A message from Open Coyote Hills

I received this message from Mr. Bob Hayden from Open Coyote Hills and thought you should be equally informed.  I agree with Open Coyote Hills that the City of Fullerton and the region's residents will all benefit from this relatively small development.  I hope you will NOT sign any petition that would jeopardize nearly 30 years of work to open the area to the public. 

Let's OPEN COYOTE HILLS and enjoy the trails NOW!!!

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As you are aware the plan was approved by a 4-1 vote on Tuesday evening by our City Council. This will bring many benefits at no taxpayer expense. These public benefits include: 283 additional acres of restored open space, 5 vista parks, 10 miles of trails and an interpretive center as part of the 72-acre Robert E. Ward Nature Preserve. The Council's action also changed the zoning to allow for low-density housing and open space. The zone change would mean that oil or gas production would no longer be permitted on the property.

Since the vote on Tuesday evening we have become aware that the "Friends of Coyote Hills" -- a 501c3 organization -- has announced through their website their intention to collect signatures for a referendum on the City Council decision. The Open Coyote Hills Steering Committee is reviewing this and will keep you posted on further developments.

For now let me encourage you to not sign any petitions and ask that you encourage your family, friends and neighbors to refrain from signing petitions as well. It is our understanding that an election to vote on a referendum of this type would cost our city $90,000 - $200,000 in a time when the city is already financially strapped.
Our focus continues to be on informing and educating our fellow Fullertonians. Based on the results from our efforts to date we are confident that when our families, friends and neighbors know the real facts about this proposed plan they will support the project. We welcome your thoughts and suggestions on how to inform our broader community.

We appreciate your efforts.

Sincerely,

Bob Hayden

The Open Coyote Hills Steering Committee:
Bob Hayden, Molly McClanahan, Chris Heusser,
Rick Crane, Jack Dean, Debra Pember,
Tom and Kate Dalton

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Message to Mr. Hayden:  You can add my name to this list of supporters!

West Coyote Hills Gets Go Ahead

Last night's City Council meeting was long and entertaining.  The final vote was 4-1 to approve the development.  Votes were cast down party lines though the issue transcended local party politics. 

Proving that point, Democrat Council Member Sharon Quirk-Silva did offer up an alternative motion which would have allowed the development to move forward but with some land swapping from Downtown Fullerton.  She didn't get a second so the proposal was dropped. 

After each council member commented and the vote was taken, Quirk-Silva asked those opposing the development to move forward and find common ground. 

There were numerous outbursts by those opposing the development which lead to Mayor Jones repeatedly striking his gavel and even taking some verbal liberties upon those making public comments.

It was disappointing to hear the name calling and heckling from those who want the private property to remain without houses.  There was a significant lack of civil discourse but I can, to some degree, understand why. 

Sometimes when a crowd gathers at City Hall, city leaders give in to the crowds request.  Sometimes they don't.  It is frustrating to be on the side which the Council does not agree with.

In the 2010 municipal elections, voters had ample opportunity to know exactly where candidates stood on the issue of West Coyote Hills.  With that knowledge out there, three council members were elected to represent voters.  The top two vote receivers were Whitaker and Bankhead, both of which being strong public supporters of the development.

The only race that was close was between McKinley and Chaffee who also let there opinions be known.  McKinley, a supporter of the development and property rights, won by a few hundred votes.

It will be interesting to see how the 2012 election shapes up with Coyote Hills presumably a done deal.  In the interim, I would hope that both sides do come together to find sound solutions to their compromise. 

West Coyote Hills

The City Council will take up the issue West Coyote Hills tomorrow, July 12^th, 6:30PM at City Hall.

A YES vote means Chevron MUST clean up the site.
A YES vote means the City will receive a massive influx of cash from developer fees which could replenish the depleted City reserves.
A YES vote means the public will finally be able to access and view the amazing vistas.
A YES vote means new jobs.
A YES vote means more affordable housing.
A YES vote means more public open space.
A YES vote means new trails.
A YES vote means new opportunities.
A YES vote means new friends and neighbors.
A YES vote means an end to costly litigation.

A NO vote means no clean up of the site.
A NO vote means continued costly litigation.
A NO vote means continued budgetary shortfalls.
A NO vote means much less affordable housing.
A NO vote means LESS public opens space.
A NO vote means no new trails.
A NO vote means no interpretive center.
A NO vote means NO job growth.
A NO vote means regressive decision making.

Are you stuck in a rut saying NO or can you expand your mind consider the amazing possibilities waiting for Coyote Hills to open?

Open Coyote Hills. Urge your City Council to vote YES tomorrow's meeting.

The Fullerton Observer - Sins of Omission

With the Fullerton City Council scheduled to discuss and vote on the proposed West Coyote Hills development by Pacific Coast Homes, the Fullerton Observer is working overtime to derail the multi-million dollar development.

The Early July issue of the Observer has several stories of woe from authors, some named and some anonymous.

One such story by an anonymous author, “Public Park or Housing Development?”, pushes the notion that the OCTA was poised to purchase the 510 acre site for use as a park.  That is not entirely accurate and here is why.

OCTA never had enough money to purchase the property.  OCTA offered Chevron, the property owner, $27-million for the property estimated to be worth more than $250-million.

In a letter to OCTA dated March 22, 2010, Pacific Coast Homes project manager Jim Pugliese explained as much.

Pugliese goes on to further explain that they intend to open the property to the public, nearly 250 acres, as well as the liability of simply turning over an oil field without indemnification.

The Observer has chosen to omit these important details in an effort to thwart any development of the property.  Unfortunately, their readers may take as whole truths the misleading spin from the liberal paper without doing their own independent research.

Another misgiving is that North OC needs another park.  There are more than 120 parks north of the 91FWY which municipalities are struggling to maintain with deeply cut budgets.  Another park, as nice as it may sound, places a tremendous burden on already strained budgets.  Without a large endowment, like the one proposed by Pacific Coast Homes, we just cannot afford to operate or maintain another park.

The City Council will take up the issue July 12^th, 6:30PM at City Hall.

Open Coyote Hills group speaks with Fullerton Chamber of Commerce

The Fullerton Chamber of Commerce's Theresa Harvey and Open Coyote Hills' Jack Dean and Robert Hayden discuss the West Coyote Hills development by Pacific Coast Homes. 

This is great information for those seeking to understand both sides of the the issue: to build or to not build.

Click on THIS LINK to listen.

West Coyote Hills

July 12th is nearly upon us and with it the public hearing and “final decision” regarding the development West Coyote Hills property.  Please keep mark your calendar!

As many of you know, I support the development of West Coyote Hills – but not for the reasons you might expect.   

First, whatever toxins may exist on the site will never get cleaned up unless Chevron is compelled to do it.  How do you compel the wealthiest corporation in the U.S. to do anything?  Give them incentives.  In this case, allow them to build and, while they are at it, they can clean it up. 

Second, the area has been permanently scarred by grading operations for oil and gas extraction (see image below).  It would be far too costly for the City or even a private conservancy to attempt to restore the lands to an artificially created “natural” landscape and clean up the site.

Third, and perhaps most pressing for many, the property is closed to the public.  If you have been on the property, you were either escorted by a Chevron representative or you trespassed.  I would like very much to see more of it with out breaking the law or having an escort give me a guided tour.  I would like to see the various wild life and walk the trails with my family.  Unfortunately, until the land is open to the public, I can only dream.

Fourth, as many of you know, "sustainable" is a word over used in all the wrong places.  Coyote Hills represents an opportunity to have a truly sustainable open space.  As our city struggles to maintain our existing parks, we must question how we would pay to maintain a new park, especially one as large as the West Coyote Hills property.  Pacific Coast Homes has already promised a sizable endowment to maintain the new open space created by their development.  This is a first for Fullerton - sustainable open space - what a concept!

Furthermore, the opposition to the development asserts that Fullerton and the surrounding community is lacking parks.  The reality is that there are already more than 120 public parks north of the 91 Freeway which we can’t afford to maintain and the proposed development will finally create sustainable open space and public parks. 

For these reasons and more I gave my support to the development of WCH by adding my name to the Open Coyote Hills! Coalition.   

There are many other reasons to support the development of WCH, such as the new vistas, homes, and businesses.

Please join me by attending the public hearing at 6:30PM on Tuesday July 12th at City Hall.  Tell the Fullerton City Council that you support the development.  There is no petition to sign, no one to write; just show up to the meeting and say a few words supporting the development.

Here are a few links regarding the development:
http://westcoyotehills.com/
http://www.opencoyotehills.com/
http://www.opencoyotehills.com/?page_id=28
http://gregsebourn.blogspot.com/2011/04/observers-love-affair-with-chevron-love.html
http://gregsebourn.blogspot.com/2011/03/chevron-guilty-of-blackmail.html
http://gregsebourn.blogspot.com/2011/01/fullerton-observer-lost-in-twilight.html
http://gregsebourn.blogspot.com/2010/11/fullerton-observer-fear-mongering-news.html
http://gregsebourn.blogspot.com/2011/05/more-open-space-added-to-north-oc.html

Free Speech or Trashy Signs

Is the placement and displaying of a political sign on private property protected by the 1st Amendment?  Not if it's in the City of San Juan Capistrano! 

The Orange County Register's Brittany Levine has an article on the issue HERE. 

The question has come up after a real estate developer,  Advanced Real Estate Services, received a notice of violation from the City for signs placed on private property.  The municipal code has restrictions on size and location of the signs but ARES spokesman Stephan Gregg told the Register that "We did receive a notice, but the signs are on private property and we have the constitutional right to free speech."  He explained that ARES is trying to work with the City to resolve the problem.  Though it is not immediately clear just how freedom of speech will be worked out with the municipality.

Political signs are an important part of our freedom of speech.  I cannot imagine a better example of a form of communication than those used on either side of an issue to proclaim a cause and show support one way or the other...so long as they are on private property with the consent of the owner or tenant.

The OC Register article gives some of the contentious background but at the heart of the sign issue is our inalienable right to speak freely through varied media including signs, even large billboards.

For the sake of San Clemente taxpayers, I hope City officials will drop the case and move on to more pressing civic matters.

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From the Orange County Register

ELECTION SIGN RULES
San Juan Capistrano has the following regulations for election signs on private property:
• No sign shall exceed 6 feet in height if free-standing, 6 square feet in area, and shall be located below the roof eaves if building-mounted.
• No sign shall be illuminated, revolve or otherwise function with mechanical parts or devices.
• No sign shall include flags, valances, pennants, lights or other similar attraction devices.
• Signs shall not be supported from any tree, utility pole or other utility installation on private or public property.
• Signs shall be posted no more than 30 days prior to the election date.
• Temporary signs shall be placed no less than 50 feet apart from identical or substantially similar temporary signs, and in no case shall more than one temporary sign per candidate or ballot-issue position be allowed per parcel.
• Signs shall be taken down and removed no later than five days following the election date.
Source: municipal code

Fullerton Observer lost in the twilight zone

I have a hard time reading periodicals that swing wildly in all directions, hoping to strike a blow on a non-existent foe.  The January issue of the Fullerton Observer is such a periodical.

Chevron stands in the way of  Chevron
The Fullerton Observer's January 2011 has an odd front headline that is causing a lot of people to scratch their heads.

West Coyote Hills Public Hearings