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Home My WebLink AboutItem 06 - Public Facilities Naming No. 2025-02 - Naming of the Santa Ana Police Athletic & Activity League (PAAL) Center at 2627 W. McFadden Avenue Planning & Building Agency 71 www.santa-ana.org/pb Item # 6 City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 Staff Report October 7, 2025 TOPIC: Public Facilities Naming No. 2025-02 - Naming of the Santa Ana Police Athletic & Activity League (PAAL) Center at 2627 W. McFadden Avenue Pursuant to SAMC Section 33-8 AGENDA TITLE Public Facilities Naming No. 2025-02 - Naming of the Santa Ana Police Athletic&Activity League (PAAL) Center at 2627 W. McFadden Avenue Pursuant to SAMC Section 33-8 RECOMMENDED ACTION Affirm the Planning Commission's adoption of a resolution approving Public Facilities No. 2025-02 naming the Santa Ana Police Athletic & Activity League (PAAL) Center at 2627 West McFadden Avenue as the Jose Vargas PAAL Center. GOVERNMENT CODE 484308 APPLIES: No DISCUSSION At its regular meeting on August 19, 2025, the City Council directed the City Manager to initiate the process of naming the Santa Ana PAAL Center, located at 2627 West McFadden Avenue, as the "Jose Vargas PAAL Center". On September 8, 2025, the Planning Commission considered and adopted a Resolution approving Public Facilities Naming (PFN) No. 2025-02, naming the Santa Ana PAAL Center, located at 2627 West McFadden Avenue, as the "Jose Vargas PAAL Center" by a vote of 5-0, with two members absent. Pursuant to Section 33-6 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC), all requests for the naming or renaming of public facilities shall be referred to the Planning Commission for determination, considering certain policy guidelines. Section 33-6(c) sets out the guidelines as follows: "(c) Names which achieve any of the following purposes should be promoted: (1) A name which serves to identify the location of the subject by reference to distinct geographic, environmental or development features in the immediate area. (2) A name which references the history of the subject site or its immediate area. PFN No. 2025-02 for Jose Vargas PAAL Center (2627 W. McFadden Avenue) October 7, 2025 Page 2 (3) A name which identifies a person or family which made an extraordinary donation of land or funds to promote the construction or improvement of the subject public facility. (4) A name which recognizes a person or family who made a distinct, significant contribution to the well-being of the city, including past mayors, council members, board or commission members, officers or employees of the city, but not anyone who currently holds any such position." Further, Section 33-8 provides that the City Council may affirm the Planning Commission's decision, remand the matter back to the Planning Commission for further consideration, or make its own decision on the matter. With respect to the naming approved by the Planning Commission, Jose Vargas (1936- 2013) was a trailblazing law enforcement officer and community leader whose career spanned over three decades in Orange County. Born in San Martin Hidalgo, Mexico, Vargas immigrated to the United States at age 15, working as a garbage collector while learning English and eventually becoming a United States citizen in 1969. He began his law enforcement career with the Stanton Police Department and, in 1975, joined the Santa Ana Police Department, becoming the department's first Hispanic Affairs Officer. In this role, Vargas was the cornerstone of Santa Ana's early community policing program, forging deep trust between the department and the city's growing Latino population. He was recognized nationally by the International Association of Chiefs of Police as one of the country's outstanding officers. Vargas' impact extended beyond his police work. Following his retirement in 1997, he hosted the Spanish-language cable show "Que Pasa Con Jose Vargas", which provided vital information to immigrant families on civil rights, public safety, domestic violence prevention, and job opportunities. Throughout his life, Vargas championed respect, understanding, and opportunity for all residents, often taking in individuals in need and mentoring countless youth. His dedication to bridging cultures and promoting public trust made him one of the most respected figures in Santa Ana's history. Naming of the PAAL Center as the Jose Vargas PAAL Center would recognize a person who made a distinct, significant contribution to the well-being of the City, in accordance with the guidelines contained at Section 33-6(c)(4). ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT This action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines because the naming of a public facility will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, as there is no possibility it will have a significant effect on the environment and is not a "project," as defined in section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines. Furthermore, the action falls within the "common sense" CEQA exemption PFN No. 2025-02 for Jose Vargas PAAL Center (2627 W. McFadden Avenue) October 7, 2025 Page 3 set forth in CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3), excluding projects where "it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment." FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. EXHIBIT 1. Resolution adopting PFN No. 2025-02 Submitted By: Ali Pezeshkpour, AICP, Executive Director, Planning and Building Agency Approved By: Alvaro Nunez, City Manager RESOLUTION NO. 2025-26 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA APPROVING PUBLIC FACILITIES NAMING NO. 2025-02 NAMING THE SANTA ANA POLICE ATHLETIC & ACTIVITY LEAGUE (PAAL) CENTER LOCATED ON 2627 WEST MCFADDEN AVENUE AS THE JOSE VARGAS PAAL CENTER BE IT RESOLVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The Planning Commission of the City of Santa Ana hereby finds, determines, and declares as follows: A. The City of Santa Ana is requesting approval of City-initiated Public Facilities Naming (PFN) No. 2025-02 of the Santa Ana Police Athletic & Activity League (PAAL) Center, located at 2627 W. McFadden Avenue, to the Jose Vargas PAAL Center, based on the direction provided to the City Manager by the City Council at the August 19, 2025 City Council meeting; B. Pursuant to Sections 33-5 through 33-8 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC), all requests for naming or renaming of public streets, public buildings, parks or recreational facilities owned or controlled by the City, shall be referred to the Planning Commission for determination, subject to confirmation by the City Council; C. Further, Section 33-6(c), pertaining to the naming of such facilities, delineates policy guidelines that shall be used in the determination; D. The Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing on September 8, 2025 to consider PFN No. 2025-02; E. Based on SAMC section 33-6(c)(4), directing the promotion of names that recognize a person or family who made a distinct, significant contribution to the well- being of the City of Santa Ana, the Planning Commission determines that the PAAL Center located at 2627 W. McFadden shall be renamed as the Jose Vargas PAAL Center. Section 2. The Planning Commission finds and determines that this Resolution is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines because the naming of a public facility will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, as there is no possibility it will have a significant effect on the environment and is not a "project," as defined in section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines. Furthermore, the Resolution falls within the "common sense" CEQA exemption set forth in CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3), excluding projects where Resolution No. 2025-26 Page 1 of 3 "it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment." Section 3. The Planning Commission of the City of Santa Ana hereby approves Public Facility Naming No. 2025-02 to name the Santa Ana Police Athletic & Activity League (PAAL) Center, located at 2627 W. McFadden Avenue, to the Jose Vargas PAAL Center. This decision is based upon the evidence submitted at the above-referenced meeting, which includes, but is not limited to: the Request for Planning Commission Action dated September 8, 2025 and exhibits attached thereto; and the public testimony, written and oral, all of which are incorporated herein by this reference. ADOPTED this 8t" day of September 2025. AYES: Commissioners: Carl Benninger, Manuel J. Escamilla, Christopher Leo, Jennifer Oliva, Isuri S. Ramos (5) NOES: Commissioners: ABSENT: Commissioners: Bao Pham, Alan Woo (2) ABSTENTIONS: Commissioners: Isuri S. Ramos Chairperson APPROVED AS TO FORM: Sonia R. Carvalho, City Attorney ( 00 By: Melissa M. Crosthwaite Senior Assistant City Attorney Resolution No. 2025-26 Page 2 of 3 CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY I, Gema Zapien, Recording Secretary, do hereby attest to and certify the attached Resolution No. 2025-26 to be the original resolution adopted by the Planning Commission of the City of Santa Ana on September 8, 2025. Date: Gema Zapien Recording Secretary City of Santa Ana Resolution No. 2025-26 Page 3 of 3