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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-030 - Comprehensive Update to the Santa Ana General PlanRESOLUTION NO. 2022-030 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA APPROVING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 2020-06 FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE TO THE SANTA ANA GENERALPLAN WHEREAS, Article 5 of Chapter 3 of Division 1 of Title 7 (commencing with Section 65300) of the Government Code requires the City to prepare and adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for the physical development of the City; and WHEREAS, in 1982, the City of Santa Ana last completed a comprehensive update to the General Plan; and WHEREAS, various elements of the General Plan have been amended and adopted from time to time; and WHEREAS, the City of Santa Ana seeks to adopt a comprehensive update to the Santa Ana General Plan ("project' or "General Plan Update"); and WHEREAS, the General Plan Update identified the following five focus areas for potential change and new growth: South Main Street, Grand Avenue/17th Street, West Santa Ana Boulevard, 55 Freeway/Dyer Road, and South Bristol Street; and WHEREAS, the implementation of the Land Use Element Interim Development Standards are to ensure development projects are consistent with the vision of the general plan and focus areas. The Interim Development Standards allow flexibility for the developer to select one of respective Interim Development Standard options for designing the development, which may be the least restrictive of the multiple allowable options referenced in Appendix A of the Land Use Element of the General Plan (Table LU-A-1) for the respective general plan land use designation; and WHEREAS, the total long-term potential growth within these focus areas is estimated at 17,575 new housing units, 2,263,130 non-residential building square footage, and 6,616 jobs; and WHEREAS, the General Plan Update also requires the certification of the Final Recirculated Program Environmental Impact Report and related documents that have been completed for the project, which approval will be concurrent with the approval of the General Plan Update; and WHEREAS, pursuant to SB 1000, the City is required to address Environmental Justice in the General Plan Update due to a number of disadvantaged communities located within the City; and Resolution No. 2022-030 Page 1 of 6 WHEREAS, the goals, policies, and implementation items associated with environmental justice have been selectively placed within the majority of the updated General Plan Update; and WHEREAS, the project as currently proposed entails, among other things, (1) the revision to the State mandated Elements of the General Plan; (2) the inclusion of optional Elements to the General Plan; and (3) approval of General Plan Amendment (GPA) No. 2020-06, which would result in a comprehensive update to the existing General Plan; and WHEREAS, the General Plan is a community -wide vision document that is intended to address and respond to community needs, with staff conducting outreach with community members about the process to as wide an audience as possible; and WHEREAS, over the past six years, an extensive public outreach campaign to engage the public was conducted to supplement the feedback, input and direction for the comprehensive update to the General Plan. Early public outreach efforts included hosting over 60 community meetings and workshops; hosting individual community workshops within each of the five Focus Areas with over 300 residents, business leaders, and community stakeholders participating in the workshops; distributing an online community survey with over 650 respondents to collect input on the content of the General Plan; the mailing of approximately 44,000 informational flyers to property owners and tenants; presentations at neighborhood Communication Linkages (Com-Link) meetings; outreach meetings with Environmental Justice groups (Madison Park Neighborhood Association, Logan Neighborhood Association, Artesia-Pilar Neighborhood Association); and attendance at approximately 100 CARES events within environmental justice communities to discuss the General Plan Update with residents; and WHEREAS, on November 9, 2020, the Planning Commission conducted a duly noticed public hearing to consider the Draft Program Environmental Impact Report ("Draft PEIR") that was prepared for the General Plan Update (State Clearinghouse No. 2020029087), at which the Planning Commission voted not to certify the Draft PEIR and continue work on the General Plan Update to a future date to allow additional time for outreach to Santa Ana's environmental justice (EJ) communities and in view of the COVID-19 pandemic; and WHEREAS, in 2021, a Recirculated Draft Program Environmental Impact Report ("Recirculated Draft PEIR") was prepared as a supplemental analysis to the original Draft PEIR to reflect updates to the General Plan Update and based on an intensive, extended community outreach program conducted by the City between January and May 2021; and . WHEREAS, in collaboration with neighborhood and community serving organizations, the City reached out through direct mailers, yard signs, and social media to promote awareness of the General Plan Update, and participation in an EJ survey and 10 EJ virtual community forums. In August 2021, an in -person Open House was Resolution No. 2022-030 Page 2 of 6 hosted to share results of outreach, EJ partnerships, and proposed General Plan policies and programs focused on improving environmental health and quality of life in EJ communities; and WHEREAS, during the public comment period, Planning Commission work- study sessions were held on August 9, 2021, and August 23, 2021, and a public hearing on September 13, 2021; and WHEREAS, on November 8, 2021, the Planning Commission conducted a duly noticed public hearing to consider the Final Recirculated PEIR and General Plan Update. After hearing all relevant testimony from staff, the public, and the City's consultant team, the Planning Commission voted to recommend that the City Council certify the Final Recirculated PEIR, adopt the findings of fact, the statement of overriding considerations, and the mitigation monitoring and reporting program, and approve the project; and WHEREAS, on December 7, 2021, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing to consider the Final Recirculated PEIR and General Plan Update, which hearing was successively continued to the City Council meetings on December 21, 2021, January 18, 2022, and February 15, 2022, respectively; and WHEREAS, on February 15, 2022, the City Council heard the matter and afforded members of the public an opportunity to comment. No action on the item resulted; and WHEREAS, on April 19, 2022, and based on further comments received by City staff, the City Council conducted a duly noticed public hearing to consider the Final Recirculated PEIR and General Plan Update, at which hearing members of the public were afforded an opportunity to comment. After hearing all relevant testimony from staff, the public, and the City's consultant team, the City Council voted to certify the Final Recirculated PEIR, adopt the findings of fact, the statement of overriding considerations, and the mitigation monitoring and reporting program, and approve the project. The City Council hereby incorporates by reference, as if fully set forth herein, Resolution No. 2022-029 certifying the Recirculated PEIR and adopting the findings of fact, statement of overriding considerations and mitigation monitoring and reporting program for the project. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Santa Ana as follows: Section 1. The above recitals are true and incorporated herein by reference. Section 2. The General Plan Amendment consists of amendments to 11 Elements of the General Plan and text updates, as shown in Exhibit A, attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. Resolution No. 2022-030 Page 3 of 6 Section 3. The City Council has concurrently reviewed, certified and adopted the Final Recirculated Program Environmental Impact Report, the Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations, and the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for General Plan Amendment No. 2020-06, attached respectively as Exhibits B, C, and D. The City hereby finds and determines that all potential environmental impacts of the project, including the amendments to the General Plan, have been fully analyzed in the PEIR. No new or additional mitigation measures or alternatives are required. There is no substantial evidence in the administrative record to support a fair argument that the project may result in any significant environmental impacts beyond those analyzed in the certified PEIR. Section 4. The General Plan Amendment, Recirculated Final Program Environmental Impact Report and all supporting documents are online, and on file and available for public review at Santa Ana City Hall, 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, California 92702. Section 5. The City Council hereby finds that the proposed General Plan Amendment is compatible with the objectives, policies, and general plan land use programs specified in the General Plan for the City of Santa Ana. Section 6. The current General Plan will be consolidated into 12 elements, with 11 Elements being comprehensively updated including the Community Element, the Mobility Element, the Economic Prosperity Element, the Public Services Element, the Conservation Element, the Open Space Element, the Noise Element, the Safety Element, the Land Use Element, the Historic Preservation Element, and the Urban Design Element. Section 7. The General Plan Amendment shall include all of the "Recommended Clarifications to the Draft April 2022 General Plan" that were included as Exhibit 2 to the staff report dated April 19, 2022 for the General Plan Amendment. Section 8. The Housing Element is on a separate update schedule and will be updated in 2022 in compliance with State law. Section 9. The new and updated goals/objectives and policies of the General Plan will be coordinated and consistent throughout the General Plan document. Section 10. The proposed General Plan Amendment will not adversely affect the public health, safety, and welfare in that the General Plan Amendment is a comprehensive update to the existing General Plan that is intended to address issues such as incompatible land uses on adjacent properties, inconsistencies between General Plan goals or policies, and will mitigate adverse impacts to the environment. Section 11. The City Council hereby approves General Plan Amendment No. 2020-06 as set forth in Exhibit A, attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference, subject to compliance with the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, and upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth below: Resolution No. 2022-030 Page 4 of 6 A. The General Plan Amendment shall not take effect unless and until Environmental Impact Report No. 20200029087 is certified by the City Council, B. General Plan Amendment No. 2020-06 shall not take effect unless and until the City Council overrules the Determination of Inconsistency by the Airport Land Use Commission of Orange County. C. The General Plan Amendment shall not take effect until the day after the effective date of Ordinance No. NS-3019 repealing and reenacting in its entirety Article XVIII.I of Chapter 41 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code regarding the Housing Opportunity Ordinance. Section 12. The Clerk of the Council shall attest to and certify the vote adopting this Resolution. ADOPTED this 19th day of April. 2022. APPROVED AS TO FORM: Sonia R. Carvalho, City Attorney By:. JOY M. Funk Sr. Assistant City Attorney AYES NOES: ABSTAIN x Vicente Sarmiento Mayor Councilmembers Hernandez, Lopez. Mendoza, Penaloza, Phan, Bacerra. Sarmiento (7) Councilmembers Councilmembers NOT PRESENT: Councilmembers None (0) None (0) None (0) Resolution No. 2022-030 Page 5 of 6 CERTIFICATION OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY I, DAISY GOMEZ, Clerk of the Council, do hereby attest to and certify the attached Resolution No. 2022-030 to be the original resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Ana on April 19, 2022. Date: Daisy Gomez Clerk of the Council City of Santa Ana Resolution No. 2022-030 Page 6 of 6 EXHIBIT A All materials for Exhibit A may be accessed at httr)s://www.santa-ana.org/general- plan/draft-documents and are also on file and available at the City's Planning and Building Agency. EXHIBIT B All materials for Exhibit B may be accessed at: httr)s://www.santa-ana.org/general- plan/general-plan-environmental-documents and are also on file and available at the City's Planning and Building Agency.