2015-004 - Santa Ana-Garden Grove Fixed Guideway Project

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Santa Ana—Garden Grove Fixed Guideway Project Findings and Facts in Support of Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations The following statements are in support of the City Council's action based on the REA/FEIR and /or other information in the record. The following project objectives identify the benefits of project implementation: • To improve transit connectivity within the Study Area; • To relieve congestion by providing alternative mobility options; • To be sensitive to the character of the community; • To increase transit options; • To improve transit accessibility to and within the Study Area; and • To provide benefits to the environment through improved air quality. The City Council finds the project objectives would include benefits to the City of Santa Ana. In addition to these project objectives, the following benefits constitute an overriding consideration warranting approval of the proposed project despite the significant and unavoidable environmental effects. The City Council finds that the project benefits derived from the project objectives identified above, as well as those listed below, are each individually and separately sufficient to outweigh all of the proposed project's significant and unavoidable impacts. • The proposed project would support local plans for transit - oriented development (TOD). The City of Santa Ana recognizes that land use, economic opportunity, and transportation planning go hand in hand. Over the last several years, the City of Santa Ana has implemented TOD in the area adjacent to SARTC. Santa Ana's Transit Zoning Code, which encompasses 450 acres within the Study Area, supports mixed -use development and provides a transit - supportive, pedestrian— oriented development framework to reduce vehicle trips and greenhouse gas emissions. • The proposed project would support economic vitality and foster redevelopment opportunities. The City of Santa Ana recognizes the importance of public investment in infrastructure as a catalyst for economic development. In the competitive Orange County marketplace, transportation infrastructure projects that improve access and mobility enhance the attractiveness of neighborhoods and provide a competitive edge for nearby businesses. Therefore, an important element of the City's integrated transportation -land use vision is the provision of transit service that is continuous and reliable, as well as a permanent and visible fixture for transit users and the community. Such service would improve visibility and access to existing economic activity centers and areas targeted for redevelopment. Connectivity to these key existing and future development areas is one of the most critical aspects of the SA -GG Fixed Guideway Project. In recent years, the City of Santa Ana has taken active steps to revitalize its downtown area to attract new businesses, customers, and visitors, utilizing a design scheme that fosters walkability and transit use. The Artist's Village and the East End Promenade in Downtown Santa Ana are prime examples of this effort. Moreover, the recent adoption of the Transit Zoning Code by the City of Santa Ana provides the policy foundation for redevelopment activities specifically targeted to the SA -GG Fixed Guideway Project. However, constrained access continues to be a challenge for the area. To the west, the City of Garden Grove continues to promote economic development along the Harbor Boulevard Corridor (International West). The proposed transportation investment is intended to support economic vitality and foster redevelopment opportunities within the 38 January 2015