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Downtown Specific Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report

Project Name: Downtown Specific Plan

Project Location: The Downtown Specific Plan (DTSP) encompasses a 336-acre area that extends from the intersection of Goldenwest Street and Pacific Coast Highway and curves along the coastline, including the Huntington Beach Pier, down to Beach Boulevard. The eastern boundary of the Specific Plan Area follows Pacific View Avenue from Beach Boulevard to 1st Street where the boundary curves around the traditional downtown up to Palm Avenue and down along 6th Street. From 6th Street to Goldenwest Street, parcels located within the first block adjacent to Pacific Coast Highway are included in the Specific Plan Area.

Draft Environmental Impact Report No. 08-001 for the Downtown Specific Plan Update analyzes the potential environmental impacts associated with a City-initiated proposal to update Specific Plan No. 5 – Downtown Specific Plan (DTSP). The project proposes to reconfigure the existing 11 Specific Plan districts into 7 districts, modify development and parking standards, incorporate design guidelines and provide recommendations for street improvements, public amenities, circulation enhancements, infrastructure and public facility improvements and parking strategies. The project also proposes revised parking requirements and modified parking ratios, the elimination of the Downtown Parking Master Plan concept, a Cultural Arts Overlay in the northern portion of the DTSP area on the site of the existing Main Street Branch library, a Neighborhood Overlay on 1st and 2nd Street between Walnut Avenue and Orange Avenue, and the elimination of the Resource Production Overlay in District 8 of the existing DTSP, although provisions for continued oil recovery remain in the proposed DTSP Update.

Draft Environmental Impact Report No. 08-001 for The Downtown Specific Plan Update will be available for public review and comment for forty-five (45) days commencing Monday, July 20, 2009 and ending Wednesday, September 2, 2009. A copy of Draft EIR No. 08-001 is on file with the Department of Planning, City of Huntington Beach City Hall, 2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach, California. Draft EIR No. 08-001 is also available for review in the City Clerk’s office, City Hall, 2nd Floor, 2000 Main Street; the Main Street Branch Library, 525 Main Street, Huntington Beach, CA 92648, the Rodgers Senior Center, 1706 Orange Avenue, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 and on the Internet at http://www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/CityDepartments/planning/major/DTSP. A public comment meeting will be held during the review period to take comments related to the adequacy of the environmental issues analyzed within the Draft EIR. The comment meeting will be held on Thursday, August 13, 2009 beginning at 6:00 PM in Room B8, City Hall – Lower Level 2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach, CA 92648. Any person wishing to comment on the request may do so in writing during the forty-five (45) day comment period by providing written comments to Jennifer Villasenor, Associate Planner, City of Huntington Beach Planning Department, 2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach, CA 92648.

Draft Environmental Impact Report

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Executive Summary

3. Project Description

4. Environmental Setting, Impacts and Mitigation Measures

4.1 Aesthetics

4.2 Air Quality

4.3 Cultural Resources

4.4 Geology and Soils

4.5 Hazards and Hazard Mitigation

4.6 Hydrology and Water Quality

4.7 Land Use and Planning

4.8 Noise

4.9 Population and Housing

4.10 Public Services

4.11 Recreation

4.12 Transportation and Parking

4.13 Utilities and Service Systems

5. Other CEQA Considerations

6. Alternatives

7. References

8. List of Persons and Organizations Consulted

Appendix A -- Environmental Checklist Form, Notice of Preparation and Initial Study

Appendix B -- Air Quality Assessment for Huntington Beach Downtown Specific Plan dated April 13, 2009

Appendix C -- Greenhouse Gas Assessment for Huntington Beach Downtown Specific Plan dated April 13, 2009

Appendix D -- Report of Cultural Resources Records Search for Downtown Specific Plan, City of Huntington Beach, January 30, 2009

Appendix E -- Noise Assessment, February 19, 2009

Appendix F -- Traffic Impact Analysis for City of Huntington Beach Downtown Specific Plan Update dated June 2009

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