Item 26 - Public Hearing Regarding Bristol Project

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E P I D SOLUTIONS,INC WHERE EXPERIENCE AND PASSION MEET Date: August 9, 2024 Prepared by: Meaghan Trumann, Associate Environmental Planner III To: Ali Pezeshkpour, apezeshkpour@santa-ana.org Site: Related Bristol Specific Plan Project Subject: CalTrans Comment Letter on the DEIR for the Related Bristol Specific Plan Project (SCH No. 2020029087) Dear Mr. Pezeshkpour, On August 18, 2023, the City of Santa Ana received a comment from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) regarding the Related Bristol Specific Plan Project. The comment recommends further improvements to the Bear Street at SR-73 north bound routes, including restriping the existing westbound left -turn land to provide a shared left/right-turn lane to mitigate poor level of service (LOS) at the intersection. However, Senate Bill (SB) 743 introduced changes including the elimination of auto delay, LOS, and similar measures of vehicular capacity or traffic congestion as the basis for determining significant impacts. As part of the 2019 amendments to the State CEQA Guidelines, SB 743 directed that the revised CEQA Guidelines "shall promote the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the development of multimodal transportation networks, and a diversity of land uses" (Public Resources Code Section 21099[b][1 ]); and that "automobile delay, as described solely by level of service or similar measures of vehicular capacity or traffic congestion, shall not be considered a significant impact on the environment" (Public Resources Code Section 21099[b][2]). As such, pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21099(b)(2), the Draft and Final SEIR focuses on analysis of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) criteria and improvements to the circulation system along the Project's frontage to accommodate buildout of the proposed Project, pursuant to the City's recent General Plan Update. Further yet, the SEIR is not required to analyze impacts related to traffic congestion. However, responses to the August 18th comment letter from Caltrans were provided by Linscott, Law & Greenspan, Engineers (LLG) in a memorandum dated August 31, 2023, which was emailed to Caltrans on September 18, 2023 and which is included herein as Attachment A. As further detailed in the individual responses to comments below, none of the comments indicate that there would be a substantial increase in the severity of a previously identified environmental impact that would not be mitigated, or that there would be any of the other circumstances requiring recirculation as described in CEQA Guidelines Section 15088.5. No new significant environmental impact would result from the project or from a new mitigation measure proposed to be implemented, there is no substantial increase in the severity of an environmental impact, no feasible project alternative or mitigation measure considerably different from others previously analyzed would lessen the environmental impacts of the Project, and the Draft and Final SEIR are not fundamentally inadequate and conclusory in nature. In addition, Caltrans responded to the memorandum provided by LLG on August 8, 2024 stating that they have no further comments. Respectfully, Meaghan Truman Exhibit 14 - Responses to Planning Commission Comments Received Prior to Deadline