2021-2029 Housing Element Update

Welcome to the City of Orange’s Housing Element Update Page. The Housing Element is one of the seven elements required by the State to be included in the City's General Plan. The Housing Element provides the primary policy guidance for housing for the City’s decision-makers crafted to address housing opportunities and needs for present and future residents.

The City of Orange kicked off the Housing Element Update in December 2019. Over the next year, City staff will be working with the community to update the Housing Element for the 2021-2029 planning period.

Community Engagement

In order for the Housing Element to serve the community well, we can't do this alone. We need to hear from people like you. 

Since the pandemic makes it difficult to meet in person, we’ve developed a survey to begin the conversation community, which you can access by clicking the link below. There is also an informational presentation on the 2021-2029 Housing Element Update, as well as a Fact Sheet to provide you information about the Housing Element and the City’s update process. 

• The Housing Element Survey is now closed.
• Community Workshop #1 Presentation  (Click the link to download or watch below) *Please note: the contact person for this project has been changed to Anna Pehoushek, Assistant Community Development Director. She may be reached by emailing apehoushek@cityoforange.org or by calling (714) 744-7220.

North Tustin Street is an important commercial corridor in the City of Orange. However, it is not the destination that it was decades ago and in its current state reflects the development patterns of shopping centers built in the 1960s and 70s. There is a need and desire to transform the corridor into a more complete street with a variety of shops and services that cater to residents, workers, and visitors.

As such, the City is embarking on the North Tustin Street Specific Plan to proactively bring beneficial change to the corridor that improves the business and living environment in and around the North Tustin Street corridor. The Plan Area is generally along both sides of North Tustin Street from south of Katella Avenue up to Lincoln Avenue. The Specific Plan will include a market analysis and Environmental Impact Report with traffic analysis.

We need YOU to help guide the project and envision a better future for the North Tustin Street corridor. Online surveys and/or virtual workshops will be held at each stage of the plan process to hear from you and to inform you of the input gathered to date. All outreach activities can be reached on the North Tustin Street Specific Plan webpage. 

Participation Opportunities

December 22, 2020: The Introductory Survey is now live! Visit the Plan Introduction and Survey webpage to take this initial survey and share your thoughts with us.  

February 25, 2021: City and consultant staff will be hosting a Discovery Workshop presentation and survey for your participation in guiding the future of North Tustin Street.  Join the workshop online on Thursday, March 4, 2021 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. 

Please register for the online workshop at www.cityoforange.org/NorthTustinStreetSpecificPlan.  We hope to have your participation!

Background

Located in the north-central portion of the City of Orange, the North Tustin Street Plan Area is generally bounded by Katella Avenue to the south, Lincoln Avenue to the north, State Route (SR) 55 to the east, and established post-War single and multi-family residential neighborhoods to the west. Tustin Street is a major transportation corridor in the City characterized by eclectic strip commercial development dating from the 1960s through the present. Pockets of modest multi-family residential development dating from a similar timeframe are located in the eastern portion of the corridor between the rear of commercial properties fronting Tustin Street and SR 55. Much of the study area was developed in the 1970s when the city was growing.

In 1983, the North Tustin Street corridor was established as a redevelopment area. In conjunction, the Commercial-Tustin Redevelopment Area (C-TR) zoning classification was created for much of this area and the Tustin Street Design standards were adopted to reinvigorate and generate property reinvestment in the corridor. The anticipated benefits of the C-TR zoning and design standards came to limited fruition, with respect to land uses and the visual quality of the area, and have become outdated. However, the Tustin Street corridor, from the Plan Area continuing south to the city limit is recognized as a commercial corridor where a wide variety of the community’s retail and service needs can be met; if there’s something you need, you can probably find it on Tustin Street.

The City’s General Plan Urban Design Element recognizes the North Tustin Corridor as a northern gateway into the City as well as a major streetscape having potential to better convey a positive community business district image. The Urban Design Element provides goals, policies, and aspirations in support of establishing a distinctive and refreshed image of the North Tustin Corridor. With a growing interest in defining strategies and patterns by which this 20th century commercial corridor may further evolve, the City is now embarking on a Specific Plan to transform the North Tustin Street corridor toward a more complete, more flexible, more resilient and human scale urban environment that supports a dynamic mix of shopping, housing, employment and other uses.

Submit a Notification Request

If you would like to be added to the notification list for future outreach events, please email Chad Ortlieb, Senior Planner, or submit your email address on the North Tustin Street Specific Plan website. 

Chapman University proposes a comprehensive update to the Chapman University Specific Plan to incorporate additional properties into the Specific Plan area, increase student enrollment, include new campus quality of life standards, and update campus development and design standards. Proposed amendments to the Specific Plan include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Maximum enrollment to increase from 8,700 headcount students to 10,185 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) students, which equates to approximately 10,500 headcount students.
• Requirement that a minimum of 50 percent of undergraduate students must live in Chapman University housing, including all first- and second-year students not living with their parents/legal guardians.
• Addition of the Killefer School, Cypress Street School, West Palm Industrial Park, and other properties west of N. Glassell Street to the Specific Plan area.
• Modifications to setback and height requirements within the Specific Plan area.
• Modifications to the Historic Preservation and Enhancement Guidelines, Parking Guidelines, and Signage Guidelines.

The proposed project requires preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts, in conformance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per State CEQA Guidelines Section 15070 and in conformance with the Local CEQA Guidelines.

Final determination on the project approval will be made by the Orange City Council.

Project Updates:

• January 15, 2021 - Chapman University has resubmitted portions of Specific Plan Amendment #7 for City review. Staff continues to review and provide comments on these preliminary documents. No public meetings are scheduled at this time. Please contact Kelly Ribuffo at kribuffo@cityoforange.org with any questions regarding the status of this project.

Upcoming Public Meetings/Hearings

No scheduled meetings at this time.

Notices of Preparation

The NOP comment period was held between April 22, 2020 and May 23, 2020.

• Notice of Preparation Dated April 23, 2020
• Notice of Preparation Dated December 12, 2019

Scoping Meeting

The CEQA Scoping Meeting for this project was held on January 16, 2020.

• NOP Scoping Meeting Handout
• NOP Scoping Meeting Powerpoint

Documents Submitted December 16, 2020

• Response to Staff Comments
• Specific Plan Chapters 1-4 compared to September 2019 Submittal
• Specific Plan Chapters 1-4 compared to Specific Plan Amendment #6
• Specific Plan Chapters 1-4 with Figures

Documents Submitted September 5, 2019

• Comparison - Current Amendment #7 Draft to Approved Specific Plan Amendment #6
• Comparison - Current Specific Plan Amendment # 7 Draft to March 2015 Amendment #7 Submittal
• Memorandum - Initial Study/Notice of Preparation Reissue
• Specific Plan Amendment #7 Executive Summary
• Specific Plan Amendment #7 Draft dated September 2019
• Specific Plan Amendment #7 Response to Staff Comments

Submit a Notification Request

If you would like to be added to the project notification list for any future public meetings or hearings for Chapman University Specific Plan Amendment #7, please email Kelly Ribuffo at kribuffo@cityoforange.org.

UPDATE 10/23/2019
At their adjourned regular meeting on 10/22/19, the Orange City Council re-opened the Public Hearing for the General Plan Amendment, Development Agreement, and Environmental Review of the Trails at Santiago Creek project. After public comment and deliberation, the project was approved.

Previous Updates:

The proposed Trails at Santiago Creek Project was heard by the City Council at its adjourned regular meeting on September 24, 2019. The item was continued to the adjourned regular meeting on October 22 in order to ensure the project was given full consideration.

The following documents are available for public review.

Project Documents

• Click here to view a copy of the City Council Staff Report for September 24, 2019
• Click here for City Council attachments to the Staff Report for September 24, 2019
• Click here to download a copy of the Notice of Availability (NOA)
• Click here to view the draft EIR and Appendices
• Click here to view the Planning Commission Public Hearing Notice
• Click here to download the Final EIR and Appendices
• Click here to download the MMRP
• Click here to download the Specific Plan
• Click here to download the Development Agreement
• Click here for Draft Planning Commission Resolution for Development Agreement
• Click here for Draft Planning Commission Resolution for Zone Change
• Click here for Draft Planning Commission Resolution for General Plan Amendment
• Click here for Draft Planning Commission Resolution EIR
• Click here to download the Planning Commission Staff Report
• Click here to download the Planning Commission Attachments
• Click here to download the City Council Hearing Notice for September 24, 2019
• Click here to download Ordinance No. 08-19
• Click here to download Ordinance No. 07-19
• Click here to download Resolution No. 11187
• Click here to download Resolution No. 11188 

  

Many projects go through a “discretionary review process” for land use approvals before actual construction starts or the business doors open. The process entails a close review by the Current Planning staff as well as staff from other departments to ensure the project meets or exceeds the City’s requirements and codes. Many of the projects require further review and approval by the City’s Design Review Committee, Planning Commission, or even the City Council while staff may approve small-scale projects depending on the requirements of the Zoning Code. You may receive a “public hearing notice” for a project close to where you live or property that you own that will be considered by one of the City’s approval bodies such as the Planning Commission or City Council. Please take this opportunity to attend the public meeting and express your thoughts about the project directly to the approval body.

Pending Land Use Application List

The Pending Land Use Application list provides some general information on the projects currently under review including the address and a short project description.  View Pending Land Use Application List. Please feel free to contact the staff planner if you have any questions.