Foothills Sentry - July 2022

Page 5 Foothills Sentry July 2022 Circulation … 41,750 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 2022 Publisher/Editor Anita Bennyhoff 1969-2013 Editor Tina Richards editor@foothillssentry.com Sports Editor Cliff Robbins sportseditor@att.net Graphic Designer Stephanie Gundran graphics@foothillssentry.com Advertising Sales Andie Mills advertising@foothillssentry.com 714-926-9299 Office Manager Kathy Eidson officemanager@foothillssentry. com Run for it Dear Editor: Kudos to “Canyon Beat” scribe Andrew Tonkovich for his swift application of community moti- vation and spirit to the folks who call the Canyons home. While Di- rector Jessie Bullis has stated her intention to run for the SMRPD seat she was appointed to in Janu- ary 2022, we have yet to hear of anyone who wishes to file and run for the other two vacant seats. Good governance should be apolitical, but it does require vig- orous community involvement, oversight and support, as Tonkov- ich pointed out. No one wants to return to the days of partisan bick- ering due to political cronyism. No one wants to have to relin- quish local control to OC Parks, but it will take a few good folks to step forward, file for those empty seats (opens July 18) and partici- pate in our democracy. It’s worth fighting for. As Tonkovich stated, SMRPD has experienced many new orga- nizational restrictions mandated by state and legal requirements that all the directors are endeav- oring to streamline for easy com- munity access. As with anything new, it takes a while to put those practices in place. We would real- ly like to see qualified, conscien- tious and talented members of the canyon community take action to join the board. Also, it was greatly appreciated that Tonkovich highlighted efforts on behalf of the SMRPD, Silvera- do Children’s Center Director Laurie Briggs and her brilliant, dedicated staff and the Friends of the SCC, a nonprofit that sup- ports the Silverado Children’s Center, “...a gorgeous community resource...” indeed. We are very proud of the strides made by all to keep this precious and unique nature preschool thriving. Julie A. “Rusty” Morris Vice-President, SMRPD Nod from a neighbor Dear Editor: Time to apologize, Supervisor Wagner. I was very disappointed to see Supervisor Don Wagner’s bashing of the Foothills Sentry in the June edition related to the article, “County may allow toxic waste to be buried in Orange.” No other publication has provided more reporting of the Sully-Miller site issues than the Foothills Sen- try. Supervisor Wagner slammed the Sentry for alleged errors, yet according to the editor’s note, his rebuttal contained at least one er- ror. As a neighbor living next to this site, I want a county supervi- sor who is committed to making my neighborhood safe, not some- one concerned about his image. Very disappointing! L. Fenton Mabury Ranch Space saver Dear Editor: We are North Tustin residents and oppose the housing develop- ment plans by the new owners of what was the Tustin Ranch Rac- quet Club. Please let the present open, recreational use of that property remain untouched. The plans for compact, multi-family units are destructive to what currently provides fun, healthy relief from urban stresses. If developed, that property does the total opposite, with major increases in air pol- lution from traffic; multiple ve- hicle dangers on quiet streets with school-age pedestrians; water supply stresses at a time of dire drought; stresses on fire and county sheriff coverage, and more. Please do not permit the con- version of club property to the proposed multi-units design. John and Irene Dardashti North Tustin Public trust busted Dear Editor: In regard to the Sully-Miller site, the city has more problems than an unrealistic four-part plan done by a city candidate. It has a major trust issue with the commu- nity. As a person that has a long history in local government, trust is not an unobtainable pursuit, and it’s not a guarantee that the public will always endorse the city’s de- cisions. It is a foundational belief that, in spite of the recommended action, the public feels the elected officials have been forthright and fair, that documents are unbiased and thorough, and those seeking approval for an action have not been given an unfair advantage over the general public. When the city was facing a new application for development in East Orange by The Irvine Com- pany, the council realized that the area was controversial. They changed their usual procedures and the EIR was directly prepared by staff, under its control. In Or- ange, the applicant usually pre- pares these documents, and they are reviewed by staff. An EIR is a city document, so their action wasn’t unusual, but not the way done in the city. People still spoke against the project, but the EIR stood the test, and information could be relied upon as accurate and thorough. That didn’t happen with the Sully-Miller development proj- ect. The developer prepared the EIR, creating trust and quality is- sues. I would venture a guess that the trust level with the public in the area surrounding Sully-Miller is at an extreme low. The council diligently earned that trust level, although I would think none of them are particularly proud of that distinction. So, are they in- terested in reversing that posi- tion? In the same way that they looked at processes differently in East Orange, they need to rethink how they approach Sully-Miller. Instead of an unrealistic four- part plan that is doomed from the beginning, it might be best to take some preliminary baby steps. Yes, baby steps. From my under- standing, there is a dispute as to the number of acres in the site and how land use is distributed. Once again, since the landowner con- trolled all of the documents, there was no realistic way for staff to resolve such issues. But really, folks, there is land out there, and I don’t believe it can shift shape or change its size at will. So, an is- sue related to total acreage is sort of a no-brainer. The city needs to pony up some cash to Community Development staff for creation of the follow- ing documents: 1.) a reliable base map that all parties can agree is correct; On that base map, over- lay a variety of information. This would include existing general plan and zoning, overlying land use plans, such as the East Orange General Plan and Orange Park Acres Specific Plan. 2.) an op- portunities and constraints map; 3.) a description of the plans and what they were trying to create. From these base maps, the city could hold a realistic discussion of the site, and the general public can trust that the documents are correct and fairly prepared. You know, trust. Ed Knight Orange Dear Editor: As the City of Orange braces for another election cycle, it is critical that residents take a long, hard look at the complexion of our city council, the damage that has been its legacy and which members ensured that legacy. Before us is an opportunity to put the city back on track, with ser- vice-minded leadership that lis- tens to the majority of residents, rather than to the best interests of personal friends and the incen- tives of campaign money. Not only has the majority pub- lic sentiment been ignored, but protocols were autocratically shelved to control the composi- tion of the planning commission. The new, more civic-minded members of the council elected in 2020 (Arianna Barrios and Ana Gutierrez) were denied their right to make their own planning com- mission member appointments. The iconic monument to the ar- rogance of the senior council members is the colossal, illegal dumpsite (infamously known as Sully-Miller) that was allowed to grow amid a residential area. The Orange City Council refused to use its enforcement authority and, instead, turned a blind eye to the illegal dumping. No one knows what is buried on land slated to become open space once mining is stopped at the site. All we must do is look to Ana- heim and the backroom deals to fathom just how deeply corrupted leadership can fail its constitu- ents. It is time for Orange to like- wise clean house at the ballot box. Most significantly, Mark Murphy must go, and Mike Alvarez can- not be allowed to run. They both played heavy hands against City of Orange residents in favor of outside developers who created our landmark dumpsite. And, already, development plans are in the works to turn other open space areas into housing tracts adjacent to Grijalva Park. We need leaders that share the same vision for the city that the residents share. In the interest of a healthier, stronger community, we should say: No to special in- terests; No to conflicts of interest; No to back room deals; No to de- stroying open space; and Yes, to Dan Slater for Mayor and Adri- enne Gladson for City Council, as well as re-election for Arianna Barrios. Sharon Mule Orange Dear Editor: I have been involved in com- munity issues over the years, and watched how Orange coun- cil members react to resident complaints. It is shocking to see the complete disregard by some council members for those who speak at council meetings, whether it be about saving Mary’s Kitchen, opposition to develop- ment on open space, lack of park- ing, over-building, or routing traf- fic through quiet neighborhoods. This dismissal of residents’ con- cerns has become routine and has worked its way down to commis- sions and staff. The current city council is com- posed of a block of five who re- peatedly vote in sync. And while the remaining two may oppose the block, their voices, like those of many Orange citizens, fall on deaf ears. Residents find them- selves in a perpetual battle with city hall, as council members bend over backwards for their al- legiances to developers, lobbyists and businesses. There are too many examples to give in this letter, but I’d like to mention a few to make my point: The Design Review Commis- sion found the scale and mass of the Ronald McDonald House expansion too large for the neigh- borhood and not in keeping with Old Towne design standards. Residents were offended by its size and pleaded with the city to scale it down. The council ignored their concerns and ap- proved it, forcing residents to liti- gate, or forever live in the shadow of a multi-story building. The Paseo was a good idea dur- ing the pandemic, but neighbors had issues with traffic being re- routed through their quiet streets, not to mention the removal of precious parking spaces. None- theless, the city appears poised to approve it. Santiago Creek is a unique waterway home to endangered wildlife, native plants, a modest waterfall and history. It is a dis- appearing natural resource that should be nurtured, but instead is continually considered ripe for development. Two developments, a green cemetery and high-densi- ty housing, currently threaten it. Residents may have to launch an- other referendum if these unwant- ed developments are approved. Residents were forced to over- turn city approval of a housing tract via referendum at the former Sully-Miller site. Santiago Creek runs through this site, but the city has allowed the property owner to dump illegal construction waste for years, ignoring neighbors’ warnings and concerns about po- tential toxicity. Next up is the North Tustin Street Specific Plan. I can only imagine the fight residents near the mall are going to have to mount just to be heard. Wouldn’t it be better to elect council members who don’t grandstand at every meeting, and instead listen to the residents? Carolyn Aliotta Orange Park Acres Dear Editor: As many people know, the Sully-Miller site was actually closed in 1994. Residents buying new homes in the area were told that the land would be a park. The Reserve was built in 1996; that is what all my neighbors and I were told, as well. We all bought homes with the understanding that the sand and gravel pit was closed for good, and we were buying homes next to a future park. The site was reopened as a sand and gravel recycling site in 1998 - after all the houses in The Re- serve had been sold. I congratulate Dan Slater for taking a stand on the Sully-Miller gravel pit, and outlining an actual plan of action to get this site re- placed and reclaimed. I applaud him for his letter in the June issue of the Foothills Sentry. It is about time we had someone on the city council who wants to address this issue, and is willing to find a rea- sonable solution, other than de- velopment. Mark Moore Orange Villa Park Library offers programs for all ages The VP Library will host a number of programs this summer. Award-winning author Naomi Hirahara will appear in Villa Park City Hall on Sat., July 16 at 2 p.m. to discuss her latest book, “Clark and Division.” Teens are invited to craft a de- coupage necklace on Mon., July 18 at 2 p.m. Storytime will be held every Mon., 5:30 p.m. and Sat., 10 a.m. Reading Buddies is a new pro- gram geared for children in kin- dergarten through fourth grade. Each student will be paired with a teen to practice reading. The program will be held on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon, and on Thursdays between 2- 4 p.m. All ages are encouraged to sign up for the Summer Reading Program at ocpl.beanstack.org . UCCE Master Gardeners will present: Drought Tolerant Gar- dening, Sat., July 23 at 2 p.m.; and Organic Composting on Sat., Aug. 6 at 2 p.m.