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The Potocki Center is showing signs of life. A group of artists approached City Hall some time ago, wanting to turn the mothballed facility into an arts center. Classes are currently being offered. Those interested can register online at . Call (949) 470-3061 to get information about art classes for adults, teens, drop-in and after-school programs.
Behind-the-scenes wrangling is apparently continuing between the city and UDR/Pacific, whose housing project on the former Kmart site was approved by a 4-1 council vote (Reavis dissenting). The council changed the site’s zoning from commercial to R-30 residential and approved 250 condos. As part of the project’s so-called appeal to the council, the developer is supposed to build 38 affordable units. When voting for the project, Council Members Trish Kelley and Lance MacLean appeared to be salivating over fees the developer would pay the city so they could fund their “other projects.” Will the developer now try to wriggle out of the affordable units and at least a portion of the fees? With council members running for reelection and accepting “campaign donations,” anything can happen.
Confusion prevails among some residents over which housing project on Los Alisos Blvd. received council approval. Residents reading stories in the Saddleback paper may have mistakenly believed that Steadfast’s housing project next to Unisys had been approved. Because UDR/Pacific’s project is also on Los Alisos (east of Marguerite Parkway), readers might not realize two developers had proposed high-density housing on two separate sites. Residents still have the opportunity to voice their opposition to the Steadfast proposal at the Jan. 9 Planning Commission meeting. The commission began the hearing on Dec. 11 and continued it to Jan. 9.
When is Hanukkah? It will be celebrated from Dec. 26 to Jan. 2. Anyone who thinks Christmas is getting short shrift should consider that Hanukkah is barely getting a mention. For example, has anyone seen a notice about Mission Viejo’s menorah lighting ceremony? Will the politically correct media refer to it as lighting of the “winter candlestick”?
A story circulated months ago that a mortuary wanted to open a facility in Mission Viejo. The mortuary has since been identified as Fairhaven. A Fairhaven employee recently said that the mortuary, indeed, did approach the city but calls were never returned.
Capistrano USD trustees have installed a new banner on the construction site of their $35 million administration center to announce that an “Education Center” is coming soon. It’s an administration center. At least they’re no longer trying to misrepresent the building as a credit union center.
The Orange County Register’s “update” this week regarding the recall only reiterated the deadline of Fri., Dec. 23, for Registrar of Voters Steven Rodermund to announce results of verifying approximately 177,000 signatures. The results will likely not be released in time to be published in this issue of The Buzz, but check such sources as the Register’s online discussion board, http://talk.ocregister.com, which will probably light up as soon as Rodermund makes an announcement.
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