Foothills Sentry Page 4 APRIL 2025 Circulation … 40,000 Published on the last Tuesday of each month and distributed to residences, businesses, libraries and civic centers. Printing by Advantage, Inc. 714-532-4406 Fax: 714-532-6755 foothillssentry.com 1107 E. Chapman Ave., #207 Orange, CA 92866 ©Foothills Sentry 2025 Publisher/Editor Anita Bennyhoff 1969-2013 Editor Tina Richards editor@foothillssentry.com Sports Editor Cliff Robbins sportseditor@att.net Graphic Designer Jef Maddock graphics@foothillssentry.com Advertising Sales Andie Mills advertising@foothillssentry.com 714-926-9299 Office Manager officemanager@foothillssentry.com Villa Park High School Saturday May 10 8 am - 1 pm Rain or Shine - Spectators FREE - 501(c)(3) - All proceeds benefit music education at Villa Park High School. TAX ID: 95-3537732 Email to register: Jamie Sokoll jamiecsokoll@gmail.com Check-In 6 am Gates Open 8 am Judging 11 am Awards 12 pm Live Music! Register Today! 21st Annual Car & Bike Show Scan to register a vehicle Scan to register vendor booth Guest Commentary Urgent Support Needed: Protect Our Property and Zoning Rights By David Holt What began as a local zoning squabble in North Tustin six years ago, has now critically escalated to a major legal battle with statewide consequences— that could have lasting implications for local control and private property rights. The Tustin Hills Racquet Club, North Tustin’s only open space recreational facility, is at the center of this fight. This popular hub for tennis, pickleball, swimming, Pilates and community gatherings has benefitted Orange County residents for over 50 years. Ranch Hills Partners purchased the Club with the intent to demolish it and replace it with a 37- condominium unit project. North Tustin residents and the Foothill Communities Association (FCA) strongly oppose the project, due to serious concerns relating to fire safety, community impact and its inconsistency with local zoning laws. Club history and battle for its future use The club, established in 1958, sits on about six acres in the hills, and has long shared the same zoning as the surrounding Tract 3883—118 single-family homes. The zoning required half-acre lots for residential homes, and for decades, the club and the tract coexisted under this shared regulation. In the early 1970s, when the club sought to expand, it applied to rezone its property to A-1 Agriculture, which would not only allow the expansion, but would provide the club with tax benefits. The county refused to rezone without community approval. Area residents agreed to the rezoning in exchange for a binding land agreement, a covenant. This recorded 1974 covenant restricts future development on the property, ensuring that if the club ever ceased operation, it could not be redeveloped in ways inconsistent with the original zoning. SB330 and the pressure on local government Recently passed California SB330 seeks to address, among other things, California's affordable housing shortage by increasing residential unit development. SB330 also strengthens the Housing Accountability Act (HAA) by restricting use of local rules to limit housing production. Under the pressure of SB330, the county approved the condo project without addressing the enforceability of the covenant. Snowball decision Just two months after project approval, the California Court of Appeal (Second District) rendered its first decision interpreting SB330/HAA in Snowball West Investments L.P. v. City of Los Angeles. Snowball involved a 215-unit development in Verdugo Hills, with the developer relying on HAA to force the city to approve the project. Sound familiar? Unlike Ranch Hills, the Snowball developer’s application was denied at the local level. Developer appealed. The critical issue on appeal (nearly the identical issue decided by the county on the Ranch Hills’ application) was the interpretation of the term “inconsistent” under HAA. In upholding the denial of the Snowball developer’s application, the Appellate Court held that HAA does not abrogate local control. Rather, HAA only applies when a proposed housing development project complies with local zoning and development policies. Statewide legal implications Two lawsuits are currently in progress: 1. FCA is challenging the county’s approval of the project, arguing that HAA should not override local zoning, as decided in Snowball; and 2. Area residents are suing Ranch Hills for breaching the 1974 Recorded Covenant. The FCA lawsuit has been extensively briefed by both parties; it was initially set for hearing on April 2, but, has now been continued by the court until April 30. Until recently, the covenant lawsuit was treading water, mired in procedural issues. However, this lawsuit is no longer just a tract matter; last month, the court permitted two developer-friendly intervenors into the case: Californians for Homeownership, Inc., and California Housing Defense Fund. The matter now has exponentially expanded. At issue is whether the covenant (and like agreements and state HOA regulations) are against the public policy declared under SB330. The determination of this issue will have a rippling effect across California. Why we must act now While California faces a housing shortage, it’s essential to understand that not all housing projects should automatically be approved. We cannot let the approval of this project undermine local zoning laws or invalidate private agreements that protect the interests of our community. The outcome of these cases could set a precedent that impacts private property rights throughout California. If we lose, it could pave the way for the erosion of longstanding community agreements and zoning laws everywhere. How you can help We urgently need your support to continue this fight. Financial contributions are crucial to ensuring that we have the resources to take this battle to its rightful conclusion. Please donate today to help protect our community and safeguard local control. To Donate: 1. Gofundme.com. Search for save-the-racquet-club-supportca-residential-communities, or scan the QR code. GOCAT announces Annual Gala: “From Blueprint to Spotlight” The Greater Orange Community Arts Theater (GOCAT) will hold its Annual Gala, “From Blueprint to Spotlight,” beginning at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, at Hotel Fera Anaheim, a Doubletree by Hilton in Orange. All proceeds will directly support Greater Orange Community Arts Theater’s mission to enhance the community through arts education, cultural enrichment, and performance opportunities. With a vision of fostering a diverse and vibrant creative space, GOCAT is dedicated to empowering artists and audiences alike. “This year’s theme, "From Blueprint to Spotlight," celebrates the next step in creating a sustainable and thriving arts community,” said GOCAT President Michael Short. “We are excited to showcase the incredible impact of the arts education while engaging supporters who believe in the importance of community arts.” Tickets, $200 per seat, are available now at gocat4all.org. Sponsorship opportunities, ranging from $895 to $25,000, are also available for businesses and individuals looking to make a lasting impact on the future of Orange art and culture. The gala will feature live performances by local artists and future GOCAT performers and a silent auction. The hotel is located at 100 The City Drive S. For more information on the event, sponsorships, or how to support GOCAT, please visit gocat4all.org, or contact Mark Wimberley mark.wimberley@ gocat4all.org. Orange Elks support Ember The Orange Elks donated $2,000 to the Orange City Fire Peer Support Dog Program. Chairmen Clarke Balvanz and Kati Bye presented the check to help with training expenses for Ember, the new Fire Support Dog, Ember will be a therapy dog to help the men and women who go out on traumatic calls deal with the stress of the job, and may also be used on calls where residents could use a little puppy love. Lodge #1475 hosts blood drive The Orange Elks recently conducted a blood drive to support its community partner, the American Red Cross. Orange Elks Jason and Diane Wilkerson coordinated the drive, one of two that Lodge #1475 holds every year. The next Orange Elks Blood Drive is scheduled for September 2025. Diane and Jason Wilkerson Ember Orange names new police chief Captain Adam Jevec, who began his career with the City of Orange Police Department 19 years ago, has been appointed as the City’s new Chief of Police, effective March 28. Jevec was born and raised in Orange and is a graduate of Orange High School. He ventured away from Orange to Sonoma State for his bachelor’s degree, then to George Mason University in Virginia for a graduate degree in history. Jevec began his law enforcement career with the Arlington County Virginia Police Department in 2004. He returned to Orange and joined the Police Department in 2006. Jevec worked a variety of assignments, including patrol officer, field training officer, SWAT team member and gang unit detective. He was promoted to sergeant in 2015, lieutenant in 2019 and Captain in 2021. Most recently, he commanded Field Services, where he was responsible for over 130 employees and managed patrol services, the traffic bureau, neighborhood enhancement, homeless engagement, communications and SWAT. Chief Adam Jevec 2. Send check made out to FCA, PO Box 261, Tustin CA 92781 (note “Racquet Club Litigation” on memo line) David Holt is an attorney practicing in Tustin and a neighbor of the Racquet Club.
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