• Support
  • Advertise
  • Locations
  • Contact Us
Thursday, January 26, 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
    • 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
    • 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

Letter: Troubled by the Laguna Glen Project

by Capo Dispatch
September 26, 2014 10:38AM
in Letters to the Community, SOAPBOX
Planning Commission Reviews Proposed Senior Community

San Juan Capistrano resident Shelley Bachelder holds a sign in protest against Spieker Senior Development's Laguna Glen proposal. Photo: Brian Park

0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Shelley Bachelder, San Juan Capistrano

San Juan Capistrano’s General Plan states, “The underlying philosophy of the General Plan should be to preserve the present character of a small village-like community with abundant open space. A community that recognizes the contributions of its historic and cultural foundations is in harmony with its natural valley-like setting, as defined by its creeks and ridgelines and strives to embrace unique solutions to issues that may arise in the future to ensure that this vision continues to be carried forth for future generations.”

If you were a property owner who lived in one of the neighborhoods surrounding the Vermeulen property, where the Laguna Glen Continuing Care Retirement Community development is being proposed, and if you valued the fact that the city’s General Plan had already zoned this property for agricultural-business use when you bought your home, you might resent the current attempt to re-zone it for a project so at odds with its land-use designation.

As a recent transplant to San Juan Capistrano, Spieker Development’s Troy Bourne must not know how much we, as a community, value our agricultural and open spaces. And I wonder why this developer is pushing so hard to put this project in such an inappropriate, contentious location. If they had pushed this hard on securing the first location that was considered, in a much less constricted area at the north end of town, construction might very likely be under way now.

It’s looking like a perfect storm of misguided desires, with the Vermeulen family looking for the highest selling price they can get for their property, the City Council giving promises to the property owner and/or developer without any agreement from the community they represent and an established development company with substantial financial backing orchestrating it all for a large personal financial gain. Meanwhile, we, the residents of this town, would be left with a flood of new traffic, and our infrastructure being stretched to the hilt.

So, in reference to a recent letter written by Mr. Bourne in the Capistrano Valley News, I do agree that “the public deserves an honest presentation of the facts.” Let’s start with our city telling us clearly that this project would require an amendment to our General Plan allowing a change in zoning designation for 35 acres of land, rather than posting a sign with a series of code numbers that mean nothing; and explaining why they are allowing this developer to advertise this project as if it’s already been approved for construction rather than merely a proposal hinging on this General Plan amendment; and the land owners could respond to their fellow citizens about why they’re asking for such a drastic revision to our city’s guiding documents; and then Troy, you could stop feeding us your own brand of spin and be honest about what your development would really mean for the rest of us.

You could start by getting honest about what an agri-business zone is. You lead us to believe that chicken production in an over-crowded packing plant is the best we can hope for. You don’t mention it might also be an apiary with honey production; farming of produce and other horticultural crops; or nurseries, greenhouses and plant storage, like what Armstrong is using it for. You take exception to the fact that Armstrong has no plants growing in the ground, but in fact, most nursery growing grounds grow their stock in containers. The plants are there to be sold for landscape use. They have trucks to ship them and trash areas for debris, and they store these things on their property like any business would.

You like to quote independent studies and surveys stating that there would be little impact of any kind from this development, yet anyone with a brain of their own can see that a 500-unit residential and health care development, with all its employees, utilities, amenities and services will generate far more traffic, light, noise, emissions, waste and even water consumption than a nursery growing grounds.

I might be able to “agree to disagree about the merits of the proposed project,” but I strongly disagree with the way the city, the landowner and the developer are proceeding without an honest discussion with the community.

Share this:

  • Share
  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
Tags: Laguna GlenLetter to the EditorSpieker Senior Development
ShareTweetPin

Capo Dispatch

Related Posts

Letter from the Publisher: Honors for Picket Fence Media’s Editorial Staff

Letter to the Editor: Cheap Shot

November 2, 2022
Letter from the Publisher: Honors for Picket Fence Media’s Editorial Staff

Letter to the Editor: Reponse to Letter Regarding Mayor Pro Tem Chris Duncan

October 18, 2022
San Juan Capistrano Council Selects New City Seal Design

Letter to the Editor: Our New SJC City Seal

September 25, 2022
Planting the Future: San Juan Celebrates Earth Day

Letter to the Editor: Covering Our Aqueduct System with Solar Panels to Reclaim Evaporated Water

September 24, 2022
Next Post
Downtown Hotel Project Against the Ropes

Guest Opinion: Left No Choice

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

© 2022 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
    • 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

© 2022 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.