Over 50% of the Santa Ana Planning Commissioners live north of 17th St.

Yesterday Santa Ana Clowncil Member Michele Martinez appointed a fellow named Patrick Yrarrazaval-Correa to the Santa Ana Planning Commission, to replace Mike Munoz, who moved to Whittier.

Yrarrazaval-Correa is an SAUSD principal at Carr Intermediate School. He lives on North Flower (the West Floral Park side of Flower), just south of Santa Clara. He is a 51 year old Democrat.

The SAUSD website for Carr Intermediate School refers to Yrarrazaval-Correa as “Mr. Patrick.”  The website states that he “earned his B.S. in Political Science from the University of California, Irvine, where he also earned his teaching and administrative credentials. He earned an M.S. in Counseling, and a school counseling credential, from California State University, Long Beach.”

With this appointment, the Santa Ana Planning Commission now features four members who live north of 17th, between Bristol and Flower.

Yrarrazaval-Correa has no experience in planning. Nor did Munoz, but at least he lived in central Santa Ana.

Santa Ana Planning Commission

Looking at the rest of the Commissioners, I can tell you that Vicky Betancourt works in the temp labor industry; Sean Mill works for a title company; Chris Leo used to work for Lou Correa and he now works as the “regional director of advocacy for the St. Joseph Health System”; I believe that Jim Gartner is an architect; and Eric M. Alderete is Vice President and Senior Counsel for Downey Savings and Loan (didn’t they hire Clowncilman David Benavides after he won his election?).  None of these people work in planning.  I think that the only planner on the commission is Harvey De La Torre.

According to the City of Santa Ana, the Planning Commission is the “lead advisory body in the determination of what uses may be made of property in the city and what form and shape the community will take in the future.”

Are these Planning Commissioners truly representative of the entire City of Santa Ana  And are they even qualified to serve on this body?  Is this the very BEST we can do?  Really?  I am somewhat dismayed that only one of the Planning Commissioners knows anything about planning.


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"Admin" is just editors Vern Nelson, Greg Diamond, or Ryan Cantor sharing something that they mostly didn't write themselves, but think you should see. Before December 2010, "Admin" may have been former blog owner Art Pedroza.