Public scoping meeting for the Refined Orange Heights Project in Orange, California.

NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF A SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT AND NOTICE OF PUBLIC SCOPING MEETINGTO : Interested Parties DATE : April 15, 2026 SUBJECT : Notice of Preparation (NOP) of a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting for the Refined Orange Heights Project in the City of Orange, Orange County, California. APPLICATIONS : ENT25-0025 –Vesting Tentative Tract Map 17991; ENT25-0026 – Amend VTTM 17995; ENT25-0022 – Amend VTTM 17989; ENT25-0023 – Amend VTTM 17987; ENT25-0024 – Amend the Santiago Hills II Design Guidelines CEQA LEAD AGENCY : City of Orange Staff Contact: Hayden Beckman, Planning Manager, Community Development Department, City of Orange, 300 East Chapman Avenue, Orange, CA, 92866. Phone: (714) 744-7220, Fax: (714) 744-7222, Email: hbeckman@cityoforange.org PROJECT LOCATION : The project site is in the City of Orange, Orange County, California, on approximately 421 acres on a triangular site generally bordered by Irvine Regional Park to the north, Jamboree Road to the west, State Route 241/261 to the east, and bisected by Santiago Canyon Road. PROJECT BACKGROUND : The Refined Orange Heights Project proposes limited modifications to a previously approved project that consists of the remaining portion of a larger planned development that has been reduced significantly in scope since it was originally approved in 1989. In summary, in 1989 the City of Orange (“City”) approved the East Orange General Plan (EOGP), which included, among other development, up to 12,350 homes across an approximately 7,100-acre site. In 2005, the City approved the Santiago Hills II/East Orange Project, which reduced the planned development to include (1) up to 1,746 homes in a 496-acre area called Santiago Hills II and (2) up to 2,300 homes in a 6,335-acre area called East Orange. Subsequently, the property owner (Irvine Company) dedicated the East Orange site to the County of Orange as open space and in 2016, the City approved reducing the Santiago Hills II project to 1,180 residential units (referred to herein as the “Approved Santiago Hills II Project”). To date, the Irvine Company has dedicated approximately 6,600 acres (more than 90 percent) of the approved 1989 EOGP area as open space to the County of Orange. The City of Orange, as the lead agency pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), has prepared and certified or approved environmental documentation for each of the prior approvals (Previous Environmental Documentation). The Project Applicant (Irvine Community Development Company LLC) is now proposing further refinements to the Approved Santiago Hills II Project described below. PROJECT DESCRIPTION : The Refined Orange Heights Project would involve the following limited modifications to the Approved Santiago Hills II Project: a reduction of 122 residential units (1,180 to 1,058 units); increase of park land (9.5 acres to 10.6 acres); an improved trail system; modified lot and street layouts; updated guidelines related to architectural design, home types, and landscape design; and a minor reduction of the eastern boundary of the project site adjacent to SR 241/SR-261 primarily associated with removal of improvements within CalTrans right-of-way. Additionally, the Refined Orange Heights Project would update the fuel modification plan, Water Quality Management Plan, and landscape plan to be consistent with current regulations. With these modifications, the Refined Orange Heights Project includes the following development, which was included and evaluated in the Previous Environmental Documentation for the Approved Santiago Hills II Project: up to 1,058 detached residential units; approximately 79 acres of open space; on- and off-site street improvements; parks, trails and related amenities; fuel modification; landscaping; and utilities and infrastructure. Major on- and off-site infrastructure improvements include construction of a Zone 6 water reservoir in the northeast portion of the project site and a water pump station south of Santiago Canyon Road to be constructed by the Irvine Ranch Water District, undergrounding of electrical lines along and north of Santiago Canyon Road, relocation of the Santiago Aqueduct Commission Baker Pipeline, water quality treatment basins, and the Peters Canyon Outfall structure. The Refined Orange Heights Project is consistent with the City’s residential and open space General Plan land use designations and Planned-Community (P-C) zoning. No changes to the General Plan land use designations, zoning, or residential development area boundaries are required or proposed. The proposed Refined Orange Heights Project involves the following requested approvals from the City: new and amended Vesting Tentative Tract Maps, amended Design Guidelines, and a lot line adjustment. SUMMARY OF PROBABLE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS : Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15063, the City has prepared an Initial Study to determine whether the Refined Orange Heights Project may have a significant effect on the environment. Based on the findings of the Initial Study, implementation of the Refined Orange Heights Project may result in significant environmental effects related to the following topical issues. These topical issues will be evaluated further in the SEIR and will be compared to the impacts of the Approved Santiago Hills II Project: Aesthetics, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Geology and Soils (Paleontological Resources), Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Hazards and Hazardous Materials (Wildland Fires), Hydrology and Water Quality, Land Use and Planning, Noise, Public Services (Fire Services), Recreation, Transportation, Tribal Cultural Resources, Utilities/Service Systems, Wildfire. Based on the findings of the Initial Study, the following environmental topics were determined to have a less than significant impact, less than significant impact with incorporation of previously adopted mitigation measures (MMs) or project design features (PDFs) set forth in the Previous Environmental Documentation, or no impact and will not be evaluated further in the SEIR: Agriculture & Forestry Resources, Energy, Geology and Soils, Mineral Resources, and Population / Housing. NOP COMMENT PERIOD : The City of Orange is commencing with preparation of an SEIR for the Refined Orange Heights Project and has released this NOP in conformance with the requirements of CEQA and the City of Orange Local CEQA Guidelines. The City wants to know your views and your specific concerns related to the potential environmental effects of the Refined Orange Heights Project. Information gathered during the NOP comment period will be used to shape and focus future analysis of environmental impacts in the SEIR. If you are a public agency, the City is interested in the views of your agency as to the scope and content of the environmental information germane to your agency’s statutory responsibilities. As a responsible or trustee agency, your agency may need to use the SEIR prepared by the City when considering issuance of a permit or other approval for the Refined Orange Heights Project. The City invites you to submit written comments describing your specific environmental concerns, and if representing a public agency, please identify your specific areas of statutory responsibility. Written comments are desired at the earliest possible date, but due to the time limits mandated by State law, your response must be received no later than May 25, 2026 at 5:00 PM. The NOP public comment period begins on April 17, 2026 and ends on May 25, 2026 . Please send your written comments to Hayden Beckman, Planning Manager, Community Development Department, City of Orange, 300 East Chapman Avenue, Orange CA. 92866, or via email to hbeckman@cityoforange.org . Please include your name, address, and contact information in your correspondence. SCOPING MEETING : A public scoping meeting will be held to share information regarding the Revised Orange Heights Project and environmental review process. No decisions about the project will be made at the Public Scoping Meeting. The date, time and place of the Public Scoping Meeting is as follows: Date: May 5, 2026 Time: 4:30pm-7:30pm Location: Orange Public Library & History Center, Community Room, 407 E. Chapman Avenue, Orange, CA. 92866 DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY : The project description, location, and potential environmental effects are described above. The Initial Study and this NOP are available for public review at the locations below. The Previous Environmental Documentation is also available upon request from the City. The City’s website: https://www.cityoforange.org/our-city/departments/community-development/planning-division/current-projects Orange City Hall, Offices of the City Clerk and Community Development Department, 300 East Chapman Avenue, Orange, CA 92866.Orange City NewsPublished: 4/23/26