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8.A. - Page 324 <br /> they still sUpport their claim that the Creekside Greer�Aiternative"was determined <br /> to have greater envzronmentat ir�pacts than the propvsed project" (p.�3 0€the <br /> FEIR).This makes na sense,There is no substantial evidence in the Draft EIR ar the <br /> FEIR comments that s�pport this canclusion,and in fact thFS conclusi�n is refuted bq <br /> e�vidence the greparers acKnawledge to be true. <br /> �en�r�l C�anment on Alterna�fves <br /> Cnmment�[-12),by another cornmentor,indicat�d that�he EIR shouid ide�ttify all <br /> contributars to the Alternatives,[ncluding the project applicant, nok just singIe out <br /> that the Creeksid��reen alternative was contributed by the Fir�gerAvenv�Pride <br /> �ommittee.The FEIR respqn.se reads in part as fallaws: <br /> "The remaining alternatives diseussed in the EIR were develaped withaut bias by the <br /> EIR preparers(City stuff and consuTtant)arcording to the SettlementAgreemen� T'he <br /> prvject applicar�t drd nor suggest a2ternatives beyond parCrcipation in the Settlement <br /> Agreement" <br /> ln January, 2011,our review of the project file identified a numb�r a�project pian <br /> al#ernatives,all drafted by Mr.MGGpW�T]'s engineer{MacLeod and Associates) and <br /> a11 pr�pared for McGowan De�relapment,notthe City.Also included in the project <br /> file are notes ahaut these alternatives authored by t�e developer.When we asked <br /> for capies af these pians and docu€nentation,we were initially refused access to <br /> them; the City relented af�er sa�ne fnllow-up fz-om our attorney and the City's <br /> counsel.One of these plans is identical tv the"Nine-Lot Alternative A",another is <br /> identical td the Five Lot[non PD) alternative,which was dismissed in the E1R as <br /> infeasible, In a sabseyuent 9nspection of the project�le in August,20�1,we <br /> identified and obtained adcfitior�al and updated alternative plans (attached],also <br /> drafted by MacLeod and Associates for McGowan Developm.ent� Save far building <br /> �aatprints,these plans are id�ntical ta the Nine-Lot A�ternative A, Nine-Lot <br /> Alt�rnative B,�"aur Lot and Five Lot alternatives present�d ir�the DEIR. <br /> It appears that the above FEIR response is false-at least for all but the'"Praject with <br /> 2S'Setback"alternaCive.These alternatives were clearly developed by the applicanL, <br /> or with stabstantial applicant input and review,n�t by ths �ity anc� its consultant. <br /> There is z�athing inherentiy wrvng with the applicant submitting alternatives for <br /> eva�uation,t�ut it is dishonest and deceptive for the Gity to claim these as their own <br /> unbiased alternatives,as the sta�ement abave indicates-unless of course,Mr. <br /> McGowan is a member of City staff,which we do nat b�li�ve is the case. As <br /> described 6elow,in this case,it appears that permitting the applicant ta develop the <br /> alternatives [as well as the project abjectives) resulted in alternatives that fait kn <br /> mi�igate any of'the project's innpacts. <br /> T`hrou�hout the history of the project, Mr.McGawan has been resistant to any <br /> rnodification of his praject. I�is thereFore reasonahle to assurr�e that he w�uld not be <br /> mativated ta dev��op a reasanable range of alterna�ives ta his own project that may <br /> b�cor�s9dered en�riranrnenYally superior.The�iry is well aware of Mr.McGawan's <br />