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The City has decided to implement the proposed Project. In preparing this statement of overriding considerations, the City has balanced the benefits of the Proj ect against its unavoidable environmental impacts. Although implementation of the Project would result in significant and unavoidable impacts related to the cumulative loss of agriculture, and traffic levels at certain street intersections, the City finds that the benefits ofthe Project to the community are overriding considerations when weighed against the environmental impacts listed above. Adoption of the proposed Project will allow the following community goals to be achieved, and, thus, the City finds that the potential impacts outweigh the environmental risks of the Project: 1. Provide numerous opportunities for expanding the City's cultural resources by potentially developing facilities to accommodate art classrooms, an art gallery, rehearsal space, and theaters, all intended for a variety of art related uses; which uses will be located near the Downtown and contribute to the Downtown's continuing economic revitalization. 2. Expand educational resources in the community through the development of educational programs for people of all ages relating to the Native American history ofthe site, the ecological nature of the site and region, agricultural prac- tices, sustainability practices, and a wide range of other educational programs. 3. Provide a wide range of active and passive recreational facilities, including lighted sports fields, picnic grounds, small children play areas, trails, gardens, and open space. 4. Preserve areas of Native American heritage through an extensive open space and landscape planting concept. 5. Expand habitat area for existing and potential special status wildlife species through the protection, expansion and re-creation of on-site channels and ponds and other wetlands, and through the large-scale planting of native plant commu- nities in open space areas. 6. Encourage the use of public transit, bicycles, trails, regional transportation measures, and transportation demand management strategies as alternatives to the use of motor vehicles and to help manage traffic congestion. 7. Facilitate the provision of water, sanitary sewer disposal, storm water drainage, fire protection facilities, and other utility systems within a well-integrated and efficient overall network. Bernal Property Phase II Specific Plan and Bernal Community Park Master Plan Environmental Impact Report Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations Page 23 of 23