2017-046 - Approving Addendum Nos. 1 and 2

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OCTA I Santa Ana/Garden Grove Fixed Guideway Project FNCultural Resources Technical Memo Update Memo Date: Friday, July 8, 2016 Project: OCTA Santa Ana/Garden Grove Fixed Guideway Project To: Mary Shavalier/Program Manager, OCTA From: Jeanne Barnes/Architectural Historian, HDR and Nina Delu/Environmental Planner, HDR Subject: Cultural Resources Technical Memo Update HDR performed a supplemental cultural resources technical analysis in response to advancements in engineering by the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) on the Santa Ana/Garden Grove Fixed Guideway Project (Project). The purpose of this analysis was to identify for the engineering team whether any of the proposed minor design modifications to the adopted Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) would affect the previous findings regarding cultural resources (both historic and archaeological) within the previously -approved Area of Potential Effects (APE), and the revised APE to reflect design modifications. Project Background Construction and operation of the Project (the adopted LPA), based on conceptual engineering, was approved by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), dated March 10, 2015, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The approval of the project was based on the findings of the Revised Environmental Assessment (EA) (January 2015). The City of Santa Ana, the Lead Agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) certified the Final Environmental Impact Record (EIR) (State Clearinghouse #2010051060) in January 2015.00TA subsequently adopted the Final EIR as a Responsible Agency under CEQA. URS Corporation prepared a Cultural Resources Evaluation Report in May 2014 that determined the project would have no adverse effects on historic properties. The California Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) concurred with the findings of the report (OHP reference number FTA111011 B). The 2015 approved Project was not expected to have an adverse effect on historic properties, inclusive of historic architecture and archaeological resources, under NEPA and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the proposed project was not expected to have a significant impact on archaeological resources. However, given the sensitivity of the area for archaeological resources, archaeological monitoring would be conducted for earth -disturbing activities that could encounter previously undisturbed soils per the Project Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) adopted by OCTA. The project has since advanced with the completion of the 30% design in May 2016. OCTA, as the agency responsible for design and implementation of the Project, is proposing design modifications to the LPA as defined in the Revised EA/Final EIR as approved by FTA and July 8, 2016 1 1