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8 8 8 March 11, 2004 Mayor Miguel Pulido Council Members, Santa Ana City Council 20 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92702 RE: One Broadway Plaza Project Dear Mayor and Council Members: I am writing to ask you to vote "no" on the EIR certification and project approval for the One Broadway Plaza project, which I understand will be voted on at the March 15, 2004 City Council meeting. As a private citizen and a& the President of the S¡ulta Ana Historical Preservation Society, I have expressed my concerns with this project on numerous occasions. After a thorough reading of the DEIR and EIR, I have been openly and adamantly opposed to this project. The EIR contains a multitudc of unmitigatable adverse impacts to traffic, air quality and cultural resources, to name a few. While it is clear from the EIR that this ill conceived project would have a lasting detrimental affect to the environment and the quality of life of Santa Ana's Citizens, I am convinced that it will also have a negative financial impact, draining resources from City infrastructure and giving little in return. I am shocked to learn that, for a project of this magnitude and obvious impact to the City, there have been no study sessions for the Council to allow them to make an infonned decision. In various conversations with Council Members, City Staff and Commissioners, when support for this project comes up, it is based on emotional buzzwords and phrases with no facts or substance behind them. The project will "put us on the map"; "bring jobs to out of work citizens"; "be filled with Fortune 500 companies"; "bring redevelopment to Downtown"; "contribute lots of money in taxes and licenses." I have seen no facts, figures, studies or reports to substantiate any of these claims. As elected officials, I expect you to also demand such detailed infonnation. So imagine my further shock to read this afternoon the same hollow, emotional and unsubstantiated cJaims in the official "Statément of OveITiding Considerations." Since the negative impacts of the project are overwhelmingly clear and supported by fact and studies cited in the EIR, I expected City officials to require extremely compelling and fact -based justification for recommending the project. Was I ever wrong. Here are some of the "justifications" that are supposed to override everything that is wrong with this project: . creates a new City landmark to serve as a "focal point" (does this have any intrinsic value?) provides more Class A office space: . 75E-69