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SEIR No. 339 City of Anaheim• Page 10-1 10. Growth-Inducing Impacts of the Proposed Project Pursuant to Sections 15126(d) and 15126.2(d) of the CEQA Guidelines, this section is provided to examine ways in which the Proposed Project could foster economic or population growth, or the construction of additional housing, either directly or indirectly, in the surrounding environment. Also required is an assessment of other projects that would foster other activities which could affect the environment, individually or cumulatively. To address this issue, potential growth inducing effects will be examined through analysis of the following questions: • Would this project remove obstacles to growth, e.g., through the construction or extension of major infrastructure facilities that do not presently exist in the project area, or through changes in existing regulations pertaining to land development? • Would this project result in the need to expand one or more public services to maintain desired levels of service? • Would this project encourage or facilitate economic effects that could result in other activities that could significantly affect the environment? • Would approval of this project involve some precedent setting action that could encourage and facilitate other activities that could significantly affect the environment? Please note that growth-inducing effects are not to be construed as necessarily beneficial, detrimental, or of little significance to the environment. This issue is presented to provide additional information on ways in which this project could contribute to significant changes in the environment, beyond the direct consequences of developing the land use concept examined in the preceding sections of this EIR. Would this project remove obstacles to growth, e.g., through the construction or extension of major infrastructure facilities that do not presently exist in the Project Area, or through changes in existing regulations pertaining to land development? The Platinum Triangle is located at the confluence of I-5 and SR-57 and encompasses a variety of urban uses such as industrial structures, restaurants, office towers, hotels, residential units, the Angel Stadium of Anaheim, the Honda Center, and The Grove of Anaheim. Although existing infrastructure facilities are available to serve the project area with upgrades, the current allowable development intensity is limiting the growth within The Platinum Triangle. The proposed increase in development intensities and amendments to various planning documents would remove this obstacle and would have a direct growth inducing effect. Would this project result in the need to expand one or more public services to maintain desired levels of service? As discussed in Section 5.7, the proposed project will require additional public services to maintain the City’s desired level of service standards. However, existing regulations and the funding mechanisms provided through the Standardized Development Agreement would ensure that the service capability will grow proportionate to the increase in uses and will not result in service capacity beyond what is approved. This project would not, therefore, have significant growth inducing consequences with respect to public services. ---PAGE BREAK--- 10. Growth-Inducing Impacts of the Proposed Project Page 10-2 • The Planning Center August 2010 Would this project encourage or facilitate economic effects that could result in other activities that could significantly affect the environment? During project construction, a number of design, engineering, and construction-related jobs would be created. This would last until project construction is completed, where the estimated build out year is 2030. This would be a direct, growth inducing effect of this project. Additionally, as new dwelling units are developed and occupied, residents of the proposed project would seek shopping, entertainment, employ- ment, home improvement, auto maintenance and other economic opportunities in The Platinum Triangle and also in surrounding area. This would represent an increased demand for such economic goods and services and would, therefore, encourage the creation of new businesses, and/or the expansion of existing busi- nesses which address these economic needs. The proposed increase in the permitted amount of office, retail, and institutional uses within the PTMU Overlay Zone would also facilitate economic activities in and around the project area and create additional employment opportunities. However, the close proximity of future housing units and office, commercial, industrial, and institutional uses envisioned by the proposed project would reduce vehicle trips, and thereby reduce air quality impacts. Therefore, although the proposed project will have a direct growth inducing effect, indirect growth-inducing effects will be minimized due to the balance of land uses set forth by the proposed project. Would approval of this project involve some precedent setting action that could encourage and facilitate other activities that could significantly affect the environment? The proposed project involves amendments to the City of Anaheim General Plan, The Platinum Triangle MLUP, Zoning Code, and The Platinum Triangle Development Agreement form. No changes to any of the City’s building safety standards building, grading, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, fire codes) are proposed or required to implement this project. Mitigation measures have been identified in the preceding Sections 5.1 to 5.11 to ensure that subsequent subdivision maps and site-specific development projects comply with all applicable City plans, policies, ordinances, etc., to ensure that there are no conflicts with adopted land development regulations and that environmental impacts are minimized. Pressures to develop other land in the surrounding area may derive from regional economic conditions and market demands for housing, commercial, office and industrial land uses that may be directly or indirectly influenced by the proposed project. As the development intensity associated with the proposed project is allocated through development agreements, proposals may arise to further amend the General Plan, PTMU Overlay Zone and The Platinum Triangle MLUP. However, these amendments would require a full environ- mental analysis of the impacts of such actions. Therefore, although the project may be considered a precedent setting action, the impacts of subsequent similar actions would require environmental analysis and associated mitigation to ensure that such subsequent impacts would not significantly affect the environment.