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ZOA No. 2024-02 & AA No. 2024-03 (Transit Zoning Code Amendments) <br />February 24, 2025 <br />Page 7 <br />3 <br />3 <br />6 <br />7 <br />On May 21, 2024, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. NS-3064 to extend the <br />moratorium for an additional ten (10) months and fifteen (15) days pursuant to the <br />Government Code as necessary to provide sufficient time for staff to continue with data <br />tracking and reporting, research appropriate regulations, and coordinate with outside <br />regulatory agencies and City departments to determine whether further, permanent action <br />is necessary and to generate recommendations to the Planning Commission and City <br />Council. As part of its approval, the City Council expressed a desire for City staff to begin <br />evaluating permanent solutions to the irreconcilable land use conflicts in the TZC area in <br />as timely a manner as possible, which resulted in immediate evaluation of the zoning <br />code text and map amendments consistent with direction provided for City Council <br />consideration as part of this request. <br />Review of City Department Activities <br />Immediately following the adoption of the Moratorium, City staff conducted an interagency <br />meeting that included representatives from multiple City departments: the Planning Division, <br />Building Safety Division, Code Enforcement Division, Business License, and Information <br />Technology. Additionally, engagement with additional agencies such as the Santa Ana <br />Police Department (SAPD), Public Works Agency, and the Community Development <br />Agency’s Economic Development Division has produced critical information illustrating the <br />extent to which industrial activities interface with residential land uses in the TZC area, <br />specifically and most concentrated in the Logan and Lacy neighborhoods. <br />Data based on Business License and Economic Development records indicate that <br />application of the moratorium affects approximately 127 industrial businesses in the TZC. <br />All businesses must obtain appropriate permits before operating: commercial locations <br />require a Certificate of Occupancy from the Planning Department, while residential-based <br />operations need a Home Occupation Permit. Of the affected businesses, approximately <br />three have active applications for permits, primarily seeking to legalize unpermitted work on <br />industrial properties. <br />City staff reviewed public safety data from SAPD and OCFA to assess community <br />concerns regarding emergency responses in the TZC. SAPD records show a total of <br />18,736 calls for service between March 2023 and July 2024, with 226 of those occurring <br />between April and July 2024 within the Logan and Lacy neighborhoods. These calls <br />encompassed a wide range of incidents, including patrol checks, disturbances, and traffic- <br />related issues. Notably, 1,909 calls involved collisions, vehicle impoundments, domestic <br />violence, and SAMC violations. OCFA data from 2022 to August 2024 indicates 238 calls <br />for advanced life support emergencies. In 2022, 29 calls were related to respiratory <br />issues, chest pain, and cardiac arrest, with a subsequent 7-percent increase in health- <br />related calls in 2023. While the data reflects a broad spectrum of emergency responses, <br />the concentration of industrial businesses in the TZC raises the possibility that some of <br />these calls, particularly those related to respiratory issues and traffic incidents, may be <br />influenced by industrial operations. Further analysis is needed to determine the specific <br />correlation between industrial activity and public safety concerns in the area. <br />