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Planning Commission
<br />Special Meeting Agenda Minutes
<br />May 28, 2026
<br />5:30 P.M.
<br />Council Chamber
<br />22 Civic Center Plaza
<br />Santa Ana, CA
<br />ISURI S. RAMOS
<br />Chair, Ward 3 Representative
<br />CARL BENNINGER
<br />ViceChair
<br />Ward 4 Representative
<br />CHRISTOPHER LEO
<br />CityWide Representative
<br />MANUEL J. ESCAMILLA
<br />Ward 2 Representative
<br />JENNIFER OLIVA
<br />Ward 6 Representative
<br />BAO PHAM
<br />Ward 1 Representative
<br />ALAN WOO
<br />Ward 5 Representative
<br />Ali Pezeshkpour, AICP
<br />Executive Director
<br />Melissa M. Crosthwaite
<br />Legal Counsel
<br />Ricardo Soto, AICP
<br />Planning Manager
<br />Gema Zapien
<br />Recording Secretary
<br />In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if you need special assistance to participate in this Meeting,
<br />contact Michael Ortiz, City ADA Program Coordinator, at (714) 6475624. Notification 48 hours prior to the Meeting will enable
<br />the City to make reasonable arrangements to assure accessibility to this meeting. The City Council agenda and supporting
<br />documentation can be found on the City’s website – www.santaana.org/citymeetings.
<br />CALL TO ORDER
<br />Commissioners: Isuri S. Ramos, Chair
<br />Carl Benninger, ViceChair
<br />Christopher Leo
<br />Manuel J. Escamilla
<br />Jennifer Oliva
<br />Bao Pham
<br />Alan Woo
<br />Executive Director Ali Pezeshkpour, AICP
<br />Legal Counsel Melissa M. Crosthwaite
<br />Planning Manager Ricardo Soto, AICP
<br />Recording Secretary Gema Zapien
<br />ROLL CALL
<br />Minutes: Quorum was reached at 5:32 PM with Commissioner Escamilla arriving at 5:33
<br />PM and Vice Chair Benninger and Commissioner Oliva absent.
<br />PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
<br />PUBLIC COMMENTS
<br />CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS
<br />Minutes
<br />Recommended Action: Approve Minutes from the meeting of May 11, 2026.
<br />Excused Absences
<br />Recommended Action: Excuse absent commissioners.
<br />Moved by Commissioner Woo, seconded by Commissioner Leo to Approve.
<br />YES: 5 – Bao Pham, Isuri Ramos, Alan Woo, Christopher Leo, Manuel J. Escamilla
<br />NO: 0 – ABSTAIN: 0 – ABSENT: 2 – Carl Benninger, Jennifer Oliva
<br />Status: 5 – 0 – 0 – 2 – Pass
<br />*End of Consent Calendar*
<br />BUSINESS CALENDAR
<br />Public Hearing:The Planning Commission decision on Conditional Use Permits,
<br />Variances, Tentative Tract and Parcel Maps, Minor Exceptions, Site Plan Review, and
<br />Public Convenience or Necessity Determinations are final unless appealed within 10
<br />days of the decision by any interested party or group (refer to the Basic Meeting
<br />Information page for more information). The Planning Commission recommendation
<br />on Zoning and General Plan amendments, Development Agreements, Specific
<br />Developments, and Specific Plans will be forwarded to the City Council for final
<br />determination. Legal notice was published in the OC Reporter on May 1, 2026 and
<br />notices were mailed on said date.
<br />1.SITE PLAN REVIEW NO. 202601 AND DENSITY BONUS AGREEMENT NO.
<br />202601 FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2101 EAST FOURTH STREET
<br />LOCATED WITHIN THE PROFESSIONAL (P) ZONE AND WITHIN THE
<br />METRO EAST MIXEDUSE OVERLAY ZONE.
<br />Project Location: 2101 East Fourth Street, located within the Professional
<br />(P) zone and within the Metro East MixedUse Overlay Zone (MEMU)
<br />Proposed Project: Applicant is requesting approval of Site Plan Review No.
<br />202601 and Density Bonus Agreement No. 202601 to facilitate the construction
<br />of a sevenstory mixeduse development consisting of 274 residential units,
<br />fourteen of which would be designated for extremely lowincome households, and
<br />approximately 20,714 square feet of groundfloor commercial space. The
<br />Applicant requests approval of a Density Bonus Agreement pursuant to California
<br />Government Code Section 65915 and Santa Ana Municipal Code Section 41
<br />1600 to allow a density of 92 dwelling units per acre and to permit one
<br />incentive/concession and waivers or reductions from development standards
<br />related to setbacks, building height, and publicly accessible open space.
<br />Environmental Impact: Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act
<br />(CEQA) and the CEQA Guidelines, the project is exempt from further review
<br />pursuant to Section 15168 (Program EIR), as the Project is within the scope of the
<br />previously certified 2007 MEMU Program EIR (SCH No. 2006031041) and 2018
<br />Subsequent EIR, and would not result in new or more severe impacts or require
<br />additional review under Sections 15162 or 15163. Accordingly, no further
<br />environmental review is required, and a Notice of Exemption, Environmental
<br />Review No. 202501, will be filed for the project.
<br />RESOLUTION NO. 2026XX
<br />A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SANTA
<br />ANA APPROVING SITE PLAN REVIEW NO. 202601, AS CONDITIONED, FOR A
<br />SEVEN STORY MIXEDUSE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT CONSISTING OF
<br />274 RESIDENTIAL UNITS FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2101 EAST
<br />FOURTH STREET (APN: 40004103)
<br />RESOLUTION NO. 2026XX
<br />A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SANTA
<br />ANA APPROVING ONE INCENTIVE/CONCESSION AND TWO (2) WAIVERS OR
<br />REDUCTIONS OF DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS PURSUANT TO STATE
<br />DENSITY BONUS LAW TO BE MEMORIALIZED IN DENSITY BONUS
<br />AGREEMENT NO. 202601, AS CONDITIONED, FOR A SEVEN STORY MIXED
<br />USE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT CONSISTING OF 274 RESIDENTIAL UNITS
<br />FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2101 EAST FOURTH STREET (APN: 400
<br />04103)
<br />Recommended Actions:
<br />1. Adopt a resolution approving Site Plan Review No. 202601, as conditioned;
<br />and
<br />2. Adopt a resolution approving a concession and waivers or reductions in
<br />development standards as memorialized in Density Bonus Agreement No.
<br />202601, as conditioned.
<br />Moved by Commissioner Woo, seconded by Commissioner Escamilla to
<br />Approve.
<br />YES: 5 – Bao Pham, Isuri Ramos, Alan Woo, Christopher Leo, Manuel J.
<br />Escamilla
<br />NO: 0 – ABSTAIN: 0 – ABSENT: 2 – Carl Benninger, Jennifer Oliva
<br />Status: 5 – 0 – 0 – 2 – Pass
<br />Minutes: Staff provided a short presentation.
<br />Commission had questions for staff.
<br />Staff answered questions from Commission.
<br />Commission had questions for the Applicant.
<br />Christine Saunders and Dan Young, on behalf of the Applicant, answered
<br />questions from the Commission.
<br />*End of Business Calendar*
<br />STAFF COMMENTS
<br />Minutes: Staff had comments for the Commission.
<br />COMMISSIONER COMMENTS
<br />Minutes: Commission had comments for staff.
<br />ADJOURNMENT
<br />The next meeting of the Planning Commission will be on June 8, 2026, at 5:30 PM in the
<br />Council Chamber located at 22 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701.
<br />Minutes: Meeting was adjourned at 6:48 PM.
<br />APPEAL INFORMATION
<br />The formal action by the Planning Commission shall become effective after the tenday
<br />appeal period, unless the City Council in compliance with section 41643, 41644 or 41645
<br />holds a public hearing on the matter, then the formal action will become effective on the day
<br />following the hearing and decision by the City Council. An appeal from the decision or
<br />requirement of the Planning Commission may be made by any interested party, individual, or
<br />group. The appeal must be filed with the Clerk of the Council, accompanied by the required
<br />filing fee, and a copy sent to the Planning Department, within ten days of the date of the
<br />Commission's action, by 5:00 p.m. If the final day to appeal falls on a City Hall observed
<br />holiday or a day when City hall is closed, the final day to appeal shall be extended to the next
<br />day City Hall is open for public business. Please note: Under California Government Code
<br />Sec. 65009, if you challenge in court any of the matters on this agenda for which a public
<br />hearing is to be conducted, you may be limited to raising only those issues which you (or
<br />someone else) raised orally at the public hearing or in written correspondence received by
<br />the Planning Commission or City Council at or before the hearing.
<br />MEETING INFORMATION
<br />If you would like to learn how to use Zoom before the meeting, visit Zoom Video Tutorials.
<br />1. Connecting directly from your computer:
<br />Click on the link on top of this agenda OR
<br />Go to Zoom.us and click "Join a Meeting" at the top. Enter the Meeting ID. The Meeting
<br />ID is listed at the top of this agenda.
<br />To speak during the meeting: When you wish to comment on an item that is being is
<br />discussed, click on the button next to your name to virtually raise your hand and let us know
<br />you wish to speak. You will have 3 minutes.
<br />2. Connecting via the Zoom App:
<br />Download the free Zoom Cloud Meetings app from your favorite app store.
<br />Launch the app and click on the blue Join a Meeting button. Enter the Meeting ID, your
<br />name, and the blue Join button. The Meeting ID is listed at the top of this agenda.
<br />To speak during the meeting: When you wish to comment on an item that is being is
<br />discussed, click on the button next to your name to virtually raise your hand and let us know
<br />you wish to speak. You will have 3 minutes.
<br />3. Dialing in from a mobile phone or landline:
<br />Dial (669) 9006833. When prompted, enter the meeting ID. The Meeting ID is listed at
<br />the top of this agenda.
<br />To speak during the meeting: When you wish to comment on an item that is being is
<br />discussed, press *9 on your phone to virtually raise your hand. You will have 3 minutes.
<br />Submit a written comment
<br />You are invited to submit a written comment in one of the following ways:
<br />Email PBAecomments@santaana.org and reference the topic in the subject line.
<br />Mail to Gema Zapien, Recording Secretary, City of Santa Ana, 20 Civic Center Plaza –
<br />M20, Santa Ana, CA 92701.
<br />Deadline to submit written comments, including any supplement materials for
<br />consideration by the Planning Commission, is 3:30 p.m. on the day of the
<br />meeting.Comments received after the deadline may not be distributed to the
<br />Commission but will be made part of the record. All attendees wishing to submit
<br />written comments or supplemental materials for distribution to Planning Commission
<br />members during the inperson meeting must provide 15 printed copies.
<br />TRANSLATION SERVICES Members of the public may request an interpreter 48
<br />hours in advance to assist a nonenglish speaker during the public comments
<br />sections of the meeting. Notification of 48 hours prior to the Meeting will enable the
<br />City to make reasonable arrangements to assure accessibility to this meeting.
<br />Simultaneous Spanish interpretation is provided through the use of headsets and
<br />consecutive interpretation (SpanishtoEnglish) in addition to those wishing to
<br />address the Commission at the podium.
<br />Los miembros del público pueden solicitar un intérprete con 48 horas de
<br />anticipación para asistir a una persona que no habla inglés durante la sección de
<br />comentarios públicos de la reunión. La notificación con 48 horas de anticipación
<br />permitirá a la Ciudad hacer los arreglos razonables necesarios para garantizar el
<br />acceso a esta reunión. La interpretación simultánea al español se ofrece por medio
<br />del uso de audífonos y la interpretación consecutiva (español a inglés) también está
<br />disponible para cualquiera que desee dirigirse a la Comisión en el podio.
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