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Orozco, Norma
<br /> From: Ian Ross Baran <ibaran@uci.edu>
<br /> Sent: Monday, December 06, 2021 10:49 PM
<br /> To: eComment
<br /> Cc: Bacerra, Phil; Lopez, Jessie; Mendoza, Nelida; Penaloza, David; Phan, Thai; Ridge,
<br /> Kristine; Sarmiento, Vicente; Hernandez, Johnathan; Carvalho, Sonia R.; Adolfo Sierra;
<br /> Jose Rea; Leonel Flores;jjbrown.clinic@exchange.uci.edu
<br /> Subject: General Plan Update
<br /> 12/06/2021
<br /> Re: Environmental Justice in Santa Ana's General Plan Update
<br /> To Whom It May Concern,
<br /> Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the City of Santa Ana's Draft General Plan Update. I am a PhD Candidate
<br /> in the Urban and Environmental Planning Department at UC-Irvine as well as a Research Justice Fellow who has been
<br /> working with Madison Park Neighborhood Association since the Fall of 2020. Much of my work focuses on the
<br /> intersection of environmental justice, community development, and structural inequality, as well as the ways that
<br /> communities are generally left out of processes that gravely impact them.
<br /> I would like to raise concerns regarding the General Plan Update:
<br /> 1. Environmental justice is a huge concern for residents in Santa Ana, many of whom live near businesses and
<br /> factories that emit toxic substances which pollute and affect the air and water quality for residents. This causes
<br /> asthma and other major conditions, which has major consequences both health, social, and economic, for
<br /> residents,but most seriously and above all causes premature death.
<br /> 2. There is an inadequate amount of community input on environmental justice issues. This is extremely important.
<br /> Oftentimes community voices are overlooked in these processes, which means that city council cannot actually
<br /> adequately address the needs of its residents without the necessary input to know what to address. As an addition,
<br /> community engagement over Zoom needs to be the standard now set to ensure maximum participation at events
<br /> that have drastic consequences for residents. Their voices need to be heard and need to shape the way of the city's
<br /> future.
<br /> 3. There needs to be better transparency and accountability established within the General Plan. This means public
<br /> access to reports and other key information, an Environmental Justice compliance department to oversee
<br /> emissions regulation, and monthly reports created on vital information.
<br /> In summary, there has not been enough community input on environmental justice issues and the General Plan itself does
<br /> not take environmental justice issues and harms seriously which has drastic consequences for residents. The only way
<br /> forward is that the General Plan process needs to be delayed.
<br /> Sincerely,
<br /> Ian Baran
<br /> PhD Candidate, Urban and Environmental Planning, UC-Irvine, Research Justice Fellow
<br /> cc: Adolfo Sierra,President, Madison Park Neighborhood Association
<br /> Jose Rea, Treasurer, Madison Park Neighborhood Association
<br /> Leonel Flores, GREEN Community Organizer, Madison Park Neighborhood Association
<br /> Jabari Brown, Myson Foundation Clinical Fellow, UCI Environmental Law Clinic
<br /> Vicente Sarmiento, Mayor, City of Santa Ana
<br /> Thai Viet Phan, Ward 1 Councilmember, City of Santa Ana
<br /> David Penaloza, Ward 2 Councilmember, City of Santa Ana
<br /> Jesse Lopez, Ward 3 Councilmember, City of Santa Ana
<br /> Phil Bacerra, Ward 4 Councilmember, City of Santa Ana
<br /> Johnathan Ryan Hernandez, Ward 5 Councilmember, City of Santa Ana
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