As of July 2008 the project is on hold and probably won't be built. The developer SunCal has defaulted on some of the financing.

There is a plan before the city to demolish two apartment complexes and replace them with high density housing. The site is 2801 and 2833 N. Bristol near Memory Lane. Revitalizing the community with new housing is often a good thing but several neighborhood associations around the project have concerns that the project will not be an asset to our community. The developer has increased the density of the project when revising plans and cut the quality of construction.

The city held an EIR Scope meeting May 3rd 2007 and almost 300 people showed up to voice their concerns. The way the process works provides several public comment periods before the Planning Commission and then the City Council approve the project.

Please take the time to read the letter detailing the problems with the project as proposed read the letter to the planning commission .

There are many things that can be done if you're a resident impacted by the project. The first is to email your concerns to Ann Ni, the person in the city who's heading up the project as suggested at the May 3rd meeting. They are putting together problems to study during the EIR process. Send a short email with Village Green EIR in the subject line to ani@ci.santa-ana.ca.us. Clearly state your reservations about the project in the form of concerns ie: "I am concerned that the high density residental units proposed for the project are not in character with the surrounding neighborhoods" or "I am concerned that there is not enough park area and open space within the project" Include your name and mailing address and the city will put you on the mailing list for additional public comment meetings on the project.

WSNA will update this page often to keep you informed. The renderings shown here are from February, 2007 and may not reflect the current design.

The following update was received 8-1-07:

On July 18th, representatives of seven of the Neighborhood Associations (Casa de Santiago, Fisher Park, Floral Park, Morrison Park, The Retreat, West Floral Park, Westwood Condominiums) impacted by the proposed Village Green development met at City Hall to view a new set of plans submitted by the developer (SunCal).  Jay Trevino, Executive Director of Planning and Building for the City of Santa Ana, chaired the meeting.  In attendance were Dave Ream, City Manager; Carlos Bustamante, City Council Ward 3; Harvey de la Torre, Victoria Betancourt, Sean Mill, Planning Commissioners.  In addition to the presentation by the developer and comments by City personnel, the neighborhood representatives were given an opportunity to comment on these latest plans. (the graphic below) download the .pdf here.

Summary of new plans (dated July 3 in comparison to Feb 2 plans)
Total number of housing units = 380.  No change from previous plan.  (Current apartments contain 245 housing units)
Proposed parking = 799 spaces.  4 additional spaces than previous plan.  Code requires 1539 spaces.  (740 under parked)
Triplexes and Duplexes (Great Homes) have been changed back to single family detached homes on 2,200 square foot lots with garage parking for two vehicles.  No driveways.  (Code requires 6,000 square foot minimum with four off-street parking spaces.)  Twelve homes backing existing homes on Westwood and West Orange are now two stories (27 feet in height) with a 15-foot setback from existing property line.  Each two story is 1950 square feet with 3 bedrooms plus den, 2.5 bath.  The remaining thirty homes are three stories (35 feet in height).  Each 2,550 square feet with 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths.  The 42 detached homes represent 11% of the total number of units. 8 units less than previous plan.
Condos have been changed to exterior entry instead of interior corridors.  Condo structures are three and four story (up to 50 feet in height) with parking on the first level (podium style).  Two parking spaces per unit.  The Condos include 12 Live/Work lofts facing Bristol.  Condos range in size from 1,040 to 1,870 square feet.  2 bedroom, 2 bath to 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath work/live loft.  The 204 Condos represent 54% of the total number of units.  2 units less than previous plan.
Townhomes are three stories (40 feet in height).  Two garage parking spaces per unit.  Townhomes range in size from 1,250 to 1,950 square feet.  2 bedroom, 2.5 bath to three bedroom + den + family room, 3.5 bath.  The 134 townhomes represent 35% of the total number of units.  10 units more than previous plan.
Total number of bedrooms is 1,004.  64 bedrooms more than previous plan.
Overall green space has not changed.  (One swimming pool and one green space area in the center of the complex make up the majority of the green space.)
School Bus stop has not been addressed.
Walkway from development directly into Morrison Park still planned.

Summary of Comments made by City Staff, Commission Members and Neighborhood Representatives:
Too Dense.
Not enough green space / open space. 
Not enough parking.
Increased vehicular traffic on already impacted Bristol and Memory Lane.
Would like to see a larger percentage of the development be detached single-family homes.
Would like to see a mix of detached single-family homes with larger lots and driveways.
The pedestrian walkway to Westwood Avenue is a problem because it encourages parking in adjacent neighborhoods, especially when the single family homes immediately adjacent to this walkway have only two spaces each.
The lack of parking spaces within the plan will continue to impact the shopping center and the neighborhoods and may exacerbate the problem.
Lack of recreational facilities or space for recreational activities within the development is inadequate for the number of units.  Adjacent Parks (Morrison and Fisher) are over capacity now.  Look at adding playgrounds, basketball, and tennis within the development.
Pedestrian circulation inside the development needs improvement.
Condo height makes the structures too massive for the space.
Because of safety issues and its impact on the shopping center, the developer must find a way to incorporate the school bus stop into the development or share space with the adjacent City Gardens Apartments.  OCTA bus stops must be considered also.
If affordable housing is a required component of the development, look at the possibility of senior housing.

EIR Status
Initial Study of items to include in the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is to be distributed within several weeks.  The public will have 30 days to review and comment on the Initial Study.  The draft EIR will then be prepared.  You will have several more opportunities to comment on the EIR.

Commentary
While it is heartening that most City staff are now telling the developer the same concerns that the neighborhoods have been expressing repeatedly since the beginning, the developer is still playing a shell game.  It is still 380 units replacing 245 units, it is still under parked and it still does not have adequate green space.  We can all agree that the current apartment complexes are blight, but settling for “anything is better than what is there now” is not the right long-term course of action.  While these latest drawings might be appropriate in a more urban setting, this proposal does not fit here.  Clearly, the developer wants to make as much profit as possible, but we believe there is plenty of opportunity to accomplish this and create a development that is in harmony with the neighborhoods.  The developer has hired P.R. consultants to “persuade” the residents.  Don’t let the handshake and the smile fool you.  We all recognize a plan that is not as good as it could or should be.  These “persuaders” would not be necessary if it were a good plan to begin with.

While we believe that the developer is capable of submitting an acceptable plan for this site, he still has not heard the message and we need to be more forceful.  You have attended meetings at the Fisher Park cabin, neighborhood meetings, meetings with the Planning department, meetings with the Planning Commission and EIR Scoping meetings.  You have expressed the same concerns repeatedly and each time the developer seems to understand, yet each new set of plans is just a continued shell game.  We believe it is time to turn the heat up on our elected officials.  They are the ones who will ultimately approve or deny the project.  Make a point of letting them know of your concerns.  It may take a number of us showing up at a City Council Meeting or two.

Stay tuned. . .
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