Council
members have strayed from campaign promises
Jim Drummond Political Perspectives
Yorba Linda Star - May 12, 2005 -
Viewpoints Section
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Excerpts:
Residents are still challenging City Council actions to
increase housing density in western and central Yorba Linda,
including the historic downtown area, which city leaders
call “the heart and soul of the community.”
The dialogue is often contentious, and council members
sometimes fail to provide a fair forum for opposing opinions
during their twice-monthly meetings. But the controversy
reminds us of a major reason for this town’s incorporation
38 years ago.
Voters chose cityhood in 1967 to wrest control of zoning
matters from planning bureaucrats in Santa Ana, and in 1972
residents approved a strict low-density General Plan to guide
future growth.
In municipal elections ever since, winning candidates have
touted their low-density platforms, including the balloting
that selected the current council members in 2000, 2002 and
2004.
A review of campaign materials mailed to voters’ homes in those years shows
that Allen Castellano, Mike Duvall, Ken Ryan, Jim Winder and Keri Wilson were
all riders on the low-density political bandwagon.
In 2000, Ryan noted, “We must maintain our high quality community identity
and small-town charm,” and pledged, “I will use all my skills to
preserve Yorba Linda.”
In his 2002 re-election campaign, Ryan claimed, “I have consistently voted
to maintain our low-density General Plan.”
Wilson, who was Ryan’s 2002 running mate, added, “Our zoning has
promoted low- and medium-density housing. We cannot tolerate high-density housing
or destruction of our open spaces.”
In 2000, Winder noted, “We must protect the unique quality created by our
hillsides, streetscapes, semi-rural and developed neighborhoods.”
In 2004, he took credit for opposing two “unnecessary” General Plan
amendments, “which allowed 598 additional housing units.”
And in 2004, Duvall promised, “My goal is to maintain the quality of life
we have all come to enjoy.”
But maintaining the city’s “small-town charm” and “quality
of life” shouldn’t involve high-density zoning changes concentrated
in the city’s western and central regions, whose residents established
the low-density environment so many people moved to Yorba Linda to enjoy.
Of course, council members also campaigned for the Town
Center project. However, their promises were similar to Castellano’s 2004 pledge to “restore
our historic Main Street.” Voters heard words like “preserve” and “protect,” not “high-density,” “more
traffic” and “we’ll reposition longtime homes and businesses.”
The latest Town Center concept plan envisions a range of
155 to 185 housing units on 16 acres of the original first
phase, including seven single-family and from 80 to 100 courtyard
units on the 4.7-acre “strawberry field” parcel
on the east side of Lakeview Avenue just south of Lemon Drive.
But, as Ryan is fond of saying, “The devil’s in the details,” and
we won’t know the full details until many months from now, when the real
plans and numbers are presented for council discussion and action.
Jim Drummond
is a longtime Yorba Linda resident.
JIM
DRUMMOND POLITICAL PERSPECTIVES
Yorba Linda Star - May 12, 2005
- Viewpoints Section
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