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Tentative Parcel Map No. 2007-05 January 28, 2008 Page 3 Section 66474 (b) of the Subdivision Map Act states that the legislative body of a city shall deny a tentative map if it makes the finding that the design or improvement of the proposed subdivision is not consistent with applicable general and specific plans. Together with other elements of the General Plan, the Urban Design Element aims to curtail obsolete, dysfunctional and chaotic development. The Urban Design Element goes on to state "that development and subdivision patterns should be compatible with existing patterns of development in and around districts and neighborhoods, and provide a smooth transition along designated edges" (Policy 2.12). The predominate subdivision pattern in the surrounding area is rectangular shaped lots. The proposed subdivision creates an irregular shaped parcel that will be difficult to develop over time without acquiring additional land or applying for future variances. In addition, the unorthodox shape of the parcel does not comply with the intent of the City's subdivision and zoning ordinance (Exhibit 4). For example, the City's Community Commercial (C-1) development standards requires that each lot used for retail or service purposes have at least 120 feet of street frontage and an area of at least 15, 000 square feet. The purpose of this requirement is to maintain a parcel width of roughly the same proportion from front to back which results in a rectangular parcel that can easily be developed over time. In the case of the proposed subdivision, the new parcel will have 120 feet of street frontage. The width of the parcel however, is maintained for only 15 feet before narrowing considerably due to the constraints of designing a property line around an existing building. The new lot line jogs through common building walls, around building openings, utility panels and exit doors creating an irregular shaped parcel that is not conducive to future development. At the narrowest point, Parcel 2 is 15 feet wide and maintains this width for nearly 160 feet, which is clearly not the intent of the City's street frontage requirement or subdivision ordinance. The Subdivision Creates New Zoning Code Non-Conformancies Section 34-67 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SANG) states that no map shall be approved which would result in a violation of Chapter 8, which regulates Buildings and Structures, or Chapter 41, which regulates Zoning. Approval of the proposed map would result in several new non- conformities being created in violation of Chapter 41 of the zoning code. These new nonconformities are discussed below and include: front yard setbacks, drive aisle width, loading zone and trash enclosure locations, and a landscape buffer adjacent to residential property. 32A-4