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zoning code update community workshop

How to get involved in the Zoning Code Update

The City is listening to residents, property owners, business owners and other stakeholders regarding their ideas on ways to update the Zoning Code. Community engagement focuses on sharing information about zoning and gathering input from stakeholders, which will influence how the Zoning Code is reimagined. Several opportunities for participation are part of the project timeline. Those opportunities have included:

  • Round 1 Stakeholder Engagement (completed from Spring to Fall 2024):
    • Stakeholder interviews
    • Community Planning Collaborative training
    • Six Community Workshops
    • Virtual Self-Guided Community Workshop
    • Two Business Community Workshops
  • Planning Commission Study Session
  • Round 2 Stakeholder Engagement
    • Six Stakeholder Workshops
  • Round 3 Stakeholder Engagement
    • Virtual Stakeholder Workshop
    • Six Stakeholder Workshops

Planned opportunities include:

  • Planning Commission Study Session
  • City Council Study Session
  • Planning Commission Public Hearing
  • City Council Public Hearing

Past Events

Planning Commission Work Study Session

  • Monday, March 24, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. City Council Chamber (22 Civic Center Plaza)

Stakeholder Interviews

In the spring of 2024, the City’s consultant conducted 34 interviews with 45 individuals. A summary of the interviews is available here.

Community Planning Collaborative

On June 13, the City hosted a Community Planning Collaborative at the Southwest Senior Center. The Community Planning Collaborative brought together residents and community partners for a conversation about the City’s Zoning Code Update and ways to promote participation in the July Community Workshops. To view the presentation in English or Spanish, click on the buttons below. If you would like to view the presentation in an alternative language, please submit a request to the project  manager, Siri Champion, at SChampion@santa-ana.org.

Group photo Community Planning Collaborative

Round 1 Community Workshops

In July 2024, the City hosted six open house-style community workshops, which made up round 1 of three for the project. Each open house covered the same content. Different dates, times, and locations were offered to make the workshops accessible to the broadest segment of the community possible. Nearly 120 people attended the workshops and expressed a variety of opinions with emergent themes including affordable housing, a walkable environment, parking, open space, and noxious uses.

 

The following buttons open boards from the open house. Click on one of the buttons below to see the boards and to submit your comments. A summary of the community workshops is available here. If you would like to view the presentation in an alternative language, please submit a request to the project manager, Siri Champion, at SChampion@santa-ana.org.

Business Community Workshops

In November 2024, the City hosted two Business Community Workshops. The events focused on the needs and concerns of businesses who are instrumental to implementing the City’s policies relative to employment, private investment, and compatible development. Click below to view the Business Workshop presentation.  If you would like to view the presentation in an alternative language, please submit a request to the project manager, Siri Champion, at SChampion@santa-ana.org. A summary of the business community workshops is available here.

On March 24, 2025, the Planning Commission held a Comprehensive Zoning Code Update Work Study Session. The presentation included a review of the intent for updating the Zoning Code, a summary of Round 1 stakeholder engagement, emerging responses to stakeholder concerns, an overview of the proposed new zoning districts, and proposed new planning processes to streamline project review and approvals. The session concluded with comments from the Planning Commission. Using the links below, stakeholders may view the presentation and the session recording.

Round 2 Stakeholder Workshops

In May 2025, the City hosted the second round of workshops to gather input from stakeholders about three key areas of concern expressed by stakeholders during the first round of workshops. The workshop topics included:

  • The Residential and Industrial Interface,
  • Development and Design Standards with a focus on parking, open space, signs, and design of multi-family residential development, and
  • Use Regulations and Permitting Processes with a focus on uses in targeted corridors and commercial districts and streamlining permitting.

In addition to making a presentation, the project team facilitated a discussion and participants were invited to complete worksheets that included the questions covered during the facilitated discussion. If you would like to view the presentation or worksheet in an alternative language, please submit a request to the project manager, Siri Champion, at SChampion@santa-ana.org.

Stakeholder Workshop Presentations and Worksheets

Round 3 Stakeholder Workshops

In September 2025, the City hosted the third round of workshops to gather input from stakeholders about the draft zoning map, new zoning districts, and lists of proposed permitted uses. Using the buttons below, you may view the virtual workshop and the presentation materials from the in-person open houses.  You are invited to submit comments to Siri Champion at SChampion@santa-ana.org. Alternative languages are available upon request.

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