Laserfiche WebLink
<br />ALUC Minutes <br />Page 4 <br />March 18, 2004 <br /> <br />Amendments as specified in PUC Section 21 676(b)] be referred to the Commission for appropriate reviews <br />and Determination of Consistency or Inconsistency, with the clarification that this Commission action is <br />intended now to apply to projects that are proposed to exceed the heights of the JW AFAR Part 77 <br />Obstruction Imaginary Surfaces (generally east of Fairview Road and south of McFadden Avenue as <br />shown on the attached "Santa Ana Special Area Referral Map"), within the Height Restriction Zone as <br />depicted in the JWA AELUP. <br /> <br />2. City of Santa Ana - Request for Reconsideration of Geneva Commons Project (JW A AELUP) <br />previously considered on December 18, 2003 and January 15,2004: <br /> <br />Chairman Bresnahan explained that this item was agendized on the basis that new information would be <br />presented to the Commission. He noted that the written material provided doesn't include significant new <br />information to warrant a formal reconsideration of the project, previously reviewed in December and <br />January and acted upon then. He suggested that the ALUC receive verbal input from the public, the City <br />and the applicant to ascertain the basis for a motion to reconsider, and if so, to proceed with the question of <br />reconsideration. <br /> <br />Mr. Hans Van Ligten of Rutan and Tucker, attorney for the applicant, Mr. Mola and Geneva Commons <br />LLC, addressed the Commission. He referred the members to his letter of February 25, 2004 and to <br />additional materials provided at the request of ALUC staff. He explained that the primary issue new to the <br />Commission regards the Development Agreement between First American Title and the City of Santa Ana, <br />wherein density and permissible development criteria translates into the physical nature of the site and an <br />altitude that apparently conflicts with the condition imposed by the ALUC. He added that the ALUC <br />meeting minutes show a clear record that staff's recommendation for Consistency was correct, which it <br />still is, and that the proponents cannot understand the statutory or other basis for the conditional approval <br />from the record. Mr. Van Ligten noted that bodies such as ALUC are bound by the rules and laws relating <br />to such proceedings, and the standard requires the finding of consistency or inconsistency based on the <br />adopted plan. He stressed that there is ample evidence in the record that the project is consistent, and <br />repeated their request for a reconsideration based on the record. He concluded that the ALUC leaves them <br />no other remedy, because of the position taken that it was difficult to see that the position was not really <br />true, with the ALUC occupying a separate important role in determining consistency/inconsistency in the <br />first instance. He repeated that the record is clear, staff's recommendation is correct in both instances, and <br />the project is fully consistent with the adopted plan. <br /> <br />Chairman Bresnahan recalled previous deliberations, asking about the source in the documents that there <br />was previous entitlement to build to 20-25 stories on that particular parcel. <br /> <br />Mr. Van Ligten explained that the development agreement provides a square footage entitlement, and the <br />only way to obtain that permitted density on the site is by developing vertically. <br /> <br />Replying to the Chairman, Mr. Van Ligten stated that the Development Agreement vests the rights of the <br />property owner and his successors and assigns with the options for determining the configuration, such as <br />one 25-story building rather than two l2-story towers. He added his point that the ALue has jurisdiction <br />provided by law to review a referral from Santa Ana for consistency with the AELUP, noting that they <br />don't disagree with the FAA's recommendation or conclusions. He stated that the only issue is having <br />gone to ALUC for consistency or inconsistency as measured by the adopted plan, not by an ad hoc standard <br />that exists over the plan, the staff reports being clear that the adopted standard is different than the height <br />opposed by the ALUC. <br /> <br />75C-178 <br />