If the Nov. 2006 city election has a theme, a referendum on housing development would be a worthy one. Mayor Lance MacLean says he wants more housing in Mission Viejo – preferably affordable apartments. Councilman Frank Ury is also advocating a large compound of affordable apartments. MacLean and Ury need a third vote on the council to ruin any neighborhood, and Councilwoman Trish Kelley appears to be leaning in their direction.

Although Ury has two years to go, MacLean and Kelley are up for reelection this November. With nine months before voters can go to the ballot box and stop them, MacLean and Kelley have an opportunity to do irrevocable harm. Two potential apartment sites are in south Mission Viejo: one parcel near the animal shelter and another along the freeway south of Oso. Both are in the Capo school district, for which Kelley affects concern. South-city residents have already borne the brunt of apartments with resulting traffic jams, increased crime and plummeting test scores in schools.

A north Mission Viejo neighborhood is also in jeopardy of more apartment-building on the parcel next to the former Kmart site near Palmia. Mission Foothill Marketplace, a foundering strip mall, occupies part of the property. Ownership recently changed, and the new proprietor wants to turn a profit.

After MacLean on Jan. 3 appointed himself and Ury to a housing committee (with Kelley’s vote), they began scoping out neighborhoods for affordable-apartment sites. Does anyone remember when Palmia HOA President Jim Wood said he had no objection to UDR/Pacific’s high-density complex across the street from Palmia? His public comments may come back to bite him now that Ury discovered room for a large affordable-apartment project on the other side of Palmia’s wall. Ury’s effort is not mere reconnaissance, as a developer and lobbyist are in tow on his neighborhood prowls.

Who are MacLean and Ury representing on the council? The answer is certainly not the residents of Mission Viejo. Those standing to gain from housing development are all outsiders – developers, consultants, lobbyists and everyone on their payrolls. Speaking of payrolls, Ury has a fund-raiser in February at a restaurant in Irvine. MacLean had a fund-raiser at an Irvine restaurant on Nov. 30. These two are at least consistent in supporting any place but Mission Viejo.