East Orange v Orange Park Acres v Villa Park v Anaheim Hills v Cowan Heights Crawford Canyon v Silverado/Modjeska Canyon Areas v North Tustin


A Monthly Community Newspaper Est. 1969 Tuesday, January 13, 2015


Foothill Trabuco Specific Plan returns to court


By Tina Richards A developer’s appeal of a


lower court ruling that blocked a 65-unit housing tract in defer- ence to the Foothill Trabuco Spe- cific Plan (FTSP) was heard by a three-judge panel Dec. 16. Rutter Development wants to


build a gated community near the intersection of Santiago Can- yon and Trabuco Canyon Roads, an area that falls within the gov- ernance of the FTSP. Orange County supervisors approved the housing project in 2012, but had to severely amend the specific plan in the process. Supervisors declared that na-


Photo by Brett Peterson


Dreams of a white Christmas did not materialize until the last day of 2014, when canyon residents awoke to backyards covered in snow. Chay Peterson, left, and Michelle Mainville, right, show off a snow- man built from the bounty of the unusual weather.


Community-based water district seeks approvals to


By Tina Richards The East Orange County Water


District (EOCWD) has asked the City of Orange to support its ef- forts to take over operation and maintenance responsibilities for a sewer system that closely mirrors its current distribution area. The sewer system in question,


take on sewer system focus is on the large countywide pipes that feed into the reclama- tion facility in Fountain Valley. It is looking to get out of the local sewer business. The county approached the City


Area 7, is mostly situated in coun- ty islands in the local foothills. It has long been managed by the County of Orange Sanitation District, but that agency wants to hand it off to a local servicer. The sanitation District’s main


Newly-elected members of


the Villa Park City Council were sworn in on Dec. 9. Bill Nelson took the oath of office from his granddaughter Jazmyn Strick- land; former mayor Wayne Sil- zel used his personal Bible as he administered the oath to Bob Collacott; and re-elected council member Diana Fascenelli recited her oath under City Manager Ja- rad Hildenbrand. After the new council was seated, they elected Diana Fascenelli as mayor and Greg Mills as mayor pro tem. That meeting was the final


one for Brad Reese and Deborah Pauly, both ofwhomhad reached their term limits, after eight years serving on the council. Reese received a proclamation from Supervisor Todd Spitzer, and commemorations from the Orange County Fire Authority


Bill Nelson


and Orange County Sanitation District. In a brief speech, he thanked Bob Bell and Rich Ul- mer for their mentoring during his “very rewarding” terms. J.D. and Jasmine Pauly gave


Bob Collacott


a moving tribute to their mother, Deborah, thanking her for her dedication, time and sacrifices during her two terms on the coun- cil. In turn, Pauly thanked her family and constituents for their


Diana Fascenelli


support, and spoke to her accom- plishments while in office, in- cluding restructuring and upgrad-


See "Villa Park" continued on page 6


of Tustin, the City of Orange, the Irvine Ranch Water District and EOCWD about seven years ago, but at that time, no agency had the resources to take it on. The East Orange County Water Dis- trict wanted it then, and has since stockpiled $25 million in reserves


See "Water District" continued on page 5


tive oaks could be bulldozed and replaced with acorns, that 1.9 mil- lion cubic yards of earth could be mass graded, and that open space did not have to be “natural,” but could include essentially any dis- turbed land that does not have a building on it. Supervisors also determined that they could sum- marily change any specific plan within the county’s jurisdiction at their discretion.


Not so fast The project approval and un-


tenable specific plan amendments were challenged in court by the Saddleback Canyons Conservan- cy. The Rural Canyons Conser- vation Fund, Friends of Harbors, Beaches and Parks, National Audubon Society and California Native Plant Society joined the suit as co-litigants. The lower court found in favor


of the conservancy, ruling that county amendments to the FTSP violated its intent, as well as Cali- fornia’s environmental laws, and that the proposed housing tract could not proceed. Rutter Development appealed


the decision, but the county board of supervisors declined to join the appeal. Third District Su- pervisor Todd Spitzer was not on


the board when the project was approved; once he took office in January 2013, he was asked by canyon constituents to support the FTSPas written, and convince his board colleagues to drop out of the appeal process. Because the planned development is in his district, the board of supervisors agreed to let the lower court deci- sion stand.


Rutter stands alone The fact that the county was not


party to the appeal was empha- sized by the conservancy’s law- yer, Ellison Folk, who reminded the justices that “the county isn’t here to defend itself.” Although the county chose not


to defend itself in this case, Rut- ter’s attorney Steven Kostka rose to the challenge in its stead. He argued that supervisors did not abuse their legislative discretion, that they amended the FTSP be- cause it was out of date, and that the board was well within its au- thority to make the changes it did. Kostka told the panel that the


amendments, in fact, advanced the goals of the specific plan. He suggested that it was bet- ter to replace mature oak trees with acorns, rather than attempt to move them; that the adopted alternate grading standards pro- tected resources; and that it is up to the county to define “open space.” “The county can decide whether open space is untouched or altered,” he said. The lower court had also ac-


cepted Saddleback’s challenge to the project’s Environmental Im- pact Report, noting that it was in- complete and failed to address all the consequences of the proposed development.


Traffic impacts


along Santiago Canyon Road, for example, were minimized by changing the method of analysis.


See "Trabuco" continued on page 5


Villa Park City Council members take oath NEWS INSIDE


Hit the nail on the head


A World War II vet’s home is refurbished by a brigade of volunteers. See Giving back, page 6


Rock the boats


The annual Villa Park parade turns watercraft and well- wishers into whimsical winter wonders. See Boats, page 7


A range of climate change


Snow flurries melt amidst a warming trend in canyon camaraderie as new park board settles in. See Canyon Beat, page 8


Come together


The Orange Park Association rings in the new year with board member elections and updates. See OPA meeting, page 9


The names in the games


Stellar student athletes rise to the top of their chosen sports. See Fall All-league, page 14


INSIDE


Letters To The Editor Page 4 Canyon Beat Prof. Directory Classifieds


Page 8 Page 8 Page 8


Services Directory Page 12-13 Sports


Real Estate


Page 14-15 Page 15


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