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Planning CommissionRegular Meeting Agenda MinutesFebruary 9, 20265:30 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, AICPPlanning Manager Gema ZapienRecording SecretaryIn compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if you need special assistance to participate in this Meeting,contact Michael Ortiz, City ADA Program Coordinator, at (714) 6475624. Notification 48 hours prior to the Meeting will enablethe City to make reasonable arrangements to assure accessibility to this meeting. The City Council agenda and supportingdocumentation can be found on the City’s website – www.santaana.org/citymeetings.CALL TO ORDER Commissioners: Isuri S. Ramos, ChairCarl Benninger, ViceChairChristopher LeoManuel J. EscamillaJennifer OlivaBao PhamAlan Woo Executive Director Ali Pezeshkpour, AICPLegal Counsel Melissa M. CrosthwaitePlanning Manager Ricardo Soto, AICPRecording Secretary Gema ZapienROLL CALLMinutes: Quorum was reached at 5:34 PM with Commissioner Escamilla arriving at 5:37PM and Commissioner Oliva absent. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCEPUBLIC COMMENTSMinutes: Resident, Gay Olivos raised concerns regarding One Broadway Plaza. CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMSa.MinutesRecommended Action: Approve Minutes from the meeting of December 8, 2025.b.Excused AbsencesRecommended Action: Excuse absent commissioners.Moved by Commissioner Woo, seconded by Commissioner Benninger to Approve.YES: 6 – Bao Pham, Isuri Ramos, Alan Woo, Christopher Leo, Manuel J. Escamilla, CarlBenningerNO: 0 – ABSTAIN: 0 – ABSENT: 1 – Jennifer OlivaStatus: 6 – 0 – 0 – 1 – Pass*End of Consent Calendar*BUSINESS CALENDARPublic Hearing:The Planning Commission decision on Conditional UsePermits, Variances, Tentative Tract and Parcel Maps, Minor Exceptions, Site PlanReview, and Public Convenience or Necessity Determinations are final unlessappealed within 10 days of the decision by any interested party or group (refer tothe Basic Meeting Information page for more information). The PlanningCommission recommendation on Zoning and General Plan amendments,Development Agreements, Specific Developments, and Specific Plans will beforwarded to the City Council for final determination. Legal notice for Item 1 waspublished in the OC Register on January 19, 2026. Legal notice for Item 2 waspublished in the OC Register on January 20, 2026. The notices for Items 1 and 2were mailed on January 20, 2026. 1.GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 202501 AND AMENDMENTAPPLICATION NO. 202502 FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1801 EASTCHESTNUT AVENUE LOCATED WITHIN THE GENERAL AGRICULTURE(A1) ZONING DISTRICT.Project Applicant: City of Santa AnaProposed Project: The City is requesting approval of General Plan Amendment(GPA) No. 202501 to amend the existing General Plan land use designation fromOpen Space (OS) to General Commercial (GC) for the property addressed as1801 East Chestnut Avenue. Additionally, the City is requesting approval ofAmendment Application (AA) No. 202502 to rezone the property from GeneralAgriculture (A1) to General Commercial (C2).Environmental Impact: Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act(CEQA) and the CEQA Guidelines, an Initial Study and Mitigated NegativeDeclaration (IS/MND) has been prepared for the project. The IS/MND’s Notice ofIntent (NOI) was posted to the County Clerk on December 16, 2025, for a 25daypublic comment period, exceeding the required 20day public comment period.The 25day public comment period commenced on Friday, December 19, 2025,and concluded on January 13, 2026. The City of Santa Ana has determined,based on the IS/MND, that the project will not have a significant effect on theenvironment with implementation of recommended mitigation measures. TheIS/MND is available to the public for review at City Hall at 20 Civic Center Plaza,Santa Ana, California 92701 and on the City’s website at https://www.santaana.org/noticeofintenttoadoptamitigatednegativedeclarationforarezoneprojectinthecityofsantaana/RESOLUTION NO. 2026XXA RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANAAPPROVING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 202501 TO CHANGE THEGENERAL PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION FOR THE PROPERTY AT 1801EAST CHESTNUT AVENUE, RECOGNIZED AS ASSESSOR PARCELNUMBER 40221201 ORDINANCE NO. NSXXXXAN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANAAPPROVING AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO. 202502 REZONING THEPROPERTY LOCATED AT 1801 EAST CHESTNUT AVENUE ANDRECOGNIZED AS ASSESSOR PARCEL NUMBER 40221201Recommended Actions:It is recommended that the Planning Commission recommend that the CityCouncil:1. Adopt a resolution approving General Plan Amendment (GPA) No. 202501to redesignate the project site from Open Space (OS) to GeneralCommercial (GC);2. Adopt an ordinance approving Amendment Application (AA) No. 202502 torezone the project site from General Agriculture (A1) to General Commercial(C2); and3. Approve and adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration and MitigationMonitoring and Reporting Program (SCH No. 2025121015), EnvironmentalReview No. 2025119, prepared for the project.Minutes: Staff provided a short presentation.Commission had questions for staff.Staff answered questions from the Commission.Moved by Commissioner Escamilla, seconded by CommissionerBenninger to Approve with considerations.YES: 6 – Bao Pham, Isuri Ramos, Alan Woo, Christopher Leo, Manuel J.Escamilla, Carl BenningerNO: 0 – ABSTAIN: 0 – ABSENT: 1 – Jennifer OlivaStatus: 6 – 0 – 0 – 1 – Pass2.ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT NO. 202601 TO AMEND PORTIONSOF CHAPTER 41 (ZONING) OF THE SANTA ANA MUNICIPAL CODERELATING TO SMOKE SHOPS IN THE CITY OF SANTA ANA.Project Applicant: City of Santa AnaProposed Project: The City of Santa Ana is proposing to adopt an ordinanceto amend Chapter 41 (Zoning) of the City of Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC) toestablish land use and zoning regulations for smoke shop establishments in orderto protect public health and safety. The proposed amendments would incorporatepermit requirements, as well as location, development, and operating standardsapplicable to smoke shop establishments.Environmental Impact: Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act(CEQA) and the CEQA guidelines, this project is exempt from further reviewpursuant to Section 15060(c)(2), because the activity will not result in a direct orreasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment; Section15060(c)(3), because the activity is not a “project” as defined in Section 15378;and Section 15061(b)(3), because it can be seen with certainty that there is nopossibility that the adoption of this ordinance may have a significant effect on theenvironment.ORDINANCE NO. NSXXXXZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT NO. 202601 AN ORDINANCE OF THECITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AMENDING PORTIONS OFCHAPTER 41 (ZONING) OF THE SANTA ANA MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TOSMOKE SHOP ESTABLISHMENTS AND FINDING THE ACTION TO BEEXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)UNDER STATE CEQA GUIDELINES SECTION 15060(c)(2), SECTION 15060(c)(3), AND 15061(b)(3)Recommended Action:Recommend that the City Council adopt an ordinance approving ZoningOrdinance Amendment No. 202601, amending portions of Chapter 41(Zoning) of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC) relating to smoke shopestablishments.Minutes: Staff provided a short presentation.Commission had questions for staff.Staff answered questions from the Commission.Moved by Commissioner Ramos, seconded by Commissioner Woo toApprove with considerations.YES: 6 – Bao Pham, Isuri Ramos, Alan Woo, Christopher Leo, Manuel J.Escamilla, Carl BenningerNO: 0 – ABSTAIN: 0 – ABSENT: 1 – Jennifer OlivaStatus: 6 – 0 – 0 – 1 – Pass*End of Business Calendar*STAFF COMMENTSMinutes: Staff had comments for the Commission.COMMISSIONER COMMENTSMinutes: Commission had comments for staff. ADJOURNMENTThe next meeting of the Planning Commission will be on February 23, 2026, at 5:30 PM inthe Council Chamber located at 22 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701.Minutes: Meeting was adjourned at 7:03 PM. APPEAL INFORMATIONThe formal action by the Planning Commission shall become effective after the tendayappeal period, unless the City Council in compliance with section 41643, 41644 or 41645holds a public hearing on the matter, then the formal action will become effective on the dayfollowing the hearing and decision by the City Council. An appeal from the decision orrequirement of the Planning Commission may be made by any interested party, individual, orgroup. The appeal must be filed with the Clerk of the Council, accompanied by the requiredfiling fee, and a copy sent to the Planning Department, within ten days of the date of theCommission's action, by 5:00 p.m. If the final day to appeal falls on a City Hall observedholiday or a day when City hall is closed, the final day to appeal shall be extended to the nextday City Hall is open for public business. Please note: Under California Government CodeSec. 65009, if you challenge in court any of the matters on this agenda for which a publichearing is to be conducted, you may be limited to raising only those issues which you (orsomeone else) raised orally at the public hearing or in written correspondence received bythe Planning Commission or City Council at or before the hearing.MEETING INFORMATIONIf you would like to learn how to use Zoom before the meeting, visit Zoom Video Tutorials.1. Connecting directly from your computer:Click on the link on top of this agenda ORGo to Zoom.us and click "Join a Meeting" at the top. Enter the Meeting ID. The MeetingID is listed at the top of this agenda.To speak during the meeting: When you wish to comment on an item that is being isdiscussed, click on the button next to your name to virtually raise your hand and let us knowyou wish to speak. You will have 3 minutes.2. Connecting via the Zoom App:Download the free Zoom Cloud Meetings app from your favorite app store.Launch the app and click on the blue Join a Meeting button. Enter the Meeting ID, yourname, and the blue Join button. The Meeting ID is listed at the top of this agenda.To speak during the meeting: When you wish to comment on an item that is being isdiscussed, click on the button next to your name to virtually raise your hand and let us knowyou wish to speak. You will have 3 minutes.3. Dialing in from a mobile phone or landline:Dial (669) 9006833. When prompted, enter the meeting ID. The Meeting ID is listed atthe top of this agenda.To speak during the meeting: When you wish to comment on an item that is being isdiscussed, press *9 on your phone to virtually raise your hand. You will have 3 minutes.Submit a written commentYou are invited to submit a written comment in one of the following ways:Email PBAecomments@santaana.org and reference the topic in the subject line.Mail to Gema Zapien, Recording Secretary, City of Santa Ana, 20 Civic Center Plaza –M20, Santa Ana, CA 92701.Deadline to submit written comments, including any supplement materials forconsideration by the Planning Commission, is 3:30 p.m. on the day of themeeting.Comments received after the deadline may not be distributed to theCommission but will be made part of the record. All attendees wishing to submitwritten comments or supplemental materials for distribution to Planning Commissionmembers during the inperson meeting must provide 15 printed copies.TRANSLATION SERVICES Members of the public may request an interpreter 48hours in advance to assist a nonenglish speaker during the public commentssections of the meeting. Notification of 48 hours prior to the Meeting will enable theCity to make reasonable arrangements to assure accessibility to this meeting. Simultaneous Spanish interpretation is provided through the use of headsets andconsecutive interpretation (SpanishtoEnglish) in addition to those wishing toaddress the Commission at the podium.Los miembros del público pueden solicitar un intérprete con 48 horas deanticipación para asistir a una persona que no habla inglés durante la sección decomentarios públicos de la reunión. La notificación con 48 horas de anticipación
<br />permitirá a la Ciudad hacer los arreglos razonables necesarios para garantizar el
<br />acceso a esta reunión. La interpretación simultánea al español se ofrece por medio
<br />del uso de audífonos y la interpretación consecutiva (español a inglés) también está
<br />disponible para cualquiera que desee dirigirse a la Comisión en el podio.
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