Item 08 - Sunshine Ordinance Amendments

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IU IIIIII Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllliuu, December 7th, 2021 Mayor Sarmiento and the City Council Members City of Santa Ana 22 Civic Center Plaza P.O. Bo 1988, M31 Santa Ana, CA 92701 Re: Support Item 8 -Adopt Ordinance Amending the Sunshine Ordinance Dear Mayor Sarmiento and City Council Members, I write on behalf of Chispa in support of Item 8, approving the amendments to the Sunshine Ordinance. This proposal will increase transparency and community engagement for young Latinxs in Santa Ana, a significant portion of our city. Expanding the number of community meetings and publishing city council agendas seven days prior provide more time and will increase attendance among young people, many of whom have multiple jobs, are students, and have families. We hope the proposed amendments will increase the community involvement of young people and our most impacted communities. As such,we support the Sunshine Ordinance Amendments to the Housing Opportunity Ordinance and Affordable Housing Funds Policies and Procedures: The Sunshine Ordinance is a set of local laws that are aimed at increasing transparency, which would make the following changes to Council procedure: Expand the Number of Community Meetings for Certain Development Projects from One to Two Increase the Radius of Distributing Noticing of Community Meetings Related to Certain Development Projects and Planning Commission Public Hearings from 500 Feet of the Subject Property to 1,000 Feet Publish City Council Meeting Agendas Seven Days Prior to the Meeting Date, Rather than the Currently Required Four Days Prior. Increasing the number of meetings will give busy youth more opportunities to participate in City processes. Likewise, having additional time to review agendas for upcoming meetings will allow young people juggling difficult schedules to better plan