Item 23 - Zoning Ordinance Amendment (2021-01) – Light Processing (Recycling) Facilities Urgency Ordinance

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jmf 4-28-21 Ordinance No. NS-XXX Page 3 of 8 L. The amendments proposed by this Urgency Ordinance are consistent with numerous Goals and Policies of the existing General Plan. These include: 1. Land Use Element: Goals 1 (Promote a balance of land uses to address basic community needs), 3 (Preserve and improve the character and integrity of neighborhoods), and 5 (Ensure that the impacts of development are mitigated); 2. Noise Element: Goal 1 (Prevent significant increases in noise levels in the community and minimize the adverse effects of currently-existing noise sources); 3. Public Safety Element: Goal 1 (Preserve a safe and secure environment for all Santa Ana residents and workers); and 4. Urban Design Element: Goals 1 (Improve the physical appearance of the City through development of districts that project a sense of place, positive community image, and quality environment) and 2 (Improve the physical appearance of districts through development that is proportional and aesthetically related to its district setting). M. The City is in the process of comprehensively updating its General Plan. Proposed new or updated Elements of the General Plan include Community, Economic Prosperity, Noise, Safety, Land Use, and Urban Design. These proposed new or updated Elements contain draft policies that have been identified and thoroughly reviewed by members of the Santa Ana community through surveys, workshops, meetings, and public hearings. These draft policies are intended to improve and maintain a high quality of life for residents, businesses, and visitors of Santa Ana and address deleterious land uses such as Processing Facilities, both Light and Heavy, in the City. N. If Light Processing Facilities remain a use permitted in the Industrial (M-1 and M-2) zoning districts without a conditional use permit, they will pose a serious threat to the public interest, health, safety and welfare for the following reasons: 1. Such uses may continue to locate in the City’s Industrial zoning (M-1 and M- 2) districts without appropriate and thorough review by the City’s Planning Commission and City Council. Such uses would remain subject to the City’s administrative review process for administrative development projects, pursuant to Article V, Division 3 of Chapter 41 of the SAMC. This administrative review process ensures consistency with adopted development standards and design guidelines, but (1) does not allow the City to evaluate each submitted application for consistency with surrounding properties and neighborhoods, as well as the General Plan, and to therefore recommend approval or denial of such applications subject to a discretionary review