55 Freeway and Dyer Road

Santa Ana General Plan | Adopted May 26, 2022

Purpose, Intent, and Objectives

Purpose and Intent

The 55 Freeway and Dyer Road Focus Area will transition from a portion of the city that is almost exclusively focused on professional office jobs to one that supports a range of commercial, industrial/flex, and mixed-use development. The intent is to create opportunities for a truly urban lifestyle with easy access to Downtown Santa Ana, multiple transit options, and the new investments and amenities in adjacent communities.

Objectives

  • Provide housing opportunities at an urban level of intensity at the city’s edge
  • Enhance opportunities for large, multistory office and industrial space
  • Attract economic activity into the city from surrounding communities
  • Protect industrial and office employment base
  • Maintain hotel and commercial uses

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Envisioned Character

The following images are illustrative, intended to convey the desired design and character of new development, improvements to the public realm, and general atmosphere envisioned for the focus area.

Large mixed-use development with urban-scale residential uses will provide housing and activate the focus area outside of business hours.

Mixed-use projects may include retail and dining options on the ground floor with residential uses above.

New development will be well designed and create a people-oriented district with landscaping, lighting, street furniture, wayfinding, and other elements of a lively mixed-used district.

Office buildings up to 10 stories may be developed on the outskirts of the focus area in the Industrial/Flex land use district, protecting the existing employment base and creating opportunities for new corporate offices.

Existing hotel uses will be maintained.

Land Use and Urban Form

District Center - Medium (DC-2)

High density urban villages consisting of visually stunning and vibrant buildings and spaces with a wide range and mix of residential, live-work, commercial, hotel, and employment-generating uses.

Industrial/Flex - Medium (FLEX-3)

Office/industrial flex spaces, R&D, clean manufacturing, corporate headquarters and campuses. Live-work units are not permitted.

The Industrial/Flex land use district allows for the development of a variety of office and industrial spaces, including multilevel corporate offices.

General Commercial (GC)

Shopping, restaurants, entertainment, service commercial.

General Commercial - Medium High (GC-1.5)

Shopping, restaurants, entertainment, service commercial.

Photo Simulation

The following is an artistic interpretation of how new development could support the purpose, intent and objectives of the Focus Area. The illustration does not reflect any proposed projects.

  1. Industrial Flex Adjacent to the 55 freeway, the Industrial/Flex designation envisions beautiful and creative buildings up to 10 stories tall that house office/industrial flex spaces, R&D, clean manufacturing, and corporate headquarters and campuses.
  2. General Commercial The area surrounding the freeway interchange remains as General Commercial, allowing for existing hotel uses on both sides of the 55 freeway to remain and promoting new commercial development.
  3. District Center Large residential mixed-use developments in remarkable structures that incorporate high density housing, hotels, and expansions of commercial uses are envisioned in the District Center designation.
  4. Open Space and Recreation Open space and recreation amenities for residents include exterior open space recreation area, open space plazas, courtyards, and roof decks.
  5. Placemaking Placemaking elements like lighting, street trees, landscaping, and continuous sidewalks make the District Center areas pedestrian friendly.
  6. Mixed-Use Buildings Five- to six-story buildings with retail and dining on the ground floor and residential uses above are allowed in the District Center designation.
  7. General Commercial New improvements in the General Commercial areas introduce highly functional and attractive development.

The Industrial/Flex land use district allows for the development of a variety of office and industrial spaces, including multilevel corporate offices.