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BI Group <br />City of Santa Ana —April 27. 2017 <br />Task 8.2: Initial Study/NO <br />The Initial Study was previously completed and the NOP released on April 4, 2014. The scope of <br />work and cost estimate for this amendment assumes PlaceWorks will not update the Initial Study, <br />which helps to expedite the schedule and reduce costs for the project. Although an Initial Study <br />assists in determining the requirement for an EIR and the contents for the analysis, it is not, a <br />CEQA requirement. We recommend that we prepare an updated NOP that includes a reasonably <br />comprehensive, updated project description, including support graphics, to enable agencies and <br />the public to make recommendations regarding the scope of the EIR. The NOP will also describe <br />updates to the environmental checklist, and outline the topics anticipated to be included in the <br />EIR. This will include Tribal Cultural Resources per AB 52 adopted in September 2016. The Draft <br />EIR will defensibly substantiate the exclusion of topics not addressed in the EIR. When the new <br />scoping meeting date is determined, we will reissue the NOP for the 30 -day public review. <br />Task 8.3: Public Scooing Meeting <br />Due to the lapse of time and substantial updates to the Circulation Element, a new scoping <br />meeting is recommended. PlaceWorks will coordinate the meeting and prepare notices and <br />appropriate supporting materials. We will prepare a powerpoint presentation and conduct the <br />meeting (if desired by the City). This task also includes preparing a summary of comments <br />received at the meeting to be included in the EIR. <br />Task 8.4a: Air Quality /Greenhouse Gas Emissions <br />Since our original proposal in 2011, Santa Ana has adopted a Climate Action Plan (2015); the <br />legislature passed Senate Bill 743 for alternative transportation metrics (e.g., VMT) and Senate <br />Bill 32 for new GHG reduction targets for year 2030; newer air quality and GHG modeling tools <br />were released (EMFAC2014 and CaIEEMod 2016); and new air quality and GHG reduction plans <br />were prepared (SCAG's 2016 RTPISCS, CARB's 2017 Scoping Plan Update, SCAQMD's 2016 <br />AQMP). Because the original scope of work for air quality and GHG emissions impacts was <br />primarily qualitative and was prepared prior to release of these additional plans and regulations, <br />a contract amendment is necessary to coverthe additional requisite discussion needed in the EIR. <br />In addition, technical staff has been involved in several conference calls with IBI and the City since <br />2011 to discuss coordinating the environmental processing of the City's Climate Action Plan <br />(adopted in 2015) and Circulation Element Update, which expended the remaining budget). <br />Additional work not included in our original scope includes a consistency analysis of the proposed <br />project with the plans identified above. Finally, PlaceWorks will need to quantify air quality and <br />GHG emissions benefits of the project based on an estimate of future VMT provided by IBI Group <br />and compared to existing condition, along with revisions to the existing work already completed. <br />Task 8.4b: Noise <br />The scope of work has not been modified for this task. The cost estimate increase is related to <br />changes in staff and billing rates. <br />Optional Task: Biological Resources <br />Our original scope of work assumed a programmatic approach to the Circulation Element and did <br />not include a technical assessment of potential biological resource impacts. Subsequent, <br />proposed improvements along the Santiago Creek Trail become controversial, and the potential <br />to impact sensitive biological resources was identified. If such improvements are included in the <br />updated Circulation Element, the EIR will need to include an environmental assessment of impacts <br />25G -21 <br />