Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

here. Commissioner Wu here. Vice Chair Beninger present. Chair [snorts] Ramos present. Chair quorum has been reached at 5:32 p.m.

Thank you. Vice Chair Beninger will be leading us in the pledge of allegiance. Now everybody, please stand. Thank you, Vice Chair. Before we begin, I would like to remind my fellow commissioners to turn your microphones on when speaking and off when not speaking. And when speaking, please place a microphone about 4 in away from you. Thank you. Members of the public may attend the planning commission meeting either in person or virtually via Zoom. I now invite the commission secretary to describe how the public can access and participate in this meeting. This meeting is being livereamed via our portal at www.santa-a.primeggov.com/pub/portal and on YouTube at www.youtube. youtube.com/c cityofsana videos. If you would like to provide public comment, you may do so in the following ways. Join the meeting via Zoom. Enter the meeting ID number 839 0541325. When the item you wish to comment on is being discussed, please select the hand icon to indicate that you would like to speak. Once called upon, remember to unmute yourself and state your name for the record. You can also join the meeting by calling 669-900-6833. Enter meeting ID number 839 0541 325. When the item that you would like to comment on is being discussed, press

9 to let us know you would like to speak. You will then be called upon by the last three digits of your phone number. After you are called upon, you may press six to unmute yourself. For those who are attending this meeting in person and would like to provide public comment, please fill out a request to speak form and turn it in into the recording secretary. All speakers will have three minutes to speak. I will alert you when your time is up. Moving on to public comments on non-aggenda or non-public hearing items. Secretary, does anyone wish to speak? If you are attending this meeting in person and would like to comment on non-aggenda or non-public hearing items, please fill out a request to speak form and turn it in into the secretary. If you are participating via Zoom and would like to comment on non-aggenda or non-public hearing items, please select the hand icon to let us know you would like to comment. If you are calling in and would like to comment on non-aggenda or non-public hearing items, please dial 9 and then six to unmute yourself. I will wait a few seconds. Chair, we do not have any speakers.

Thank you. Moving on to the consent calendar. There will be one motion for all consent items unless an item is pulled for separate discussion. Is there a motion to approve item A minutes from October 27, 2025 and item B, excused absences? I I move that we approve. I second. Thank you. Do we have a motion from Vice Chair Beninger and a second from Commissioner Woo? Secretary, [snorts] please call for a roll call vote. Commissioner Escamia, Commissioner Leo, Commissioner Oliva, Commissioner Fam, I. [clears throat] Commissioner Woo, I, Vice Chair Beninger, I,

Chair Ramos,

I. Motion approved by majority vote with Commissioner Escamia, Commissioner Leo, and Commissioner Oliva absent. That concludes the consent calendar items. Moving on to the public hearing, I will now review the process for the public hearing so that everyone knows what to expect. [snorts] Staff will provide a presentation and ask answer questions from the commission. The public hearing will be opened. The applicant will be given the opportunity to speak, limited to 15 minutes. Members of the public will be given the opportunity to comment, limited to three minutes. The applicant will be given the opportunity to respond to comments made by the public, limited to 5 minutes. The public hearing will be closed. Discussion will return to the commission with formal action taken to approve, deny, or continue review of the application. Please consider the following suggestions when organizing your comments. You may state your name and address. That is strictly voluntary. State whether you support, oppose, or are neutral to the proposal. Your statement should include all pertinent facts within your knowledge. Please note, decisions on these matters are final unless appealed within 10 days by any interested individual or party. Recommendations on these matters will be forwarded to the city council at a later date for final determination. This is a time and place for conditional use permit number 2025-22 for the property located at 3601 South Harbor South Harbor Boulevard, unit 220 and 3611 South Harbor Boulevard located within the professional zoning district. Before we begin, do any commissioners have anything they wish to disclose with regard to this item? Seeing as there are no disclosures, the case planner, Nancy Tran, will provide a

brief presentation now. Good evening, commissioners. The item before you is a request for a conditional use permit number 2025-22, which seeks approval for a change of use to establish a professional school operated by Crystal Ray Orange County High School within two existing two-story office buildings at 3601 and 3611 South Harbor Boulevard located in Ward 1. Staff recommends adopting a resolution approving the CUP to allow professional school use as conditioned. The subject property is developed with four two-story office buildings with surface parking. Its general plan designation is professional and administrative office and it is zoned professional. Surrounding land uses vary with medical offices of pharmacy and retail to its north, the city of Costa Mesa manufacturing and offices to the east, office, medical offices and restaurant uses to the south and office wholesale and manufacturing to the west. The site is approximately 9 acres of which 1.4 or acres is proposed for the professional school use. These are site photos of the two buildings proposed for professional school use. The top image is taken from the interior of the site facing northeast and showing three of the four buildings on site. 3601 and 3611 South Harbor Boulevard are proposed for professional school use. The image at the bottom is taken from the north side of Lake Center Drive looking south. To provide some background, Crystal Rae received planning commission approval in 2023 to operate an interim school site at Immaculate Heart of Miriam Catholic Church located at 2204 West McBaden Avenue. This approval allowed the school to establish its program here in Saniana while pursuing a permanent campus for future growth. Crystal Ray offers a professional educational and workforce training program, combining classroom learning with paid internships at local businesses, giving students hands-on experience and helping lower income families with tuition costs. Students

work in fields like law, finance, healthcare, technology, and marketing. The school's corporate work study program or CWS model is a federally regulated work study arrangement distinguishing it from a conventional secondary school. Tenant improvements are proposed uh for both for both buildings at 3601 South Harbor. Only the second floor will be converted for school use with three classrooms, administrative offices, counseling area, and student common spaces. The first floor will remain as medical office use by another tenant. A new exterior covered open stairway is proposed on the east side of this building for egress at 3611 South Harbor, the other building. Um, it proposes 14 classrooms, administrative offices, a multi-purpose room, student common areas, an ancillary chapel for student and faculty use, it um infill of about 1,200 square feet at the first floor overhangs, and two new exterior covered open stairways on the east and west sides of the building. Overall site improvements include a 6-ft tall vertical picket metal perimeter fencing closing the immediate school area, outdoor recreation areas which include basketball courts, courtyards, and shaded outdoor dining area, vehicular and pedestrian circulation, new trash enclosures, and improved landscaping. The proposed campus will accommodate up to 500 students in grades 9 through 12 and employ approximately up to 90 staff. Students will follow an alternating schedule combining coursework and corporate work study assignments without missing classroom instructions. Students will arrive on campus each morning between 7:30 and 8:10 a.m. Those participating in the work study program that day depart between 8:30 and 10:00 a.m. according to their spec specific assignments. Finally, afternoon dismissal occurs from 3:10 to 5:15 p.m. Vehicle circulation will use existing driveways from Harbor Boulevard and Lake Center Drive with a designated on-site dropoff zone and

directional controls to manage traffic safely. The project meets a minimum parking requirements, providing a total of 489 shared parking spaces that adequately serve all uses on site. Circulation and parking demands will be accommodated through staggered scheduling, shuttles, transit provided by the school and parking and Q stacking plans. This is the projected student enrollment and staff for the 2026 to 2030 school years. approximately 300 um for 2026 to 27, 340 uh 20 in years 2027 to 28, 390 for 28 to 29, and about 430 students from uh the last year 2029 to 2030. Um not at the full capacity that they are projecting. This is the site plan where the professional schools proposed in relation to other buildings on site and the outdoor recreation area proposed between them. This is a circulation plan showing the two points of egress um ingress one from Lake Center Drive and the other from Harbor Boulevard and eress from the site is off of Harbor. Um this is the same circulation plan zoomed in showing vehicle and pedestrian circulation to and from the school. This is the floor plan for the second floor at 3601 South Harbor. And these are the two floors um following proposed improvements for the second building, 3611 South Harbor. These are the elevations for 3601 South Harbor. The north and east elevations show the proposed new exterior covered stair on the east side of the building which would be visible from Lake Center Drive and the interior of the property.

And these are elevations for the 3611 South Harbor building. The north and east elevations show the two proposed new exterior covered stairs on the east and west sides of the building which would be visible from both Harbor Boulevard and Lake Center Drive as well as the interior of the property. This landscape plan illustrates both the proposed new landscaping and existing plantings that will remain on site. The project includes planting additional low growing plants and 46 new trees throughout the site. The tree species to be planted include holly oak tipu, carrotwood, Chinese elm, lemonscented gums, fan palms, and London plain trees. Specifically, um, London plain trees will be planted along Harbor Boulevard with additional trees distributed in the school outdoor recreation area and around buildings throughout the site. The proposed professional school is compatible with the area's established professional environment, offering a valuable service that contributes to a community's well-being, provides sufficient parking and safe site circulation to ensure there are no adverse effects on the health, safety, or general welfare of the community. The project repurposes underutilized office space to expand affordable educational opportunities for low-income youth, supporting the city's economic stability, neighborhood vitality, and long-term community development. Site upgrades and conditions of approval have been incorporated to achieve full compliance, address traffic noise, safety, and school operations, and prevent potential impacts or nuisances on adjacent properties. Additionally, the project includes requirements for parking management plan, Q stacking plan, and property maintenance agreement. Approval of the C application would be consistent with multiple goals and policy of the land use element and further supported by the city's economic prosperity element objectives as listed here. It offers diverse land uses that benefit residents, visitors, and businesses while retaining office functions on site. It enhances neighborhood character and provides clean, safe environment. It promotes a

complete sustainable neighborhood with complimentary use and community service. It promotes a dynamic local economy by expanding access to education, workforce training, and partnerships. It promotes resiliency through collaboration and adaptive reuse by repurposing existing offices. And it responds to changing business trends and community needs with a flexible land use. Pursuant to SQUA and its guidelines, the project is exe is exempt from further review under section 15332 class 32 infill as it meets all threshold criteria for infill exemption and section 15301 class one for existing facilities for alterations that are not that would not have significant impacts. The project would not cause significant impacts related to traffic noise, air quality, water quality, or biological resources and is not located on a hazardous site, scenic highway, or subject to unusual circumstances or cumulative impacts. Based on this analysis, the notice of exemption environmental review number 202537 will be filed for their for this project. There's no fiscal impact associated with the project. Staff can make all findings and recommends approving CUP number 202522 to allow professional school use as condition. This concludes my presentation.

Thank you. I would just like to note that Commissioner Esamia joined us at 5:45 p.m. Chair and if I may just to provide the commission a friendly reminder to keep the questions and discussion to the matter before the commission which is the conditional use permit for a professional office use. Thank you. Sorry, professional school. Sorry. Thank you. Does the commission have any comments or questions for staff at this time? Commissioner Woo, go ahead. Uh, what is the legal definition of professional school? The municipal code doesn't have a uh Can you speak clearly and slowly because I can't hear you.

The city's uh municipal code does not have a definition for professional school. Okay. Um there's planning goals that was expressed here within their plan but um we're being asked to also judge in addition to the physical planning uh a professional school which is the purpose and I was just wondering um what would be the standards or can we ask questions regarding the standards to the uh uh applicant or is it appropriate? Commissioner W. I'm not staff, but I'll say that uh this is the same school that uh received the prior approval from us.

Yes, I understand that when when it was at Immaculate Heart, right? Okay. Which already had an existing school too, right? I'll defer that question to staff. And so the nature of this type of professional school where they have outsourcing um uh internship you know I'm just asking related to that. So so I guess what I'm my question should be regarding the use of space for those activities. But how would I know the activities if I don't ask the question about the activities?

Yeah commissioner uh thank you for asking the question. So yeah, tonight you can ask questions about the school, its operations, any impacts that you may have questions about programming, curriculum, impacts on the environment. Those are all within the realm of a conditional use permit request. Okay. In the diagram on the southern portion, there were two building, but I didn't hear what it was going to be used for. I I just couldn't hear you. They're not proposing school use. Professional school use. They're not prof proposing professional school uses for those two other buildings. They will remain office. Those are office space. Yes.

Thank you, Commissioner. Is that all for now?

Thank you, Commissioner Fam. Yeah, I think along this the similar line as uh Commissioner Woo when we're considering a professional because my understanding or when I hear professional school, I'm thinking of trade a trade school or an 18 plus school where these are adults and so there's certain sensitive consideration that is not um automatically kind of put on to that population. But now we're talking about um um 9th grade to 12th grade, more of a sensitive population. Uh so my my question is when we're considering whether or not it's a compatible land use, are we using the objective standards of a quote unquote trade school because it seems like that's what's uh making it compatible with a with a professional setting or are or are we cons are we um considering it based on a traditional high school where these are underage minors and their proximity and their sensitivity? uh is a bit more acute. Thank you for the questioner question commissioner. So our determination based on the description of the school is that it is a professional school. So any of the questions discussion or in your thought process as you look at this request should be framed through the that lens that this is a professional school. Um so then so then the issue of it being a sensitive population underage minors that's not something to be considered or that's not a um a an area that needs to be concerned. Uh, I'm asking staffs when staff deemed this an appropriate use, whether or not that's a consideration or

just whether or not because there's a work component to the land use, the proposed land use, that that's all that we're considering. So, when we reviewed and analyzed this project, we looked at it as a professional school. Also in your analysis if you wish to look at it or look at different variables that are at play that would be at your discretion. However, the determination of the use that staff has deemed disqualifies or meets the definition for is a professional school.

Okay. Yeah. I think that that's I just want to some clarification on on that um aspect of it. Uh because my first you know my first gut instinct when uh when I'm I'm seeing a proposed school that's not an existing kind of like where I immaculate heart is an existing um school and that there's a new kind of um use to it that's fine. Uh my question is, you know, there are sex offender registries, right, that are in in in place uh and there's certain proximity issues to schools, right? Uh is that something that we we consider because you're introducing this school use into this area. Uh are is there a method in which we kind of looked at there were no kind of active registry uh active population that is currently working in these buildings or are staying within the area that would conflict with uh the school use? Yeah, Commissioner, if um we can make sure we heard you correctly, are you asking about whether staff evaluated any like sex offender registries for this school,

right?

Um these factors are all taken into consideration when staff is looking at any school request, whether it's um elementary, junior high, high school, professional trade, all that. Um, in terms of that particular topic area, there are already numerous state laws that affect um, you know, an ability for certain programs and residents to locate whether it's a neighborhood that's residential, you know, near a park, let's say, or um, businesses. But what I will say is that yes, staff looks at other surrounding businesses when evaluating whether to make a professional recommendation to the commission. And then on top of that, the school um and I'm sure the applicants would be happy to touch on this. All schools um from our experience that are public or private in nature often have their own security plans as well that if there are any sort of sensitive receptors nearby um or other types of businesses that could or could not impact their operations. They will often have security plans in place to deal with any member of the public no matter what their status is on a registry um and how they access the facility and even things going beyond that like pickup and drop offs.

Okay. Right. Yeah. That's see that's that's where I wanted to initially ask what lens we're looking at uh this land use if it was a professional school regardless of age you know if it's a 18 plus post high school um trade school then really doesn't really matter because these are adults right uh and so that's that's the reasoning for for my questioning is what how we're viewing this uh specific land use that's all chair thank Thank you. Thank you, Vice Chair Beninger, Commissioner Scamia.

All right. Thank you, Chair. Um, so I guess two questions. Um, number one, just the new fence that's going to be installed. Um, just having questions as to where it's going like on the north and I think east side. So, looks like a zero setback um on it. So, just making sure that's in conformance with the rules and regs. Um, and I think the um, oh my gosh, that was question number one. Again, just confirming that that's all all good, which leads into um, making sure that the school um, is the I guess entity that will be responsible for landscaping on the interior of that fence line and then I guess the general property management outside of that. It just it it I know it gets a little wonky there when you know there's probably going to be about a foot of landscaping uh, in and around the base of the fence. So that's kind of one one general uh question there. Uh and then number two, um and it might not impact anything in this area, but just wanted to confirm that there is no negative um potential uh development restrictions to the surrounding area by introducing a sensitive use to this area because I know it tends to be a little bit more uh industrial down there even though it is professional office. Just wondering if we can address those two items. Um part of the fencing will be on the property line and some of it will be kind of jut in to meet um public works requirements for um site distance at the corner of Lake Center. Um they will be responsible for maintaining that and it would also include the maintenance of the landscaping on their property um regardless of whether it's inside or outside of the fence. And then in terms of um being insensitive or septter, the school wouldn't outright preclude other uses, but a conditional permit for public hearing before the planning commission would be required if it's considered a noxious use.

Okay. But we'll have the chance to review that. And so it doesn't limit anything. It is just like it's there and we'll address it as a as a body if needed. That's correct. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Scamia. Vice Chair Beninger. Yeah. I'm also having trouble hearing the answers also, so we speak can speak louder. appreciate it. Um, right now the school, who's going to own the entire site? The school or are they leasing from someone else? I believe it's the school that owns the site. So lease the school is leasing. Mhm. Is that right here? We can confirm with the applicant when they come up as well.

Okay. Okay. And so my next question is who who has control of the two buildings that are going to be there used as offices which then gets me into a point of parking. I know they have 50 staffs. I assume that there some of the seniors will have cars. Have we talked about parking allow allowment for this for this project? Yes. In the conditions of approval, it limits the students parking. I'm sorry. Could you you repeat that again? In the conditions of approval, it limits student parking passes for to 115. Okay. So, of the available parking and how much of that is a school going to use.

Um, sorry. And if I can just add to that um what what does the code require for parking and then how many parking spots will there be after uh some of the request? So 489 spaces are required for the entire site um for the school uses and for the other existing uses. Um for the school use it's 187 spaces and 187 yeah 115 would be the maximum for students.

Okay. I do like the traffic flow. I think uh exiting in the lake is smarter than going to the harbor and coming off harbor in. I do like that traffic flow. I think that's very nicely done. The city worked that out on it. Z, can you repeat that? I just going to say I like the traffic flow.

Okay. Exiting onto uh Lake Street and coming in off on harbor. That's a very smart move. Keep track traffic flowing. I have no problem with that. That's all my questions. Thank you. Thank you. Uh, and then I just have one question. So, I believe earlier Commissioner Woo asked for the def the definition of a professional school and the response was that we don't have a definition within the charter. Correct. Uh, okay. But in uh our resolution section one letter C, it seems like there might be a part of a definition at least. Um, so is a professional school designation based off the minimum 25% of education as corporate work study or or I think it'd be good for the commission to understand how the professional school designation came to be whether it was through our charter or through like educational code elsewhere. Chair, that's correct. And then um just getting back to the question before the commission, the definition and the categorization of the use has already been done by staff. So the question before the commission tonight is the conditional use permit, not necessarily getting into whether this is a professional or different type of school um definition that has already been done by by staff.

Thank you. So to clarify and confirm, the school is considered a professional school because of its corporate work study component. Correct. That's correct. Okay. Thank you. Are there any additional questions for staff at this time from the commission? Great. With that, we're going to go ahead and open the public hearing. So, the public hearing is now open. Would the applicant like to speak on the matter? Yes, please.

So, good evening, chairman Ramos, uh, and esteemed members of the planning commission. My name is Steve Holty. I'm the founding president of Christo Ray Orange County High School and we're delighted to be located in Santa Ana. When we started four years ago, we intentionally chose Santa Ana as the county seat and because of a proud and historic reputation that where we wanted to be. Um, we're excited to be in our third year. As you've already discussed a little bit, we're at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, a former elementary school that we've quickly outgrown, uh, with over 200 students, 40 faculty and staff. Um, we have robotics and some athletics limited to that campus. Um, beyond our student life, we've got the work study program, the professional unique professional work study program that you've talked about. We have over 60 partners in Orange County that employ our students from farmers and merchants to Northgate Markets to uh Providence St. Joseph Hospital and many more. And so we're really uh excited to offer that unique opportunity to students and families. Um our success combines college prep academics with this year-long professional program in a way that no other high school does. And our students gain significant professional experience doing that. That's one of the the number one reason we find students want to attend Crystal Ray is that opportunity to go and um we talked about be what you can't see, right? See professional jobs across a number of companies and corporations in Orange County. Um the plan from the start was that Immaculate Heart Mary would be our temporary uh sort of launch site and that we would find another property in ideally in Santa Ana, which we've done in acquiring this property that we're discussing tonight. Um, and it's a great property because it's also located near a number of vital transportation arteries for us to get students to and from work and to and from school, including Harbor, the 405, a number of those areas. So, it's a we think it's a

great uh opportunity to to partner with the city. Um, we're really grateful for your uh willingness to hear our uh motion tonight, right, for our condition of approval or for our conditional use permit. Um, because we need to get to work. uh we run we are out of space to educate our students. Uh you'll hear from a couple of them in a second, but uh but we have no additional classrooms and we need to get to work immediately so that we can have classes next fall for our first senior class. So we do appreciate you uh considering this this evening. Um you know, Santa Ana has long prioritized education and so we're proud to be part of a diverse educational environment that seeks to support students in a number of ways.

I'm so sorry I'm going to interrupt. We can get closer to the mic, please. Or you can actually put it more up towards you. Thank you. Perfect. Thank you.

Um, so we're just grateful to be part of San's educational landscape. We're committed to being here to form future leaders for the county and for the city. Um, and just as a true believer in the promise and potential of Santa Ana, we're delighted to uh work with you and and I want to thank um um Alip Peskapore and Nancy and the planning staff for their uh partnership in this and and a lot of work on their behalf. So, we're really grateful to be here this evening. Um I want to introduce I've learned a long time ago to get out of the way and introduce our students. And so I want to just have you meet two of the students very briefly as part of my time uh so you can see the difference that's being made in just three short years. So I'm going to ask our students to please come up.

I'd also like to share that the students are able to speak uh during the public comment component if they'd like with three minutes to each student. Uh but you can pick if you want them to speak now or later. Wait. Uh Commissioner and Chair Ramos, it's up to you. We just spoke with the clerk and they uh preferred to have them come up as separate uh speeches, but we're happy to lump them in if you'd like. We can have them come up individually so we can get their name on the record.

Perfect. So, we'll call on you guys in just a moment. Uh I wanted to take a few more minutes of the applicant time. My name is Patrick Strader. I'm with Starpoint Ventures. I am the applicants land use consultant on this project. And I just wanted to preemptively speak to a couple of the questions from the commissioners which were very good questions and things that we dealt with um almost over a year ago at this point. So, I felt like it was important to tell you a quick story and the story is that the um the board of Crystal Ray High School along with uh President Holty here and Tim Somas led led that board went out and toured over 21 sites in Orange County to find an ability to move from the temporary campus that's in Saint Ana. And there were days when they were checking in with each other and it looked like Crystal Ray was going to move out of Santa Ana into Fountain Valley into other locations which had uh maybe projects that were available but were not the goal of Christo Ray which was to stay in Santa Ana which is the city in which it was brought to Orange County. Crystal Ray is part of a national uh organization of schools around the United States. And to the question about its uniqueness as a professional school, it really is the equivalent of a of a trade school but inverted from teaching uh you know bluecollar type trades to teaching executive level trades to students that are all on scholarship. So part of the work study partnership that Steve goes out every year and puts together is finding corporations and companies in Orange County who will sponsor these students to contribute their work study within their organizations. So unique from other high schools, these students that you'll be hearing from in a moment actually spend 25% of their uh week working in sconc in corporations and companies and nonprofits around Orange County getting this work study experience. When they come back to the

campus, they're able to meet with their job share partners and their teachers and apply the lessons they've learned out in the community to the lessons uh that that they are learning in the school. So, it's a very unique and very uh incredible organization. Those of us that have our sons and daughters in regular schools always ask Steve if we can send our kids to that school because sounds pretty amazing. Um, so when we finally found this office campus, uh, Tim and some of the other board members who are behind him in the crowd here supporting this evening, when they finally found this campus, it was a campus that had a huge amount of um, office tenant vacancy. So when we first were able to get together with the city and propose this campus as a potential location for Christo Ray High School, one of the pitches to the city was an economic development story of making this campus that was really underutilized because the tenants were not re-uping their leases and uh aggregating the existing tenants into those southern two buildings. So those two southern buildings are going to operate much better than having four buildings that are half full. You're going to have two buildings that are completely full of the tenants and you're going to have these other two buildings becoming the hub of the Cristo Ray school. So I wanted to tell you that story because the reason we're here today is an adaptive reuse story. It's an economic development story. It's a stabilization of a very large asset in the city story. There's a retail center immediately next door that has had tenants come and go. These uh retailers are going to be ecstatic to have new people on this campus that has been largely vacant for for a period of time. So, one other item I wanted to mention on with regards to the sensitive receptor issues. Um, as the uh staff let you know, the determination was made

early on when we helped and worked in collaboration with them by providing examples of I think nine other schools of similar type that are already operating within the P zoning. And we uh together looked at lots of examples of people that were already operating in an area immediately surrounding this so that we could look and find adjacencies and complimentary uses. I will point out right across the street, it's Costa Mesa, so just I'll I'll put that out there. But Cavalry Chapel literally operates across the street and some of their sports facilities are right in the um Anderal uh parking lot warehouse that that's immediately adjacent to it. So this area does have other uses like this. Um it is an appropriate uh use for the building. These students are going to work in buildings exactly like the one that they will be studying in. So when they leave every morning and are driven by the school to their work study assignments, they will be spending the day in the exact same type of building that they're in. So it's not a situation where, you know, they're in a a schoolhouse and being driven to the big downtown. This is a situation where they're going to work and study in the exact same type of building. So staff was super helpful. We did extra work in terms of technical studies by providing the city with a health risk assessment with additional technical studies that they could help make that determination that they made. So, we feel very confident that the records in front of you to to find an approval of the cup here tonight. But we are here and able to answer any questions you may have uh in your deliberative process for the parking and and flow. I just wanted to mention that unlike say modern day high school where almost every kid has a car provided by their parents. This is a school where many kids are picked up by the school and brought to school. Many kids are are dropped off. Many kids take

the bus. Many kids even walk from locations. And when they go to their corporate work study, there are shuttle vans provided by uh Christo Ray to get them to their corporate work study assignment. So, this is not a traditional high school where you're going to have, you know, a tremendous number of kids parking at early morning and not leaving till 3:00 or 5. This is a very different type of traffic pattern. And um the conditions of approval as written provide a a maximum number of student parking permits as as uh Commissioner Beninger asked which will you know ultimately provide a level of security to the city that there is sufficient parking on campus and we have a traffic uh park traffic and parking management plan that's a condition of approval that will guarantee that on special events there are additional rules and routines and organ organizational management structures in place for special events. So, with that, I think I hit uh the questions. Commissioner Woo asked about the legal definition. Commissioner or Chair Ramos asked the same question with a little bit different take. Staff did a great job answering why this is a professional school and not a traditional school. Um, Commissioner Esamia, the the landscaping and the maintenance question was right on. Um to the sensitive user question as I stated there are users immediately adjacent and as well as I wanted to point out in the professional zoning one of the current tenants of this campus is Kaiser. Kaiser has um various uses on the site, but one of them is a mental health services uh department that deals with things like ADHD screening, other other types of uses that are to Commissioner Fam's question, it's already allowed to have the same sensitive receptors with the same age on this office campus participating in the Kaiser program. So the one of the reasons that Christo Ray and their team was so comfortable with bringing this

this forward was that in looking at the adjacent uses and the uses already occurring on the campus, they determined that that would be a a very good use with no risks to you know the sensitive receptors, the health risk assessment bore that out. So we would not be in front of you this evening if they weren't fully confident that this use is is a proper use for this site. And as the owners, they feel so strongly that they doubled down to to Commissioner Bener's question. The Crystal Ray entity purchased the entire office campus will operate and maintain it with CCNRs for the existing office units. Uh they will be the the landlord for the existing tenants and they will also manage the buildings that uh President Holtzy operates the school from. So, with that, if you guys have any further follow-up questions, the team's here to answer it, and our students will speak during the uh the public uh portion. So, thank you very much, Chair Ramos.

Thank you. Do any commissioners have any questions? Yeah, I do have a followup. Commissioner Woo, um you're the consultant that they hire to explain that stuff to me, right? Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Okay.

Yes. But I wanted to hear hear the heart of the applicant and why here because as I heard Patrick because he's been here before kind of sounds like missionaries that come to colonizes and you know I'm kind of particular as a commissioner looking out for our community and equality unity we have in community. I don't see us as a charity case. I see us as as a community made up of people who have worked hard to have place here. And so, um, superimposing something, I'm just kind of more curious, uh, you know, at the heart of who Crystal Ray is because you said you're a national organization, right? And like you can can go to Costa Mesa and Tustin and other places.

Well, great question, Commissioner. Uh we're we're part of a national model, but we're an independent school. So there's no national funding, there's no national support. Uh what we do have is a national um track record of success. So we know that there are students that have tremendous potential but are often underinvested in, right? And so our corporate work study model says we believe that you have talents and skills not just to go to a normal high school but to go out to you know uh first class banks and hospitals and law firms. They work at Laam and Watkins. So you see us as as investment not a charity case. No our students our students are a huge investment.

Now getting back to the physical side of of the uh uh condition use pit. Um, does the building you have everything you need uh to be uh as state-of-the-art science as as possible and and some of the other trades that you're going into like uh u everything everyone's kind of going AI and technical now these days I kind of go well I don't I don't really care. I think there's some other fields that are underutilized that we could go into to fill the needs of getting the kind of students we have in in the city into those jobs like finance. It's the one that when you look at uh with our friends over um uh farmers and merchant.

Yes, absolutely. So that's the sort of the beauty. We're the only uh the national organization has a way agreement with the department of labor that characterizes our work program as educational. So, we're the only school nationally that has that and and a lot of that is because we believe that they should develop transferable executive functioning skills as they're figuring out where their passion and their skills lie. Will they be paid uh and and do you have to do industrial testing for to come up with a salary range for them or the payment?

Um we have a standard contract. So, um our school we have a couple of nonprofits. One of them is essentially almost an outsourcing agency. And so we fee for service contract with all of those companies. So the the fee that students earn helps offset their tuition which we don't charge. So our our tuition is $3,000 for the year. Very different than most other private schools in Orange County. Um because our students are earning about $10,000 at work. So the ownership of the land is just an expedient way of uh getting the school going but at the same time um u allowing the existing businesses to be there.

Right. We think it's a perfect partnership because um also that tenant income helps us afford to be able to develop that campus. We don't receive a lot of very very little public money. It's almost all private and then our students earnings and and family tuition payments. And so what what would be the out of curiosity or percentage coming from leasing and um it helps service the interest expense on the debt. It's nothing we're not making a lot of money on it, but it helps us afford to be able to do anything at all. Thank you very much. Thank you for your questions. Thank you, Commissioner Commissioner Scamia.

Yeah, just a a quick one. Um so this is coming in from a a user of one of your neighbors facilities over at the observatory. So, one thing that tends to happen um with any of their shows that do have um larger um um numbers of of people attending, uh your particular property is usually used as a cut through. So, exactly where that fence is, it's usually where folks kind of cut through in order to uh get to the parking a little bit south of your site because it's uh there is no sidewalk on the other uh entryway as part of the internal circulation pattern. Um, so I'm just wondering if you all have kind of thought that through as far as um just overall like u pedestrian safety as it relates to folks um either kind of going around or going through the property or or kind of what that relationship is looking like um for the I guess overflow parking that again usually occurs south of your particular parcel. I'll let uh President Holy answer a different part of the question, but the one I wanted to take on this question is when the office campus was depleted of tenants, they entered into a parking arrangement with the observatory where they have had a written agreement to park on the site. There are other property owners nearby that have done similar things. That agreement has been extinguished now that this is going to be used and and as it was intended to. So there will be less of a call to to cut through. Um and the the board members who were responsible for talking to some of the neighbors um have heard some pretty compelling issues about why they may not want want to stay in those agreements uh in terms of safety, security, and cleanliness at the end of the night. But uh clearly it's something the city's going to have to deal with as the ongoing operations there uh continue. But for purposes of this cup, that arrangement with the observatory has been terminated. No, good. Now, thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Scamia. Commissioner Fam, um based on your observation of the use in the immaculate uh campus previously, uh are are the students typically relegated within because I I noted on the staff report that it's a closed campus. Um and are they re relegated within the campus uh for after school activities uh while waiting for drop off and pickup? Yeah, we maintain that it's a closed campus and that's our plan here as well.

Um that's why we're building in some of sort of recreational athletic facilities and our students are very busy, right? They're also taking advantage of uh faculty office hours, um volunteer programs, service programs, all kinds of things. So they're they're very busy. You'll hear some of their activities later. Um but yeah, our intent is to kind of keep them within that um within our our school portion of the property.

And then uh I think uh in the commissioner um condition of approvals uh it noted that there were special events um outside of the what's uh been kind of uh agreed upon. Um, so is it traditionally would there be prom, would there be, you know, your typical high school activities or is that going to be on site or is it kind of be similar to your athletics where it's offsite somewhere else?

Yeah, generally those prom and those things will be off campus. Um, some of the other events that we have will largely be after 5:00, so after our office tenants vacate 484 parking spots. So generally they won't be happening during this during concurrent times as office use. Okay. Um which is helps also helps mitigate that.

Yeah. Um other than that I I think it's very compelling the idea of a um high school that integrates um job training and then it's being in the context of a corporate environment in in which there's a familiarity. I think it's a very compelling um concept of education. That's why I really appreciate you coming forward with it. Appreciate it. Thank you, Commissioner Fam. Vice Chair Bener,

I'm glad Steve that and Patrick you guys hit on some of the key points because this is really a unique opportunity. Um, it provides your school provides education for I say un underprivileged or kids that would be able to go to a much higher expensive school that's around and it allows them to earn their way through. and someone who's come through that way in my life, I so much appreciate that part of my life though was hard. So, can you talk a little bit more about how you pick your students and what type of students you have?

Absolutely. Um, so unlike most um non-public schools, we don't have a lottery and we don't have a application test. We interview our students and families and so we're looking for students that want to work, that want to go to college, that want to be leaders in the community. Um, we're a Catholic school, but you don't have to be Catholic to come, right? We don't discriminate on that basis. But, um, we really look for students that, uh, want to take advantage of the opportunities that we provide. We want them to, uh, be a little uncomfortable, right? Be open to growing because I think when we're a little uncomfortable, that's when we grow the most. Um, and then we prepare them to succeed. So we talk about having really high expectations and then high levels of support to to accompany them in that journey and empower them to really earn their uh earn a good portion of their tuition but also empower them to be authors. Right? Our our founding class who are now juniors have started all of these clubs and activities. So when they go to apply to college, it's not just I sat on the bench for the soccer team for five for four years, but I'm a founding member of that and I founded a service club and I founded all these things. And so we don't uh I don't create the clubs and sports and activities for them. We really want them to own that. And I think that's part of going to work. It's part of being treated like an adult. It's part of um sort of the unique opportunity that we offer. And so uh that's why we interview them. We invite them into uh we part go with some of our work study partners and invite them into offices to go interview on Saturdays versus coming to comfortable classrooms because we want them to see the unique opportunities that Christo Ray provides. Just to kind of further the point, how many police have you called for police help at the school in the last two years?

Um, not too many. A couple in the neighborhood, but uh yeah, we are not a we're a place where um one of my favorite we we have uh our founding class was 69 students from 41 different middle schools. So, our students are not just coming from one or two schools. are coming from across Orange County, largely Santa Ana, but other other neighborhoods as well. Um, and we asked our students sort of, you know, what's the difference at Christo Ray? And one of the students on camera, unprompted said, at Crystal Ray, they treat us like we're the good kids, right? Imagine what our community would be like if every student felt like they were the good kid, right? And so, um, we just believe in empowering students and families to to find the gifts inside of them and bring them out to light for the benefit of themselves, their family, their neighborhood, and the community. And so, that's um we're doing this together. It's not me, it's our our team and our families, but really, it's the students taking that risk. I'm not sure I would sign up to go to a brand new high school as a 14-year-old that uh was in a former elementary school. And so part of this application is asking you to allow us allow us to create a facility that's worthy of their dignity and their aspirations. So thank thank you.

Thank you. Are there any additional questions uh for the applicant before they sit back down? Great. Thank you. Thank you. Recording secretary. Have we received any written communication or is there a member of the public that would like to comment on this item?

Chair, we have received a total of zero emails in the form of public comments for this item before the 3:30 p.m. deadline. If you are attending this meeting in person and would like to comment on this item, please fill out a request to speak form and turn it in into the secretary. If you are participating via Zoom and would like to comment on this item, please select the hand icon to indicate that you would like to speak. If you are calling in and would like to comment on this item, please dial 9 and then six to unmute yourself. I will wait a few seconds. Chair, we have three speakers here in house. We're going to start with Frank Velasco.

You have three minutes. [clears throat]

Good evening, chair and members of the planning committee. My name is Frank Fasco and I'm a freshman student at Christo Orange County. I was born and raised in Santana, so I'm very thankful for the opportunity to have an input into my city. Now to speak about my school. I chose Christo Ray because of its phenomenal corporate work study program. This program allows students to venture into the workforce through many well-established companies. This allows our students to gain valuable workplace experience which can range from how to communicate in a prof professional manner to valuable STEMbased experiences such as how to extract DNA. As for myself, I'm fortunate enough to be placed at Chalk Children's Hospital clinical clinical laboratory department. I've only been in the laboratory for two months, and I've already learned more than any other high school could teach me. So far, I've learned how to extract DNA, detect life-threatening ailments in healthy and cancerous patients, and how to perform proper phabbotomy. All this is just a fraction of the education that art that students at Crystal Ray can receive through their corporate work study program. However, there is one major issue which plagues our school and is our campus. Our campus is a reused elementary school campus. This causes a lot of our teachers to share classrooms and our students to feel entrapped in within the space. So, so with this proposition, this new campus will allow our students to have to have proper classrooms, a proper auditorium, and a proper science laboratories. Thank you, chairs, and and members of the penny committee for your time.

Thank you, Frank. Good job. We're now going to have Amalia Rodriguez, chair, I guess. So, just reminder and I guess the audio is just a little light for those that are um online. So, just a little closer to the mic if you can. Thank you. Thank you.

Um hi, good evening. My name is Amalia Rodriguez. I go to Chris Ray Orange County High School and I'm currently a junior. So, I am part of the founding class. Um as a member of the founding class, um like Mr. Holty was saying, we really helped build up and foster the community that we ourselves started. Um, also I am a sana resident, so being able to go to a school that offers such a vigorous program is really great for not just myself, but my family. I chose Chris Ray because of the work work study program and that we are currently in. I am tied to the school um doing these four years of high school with the corporate work study aspect. Um, my freshman year I was with the Sisters of St. Joseph in Orange, a religious institution in Orange County doing human resources and project management. My freshman year from 14 years old, I was able to have access to databases that you would not otherwise have been able to have access to without certain degrees. I also do a lot of filing and my um sophomore year of high school again I was at the Scissors of St. Joseph and I did um project management like I said doing things for mentors and presenters prepping and mailing out their checks. So just overseeing that payroll aspect. Um and now my junior year I work at Royal Family Kids in doing human resources. Again, I offer or not offer, I guess I should say I'm working with the national office doing work across the United States to help get information um to be able to send out to counties across the United States so that they'll be able to help certain foster children

from ages 6 to 12. So, that's really where I am. Um, and as one of nine children, I'm able to afford this Catholic education. And through our corporate work study program, our partners provide our education. Um, and I'm able to further develop my skills in um, human resources in project management, in finance, and things like that. And I would greatly benefit for from this, like Frank said, because of the greater facilities, the bigger facilities. We're currently sharing office spaces, excuse me, office spaces and classrooms. So, it wouldn't really just help me myself as a student, but the 200 other students that are currently at my school. Thank you.

Thank you, Amalia. Good job. Thank you. And then we had uh Steven Hi, who I believe was the applicant. So, okay. Thank you. Just wanted to make sure. Uh is there anybody else that would like to speak before we close the public hearing? Great. And are there any final questions for the applicant before we close the public hearing? Seeing that there are none, the public hearing is now closed. Is there a motion to approve this matter? I'd like to make a motion that we approve. A second. Thank you. We have a motion from Vice Chair Beninger and a second from Commissioner Woo. Secretary, can you please call for a roll call vote?

Commissioner Scamia, I. Commissioner Leo, Commissioner Oliva, Commissioner Fam, I. Commissioner Woo, I. Vice Chair Beninger, I. Chair Ramos, I. Motion approved by majority vote with Commissioner Leo and Commissioner Oliva absent. Thank you. Congratulations. That concludes the business calendar. Moving on to staff comments.

Thank you, chair. A few comments tonight. Um, the November 24th planning commission meeting, we currently do not have any items on that agenda. So, that meeting will be cancelled. The December 22nd planning commission meeting, that's the week of Christmas. So, that meeting will also be cancelled. So, our next uh regular meeting, which will be the last meeting of the year, is going to be December 8th. Thank you. Does the commission have any closing comments or questions for staff? [laughter] Oh, sorry. I thought that was very fast. [laughter]

I don't come for a few months, then I'm already forgotten. Um, I did want to take a moment. I sent an email, but I'm very proud um to now announce in this setting that Ricardo has been appointed the permanent planning manager for some time now. I apologize. I missed the last couple of meetings. [applause] And uh as the team knows, it takes a lot for me to sort of really trust someone and relinquish a lot of my sort of day-to-day decision-making. But the city couldn't be in better hands um than with someone like Ricardo who has so much experience in long range planning, housing policy, historic preservation, and development projects. Uh he truly is the ideal planner for the role, and I'm really pleased to see how well the commission has been working with him so far. So, thank you all. Um, and congratulations to Ricardo. [applause]

Thank you, Ali. Are there comments from any other staff members? Great. Seeing none, moving on to uh commission comments. Commissioner Kamia.

Yeah, thank you, Chair. Um, oh my gosh. So uh I I had a slight aside uh with um a director um poses um at a housing conference or housing seminar thing. Uh I just wanted to kind of put it on on the radar just in a public setting. Um maybe the potential to look at expanding uh the residential code for quadplexes here in the city as part of the update for the building code. So just wanted to flag that kind of in a public setting. And all that basically would do is um right now I think once you hit three units we go under commercial code. So it makes like the buildings a little bit more expensive, a little bit harder to build. Um, but from a public safety and kind of life safety perspective, not too much of a difference between three to four units. So it can make quad flexes viable in the city and it's something I think we can do as a kind of pro-ousing policy. Uh, so just looking to see if that is something that could be incorporated uh during the next um code update.

Thank you, Commissioner. Just a very high level um update on that matter. I am looking into that with our building official. Um, and the city's uh next cycle code adoption is slated for city council consideration on Tuesday, December, the first meeting of December. Uh, so that is definitely something that we're looking into as a staff. So, thank you for flagging that. Thank you, Commissioner Scamia, Commissioner Woo.

Um, my comment has to do with the direction of the city and the caliber of staffing that we have. Um when I first came to the city, it was um to organize in the 13 bario neighborhoods that were being excluded from city life and and by the city council and the powers to be. We have gone from that to a city now where the people participate and city staff reacts to that in a way that help us to build the city together. We say that in our general plan. We say that in the investments we make. We said that tonight in the school that asked to be here so that kids could have uh their moment being lifted up and not looked down upon. And I think that's important because I was at an opening of a kid works um and Yuri was there as well. They have a little clubhouse where they're investing in a a housing project in the mini uh street area. And we're investing in people. We don't look down on people because they're poor. But we know that if we pay attention and we help and we look at their potential, they grow. And that that's the real thing that makes us a golden city. You know, it's not the conflict we have. It's not the politics we have, but it's the people who thinks of the city in a way that uh we can work together. And we saw that culturally this weekend with El Centro and and all the celebration there uh for the Day of the Dead and and and all those activity. It wasn't my thing cuz I was in Will Saigon and going to Chinese restaurants and stuff. Uh but [laughter] but at the same time, you know, that's what make the city great is that we're made up of different thing and Carl brought his Michigan play into town. So, you know, uh that's what make the city great. So, I want to thank you

guys and you know to see so many of the planning staff being elevated as well and rewarded for what the good thing they do just make my heart sing and congratulations. Thank you, Commissioner Woo. Commissioner Fam, [clears throat] I can't follow that everything. Congrats, Ricardo. And uh Ali, it's good to see you. I thought we were in trouble. See Ali come back, but uh it's good to see you. Yeah, that's all. Vice Chair Beninger,

I was about to ask for security. Who was that guy? Didn't recognize him, but welcome back [laughter] and welcome and congratulations to Ricardo. Welld deserved. I've worked with you on another projects and I really appreciate how you follow through. So, thank you for being aboard. I really also found feel very proud tonight. Crystal Ray to me is amazing and we're very fortunate to have them in this in this in this city because they'll help kids with an opportunity that they wouldn't have otherwise. And I was a lonely kid in Detroit who couldn't afford going to a good educational place. But I found a way. I worked. And then when I got to college, thank goodness for DA co-op and u it cost me a couple girlfriends because I was working, working, working. But I tell you, I think I'm further ahead without them. But uh I also want to thank the young students that spoke. You did a very adequate job. When I was a junior in high school, if I get three words out in front of people, I was doing lucky. So you did a very nice job job tonight. So I just want to say thank you for your presentation and thank you for Steve and his group for giving us this opportunity to have your school in Santa Ana. Thank you.

Thank you, Vice Chair Beninger. I'll just say congratulations, Ricardo, like everybody else. You're very deserving and happy to continue to work with you. And then uh like vice chair Bener also just want to give a shout out to our speakers and all the other members uh in the public that joined us today. We're usually a bit more lonely so I hope that you'll come back. Um but Amalia and Frank you both did a very good job. So I hope that you two stay involved and maybe you'll be on this side soon. So thank you all. Uh with that we're going to adjourn our meeting and our next regular meeting and final meeting will be on December 8th. Thank you all. Have a good night.