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 1. Executive Summary a reduction of 4,395 residential units and an increase of 2,896,107 of commercial and other nonresidential square footage. 1.6.2 Reduced Residential Intensity Alternative The Reduced Residential Intensity Alternative would reduce permitted residential units by 25 percent in the Transit Node district and by 50 percent in the Corridor district; the permitted number of residential units in the Neighborhood Transition district would be the same as in the proposed project. Total permitted nonresidential development intensity in this alternative would remain the same as in the proposed project. The total number of residential units permitted by this alternative would be 2,908, or 37 percent less than that of the proposed project. 1.7 ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED Section 15123(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines requires that an FIR contain issues to be resolved including the choice among alternatives and whether or how to mitigate significant impacts. With regard to the proposed project, the major issues to be resolved include decisions by the lead agency as to the following: 1. Whether this FIR adequately describes the environmental impacts of the project. 2. Whether the benefits of the project override those environmental impacts which cannot be feasibly avoided or mitigated to a level of insignificance. 3. Whether the proposed land use changes are compatible with the character of the existing area. 4. Whether the identified goals, policies, or mitigation measures should be adopted or modified. 5. Whether there are other mitigation measures that should be applied to the project besides the Mitigation Measures identified in the FIR. 6. Whether there are any alternatives to the project that would substantially lessen any of the significant impacts of the proposed project and achieve most of the basic project objectives. 1.8 AREAS OF CONTROVERSY An FIR scoping meeting was held on June 25, 2013 to determine the environmental concerns of interested parties regarding the Harbor Corridor Plan. The meeting was held at Santa Ana Union Hall, 3904 West First Street, Santa Ana. Several issues were raised during the scoping meeting including: the increase in traffic and effect on Harbor, eminent domain, creating jobs for the local labor force, impacts on adjacent land uses of high density and affordable units, noise, public services (police, schools, parks, and libraries), pedestrian and traffic circulation. Responses to the Initial Study and Notice of Preparation are included in Apendix B of this FIR. These and other environmental issues are frilly addressed in Chapter 5 of this FIR. No other areas of controversy are known to the Lead Agency. October 2014 Page 1 -7