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 7. Alternatives to the Proposed Project 7.2.1 Alternative Development Areas CEQA requires that the discussion of alternatives focus on alternatives to the project or its location that are capable of avoiding or substantially lessening any significant effects of the project. The key question and first step in the analysis is whether any of the significant effects of the project would be avoided or substantially lessened by putting the project in another location. Only locations that would avoid or substantially lessen any of the significant effects of the project need be considered for inclusion in the EIR (Guidelines Sec. 15126[5][3][1]). In general, any development of the size and type proposed by the project would have substantially the same impacts on air quality, land use/planning, noise, population/ housing, public services, recreation, transportation /traffic and utilities /service systems. Impacts related to aesthetics, cultural resources, geology /soils, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology /water quality and mineral resources would need a site specific analysis to determine if another location would reduce impacts. These impacts were found to be less than significant and less than significant with mitigation incorporated. Another location would not avoid or substantially lessen the effects of the project. The purpose of the project is to create a transit corridor plan and would enhance an underutilized area and expand development opportunities that response to transit investments. The project area is served by a number of existing and future transit opportunities. A Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route, Orange County Transportation Authority Route (OCTA) 543, began operating on Harbor Boulevard through the project site in June 2013. An intercounty express bus route, OCTA 722, is scheduled to begin operation in early 2014 and would serve the intersection of Harbor Boulevard and Westminster Avenue at the north end of the project site. A Santa Ana /Garden Grove Fixed Guideway transit project is planned that would pass just north of the north site boundary. A second BRT route is planned on Edinger Boulevard that would cross Harbor Boulevard 0.5 mile south of the project site (OCTA 2011). The recent and planned transit improvements along this segment of Harbor Boulevard help create an opportunity for redevelopment of this largely commercial corridor with mixed land uses. While the proposed transit improvements extend beyond the project site, the above mentioned combination of transit improvements is unique to this segment of Harbor Boulevard. Since other sites would not meet the basic objectives of the project they were not considered. 7.2.2 Reduced Nonresidential Intensity Alternative At buildout of the proposed project, nonresidential development intensity would only be approximately one percent greater than existing conditions. This change is not great enough to differentiate a reduced nonresidential project from the proposed project. Furthermore, because the proposed project is intended to permit development of a mixed use community on the project site, reducing permitted nonresidential intensity would be contrary to objectives of the proposed project, including those objectives that advocate for provision of new opportunities for mixed use development and businesses. Therefore, a reduced nonresidential intensity alternative was considered but rejected. October 2014 Page 7 -3