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Agenda Item
ASR
Control 25-000920 |
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MEETING
DATE: |
12/16/25 |
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legal entity taking action: |
Board
of Supervisors |
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board of supervisors district(s): |
3 |
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SUBMITTING Agency/Department: |
County
Executive Office (Approved) |
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Department contact person(s): |
Thomas
Miller (714) 834-6019 |
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Kevin
Onuma (714) 647-3939 |
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Subject: Approve Santiago Blvd Street
Vacation and Transfer
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ceo CONCUR |
County Counsel Review |
Clerk of the Board |
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Concur |
Approved
Agreement(s) and Resolution(s) |
Public
Hearing |
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4/5
Vote |
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Budgeted: N/A |
Current Year
Cost: N/A |
Annual Cost: N/A |
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Staffing Impact: |
No |
# of Positions: |
Sole Source: N/A |
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Current Fiscal Year Revenue: N/A
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Prior Board Action: 5/23/1995 # 23 |
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RECOMMENDED
ACTION(S):
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1. |
Find
that the project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15305 because it involves vacation of
a former roadway. After vacation the property will continue to serve the same
use and purpose with negligible or no expansion beyond existing use. |
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2. |
Conduct
the public hearing. |
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3. |
At
the conclusion of the hearing, adopt the Resolution of Vacation to vacate a
portion of Santiago Boulevard located in unincorporated Orange County,
adjacent to the north of Fire Station 23 at 5020 E. Santiago Canyon Road in
the City of Orange, CA. |
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4. |
Once
the Resolution of Vacation is recorded, authorize the Chief Real Estate
Officer to execute the Quitclaim Deed conveying the County’s interest in the
portion of former Santiago Boulevard to be vacated to Orange County Fire
Authority. |
SUMMARY:
Vacation
of a portion of Santiago Boulevard and conveyance of the same to Orange County
Fire Authority will relieve the County of Orange of maintenance obligations for
an isolated remnant right of way that exclusively serves Fire Station 23 and
one adjacent parcel.
BACKGROUND
INFORMATION:
On May 23,1995, the County of
Orange (“County”) transferred thirty (30) Fire Stations including Fire Station
23 (see Attachment B), to the newly formed Orange County Fire Authority
(“OCFA”), pursuant to the 1995 Amended Joint Powers Agreement (“AJPA”).
In August of 2024, OCFA requested
that the County convey its interest in the former Santiago Boulevard
right-of-way which lies directly in front of Fire Station 23 (identified as
Parcels A, B, C and D in Attachment B). These parcels currently provide the
only ingress and egress to Fire Station 23 and its parking lot. Although a
large portion of former Santiago Boulevard was vacated in 1972, these residual
parcels were excluded from that vacation. The exclusion was because Parcels A,
B, C and D are restricted for street purposes and provide the only access to
Fire Station 23, the adjacent parcel owned by Riteways LLC ("Riteways
Parcel") and Southern California Edison’s (“SCE”) overhead lines.
Retaining the parcels as public right-of-way was necessary to preserve access.
OCFA requested that the County
convey Parcel A, B and C to them to facilitate OCFA’s remodel of the fire
station and parking lot. According to the title report provided to the
County, Parcel D is owned by OCFA but is
still encumbered with a street restriction. Therefore, to clear up any title
issues, it is necessary to vacate the street restrictions on all four former
street parcels. The four properties will
then be transferred to OCFA with a reservation of an access easement over
Parcel A to guarantee continued access to the Riteways Parcel and SCE. Due to
the former street use of the parcels a general easement will also need to be
reserved for any existing underground or overhead utilities that may be present
but undocumented within Parcels A, B, C, and D.
The County appraiser has reviewed
the Parcels A, B, and C, and determined the value to be nominal, given that
OCFA, Riteways, SCE and underground utilities (if any) have existing informal
access rights and the situation will remain the same after the transfer. OCFA has requested that the property be
conveyed at no cost given that it serves as the sole access to Fire Station 23.
Government Code section 25365 permits the County to convey property to another
public agency if it is not required for County use. Once conveyed the County
will be relieved of all maintenance obligations for these street remnant
parcels.
In order to transfer or use
restricted streets and highways for other purposes, the County must vacate the
streets and highways restrictions. In accordance with Streets and Highways Code
sections 8320-8325, County staff have completed the following requirements:
1. A notice of the hearing of
the proposed vacation was published for at least two successive weeks
in advance of the hearing in the Orange County Reporter on December 1, 2025 and
December 8, 2025.
2. On Monday December 1, 2025 , County staff
posted notices of the vacation, not more than 300 feet apart along the line of
the street to be vacated.
The portion of former Santiago
Boulevard proposed for vacation is no longer used or needed for street
purposes. The area has been superseded
by the construction of Santiago Canyon Road, which now provides the necessary
public access and traffic circulation.
As a result, the former segment of Santiago Boulevard no longer serves
any present or prospective public street function, and its vacation is
appropriate. Accordingly, staff
recommends that the Board, after conducting the noticed public hearing and considering
all evidence presented, find that the subject portion of former Santiago
Boulevard is unnecessary for present or prospective public use and adopt a
Resolution of Vacation for street purposes pursuant to Streets and Highways
Code sections 8320 through 8325. Once
the Resolution of Vacation is recorded the vacation will be complete and the
property can then be quitclaimed to OCFA.
General
Plan Conformity:
This project conforms to Land Use Element of the Orange County General Plan to
repurpose public and private rights-of-way and to enhance connectivity to
support safe and convenient access for all users.
Hazardous
Materials Assessment:
The proposed project does not require assessment under the County Assessment
Policy and Procedures, adopted by the Board on October 20, 1992, as the
Recommended Action requests a vacation and not an acquisition.
Compliance with CEQA: The proposed project is
Categorically Exempt (Class 5) from the provisions of CEQA pursuant to Section
15305 because it involves vacation of an existing right of way that would serve
the same use and purpose with negligible or no expansion beyond existing use.
FINANCIAL
IMPACT:
N/A
STAFFING
IMPACT:
N/A
ATTACHMENT(S):
Attachment
A – Resolution of Vacation
Attachment B – Location Map
Attachment C – Quitclaim Deed
Attachment D – Streets and Highways Code, sections 8320-8325
Attachment E – Government Code section 25365
Attachment F – Notice of Public Hearing and Mailing Affidavits
Attachment G – Posted Notice of Public Hearing
Attachment H – Published Notice of Public Hearing
Attachment I – Conveyance Questionnaire