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Agreement with KOA Corporation <br />December 20, 2016 <br />Page 2 <br />DISCUSSION <br />The City of Santa Ana requested proposals from planning and environmental consulting firms for <br />preparation a traffic impact study required for the Metro East Mixed Use (MEMU) Overlay District <br />expansion project, which will extend the MEMU designation westward along First Street to Grand <br />Avenue. The scope of work includes any and all work efforts related to preparation of a traffic <br />impact study for the expansion project, including analysis, preparation, community outreach and <br />related compliance with CEQA. <br />Expanding the MEMU Overlay District west along primarily First Street will affect up to 48 vacant, <br />underdeveloped, or abandoned parcels (33.52 acres) currently developed with or entitled to allow <br />a variety of commercial and residential land uses. The expansion of the MEMU overlay district <br />designation to these properties would allow development of residential and/or mixed-use <br />projects. The expansion project will also amend the MEMU document to update and refine <br />existing development standards and allowable land uses within both the new and existing MEMU <br />Overlay District areas. Expansion of the Metro East Overlay District is expected to produce up to <br />1,888 new residential units (3,776 residents), a maximum of approximately 2,835,000 square feet <br />of new building area, which includes 944,500 square feet of non-residential square footage. The <br />expansion project will create additional housing development opportunities that are consistent <br />with opportunity sites identified in the City's 2014-2021 Housing Element. <br />KOA is an experienced planning and engineering consulting firm in Southern California that has <br />prepared technical studies for environmental documents for projects throughout the region, <br />including traffic studies in Santa Ana required for the Transit Zoning Code environmental impact <br />report, the Main and MacArthur environmental impact report, and the original MEMU Overlay <br />District and addendum. <br />STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT <br />Approval of this item supports the City's efforts to meet Goal #3 - Economic Development, <br />Objective #2 (create new opportunities for business/job growth and encourage private <br />development through new General Plan and Zoning Ordinance policies), Strategy B (update the <br />City's Zoning Ordinance to be consistent with the updated General Plan and include equitable, <br />innovative, business friendly zoning practices); Goal #5 - Community Health, Livability, <br />Engagement & Sustainability, Objective #3 (facilitate diverse housing opportunities and support <br />efforts to preserve and improve the livability of Santa Ana neighborhoods), Strategies A, B, and C <br />(to increase opportunities for mixed-use residential projects, ensure compliance with the City's <br />Housing Opportunity Ordinance, and provide that Santa Ana residents, employees, artists and <br />veterans receive priority for affordable housing created under the City's Housing Opportunity <br />Ordinance or with City funding to the extent allowed under state law). <br />25E-2 <br />