Former MV Mayor supports YES on Measure D

 

Former MV Mayor Gail Reavis

Former MV mayor supports YES on Measure D 

Having read her letter in the Mission Viejo Dispatch I contacted former MV Mayor Gail Reavis to discuss her thoughts on the current “Right to Vote” ballot measure in our city. Gail served on our city council between 2000 and 2008 at a time when developers had made multiple presentations on future projects in our city. As such, she is perhaps the best qualified to refute some of the opposition statements on this issue. She actively participated in both Closed and Open Session discussions regarding land use decisions. 

The following is from her letter that appeared in todays www.missionviejodispatch.com. The only change is that I have altered one name in that letter.   

“I enthusiastically support Measure D . . . as did someone who claims to be a representative of Casta Del Sol who collected 1200 signatures to oppose development on the Casta del Sol Golf Course.    

There are two people listed on the No on D flyers.  One was the number one heerleader FOR an airport at El Toro.  He used most of the same arguments FOR an airport that he is using against D.   

Another one is the agent for the assisted living company that wanted to build on the Casta Golf course. If the voters think the developers have just ‘given up’, think again….   

Another opponent is the CEO of Mission Hospital.  They not only already own all of the land for city blocks in Mission Viejo and have the entitlements to build just about anything they want, they do not pay property taxes.  The hospital is owned by a religious group so does not have to pay taxes like the rest of the businesses in the city.   

The people in Aegean Hills should worry because the owner of the Unisys property wrote to the city a few years ago asking to have their property REZONED from industrial to high density residential.  This negates the ‘chamber’ argument about D being a ‘job killer’.  When the Unisys property is converted, we will lose those jobs forever in Mission Viejo.   

Also a few years ago, there were two hotel entities that were looking at the property next to the animal shelter.   If the city was not seriously interested in selling that property to a private developer, why did they spend thousands of dollars to have it appraised?   

The K-mart property:  By the way it IS in a flood control area and entitlements to build HAVE been given!  The developer has come to Palmia at least twice in recent years to attempt to change the entitlement from owner occupied townhomes to apartments.  If Measure D does not pass, there are only three votes keeping them from changing the entitlements.    

The property next to Tuesday morning:  Not only has the K-Mart developer tried to move his obligation to build 15% affordable to this site,  they have suggest that the entire site be made ‘affordable’ to handle Mission Viejo’s housing issue with the state.   

The argument about high density low income on the NO argument are specious at best.  They already rezoned 5 pieces of property  (Master Plan???) to residential or mixed use and each already includes 15% affordable.   

The final property in question would be the ‘Michaels’ shopping center.  The city commissioned a study from the Urban Land Institute a few years ago and their proposal was to completely renovate and replace that entire shopping center with ‘mixed use’.  That would mean shops at street level, and apartments or condos above.  The worst suggestion in the study was how they would handle the parking with so many uses at the same site.   

If Measure D does not pass,  I feel sorry for the citizens of Mission Viejo.  They will spend a lifetime wishing they had done something to pass D, and saying ‘gee, I didn’t understand’, will be too late.   

The citizen proponents of D have pooled their ‘taxpayer/voter dollars’ to get this on the ballot for you.  It is unlikely they will do it again in the future.   

However, the NO people have spent tens of thousands of dollars to stop you from having a say in MAJOR changes in land use zoning in our precious MASTER PLANNED community.  Right now three people are making life changing decisions for you and me.  I for one trust the people and want Measure D to pass.   

VOTE YES ON MEASURE D.”


About Larry Gilbert