About the Specific Plan

The Meats to Heim Specific Plan will be a long-term plan to guide how the mall site is updated and redeveloped in the future, creating opportunities for a variety of uses and community amenities. The plan boundary spans from Heim Avenue (N) to Meats Avenue (S) between Canal Street and Tustin Street (Project boundary shown right).

The specific plan aims to revitalize the center by supporting local businesses, introducing a thoughtful mix of new uses that will be established through community input and visioning, and creating inviting spaces for the community to gather and connect.

The planning efforts kicked off in January of 2026, for more information visit the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page!

Follow the project and join us at upcoming events to provide your feedback and insights!

MythBusters!

There are some circulating myths and rumors about the site and the specific plan. Check out some of the Mythbusters below to see what is myth and what is fact!

Myths and Rumors Facts!
MYTH: This is the old North Tustin Street Specific Plan under a new name. The Meats to Heim Specific Plan is a planning effort focused on the former mall site, between Meats and Heim Avenue and Tustin Street. The previous North Tustin Street planning effort covered a much larger area along Tustin Street from Katella Avenue to Lincoln Avenue. It was canceled by the City Council in August 2022.
MYTH: This plan is already decided. Public input won’t change anything. The city has a structured process that includes multiple forms of public input throughout the planning effort. The city is looking for input from the community on future land use, circulation, site improvements, and community amenities.

Members of the public are invited to a community open house in February and a follow-up community meeting in spring. A project website is also available with information about the project. And the consultant team is canvassing the area and speaking with residents who live nearby and use the property.

MYTH: The city already approved development for this site.

No new development has been approved for the property.

New leases have been signed, and Trader Joes expanded, but no additional development has been approved. There is an application for residential development on the property formerly owned by JC Penny, but no action has been taken and the application has been paused. The city is conducting this specific plan effort to create an integrated, comprehensive plan for the entire Village at Orange site. This plan will allow for future improvements and potential new development. The plan will set a maximum for what can be built over time. It will also set standards and design requirements for different uses and address circulation on and around the site, pedestrian paths, open space, and infrastructure.
MYTH: Housing will replace all retail at this site and destroy the city’s sales tax base.

The city has no intention of removing occupied retail at this site. In fact, several new retail service establishments will open in the coming months on this site.

The Meats to Heim Specific Plan will study and evaluate opportunities to incorporate additional uses on the site, including but not limited to additional commercial retail, restaurants, open space amenities, and housing. These opportunities will also be informed by community feedback.
MYTH: High density housing is already locked in.

No final land use map or project has been decided.

A market study is underway to assess the feasibility of various land uses and identify opportunities based on current and future market conditions. Following community input, the project team will put together draft alternatives that will identify options for circulation, land uses, and a maximum buildout of each use. Housing options will be shaped by public input, technical analysis, and city review before any decisions are made. A housing application was submitted for the former JC Penney site but is on hold and no action has been taken.
MYTH: The city has to put high density housing here to meet the Housing Element requirements and fulfill the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). The city’s General Plan Housing Element does not identify the mall property as the location for any of its candidate housing sites.
MYTH: Rezoning automatically allows developers to build whatever they want.

A specific plan does not allow for unlimited flexibility or unlimited development on a site.

Instead, a specific plan establishes clear limits and expectations for how any new project can develop on the site. Development standards will include height limits, setbacks, open space requirements for commercial and residential uses, and other regulations. The plan will also set a maximum buildout, meaning any future development cannot exceed the maximum thresholds unless a Specific Plan amendment is requested and approved by the City Council. The amendment process includes additional environmental review, public notification, and additional review by city staff.

Planning areas, which are determined by the specific plan, set geographic boundaries for specific types of uses, and a phasing plan manages the timing of development and its required associated public improvements.

Future projects at this site must comply with the adopted plan and go through a public process that includes public hearings and environmental review.
MYTH: Existing stores will be forced out by this new plan.

There is no plan to remove the occupied retail on the site.

The Meats to Heim Specific Plan does not have authority over existing tenant agreements and does not affect private leases.
MYTH: Traffic and parking won’t be considered or studied. Traffic and parking will be analyzed to shape the alternative development scenarios and the final plan. The city is seeking public input on circulation and mobility issues as part of this process.
MYTH: Environmental impacts will be ignored. An environmental impact report (EIR) will be prepared as part of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirement. The EIR process will study air quality, noise, hazards, and other potential environmental impacts. The public will have the opportunity to comment on the EIR.
MYTH: The city is skipping the environmental review process for this project. The environmental review process is an essential part of the Meats to Heim Specific Plan, and an EIR will be prepared to evaluate the impacts of a preferred plan. The EIR includes formal public review periods and requires responses to public comments before EIR adoption.
MYTH: There is no public outreach for this project.

There are multiple opportunities for the community to provide input and feedback throughout the process.

The city’s public outreach plan for the Meats to Heim Specific Plan includes a project website and online survey, as well as in-person pop-ups at the site and in-person community open houses. Other communication includes direct mail notifications, social media posts, and door-to-door canvassing to ensure that the neighbors adjacent to the site are aware of the opportunities for input.
MYTH: This project is driven by the property owners. The Meats to Heim Specific Plan is a city-led effort. The city is the lead agency for the planning process and is coordinating the effort with consultants and property owners. The Planning Commission and City Council will ultimately review and consider the plan for adoption.
MYTH: Construction will start immediately after the plan is adopted. The Meats to Heim Specific Plan does not approve construction. Any future development at this site requires subsequent applications and approvals before proceeding.
MYTH: The city is intentionally allowing the property to become run down and blighted. Property maintenance is the responsibility of the private property owners, not the city. The city continues to enforce applicable codes and standards to address public safety and other compliance issues on the site.
MYTH: The city doesn’t want to put Costco on this site. The city is not preventing Costco or any specific retailer from being located on this site. Decisions about which businesses open at the property are made by the private property owners based on market conditions, tenant interest and requirements, and lease negotiations The Meats to Heim Specific Plan does not select or approve tenants. If Costco or any other retailer wishes to pursue a project here in the future, they must work with the property owner and go through the city’s standard review and approval processes.