Office of the City Council*

The City of Tustin commenced licensing the historic south hangar for interim uses in 2013 and has recently moved forward with its plans to renovate and retain the south hangar. The planned retention of the south hangar significantly limits the potential economic viability and public benefits of also retaining the north hangar. The City partially disagrees with this finding. A more current economic and Response: structural viability study would need to be conducted on the north hangar to determine if retention of the south hangar may significantly limit the potential economic and public benefits viability of the north hangar. The City has invested a significant amount of time and resources into the publicly available assessment plans and structural reports for the south hangar, and believes that comparable investments of time and resources should be allocated for the north hangar so development plans can be fashioned and accelerated to put the north hangar property to productive use.

The City of Tustin appears to be in a more advantageous position than the County to redevelop the 85 acres within Parcel 18 as it is the Local Reuse Authority, and could potentially accept the property through its existing EDC and re-plan/redevelop the property in joinder with adjacent property under its ownership. Response: The City partially disagrees with this finding. The City may be in a more capable position given its existing EDC to explore alternatives for the property, but there remain many factors that would first need to occur that would impact or limit the City's determination whether to accept the property and pursue any potential redevelopment. Since the County has not withdrawn its PBC application, the City, as the LRA, is not yet able to consider and assess potential alternative future uses for the historic north hangar and associated property, let alone to negotiate with the Navy to determine price and terms of a potential EDC amendment. In addition to any negotiated land costs to the City, any use other than the proposed Regional Park will require community engagement in accordance with the base reuse planning process, CEQA and/or NEPA analysis, Tustin Legacy Specific Plan amendments for alternate land uses, and an assessment of the potential cost impacts of any mitigation measures. Nevertheless, if the County withdraws its PBC Application, the City, as the LRA would be duty bound to undertake the required analysis to determine whether to seek to add the north hangar property to the EDC or to recommend alternative disposal methods to the Navy so the impasse may be broken and the property may be put to productive use for the benefit of the local community. Response to Recommendation