Tustin advances two finalists for Pacific Center East site despite council split on public input

The Tustin City Council on Nov. 18 voted 4-1 to advance two finalist proposals to the final round for the Pacific Center East Specific Plan, a decision that sets the stage for later public hearings and potential negotiations over how the city-owned 11-acre site will be developed.

Council Member Fink urged postponement to solicit more public input. "It's our land as 1 of 80,000 people, not as 1 of 5," Fink said, arguing residents should weigh in before the council narrows the range of possible uses. Fink moved to postpone the item until Dec. 2 but the motion failed for lack of a second.

Supporters of moving the finalists forward, including members of the ad hoc committee and Council Member Gallagher, said the closed evaluation preserved the city's negotiating position and enabled staff to weigh financial offers without revealing price terms prematurely. "When you go through a process where you're getting multiple offers, by its very nature, it cannot be a public process because the dollars are a significant factor in why we make a selection," a member of the ad hoc committee said.

Council members said the finalists being considered are largely consistent with current zoning and argued advancing finalists will allow the city to capture revenue and return vacant land to productive use more quickly. The council emphasized that any rezoning or final approvals would still go through standard public hearings.

The motion to proceed to the final round passed on roll call 4-1 with Council Member Fink dissenting. Council directed staff to continue negotiations and to bring subsequent approvals back to the council with public hearings and environmental review as required.

Next steps: finalists will be invited into a final evaluation round; subsequent discretionary approvals, including any rezoning, will require additional hearings and public review.