Planning commission recommends small reclassifications to circulation element to align with county arterial plan

The City of Orange Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council approve a General Plan amendment to reclassify two short roadway segments in the circulation and mobility element and found the change exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Associate Planner Arlen Beck presented the item, saying the amendment would reclassify a segment of Santiago Canyon Road (between the Villa Park boundary and Cannon Street) from a six‑lane major arterial to an asymmetric five‑lane major arterial and a short segment of Fairhaven Avenue (near the Santa Ana/Orange border and Tustin Street) from a four‑lane secondary arterial to a two‑lane secondary arterial. "These classifications bring the city's general plan into conformance with the Orange County Transportation Authority's Countywide Master Plan of Arterial Highways," Beck said, and added that the changes would allow space for bike lanes and medians while keeping the overall right‑of‑way width unchanged.

The change, Beck said, creates a new "asymmetric major arterial" classification for the Santiago Canyon segment and a new two‑lane secondary arterial classification for the Fairhaven segment. He told commissioners the reclassification updates the roadway cross‑section — Santiago Canyon would move from six lanes to five and the Fairhaven segment from four lanes to two — but staff does not intend to widen or narrow the public right‑of‑way; the goal is to better match adjacent jurisdictions and OCTA planning.

Commissioners did not receive public comment on the item. Commissioner Vasquez moved to adopt Planning Commission resolution PC05‑26 recommending approval of General Plan Amendment GPA 26‑001 to the City Council and to find the project exempt from CEQA; Vice Chair Leslie seconded and the motion passed unanimously. At roll call earlier in the meeting, Commissioners Martinez, McCormick, Vasquez, Tucker, Vice Chair Leslie and Chair Veil were present; Commissioner Maldonado had requested to be absent.

The recommendation now goes to the City Council for final action. The staff presentation identified the specific street segments by name and said the reclassification is intended to align the city's circulation plan with OCTA's master plan and to permit design features such as bike lanes and landscape medians.

Next steps: the Planning Commission forwarded its resolution to the City Council for consideration; the staff report and the commission's recommendation will accompany the council agenda when the item is scheduled for a public hearing.