Item 37 - EIR No. 2020-03 and GPA No.2020-06 Santa Ana General Plan Update

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December 7, 2021 Via Email Santa Ana City Council 20 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92701 nn wwea .den ne d yconvmtios.Mioun org lrvinv, CA 92614 9,49 2 9) NO Re: Item 37 - Final Recirculated Program Environmental Impact Report No. 2020-03 and General Plan Amendment No. 2020-06 for Santa Ana General Plan Update Dear Mayor Sarmiento and Councilmembers Phan, Penaloza, Lopez, Bacerra, Hernandez, and Mendoza, The Kennedy Commission (the Commission), a broad -based coalition of residents and community organizations, advocates for the production of homes affordable for families earning less than $27,000 annually in Orange County. Formed in 2001, the Commission has successfully partnered and worked with Orange County jurisdictions to create effective housing and land -use policies that have led to the new construction of homes affordable to lower -income working families. As the City Council considers adopting the draft General Plan Update ("the General Plan") today, the Commission would like to make clear that it opposes the adoption of the Plan as it is proposed today. The Commission does not believe the policies and programs proposed in the General Plan will effectively address the needs of residents or the concerns they raised during the City's community engagement events. Before the Council approves the General Plan, we request the City address the three following concerns: 1) In the General Plan, the City identifies five Focus Areas in the City where it plans to intensify development: 17th St. & Grand Ave., 55 Fwy & Dyer Rd., South Bristol St., South Main St., and West Santa Ana Blvd.' The City needs to provide policies that ensure that there will be robust production of 100% affordable housing in these areas. Without such policies, it is likely that the increases in densities being applied to these areas through the General Plan Update will primarily lead to market -rate housing. 2) Many census tracts in the five Focus Areas face a disproportionate level of environmental pollution.2 Intensifying development and increasing the population in these areas without addressing these environmental concerns is not acceptable. Therefore, the City should consider conducting a preliminary environmental assessment of the five Focus Areas to understand the level of environmental pollution residents of these areas are and will face and, thus, determine the suitability of these areas for increased residential use. Santa Ana General Plan Public Review Draft, p. 238, December 2021 htt s://www.sanka...ana.or /sites/default/Files/ I / eneral... lan/December%202021 %20Draft/2021'%20 SA'Yo20Genera '%20FIlan'%20 1%20Combined1%20Doc comressed.df 2 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Indicator Maps, hkk s://ex erience.arc is.com/experience/edS S3d8 ¢J38431d1 F4f22ab9abfe40d/.