Planning Commission Splits Vote

In a 2.5 hour meeting the Orange County Planning Commission voted 3-2 to recommend approval of the Esperanza Hills project as submitted (unchanged) by the developer. The residents in attendance had to endure a monologue by the developer outlining how hard he worked to comply with everyone’s concerns.

He conveniently ignored our number one concern: there is only one exit for the new residents and it empties onto a street already gridlocked in a previous fire. Common sense tells anyone that this puts existing residents and future residents at risk. He also mischaracterized what has transpired over the years and yet there was no opportunity for the public to correct the record because the public hearing was closed. Lesson learned.

We will need to inoculate the Board of Supervisors against his untruths in our testimony at the end of September. Staff continues to advocate for the property as if they were on the developer’s team. It was discouraging, but we will not be deterred.

We hope you will make that meeting. We will need speakers to help deliver the message. Can you help us?  Let me know if we can add you to the list.

Please email us if you can read a speech.