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Honorable Mayor Pulido
<br />Santa Ana City Council
<br />November 18, 2019
<br />Page 5
<br />insufficient to justify the negative impacts of increased traffic, increased density,
<br />incompatibility with neighboring communities, and environmental factors that would be
<br />caused by allowing the Applicant's proposed amendment to the City's General Plan.
<br />Moreover, the Applicant's efforts to purchase the silence of those opposed to its
<br />application should mandate denial as a matter of principal and equity.
<br />As noted above, the Planning Commission denied approval of the Project three times,
<br />the latest on October 28, 2019. (See Official Video of Planning Comm'n Regular
<br />Meeting.)2 In its present iteration before the City Council, the Project purports to
<br />construct a 256-unit multifamily housing project at 58 dwelling units per acre, with 511
<br />parking spaces proposed and an additional 180 surface parking spaces on the second
<br />adjacent lot. (See City Staff Rept., Oct. 28, 2019, 2-1, 2-4, Tbl. 1, 2-5, passim.) Also
<br />discussed above, the Project site is approximately 4.51 acres and construction thereon
<br />will require the complete demolition of an existing two-story, 81,172 square foot office
<br />building. (See City Staff Rept., Oct. 28, 2019, 2-4, Tbl. 1.) Again, the intensity of the
<br />proposed use stands in stark contrast to its surrounding surrounded uses, including an
<br />open space park to the north and single family residential homes to the east and south.
<br />(See ibid.)
<br />The Project site has a current land use designation of Professional and Administrative
<br />Office, with a zoning of Professional. The allowable uses of the property are limited to
<br />professional and administrative offices, banking or finance, travel agencies, medical and
<br />dental offices, museums or science centers, pharmacies, child care facilities, and
<br />freestanding regular -hours eateries. (See SAMC, §41-313.) Other allowable uses of
<br />the property, subject to a conditional use permit, include hospitals, convalescent
<br />facilities, health clubs, trade schools, ambulance response services, late -night eateries,
<br />adult day care facilities, banquet halls, clubs or lodges, and bail bonds. (SAMC, §41-
<br />313.5.) The maximum allowable density for the adjacent R-1 district wherein the Park
<br />Santiago neighborhood is located is low density residential (LR-7) or seven (7) dwelling
<br />units per acre, with an actual density of 4.4 dwelling units per acre. (Ibid.)
<br />The City's current General Plan does not support the approval of the Project, even in its
<br />current form. Excerpts of the relevant land use and housing elements that remain
<br />inconsistent with the proposed Project approvals are referenced below:
<br />'-'rbe inceling minutes are not yet available, accordingly, the video is available at
<br />hllusa/sanlaana. +ranicus.comMlediaPlaver. ib iew id=2Scli i id=2327 (last accessed Nava 13_ 2019. on li le).
<br />4398.101 / 8504501.2
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