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Prepared by Appendix O Technical Memorandum Land Use and Planning ---PAGE BREAK--- Appendix O Technical Memorandum – Land Use and Planning Prepared by 1 1.0 LAND USE AND PLANNING This section of the EIR discusses the potential environmental impacts of the project associated with land use and planning. The majority of analysis focuses on land use compatibility, General Plan consistency, and the implications of ARTIC on existing and surrounding land uses. 1.1 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING ARTIC is designated by the City of Anaheim General Plan for mixed use and institutional land uses. Properties within the vicinity of ARTIC are primarily designated for mixed use land use; this designation allows for residential, commercial, office and mixed-use development. ARTIC is located within an area of the City referred to as the Platinum Triangle, located on the southeastern boundary of the City at the confluence of I-5 and SR-57. The Platinum Triangle includes Angel Stadium, the Honda Center, and The Grove of Anaheim. 1.1.1 Project Site The project site is located on approximately 19 acres, formerly used as a County of Orange Maintenance Facility and currently used as a lay-down yard for OCTA and Metrolink construction projects. A portion of the project site is currently leased on a month-to-month basis to a lumber retailer. The project site includes a section of the existing LOSSAN corridor that is owned and operated by OCTA. The City of Anaheim General Plan designates the majority of the project site for institutional land use, which is implemented by the Semi-Public (SP) Zone. This land use designation covers a wide variety of public and quasi-public land uses. Although the City’s SP Zone applies to the majority of the project site, portions of the project site within the Stadium District are within the City’s Public Recreation (PR) Zone and the PTMU Overlay Zone. The pedestrian bridge will land on property north of Katella Avenue, designated by the General Plan for mixed-use and within the PR Zone and the PTMU Overlay Zone. 1.1.2 Surrounding Land Uses Properties that surround the project site are primarily designated for mixed use land use by the General Plan. The PTMU Overlay Zone is applied to the properties within the Platinum Triangle that are designated mixed use by the General Plan. Within the PTMU Overlay Zone, there are five mixed use districts, which include the Arena District, the Katella District, the Stadium District, the Gene Autry District, and the Gateway District. Figure 3.1-1 illustrates the existing City of Anaheim General Plan designations and the PTMU Overlay Zone Districts within the Platinum Triangle. ---PAGE BREAK--- Appendix O Technical Memorandum – Land Use and Planning Prepared by 2 1.1.3 Floodplains ARTIC is located in an area considered protected by levees from the 1 percent annual chance flood (Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA], 2009). Despite the protection provided from flooding by levees and the channeling of the Santa Ana River, over-toppling and/or failure of these structures is possible. A copy of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) panels inclusive of the site area is presented as Figure 3.1-2. ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- Appendix O Technical Memorandum – Land Use and Planning Prepared by 5 1.2 THRESHOLDS OF SIGNIFICANCE According to the CEQA Guidelines, the thresholds of significance for Land Use are defined by: a) Would the project physically divide an established community? b) Would the project conflict with any applicable land use plan, policy, or regulation of an agency with jurisdiction over the project (including, but not limited to the general plan, specific plan, local coastal program, or zoning ordinance) adopted for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating an environmental effect? c) Would the project conflict with any applicable habitat conservation plan or natural community conservation plan? 1.2.1 Project Impacts ARTIC requires the following discretionary approvals: a General Plan Amendment (GPA2010- 00480), an amendment to the Platinum Triangle Master Land Use Plan (MIS2010-00437), and a CUP (CUP2010-05492). The General Plan Amendment will modify Figure C-1 (Planned Roadway Network) of the General Plan Circulation Element to classify Douglass Road south of Katella Avenue as a Secondary Arterial. This amendment is intended to provide consistency between the street classification and the existing street design. The amendment to the Platinum Triangle Master Land Use Plan will allow for greater flexibility of the streetscape improvements prescribed by the Platinum Triangle Master Land Use Plan to meet the specific design needs of ARTIC including the proposed pedestrian bridge. A CUP is required by the Anaheim Municipal Code for a transit facility to be developed and operated within the PR and SP Zones. a) Would the project physically divide an established community? (No Impact) ARTIC is located in an area of the City known as the Platinum Triangle. It is an area within Anaheim that includes Angel Stadium, the Honda Center and The Grove of Anaheim. ARTIC will be constructed in an area that is bordered to the south by SR-57, Douglass Road to the west, Katella Avenue to the north, and the Santa Ana River to the east. The section of railroad associated with ARTIC will operate entirely within an existing rail corridor and its adjacent parcels will be in an area where the railroad facilities have long been part of the local community setting. Implementation of ARTIC will not restrict the movement of people or physically divide an established community. No impacts are anticipated for this issue area. b) Would the project conflict with any applicable land use plan, policy or regulation of an agency with jurisdiction over the project (including, but not limited to the general plan, specific plan, local coastal program, or zoning ordinance) adopted for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating an environmental impact? (No Impact) The properties that surround ARTIC are primarily designated as mixed use, which accommodates a variety of uses. Figure 3.1-5 provides an overview of land uses within and adjacent to ARTIC. ---PAGE BREAK--- Appendix O Technical Memorandum – Land Use and Planning Prepared by 6 ARTIC will be compatible with existing and planned land uses within the City. The proposed General Plan amendment pertains to the General Plan Circulation Element and is intended to provide consistency between the street classification and the existing street design and does not pertain to land use. The amendment to the Platinum Triangle Master Land Use Plan will allow for greater flexibility of the streetscape improvements prescribed by the Platinum Triangle Master Land Use Plan to meet the specific design needs of ARTIC. The streetscape for ARTIC will be compatible with the intent of the Landscape Concept Plan to create a memorable, unified and civic-scaled public landscape for the Platinum Triangle and the overall vision of the Platinum Triangle Master Land Use Plan to create a unique, integrated, walkable urban environment. The proposed project will comply with the development standards for the PR and SP Zones, including those standards that will be determined as part of the approval of a CUP for the transit facility. The evaluation of potential environmental consequences associated with land use reveals consistency with existing and future land uses at ARTIC. City and local land use plans anticipate and support ARTIC, as outlined below: • The City of Anaheim General Plan aims to support the “vision” of the City by encouraging growth and utilizing mixed-use areas within the Platinum Triangle, limiting traffic impacts and encouraging alternate means of transportation, and promoting economic development. Other related objectives of the City of Anaheim General Plan include, ensuring compatibility between adjacent land use, creating a dynamic, identifiable sense of place, and taking advantage of existing and implementing new transit to reduce traffic impacts. A specific goal of the City is to establish the Platinum Triangle as a thriving economic center, and part of the City’s policy to execute this goal is through encouraging the development of ARTIC; • The Platinum Triangle Master Land Use Plan and PTMU Overlay Zone provide opportunities for future commercial, office, residential and mixed-use development near existing transit facilities. Part of the Platinum Triangle Master Land Use Plan vision includes ARTIC. Other planning principles to support the vision of the Platinum Triangle Master Land Use Plan include helping to stimulate market driven development, creating a unique, integrated community, linking housing to employment, and maintaining and enhancing connectivity; and • ARTIC is located on properties within the PR and SP Zones. The intent of the PR Zone is to establish for the benefit of the health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of Anaheim and its visitors, a zone to preserve, regulate and control the orderly use and enjoyment of City-owned properties and facilities and adjacent private property. The intent of the SP Zone is to provide locations for uses that support civic, governmental, cultural, health, educational, recreational, and infrastructure uses of the community. The proposed project meets the intent of these zones and will comply with the applicable development standards prescribed by the Anaheim Municipal Code. ---PAGE BREAK--- Appendix O Technical Memorandum – Land Use and Planning Prepared by 7 ARTIC will be compatible with planned land uses and is consistent with the City’s policies and regulations concerning land use, zoning ordinances, and codes. No impacts are anticipated for this issue area. c) Would the project conflict with any applicable habitat conservation plan or natural community conservation plan? (No Impact) No habitat conservation or natural community conservation plans apply to ARTIC. ARTIC will not conflict with any applicable habitat conservation plan (HCP) or natural community conservation plan (NCCP). No impacts are anticipated for this issue area. 1.3 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ARTIC will comply with zoning designations, applicable municipal codes, and be consistent with both the Platinum Triangle Master Land Use Plan and the City of Anaheim General Plan. There is no impact from ARTIC as a result of cumulative effects. 1.4 EXISTING REGULATIONS AND STANDARD CONDITIONS • City of Anaheim General Plan; • Platinum Triangle Master Land Use Plan; and • Anaheim Municipal Code. 1.5 LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE BEFORE MITIGATION ARTIC will have no impact on land use. 1.6 MITIGATION MEASURES ARTIC will have no impact on land use. No mitigation measures are required for this issue area. 1.7 LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE AFTER MITIGATION ARTIC will have no impact on land use.