Public Works Agency
Planning and Building Agency
www.santa-ana.org/pw
Item # 22
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
March 3, 2026
TOPIC: General Plan Amendment No. 2025-01 and Amendment Application No. 2025- 02 - Santa Ana Zoo Overflow Parking Lot Rezone (1801 East Chestnut Avenue)
AGENDA TITLE
Public Hearing – General Plan Amendment No. 2025-01 and Amendment Application No. 2025-02 for the Santa Ana Zoo Overflow Parking Lot Rezone (1801 East Chestnut Avenue)
Legal notice published in the OC Reporter on February 20, 2026 and notices mailed on the same date.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Certify the Final Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (ER No. 2025- 119 and SCH No. 2025121015) for the Project;
2. Adopt a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the Project;
3. Adopt a resolution approving General Plan Amendment No. 2025-01; and RESOLUTION NO. 2026-XXX entitled A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA APPROVING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 2025-01 TO CHANGE THE GENERAL PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1801 EAST CHESTNUT AVENUE AND RECOGNIZED AS ASSESSOR PARCEL NUMBER 402-212-01 FROM OPEN
SPACE (OS) TO GENERAL COMMERCIAL (GC)
4. Conduct a first reading and adopt an ordinance approving Amendment Application No. 2025-02.
ORDINANCE NO. NS-XXXX entitled AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA APPROVING AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO. 2025-02 TO CHANGE THE ZONING DESIGNATION FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1801 EAST CHESTNUT AND RECOGNIZED AS ASSESSOR
Santa Ana Zoo Overflow Parking Lot Rezone (1801 East Chestnut Avenue) March 3, 2026
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PARCEL NUMBER 402-212-01 FROM GENERAL AGRICULTURAL (A-1) TO GENERAL COMMERCIAL (C-2); read by title only and waive further reading.
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No
DISCUSSION
Executive Summary
This is a City initiated General Plan Amendment (GPA) (GPA No. 2025-01) to change the General Plan land use designation for the property located at 1801 East Chestnut Avenue and recognized as Assessor Parcel Number (APN) 402-212-01 (“Project Site”), which has historically functioned as overflow parking lot for the Santa Ana Zoo, from Open Space (OS) to General Commercial (GC) and Amendment Application (AA) No. 2025-02 to change the Zoning designation for the Project Site from General Agricultural (A-1) to General Commercial (C-2) to bring the land use and zoning into consistency with the Project Site’s long-standing operational use and the Zoo Facilities Master Plan (“Project”).
In addition, in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Project requires certification of a Final Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) (ER No. 2025-119 and SCH No. 2025121015) and adoption of a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP).
The Project would continue the existing overflow parking use while improving the Project Site with paving, striped parking stalls, internal circulation lanes, reconstructed access, and the installation of electric vehicle charging stations, providing approximately 250 parking spaces, including ADA-compliant and Electric Vehicle (EV) stalls. The proposed GC General Plan land use designation and C2 zoning allow parking facilities and visitor- serving uses and align the Project Site with surrounding urban development patterns and long-term infrastructure planning.
Planning Commission Recommendation
On February 9, 2026, the Planning Commission recommended that the City Council take the following actions: (1) certify the Final IS/MND (ER No. 2025-119 and SCH No. 2025121015), (2) adopt a MMRP for the Project, (3) adopt a resolution approving GPA No. 202501, and (4) adopt an ordinance approving AA No. 2025-02 by a vote of 6:0:1 (Ayes: Commissioners Benninger, Escamilla, Leo, Pham, Ramos, and Woo; Absent:
Commissioner Oliva).
Project Description
The Project proposes to change the Project Site’s General Plan land use designation from OS to GC and to rezone the property from A-1 to C-2. The Project Site is currently developed as an unpaved gravel lot that provides overflow parking and is located in an urbanized area bounded by Interstate 5, East Main Street, surrounding commercial uses, multifamily residential development, and the Santa Ana Zoo.
Santa Ana Zoo Overflow Parking Lot Rezone (1801 East Chestnut Avenue) March 3, 2026
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The purpose of the Project is to formalize the Project Site’s long-standing operational function as overflow parking for the Santa Ana Zoo and to establish appropriate land use and zoning designations that allow the continued operation and improvement of the facility. Although the site has operated as overflow parking pursuant to the Zoo Facilities Master Plan (ZFMP), the existing land use designation and zoning for the Project Site are inconsistent and the proposed changes will bring the Project Site’s land use designation and zoning into consistency, allowing for greater flexibility for the long-term infrastructure planning of the Project Site.
The Project would continue the existing use of the Site as overflow parking while formalizing and improving the facility through paving, striped parking stalls, internal circulation lanes, reconstructed access, and installation of electric vehicle charging stations, providing approximately 250 parking spaces, including ADA-compliant and EV stalls. The proposed actions are corrective and policy-implementing in nature, intended to resolve existing regulatory limitations, implement the ZFMP and the City’s Strategic Master Plan, and support orderly land use planning and continued operation of a public- serving parking facility for the Santa Ana Zoo.
Table 1: Project and Location Information
Item Information
Project Address & Council Ward 1801 E. Chestnut Avenue – Ward 3 Nearest Intersection Zoo Lane and East Chestnut Avenue
Existing Open Space (OS)General Plan Designation Proposed General Commercial (GC) Existing General Agriculture (A1)Zoning Designation Proposed General Commercial (C2) North Santa Ana (I-5) Freeway and Commercial
East Commercial
South Multifamily Residential Surrounding Land Use
West Zoo
Property Size 3.48 acres
Existing Site Development Unpaved gravel lot that provides overflow parking for the Santa Ana Zoo
Use Permissions Section 41-377 and 41-387 of the SAMC
Code Sections Affected Sections 27-12 and 41-665 of the SAMC Project Background
The Project Site has historically functioned as an overflow parking facility for the Santa Ana Zoo and was formally established as such through adoption of the Zoo Facilities Master Plan (ZFMP) in 2018. The ZFMP recognized the existing overflow parking area as part of the Zoo’s long-term infrastructure framework and identified the Project Site as a planned location for future operational and infrastructure improvements associated with Zoo operations. The Project Site has not served as parkland or exhibit space and has long been used in support of visitor access and circulation for the Zoo.
As part of implementation of the ZFMP, and as recently as December 2, 2025, the City Council approved a cooperative implementation agreement and construction contract for Santa Ana Zoo Overflow Parking Lot Rezone (1801 East Chestnut Avenue) March 3, 2026
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the Santa Ana Zoo Stormwater Capture and Diversion Project, which includes stormwater infrastructure improvements within the existing Zoo parking areas. In addition, the Well 31 PFAS Treatment Project is currently under construction at the Zoo site and includes installation of a dedicated PFAS water treatment facility, associated mechanical and electrical systems, and site piping to support long-term groundwater treatment operations in coordination with the Orange County Water District’s regional PFAS program.
Construction activities for the PFAS project include new asphalt paving and pavement restoration along designated access routes, portions of the Zoo parking lot, and internal site roadways.
Collectively, these prior planning efforts and infrastructure investments reflect the City’s long-standing use of the Project Site as part of the Zoo’s operational and parking system and demonstrate that the property is an actively planned and improved facility within the Zoo’s broader infrastructure network. The Project Site is located in an urbanized area bounded by Interstate 5 to the north, East Main Street to the south, the city boundary with the City of Tustin to the east, and the Santa Ana Zoo to the west, and has historically functioned as a support facility serving Zoo operations and visitor access.
Analysis
General Plan Amendment (GPA) No. 2025-01
In accordance with Section 27-12 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC), staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution approving GPA No. 2025-01 (Exhibit 1) to change the land use designation of the Project Site from OS to GC. The GC designation allows commercial and visitor-serving uses along arterial corridors and would align the land use designation with the Project Site’s existing and continued use as overflow parking for the Santa Ana Zoo.
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Santa Ana Zoo Overflow Parking Lot Rezone (1801 East Chestnut Avenue) March 3, 2026
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Amendment Application No. 2025-02
In accordance with Section 41-665 of the SAMC, staff recommends that the City Council adopt an ordinance approving AA No. 2025-02 (Exhibit 2) to rezone the project site from A-1 to C-2. The C2 zoning designation allows commercial and visitor-serving uses and would align the zoning designation with the site’s existing and continued use as overflow parking for the Santa Ana Zoo. Moreover, as part of the comprehensive Zoning Code Update, staff will be recommending rescinding of the A-1 zoning district citywide. Site photos are attached to this staff report as Exhibit 3.
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Existing General Plan Land Use Designation Proposed General Plan Land Use Designation
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Existing Zoning District Designation Proposed Zoning District Designation Citywide Open Space Calculation
The Project Site is currently designated as Open Space by the Land Use Element of the General Plan. However, the total amount of park space in the city does not correlate on a one-to-one ratio with the amount of land designated as Open Space in the Land Use Element. The City calculates park space based on land actively used and maintained as parkland or recreational space. Because the Project Site currently functions and will continue to function as an ancillary parking facility for the entirety of the Santa Ana Zoo, a facility categorized as a Specialty Park in the Open Space Element, the amount of parkland in the city will not change with the proposed changes of land use and zoning map designations. Additionally, implementation of the ZFMP ensures the Project Site continues to serve a public purpose by supporting zoo operations and preserves the property from private commercial development.
Public Notification and Community Outreach
Project notifications were posted, published, and mailed in accordance with City and State requirements. A Notice of Intent (NOI) to adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration was published in the Orange County Register and mailed to property owners and occupants within a 2,000-foot notification radius, including properties located within 300 feet of the Project Site in the City of Tustin. The NOI invited public commenting from Tuesday, December 19, 2025, and concluded on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Additionally, Tribal
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consultation was conducted pursuant to Assembly Bill (AB) 52 and Senate Bill (SB) 18 with Tribes identified by the Native American Heritage Commission. The NOI was also filed with the California State Clearinghouse and the Orange County Clerk-Recorder’s Office. The NOI identified the availability of the Draft IS/MND and provided details on where electronic copies could be accessed on the City’s website, as well as the locations where hard copies were available for public review, including the Public Works Agency counter and the Southwest Senior Center.
A copy of the public notice is provided attached to this staff report as Exhibit 4. Vicinity zoning and aerial view, including the 2,000-foot notification radius map, are provided in Exhibit 5. At the time this report was printed, no issues of concern had been raised by the public regarding the requested actions.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Pursuant to Section 21081.6 of CEQA and Section 15097 of CEQA Guidelines, a MMRP is required when a MND is certified in conjunction with project approval. The purpose of the MMRP is to ensure that all adopted mitigation measures are implemented during project construction and operation and that potential environmental impacts are reduced to less-than-significant levels.
An IS/MND was prepared for the Project in accordance with CEQA (Exhibit 6). The IS/MND concluded that implementation of the proposed Project, and parking lot improvements, could result in potentially significant environmental impacts; however, with implementation of identified mitigation measures and compliance with applicable conditions of approval, all impacts would be reduced to a less-than-significant level. The City of Santa Ana is the Lead Agency for the Project pursuant to Section 15367 of the CEQA Guidelines.
The MMRP prepared for the project, attached hereto as Exhibit 7, documents the mitigation measures adopted for the Project, identifies the responsible parties, and specifies the timing and method of implementation to ensure compliance during project implementation. The MMRP does not address environmental topic areas that were determined in the IS/MND to result in less-than-significant impacts for which no mitigation was required. Based on the analysis contained in the IS/MND, adoption of the MMRP will ensure that all applicable mitigation measures are implemented and that the proposed Project will not result in significant environmental impacts. As such, a Notice of Determination, Environmental Review No. 2025-119, will be filed for this project.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with these actions.
EXHIBIT(S)
1. Resolution Approving GPA No. 2025-01
2. Ordinance Approving AA No. 2025-02
Santa Ana Zoo Overflow Parking Lot Rezone (1801 East Chestnut Avenue) March 3, 2026
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3. Site Photos
4. Copy of Public Notice
5. Vicinity Zoning and Aerial View
6. Link to IS/MND
7. Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
8. Zoo Facilities Master Plan – Parking Lot
Submitted By: Rodolfo Rosas, P.E., Acting Executive Director of the Public Works Agency and Ali Pezeshkpour, AICP, Executive Director of the Planning and Building Agency
Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager