Item 22 - Transit Zoning Code Amendments Resolution

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1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction and Purpose On April 16, 2024, the City Council adopted a 45-day moratorium on the approval, commencement, establishment, relocation, or expansion of industrial uses within the Transit Zoning Code/Specific Development (SD) No. 84 Zoning District (or "SD 84A and 8413") through adoption of Urgency Interim Ordinance No. NS-3063. The purpose of the moratorium was to immediately offer protection of public health, safety, and welfare from industrial uses significantly causing pollution burden to adjacent residential neighborhoods within the SD84 Zoning District. On May 21, 2024, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. NS-3064 to extend the moratorium for an additional ten (10) months and fifteen (15) days pursuant to the Government Code to provide sufficient time for staff to continue with data tracking and reporting, research appropriate regulations, and coordinate with outside regulatory agencies and City departments to determine whether further, permanent action is necessary and to generate recommendations to the Planning Commission and City Council. Based upon the City Council's actions and direction enacting the moratorium combined with the research and analysis of the issues herein, staff has prepared Zoning Ordinance Amendment (ZOA) No. 2024-02 and Amendment Application (AA) No. 2024-03. The proposed amendments ("proposed amendments" or "project") will modify the list of land uses and permit types including the deletion of industrial land uses; amend nonconforming regulations including the addition of an amortization process for industrial uses; amend and add operational standards for allowed uses and nonconforming uses; delete the Industrial Overlay (I-OZ) zone from text and maps; and delete the M1 (Light Industrial) and M2 (Heavy Industrial) suffixes from certain properties within the SD84 Zoning District boundary as designated on the City of Santa Ana Zoning Map. Refer to Section 3.2 — Project Description. Following preliminary review of proposed ZOA No. 2024-02 and AA No. 2024-03 amendments, the City, as the Lead Agency, has determined that the project is subject to CEQA (Public Resources Code (PRC) §§21000-21177; 14 CCR §§15000, et seq.). This Addendum to Transit Zoning Code (SD 84A and 84B) Environmental Impact Report ("TZC EIR") (SCH No. 2006071100) has been prepared to demonstrate that, pursuant to the standards contained in CEQA Guidelines Section 15162, this project is within the scope of the TZC EIR. As a result, the City does not need to prepare a subsequent or supplemental EIR as the TZC EIR fully analyzed the potential impacts associated with the proposed amendments. This is consistent with Section 8.06 of the City's Local Guidelines for Implementing CEQA. 1.2 Statutory Authority and Requirements CEQA Guidelines Section 15164 states the following with respect to an Addendum to an EIR: a) The lead agency or responsible agency shall prepare an addendum to a previously certified EIR if some changes or additions are necessary but none of the conditions described in Section 15162 calling for preparation of a subsequent EIR have occurred. b) An addendum to an adopted negative declaration may be prepared if only minor technical changes or additions are necessary or none of the conditions described in Section 15162 calling for the preparation of a subsequent EIR or negative declaration have occurred. c) An addendum need not be circulated for public review but can be included in or attached to the final EIR or adopted negative declaration. January 2025 1 Environmental Analysis