The Buzz Column, March 21

The Buzz reported several months ago that the Pacific Law Center’s lawsuit against the city was imminent. It’s still imminent. The advocacy group threatened to sue following the council’s decision not to require affordable units for families in the housing development on the former Kmart site. The group says the one-bedroom affordable units don’t meet its demands. While no one knows what brought Mission Viejo into the crosshairs of the advocacy group, chances are it was Steadfast, a former city manager or someone on the city council.

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A city staffer in another city said he received a call from Mission Viejo City Hall. The caller had a question about making Mission Viejo “tsunami ready.” Given the region’s geological nature, emergency services experts say an inundation might be up to 12 meters at the beach. However, no one should lose sleep about a 12-meter wave rolling over the bluffs and continuing uphill for miles.

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Councilman Frank Ury and his entourage made a grand entrance into the Mar. 16 Saddleback Republican Assembly meeting. One person in the audience dubbed Ury’s followers the Mission Viejo mafia. The image fits, but it tends to denigrate the “other” mafia.

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The Mission Viejo library boasts 124,000 cardholders in a city with a population of less than 100,000. How did that happen? When the taxpayers of Mission Viejo paid for their own library, they didn’t expect to provide free services for outsiders. Despite the high number of users, the collection of books is well below expectations.

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It’s official: Jim Woodin is the first to announce his candidacy for Mission Viejo City Council in the November city election. Woodin said he decided to run after attending council meetings and getting involved in city issues. Zone changes may have pushed him over the edge, but he frequently speaks at council meetings about the city’s financial strategy.

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Perhaps Councilwoman Trish Kelley intended to be the first to announce her candidacy for city council. She filed her intention to become a candidate as soon as Jim Woodin had talked with City Clerk Karen Hamman about filing.

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Since traffic congestion is a way of life, why not consider the benefits? Injuries are less serious when cars collide while going 5 MPH. With the city’s traffic problems, isn’t it ironic so many motorists get speeding tickets in Mission Viejo?