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.r_ <br />November 13, 2014 <br />Page 4 <br />proposed homeless shelter at 1217 Normandy Place at its October 21, 2014 council meeting. <br />Several members of the public, Supervisor John Moorlach, and State Senator Lou Correia all <br />spoke to the issues associated with the City's September 2013 adoption of a zoning provision that <br />would allow a homeless shelter to be located within a 995 acre area of the City, the County's <br />intended purchase of 1217 Normandy Place for use as such a homeless shelter within that area, <br />and the apparent lack of notice, outreach and involvement of the community in the selection of a <br />homeless shelter site at 1217 Normandy Place. Supervisor Moorlach's comments were against <br />the city council's proposed adoption of a moratorium on the implementation of the zoning <br />ordinance permitting a homeless shelter, and rather were an indication that he, and perhaps other_ <br />members of the Board of Supervisors, intended to proceed with the purchase of 1217 Normandy <br />Place :for a homeless shelter. After further discussion the Santa Ana city council unanimously <br />adopted a 45 day moratorium halting the implementation of the zoning ordinance that would <br />permit a homeless shelter within the 995 acre area, including at 1217 Normandy Place. <br />The adoption of this moratorium seemingly prevents the County from meeting its <br />Conditions Precedent, as Purchaser, under the PSA to consummate the transaction in that with <br />the moratorium in place, the County will not be in "receipt of all necessary governmental <br />permits, licenses, conditional use permits and approvals for the use of the Property as a tnaiti- <br />service center and shelter." (See PSA Section 5(a)(ii)) The County should immediately provide <br />written notice to the Seller under the PSA that it rejects the purchase because 1) the agreement is <br />contrary to law in that the PSA is not conditioned on prior environmental review consistent with <br />CEQA, and 2) the City's moratorium blocks the County's intended use at the site. If the County <br />remains silent for the remainder of the Feasibility .Period under the PSA, the County will be <br />deemed to have accepted the condition of the property and that condition precedent to the sale <br />will be deemed to have been satisfied. (See PSA Section 4(c)) The amendment to the PSA <br />indicates, among other things, that the PSA .Feasibility Period expires on November 20, 2014. <br />Action to be Taken <br />What the County must do in this instance is disavow the contract and. reject the purchase <br />of the property. It must do so by providing written notice to the seller disapproving of the <br />property prior to the expiration of the "Feasibility Period" so as not to be deemed to have <br />approved of the property. If the County falls to disavow the contract and closes the transaction <br />with the seller, it will have squandered nearly $4 Whou in public funds on the purchase of <br />property that cannot be used for the stated purpose because statutory prerequisites will have been <br />flaunted. If the County cannot purchase property except for a public use, which it cannot, and <br />the use here cannot be engaged due to the failure to first comply with CEQA, to what end is the <br />County committing public funds? <br />To be certain, our clients, and the community at large, have been engaged and will <br />continue to be engaged in assisting in identifying and evaluating a suitable site closer to existing <br />services focused on the homeless. We all understand there is a serious and timely need to serve <br />4091186.1 •-N1500.1 <br />