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

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Comment #5 Zuniga, Diana From: Kelly Kraus -Lee <kellyakraus@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, May 05, 2025 5:27 PM To: Amezcua, Valerie; Penaloza, David; Hernandez, Johnathan; Bacerra, Phil; Lopez, Jessie; Vazquez, Benjamin; Phan, Thai Cc: eComment Subject: Item 21 - TZC amendments Attention: This email originated from outside of City of Santa Ana. Use caution when opening attachments or links. Dear Mayor Amezcua and Members of the Santa Ana City Council, I am writing to urge the City Council to adopt a balanced and thoughtful approach to the Transit Zoning Code (TZC) amendments in order to resolve the longstanding issue of incompatible land uses, while honoring the code's original vision for transit -oriented development. The purpose of the TZC is to foster a walkable, mixed -use, and transit -connected urban environment that encourages public transportation, biking, and a higher quality of life. However, in its current state, the southern portion of the zone falls far short of this vision. Heavy industrial uses —many of which are incompatible with a residential, transit -oriented framework —have effectively walled off residents on 4th St such as Lacy Crossing from the nearby train station and newly constructed bike lanes. These uses generate noise, pollution, traffic, and safety hazards, and they discourage the use of active transportation, undermining the very goals the TZC was meant to achieve. Furthermore, industrial uses have been especially harmful to the Logan neighborhood, one of Santa Ana's most historic and culturally significant communities. Logan residents deserve the same environmental protections, connectivity, and investment in livability as those in other parts of the city. Instead, they bear the burden of nearby industrial operations that degrade their health, property values, and overall quality of life. I respectfully advocate for a compromise approach which I believe the proposed amendments mostly achieve: - Provide the city with the necessary legal and regulatory tools to remove bad actors —those businesses whose operations significantly impact public health, safety, or the environment, including the crematorium, the dump, and metal recyclers open to the public. - Ensure that responsible, low -impact businesses that contribute positively to the community, like Austin Hardwood and McCandless Tile, are not unfairly penalized or displaced. - Establish clear zoning restrictions that prevent future incompatible uses —such as metal recyclers, crematoriums, or waste transfer stations —from opening within the TZC. - Prioritize pedestrian infrastructure, green spaces, and clean air for the Lacy and Logan neighborhoods and ensure it benefits from the full promise of transit -oriented development. It is frustrating to see some business owners claim they care about the community, while at the same time demonstrating a striking ignorance of the city's planning efforts —many have admitted they were unaware that this zoning code update has been in progress for over a year and also did not even know the name of the council members making these decisions. Genuine community -mindedness requires active engagement, not just lip