Responses to Late Comments as of October 1, 2024

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Response to Letter LCCS: Beverly and Gary Voechting, dated October 1, 2024 Comment LCC5.1: This comment begins the letter by explaining that the commenter opposes the proposed Project. The comment states that the Project would generate more than 30,000 vehicle trips and would result in unbearable traffic. Response LCC5.1: The comment does not raise any specific environmental concern with the analysis within the Draft SEIR. The commenter incorrectly claims that the Project would result in 30,000 additional vehicle trips. As shown on Table 5.1 3-3 of the Draft Supplemental EIR, buildout of the proposed Project would result in an increase of 7,328 vehicle trips. In addition, Draft Supplemental EIR Section 5.1 3, Transportation, details that Senate Bill (SB) 743 changes include 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 Supplemental EIR 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 Supplemental EIR is not required to analyze impacts related to traffic congestion. Nevertheless, a Traffic Impact Analysis was prepared for the Project and is publicly available on the City's Project website. This comment will be forwarded to all decision makers as part of the staff report for the Project. Comment LCC5.2: This comment states that the proposed Project does not include enough commercial space to serve the surrounding community including space for a grocery store. Response LCC5.2: The comment does not raise any specific environmental concern with the analysis within the Draft Supplemental EIR. CEQA is an environmental protection statute that is concerned with physical changes to the environment (CEQA Guidelines Section 15358(b)). The environment includes land, air, water, minerals, flora, fauna, ambient noise, and objects of historic or aesthetic significance (CEQA Guidelines Section 15360). The Project's potential economic and social effects are not considered effects on the environment (CEQA Guidelines Sections 15064(e) and 15131(a)). Thus, consistent with CEQA, the Draft SEIR includes an analysis of the Project's potentially significant physical impacts on the environment and does not include discussion of the type of commercial uses that would be included in the Project. Comment LCC5.3: This comment states that the Project's proposed open spaces are not sufficient to serve the surrounding community as there are no wide open green spaces. The comment also wishes to see the landscape plan for the proposed Project as well as the size of the residential units. Response LCC5.3: The comment does not raise any specific environmental concern with the analysis within the Draft Supplemental EIR or requirements of the proposed Specific Plan. As discussed on page 5.12-8 of the Draft Supplemental EIR, the proposed Project would provide approximately 17.21 acres of total open space, with 13.1 acres being available to the public. While there are designated private open space areas proposed for the Project site, those areas are not included in the 13.1 acres of public open space that would be available to anyone in the community to access. As discussed on page 5.12-5 of the Draft EIR, the 13.1 acres of public open space will include a central park, two plaza spaces, a green link/paseo, and other open spaces such as landscaped parkways and programmable roads that could be used for public recreational areas. While the proposed open space areas may not be able to accommodate organized sport activities such as soccer or baseball, parks and open space come in a variety of forms, and the open space provided by the proposed Project would be consistent with Policy OS-1.5 of the Santa Ana General Plan Open Space Element to "provide a mix of community, neighborhood, and special -use parks, along with greenway corridors, natural areas, and landscape areas, to meet community needs for greenspace, 105