Neighborhoods Where We All Belong Zoning Updates and Housing Element Implementation
Summary
SCH Number
2025110783
Lead Agency
City of Costa Mesa
Document Title
Neighborhoods Where We All Belong Zoning Updates and Housing Element Implementation
Document Type
NOP - Notice of Preparation of a Draft EIR
Received
Present Land Use
Several
Document Description
The proposed project is a comprehensive effort to address housing needs, comply with State Housing Law, and address the City Council goal to “diversity, stabilize and increase housing to reflect community needs.” The City proposes to implement the project in accordance with approved Measure K ballot measure, which facilitates the development of housing in commercial and industrial areas. Properties identified in Measure K include sites that are included in the City’s 2021-2029 Housing Element Update as well as non-Housing Element sites. The City’s Housing Element identifies specific programs to encourage the development of housing for residents at various income levels and housing sizes. Implementation of these programs would update zoning regulations to increase development opportunities, simplify the process of building housing, and accommodate the City’s mandated fair share of Orange County’s housing needs (also known as the Regional Housing Needs Allocation [RHNA]) as well as a necessary buffer of additional development capacity. The proposed project implements portions of the Housing Element as required by State Housing Law. Implementation of Housing Element programs include rezoning of Housing Element sites and Measure K sites, along with modifications to the City’s zoning regulations across existing Urban Plans, Overlays, and Specific Plans with the intent to clarify, consolidate, and streamline regulations where possible. As such, the project would amend the City’s existing Mixed-Use Overlay District (MUOD), as codified in Chapter V (Development Standards) of Title 13 (Planning, Zoning, and Development) of the CMMC. The amended MUOD would be applied to all Measure K sites, including Housing Element and non-Housing Element sites. Application and utilization of the amended MUOD assumes that residential only or mixed-use (residential and commercial) would be developed on Housing Element sites. The project analyzes the capacity of the Housing Element sites, which as identified in the Housing Element is comprised of 17,042 units (the Regional Housing Needs Assessment of 11,760 units and Housing Element-required buffer capacity) as well as additional capacity for Measure K non-Housing Element sites. At full buildout in 2056, the proposed project studies an increased capacity for the development of approximately 21,522 dwelling units and approximately 17,306,003 square feet of commercial uses. Given that the Planning Area contains existing non-residential land uses (i.e., commercial and industrial), including approximately 11,619,124 square feet of existing commercial uses and approximately 5,223,256 square feet of existing industrial uses, the net new non-residential buildout for all Measure K sites is anticipated to be approximately 10,630,361 square feet within the Planning Area by 2056.
Contact Information
Name
Michelle Halligan
Agency Name
City of Costa Mesa
Job Title
Senior Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant
Phone
Name
Kristin Starbird
Agency Name
Dudek
Job Title
Senior Project Manager
Contact Types
Consulting Firm
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Costa Mesa
Counties
Orange
Regions
Citywide
Zip
92626
Total Acres
1,353.4
Parcel #
119-200-13, 119-200-14, 119-200-36
State Highways
I-405; SR-55; SR-73
Airports
John Wayne Airport
Schools
Pomona Elementary School
Waterways
Santa Ana River
Township
6S
Range
10W
Section
33
Base
San Bern
Other Location Info
Base: San Bernardino
Other Information
Zip codes: 92626, 92627, 92628
Notice of Completion
State Review Period Start
State Review Period End
State Reviewing Agencies
California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, South Coast Region 5 (CDFW), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), California Department of Transportation, District 12 (DOT), California Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics (DOT), California Department of Transportation, Division of Transportation Planning (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Energy Commission, California Fish and Game Commission (CDFGC), California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Natural Resources Agency, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Santa Ana Region 8 (RWQCB), California State Coastal Conservancy (SCC), California State Lands Commission (SLC), Colorado River Board, Department of General Services (DGS), Office of Historic Preservation, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, District 8, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Rights, State Water Resources Control Board, Divison of Financial Assistance, California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC)
State Reviewing Agency Comments
California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC)
Development Types
Residential (Units 21522, Acres 1353.4), Commercial (Sq. Ft. 10630361, Acres 1353.4, Employees 10935), Other (Overlay Zone)
Local Actions
General Plan Amendment, General Plan Element, Rezone, Urban plans, specific plans, & objective design standards
Project Issues
Aesthetics, Agriculture and Forestry Resources, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Cumulative Effects, Drainage/Absorption, Economics/Jobs, Energy, Flood Plain/Flooding, Geology/Soils, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Growth Inducement, Hazards & Hazardous Materials, Hydrology/Water Quality, Land Use/Planning, Mandatory Findings of Significance, Mineral Resources, Noise, Population/Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Schools/Universities, Sewer Capacity, Solid Waste, Transportation, Tribal Cultural Resources, Utilities/Service Systems, Vegetation, Wetland/Riparian, Wildfire
Public Review Period Start
Public Review Period End
Attachments
Draft Environmental Document [Draft IS, NOI_NOA_Public notices, OPR Summary Form, Appx,]
Notice of Completion [NOC] Transmittal form
State Comment Letters [Comments from State Reviewing Agency(ies)]
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. For more information, please visit LCI’s Accessibility Site.
