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City presents zoning code update outreach after critics say environmental‑justice commitments need enforcement
Summary
Planning staff described the draft zoning-code update and an outreach strategy they said delivered roughly 800,000 'touch points.' Community members and researchers urged the city to ensure environmental‑justice policies from the 2022 general plan are enforceable in the zoning code.
Santa Ana planning staff provided the City Council a verbal update on the draft zoning code and public‑communications plan July 12 after a PowerPoint upload glitch left the presentation verbal. Director Ali told the council the update aims to turn general‑plan policies into enforceable ordinances and to address industrial‑residential interfaces for the first time in the city's history.
Ali said the city's outreach strategy had generated what staff called "800,000 touch points" and that planners will hold two Planning Commission study sessions followed by adoption hearings. "We can confirm that for this zoning code update we've had at least 800,000 touch points of information that have gone out to the community," Ali told council.
During public comment and later council discussion, UC Irvine-affiliated researcher Kim Fortin and Cornerstone neighborhood representatives said they were concerned about insufficient community engagement and urged stronger, enforceable environmental‑justice provisions. "The zoning code was released last night along with maps... we haven't had meaningful opportunity to engage," a Cornerstone speaker told council. Council members asked staff to bring study sessions to planning commission and to provide more opportunities for community vetting before ordinance introduction; the council moved and voted to receive and file the outreach report.
