2019-047 - Adopting Mitigated Negative Declaration Environmental Review No. 2018-75

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The City of Santa Ana has an adopted Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP)26. The UWMP provides a detailed summary of present and future water resources and demands and provides an assessment of the City of Santa Ana's water resource needs. The UWMP provides water supply planning for a 25-year planning period in five-year increments and identifies water supplies needs to meet existing and future demands. The City gets approximately 71 percent of its annual water demand from local groundwater.21 The City supplements its water supply with imported water from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) and recycled water.21 The UWMP analyzed the future water demand for the city based on land use type, including single- family, multi -family, commercial, institutional, industrial, etc. The UWMP also analyzed its future water supply based on the reliability of its existing sources of water including groundwater, MWD, recycling, etc. Based on the UWMP the available supply of water would meet the projected demand due to diversified supply and conservation measures. The project would continue to allow rainfall to percolate into the on -site soils and recharge the local groundwater. Therefore, the project would not significantly impact the UWMP and the City's future sources of water supply. XI. LAND USE AND PLANNING: Would the project: a) Physically divide an established community? No Impact. The 3.59-acre project is an infill site surrounded by residential use and an elementary school. The project would not divide the established communities adjacent to the site. The project would not impact an established community. b) Cause a significant environmental impact due to a conflict with any land use plan, policy, or regulation adopted for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating an environmental effect? Less Than Significant Impact. The project site is designated Low Density Residential (LR-7) land use by the Santa Ana General Plan and zoned Single -Family Residence (R1). Because the 226 residential units proposed for the site are not consistent with the Low Density Residential land use and R1 zoning, the project requires a General Plan Amendment to Urban Neighborhood and a zone change to Specific Development (SD) to allow the development of the project as proposed. The Santa Ana General Plan identifies the intent of the Urban Neighborhood land use29 as follows: "The Urban Neighborhood (UN) land use designation applies to primarily residential areas with pedestrian oriented commercial uses, schools and small parks. The Urban Neighborhood allows for a mix of residential uses and housing types, such as mid to low rise multiple family, townhouses and single-family dwellings; with some opportunities for live -work, neighborhood serving retail and service, public spaces and use, and other amenities. Either vertical or horizontal integration of uses is permitted based on zoning standards, with an emphasis on tying together the uses with pedestrian linkages and street frontages. Street connectivity is desirable, allowing for a high degree of walkability, transit options, and other forms of transportation including pedestrian and bicycle travel. The intensity standard for the Urban Neighborhood ranges from a floor area ratio (FAR) of 0.5 to 1.5; with residential density based on a combination of floor area ratio and zoning development standards." 26 Santa Ana 2015 Urban Water Management Plan, June 2016. 27 Santa Ana 2015 Urban Water Management Plan, June 2016, page 3-8. 28 Ibid, page 3-1. 29 City of Santa Ana General Plan, Land Use Element, page A-23. Legacy Sunflower Apartments Page 63 Mitigated Negative Declaration — March 14, 2019