HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-06-1995MINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA
APRIL 6, 1995
CALLED TO ORDER
ATTENDANCE:
5:50 P.M.
2ND FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM
SANTA ANA LIBRARY
26 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA
COUNCILMEMBERS
Present:
MIGUEL A. PULIDO, Mayor
ROBERT L. RICHARDSON, Mayor Pro Tern
TONY ESP1NOZA (6:10 P.M.)
TOM LUTZ
PATRiCIA A. McGUIGAN
LISA MILLS
Absent: TED R MORENO
STAFF:
DAVID N. REAM, City Manager
EDWARD J. COOPER, City Attorney
JANICE C. GUY, Clerk of the Council
WORK STUDY SESSION
Planning and Building Agency Executive Director Robyn Uptegraff reviewed the agenda for the
workstudy session, indicating project review, plan check, and inspections would be addressed as
time permitted and indicated that topics not completed would be covered at the April 17 Council
meeting. She presented a list of outstanding issues identified during the workstudy sessions.
Mayor Pro Tern Richardson requested that the conversion of historic properties to commercial
uses be added to the list.
By informal consensus, the Council set discussion of the appropriate zoning designation for the
Logan area for a Council workstudy on May 25, 1995.
Uptegraff explained that at the conclusion of the workstudy sessions, staff will prepare a written
report summarizing the findings from the sessions for Council review, following which an
implementation plan will be prepared. The Council discussed possible alternatives on how to
proceed once the findings had been written up by staff Councilmember Mills suggested the
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
99 APRIL 6, 1995
findings be reviewed and the implementation plan prepared by a consultant (instead of staff) to
increase objectivity regarding policy modifications.
City Manager David Ream and Uptegraff stressed the need for the Council to achieve a high
comfort level concerning City development policies. Uptegraff recounted findings from a visit to
the City of Fremont where community consensus concerning development standards had been
achieved and conformance to those standards was the norm.
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW
Senior Planner Charles View enumerated the components of the Development Review System:
Project Review, Plan Check, and Inspections. He then outlined the history of the project review
process noting that no formal review process existed prior to 1985.
Using slides, View detailed the steps in the review process from the first conceptual discussion of
a project through site plan review to final plan approval, the time frames for each step, and the
departments involved. Mayor Pro Tern Richardson requested the Council be given paper copies
of the slide materials.
View then compared Santa Ana's development review process time frames, discretionary action
responsibility (Zoning Administrator, Planning Commission, and City Council), and fees to those
of seven comparable cities. He responded to Councilmembers' questions regarding such issues as
thresholds that trigger a review, applicant participation in staff development review sessions, and
neighborhood reviews for projects in special districts.
The Council discussed numerous issues relating to development review such as reasonable time
frames for the review process, addition of surcharges for projects involving liquor licenses, the
number of uses requiring conditional use permits, and resistance to new standards because of
higher fees.
The City Manager reinforced the City's intent to use the development review process as a tool to
upgrade the community.
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS
City Manager Ream explained the Fire Department was investigating the possible provision of fire
services to the City of Westminster and also the rationale for retaining Fire Chief Bud Carter on a
contract basis pending the selection of a new Fire Chief.
ADJOURNED - 8:15 P.M.
Clerk of the Council
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 100 APRIL 6, 1995