• Support
  • Advertise
  • Locations
  • Contact Us
Monday, June 5, 2023
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTERS
The Capistrano Dispatch
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye On SJC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit A Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SJC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • Dana Point Times
    • San Clemente Times
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SJC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit A Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Submit an Obituary
    • Announcements
    • Submit An Announcement
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Guide
    • Go See Do
    • Good Eats
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Inside/Outside Home
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
  • SJC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye On SJC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit A Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SJC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • Dana Point Times
    • San Clemente Times
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SJC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit A Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Submit an Obituary
    • Announcements
    • Submit An Announcement
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Guide
    • Go See Do
    • Good Eats
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Inside/Outside Home
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
  • SJC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
No Result
View All Result
The Capistrano Dispatch
No Result
View All Result

Council Tells Senior Living Developers to Resolve Traffic Concerns

by Capo Dispatch
October 11, 2019 4:15AM
in EYE ON SJC, News
Council Tells Senior Living Developers to Resolve Traffic Concerns

Ortega Highway traffic passes Stevens Garden Nursery, where developers want to rezone 3.3 acres to allow a two-story, 86-unit, assisted-living facility for seniors in San Juan Capistrano. Photo: Fred Swegles

0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Fred Swegles

A plan to build a two-story, assisted-living complex for seniors along busy Ortega Highway has aroused neighboring homeowners’ angst that it may worsen a difficult ingress and egress they face.

Griffin Fine Living is asking the city council to change the land-use designation of a 3.3-acre site at 27401 Ortega Highway to allow an 86-unit, 80,585-square-foot residential complex.

The site, at the signalized intersection of Ortega Highway and La Novia Avenue, presently is home to Stevens Garden Nursery. Its present zoning would allow low-density single-family homes.

The developers stated in a letter of intent that the project design would improve traffic at the intersection.

The project proposes 63 assisted-living units and 23 senior memory-care units, the letter said, served by three daily shifts of 25 or fewer staffers per shift.

Stevens Garden Nursery doesn’t currently use a La Novia Avenue traffic signal for its access onto Ortega Highway. A proposed assisted-living facility there would utilize the signal for its traffic. City councilmembers say they also want the project, seeking city approval of a land-use change, to include a traffic safety solution for neighboring residents. Photo: Fred Swegles

City council voted, 5-0, on Oct. 1 to initiate a study to consider whether the project is right for the site. Analysis could take nine to 12 months, with the Planning Commission and city council holding public hearings before a decision is reached.

Several people who live in homes uphill from the nursery contended that the project is too intense, would be too radical a change and would worsen traffic safety.

“It’s horrible down there,” resident Mary Gage Gillette said. “I wait sometimes two and three lights to make a left turn out of my neighborhood, and I’ve turned around and just waited and gone back.”

Councilmembers told the developers they need to demonstrate their project would fit well.

“It feels like we’re trying to shoehorn something in there,” Mayor Brian Maryott said.

Councilmember John Taylor assured residents that traffic will be a key consideration.

Mayor Pro Tem Troy Bourne said he doesn’t know if the proposal is the right size, but the study will address that. He said that in considering the land-use request, he’s looking for a low traffic-generating project that has the wherewithal to improve the intersection, not just for project traffic but for neighbors accessing their homes.

Councilmember Derek Reeve said he sees an opportunity to correct traffic concerns. “The applicant needs to hear that loud and clear,” he said.

The letter of intent predicted that the project would generate “almost identical peak hour traffic” as the existing nursery, while improving the safety of ingress and egress onto Ortega Highway from the site.

Most visitation would be on weekends, the letter said, or on weekdays around midday, and none of the nursery’s current traffic goes in or out using the La Novia signal.

“The proposed design combines and realigns the southerly two driveways to the intersection of La Novia Ave., and the northerly driveway is to be connected via our internal driveway circulation,” the letter said. “The design allows all vehicles to safely ingress and egress the facility using the La Novia signal, creating significantly safer driving conditions for all drivers who daily commute along Ortega Highway.”

Share this:

  • Share
  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
Tags: assisted livingbrian maryottCity CouncilDerek ReeveFeaturedGriffin Fine LivingJohn TaylorLa Novia AvenueOrange CountyOrtega HighwayPlanning CommissionSan Juan CapistranoseniorsStevens Garden NurseryTrafficTroy Bourne
ShareTweetPin

Capo Dispatch

Related Posts

Council to Consider Study of Proposed New Performing Arts Center, Apartment Complex

Council to Consider Study of Proposed New Performing Arts Center, Apartment Complex

June 5, 2023
GALLERY: San Juan Hills Class of 2023 Celebrates Graduation

GALLERY: San Juan Hills Class of 2023 Celebrates Graduation

June 2, 2023
Eat My Words: Restaurants Unveil New Menu Items and Encore Favorites

Eat my Words: Make Breakfast a Mini Vacation

June 2, 2023
Adoptable Pet of the Week: Cowboy

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Cowboy

June 2, 2023
Next Post
Football Roundup: San Juan Hills, JSerra Open League with Wins, St. Margaret’s, CVC, SVC Score Big Nonleague Victories

Football Roundup: San Juan Hills, JSerra Open League with Wins, St. Margaret's, CVC, SVC Score Big Nonleague Victories

Discussion about this post

No Result
View All Result

The Dispatch Daily
Get important news and updates delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

Subscriptions
Don’t get The Dispatch delivered to your home? Subscribe today.

Advertising
Get new customers and drive traffic to your business. Advertise with us.

Support Local Journalism
For less than the cost of a couple of cups of coffee a month, become an “Insider” member and continue to get “Local News You Can Use” from the only independently owned, dedicated local news organization in South Orange County.

Contribute today.

Picket Fence Media is a proud member of the SoCal Media Network.

  • Current Issue
  • Contact Us
  • San Clemente Times
  • Dana Point Times
  • About Us

© 2023 Picket Fence Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye On SJC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit A Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SJC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • Dana Point Times
    • San Clemente Times
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SJC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit A Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Submit an Obituary
    • Announcements
    • Submit An Announcement
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Guide
    • Go See Do
    • Good Eats
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Inside/Outside Home
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
  • SJC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who

© 2023 Picket Fence Media

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.