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On Dec. 12, a group of residents put together an initiative to give the people of Mission Viejo the right to vote on all major development projects in the city. The initiative was presented to the Mission Viejo Planning and Transportation Commission prior to a hearing on the Steadfast development proposal. The commissioners had promised the residents that they would send the initiative to the city council with a recommendation for approval during a previous planning commission meeting. Wouldn't it be a wonderful New Year’s gift for the city council to recommend such an initiative to the citizens of Mission Viejo? Such an initiative would give our citizens the right to decide for themselves whether development of our commercial areas as high-density housing sites is desirable. Our citizens know what is best for our city, and such a proposal and initiative can only improve our city. There have been continuous efforts to convert commercial properties into residential mixed-use areas creating higher density, more traffic and higher infrastructure costs in our city. Our Master Plan has been abrogated in a piecemeal fashion by people who didn't even live here when we purchased our property subject to the conditions and covenants of the Mission Viejo Company. Why do we always go to Santa Margarita, Foothill Ranch, Laguna Hills or Irvine when we want to shop? Our future retail or business tax base has been traded away by shortsighted city leaders. Property tax receipts fall far short of the infrastructure costs of high-density housing. In the long term, our costs go up and our income goes down disproportionately to our city's growth needs. The initiative will give our citizens a clear picture of our council and their individual positions on this important issue. Our citizens should have the right to decide on high-density housing or the conversion of our commercial areas to residential or mixed use. If the council does not go on record as giving the right to our citizens, which would force our citizens to go the signature and petition route, our council’s vote will become a tattoo on their record. James Edward Woodin |
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