Mission Viejo Buzz - 05/27/06 - text only

The Buzz column – May 23

Is Mayor Lance MacLean trying to take credit for the city’s lower number of traffic collisions during the past year? With traffic barely moving, it isn’t difficult to stop when another car comes barreling out of nowhere at 5 mph.

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With up to 11 candidates running for city council, Mission Viejo could upgrade its roster. Incumbents in the race are John Paul Ledesma, Lance MacLean and Trish Kelley. Challengers who have filed their intent to run are Jim Woodin, Michael Ferrall, Bill Barker and Diane Greenwood. Bill Craycraft, Justin McCusker Nancy Howell and Steve Guess are also possibilities.

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Councilman Frank Ury is still trying to get someone on the council to second his motions. Isn’t it interesting he can’t work with anyone on the current council? Those in his camp say he intends to line up three of his own council candidates. After turning Mission Viejo into Uryville, perhaps he’ll move on to Urynation.

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Approximately 80 residents attended the May 22 Planning Commission meeting to oppose a cell tower in O’Neill Park (San Doval Lane at San Roque Drive). Incredibly, the city’s consultant who is supposed to design a cell tower master plan was using the applicant’s data to promote the new tower. A commissioner had to remind the consultant he’s supposed to be an objective third party.

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One possible reason the May 22 Planning Commission meeting went well for residents may have been the absence of Ury’s appointee, Commissioner Chandra Krout. Krout has a reputation for supporting developers, special interest – everything the residents oppose – and doing whatever the Rice Krispies tell her to do.

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While residents might find the council spats amusing, the meltdown has taken a toll on the city. Regional traffic issues are one example where a dysfunctional council is preventing the city from having any clout. Five people cannot agree on solutions, and surrounding cities are taking advantage. Mission Viejo is being sued over affordable housing issues that began when a majority on the current council jettisoned the city’s progress toward a plan, which the state requires. Instead of continuing to develop the city’s plan, Councilmen Ury and MacLean struck out on their own as an ad hoc committee. And that’s exactly what they’ve done: struck out.