HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESO2021-18_2151 E SANTA CLARA AVENUEResolution No. 2021-18
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RESOLUTION NO. 2021-18
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF
THE CITY OF SANTA ANA APPROVING CONDITIONAL
USE PERMIT NO. 2021-12 AS CONDITIONED TO RENEW
THE ENTITLEMENTS OF AN EXISTING 56-FOOT TALL
MAJOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION FACILITY
LOCATED AT 2151 EAST SANTA CLARA AVENUE
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
SANTA ANA AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The Planning Commission of the City of Santa Ana hereby finds,
determines and declares as follows:
A. Nicole Comach with Virtual Side Walk, representing SBA Monarch Towers
III, LLC (“Applicant”) and Long Ridge Associates, LLC (“Property Owner”),
is requesting approval of Conditional Use Permit (“CUP”) No. 2021-12 to
renew the entitlements of an existing 56-foot tall major wireless
communication facility disguised as a mono-pine located at 2151 East
Santa Clara Avenue.
B. On August 9, 2010, the Planning Commission approved CUP No. 2010-
11, allowing the construction of the subject major wireless communication
facility.
C. Pursuant to Santa Ana Municipal Code (“SAMC”) Section 41-198.3(b), a
Conditional Use Permit is required for major wireless communication
facilities established in the City of Santa Ana.
D. In addition, SAMC Section 41-198.13 states that major wireless
communications facilities shall be approved for a period not to exceed ten
(10) years.
E. As the current facility has reached its ten-year term, the applicant is
required to apply for a new CUP in order to maintain the entitlements for
the current facility.
F. On August 23, 2021, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public
hearing on CUP No. 2021-12.
G. The Planning Commission determines that the following findings, which
must be established in order to grant this CUP pursuant to SAMC Section
41-638, have been established for CUP No. 2021-12 to renew the
entitlements of an existing 56-foot tall major wireless communication
facility:
Resolution No. 2021-18
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1. That the proposed use will provide a service or facility which will
contribute to the general well-being of the neighborhood or the
community.
The major wireless communication facility will continue to
provide a service to Santa Ana residents, businesses and
motorists who subscribe to cellular services by providing
cellular service and data coverage for its users within the
vicinity. The issuance of a new CUP will allow the provider to
continue to provide a service to the surrounding community.
2. That the proposed use under the circumstances of the particular
case will not be detrimental to the health, safety, or general welfare
of persons residing or working in the vicinity.
The issuance of a new CUP to maintain a wireless facility at
this location will not be detrimental to persons residing or
working in the area as the facility will remain in compliance
with Federal law that governs health related issues for
wireless facilities, including safety regulations from the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA).
3. That the proposed use will not adversely affect the present
economic stability or future economic development of properties
surrounding the area.
The facility is compatible with the surrounding area and will
not adversely affect the economic viability in the area. The
stealthing provided by the facility’s location at the rear of the
site will maintain and increase the economic stability of the
area by providing an additional service for business owners,
workers, and residents in the area.
4. That the proposed use shall comply with the regulations and
conditions specified in Chapter 41 for such use.
The use will continue to comply with all provisions pertaining
to the continuation of existing wireless facilities identified in
Chapter 41 (Zoning Code) of the SAMC. The facility will
continue to be stealthed by its design and surrounding
landscape and will comply with other standards outlined in
the SAMC. In addition, a live palm tree, complementing the
existing onsite landscaping, will be planted adjacent to the
facility to assist with overall screening.
5. That the proposed use will not adversely affect the General Plan or
any specific plan of the City.
The major wireless communication facility will not adversely
affect the General Plan as cellular facilities that are designed
to be compatible with the surrounding environment are
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consistent with the goals and objectives of the Land Use
Element. Goal 1 promotes a balance of land uses to address
community needs, which includes means of communication
that will be served by the facility. In addition, Goals 3 and 5
require preservation of neighborhood character and integrity
as well as mitigation of developments’ impacts. The mono-
pine’s location minimizes visual impact on the area and
assists with the stealthing of the equipment. Further, Policy
2.2 encourages land uses that accommodate the City’s
needs for services. Maintaining cellular coverage in the area
maintains the services that are already available for
business owners, workers, visitors and residents in the
immediate vicinity.
Section 2. In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
and the CEQA Guidelines, the project is categorically exempt from further review per
Section 15301 (Class 1 – Existing Facilities). Class 1 exemption applies to the operation,
repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or
private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving
negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. Based on this analysis, a Notice of
Exemption for Environmental Review No. 2020-54 will be filed for this project.
Section 3. The Applicant shall indemnify, protect, defend and hold the City
and/or any of its officials, officers, employees, agents, departments, agencies,
authorized volunteers, and instrumentalities thereof, harmless from any and all claims,
demands, lawsuits, writs of mandamus, referendum, and other proceedings (whether
legal, equitable, declaratory, administrative or adjudicatory in nature), and alternative
dispute resolution procedures (including, but not limited to arbitrations, mediations, and
such other procedures), judgments, orders, and decisions (collectively “Actions”),
brought against the City and/or any of its officials, officers, employees, agents,
departments, agencies, and instrumentalities thereof, that challenge, attack, or seek to
modify, set aside, void, or annul, any action of, or any permit or approval issued by the
City and/or any of its officials, officers, employees, agents, departments, agencies, and
instrumentalities thereof (including actions approved by the voters of the City) for or
concerning the project, whether such Actions are brought under the Ralph M. Brown
Act, California Environmental Quality Act, the Planning and Zoning Law, the Subdivision
Map Act, Code of Civil Procedure sections 1085 or 1094.5, or any other federal, state or
local constitution, statute, law, ordinance, charter, rule, regulation, or any decision of a
court of competent jurisdiction. It is expressly agreed that the City shall have the right to
approve the legal counsel providing the City’s defense, and that Applicant shall
reimburse the City for any costs and expenses directly and necessarily incurred by the
City in the course of the defense. City shall promptly notify the Applicant of any Action
brought and City shall cooperate with Applicant in the defense of the Action.
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Section 4. The Planning Commission of the City of Santa Ana, after
conducting a public hearing hereby approves Conditional Use Permit No. 2021-12, as
conditioned in Exhibit A, attached hereto and incorporated herein, for the project located
at 2151 East Santa Clara Avenue. CUP No. 2021-12 expires 10 years from the date of
the Planning Commission approval. This decision is based upon the evidence submitted
at the above hearing, which includes, but is not limited to: The Request for Planning
Commission Action dated August 23, 2021, and exhibits attached thereto; and the
public testimony, written and oral, all of which are incorporated herein by this
referenced.
ADOPTED this 23rd day of August, 2021
AYES: Commissioners: ALDERETE, CALDERON, MCLOUGHLIN, MORRISSEY,
PHAM, RAMOS, WOO (7)
NOES: Commissioners:
ABSENT: Commissioners:
ABSTENTIONS: Commissioners:
_______________________
Thomas Morrissey
Chairperson
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Sonia R. Carvalho, City Attorney
By: ________________________
John M. Funk
Senior Assistant City Attorney
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CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY
I, SARAH BERNAL, Recording Secretary, do hereby attest to and certify the attached
Resolution No. 2021-18 to be the original resolution adopted by the Planning
Commission of the City of Santa Ana on August 23, 2021.
____________________________________
Recording Secretary
08.23.2021Date: ________________
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EXHIBIT A
Conditions of Approval for Conditional Use Permit No. 2021-12
Conditional Use Permit (CUP) No. 2021-12 is approved subject to compliance, to the
reasonable satisfaction of the Executive Director of Planning and Building Agency, with
all applicable sections of the Santa Ana Municipal Code, the California Administrative
Code, the California Building Standards Code and all other applicable regulations.
The Applicant must comply in full with each and every condition listed below prior to
exercising the rights conferred by this conditional use permit.
The Applicant must remain in compliance with all conditions listed below throughout the
life of the conditional use permit. Failure to comply with each and every condition may
result in the revocation of the conditional use permit.
1. All site improvements must conform to Development Project Review (DP Nos.
2009-64 and 2020-17) and in accordance with the plans attached to the staff
report documenting the approved scope of the project.
2. Per the approved DP Nos. 2009-64 and 2020-17, the applicant agrees to the
following:
a. All deteriorating and/or faded stealth branches, needles and antenna
socks shall be replaced as needed.
b. The proposed live queen palm must be at least 10-foot tall brown trunk
height (BTH).
c. Planning Division staff will inspect the facility to verify compliance with this
condition no later than six (6) months after the date of approval of this
CUP.
3. The Applicant shall provide a 24-hour phone number to which interference
problems may be reported.
4. The Applicant will provide a “single point of contact” in its Engineering and
Maintenance Departments to insure continuity on all interference issues. The
name, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address of that person shall be
provided to the City’s designated representative after approval of the new CUP.
5. The Applicant shall ensure that lessee or other user(s) shall comply with the
terms and conditions of this permit, and shall be responsible for the failure of any
lessee or other users under the control of permit Applicant to comply.
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6. CUP No. 2021-01 expires 10 years from the date of Planning Commission
approval.
7. Within 90 days of adoption of this resolution, a Property Maintenance Agreement
shall be recorded against the property. The agreement will be subject to review
and applicability by the Planning and Building Agency, the Community
Development Agency, the Public Works Agency, and the City Attorney to ensure
that the property and all improvements located thereupon are properly
maintained. Applicant (and the owner of the property upon which the authorized
use and/or authorized improvements are located if different from the Applicant)
shall execute a maintenance agreement with the City of Santa Ana which shall
be recorded against the property and which shall be in a form reasonably
satisfactory to the City Attorney. The maintenance agreement shall contain
covenants, conditions, and restrictions relating to the following:
a) Compliance with operational conditions applicable during any period(s) of
construction or major repair (e.g., proper screening and securing of the
construction site; implementation of proper erosion control, dust control
and noise mitigation measure; adherence to approved project phasing
etc.);
b) Compliance with ongoing operational conditions, requirements and
restrictions, as applicable (including but not limited to hours of operation,
security requirements, the proper storage and disposal of trash and
debris, enforcement of the parking management plan, and/or restrictions
on certain uses);
c) Ongoing compliance with approved design and construction parameters,
signage parameters and restrictions as well as landscape designs, as
applicable;
d) Ongoing maintenance, repair and upkeep of the property and all
improvements located thereupon (including but not limited to controls on
the proliferation of trash and debris about and immediately adjacent to the
property; the proper and timely removal of graffiti; the timely maintenance,
repair and upkeep of damaged, vandalized and/or weathered buildings,
structures and/or improvements; the timely maintenance, repair and
upkeep of exterior paint, parking striping, lighting and irrigation fixtures,
walls and fencing, publicly accessible bathrooms and bathroom fixtures,
landscaping and related landscape improvements and the like, as
applicable);
e) If Applicant and the owner of the property are different (e.g., if the
Applicant is a tenant or licensee of the property or any portion thereof),
both the Applicant and the owner of the property shall be signatories to the
maintenance agreement and both shall be jointly and severally liable for
compliance with its terms;
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f) The maintenance agreement shall further provide that any party
responsible for complying with its terms shall not assign its ownership
interest in the property or any interest in any lease, sublease, license or
sublicense, unless the prospective assignee agrees in writing to assume
all of the duties, obligations and responsibilities set forth under the
maintenance agreement;
g) The maintenance agreement shall contain provisions relating to the
enforcement of its conditions by the City and shall also contain provisions
authorizing the City to recover costs and expenses which the City may
incur arising out of any enforcement and/or remediation efforts which the
City may undertake in order to cure any deficiency in maintenance, repair
or upkeep or to enforce any restrictions or conditions upon the use of the
property. The maintenance agreement shall further provide that any
unreimbursed costs and/or expenses incurred by the City to cure a
deficiency in maintenance or to enforce use restrictions shall become a
lien upon the property in an amount equivalent to the actual costs and/or
expense incurred by the City; and
h) The execution and recordation of the maintenance agreement shall be a
condition precedent to the issuance of this resolution.
8. Prior to the release of this resolution, the applicant shall install a wrought iron
fence along the front of the base of the wireless communications facility. The
height of the fence shall be equal to the height of the existing trash enclosure
concrete masonry wall. – Added by the Planning Commission on August 23,
2021.