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Residents Oppose Apartments Many residents of Mission Viejo are opposed to the plan by UDR, to build a-320 unit apartment complex on the old K-Mart property on Los Alisos. UDR is a real estate trust that owns, operates, acquires, develops and renovates apartment communities. Those opposed to the project are upset because in 2005 UDR got permission from the City Council to build 250 town homes and now they have a new proposal for 320 apartments. They are not in the business of building and selling town homes. Those opposed believe that UDR never intended to build the town homes. Opponents say that they are not opposed to developing the property, nor to having affordable housing, but not that number of units. Additionally, the property is about 10.5 acres of which approximately two acres are not buildable due to a water district easement and slopes. So the 320 units will be squeezed into 8.5 acres (37 units per acre). Over 30 units per acre is considered highest density. Thirty-eight of the units will be designated for low and very low-income families. Apartment dwellers are often transient in nature and not contributors to our city. Where there is a growth in apartments, there often follows a decline of property values. The Mission Viejo Company’s original plan calling for a planned population of 92K has already been exceeded by more than 10k. This project, and others in the planning, would add to the increase, further stressing our infrastructure such as streets and things we can’t see like the sewer system. The older we get as a city and the increase in population will require more money to keep our city viable. Immediately, more residents would create more traffic, and an increased need for more security, more firemen, and so on. But most important, it would impact the schools which are overcrowded and strapped for funds. Mission Viejo currently has several academic medal schools. With possible flight of residents to neighboring cities, these schools’ academic standings would be compromised. It is a documented fact that an increase in apartments is the first step to multiple social and economic problems. Mission Viejo residents are key to all decisions made by our City Council. All Mission Viejo residents are encouraged to attend the August 15 City Council meeting at 6:00 pm. to lend your support in preserving our city as originally planned. Please wear black and stand together. Jay Trevino, executive director of Santa Ana’s Planning and Building Agency, implied that the planners before him should have been and I quote “developing a community…not developing property.” Eva Schmidler |
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