2025-023 - Addendum to Transit Zoning Code Environmental Impact Report

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The TZC Final EIR, including the original Draft EIR (DEIR), and has been made available for public review at the Lead Agency office (City of Santa Ana). The Final EIR is incorporated into this Addendum by reference. This Addendum is available for public inspection at the City at 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA, and on the City's website at https://www.santa-ana.org/environmental-impact-report- transit-zoning-codel. 2.0 BACKGROUND The TZC was established in June 2010, which is located in the area west of Interstate 5, north of First Street, and between Grand Avenue and Flower Street, and south of Civic Center Drive in the City of Santa Ana. The TZC provided new zoning for all of the properties contained within its boundary. However, some properties with existing M1 and M2 zoning and/or existing industrial businesses also received an overlay district designation which allowed for the continuation of industrial land uses on those properties and allows for the option of future mixed-use development to be exercised at the discretion of the property owner. The purpose was to establish a transit-supportive, pedestrian-oriented development framework to support the addition of new transit infrastructure; preserve and reinforce the existing character and pedestrian nature of the City by strengthening urban form through improved development and design standards; encourage alternative modes of transportation; provide for a range of housing options; and allow for the reuse of existing structures. On June 7, 2010, the City adopted the TZC and certified the TZC Final EIR (SCH No. 2006071100). The TZC Final EIR provides a program-level and project-level analysis of the environmental impacts resulting from implementation of the TZC. The majority of the analysis is done at the program level; however, a project-level analysis is provided for the development proposal to demolish 30,000 square feet of existing structures on eleven Redevelopment Agency-owned parcels and to construct 220 affordable residential units. The TZC Final EIR concluded full implementation of the TZC would result in significant and unavoidable impacts with respect to the following: aesthetics, air quality, cultural resources, noise, transportation, and climate change. The TZC Final EIR's background and environmental impact conclusions are cited throughout this Addendum. In July 2019, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. NS-2970, amending the Transit Zoning Code to modify certain design criteria regarding height, massing, open space location, driveway standards, lot dimensions, and parking alternatives, and determined that this ordinance was exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines, section 15061(b)(3). This amendment did not include changes to land uses or permit types within the TZC. In support of the TZC amendment, the City Council also approved a General Plan amendment, establishing numerous mixed-use General Plan land use designations for the entirety of the TZC. Refer to Figure 1 — Existing Transit Zoning Code area and Figure 2 Transit Zoning Code Designations, below. However, due to the continued application of the industrial overlay zones within the TZC, implementation of the new General Plan land use designations immediately resulted in zoning inconsistencies and land use conflicts with the new General Plan. January 2025 3 Environmental Analysis Resolution No. 2025-023 Page 11 of 65