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Planning CommissionRegular Meeting Agenda MinutesAugust 11, 20255:30 P.M.Council Chamber22 Civic Center PlazaSanta Ana, CA ISURI S. RAMOSChair, Ward 3 RepresentativeCARL BENNINGERViceChair,Ward 4 Representative CHRISTOPHER LEOCitywide RepresentativeMANUEL J. ESCAMILLAWard 2 Representative JENNIFER OLIVAWard 6 RepresentativeBAO PHAMWard 1 Representative ALAN WOOWard 5 RepresentativeAli Pezeshkpour, AICPExecutive DirectorMelissa M. CrosthwaiteLegal Counsel Ricardo Soto, AICPActing Planning Manager Gema ZapienActing Recording Secretary
<br />In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if you need special assistance to participate in this Meeting, contact Michael
<br />Ortiz, City ADA Program Coordinator, at (714) 6475624. Notification 48 hours prior to the Meeting will enable the City to make reasonable
<br />arrangements to assure accessibility to this meeting. The City Council agenda and supporting documentation can be found on the City’s
<br />website – www.santaana.org/citymeetings.
<br />CALL TO ORDER
<br />Commissioners: Isuri S. Ramos, Chair
<br />Carl Benninger, ViceChair
<br />Christopher Leo
<br />Manuel J. Escamilla
<br />Jennifer Oliva
<br />Bao Pham
<br />Alan Woo
<br />Executive Director Ali Pezeshkpour, AICP
<br />Legal Counsel Melissa M. Crosthwaite
<br />Acting Planning Manager Ricardo Soto, AICP
<br />Acting Recording Secretary Gema Zapien
<br />ROLL CALL
<br />Minutes: Quorum was reached at 5:43 PM with Commissioner Escamilla arriving at 5:45 PM.
<br />PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
<br />PUBLIC COMMENTS
<br />CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS
<br />a.Minutes
<br />Recommended Action: Approve Minutes from July 28, 2025.
<br />b.Excused Absences
<br />Recommended Action: Excuse absent commissioners.
<br />c.Related Bristol Development Agreement 2025 Annual Monitoring Report
<br />Recommended Action: Receive and file the 2025 Annual Monitoring Report for
<br />Development Agreement No. 202302 between the City of Santa Ana and RCR Bristol, LLC,
<br />for the property located at 3600 S. Bristol Street.
<br />Moved by Commissioner Woo, seconded by Commissioner Leo to Approve Item A and B.
<br />YES: 7 – Bao Pham, Isuri Ramos, Alan Woo, Christopher Leo, Manuel J. Escamilla, Jennifer Oliva,
<br />Carl Benninger
<br />NO: 0 – ABSTAIN: 0 – ABSENT: 0 – Status: 7 – 0 – 0 – 0 – Pass
<br />Moved by Commissioner Woo, seconded by Commissioner Benninger to Approve Item C.
<br />YES: 7 – Bao Pham, Isuri Ramos, Alan Woo, Christopher Leo, Manuel J. Escamilla, Jennifer Oliva,
<br />Carl Benninger
<br />NO: 0 – ABSTAIN: 0 – ABSENT: 0 – Status: 7 – 0 – 0 – 0 – Pass
<br />*End of Consent Calendar*
<br />BUSINESS CALENDAR
<br />Public Hearing:The Planning Commission decision on Conditional Use Permits,
<br />Variances, Tentative Tract and Parcel Maps, Minor Exceptions, Site Plan Review, and
<br />Public Convenience or Necessity Determinations are final unless appealed within 10
<br />days of the decision by any interested party or group (refer to the Basic Meeting
<br />Information page for more information). The Planning Commission recommendation
<br />on Zoning and General Plan amendments, Development Agreements, Specific
<br />Developments, and Specific Plans will be forwarded to the City Council for final
<br />determination. Legal notice was published in the OC Register on July 22, 2025 and
<br />notices were mailed on said date.
<br />1.AMENDMENT APPLICATION (AA) NO. 202501, VESTING TENTATIVE TRACT MAP
<br />(VTTM) NO. 202506, AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT (DA) NO. 202501 FOR
<br />THE VILLAGE SPECIFIC PLAN PROJECT GENERALLY LOCATED AT 1561 WEST
<br />SUNFLOWER AVENUE LOCATED WITHIN THE SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT NO. 48
<br />(SD48) ZONING DISTRICT.
<br />Project Applicant: Justin McCusker with South Coast Plaza, on behalf of South Coast
<br />Plaza (Applicant and Property Owner)
<br />Proposed Project: Applicant is requesting approval of various entitlements to
<br />facilitate the establishment of a new Specific Plan (SP) that would allow the
<br />redevelopment of a 17.2acre site into a mixeduse urban village containing up to 1,583
<br />residential units, 80,000 square feet of commercial/retail space, 300,000 square feet of
<br />office space, and 13.8 acres of public and private outdoor and recreation space
<br />(“Project”). The Project entitlements include Amendment Application No. 202501 to
<br />establish The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan (“SP6”) and to change the zoning district
<br />designation of the subject property from Specific Development No. 48 to SP6, Vesting
<br />Tentative Tract Map No. 202506 (County Map No. 2023159) to subdivide the Project site
<br />into six buildable lots, and Development Agreement No. 202501 outlining terms and
<br />conditions for the Project. The Project also requires overruling the Orange County Airport
<br />Land Use Commission’s determination of inconsistency for the Project with the Airport
<br />Environs Land Use Plan for John Wayne Airport. The Planning Commission will serve as
<br />an advisory body to the City Council on this Project and their recommendation on the
<br />Project will be forward to the City Council for consideration at a later date.
<br />Environmental Impact: Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”),
<br />the Project requires: (1) certification of a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report
<br />(SEIR No. 202501 and SCH No. 2020029087); (2) adoption of Environmental Findings
<br />of Fact and a Statement of Overriding Consideration; and (3) adoption of a Mitigation
<br />Monitoring and Reporting Program (“MMRP”). The SEIR concludes that the proposed
<br />Project would require mitigation related to Air Quality, Cultural Resources, Geology and
<br />Soils, Noise, and Tribal Cultural Resources. Impacts related to Recreation would remain
<br />significant and unavoidable after mitigation.
<br />Recommended Action:
<br />Recommend that the City Council:
<br />1. Adopt a resolution: (1) certifying the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact
<br />Report No. 202501 (SCH No. 2020029087) for the Project; (2) adopting
<br />Environmental Findings of Fact and a Statement of Overriding Considerations
<br />for the Project; (3) adopting a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
<br />for the Project; and (4) approving the Project;
<br />2. Adopt an ordinance approving Amendment Application No. 202501
<br />establishing The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan (Specific Plan No. 6) and
<br />approving a zone change for the Project Site at 1561 W. Sunflower Avenue
<br />from Specific Development No. 48 to Specific Plan No. 6;
<br />3. Adopt an ordinance approving Development Agreement No. 202501;
<br />4. Adopt a resolution approving Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 202506
<br />(County Map No. 2023159), as conditioned; and
<br />5. Adopt a resolution Overruling the Orange County Airport Land Use
<br />Commission’s determination that The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan is
<br />inconsistent with the Airport Environs Land Use Plan of John Wayne Airport,
<br />including supportive findings.
<br />Minutes: Staff provided a short presentation.
<br />Commission had questions for staff.
<br />Staff answered questions from the Commission.
<br />Commission had questions for the applicant.
<br />Justin McCusker, on behalf of the applicant, answered questions from the Commission.
<br />Resident, Gary Sparks, spoke in opposition of the project.
<br />Antonio Velazquez, representing the Carpenters Union spoke in favor of the project.
<br />Union Worker, Ralph Velador, spoke in favor of the project.
<br />Political representative of Local 11 Union, Juan Munoz, spoke in opposition of the
<br />project.
<br />Resident, Richard Nai, spoke in opposition to the project via zoom.
<br />Resident, Doug, raised concerns about including other union workers via zoom.
<br />Moved by Commissioner Woo, seconded by Commissioner Benninger to
<br />Approve.
<br />YES: 7 – Bao Pham, Isuri Ramos, Alan Woo, Christopher Leo, Manuel J. Escamilla,
<br />Jennifer Oliva, Carl Benninger
<br />NO: 0 – ABSTAIN: 0 – ABSENT: 0 – Status: 7 – 0 – 0 – 0 – Pass
<br />*End of Business Calendar*
<br />STAFF COMMENTS
<br />Minutes: Staff had comments for the Commission.
<br />COMMISSIONER COMMENTS
<br />Minutes: Commission had comments for staff.
<br />ADJOURNMENT
<br />The next meeting of the Planning Commission will be on August 25, 2025, at 5:30 PM in the Council
<br />Chamber located at 22 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701.
<br />Minutes: Meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.
<br />APPEAL INFORMATION
<br />The formal action by the Planning Commission shall become effective after the tenday appeal
<br />period, unless the City Council in compliance with section 41643, 41644 or 41645 holds a public
<br />hearing on the matter, then the formal action will become effective on the day following the hearing
<br />and decision by the City Council. An appeal from the decision or requirement of the Planning
<br />Commission may be made by any interested party, individual, or group. The appeal must be filed
<br />with the Clerk of the Council, accompanied by the required filing fee, and a copy sent to the Planning
<br />Department, within ten days of the date of the Commission's action, by 5:00 p.m. If the final day to
<br />appeal falls on a City Hall observed holiday or a day when City hall is closed, the final day to appeal
<br />shall be extended to the next day City Hall is open for public business. Please note: Under California
<br />Government Code Sec. 65009, if you challenge in court any of the matters on this agenda for which
<br />a public hearing is to be conducted, you may be limited to raising only those issues which you (or
<br />someone else) raised orally at the public hearing or in written correspondence received by the
<br />Planning Commission or City Council at or before the hearing.
<br />MEETING INFORMATION
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<br />Submit a written comment
<br />You are invited to submit a written comment in one of the following ways:
<br />Email PBAecomments@santaana.org and reference the topic in the subject line.
<br />Mail to Gema Zapien, Acting Recording Secretary, City of Santa Ana, 20 Civic Center Plaza –
<br />M20, Santa Ana, CA 92701.
<br />Deadline to submit written comments, including any supplement materials for consideration
<br />by the Planning Commission, is 3:30 p.m. on the day of the meeting.Comments received
<br />after the deadline may not be distributed to the Commission but will be made part of the
<br />record. All attendees wishing to submit written comments or supplemental materials for
<br />distribution to Planning Commission members during the inperson meeting must provide
<br />15 printed copies.
<br /> 2 Planning Commission
<br />8/11/2025
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