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1. Introduction Final EIR • Page 1-1 Anaheim General Plan and Zoning Code Update City of Anaheim P:\Coa-06\EIR\Final EIR\Response to Comments\Final EIR Response to Comments.doc Section 15088 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines requires the Lead Agency (City of Anaheim) to evaluate comments on environmental issues received from public agencies and interested parties who reviewed the Draft EIR and prepare written responses. This document contains responses to comments received on the Anaheim General Plan and Zoning Code Update Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) No. 330, State Clearinghouse Number [PHONE REDACTED], during the public review period, which commenced on March 19, 2004 and closed on May 3, 2004. This document has been prepared in accordance with CEQA and the CEQA Guidelines and represents the independent judgment of the Lead Agency. This Response to Comments volume, together with the DEIR, technical appendices, and other written documentation prepared during the EIR process, as those documents may be modified by the City Council at the time of certification, will constitute the Final EIR, as defined in the State CEQA Guidelines, Section 15132, and the City of Anaheim’s environmental document reporting procedures. This Response to Comments package is organized as follows: Section 1 provides a brief introduction to this report. Section 2 provides a list of agencies and interested persons commenting on the DEIR. This section also contains individual comments followed thereafter by responses. To facilitate review of the responses, an index number 1-1, 1-2, 2-1) has been assigned to each comment and to its corresponding responses. Section 3 contains revisions to the Draft EIR as a result of the comments by agencies and interested persons as described in Section 3. The responses to comments contained in this package contain material and revisions which will be added or made to the text of the Final EIR. City staff has reviewed this material and determined that none of this material constitutes the type of significant new information that requires a second recirculation period for further public comment under CEQA Guideline Section 15088.5. None of this new material indicates that the project will result in a significant new environmental impact not previously disclosed in the DEIR. Additionally, none of this material indicates that there would be a substantial increase in the severity of a previously identified environmental impact that will not be mitigated, or that there would be any of the other circumstances requiring recirculation described in Section 15088.5. 1.1 CEQA REQUIREMENTS REGARDING COMMENTS AND RESPONSES CEQA Guidelines Section 15204 outlines parameters for submitting comments, and reminds persons and public agencies that the focus of review and comment of Draft EIRs should be, “on the sufficiency of the document in identifying and analyzing possible impacts on the environment and ways in which significant effects of the project might be avoided or mitigated.” Comments are most helpful when they suggest additional specific alternatives or mitigation measures that would provide better ways to avoid or mitigate the significant environmental effects. At the same time, reviewers should be aware that the adequacy of an EIR is determined in terms of what is reasonably feasible… CEQA does not require a lead agency to conduct every test or perform all research, study, and experimentation recommended or demanded by those submitting comments. When responding to comments, lead agencies need only respond to significant environmental issues and do not need to provide all information requested by reviewers, as long as a good faith effort at full disclosure is made in the EIR.” ---PAGE BREAK--- 1. Introduction CEQA Guidelines Section 15204 further advises, “Reviewers should explain the basis for their comments, and should submit data or references offering facts, reasonable assumptions based on facts, or expert opinion supported by facts in support of the comments. Pursuant to Section 15064, an effect shall not be considered significant in the absence of substantial evidence.” Section 15204 also states, “Each responsible agency and trustee agency shall focus its comments on environmental information germane to that agency’s statutory responsibility.” Section 15204 states, “This section shall not be used to restrict the ability of reviewers to comment on the general adequacy of a document or of the lead agency to reject comments not focused as recommended by this section.” Page 1-2 • The Planning Center May 2004 P:\Coa-06\EIR\Final EIR\Response to Comments\Final EIR Response to Comments.doc