Item 24 - Public Hearing for Amendments to the Transit Zoning Code

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ZOA No. 2024-02 & AA No. 2024-03 (Transit Zoning Code Amendments) June 3, 2025 Page 6 of the population attended up to 12th grade with no diploma, over 31 % are high school graduates, and nearly 97% of the working population over 16 years of age are employed.' This data illustrates that the Logan and Lacy neighborhoods are within the second and third highest scored census tracts in Santa Ana, each with a composite score of 90% or greater, ranking in the 90th percentile or greater of census tracts in the State, and identified as "disadvantaged communities" by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) in its CalEnviroScreen model. Failure to address ongoing irreconcilable land use conflicts that are the target of this proposed ordinance will further exacerbate the ongoing demographic and environmental justice challenges that these two neighborhoods within the TZC have grappled with since their founding. Code Enforcement and Immediate Ongoing Issues In the past 12 months, the Code Enforcement Division conducted investigations at over 35 commercial and industrial properties within the TZC. Currently, the City's Code Enforcement Division has 21 active open cases that have been issued Notices of Violation and administrative citations for the following types of violations: illegal storage, land use, zoning, property and landscape maintenance, unpermitted work, business license, and certificate of occupancy. These violations include issues of odors, dust, traffic, noise, vibrations, and other documented impacts. This activity demonstrates the City's direct involvement in overseeing these businesses to mitigate potential environmental and public health risks. Since June 2023, the TZC communities have experienced a marked increase in impacts stemming from the irreconcilable industrial and residential land use conflicts in the Logan and Lacy neighborhoods. Residents in the TZC have voiced and emailed complaints and public health concerns to City staff regarding emitted contaminants and zoning violations from industrial businesses in the neighborhoods. Concerns that range from air pollution and smoke, toxic release exposures, idling trucks on residential streets, lead exposure, illegal storage, unpermitted uses, loud noise at night, and other property maintenance pose an immediate public health threat that is straining public resources to continuously investigate and address these matters. Specifically, a fire incident at a crematory located in the neighborhood alarmed neighbors at 9:18 p.m. on August 29, 2023. Residents shared with City officials video of high flames escaping the stack on the rooftop, screeching noise that continued nonstop for ten minutes, and what was described as a foul odor attributed to the fire. City staff followed up with external regulatory agencies issuing permits to operate this facility, and quickly, staff observed the limitations from regulatory agencies and their compartmentalized processes to investigate and act on enforcement measures. On August 9, 2024, the City received a complaint with photos of the same crematory in which the complainant observed bodies stored in a container outside the facility. A City code enforcement inspector issued an abatement notice that same day; the bodies and container were removed and the case was closed on August ' ESRI Community Analyst summary data, which utilizes U.S. Census Bureau sources (2017-2021 American Community Survey & 2020 Decennial Census Data), enhanced by ESRI's forecasts and aggregations, covering demographics like population, income, age, and employment.