HomeMy WebLinkAbout1 - PUBLIC COMMENT_GuerraFrom:Flores, Dora
To:Planning Commission Comments
Cc:!City Clerk
Subject:FW: Planning Commission public Comment for Agenda Item No. 1
Date:Monday, July 13, 2020 4:33:16 PM
The following communication pertaining to the Planning Commission meeting, has been received for
your review and consideration.
From: Cynthia Guerra [mailto:cynthia.guerra8@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, July 13, 2020 4:31 PM
To: eComment <ecomment@santa-ana.org>; eComment <ecomment@santa-ana.org>
Subject: Planning Commission public Comment for Agenda Item No. 1
Hi Planning Commission Chair and Members,
I am a lifetime resident of Santa Ana who is reaching out to you to state my opposition to the 10condominium market-rate development project being proposed on 1122 Bewley Street.
Further and more meaningful community engagement of the residents in the area should occurbefore this project is considered for approval by the Commission. The staff report cites a SunshineOrdinance meeting held on March 2018. It is imperative that new community outreach efforts onbehalf of the City be conducted to better understand the community’s current needs since it hasbeen 2 years and 3 months since that meeting took place. For example, from January to June 2019,approximately 325 people who live close to the Willowick site, including residents from NorthBewley Street, were surveyed and the majority stated they did not want market-rate developmenton Willowick because current residents would not be able to afford it and because it would increasesurrounding rent prices. Given these are the same residents who will be impacted by the proposedmarket-rate development, this signals that there is likely more opposition to the proposed projectthan has been assessed by the City through their insufficient community outreach efforts. It isincumbent upon the Commission to ensure they base their development decision on accuratecommunity input.
While the lots are vacant, the City should not utilize them in a way that negatively impacts currentresidents. A market-rate development will increase the rents of the surrounding residents which arepredominantly lower income, and potentially lead to their displacement. This area, including thevacant lots, should not be “revitalized” at the expense of the current residents. In fact, they shouldbe utilized to address the urgent needs of the area which have not been appropriately assessed bythe City’s community outreach up to date. It is doubly important to truly respond to the currentresidents' needs when you consider that the zip code (92703) in which the development is beingproposed is among the one of the most impacted zip codes by Covid-19 in the entire Orange County.
I strongly urge you to not approve this development or any related zoning changes at today’sPlanning Commission meeting and instead conduct the urgently necessary community outreach toassess current residents' needs.
Sincerely,
Cynthia Guerra