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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5 - PUBLIC COMMENT_VERMILIONPUBLIC COMMENT: My name is Nicole Vermilion, I live at 1001 Westwood, at the intersection of 10th and Westwood and the One Broadway project would be partially visible from my backyard. This is a structure that has a lifespan that is measured in centuries, not decades, and will change the skyline of the County, the streetscape of the existing area, and has the potential influence the design of future buildings to come in downtown Santa Ana. Because of this, the Planning Commissioners and the City should consider this project in this context to ensure that the project fits vision for the City (e.g., design, local plans for active transportation, the City’s goals for energy efficiency) and become a benefit for the community. I believe that the addition of residential to the project is a benefit to the City. There was a great article last week in the New York Times about the Town of Lafayette’s resistance to building high density housing in the face of California’s housing crisis. There’s a quote that I want to highlight about how the solution to our housing crisis is sociological: “People have to realize that homelessness is connected to housing prices. They have to accept it’s hypocritical to say that you don’t like density but are worried about climate change. They have to internalize the lesson that if they want their children to have a stable financial future, they have to make space. They are going to have to change..”1 While the residential component of the project may be a benefit for the future generations in the City, the City also needs to ensure that the project doesn’t diminish the ability of the City to provide essential public services. For example, adding residential may strain existing public services, such as parks, schools; and police, fire, and emergency services. The City and Applicant needs to memorialize the requests of the police and fire service agencies in the Development Agreement for the project. Since the City last reviewed the project, the City has prepared several plans to promote the use of active transportation and adopted a climate action plan. Based on the longevity of the project, the proposed building should be built to achieve Tier 2 Voluntary Standards of the California Green Building Code to achieve the state’s long-term carbon neutrality goals. The addition of residential also changes the directionality of vehicles in the morning (i.e., inbound employee trips and outbound residential trips). The sheer volume of cars during the peak hours means project vehicles have the potential to create vehicle-pedestrian safety conflicts on our local streets, especially during the morning peak hour when El Sol Charter School is in session. During the peak commute hours there may be insufficient stacking, resulting in blocked driveways or even blocked intersections as cars fight for their space on the road; and a result, a traffic analysis should be prepared that includes a queuing analysis for project vehicles to address potential safety impacts. Lastly, service vehicles and Ubers/Post-mates should be prohibited from stopping on the major streets. There should be space on the project site for this new type of service-based trips. The Applicant should work with the City’s Public Works department to improve transportation safety and memorize these requests in the Development Agreement. The Development Agreement needs to be available to the public to review prior to the recommendation of approval of the project. Thank you END PUBLIC COMMENT 1Dougherty, Connor. Build Build Build Build When California’s housing crisis slammed into a wealthy suburb, one public servant became a convert to a radically simple doctrine. February 13, 2020. Calfihttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/13/business/economy/housing-crisis-conor- dougherty-golden-gates.html Please accept the following additional comments on the One Broadway project for the City’s review and consideration: • GREEN BUILDING. The City of Santa Ana has adopted a Climate Action Plan (CAP). Since the project was approved and the City adopted its CAP, the State has identified a need to further reduce GHG emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. Because the project lifetime of this skyscraper is measured in centuries, not decades, the project should be designed to minimize energy use and the state’s transition to a carbon neutral economy. As a result, the project should be constructed to achieve the most energy efficient standards possible, which are the Voluntary Tier 2 standards of the California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen). Compliance with the Tier 3 Voluntary Standards will ensure that the parking structure has sufficient electric vehicle charging infrastructure beyond just the opening-year demand and energy efficiency that exceeds the current 2019 Building and Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24) standards. • CONSTRUCTION PHASE – PILE DRIVING. Construction of buildings over 11 stories require use of a pile driver, which is very vibration intensive, so much so that it has the potential to disrupt school activities at the nearby El Sol. The applicant should coordinate with the El Sol Charter School to schedule activities in the summer, spring, or winter breaks when school is not in session. Additionally, pile driving should be prohibited in the nighttime as this activity is loud enough to be audible/perceptible even at substantial distances from the project site. • CONSTRUCTION PHASE – NIGHTTIME CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES. While most construction activities will be limited to the hours in the City’s municipal code, there are some activities associated with a multi-story structure like this that will require construction outside these hours when people are more sensitive to noise (e.g., concrete pouring). Because the ambient noise levels in the City are much lower at night, construction activities (which are a different frequency than traffic noise) are audible at substantial distances. For example, nighttime construction activity on 4th Street was audible to residents in the Washington Square neighborhood. The Applicant and the Applicant’s construction contractor should set up a twitter feed and/or webpage to provide updates on construction activities, including road closures, throughout the construction phase to inform residents so we are adequately prepared. • CONSTRUCTION PHASE – NEWER CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT. Since the original project additional mitigation measures are available that reduce air pollution generated by construction activities. The project site is adjacent to disadvantage communities that are disproportionately burdened by poor air quality. Additionally, the project site is directly across the street from the El Sol Charter School. To reduce concentration of air pollutants and sensitive populations, the Applicant should commit to using newer, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 construction equipment for all phases of construction activities. • FIRE SERVICES. At the time of the original project approvals the City had its own fire department, whereas now these services are provided by the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA). It is not clear whether or not the local fire stations have ladder equipment or other necessary equipment to serve a building of this height. The Development Agreement should outline the additional facilities requested by the OCFA needed to serve this project and what additional project design features (beyond that required by code) are necessary to reduce fire hazards onsite and ensure that public services in the City are not diminished by the project. • POLICE SERVICES. The Development Agreement should outline the additional facilities requested by the Police Department are needed to serve this project and what additional project design features (beyond that required by code) are necessary to improve public safety around the project site, and ensure that public services in the City are not diminished by the project. • PARK SERVICES. The inclusion of additional residential places additional burden on the City’s park resources. There are very few parks proximate to the project site that are accessible via sidewalks/bikeways. Santiago park is across the freeway, and most residents are likely to use vehicles to access this park unless the project includes improvements/features that help connect the project site to neighborhood parks. Additionally, the building should include specific provisions for onsite recreation for residents, including dog-run area. The Development Agreement should outline the additional improvements/features needed to help offset the project’s demand for parks. • TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT (TDM). The project should include a robust transportation demand management program, such as providing shuttle buses between the project site and the train station, downtown, and/ Main Place Mall. The Development Agreement should identify the long-term commitment of the project to provide TDM programs, and the number of years such programs are required to be funded. • AFFORDABLE HOUSING. Affordable housing is one the greatest challenges to future generations trying to attain financial independence in Orange County. There are new strategies, such as communal housing, that have recently been identified. Additionally, the project Applicant has identified that residents onsite may work within the building. To ensure that is the case, strategies should be identified to prioritize rentals for people who work in the building or work in Santa Ana. The Development Agreement should outline the affordable housing requirements and strategies. • PEDESTRIAN-VEHICLE CONFLICTS. Will the parking garage have separate entrances for residents and employees? During the peak commute hours there may be insufficient stacking, resulting in blocked driveways or even blocked intersections as cars fight for their space on the road. The traffic analysis should include a queuing analysis for project vehicles. Service vehicles and Ubers/Post-mates should be prohibited from stopping on the major streets. The applicant should work with the City’s Police Department and City’s Public Works department to identify design strategies and other strategies to minimize pedestrian/bicycle and vehicle conflicts associated with project vehicles accessing/existing the site. The Development Agreement should memorialize the recommendations of the Police Department and City to improve public safety and prevent these types of conflicts. The Development Agreement needs to be available to the public to review prior to the recommendation of approval of the project. Nicole Vermilion 1001 Westwood Avenue Santa Ana, CA 92703 nicole.vermilion@gmail.com