HomeMy WebLinkAboutPresentation - Public Hearing Item 28 - The Village Specific PlanThe Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 1
The Village Santa Ana
Specific Plan Project
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 2
Application Request
•Applicant: South Coast Plaza
•Applications:
–Amendment Application (Zone
Change) No. 2025-01;
–Development Agreement No. 2025-01;
and
–Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 2025-
06
•Address & Council Ward: 1561
W. Sunflower Avenue & Ward 4
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 3
Presentation Overview
•Project Discussion
–Project Background
–Community Engagement
–Project Description
•Project Analysis
–General Plan Consistency
–Specific Plan
–Amendment Application (Zone Change)
–Vesting Tentative Tract Map
–Development Agreement
–Fiscal, Economic, and Community Benefits
–Airport Land Use Commission Overrule
–Supplemental Environmental Impact Report
•Planning Commission Consideration & Recommended Actions
•Discussion and Public Hearing
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 4
Project Discussion
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 5
Project
Location
17.2-acre site located
on the northeast
corner of Sunflower
Avenue and Bear
Street, transected by
Plaza Drive
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 6
General Plan Background
•General Plan Update approved in April
2022.
•New South Bristol Street Focus Area in
Land Use Element:
–From the General Plan, the area “represents Santa
Ana’s southern gateway and…will create
opportunities to transform auto-oriented shopping
plazas to walkable, bike-friendly, and transit-friendly
urban villages that incorporate a mix of high intensity
office and residential living with experiential
commercial uses.”
–Project site is designated District Center (DC-5),
allowing 5.0 FAR or 125 dwelling units per acre, and
buildings up to 25 stories in height. SITE
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 7
South Bristol Street Focus Area
Sample imagery from the General Plan Update (2022)
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 8
Public Input & Engagement
•Required Meetings:
–Sunshine Ordinance 1st Community Meeting (August 23, 2023)
–Sunshine Ordinance 2nd Community Meeting (November 8, 2023)
–CEQA Scoping Meeting (November 15, 2023)
–Planning Commission Hearing (August 11, 2025)
•Other City Engagement:
–Planning Commission Work Study Session (June 23, 2025)
–Communication with residents, businesses, and other stakeholders
–City Project webpage
–Notification materials sent to property owners and tenants/occupants
within a 2,000-foot radius of the Project site 20 days in advance of
today’s hearing
–Notification published in newspaper and on-site
–Notification to the Sandpointe, South Coast, Republic Homes, Metro
Classic, Morning Sunwood, Thornton Park, Sunwood Central, and
Rosewood Baker neighborhood associations.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 9
Other Engagement By Applicant
•The Applicant has held over 150 community meetings, including
attending and presenting at neighborhood association meetings,
small group meetings, and answering phone calls, emails, and other
correspondences.
•The Applicant has also dedicated a Community Liaison to the Project
and maintains a project website at
https://www.thevillagesantaana.com/.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 10
Project Description
The Project would allow for the construction of:
–Up to 1,583 residential units;
–Up to 80,000 square feet of commercial/retail space;
–Up to 300,000 square feet of office space;
–Approximately 13.8 acres of public and private outdoor and
recreation space; and
–Approximately 3,437 onsite parking spaces.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 11
Conceptual
Ground
Level Plan
Residential
Office
Retail/Commercial
Retail/Commercial
Patios
Publicly Accessible
Open Space
Parking
Legend
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 12
Conceptual
Upper Level
Plan
Residential
Office
Retail/Commercial
Retail/Commercial
Patios
Private Open Space
Publicly Accessible
Open Space
Legend
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 13
Parking Breakdown
Proposed Use Amount Proposed Parking
Residential Units Up to 1,583 units 1.4 per unit (may be
increased to 2 per unit with
parking management)
Commercial Space Up to 80,000 sq. ft.4 per 1,000 sq. ft.
Office Space Up to 300,000 sq. ft. 3 per 1,000 sq. ft.
Total Spaces: 3,437 (may be increased to
4,387 with parking
management)
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 14
Publicly
Accessible
Open Space
Legend
1.Promenade
2.Village Square
3.Garden Paseo
4.Garden Strolls
5.Recreation Lawn
6.Restaurant Patios
7.Grand Stairs
8.Gateway Art
9.Water Feature
10.Pocket Park
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 15
Circulation
Network
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 16
Conceptual Illustrations
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 17
Conceptual Illustrations (cont.)
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 18
Conceptual Illustrations (cont.)
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 19
Specific Plan Overview
•Chapter 1: Introduction
–Provides an overview of the Specific Plan, including the Project setting and
background; purpose; authority; and relationship to other relevant plans,
programs, and regulations.
•Chapter 2: Vision and Guiding Principles
–Describes the vision and guiding principles for the Project, along with key features
of the urban design and placemaking elements of the Project.
•Chapter 3: Development Plan
–Establishes the land use plan, buildout summary, and permitted uses for the
Project. It also describes the open space and landscape concepts; pedestrian,
bike, and vehicular circulation; and infrastructure such as water, sewer, and storm
drain.
•Chapter 4: Development Regulations
–Provides permitted uses and development standards. Standards include building
form, setbacks, building orientation, and open space requirements. It also
includes maximum density and intensity for development, parking standards, and
signage regulations.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 20
Specific Plan Overview (cont.)
•Chapter 5: Design Guidelines
–Contains guidelines related to the design of the Project site and buildings and
information about architectural materials and landscape inspiration, including a list
of recommended trees, plants, shrubs, and ground cover.
•Chapter 6: Administration and Implementation
–Establishes the responsibility, enforcement, and interpretation of the plan. It also
includes processes for the review of phase developments and modifications and
amendments to the plan. This chapter also covers financing for the Project.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 21
Project Implementation
•The Specific Plan contains a thorough implementation
section that addresses how to administer the Project, as
well as anticipated phasing.
•Individual phases would be submitted for staff-level review,
with certain thresholds requiring discretionary action by the
Planning Commission.
•A truck route and traffic control plan would be required for
each phase of the Project
•A maintenance plan would be required for the overall
Project.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 22
Phasing
Plan
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
Phase 5
Legend
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 23
Project Analysis
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 24
General Plan Consistency
•The project site is within the South Bristol Street Focus Area, which
encourages the transformation of auto-oriented shopping plazas to walkable,
bike-friendly, and transit-friendly urban villages that incorporate a mix of high
intensity office and residential living with commercial uses.
•The Project is consistent with the allowed intensity and density of the DC-5
land use designation of the GPU.
•The Project is consistent with and supports Implementation Action No. LU-
2.12 (Distinctive Districts) of the LU that requires the development and
adoption of specific plans or corridor plans for each of the five focus areas
that establish regulations and design standards.
Criteria General Plan Proposed Specific Plan
Location South Bristol Street Focus Area South Bristol Street Focus Area
Residential Density Up to 125 dwelling units per acre 93 dwelling units per acre
Floor Area Ratio (FAR)Up to 5.0 3.0
Building Height Up to 25 stories 25 stories
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 25
Scale and Compatibility
•The Project will produce a mixed-use village that is integrated into
and respects the surrounding community.
•The GPU land use designation of DC-5 for the Project Site allows
developments up to 25 stories tall.
•The Project will limit building heights to 25 stories and buildings
adjacent to the northern property line will be limited to 8 stories,
which is consistent with the General Plan.
•Furthermore, through the City’s development review process for
each phase and design guidelines contained in the Specific Plan,
new buildings will be reviewed and designed to be compatible with
the existing surrounding uses by including upper story step-backs
and other features to reduce upper story massing.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 26
Scale and Compatibility (cont.)
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 27
Specific Plan Analysis
•Pursuant to Section 41-592 of the SAMC, the approval and establishment of
a specific plan requires approval of an ordinance by the City Council, with
the Planning Commission serving as an advisory body. Furthermore, Gov.
Code Section 65451 requires that a specific plan include text and diagrams
that specify:
1.The distribution, location, and extent of the uses of land, including open space, in the
area covered by the specific plan;
2.The proposed distribution, location, and extent and intensity of major components of
public and private transportation, sewage, water, drainage, solid waste disposal,
energy, and other essential facilities proposed within the area covered by the specific
plan and needed to support land uses described in the specific plan;
3.Standards and criteria by which development will proceed, and standards for the
conservation, development, and utilization of natural resources, where applicable;
and
4.A program of implementation measures, including regulations, programs,
infrastructure projects, and financing measures necessary to execute the specific
plan.
•The Specific Plan complies with these requirements through the various
chapters.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 28
Zone Change Analysis
-The SD-48 zoning district for the Project Site was established in 1989 for the purposes of
facilitating the development of the South Coast Plaza Village.
-The SD-48 zoning district does not allow for residential uses and does not provide the
means to achieve the goals and objectives of the Project nor the General Plan.
-Approval of the requested zone change is required to implement the vision of the Project
and to establish consistency with the General Plan.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 29
Vesting Tentative Tract Map Analysis
•Subdivision requests are governed by Chapter 34 (Subdivisions) of
the SAMC. Pursuant to sections 66473.5 and 66474 of the California
Subdivision Map Act.
•The Applicant is seeking approval of VTTM No. 2025-06 (County
Map No. 2023-159) to subdivide the Project Site into six lots.
•The subdivision will allow the financing of individual components of
the Project Site due to differences in phasing and funding
mechanisms for commercial, residential, mixed-use, service-
oriented, parking, and open space components of the Project.
•VTTM No. 2025-06 complies with the SAMC and the Subdivision
Map Act.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 30
Development Agreement Analysis
•Development agreements (DA) are contracts negotiated between project
proponents and public agencies such as the City of Santa Ana that govern
the land uses that may be allowed in a particular project (California
Government Code Section 65864 et seq.)
•In addition to the requested entitlements, the applicant is requesting
approval of a DA, which requires adoption of an ordinance.
•To evaluate the applicant’s proposed DA and identify priorities for the DA’s
terms, the City Council formed an ad hoc committee in March 2025
comprised of three City Council members.
•Review of a DA is a private contractual process, but the extensive
community engagement process, and routine staff meetings with City
Council members ensured that community priorities were effectively
communicated to the ad hoc committee and informed the negotiation
process.
•The proposed DA is consistent with the City’s General Plan.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 31
DA Key Terms
•Term –One 20-year term, and one five-year automatic
extension. Extension subject to construction commencement
of no less than 50,000 square feet of commercial/retail area
and 360 residential dwelling units.
•Timing of Development –No building permits for residential
units shall be issued in excess of 360 residential units until
building permits are obtained for at least 50,000 square feet of
commercial/retail space.
•Community Benefits –Community Benefit Payment of
$9,300,00 in four payments.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 32
DA Key Terms (cont.)
•Open Space –Construction of 7.5 acres of publicly accessible open
space to satisfy the City’s park provision and fee requirements. The
developer will enter into a public access easement for the publicly
accessible open space, that will be recorded against the Property
Site for the life of the Project.
–Per the General Plans goal of providing 3 acres of parkland per 1,000
residents, the Project would need to provide 11.4 acres of parkland, which is
3.9 acres more than the 7.5 acres being proposed.
–The Project will remain consistent with the General Plan pursuant to Table
OS-3 (Open Space Element Implementation) of the General Plan, Action
Nos. 1.7 and 1.10. Action No. 1.7, which recognizes the challenges and
difficulty in creating new open space and parklands in a built-out
environment and provides for a reduction in on-site open space by giving
credits for park land for public use as an incentive toward developer creation
of open space areas that are accessible to the public. Action No. 1.10
encourages collaboration with property owners to provide public access and
programming on private open space.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 33
DA Key Terms (cont.)
•Inclusionary Housing Fee –Payment of $5.00 per square foot
of habitable space.
–Pursuant to SAMC Section 41-1903(a), the Applicant has proposed a
development agreement to comply with Section 41-1904 of the SAMC,
allowing payment of in-lieu fees.
–SAMC Section 41-1904 provides options to satisfy the City’s inclusionary
housing requirements including on-site units, off-site units, and payment
of in-lieu fees.
–For projects containing 20 or more units, the in-lieu fee is as high as
$15.00 per square feet, but may be as low as $5 per square feet if
determined by a development agreement or if using skilled and trained
workforce.
–The in-lieu fees for the Project are estimated to be $7,100,000.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 34
Economic Benefits
Topic Existing Site Proposed Project Net Change
Key Economic Benefit Findings
One-Time Impacts Not applicable 8,658 city-captured jobs,
including direct, indirect, and
induced full-and part-time
jobs; $700 million city-
captured labor income; and
$1.1 billion city-captured
economic output
Not
applicable
Recurring (Ongoing)
Impacts
Estimated 280 jobs 1,167 city-captured jobs,
including direct, indirect, and
induced full-and part-time
jobs; $133 million city-
captured labor income; and
$119 million city-captured
economic output
Increase of 887 jobs.
Jobs-Housing Balance 156,000 jobs city-wide;
83,005 housing units city-
wide; and 1.88 jobs-housing
balance
157,167 jobs city-wide;
84,588 housing units city-
wide; and 1.86 jobs-housing
balance
1,167 jobs resulting from the
project; 1,583 new housing
units; 0.02 decline jobs-
housing balance, resulting in
a positive shift toward the
direction of a 1:1 job-
housing balance
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 35
Fiscal Benefits
Topic Existing Site Proposed Project Net Change
Key Fiscal Benefit Findings
Total Annual Site
Revenues to the City’s
General Fund
$525,000 $5,493,100 $4,968,100
Total Annual Site
Expenditures from the
City’s General Fund
(Cost of Services)
$190,000 $2,824,500 $2,634,500
Net Annual Site
General Fund Fiscal
Impact to the City
$335,000 $2,668,600 $2,333,600
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 36
ALUC Overrule
•As a legislative action within the Airport Environs Land Use
Plan (AELUP), the Specific Plan requires consideration by the
John Wayne Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC)
•On June 19, 2025, the ALUC voted to find the Specific Plan
inconsistent with the AELUP
•Pursuant to Sections 21676 and 21676.5 of the California
Public Utilities Code (PUC), the City Council met on July 15,
2025 and authorized staff to initiate the overriding process
•On July 16, 2025, staff issued a Notice of Intent and draft
findings to ALUC and Caltrans Division of Aeronautics.
•Overrule action requires a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote by
the City Council.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 37
Environmental Review
•Project requires Certification of a Supplemental Environmental
Impact Report (SEIR).
•The draft SEIR was made available for public review and comment
from April 17, 2025 to June 9, 2025.
•The Final SEIR was release on August 4, 2025, which includes
responses to comments.
•Mitigation measures have been incorporated to address impacts.
•Statement of Overriding Considerations has been prepared to
support City Council certification of the Final SEIR.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 38
Environmental Review Findings
Less than significant impacts:
–Energy
–Greenhouse Gas Emissions
–Hazardous & Hazardous Materials
–Hydrology & Water Quality
–Land Use & Planning
–Population & Housing
–Public Services
–Transportation
–Utilities & Service Systems
Less than significant impacts with
mitigation:
–Air Quality
–Cultural Resources
–Geology & Soils
–Noise
–Tribal Cultural Resources
Significant and unavoidable
impacts:
–Recreation
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 39
Planning Commission
Consideration and
Recommend Actions
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 40
Planning Commission
•On August 11, 2025, the Planning Commission considered the
project and unanimously recommended that the City Council
approved the requested entitlements and development
agreement.
•Planning Commission discussion also included the following
topics:
–Native Lands Acknowledgement
–Project Interface with Bear Street
–Hotel Use Permissibility
•The City Council staff report includes a section on these
topics.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 41
Recommended Actions
1.Adopt a resolution: (1) certifying the Final Supplemental Environmental
Impact Report No. 2025-01 (SCH No. 2020029087) for the Project; (2)
adopting Environmental Findings of Fact and a Statement of Overriding
Considerations for the Project; (3) adopting a Mitigation Monitoring and
Reporting Program for the Project; and (4) approving the Project;
2.Adopt an ordinance approving Amendment Application No. 2025-01
establishing The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan (Specific Plan No. 6)
and approving a zone change for the Project Site at 1561 W. Sunflower
Avenue from Specific Development No. 48 to Specific Plan No. 6;
3.Adopt an ordinance approving Development Agreement No. 2025-01;
4.Adopt a resolution approving Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 2025-06
(County Map No. 2023-159), as conditioned; and
5.Adopt a resolution Overruling the Orange County Airport Land Use
Commission’s determination that The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan is
inconsistent with the Airport Environs Land Use Plan of John Wayne
Airport, including supportive findings.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan
Item #28
Planning and Building Agency
September 16, 2025
Slide 42
Discussion and Public Hearing