11 and 3.5, above. for pedestrian and bicycle paths. Policy 3.7: Support system enhancements and Consistent: See response to Circulation Element Policy 1.11, above. bikeway support facilities that encourage bicycle usage. Policy 3.8: Develop bicycle paths that maximize Consistent: See response to Circulation Element Policy 1.11, above. access to major activity centers, neighboring jurisdictions, and regional bicycle paths. Policy 5.2: Enhance street design standards to Consistent: The Harbor Corridor Plan includes streetscape development standards promote attractive circulation corridors. and design guidelines geared toward the visual improvement of Harbor Boulevard and its cross - streets: 5th Street, 1st Street, McFadden Avenue, and Westminster Boulevard. More specifically, the plan calls for standards and guidelines that would enhance the attractiveness of the corridor, such as the need for parkway - separated sidewalks and enhanced landscaping treatments. The plan also calls for strong architectural and landscape development standards and design guidelines for development proposed along the corridor frontage (e.g., residential, commercial, mixed use), which would ensure the provision of an enhanced and attractive corridor. Conservation Element Support local and regional land use and Consistent: See response to Policy 3.1, above. Additionally, as project implementation transportation plans that increase mass transit is anticipated to increase the number of individuals that would seek to make use of usage and reduce vehicle trips. OCTA's Bravo! Route 543 and other local bus lines, it is expected that the increase in ridership would lead to a reduction in vehicle trips along the Harbor Boulevard corridor and its cross - streets (5th Street, 1st Street, McFadden Avenue, and Westminster Boulevard), as well as other roadways throughout the City and region. Minimize changes in hydrology and pollutant I Consistent: The proposed project's impacts on hydrology and water quality are Page 5. 86 PlaceWorkr