HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-21-1993MINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA
JANUARY 21, 1993
CALLED TO ORDER
CONFERENCE ROOM
SANTA ANA LIBRARY
22 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA
6:04 P.M.
ATTENDANCE
COUNCILMEMBERS
Present:
DAN YOUNG, Mayor
TOM LUTZ
LISA MILLS
TED R MORENO
RICK NORTON
ROBERT L. RICHARDSON
Absent:
MIGUEL A. PULIDO, Mayor Pro Tem
Present:
DEBRA KURITA, Assistant City Manager
(6:27 p.m.)
EDWARD J. COOPER, City Attorney
JANICE C. GUY, Clerk of the Council
Absent: NONE
NEW COUNCIL ORIENTATION
SCHEDULE REVISIONS
Planning and Building Agency Executive Director Robyn Uptegraff distributed a revised
schedule for Council orientation sessions, indicating Master Plan discussions would continue
through January and that the remaining sessions including Budget presentations were now
scheduled to conclude at the end of February.
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 36 JANUARY 21, 1993
GENERAL LAND USE POLICIES
Senior Planner Charles View reviewed the City's non-conforming use policy introduced at
the January 12 orientation session and indicated staff would proceed with an aggressive
attrition strategy based on the Council's implied assent.
Planning Manager Ken Adams indicated the Master Plan called for synchronizing
infrastructure improvements with anticipated growth. Councilmembers discussed developer
fees and cautioned staff not to price development out of the market by requiring single sites
to bear a disproportionate share of infrastructure costs.
Councilmember Richardson requested that any maps used by staff in making the Master Plan
presentation not provided in the printed background material be duplicated and forwarded to
the Council.
Ken Adams showed slides of several major developments and stated the policy regarding key
employment and revenue producing sites was to identify and protect them through compatible
adjacent land uses. He further explained staff's intent to educate developers regarding the
need to exceed minimum development standards and to establish, as a baseline, the
expectation that each development project would result in benefit to the community.
Councilmembers discussed methods of increasing developer awareness, including the
realtor's "drive-by" technique, to point out quality projects to prospective developers.
Ken Adams described the Master Plan guidelines regarding historic structures and
neighborhoods, noting innovative reuse and creativity were required for their maintenance
and preservation. Councilmembers discussed the need for flexibility for historic projects,
particularly regarding parking requirements; the use of Mills Act funds for financing historic
renovation; and the treatment of each site and neighborhood as a unique entity.
Councilmember Richardson volunteered to serve on a task force to meet with the Federal
Courthouse architect to encourage congruity between the structure and the surrounding area.
He also requested Mills Act financing be scheduled for discussion at a future Council
meeting.
Ken Adams reported staff was preparing an Urban Design element for the General Plan to
ensure complementary public and private physical improvements and mitigation of their
impacts on adjacent neighborhoods. Robyn Uptegraff assured the Council that staff was
sensitive to the need for Santa Ana to not "over regulate" in order to remain competitive in
the development market.
Councilmembers discussed developing an outreach plan for communicating Santa Ana's
standards to developers prior to purchase in order that requirements for upgraded amenities
be factored into the purchase price, complimented staff on the quality of city-sponsored
projects, and suggested that parking structure window patterns reflect adjacent historic
structures in future.
CITY COUNCIl. MINUTES 37 JANUARY 21, 1993
Assistant Planner II Vince Fregoso reviewed the major elements of the City's Sign Code,
noted the primary objective of the Code was to reduce visual clutter, showed slides of both
on-premise and off-premise signs, and reported a major overhaul of the Sign Code was in
process.
Mayor Young commented that the current sign program seemed overly restrictive and
requested staff meet with four or five sign companies to review the proposed sign ordinance.
Councilmember Mills requested the record reflect she supported the sign ordinance.
ADJOURNMENT - 8:05 P.M.
Clerk of the Council
crYY COUNCIL MINUTES 38 JANUARY 21, 1993