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Final Extension of Moratorium on the Approval, Commencement, Establishment,
<br />Relocation, or Expansion of Industrial Uses in Specific Development No. 84 (Transit
<br />Zoning Code)
<br />April 15, 2025
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<br />Division, Code Enforcement Division, Business License, and Information Technology.
<br />Additionally, engagement with agencies such as the Santa Ana Police Department
<br />(SAPD), Public Works Agency, and the Community Development Agency’s Economic
<br />Development Division has produced critical information illustrating the extent to which
<br />industrial activities interface with residential land uses in the TZC area, specifically and
<br />most concentrated in the Logan and Lacy neighborhoods.
<br />Data based on Business License and Economic Development records indicate that
<br />application of the moratorium affects up to 127 industrial businesses in the TZC. Of the
<br />affected businesses, approximately three have active applications for permits, primarily
<br />seeking to legalize unpermitted work on industrial properties. City staff has continued to
<br />review public safety data from SAPD and Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) to
<br />assess community concerns regarding emergency responses in the TZC. SAPD
<br />records show a total of 18,736 calls for service between March 2023 and July 2024,
<br />with 226 of those occurring between April and July 2024 within the Logan and Lacy
<br />neighborhoods. These calls encompassed a wide range of incidents, including patrol
<br />checks, disturbances, and traffic-related issues. Notably, 1,909 calls involved collisions,
<br />vehicle impoundments, domestic violence, and SAMC violations. OCFA data from 2022
<br />to August 2024 indicates 238 calls for advanced life support emergencies. In 2022, 29
<br />calls were related to respiratory issues, chest pain, and cardiac arrest, with a
<br />subsequent 7% increase in health-related calls in 2023. While the data reflects a broad
<br />spectrum of emergency responses, the concentration of industrial businesses in the
<br />TZC raises the possibility that some of these calls, particularly those related to
<br />respiratory issues and traffic incidents, may be influenced by industrial operations.
<br />Currently, City staff has an internal process established that continues to track and
<br />monitor incoming notices of compliance or notices of violations from outside regulatory
<br />agencies issued to a particular business/operator. City Code Enforcement activities and
<br />implementation of the City’s Noxious Uses Ordinance continue being monitored at these
<br />facilities. Code Enforcement data show enforcement activity within the TZC, where at the
<br />time of adoption of the moratorium, 16 active open cases were issued Notice of Violations
<br />and administrative citations for the following types of violations: illegal storage, land use,
<br />zoning, property and landscape maintenance, unpermitted work, business license, and
<br />certificate of occupancy. Such violations include issues of odors, dust, traffic, noise,
<br />vibrations, and other documented impacts. Recent code enforcement complaints on
<br />properties in the Logan neighborhood involve complaints for recurring unpermitted work
<br />and land use violations that involve large commercial vehicles blocking street access and
<br />impacting nearby residents. In the past 12 months, the Code Enforcement Division
<br />conducted investigations at over 35 commercial and industrial properties within the TZC.
<br />These investigations led to administrative citations, ongoing enforcement actions, and
<br />onsite meetings with business owners.
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