A few wishes from our leading citizens

Again this year, some leading citizens who live or work in Yorba Linda gave Santa an earful when the jolly old gent asked for advice about a gift to the community.

Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District Superintendent Dennis Smith: "Continue to bless our students with the same kind of supportive community and giving spirit that has become the hallmark of Yorba Linda [and] some really good construction bids for the new Yorba Linda High School."

Friends Christian Schools Superintendent Rick Kempton: "Two Yorba Linda high schools--Friends Christian High School to impact those young people whose families prefer a private Christian school option and the new public high school for families who prefer the public school choice."

Mayor and state Assembly candidate Mike Duvall: "A state budget that doesn't raise our taxes, keeps our state government spending in check and doesn't steal any money from our local government."

Duvall's June 6 Republican primary opponent and Brea Councilman Marty Simonoff: "Bring both sides of [Yorba Linda's] land use issue together and keep the community united."

Police Chief Mike Messina: "The ability to always see how truly lucky we are to live in such a special place and to be aware that so many others are not so fortunate."

Fire Chief Chip Prather: "Make 2006 a safe and healthy year...and that those members of our military defending freedom in far-off places safely come home when the job is done."

Councilwoman Keri Wilson: "A spirit of community cooperation as Yorba Linda faces exciting opportunities and challenges in 2006."

Former Councilman Mark Schwing: "Five City Council members who heed the residents of Yorba Linda and not the special interests."

City Traffic Commissioner Lee Snyder: "The gift of tolerance. Communication and understanding of divergent opinion to create an atmosphere for compromise."

Old Town developer Michael Dieden: "That the civic discourse reflect the city motto and be truly gracious."

Municipal Water District Director Brett Barbre: "A tunnel solution to the 91 Corridor issue--which will remove 43 percent of the traffic off the 91 and bring it to Irvine and points south--where 43 percent of the current traffic ends up on a daily basis today."

School District Teacher of the Year Marlene Hollar: "Keep Yorba Linda the semi-rural horse town that it was originally intended to be. That's why we moved here!"

Interfaith Council Co-chair Sue Fenwick: "Help us raise the funds for the Yorba Linda Veterans Memorial. We need lots of support!"

ERA Real Estate Co-owner Jeanne Tamulinas: "Shoes--other people's shoes our leaders and representatives must walk in to get a true perspective of those they represent."

Presbyterian Church pastor "Kass" Kassouni: "Widen southerly Imperial Highway to four lanes, overpass the railraod tracks and eliminate the speed trap. If money's tight, use the ticket fines for the project."

Fairmont Hill Board President Sharlene Dunn: "The Ghost of Christmas Future to show the City Council the error of abandoning our low-density city master plan."

"Right-to-Vote" initiative leaders Jan and Jim Horton: "Development of our downtown, while preserving our historic roots, our low-density lifestyle and maintaining the Land of Gracious Living to benefit the residents of our town rather than becoming a destination for others."

Lontime Old Town homeowners and eminent domain opponents Jack and Jane Adams: "A new City Council."

Letting down fences in city-developer agreement

Yorba Linda residents won’t be surprised to learn that developers don’t always fulfill their promises. Sometimes they need a stern reminder of the agreements they’ve made to obtain City Council approval for their projects.

For example, a key condition attached to the council’s approval of the Presidential Walk I homes, south of the post office, permits public access to a mini-park area along the project’s southern border with the horse trail, just north of the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace.

The condition states, in part, “Fencing shall not be provided along the southern edge of the project where it interfaces with the El Cajon multi-purpose trail, but shall remain as open allowing a porous edge between the project and the trail.”

That condition, and another requiring the homeowners’ association governing documents to “contain a provision which states that public access shall not be prohibited to the mini- parks without the review and approval of the City Council,” was adopted two years ago.

The developers did install a single four-foot wide opening at the top of a set of stairs from the horse trail as required by another of the project’s 129 conditions. But that was the only entryway along 500 feet of what was supposed to be a “porous” southern boundary line.

And despite the council’s no-fence condition, developers built a sturdy steel fence along the property’s entire southern edge, separating the mini-park from the adjacent horse trail.

The no-fencing condition was an important aspect of the Town Center Master Plan, also adopted two years ago. According to a memo from then-City Manager Terry Belanger, the master plan identified “critical elements” that should be included in the Presidential Walk I project, including open access to the mini-park area and the porous south border.

The open mini-park provision had mollified some opponents of the houses built on the former avocado packing plant site. They thought that 41 two-story homes on a net 4.6 acres--with houses from 2,043 to 2,181 square feet on lot sizes from 2,858 to 6,358 square feet--gave the area a high-density appearance.

Soon after this columnist inquired about the fence and lack of public access to the mini-park site, city staff suggested that the Planning Commission could rule that the “as built” status along the project’s southern edge satisfied the intent of the no-fence requirement.

While the council-appointed commissioners allowed the fence to remain in place, they did ask that a second stairway be added to meet the “porous” portion of the condition.

A FINAL NOTE--Some Yorba Linda conservatives philosophically oppose a governmental role in redeveloping private property--in the downtown area or anywhere else.

But I’ve always believed most residents would support a city-sponsored plan to revitalize Old Towne by adding a few shops, restaurants and homes, if density was kept within the city’s historic standards and eminent domain wasn’t used as a threat to acquire property.

However, the new zoning rules have many residents--already distrustful of the city’s intentions--worried that density in the more modest Town Center concept plan will be revised upward when marketing studies are completed and future phases authorized.