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CAJA Environmental Services, LLG <br />9410 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Suite 101 <br />Chatsworth, CA 91311 <br />Phone 310-469-6700 Fax 310-806-9801 <br />damaged by construction and operations. Santa Ana has extensive historical and archaeological resources <br />which heighten the risk of impacts from new construction. The Addendum fails to address any of these <br />potential impacts, concluding without supporting evidence that the Proposed Ordinance "only affects <br />existing structures" and therefore, there would be no change in cultural resources impacts beyond those <br />identified in the GP PEIR. (Staff Report, Exhibit 3, p. 27.) This is inadequate. <br />The Analysis in the Addendum Fails to Address Potentially Significant Impacts <br />The Addendum's analysis of cultural resources impacts is insufficient, finding that the STR ban would only <br />"affect existing structures" and "construction activities would not occur." (Staff Report, Exhibit 3, p. 27.) <br />This analysis lacks any consideration of the reasonably foreseeable construction of new hotels from an <br />STR ban, which could result in potentially significant impacts to cultural resources, as discussed below. <br />Construction and Operation of New Hotels <br />The construction and operation of new hotels has the potential to result in significant environmental impacts <br />with respect to cultural resources. Cultural resources, including historical resources, archaeological <br />resources, and human remains, could be damaged by construction and operations. Hotels currently exist <br />near, or may be a component of, existing designated cultural resources in urban locations in the City. As <br />discussed above, the City has identified certain locations in its General Plan, various Specific Plans, and <br />Zoning Code appropriate for hotels. The expansion or construction of hotels in these locations could have <br />potential to significantly and adversely harm historically important cultural resources and undetected <br />cultural resources covered by topsoil and require mitigation. <br />This is particularly true given the extensive cultural and historical resources within Santa Ana. As discussed <br />in the Addendum's discussion of the GP PEIR, "there are eight archaeological resources" recorded in the <br />City, including four prehistoric sites, one multicomponent site, and three historic isolates, and that <br />development involving ground disturbance in the City has potential to impact known and unknown <br />archaeological resources. (Staff Report, Exhibit 3, p. 24.) According to the GP PEIR, "Existing Conditions <br />Database reveals approximately 2,511 historical resources have been recorded in Santa Ana. ))24 Further, <br />"the California Historical Resources Information System records search indicates that 23 archaeological <br />resources were previously recorded within 0.5 mile (0.8 km) of the [General Plan] area.25 <br />And, importantly: <br />While the review of ethnographic and historical maps does not indicate the <br />presence of any specific Native American archaeological resources, the proximity <br />of mapped locations of settlements in the vicinity of the plan area indicate a high <br />sensitivity. The presence of the Santa Ana River, a permanent water source that <br />connects the closest mapped Native American villages, and numerous springs <br />mapped throughout the area on the rancho plat maps indicate that there is likely <br />a high sensitivity for Native American archaeological resources throughout the <br />24 City of Santa Ana, GP EIR, p. 5.4-26 (Dec. 2023), available here. <br />25 Id., p. 5.4-18. <br />17 <br />