75B - PH - CLIMATE ACTION PLAN - Laserfiche WebLink

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SANTA ANA CLIMATE ACTION PLAN INITIAL STUDY CITY OF SANTA ANA No Impact. As mentioned above, the City does not have any land that is designated or zoned for forest use. No impact related to forest land conversion would occur. e) Involve other changes in the existing environment which, due to their location or nature, could result in conversion of Farmland, to non - agricultural use or conversion of forest land to non - forest use? Less than Significant Impact. As discussed above, the City does not have any land that is designated or zoned for forest land. However, several parcels within the City are zoned for agricultural use (Al; General Agriculture). The General Agriculture zone permits a variety of uses such as farming, including all types of crop agriculture and horticulture, grazing, and small animal farms, parks and recreation uses, temporary farm stands, and low density residential uses. The Draft CAP does not encourage conversion of Farmland or forest land to non - agricultural or non -forest use. However, should any new mixed use type development result in changes to the existing environment or land zoned for agricultural use, a zone change would be reviewed and approved by the City. Therefore, this impact would be less than significant. 3.3 AIR QUALITY Where available, the significance criteria established by the applicable air quality management or air pollution control district may be relied upon to make the following determinations. Would the project: a) Conflict with or obstruct implementation of the applicable air quality plan? Less than Significant Impact. Air quality plans describe air pollution control strategies and measures to be implemented by a city, county, region, and /or air district. The most recent Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) was adopted by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) in December 2012.12 Consistency with the SCAQMD AQMP is based on whether the project would exceed the estimated air basin emissions used as the basis of the plan. The purpose of the Draft CAP is to reduce GHG emissions within the City to help contribute to global efforts to reduce the effects of climate change. Recommendations within the Draft CAP include implementing energy efficient retrofits, developing design guidelines to improve pedestrian, bicycle, and transit connectivity, implementing the Safe Routes to School Program, and encouraging the development of residential nodes near employment and retail corridors. In addition to reducing GHG emissions, each of these elements would help to reduce criteria air pollutants. Short -term criteria pollutant emissions would be generated during construction activities with the use of construction equipment and vehicle trips. Assumptions for off -road equipment emissions in air quality plan were developed based on annual hours of activity and equipment population for the region. The Draft CAP would not increase the assumptions for off -road equipment use in the AQMP. The estimated emissions used as the basis of the air quality plan are also based in part on projections of population and vehicle miles traveled (VMT). The Draft CAP would not increase population or VMT beyond that considered in the General Plan, 12 South Coast Air Quality Management District, 2012 Air Quality Management Plan. Available at httn' / /www agmd gov/ home /library /clean- air - plans/ air - quality- mgt -plan /final- 2012-q.ir-ijualitq- management -plan. Accessed October 19, 2015. Page 24 October 2015 75B -122