Item 22 - Public Hearing - General Plan Amendment, Zoo Overflow Parking Rezone

Home Browse Search

Santa Ana Zoo Overflow Parking Lot Rezone (1801 East Chestnut Avenue) March 3, 2026 Page 2 PARCEL NUMBER 402-212-01 FROM GENERAL AGRICULTURAL (A-1) TO GENERAL COMMERCIAL (C-2); read by title only and waive further reading. GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No DISCUSSION Executive Summary This is a City initiated General Plan Amendment (GPA) (GPA No. 2025-01) to change the General Plan land use designation for the property located at 1801 East Chestnut Avenue and recognized as Assessor Parcel Number (APN) 402-212-01 ("Project Site"), which has historically functioned as overflow parking lot for the Santa Ana Zoo, from Open Space (OS) to General Commercial (GC) and Amendment Application (AA) No. 2025-02 to change the Zoning designation for the Project Site from General Agricultural (A-1) to General Commercial (C-2) to bring the land use and zoning into consistency with the Project Site's long-standing operational use and the Zoo Facilities Master Plan ("Project"). In addition, in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Project requires certification of a Final Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) (ER No. 2025-119 and SCH No. 2025121015) and adoption of a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP). The Project would continue the existing overflow parking use while improving the Project Site with paving, striped parking stalls, internal circulation lanes, reconstructed access, and the installation of electric vehicle charging stations, providing approximately 250 parking spaces, including ADA-compliant and Electric Vehicle (EV) stalls. The proposed GC General Plan land use designation and C2 zoning allow parking facilities and visitor - serving uses and align the Project Site with surrounding urban development patterns and long-term infrastructure planning. Planning Commission Recommendation On February 9, 2026, the Planning Commission recommended that the City Council take the following actions: (1) certify the Final IS/MND (ER No. 2025-119 and SCH No. 2025121015), (2) adopt a MMRP for the Project, (3) adopt a resolution approving GPA No. 202501, and (4) adopt an ordinance approving AA No. 2025-02 by a vote of 6:0:1 (Ayes: Commissioners Benninger, Escamilla, Leo, Pham, Ramos, and Woo; Absent: Commissioner Oliva). Project Description The Project proposes to change the Project Site's General Plan land use designation from OS to GC and to rezone the property from A-1 to C-2. The Project Site is currently developed as an unpaved gravel lot that provides overflow parking and is located in an urbanized area bounded by Interstate 5, East Main Street, surrounding commercial uses, multifamily residential development, and the Santa Ana Zoo.