 Q. Who gets the final
say in what happens with the properties in question?
A. The Orange City Council
Q. What kind of
influence does the community, OPA Board have?
A. By law they get input in the environmental and zone-change process. As
a practical matter they get the input and influence that they demand
from the City Council.
Q. Are there other bodies beside the City Council
that need to review the plans?
A. The regional water quality board
would review both projects but not for land-use, strictly for compliance
with stormwater regulations. A project at the Sully Miller site
would likely be reviewed by California Department of Fish and Game in
order to protect the stream, but again they would check mitigation measures
rather than deciding on the land-use.
Q. What kind of
communication will the people in the community be getting?
A. None unless they request it, notices will only go to adjacent
property owners but anyone who requests a notice will receive one - request
one from the city community development department today.
Q. What is the process?NOP, EIR then what? And
what do all these initials mean? How long could this take?
A. An initial study will determine the type of Environmental Review
necessary, most likely that will be an EIR (Environmental Impact Report)
which will take around 6 months to prepare. A draft will be
released, the public will have 30-45 days to comment, then the matter
will be scheduled for a hearing before the planning commission, after
the commission makes a decision the matter will be scheduled for a hearing
before the City Council. All hearings are open to the public and
will include an opportunity for public comment. Typically an applicant
will not bring something to a public hearing unless they already know
they have the votes for approval so public input early in the process
is more critical than at the end.
Q. Will this be
an open process or will deals be made behind "closed doors" thus
assuring certain interested parties a better deal?
A. As discussed above the hearings are public but certainly there
will be private meetings between the developer and City Councilmembers
and others. Interested individuals should request public visioning
and information meetings as well as meetings with the developer.
Q. How can I get involved?
A. Make sure the City has a request in writing to be notified on
all future notices. Talk to your neighbors, form groups, plan a
community event to discuss what should be done with this land.
Q. Why aren't these
land issues dealt with in the Orange General Plan or the OPA Specific
Plan?
A. Politics. These issues should be dealt with in these plans
but the City has chosen not to update them, still considers Sully-Miller
a sand-and-gravel region and Ridgeline to be private-open-space. The
City chose to wait for someone to propose a change rather than planning
for changes proactively in this community.
Q. What is the OPA Specific plan and what does
it say regarding these areas?
A. The Specific Plan regulates uses throughout Orange Park Acres including
at Ridgeline. This document contemplates and zones the parcel for
private open space and recreational facilities. The owner of the
property has requested a change to this designation to estate residential.
Q. How much of the
Sully/Hanson site is under OPA influence?
A. The land is under the jurisdiction of the City of Orange. OPA
shares no extra control or influence over the area (at least from a legal
point of view). It is not within the OPA Specific Plan area.
Q. Will/Can they take away the arena from the
community?
A. They can and likely will unless some arrangement is properly
worked out. While the
arena is publicly used, it exists entirely on private property. As
with any piece of public property, the owner has the right to exclude
others. If the new owner were to fence off the arena tomorrow and
effectively shut it down they would not be breaking any rules. Part
of a permanent solution for land-use in this area needs to be an arena
that is under public or non-profit ownership.
Q. What is planned
for the Sully/Hanson site?
A. The City updated the General Plan without addressing this area. A
previous approval to develop the area as housing was approved by the
City Council but reversed when the voters qualified a referendum to
go on the ballot reversing that approval.
Q. How is a private company allowed to take away
52 acres of recreational open space at the Ridgeline property and build
houses?
A. Ridgeline was private property under the prior owner. The
new owner wants a change to City zoning in order to change the use. The
City is under no legal obligation to grant the request.
Q. If Orange is
short on open space, why doesn't the city buy Sully/Hanson's (or
Ridgeline) for parkland?
A. Such a purchase would likely wipe out 100 years of City budgets
for park acquisition, but that does not mean parkland is impossible. The
City could require the dedication of parkland in one area in return
for other areas becoming park, it could deny the request to turn Ridgeline
into housing, or it could issue bonds to purchase the entire area (this
would likely require a property tax special assessment in the surrounding
area).
Q. Isn't the creek (which is also a flood zone)
on the Sully/Hanson's property and will it be protected?
A. The creek is on the Hanson property and will be protected but
development could likely come within 100 feet of the creek and the creek
may be modified for flood protection. This is another reason public
involvement is so critical.
Q. How much traffic
will the proposed homes at Ridgeline bring in?
A. At most the proposed homes would create around 456 daily trips.
Q. Won't homes bring in less traffic then the
tennis/golf club did?
A. Likely yes, traffic is not the only determinant of what land-use
is proper or best.
Q. Will the proposed
arena be for public or private use?
A. That is dependent on the exact proposal details which are not
public yet.
Q. Who will maintain (pay for) and manage the
proposed arena? If the Ridgeline Association does, what guarantee in
100 years it will still be there?
A. Again this is dependent on what is proposed. Public or
non-profit ownership would allay this concern.
Q. What is the benefit
to the community to have homes verses a golf course, pool, and tennis
center?
A. I do not really see any benefit except a decrease in afternoon
peak traffic, but the number would really be impossible to notice. The
home construction would mean two years of very heavy construction that
would likely be a negative impact on the community.
Q. I have already heard that it is a done deal
and that many interested parties have already signed off on the project?
A. The City process has just started so anything is possible, it
is not a done deal.
Q. What are the
plan details? Trails, number of homes etc
A. The current proposal is for 38 1-acre estate homes. The
details will be contained in the Environmental Impact Report.
Q. How is the flower shop near the arena allowed
to exist and can we exchange that business for a business that
might fund the arena and cover its costs?
A. The flower shop operates on a temporary use permit that it renews
each year with the city. A much more intense use would be required
to cover the cost of the arena. |
