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 PUBLIC SERVICES Impact 5.11 -1: The proposed project would introduce new structures, residents, and workers into the 0CFA's service boundaries, thereby increasing the requirement for fire protection equipment and personnel. [Threshold FP -1] Impact Analysis: Harbor Corridor Plan buildout would increase demands for fire protection and emergency medical services in the project site through development of net increases of 3,884 residential units and 13,721 square feet of commercial land uses. Thus, the project would result in an increase in demand for OCFA fire protection and emergency medical services. The project is expected to create the typical range of fire service calls that other similar uses create, such as structure foes, garbage bin foes, car foes, various accidents causing injuries or medical emergencies, and electrical foes. The project is not located within a high fire hazard zone and is not subject to potentially significant impacts associated with wildland foes. Existing fire protection facilities and staffing are expected to be sufficient to provide fire protection and emergency medical services to the project, and project development is not anticipated to require the OCFA to construct new or expanded facilities, although increases in staff would be required (Hernandez 2013). Individual projects developed pursuant to the proposed Harbor Corridor Plan would be required to comply with existing regulations and standard conditions, including the California Fire Code, as amended by the Santa Ana Fire Code (Pasadena Municipal Code, Chapter 14). Therefore, the proposed project would not have substantial impacts on fire protection services. As recommended by OCFA, all electrically operated gates in developments built pursuant to the Harbor Corridor Plan would have emergency operating devices installed conforming with OCFA Fire Prevention Guideline B -09, Fire Master Plans far Commercial dam' Residential Development Additionally, all traffic signals shall be equipped with optical preemption devices enabling Fire Authority and police vehicles to preempt signals (Hernandez 2013). 5.11.1.4 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS Buildout of the Harbor Corridor Plan, combined with buildout of General Plan land use designations in surrounding neighborhoods in Santa Ana, would increase demands for fire protection and emergency medical services. Such increase would require additional firefighting units at fire stations serving the affected parts of the City. Addition of firefighting units is expected to require expansion of one or more existing fire stations listed above in Table 5.11 -1; however, no new fire stations are expected to be needed (Hernandez 2013). If additional firefighting units were not provided, response times in the affected parts of the City would be increased. The cumulative impact of new development and intensified land uses in the City will exacerbate the strain on OCFA resources. However, proposed development in the Harbor Corridor Plan area is not expected to contribute a substantial impact on City -wide fire protection services. Further, the City is largely built out with existing urban development and the project area has adequate nearby facilities to serve the project. Therefore, despite the increased need for fire protection and emergency services in the City, no significant cumulative impacts related to fire protection and emergency services are anticipated. October 2014 Page 5.113