Council Fails to Listen to Residents
Letter to the editor

Our residents spent more than two years petitioning and pleading with the city council regarding the pitfalls associated with rezoning the parcel at Jeronimo and Los Alisos. Shortly after the zone change from commercial to residential, the city became involved in litigation that would have not occurred if not for the zone change.

The future for affordable housing does not rest with new high-density units in a built-out city. It rests with the resale market. Current law needs to be changed to include the resale market and to give full credit – not partial credit – to cities for apartment and condominium conversions.

Each developer who buys commercial property purchases the property under the legal maxim “Let the buyer beware.” There are no guarantees concerning rezoning in any city. When council members talk about property rights, these rights are subject to the zoning under which the property was purchased and designated.

The consequences of not listening to our residents are always painful. A point to ponder: how much cost will the city have to absorb to learn this important lesson?

James Edward Woodin
Mission Viejo