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 POPULATION AND HOUSING through the north end of the project site was recommended by an Alternatives Analysis completed by the Southern California Association of Governments in February 2013 (SCAG 2013). A fixed guideway transit project on the part of the Pacific Electric right- of-way in Santa Ana and Garden Grove is part of the Preferred Plan in OCTAs Long Range Transit Plan (OCTA 2011). Completion of a transit line on the portion of the right- of-way in Los Angeles County is scheduled for 2027 (Metro 2009). In addition to providing jobs and housing near a major transportation corridor, the Harbor Corridor Plan continues to recognize the important role Harbor Boulevard plays in circulating vehicular traffic through the region by maintaining the number of traffic lanes. The Plan also encourages consolidated vehicular access points along the corridor. The Harbor Corridor Plan proposes improved pedestrian and bicycle facilities and linkages by creating a pedestrian- friendly streetscape, encouraging a variety of building frontages and decreased setbacks. New street designs facilitate safe bicycle and pedestrian travel along Harbor Boulevard and efficient connections to the regional bicycle network, including the Santa Ana River Trail. Although the Harbor Corridor Plan would result in substantial population growth, it would provide an overall benefit to the community by encouraging walkability and alternative transportation. The Harbor Corridor Plan is a sustainable multimodal plan that at buildout encourages the reduction of per - capita vehicle miles traveled for the region, which is one of the goals of SCAG's Compass Blueprint for High Quality Transit Areas. By providing additional commercial square footage in the area, commuters would not need to travel outside the City to other areas of Orange County for employment. As a result, the project would not result in an adverse impact related to population growth. 5.10.4 Cumulative Impacts Other projects would develop housing and nonresidential land uses in Santa Ana; projections for net increases in population, housing, and employment in the City between 2010 and 2035 are discussed above in Section 5.10.1. Although the project in combination with General Plan buildout would exceed the growth projections for the City, it would result in a favorable impact on the jobs - housing balance. The City is predominantly built out; thus, other projects within the City would redevelop land or reuse existing structures rather than build on large open space lands. Further redevelopment and reuse conforming to existing General Plan land use designations is forecast to increase the jobs - housing ratio in the City slightly, from 1.87 in 2010 to 1.91 in 2035. As discussed above, the project in combination with development in the General Plan would reduce the jobs housing balance to 1.82, which is considered a favorable impact. As a result, impacts are less than significant. In accordance with state law, the City is in the process of adopting its 2014 -2021 Housing Element. The housing element must address the RNHA carryover balance of 201 lower income units (111 very low and 90 low income level units) from the last adopted housing element. These units would be accommodated through land rezoned in the Harbor Corridor Plan area exclusively for residential development. October 2014 Page 5.10 -9