Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Moving on to public comments on non-agenda or non-public hearing items. Secretary, does anyone wish to speak?

Thank you. Moving on to the consent calendar, where it is one motion for all consent items unless an item is pulled for separate discussion. Is there a motion to approve item A, minutes from July 27th, 2026, and item B, excused absences?

Thank you. We have a motion from Commissioner Wu. And we have a second from Vice Chair Benninger. Secretary, can you please call for your roll call vote?

Motion approved by majority vote with Commissioner Oliva absent. Thank you. That concludes the consent calendar items. As there are no public hearing items tonight, that concludes the business calendar and we will be moving on to the work study session. The item up is a part B of the work study session for the comprehensive zoning code update. Principal Planner Siri Champion will provide a presentation.

Thank you for the presentation. And I just want to inform the public of the process here. So now is the time for the Commission to ask any comments or questions of staff. After that, we will take public comments from the audience. After that, the Commission can ask additional comments and questions. And then we that would essentially be it for tonight. So I'm going to go ahead and take any questions or comments that the Commission might have for staff. And if I can ask you as a favor, can staff please bring up the last slide on the topics that you hope we'll ask questions on tonight? Thank you

I'll get out of the way. I was hoping for some clarity on the zoning map where it looks like previously and, you know, obviously the map is really big and the zoning code has a lot of changes. So I'm just going to do some nitpicky overview of certain areas for explanations. Previously we had SFRs, R2s, but now it's rezoned to just, I believe, SFR. And then there is a seven unit per acre designation to it. I wanted some clarification on, it's a single family property, but why would there be a seven unit per acre designation on it?

Okay. And then, you know, state law currently has SB9 designated lots splits, urban lots split only applicable to single family zone parcels. Now, previously, there are parcels that are zoned R2, which would designate it as a multifamily lot. But now we're down zoning those R2 lots down to single family lot with that then open door for more parcels to be to would qualify for SB9. That's what that was my train of thought when I saw that.

Okay. So it's not that we're rezoning down. It has to correlate with the general plan as well?

I'm pretty sure it's just a matter of tabulation, but previously the schools were calculated as open or shown graphically as open space. Now they're shown as institutions, space in the zoning map. Previously, we didn't calculate the schools as open space, you know, the city's open space, right?

Okay. So then that wouldn't change. We wouldn't have less open space technically on paper, even though the map shows less green hatches.

Thank you, Commissioner Pham. Commissioner Wu.

I want to review Article 1, page 1. And this has to do with the purpose and authority. The Zoning Code and this chapter is enacted based on the authority vested in the City of Santa Ana as Charter and the Santa Ana Municipal Code and the State of California, including but not limited to the State Constitution, Planning Zoning Law, California Government Code 65800 and the California Health Corps. In other words, the City Council Planning Commission and planning department invested with the authority to follow the general plan and establish those visions that you showed in the first slide for en

Right. The way I see these 400-some pages is that You've taken the general plan and the visions and the guiding principle, and then you organize them by different sections and zoning areas, and try to put as much information that is available for the public to see, including a website. When they go on that page, they could click on something, leave a question, which you guys will answer, right? And how many comments have you gotten on that already?

I mean, over 100, over 100. So over 100 people took the time to to read and answer right. So we're getting to the point where we are getting participation and we can comment, but other non conforming will arise in which you'll come back to the planning commission to kind of decide on through conditional use of other things, right?

Yeah, so so you know, the enforcement of the zoning and the application of the zoning for the property use are all in play there and they will arise and we will have a chance to adjust for it, comment on it, and use the new guiding principles and value systems, right? And the point I'm getting to is that this is no mean crystal ball that can encompass everything, but it's a well-done, organized way of looking at each of the zoning areas specific to the specific area. If I was a property owner, I would be looking at the specific area in my zoning and say, oh, this is my property, it's affected

So anyway, the 17th Street and these small businesses may not be in any specific plan, but they can be covered as businesses within that zone. Correct. Okay. And if the opportunity comes up, we can report things like there's an abandoned building there that no one uses and all that. So it's up to, again, the public, neighborhood association, and anyone that cares to call you guys and say, OK, this has been boarded up. We see people hanging out there. And is there something that can be done with it? So there's an opportunity to take care of those problem properties. There's a property that used

Thank you, Commissioner Wu. Okay, Commissioner Leo, go ahead.

Okay, let me start off. First of all, it's a lot. Thank you. Second of all, people asked last meeting, I didn't get a notice. I got two. I don't know how many you sent out, thousands probably. People, please look in your mail if you live in Santa Ana or your business. You got three. There you go. See, so city is notifying people. This is one way they're notifying people. For me, it comes down to Santa Ana's competitive advantage. And I wanted to ask you a little bit about that because zoning is tied to the general plan, which is tied to lots of things that you talked about, right? When I think

So let's take that a little further. I know recently we approved the and a real project at the south end of town, I assume that's a version of. Industrial flex that you're the are are are industrial interface that you're thinking about, even though it doesn't about any right well actually there's residents across the street actually now they think about the homes alpha Susan. Is that what you're thinking, like when we look three, five years out, that's what we're hoping to do in other areas to kind of do it in that style? Yes. Because there are parts of the city, you go down Dyer Road, I don't

Because before we used to hear the competitive disadvantage was we didn't have a general plan. It was all spot zoning. In addition to that, we also didn't have the infrastructure to handle some of it. I think people fail to realize that many trucks in this county go all the way through Santa Ana on a regular basis. And that's why our roads are torn up to a large extent. So let me get into a couple other things. There's a lot, the two longest letters we got in comments, one was from on environmental justice and the other one was on economics. and business retention and development. They're kind

Thank you, Commissioner Leo. Commissioner Guzman.

Thank you, Chairwoman. Thank you so much for that presentation. I have a question about the residential industrial interface, mainly because I don't understand necessarily how it works. So I've been reading through the draft here, looking at comments, looking at the zoning map. But is it an overlay? Or is it a buffer? How does that function between the light industrial and where you're establishing these residential industrial interfaces? What is that exactly?

So in that residential industrial interface, there are additional standards being put on that area, correct? So, and from what I understand, once the zoning code gets adopted, the existing uses would become non-conforming or no?

Nonconforming, okay. I'm still thinking through this. I may have more questions, but I'm going to revert it back to the chair.

Thank you. Vice Chair Benninger, would you like to go next?

Thank you. Mayor Mrakas, I can attest to the fact is give Syria called and she'll answer and I appreciate the hour that I had with both you Ricardo very helpful. Mayor Mrakas, Again hats off is a heck of a large project ahead of an undertaking and our people are going to feel that they win and others feel that they lose, but. Mayor Mrakas, As long as we are keeping in mind with Chris was talking as Commissioner Leo was talking about. Where are we going long term? And what are we doing to the city? And we do have a lot of advantages. I've heard an awful lot in the last six months as this discus

Okay. And was Margarita's group, Environmental Justice, involved? Absolutely. Good. And they both have given a blessing to the plan as is? I'm sorry, what was that? Have they given a blessing to your plan as being proposed?

Okay. But they've reviewed it, yes. Did they have any concerns? No concerns. Okay. Very appreciative of the information we got from various people today. And the one I'm going to refer to is the NAIOP letter that was coming up. And the one concern, so we'll just kind of take it apart. They talk about equipment rental, light rental. And I have my favorite place, United Rental, right on Seeders Room, actually Dyer Road and

Because the other one that they're concerned about is no heavy rentals. And if I read their letter correct, they're assuming that that'd be nowhere in Santa Ana, even in the midst of an M1 zone. And of course, businesses do need cranes, and they do need some of the heavier equipment from time to time. When I worked for Dow, we were constantly renting stuff like that out. They're concerned about no heavy rental equipment in the city. Is that correct by the way our present plan is written?

They're concerned that this plan will eliminate any heavy rental equipment, cranes and such, even if it's in the midst of the M1 zone.

Would that apply to Say the Home Depot near my house that is actually, I don't think it's a residential area. I have to look the map again. But Home Depot, Lowe's both have outdoor storage of their rental equipment. Are they going to be affected by this? Okay. So they would have to cover it over or do something of that nature?

Okay. Okay. You can tell all the favorite places I visit in the city. Okay. Um, also are concerned about limitations and there is a project that you and i discussed possible with a eb company that wants to put a training center as well as be able to repair and based on the fact that if they do their repair indoors and then outdoors they would fit into an m1 without a problem correct Mayor Mrakas, You said repair was yes, they wanted to repair indoors not out yes, as long as in indoors, yes, which is a reason for that limitations, just like we went through lacing neighborhood. Mayor Mrakas, And

Mayor Mrakas, All right, very good again. Mayor Mrakas, At now, we should actually say that we earn our pay this week and again say to staff is you guys definitely earned your pay over the last few months, putting this together so very much very much appreciate it, thank you.

Thank you. With that, I'm going to ask a few questions and then we'll go to the public comments. So my first set of questions are on the residential industrial interface. So we just heard you explain to a previous commissioner kind of what that how that is going to work. And we heard that some businesses will become nonconforming. Can you please provide examples of what type of businesses will become nonconforming? And if the list is available on a slide, if we could pull that up, that would be great. If not, it's okay.

Now I'd like to know what will become non conforming when this residential industrial interface is added as a layer?

Okay, I'm curious if other staff may know what other businesses are going to become non-conforming.

City Council Chambers, Okay, is the staff know how many of the existing businesses in the areas where you plan to add this interface would become non conforming or the types of uses that they have.

City Council Chambers, Thank you for that clarification and for alluding to the transit zoning code which, for those of you that may not know, there were many updates similar to these that happened. City Council Chambers, In the transit zoning code which is by the train station, where we have the Logan neighborhood the lacy neighborhood. So that is very helpful. And I was asking because I was wondering what if any similar approach there had been to consulting with the businesses as we go through the zoning code update. Because I know with the transit zoning code, Margarita's team, I see Frank

Thank you for that clarification and for stating how this approach is very different. I also heard the noxious use ordinance be brought up a few times. I don't know that everyone is aware that that ordinance exists or what it is. Can you please share with us what the noxious use ordinance is? And then also remind us of the existing language on nonconforming that's in the ordinance.

So if a business was non-conforming, it would just require a CEP?

Sorry, I just wrote a quick note, but throughout the presentation there was mention that regarding nonconforming language as was in the noxious use ordinance. So my question was to remind us of that.

Thank you for that. And then my last question on the noxious uses. So I did see that we had one letter mentioned how we were regulating odorless and non visible pollutants. Do we feel the noxious use ordinance also encompasses that?

Thank you. Those are all my questions on the noxious use and the residential industry interface. I also have a question on the architectural resources, the new supplemental standard district. So can you please provide more information on exactly what that means, what is allowed on them, where they exist throughout the city, and if there's a map where that highlights where those areas exist. And if it's small, we can zoom in. That would be really helpful to me. Thank you.

So those are mainly residential neighborhoods? Yes.

City Council Chambers, Thank you, and are there. City Council Chambers, Does that supplemental standard district apply anywhere throughout the city or like apply to any other type of use that is not residential throughout the city.

City Council Chambers, Okay, so with that supplemental standard district it's essentially to protect them preserve historic resources, it does that. City Council Chambers, dictate what new uses can or cannot exist. City Council Chambers, district is applied.

Okay. Thank you for that clarification. And then I just have two more questions that should be a lot faster. So I know there was a mention of parking and how some of these zoning code updates will facilitate parking. Can you just share more detail on how that is happening?

So is it essentially changing parking requirements or standards?

Not specific to either. I just remember seeing on the slide mentioned that the zoning code would facilitate parking in some way. So curious as to what that means.

Thank you. And then if you can just clarify, does this then change any residential parking? Does it make any changes to what is required for residential parking?

Thank you. So the way that parking was assessed for the zoning code, then there was no. So there was no interaction between that and the city's ongoing parking study. I can respond to that. Thank you.

Great. Thank you for that clarification. And just for anyone, for everyone that may be listening to understand that the zoning code update is not going to address our existing issue, parking issues in residential neighborhoods is what I understand, but will help. bring new businesses in by reducing parking requirements and making it easier. Great. And then my last question is on the environmental justice policies. So I think one of the early slides showed that there were 20 new policies in the environmental justice realm. So I'm wondering if you have a list of those that you can put on the scr

Thank you. Can you share some of those tonight?

So I'm referring to environmental justice policies that are being addressed by the Zoning Code Update. Councillor Osanic Oh, I'm sorry. As referenced in one of the early slides where it mentioned how many policies per realm arena, and I believe it was 20 under environmental justice, but I could have written that number down wrong.

Thank you yeah that would be great if I can be sure that the next meeting and also be uploaded on the website for members of the Community to be able to review before the meeting. So that is all my questions i'm going to go ahead and move us over to the public comment portion of the work study session, so the public comment portion of the work study session is now open recording Secretary have we received any written communication or is there a member of the public that would like to comment on this item.

Thank you. Just a reminder, every speaker will have three minutes. If there is a speaker that will need interpretation, we are allowing for simultaneous interpretation, I will go ahead and begin with the Scott Williamson begin please step forward.

Thank you, Mohamed. I apologize. You're at three minutes.

Thank you. Jeff, I need you to fill out your individual speaker card, but you can speak and fill it out afterwards. You can speak now if you'd like and then just fill out.

Thank you. And we can please submit a speaker card, Jeff. I'll need you to submit your own individual. Thank you. And up next, we'll have Maribel Tuan followed by Rocky Shin.

Thank you. Up next, we have Tom Steen followed by Sam Greek.

Thank you, Sam Greek. Followed by Matt Nichols.

Thank you. Up next, we have Emilio Ramirez followed by Yesenia Amarujo.

Thank you. Up next we have Jack Haley followed by Irma Haurigin.

Thank you. Irma Jauregui, followed by Jennifer Salas.

Thank you. Next we have Jennifer Salas followed by Brian Hendricks.

Thank you. Secretary, do we have anybody online that would like to comment?

Thank you, Erica, you're at time. Thank you. Were those all of the speakers online, recording secretary?

Thank you. That concludes the study session and we're well actually that concludes the public comments, do we have any other questions or comments from the Commission for staff after hearing those public comments, Commissioner.

The role of churches in community and there's only seem to be important anchors historically as not only. a place of worship and service, but also serving as a community service and providing other services that are needed in the community. And I was wondering, we recently approved a different kind of church that had no pews and no services, but they were more like an office building, you know, and our zoning allows for those kinds of services in a business complex area. But I'm looking at the neighborhood character of some of the other established churches in the community, like not only New

Thank you, Commissioner, we're not sure if staff would like to respond to that.

Just did a brief research that there's at least four defense area businesses operating in Santa Ana, of which two of them are having to do with drones. and other military uses. And I think that is allowed under our industrial, you know, flex plan and all that. But I just thought I'd bring that to our attention.

Thank you, Commissioner Wu. Commissioner Pham.

These are comments or questions for staff.

Yeah, I think the main topic that seems to be brought up is there needs to be clarity. And I'm glad Ali brought up our other, was it the TUD with the overlay? And there seems to be a similar feedback. There needs to be clarity. So I think, you know, next meeting, if we're able to just kind of, you did a great job today as well, just to kind of, clarify that it's not going to be a, you know, the zoning code is adopted, and then the next day, you know, a business is kind of hit with a code enforcement letter, right? I think those are similar kind of ideas that we've discussed previously, that it

Thank you, Commissioner Fram. Vice Chair Benninger?

You made some very good points, Commissioner. I agree with them. I would encourage staff to go ahead and respond to the NAIOP letter. I think they deserve it. They brought up a number of items that I think we should address. I also continue the work of letting people know. And anyone out there who has a question of not clear what's going to happen long-term to your property, give Siri a call. She'll gladly answer it. She'll gladly explain it. And put it in writing if you don't want to call. But seek the answers on it. The only thing I would like to know at our next meeting, two things. One, I'

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Benninger. Commissioner Liu.

Today we spent a lot of time on the industrial interface and how that's going to work. We didn't talk about the retail corridors. So next time we come back, can we talk about the retail corridors? Can we talk about what Commissioner Wu brought up about the empty storefronts on 17th or on Main Street and how the plan is going to impact them, possibly revitalize them? Because we have large swaths of buildings that are just empty and understood that small business has been under attack for many years. But what we're doing in that place so that people who own those properties or who are looking to

Thank you, Commissioner Leo. Commissioner Guzman.

Thank you, Chair Ramos. Throughout this, first, I want to thank members of the public who came in and voiced their concerns. It helped me understand all the issues. I'm fairly new to this commission, so that was very insightful. One of the things that was acknowledged and I think is going to be City Council Chambers, addressed is the vagueness around the enclosures, I think a lot of the comments from the industrial businesses and properties really didn't understand it, or maybe they do now and after this whole conversation. City Council Chambers, And the other thing I wanted to address or comm

Thank you, I have a few questions for planning to add to their queue of questions i'll answer afterwards. But when I heard a few business owners and property owners mentioned the residential industrial interface and it seemed like there were questions on. Why it was applying to areas where they weren't a budding with residential so staff can please explain. What the rationale was for adding that overlay in areas where we don't currently have residential existing and I think I heard the reason why, but would be great for staff to clarify at the end with all of the answers are going to provide a

So there's a process for school districts to clear the property excess surplus property, right? At which time then private market might step in and say, oh, I like to do this with it, right? So if we designate a zoning today, it may affect how the property is decided later on when the school district takes on a character. So maybe what we have right now, you know, suffice, you know, I don't know, but I just thought, to reflect on that. Things change when other jurisdiction makes a decision about regarding the properties under their jurisdiction.

Thank you, Commissioner Wu. Are there any other comments or questions for staff before we close the study session? Great with I just like to go ahead.

I know I mentioned about environmental justice coming, but I also like the economic development group. I realize that Mr. Garcia is gone, but still we'd like to have someone come and have their view on this proposal also because they're greatly involved also.

Thank you, Vice Chair Benninger. Well, without any additional comments or questions for staff on this, the study session has now concluded. Moving on to commission comments for staff. General closing comments. Or staff. Staff has any comments.

No comments from staff. With that, we'll go ahead to commissioners. Commissioner Leo.

I keep referencing the schools. The peak of the student population in Santa Ana was 61,000 students. School started this week for some, starts next week for others. It's 36,000. How do you keep open that many schools with half? I mean, it's almost half. At some point, the district has to have discussions with the city on what's going to happen with the property. We lack park space and everything else. And if we can't get the district to the table to discuss, then other people in the community need to speak up. The school district has lost 25,000 students since 2002. The city doesn't function w

Thank you, Commissioner Leo. Commissioner Guzman.

Just piggybacking on that comment, I know that there was a person on the phone that talked about cabinet sinks and, you know, not pie in the sky kind of thinking, but should the school district come to the table, a lot of those could become cabinet sinks in the form of parks. So I think that that's one of the ways that we could address all these environmental justice issues at some point, pie in the sky kind of thing. But the school district has to come clean, I guess.

Thank you. Commissioner Wu, do you have any final comments? It's also okay if you don't.

I just want to congratulate staff on the good job you're doing on this document. It's a difficult thing to explain to people that it's forward thinking, and it's not designed to punish any property. But we do need to clean things up, you know, and you have an opportunity to do it.

Thank you, Commissioner Wu. Commissioner Pham.

Thank you, staff. Thank you, Siri. And I was going to thank the consultants, you know, because the actual physical zoning code, it's very well done, in my opinion, good diagrams, I've always asked for it. As opposed to our current zoning where it's very hard to navigate. But I really like the way it's organized. I prefer table formats, which is what is being presented right now, or is being proposed. I think that, you know, It will really help facilitate developers own even homeowners to be able to point to things point to diagram and for us planners to point back. To the homeowners developers

Thank you, Commissioner Pham. Vice Chair Benninger.

Unfortunately, Commissioner Leo, we are not controlled with the school board. I just recently was at the Rob Richardson Welcoming Center. Beautiful building, and they're revising it to include We Share, but I looked at the hunk of land that it sits on close to Monterey High School. Unbelievable. If we converted that to a park in the city, it would be wonderful. But it's really for the city officials to work with the school board. And I don't know what the secret is either because LA has the same problem. They've kept the same staff, but they have half the number of kids. Somewhere along the wa

Thank you, Vice Chair Benninger. And I'll just say once again, thank you to staff for the presentation today. And I also want to sincerely thank everybody that came out to speak tonight, everybody that came out to watch the meeting and engage with us. It's been great to hear from residents, from business owners, property owners, church representatives. So I hope that you will continue to join us, not just at the next meeting, but that you will also join when this goes to council, where we'll go through two readings. So Again, thank you all. And our next regular meeting is scheduled for August