HomeMy WebLinkAbout89-018REL:mb(35)
12/27/88
:057
RESOLUTION NO. 89-18
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AMENDING THE
LAND USE ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN
(GPA 88-2).
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Santa
Ana, after noticed public hearing, approved an amendment to the
General Plan of the City of Santa Ana, numbered for reference
purposes "GPA 88-2," to incorporate commercial and industrial
building intensity standards into the Land Use Element of the
General Plan; and
WHEREAS, said proposed amendment is set forth in that
certain Planning Department staff Report on General Plan Amend-
ment 88-2, submitted to this Council this date, which report is
hereby incorporated herein by reference as though fully set
forth; and
WHEREAS, this Council has reviewed and considered the
initial environmental study and negative declaration prepared
for such proposed General Plan amendment; and
WHEREAS, this Council, after duly noticed public hear-
ing, concurs in the Planning Commission's approval of said General
Plan amendment;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL
AS FOLLOWS:
1. The adoption of said General Plan amendment will not
have a significant effect on the environment, and the negative
declaration prepared for said amendment is hereby approved.
2. GPA 88-2 is hereby approved and adopted.
.058
RESOLUTION NO. 89-18
PAGE TWO
3. The Clerk of the Council is directed to certify the
adoption of GPA 88-2 on the face thereof and maintain said certi-
fied document in her records together with this resolution.
ADOPTED this 215t day of February , 1989.
ATTEST:
ir%eofC'tGhe~Yc/o~cil
COUNCI LMEMBE RS:
Young Aye
McGuigan Aye
Acosta Ave
Griset Aye
May Ave
Pulido Ave
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
DATE:
February 13~i 1989
SUBJECT:
PROJECT ADDRESS:
APPLICANT:
PREPARED BY:
APPROVED BY:
General Plan Amendment No. 88-2
Citywtde
City of Santa Aha
Linda Hale/Tom Childress
RHCOMMNNDATION
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission adopt Resolution
No. 89-5 which recommends that the City Council approve General
Plan Amendment No. 88-2 to amend the Land Use Element of the
City*s General Plan.
PROJNCT SUMMARY
General Plan Amendment No. 88-2 is proposed to amend the Land
Use Element of the City's General Plan to incorporate building
intensity standards in the commercial and industrial land use
designations. Adoption of this amendment will bring the City"s
General Plan into conformance with State Planning Law which
requires that general plans contain quantifiable standards o£
building intensity for each land use designation.
The standards proposed establish intensity standards through'the
use of floor area ratios (FAR's). This system defines the
relationship between the floor area of a building and the area
of the lot which it is built; The floor area ratios proposed in
this amendment are based upon a calculation o£ the £1oor area
ratios of existing development in the City averaged in with
current development trends.
I, Janice C. Guy, Clerk of the Council,
City of Santa Ana, certify that this
document is the original copy of
GPA 88-2 adopted by Council on 2/21/89.
J~'~i-~/e C. Guy, Clerk o~e'-Co/u~cil
'060·
INTRODUCTION
Cali£ornia State Planning Law and recent court decisions
· regarding adequacy o£ General Plans have determined that local
governments must establish building intensity standards £or each
land use designation in their general plans. The Land Use
Blement of Santa Ana's General Plan presently contains standards
for residential uses that specify the number of dwelling units
per acre for each residential designation. This amendment
proposes to establish intensity standards for the remaining
non-residential land uses within the City.
The City Attorney has determined that the standards established
in this amendment must reflect current development intensities
until appropriate environmental and economic analysis is
conducted to justify establishing higher standards. The floor
area ratio standards proposed in this amendment are interim
standards that re£1ect current levels of development for the
areas designated.
Maintaining an adequate general plan requires periodic revisions
and updates to ensure that as a framework for achieving the
long-range development goals of the City, it reflects the policy
direction and development standards to achieve those goals.
This amendment focuses on establishing building intensity
standards throughout the City. It will be followed by
subsequent amendments that address speci£ic plans' for the City's
major development areas.
This report is organized as follows:
I. Introduction
Presentation o£ the criteria and rationale used for
developing the proposed standards.
II. Development Standards
Establishes the development policies and intensity
standards £or each land use designation.
III. Environmental Analysis
Discussion of the environmental concerns and constraints
created by the proposed amendment.
IV. Summary
061 .i
INTRODUCTION
A. Background
State Planning law requires that local general plans
contain building intensity standards that establish
maximum development levels for each land use
designation. In this amendment, staff proposes to
establish standards for the City!s non-residential
areas using floor area ratios. , Floor area ratio is a
ratio which expresses the relationship between a
structure and the lot upon which it is situated. It
is calculated by dividing the gross £1oor area of the
structure by the gross area of the lot upon which it
is built.
Development intensity standards are most £unctional
in the General Plan when they clearly reflect the
City's growth and development policies and its urban
design goals. Establishing standards that £unction
well within this framework requires extensive
analysis of land use, environmental~ economic and
social factors. The analysis of these factors
provides the basis upon which FAR standards may be
established. The standards proposed in this
amendment are intended as interim standards until
more thorough analysis is conducted. The FARts
proposed reflect current development levels as well
as current development proposals.
The floor area ratios proposed for the City's major
commercial corridors are expected to remain in place
for several years· The basic character of these
corridors is not expected to change significantly
during that time. The FAR's currently proposed for
the City's major development areas, however, are
interim until a thorough analysis of development
trends, urban design goals and infrastructure
capacity can be completed. Those areas of the city
proposed for the most intense levels of development
include the District Centers, Pro£essional and
tdministrative O££ice Districts and several General
Business Districts with unique characters or special
development concerns. These areas shall be targeted
for preparation of Specific Plans~hat will be
designed to re£1ect the character of each district
and respond to current and future market demands.
The City's major development areas for which specific
~lans will be prepared are indicated in Exhibit A.
reliminary analysis for the ~useum District Speci£ic
Plan is currently underway, as is the planning for
the North Harbor Boulevard Specific Plan. The
specific plans remaining ~to~be completed are for
Downto~rn, MainPlace and South Coast Metro District
Centers, the Freeway Office C~nter, Bristol Street
Corridor and East Santa Aha Boulevard. Other areas
may be appropriate for Specific Plans based upon
special development concerns and will be prepared as
necessary. The timetable £or:co~Pletion of these
specific plans is subject to the direction of City
Council and the Planning Commission, as well as
available sta£fing and budget resources. It is
anticipated, however, that they be completed within
three years.
METHODOLOGY: Determining the Proposed Floor Area
Ratios
Staff conducted extensive field surveys to calculate
the existing development levels to use as a basis for
determining the proposed floor area ratio standards.
The non-residential portion of the City was divided
into 30 sub-areas having similar land. use development
character and building intensity. These areas are
generally defined by major arterial street locations
or existing development patterns. They are Bristol
Street, South Coast Metro, Downtown, etc., as listed
in Table I and shown in Exhibit B.
The survey was conducted by taking a representative
sample of the developed sites within each designated
area. Care was taken to sample various building
types in proportion to their representation in the
area to provide an accurate reflection of true
development intensity. The lot size and the bull.ding
size in total square feet was determined from various
sources including building records, site plans, case
£iles, fire department records, aerial photographs
and assessor's maps. The total building area for the
sites sampled was divided by the total lot area £or
the sites to determine the areawide floor area
ratio. The existing floor area ratios for these
areas are indicated in Table 1.
In establishing the proposed floor area ratios, the
existing development levels were used as a baseline
for determining current development intensity
levels. In addition, however, the following
considerations were taken into account:
'ITY
LEGEND:
A. MAIN PLACE
B~, MUSEUM DISTRICT
C. DOWNTOWN
D, McARTHUR PLACE/HUTTON CENTER
E. SOUTH COAST METRO
F, FREEWAY OFFICE CENTER
G, FREEWAY BUSINESS CENTER
064
TABLE ]
NON-RESIDENTIAL LAND USE INVEHTORY SUMMARY
EXISTING FLOOR AREA RATIOS BY AREA
AREA
AREA HA#E FAR
lA
lB
2
3
4
5
G
7
8
g
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
3O
,~SD-20
SD-43
MAIN PLACE DISTRICT CENTER 0.55
MAIN PLACE 0.41
MUSEUM DISTRICT 0.$8
MID MAIN 0.92
DOWNTOWN DISTRICT 1.81
SOUTH #AZN 0.37
HOTEL TERRACE 0.50
HUTTON CENTER 1.0
SOUTH COAST METRO 0,31
SOUTH BRISTOL 0,27
MID BRISTOL 0.21
FREEWAY BUSINESS CENTRE 0,48
CENTRAL FIRST 0,62
FREEWAY OFFICE CENTER 0.57
WEST FIRST STREET 0.25
MID GRAND AVENUE 0.28
NORTH GRAND AVENUE 0,44
EAST 17TH STREET 0,44
WEST 17TH STREET 0.55
MID 17TH STREET 0.53
NORTH TUSTZN 0.23
HARBOR BOULEVARD 0.23
PROFESSIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE (PAO) 0.39
SOUTH MAIN INDUSTRIAL 0.30
EAST SANTA AMA INDUSTRIAL 0.55
SOUTH HARBOR INDUSTRZAL 0.35
PACIFIC ELECTRIC RAILROAD R.O.W. INDUSTRIAL 0.24
SOUTHEAST SANTA AMA INDUSTRIAL 0.58
EAST SANTA ANA BOULEVARD 0.30
EAST FIRST STREET 0.42
CIVIC CENTER OFFICE DISTRICT 0.79
CIVIC CENTER SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN
MACARTHUR PLACE
~ GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 88-2
LEGEND:
~ DC DISTRICT CENTER
GBD GEN. BUS. DISTRICT
~ PAD PROF. ADM. OFFICE
I INDUSTRIAL
~ MU MULTI-USE
EXHIBIT B
PROPOSED FAR AREA
BOUNDARIES
AREA f AREA NAME FAR
lA MAIN PLACE DISTRICT 1.5
lB )lAiN PLACE 2.1
2 MOSEUM DISTRICT 1.5
3 MID MAIN STREET
4 DOWNTOWN DISTRICT 2.0
5 SOUTH ~IN STREET
6 HOTEL TERRACE .5
7 HUTTON CENTER 1.0
8 SOUTH COAST METRO DISTRICT 1.O
9 SOUTH BRISTOL .5
ID CENTRAL BRISTOL .B
T1 FREEWAY BUSINESS CENTER .5
12 CENTRAL FIRST STREET .5
13 FREEWAY OFFICE CENTER (PAO Il) .B
(Area E) .5
: 065
067
0
Existing development character and/or emerging
development trends in the area;
ln£rastructure capacity and the availability of
public services;
0
Compatibility of development with adjacent land
USeS ~
o Consistency with urban design guidelines; and
O
Potential environmental impacts of development at
the proposed intensity.
The £1oor area ratio proposed in each of the Cityts
non-residential land use areas is indicated in Table 2
which follows. Because recent development trends were
averaged in with FAR~s for the City's historical
development patterns, the FAR~s proposed are higher
than the existing FARTs indicated in Table 1.
The proposed FAR's presented are the maximum building
intensity allowed for development. All properties are
subject to compliance with the development standards
of the underlying zoning district designation and are
not guaranteed to achieve the designa£ed intensity.
The FAR standard should therefore be interpreted as a
maximum intensity standard and not as a development
right.
The proposed floor area ratio(s) for most of the
Cityts commercial corridors allows' structures of two
to three stories with surface parking. The major
development areas--the District Centers and
Professional Office Districts--allow mid-rise and
hi-rise buildings with structured parking. These
areas are expected to generate the highest level of
development activity in the City-as centers of
commerce~ employment~ recreation and government.
,.
AREA
lA
lB
2
3
4
6
$
7.
8
9
10
I1
12
13
14
15
15
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
3O
SD-20
SD-43
TABLE 2
NON-RESIDENT/AL LAND USE INVENTORY SUMMARY
PROPOSED FLOOR AREA RATIOS BY AREA
,AREA NAME PROPOSED FAR
MAIN PLACE DISTRICT 1.5
MAIN PLACE 2.1
WUSEUM DISTRICT 1.6
MID MAIN STREET 1.0
DOWNTOWN DISTRICT 2.0
SOUTH MAIN STREET .5
HOTEL TERRACE .5
HUTTON CENTER 1.0
SOUTH COAST METRO DISTRICT 1.0
SOUTH BRISTOL .6
CENTRAL DRISTOL ,5
FREEWAY BUSINESS CENTER .6
CENTRAL FIRST STREET .5
FREEWAY OFFICE CENTER (PAO II) .$
WEST FIRST STREET .5
MID GRAND AVENUE .S
NORTH GRAND AVENUE .6
EAST 17TH STREET .5
WEST 17TH STREET .5
MID 17TH STREET .5
NORTH TUSTIN .5
HARBOR BOULEVARD .6
PROFESSIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE I
(Areas A-D) 1.0
PROFESSIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE I
(Area E) .5
SOUTH MAIN INDUSTRIAL .4
EAST SANTA AHA INDUSTRZAL .4
SOUTH HARBOR INDUSTRIAL .4
PACIFIC ELECTRIC RAILROAD R.O.W. INDUSTRIAL .4
NEWPORT/REDHILL INDUSTRIAL .4
EAST SANTA ANA BOULEVARD .5
EAST FIRST STREET .5
CiViC CENTER OFFICE DISTRICT 2.0
CIVIC CENTER SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN AS ADOPTED
MACARTHUR PLACE AS ADOPTED
All unspecified commercial areas .6
II.
DEVeLOPMeNT STANDARDS
In compliance with State Planning law which mandates that
the General Plan include building intensity standards in
its Land Use Element, this amendment proposes to establish
floor area ratios for the areas of the City designated for
non-residential land uses. The Land Use Element within
the Policy Plan portion of the Santa Aaa General Plan is
proposed to be amended to add the following: floor area
ratio definitions and policies; land use designations; and
development standards and policies. The current text of
the land use element is replaced by this amendment.
A. Floor Area Ratio as an Intensity Standard
There are many regulatory tools that can be used to
establish a level o£ development that is appropriate
for the character and role of an urban area. Floor
area ratio is proposed as the standard for regulating
development intensity in Santa Ana's General Plan.
As expressed in this plan, the FAR indicates the
maximum level of building intensity within the area
in which it is designated. Urban development is
dynamic in its response to economic factors and
community desires, therefore, the standards
established are subject to change over time as the
City's goals change in response to growth and
development.
The floor area ratio system, as proposed in this
amendment, is now in effect in most major American
cities as a zoning device. It is becoming the
preferred method £or establishing intensity standards
in local general plans. As a ratio of the total
gross £1oor area in a building to the lot area
occupied by the building, the floor area ratio is a
simple and direct measure of the intensity of
development.
As a control, it applies to the intensity of
development rather than limiting the height or the
total size of a building. Height may increase as the
coverage of the site is decreased, and'the total
building size may increase in proportion to the size
of the site. The use of FAR as a development
standard allows a high degree o£ flexibility in both
the location and design of a structure. The benefit
of this flexibility to the City is the possibility
for the provision of more open space on the site
without reduced total.square footage. Through the
use of a creative site plan and unique exterior
facades, a development could create stunning light,
· . - '.070.
air and view corridors which are environmentally
sensitive to its neighbors. The benefit of this
flexibility to the developer can be better views for
occupants of the building and a greater freedom in
architectural design· For illustrative purposes,
Exhibit C indicates the flexibility in both building
and site design allowed with the use of floor area
ratio. Referring to Example (A), illustrated in this
Exhibit, on a hypothetical 25,000 ~quare foot lot at
an FAR of 1.0, a developer can build a one-story
building of 25,000 square feet covering the entire
lot; a two-story building coverlng one-half the lot;
a four-story building covering one-fourth the
and so on. In each case, the relationship between
the lot area (25,000 square feet) and the building
size (25,000) remains the same at 1:1 or an FAR of
1. Example B in this Exhibit further illustrates
floor area ratio using an FAR of 2 and indicates
various building heights and site coverage
configurations.
Floor area ratio is calculated to include the gross
floor area of a structure enclosed within the
exterior walls. As indicated in Exhibit D, the £1oor
area excludes roof structures, and unusable attic or
basement space. The FAR calculation also excludes
parking structures that provide required on-site
parking.
As with other provisions of the City's general plan,
the FAR establishes a maximum level o£ development
and is intended as a policy framework to supplement
the City's Zoning Code. Current development
standards such as minimum lot size, height, setbacks
and parking must be met for all projects. The zoning
district designation indicates minimum development
standards and the FAR indicates maximum development
intensity. All projects must comply with provisions
of both the Zoning Code and the General Plan unless a
discretionary action is approved for otherwise.
Definitions and Policies for Floor Area Ratio
Definitions
Floor Area Ratio shall mean the gross £1oor area
of a building divided by the gross lot area upon
which it is located. Surface parking or parking
structures shall not be included in the building
area to calculate the floor area ratio.
Gross Floor Area shall mean the total building
area in square feet, of all floor space enclosed
by the exterior walls of a building.
TO DETERMINE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE TOTAL FLOOR AREA ON A LOT:
MULTIPLY F.A.R. x LOT AREA · MAXIMUM TOTAL AREA
(A] 1.0 X 2,5,000 sq. ft. -- 25,000 SCl. ft. of FLOOR AREA
· ' CB] 2.0 X 2§,000 sq. ft. ,- ,50,000 st~. ft. of FLOOR AREA
SPACE, 7' I0"
(INTERMEDIATE FLOOR)
STORY
I
I
LEVEL
"NT
i THAN ONE-HALF HEIGHT
FIFTH
ROOF STRUCTURE;
.(ELEVATOn HOUSING)
FIRST
BASI
CURB
THAN ONE-HALF
FLOOR AREA
(TO BE INCLUDED IN EA.R. COMPUTATION)
FLOOR AREA
(NOT INCLUDED IN £A.R. COMPUTATION)
O
O
O
O
Gross Lot Area shall mean the total lot area
after deducting~the area.required for
dedications for public i~Provaments.
Floor Area Ratios Calculation Policies
073
In calculating the allowable FAR, the gross
square footage of the primary structure is
counted, but not the parking structure or
surface parking areas.
The FAR assigned to each area is the
maximum intensity permitted on any site
located within that area.
An FAR is calculated for all development
located on a legal parcel.
To encourage lot consolidation for optimal
site design, the FAR can be calculated on
an area wide basis for contiguous parcels
that are part of a large, multi-structure
project. To qualify for an area wide FAR
calculation, a project must be integrated
in design and function and the
owner/developer shall record deed
restrictions limiting the'project area to
the legally allowed £1oor area ratio.
Land Use Element - Use Designations
In this section, land use designations for the
revised Land Use Element are presented along with the
permitted uses, development policies and development
standards (FAR) for each.
The list of the land uses to be permitted in each
category is not exhaustive. Other uses similar.to
those listed may be permitted if other General Plan
requirements and factors are satisfied. These
factors include:
o Compatibility with adjacent uses
Circulation capacity
Urban design objectives
Availability of public services
Environmental factors
The proposed
the City are
designations
below.
floor area ratios for each sub-area of
shown in EXhibit ~.~ The land use
that apply to these areas are discussed
DISTRICT CNNTNR
District Centers are designed to serve as anchors to
the City's commercial corridors and to accommodate
major development activity. District Centers are to
be developed with an urban character that includes
high-rise office, commercial and residential uses
that provide shopping, business, cultural, education,
recreation, entertainment and housing opportunities.
These Districts also serve as major employment
centers locally and regionally. District Centers are
the areas of the City that provide development that
promotes the City as a regional activity center and
create an environment conducive to business on a
regional scale.
District Centers in Santa Ana are:
Downtown District which serves as one of the County's
major financial districts, employment and
governmental operation centers.
MainPlace District Center which includes several
large scale development projects that serve as a
regional shopping center and office complex.
South Coast Metro area which currently serves as a
regional retail shopping area, cultural center and
office complex.
Hutton Center/MacArthur Place area which contains an
existing office/hotel complex and a proposed major
mixed use project that will include a pro£essional
office complex with supporting commercial and
residential components.
Museum District located between the Downtown and
~ainPlace Dist¥ict Centers is proposed as a major
of£ice/cultural center that will be developed over
the next 15 to 20 years. The area will focus upon
the expanded Bowers ~useum and the construction of a
second museum adjacent to the Santa Aha Freeway.
~ GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 88-2
LEGEND:
~ DC DISTRICT CENTER
~ GBD GEN. BUS. DISTRICT
~ PAD PROF. ADM. OFFICE
~ I INDUSTRIAL
~ MU MULTI-USE
EXHIBIT E
PROPOSED FLOOR AREA
RATIO BY AREA
))
AREA A AREA NAME PROPOSED FAR
lA MAIN PLACE DISTRICT 1.5
lB MAIN PLACE 2.1
2 MUSEUM DISTRICT 1.U
3 MID MAIN STREET 1.O
4 DOWNTOWN DISTRICT 2.0
5 SOUTH MAIN STREET .S
6 HOTEL TERRACE .5
7 HUTTON CENTER 1.0
8 SOUTH COAST METRO DISTRICT 1.O
g SOUTH BRISTOL ,5
10 CENTRAL BRISTOL .U
ll FREEWAY BUSINESS CENTER .5
12 CENTRAL FIRST STREET ,5
13 FREEWAY OFFICE CENTER (PAO II) .$
14 WEST FIRST STREET .5
15 MID GRAND AVENUE
16 NORTH GRAND AVENUE .5
17 EAST 171:~ STREET
18 WEST 17TH STREET .U
19 MID )7TH STREET
20 NORTH TUSTIW .5
075
Permitted Uses
o Business and professional o/rices
0
High intensity office and commercial centers,
such as multi-story officelcomplexes and major
retail shopping facilities.
Major sports, cultural, recreational and
entertainment £acilities.
0
High intensity mixed use developments that
combine such uses as o£fi, ce, retail and/or
residential into one or more projects.
Institutional or civic developments of local
or regional importance~ such as major
educational and/or medical £acilities.
Development Policies
The following policies are designed to guide
development in the District Center and promote
quality development and a supportive environment
/or its component uses. ·
Support development which encourages
compatible land use patterns as
identified in specific plans.
Encourage landscaping that is appropriate
to the level of development and sensitive
to the surrounding community.
Encourage circulation systems that are
responsive to the needs,qf both
pedestrian and vehicular travel.
Encourage development that is exclusive
of noxious fumes, toxins or hazardous
materials.
Encourage creation of new employment
opportunities.
Support residential uses as a permitted
use when an integral component o£ mixed
use project.
Encourage the development of projects
that promote the City's image as a
regional activity node.
Encourage private commercial
rehabilitation, development and capital
investment.
07?
®
Development Standards
Development in District Centers,shall have an PAR
off 1.$ with the exception of Downtown which is 2.0
and South Coast ~etro which is 1.0. MainPlace
District Center has an PAR of 1.$, but the
~ainPlace development site, which is within the
~ainPlace District Center, has an FAR of 2.1. The
development standards for MacArthur Place are
contained in Specific Development Plan No. 48.
Refer to the Land Use Hap for area specific floor
area ratios and geographic boundaries.
Implementation of the standards that relate to each
District Center shall be accomplished through the
development and adoption of specific plans that
relate to the character of each District. It is
the role of the General Plan to establish
development intensities for these Districts and
provide the basis for preparation o£ the specific
plans. The function o£ the :specific plans is to
establish the regulatory framework to promote the
character of future developments within the Cityts
major development areas.
GENERAL BUSINESS DISTRICTS
General Business Districts are key cdmponents in
the economic development of the City. They provide
highly visible and accessible commercial
development along the Cityts arterial
transportation corridors. In addition, General
Business Districts provide important neighborhood
facilities and services, including shopping,
recreation, cultural and entertainment activities,
employment and education. They also provide
support facilities and services for industrial
districts including office and retail, restaurants
and various other services.
The General Business District development standards
are based upon the character and intensity of
current development as well as the degree of access
and market demand for these properties. The
relationships to adjacent residential uses and
relationships between existing land uses are also
considered.
Permitted Uses
o Business and pro£essional offices.
o Retail and service establishments.
o Recreational, cultural entertainment uses.
0 Government centers,
III. Environmental Analysis
079
o Land Use
o Transportation/Circulation
o Public Services
o Utilities
Although this action, in and of itself, would not impact
these areas directly, implementation of GPA 88-2 would
serve to make the Land Use Element of the General Plan
adequate, which could then be used to regulate
non-residential development within the City. Because the
proposed Floor Area Ratios (FAR's) reflect current
development intensities within the City, implementation
o£ the proposed project would not allow for
intensification of development in excess of existing
conditions. Therefore, this action would not directly
result in increased demands on utilities, public
services, and circulation systems.
Upon implementation of GPA 88-2, subsequent proposed
non-residential development projects would undergo
environment review, and where appropriate, .mitigation
measures would be implemented to reduce the level of
impact on these and other environmental areas to
acceptable levels.
In addition to compliance with CEQA, the establishment of
land use intensities as part of the Land Use ~lement of
the General Plan, the proposed action must also be
consistent with the other elements in the General Plan.
When the General Plan was adopted by the City o£ Santa
Ana in July, 1982, it was determined that the Land Use
Element was consistent with the other eleven (11)
elements. Incorporation of non-residential land use
intensities as part of the Land Use Element would not
affect the consistency of this element with the other
elements in the General Plan.
As part o£ the preparation of GPA 88-2, the potential
environmental impacts of this actian were assessed and
evaluated. As this action will require the discretionary
approval by a governmental agency, it satisfies the
criteria for the definition as a "project", as specified
in the California ~nvironmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Guidelines (Section 15378 (c)). In compliance with the
CEQA, Public Resources Code Section 21000 and the CEQA
Guidelines promulgated by the Secretary of Resources
(amended 1986), an Initial Study was conducted to
determine if the project may have a significant effect on
the environment. Upon completion of the Initial Study,
it was perceived by sta£f that there exists no
substantial evidence to support the finding that this
project or any of its aspects may cause a significant
effect on the environment, therefore, a Negative
Declaration was prepared. However, as proposed, the
project may have secondary impac~on the £ollowing areas:
080
IV,
SUI~AR¥
The Santa Aha of today faces unique challenges in its
future growth and development. By its location, the City
serves as a major junction for Orange County commerce.
To ensure that the quality of its economic and social
environment will continue to improve the quality of life
in the City, steps have been taken to reduce Residential
densities and increase commercial development standards.
The standards proposed in this amendment are interim and
the first step in the process of establishing
design framework for future development. It prescribes
policies that encourage a development pattern that'
focuses on the City's major development areas connected
by commercial corridors that serve adjacent residential
areas.
Approval of this General Plan Amendment is the initial
~hase of a comprehensive effort to establish clearly
e£1ned design and development standards in the General
Plan. It establishes the base from which, after further
analysis is completed, long-term standards will be
built. The second phase will involve the formulation of
Specific Plans designed to respond to an area's
character, function and infrastructure capacity. The
goals for the comprehensive revisions proposed for the
general plan include better urban design; a functional
circulation system; and the availability of public
serwces to Santa Aha residents, employees and visitors.
Development Policies
The following policies are designed to promote
quality in design, character and function in
commercial districts.
0
Support developments that
environment that is safe,
to the community.
create a business
clean and convenient
Promote rehabilitation of commercial
properties and encourage capital investment.
O
Support development projects that create new
employment opportunities.
Provide specific plans for areas of unique
character or function.
Development Standards
General Business Districts shall have a floor area
ratio of .5 with the exception of the Freeway
Business District which is 1.5; and Hid-Main Street
District which is 1.0, and South Coast Village
which is 1.0. See Table 2 and Exhibit E for
specific area designations.
PROFESSIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE
The Professional and Administrative Office areas
are intended to provide a unique environment for
the continuation of office development in areas of
the City where office uses have been established as
the predominant development character. The purpose
for maintaining and supporting these areas
exclusively for office and office-related uses are
to encourage major employment centers at location!
that significantly lessens the impact to the City's
local street system. Location of the Freeway
Office Center (PAO II) between the 5 and 55
freeways serves this purpose. In addition, the
orderly, well-maintained quality of exisiing
development supports a continuation of these areas
as functional office/employment centers.
The PAO designation includes PAO I, II and III to
differentiate development intensity. PAO I areas
are not major office centers, but rather have an
established character of lower intensity office and
professional service uses. These areas are
typically adjacent to low density residential
neighborhoods or are converted residential office
- 082
uses. The PAO II area is unique because of its
location between two freeways and three major
arterial streets. The area designated as PAO III
is located adjacent to the C£vic Center and
contains office development.,tO support the Cityts
function as the governmental denter of the County.
Permitted Uses ~
o Professional and administrative offices/office
parks.
O
Service activities such as copy centers,
courier services, travel~agencies,
restaurants, etc. when Such uses are an
integral component of a planned office
development.
0
Professional uses such as accountants,
attorneys, doctors, engineers and insurance
brokers.
0
Research and development facilities in an
office park setting where no product
manufacture or assembly is conducted.
Development Policies
O
Create an aesthetic environment and accessible
sites for the development of professional
offices and related services.
O
Encourage development of large office
employment centers within PAO (II) areas
adjacent to major transportation corridors.
O
Support new development projects that are
harmonious in scale and character with
existing development in the area.
Development Standards
O
The FAR for PAO I is 1.0, the FAR for PAO II
is 1.S, and PAO III is 2.0. Specific
Development Plan No. 20 is located within PAO
I. Development standards £or this area are
contained within the SD plan.
NULTI-USE DISTRICTS
Areas designated as Nulti-Use may include both
commercial and residential development. The
underlying zoning in these areas is commercial~ but
in many cases, the character of existing
developments is a mixture of both residential and
commercial uses. The intent of the multi-use
designation is to allow the continuation of
residential uses along East S. anta Aha Boulevard.
Land uses in this area shall be addressed in a
specific plan that creates a functional
relationship between the commercial and residential
land uses that exist in this area. Other Multi-Use
Districts will be redesignated to residential or
commercial uses in subsequent, general plan
amendments. ~.
Permitted Uses:
O
General Commercial - 10w intensity commercial
uses such as office and service uses such as
dry cleaners, shoe repair, etc., that are
compatible with the low-medium density
residential character of the area. This type
of commercial speci£ica!,!y excludes major
retail, automotive-related Uses and similar or
more intense uses.
o Medium density residential projects.
Development Policies
O
Encourage the upgrading of the Multi-Use
District by allowing residential as well as
low-intensity commercial uses.
Discourage the intrusion of new retail or
high-intensity commercial uses that are
inconsistent with the low/medium-density
residential character of the district.
Encourage lot consolidation so as to
discourage freestanding commercial uses.
Encourage the physical integration of
residential uses into projects with
neighborhood serving commercial usbs.
Development Standards
o The FAR for Multi-Use Districts is .5.
INDUSTRIAL
The Industrial districts of the City are vital to
its economic health. They are designed to provide
084
employment opportunities for local residents as
well as stimulate business and commerce in the City
to generate municipal revenues for continued
economic development. As one of the County's
oldest cities, Santa Aha has long been an
industrial center for the region. The City's goal
is to maintain this strong industrial base by land
use policies that restrict the intrusion o£ less
intensive commercial or residential uses.
Permitted Uses
0
Light and heavy product manufacturing and
assembly
o Business Parks
o Planned office developments
O
Commercial uses that are ancillary to
industrial uses in the district.
Development Policies
O
~aintain a suitable supply of land for the
availability of industrial uses.£or expansion
and upgrading of facilities.
O
Protect the viability o£ industrial areas £rom
the intrusion of non-compatible 'commercial'
uses.
o
Upgrade the aesthetic appearance o£ older
industrial areas by encouraging rehabilitation
and maintenance.
Develo]~ment Standards
O
Development in Industrial areas shall be at an
FAR of .4.
'085'
The £ollowing listing specifies area boundaries, proposed Floor
Area Ratio, existing zoning and General Plan land use designation
for each o£ the areas indicated in Exhibits B and B.
AREA lA:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
ZONING:
GENERAL PLAN:
MainPlace District
Garden Grove Freeway
Santa Ana Freeway/Santiago Creek
Santiago Creek/Main Street/Lawson Street
Santa Aha Freeway
1.5
C-2, SD-Il, R'I,
District Center
R-3, R-4
AREA lB:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
MainPlace
Garden Grove Freeway
Owens Drive
Main Street
Santa Ana Freeway
FAR: 2.1
ZONING: C-2
GENERAL PLAN: District Center
AREA 2:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL PLAN:
Museum District
Santa Aha Freeway
17th Street
Santa Aha Freeway
100-400 feet east of Main Street
1.5
C'l, P, O, R'l, C-5
District Center
AREA $:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:.
East:
West:
FAR:
ZOWING:
GENERAL PLAN:
Mid-Main Street
150 feet south of 17th Street
Tenth Street
Bush Street
Approximately 125 feet west~O£ Sycamore
1.0
C-2, R-3, C-3, P, C-l, CD
General Business District
086
AREA 4:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
8outh{
East:
West:
Downtown District
Tenth Street/Santa Aha Boulevard
~irst Street
French Street/150 feet east of Bush Street
150 feet vest of Sycamore/Ross Street
FAR: 2.0
ZONING: C-5, CD,
GENERAL PLAN: District
C-2, SD'30, SD-l, SD'39, 0
Center
AREA 5:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL PLAN:
South Main Street
First Street
P and R right-of-way
Approximately 200 to
Approximately 180 to
700 feet east of Main Street
d00 feet west of Main/Van Ness
.5
C'l, C'2, SD-25, R-2, CM
General Business District
AREA 6:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL PLAN:
Hotel Terrace
Warner Avenue
Dyer Road
Newport Freeway
Approximately 500 to
right-of-way
1,000
.5
S~'12, SD-8, M-1
General Business District
feet west
of SPRR
AREA 7:
BOUNDED
North:
South:
East:
West:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL
ON THE
PLAN:
Hutton Center
MacArthur Boulevard
Newport Freeway
Newport Freeway
Main Street
1.0
C-2, M-1
District Center
AREA 8:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
South Coast Metro District
Alton Avenue
Santa Ana/Costa Mesa City boundary
S00 to 800 feet east of Bristol Street
0CFCD Chanel/Plaza Drive/Bear Street
FAR: 1.0
ZONING: CR, C-4, R-1
GENERAL PLAN: District Center
O87
AREA 9:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL PLAN:
South Bristol . . ,
St. Gertrude Place/MacArthur Place
Alton Avenue/Sunflower Avenue
400 to 900 feet east of Bristol Street/Plaza Drive
200 to 700 feet west of Bristol Street/Bear Street
.5
C-2, CE, C-4, M-l, SD-26
General Business District
AREA 10:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL PLAN:
Central Bristol
Approximately 100 feet south of 17th Street
St. Andrews Place
150 to 500 feet east of Bristol Street
Approximately 150 to 900 feet west of Bristol Street
.S
C-l, R'2, C-S, C-4
General Business District
AREA 11:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL PLAN:
Freeway Business Center
Approximately 600 feet north of First Street
Santa Ana/Tustin City boundary
Santa Ana/Tustin City Boundary
Santa Ana Freeway
.5
C-5, C-l, C-2, A-1
General Business District
· 088
AREA 12:
BOUIiDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL PLAN:
Central First Street ~,
First Street/ApproximatelY 600 feet north
Street
Walnut/150 feet north of Walnut Street
Cedar Street
Bristol Street :,
.$
C-2, C-S, SD-40
General Business District
of First
AREA 13:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL PLAN:
Freeway Office Center
Approximately 300 feet south of 17th Street
First Street/SS0 feet north of First Street
Newport Freeway
Santa Aha Freeway/Park Center/Approximately 500
feet west of Tustin Avenue
.5
PAO, LP, C-l, C-S, R-2, CD
Professional and Administrative Office
AREA 14:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
West First Street
Approximately 100 to 400 feet north of First Street
Approximately 100 to 500 feet south of First Street
Bristol Street
City western limits
FAR: .5
ZONING: C-Z, R-Z, M-l, C-5, C-1, P
GENERAL PLAN: General Business District
AREA 15: Mid-Grand Avenue
BOUNDED ON THE
North: 150 feet south of 21st Street
South: McClay Street
East: 100 to 700 feet east of Grand Avenue
West: 100 to 400 feet west of Grand Avenue
FAR: .5
ZONING: R-3, CM,
GENERAL PLAN: General
C-2, C-5, LP, C-l,
Business District
SD -21
AREA 16:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL PLAN:
North Grand Avenue
Orange/Santa Ana City boundary
Approximately 750 £eet south o£ Santa Clara
Approximately S00 £eet east o£ Grand Avenue
100 to 300 £eet west o£ Grand Avenue
.$
C'5, A'i, R'I, C-1
General Business District
AREA 17:
BOUNDED ON
North:
South:
East:
West:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL PLAN:
THE
East Seventeenth Street , ,i
17th Street to approximatelySO0 £eet north o£
Street
50 to 650 £eet south of 17th Street
Santa Ana/Tustin City boundary
San~a Ana Freeway
.5
C-S, C'1
General Business District
17th
AREA 18:
BOUNDED ON
North:
South:
East:
Nest:
Nest Seventeenth Street
THE
Santa Ana/Garden Grove City boundary/100 to 200
£eet north of 17th Street
100 to 700 feet south of 17th Street
Santa Ana River
Euclid Avenue
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL PLAN:
.5
C-2,
General Business District
AREA 19:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
Nest:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL PLAN:
Mid=Seventeenth Street
100 to 1,000 feet north of 17th Street
50 to 200 feet south o£ 17th Street
Santa Aha Freeway
Santa Ana River
.5
General Business District
0 9D
AREA 20:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL PLAN:
North Tusttn
Pairhaven
l?th Street
Approximately 150 feet east of Tustin Avenue
Approximately 150 feet west of Tustin Avenue
C'l, (;-5
General Business District
AREA 21:
BOUNDED ON THE
Harbor Boulevard
North: 17th Street
South: City limits
East: 100 to 400 feet
West: 100 to 400 feet
east of Harbor Boulevard.
west of Harbor Boulevard
FAR: .S
ZONING: Co2, C-4, 6-5, R-3
GENERAL PLAN: General Business District
AREA 22A: PAO I
BOUNDED ON THE
North: Santa Clara
South: 1S0 fleet north of
East: Approximately 150
West: Approximately 150
FAR: 1.0
ZONING: P, PB
GENERAL PLAN: Professional
17th Street
feet east of Broadway
feet west of Broadway
and Administrative Office
AREA 22B:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
PAO I
Approximately 150 feet south of 17th Street
Civic Center Drive
Approximately 150 feet east of Broadway
Approximately 150 feet west of Broadway
FAR: 1.0
ZONING: P, CD, C-$
GENERAL PLAN: Professional
and Administrative Office
AREA 22C:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
PAO I
Approximately 150 feet north of Civic
Approximately 150 feet south of Civic
Approximately 150 feet east of Broadway
Louise Street
FAR: 1.0
ZONING: P, CD, SD-20
GENERAL PLAN: Professional
and Administrative Office
.. -JO91
Center Drive
Center Drive
AREA 22D:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
PAO I
Approximately 150 feet n~r~h of Santa Ana Boulevard
Approximately 150 feet south of Santa Ana Boulevard
Alley approximately 300 feet west of Olive Street
Approximately 300 feet west of Bristol Street
FAR: 1.0
ZONING: C-l, CD
GENERAL PLAN: Professional
and Administrative Office
AREA 22E:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
PAO I
100 to S00 feet north of Fourth Street
Approximately 200 feet south of Fourth Street
Santa Ana Freeway
Approximately 150 feet east of Grand Avenue
FAR: .5
ZONING: LP
GENERAL PLAN: Professional
and Administrative Office
AREA 23:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
South Main Industrial
Warner Avenue/Southern Pacific right-of-way
Segerstrom~ P and E right-of-way/Columbine
Southern Pacific right'of'way/Halladay
O.C.F.C. Channel/Main Street
Includes industrial area south of Hutton
FAR: .4
ZONING: M-2, SD-16
GENERAL PLAN: Industrial
Centre
t .:092
AREA 24:
BOUNDED
North:
South:
East:
West:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL
ON THE
PLAN:
East Santa Aaa Industrial
Santa Ana Freeway
Warner Avenue
AT-SF right-o£-way/Newport Freeway
Southern ?aci£ic right-of-way/Standard/
Cedar/Garfield
.4
M-l, N-2, 0
Industrial
AREA 25:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL PLAN:
South Harbor Industrial
Centennial Road/Harvard Street
Sunflower Avenue
Fairview Road
Santa Aaa/Fountain Valley City boundary
.4
M'i, M-2
Industrial
AREA 26:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
Paci£ic Electric Railroad Industrial
Fifth Street/P and E right-of-way
First Street
Raitt Street/Townsend Street
Santa Ana River
FAR: .4
ZONING: M-l,
GENERAL PLAN: Industrial
AREA 27: Newport/Redhi11
BOUNDED ON THE
North: Warner Avenue
South: Alton Avenue
East: Redhlll Avenue
West: Newport Freeway
FAR: .4
ZONING: LM
GENERAL PLAN: Industrial
Industrial
AREA 28:
BOUNDI~ ON THE
North:
South:
West:
East Santa Aha Boulevard
Approxtmatel7 1S0 feet
Approximately 150 feet
Approximately 150 feet
French Street
FAR: .5
ZONING: R=3, O
GENERAL PLAN: Multi-Use Corridor
'093
north of Santa Ana Boulevard
south of Santa Ana Boulevard
east of Garfield Street
AREA 29:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL PLAN:
East First Street
Approximately 150 to 600 feet north of First Street
Approximately 500 to 600 feet south of First Street
Elk Lane
Approximately 400 feet west of Grand Avenue
.5
C-2, R-l, C-S, M-1
General Business District
AREA 30:
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL PLAN:
Civic Center Office District
Santa Ana Boulevard
Third Street
Ross Street
Approximately 500 feet west
of Olive Street
2.0
P, CD, C-l, C-2, R-2, R-3
Professional and Administrative Office
SD-20:
BOUNDED
North:
South:
East:
West:
FAR:
ZONING:
GENERAL
ON THE
PLAN:
Approximately 290 feet north of Civic Center Drive
Civic Center Drive
Flower Street
Approximately 150 feet west of Baker Street
Standards adopted in Spe~g%fic Development
20 ....
SD-20
Professional and Administrative Office
Plan No.
094
SD-43
BOUNDED ON THE
North:
South:
East:
West:
MacArthur Place
Columbine Avenue
MacArthur Boulevard
Main Street
Newport Freeway
All commercial areas not specified
are at an FAR of
above and shown in Exhibit