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Grand Avenue Widening Project Environmental Impact Report Section 6.0 SECTION 6.0 GROWTH INDUCING AND CUMULATIVE IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT 6.1 GROWTH INDUCING IMPACTS Section 15126.2(d) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines requires that an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) describe the potential growth inducing impacts of a proposed project. Specifically, Section 15126.2(d) states: "Discuss the ways in which the proposed project could foster economic development or population growth, or the construction of additional housing, either directly or indirectly, in the surrounding environment.... Also discuss the characteristics of some projects which may encourage and facilitate other activities that could substantially affect the environment, either individually or cumulatively. Is must not be assumed that growth in any area is necessarily beneficial, detrimental or of little significance to the environment." To assess whether the proposed Grand Avenue widening alternatives may foster spatial, economic or population growth, four questions were considered: ■ Would the widening of this segment of Grand Avenue result in the removal of an impediment to growth such as the establishment of an essential public service or the provision. of new access to an area? ■ Would the widening of this segment of Grand Avenue result in economic expansion or growth such as changes in the revenue base or employment expansion? ■ Would the widening of this segment of Grand Avenue result in the establishment of a precedent setting action such as an innovation, a radical change in zoning or a General Plan amendment approval? ■ Would the widening of this segment of Grand Avenue result in development or encroachment in an isolated or adjacent area of open space, as opposed to an infill type of project in an area which is already largely developed? Policies and plans in the City of Santa Ana General Plan Circulation Element identify fixture improvements to roads and intersections in the City to accommodate the traffic that would be generated under buildout of the General Plan Land Use Element and from development in the surrounding cities. The Circulation Element specifically cites Grand Avenue as one of several widening projects anticipated by the City to. ensure that the transportation network in the City meets the needs of the City and the region into the next century. The proposed project would widen the project segment of Grand Avenue to the Major Arterial designation shown in the Circulation Element. Therefore, the proposed widening under Alternatives 1 and 2 would be consistent with the Circulation Element. F: IPROJ-ENVIGrand eirWew Text- GrandlSection 6.0-new.doc Page 6-1