A look back at 2006 in Yorba Linda

Here’s my compilation of the best--and sometimes not-so-best--in Yorba Linda for 2006:

--Best decision by a Mayor’s blue ribbon committee: Naming Vince Campion as Citizen of the Year, alongside the already honored Paul Armstrong and Norma Keating.

--Most desirable legacies of departing City Council members: Eliminating name-calling among council members at the dais and finally coughing up the money owed the school district by the city’s Redevelopment Agency.

--Least desirable legacies of departing City Council members: Calling citizen petitioners working to preserve the city’s low-density heritage “civic threats” and “naysayers” in a developer-funded letter and the city’s newly blighted, boarded-up Old Town properties.

--Most distressing “cart-before-the-horse” decision: City purchase of Old Town homes and businesses under the threat of eminent domain before approval of a redevelopment plan acceptable to residents.

--Best decision by voters: Approving the citizen-sponsored Right-to-Vote on Land-Use Amendments initiative (Measure B) last June despite a $174,150 barrage of misleading propaganda funded entirely by developers, builders and other real estate-related interests.

--Second-best decision by voters: Ignoring endorsements from the political establishment and electing two City Council members genuinely pledged to low-density ideals.

--Third-best decision by voters: Sending Mike Duvall and key adviser (wife Susan) to Sacramento, if the powers-that-be allow a sometimes too-candid Duvall to be a player.

--Most puzzling development projects: The Savon (now CVS) on Imperial Highway at the Town Center west entrance and the quickie eat-and-drink strip stores at the east entrance, when an area with fine dining and unique shopping was promised.

--Best decision forced on a developer-friendly City Council: Rescinding eminent domain, which allowed the taking of private Old Town property to sell to developers.

--Worst fiscal decision by a lawyer-friendly City Council: Paying $151,662 to two legal firms to argue both sides of a court case to keep the Measure B initiative off the ballot.

--Worst performance by a political consultant: Dennis DeSnoo’s use of “central casting” blockers to intimidate signature gatherers and petition signers during the campaign to overturn the council’s hastily approved high-density Town Center zoning ordinances.

--Best better-late-than-never City Council decision: Establishing a Town Center Blue Ribbon Committee of actual citizens to make recommendations for the Old Town area after residents demonstrated their distaste for a high-density plan pushed by the council.

--Most predictable political posturing: Local leaders taking credit when Money magazine named Yorba Linda the nation’s 21st best place to live last year, but uttering nary a word when the city didn’t even make the top 100 this year.

A FINAL NOTE

Here’s an unusual year-end category: “Most unexpected political pairing,” for John Anderson’s teaming with Jim Winder to name Winder’s longtime friend and 28-year council veteran Hank Wedaa to the vacant council seat.

On the opposite side was the similar surprise pairing of Allen Castellano and Jan Horton, who opposed Wedaa because they support 12-year term limits and are wary of Wedaa’s entanglements in past council controversies.

Meanwhile, the other 21 applicants for the position, including many well-qualified residents familiar with city issues, might now realize they participated in one of the council’s flawed public-input processes meant to mask behind-the-scenes activities.