THE FCA BULLETIN
THE VOICE OF THE
FOOTHILL COMMUNITIES ASSOCIATION
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September 2002 |
FCA COMMUNITY FORUM
Tustin School Board Candidates Night
Measure G - Tustin School Bond Issue
Wednesday, October 16, 2002
7:00 PM
HEWES MIDDLE SCHOOL
(Corner of Hewes and Foothill)
EVERYONE WELCOME!
Community Forum
Foothill Communities Association has
always maintained that good schools are an integral part of our Community. In the past we spearheaded the drive to save our
school sites after predicting the increased number of students now attending
those schools. Our property values are
dependent on maintaining quality public schools in our Community.
FCA is pleased to provide the October 16th
forum, moderated by the League of Women Voters, for you to meet and ask
questions of the candidates for the Tustin School Board.
Additionally, the meeting will also
present information about Measure G, which is a local bond measure to provide
$80 million to make health and safety repairs and renovations to the 20 older
schools in the Tustin Unified School District.
Measure G will also provide additional classroom and
lab space, replace deteriorating portable classrooms, and relieve serious
overcrowding at some schools.
Measure G will upgrade fire alarms and retrofit for earthquake safety;
replace aging roofs; upgrade heating, ventilation, and electrical systems;
replace deteriorated plumbing, sewer, and gas pipes; and completely renovate
heavily worn student restrooms. Due to
the age of our older schools, all currently qualify for state money for
facilities repair and renovation. Tustin
schools are eligible to receive at least $37 million from future state bond
funds. However, state money requires
matching local funds. Without Measure G,
state money will go to other school districts to fix their schools. The cost to a homeowner or property owner in
our District will be approximately $39 annually per $100,000 of assessed value
not market value
Dear North Tustin Neighbors,
Several
issues affecting our Community have occurred this summer. Airport noise, annexation, zoning, and the
quality of our public schools continue to challenge our Community.
1.
The County is
going ahead with a traffic signal system at Esplanade and Fairhaven. Further, a
storm drain modification will take place within the same area.
2.
Measure G, on the
November 2002 ballot, is an $80+ million bond measure to repair and renovate
existing schools (30+ years old) in the district. A public meeting to discuss this measure is
planned for October 16th at Hewes
School. This is the first school bond
activity in the Tustin area in a very long time. It appears to be a needed and
worthwhile proposal that will support both school facilities and real estate
values. Everyone is welcome at the
October 16th forum. Please
plan to attend!
3.
The City of
Newport Beach has gone on record supporting an expanded flight schedule at
JWA. The good news is the curfew
remains. The bad news is the number of flights increases. We were shocked that Newport Beach supported
this increase in flights.
4.
Todd Spitzer
will most certainly leave the Third District Supervisor position for a seat in
the Assembly, and a replacement election will be held in January. Our Community’s future will be affected by
his replacement.
5.
We are facing
more potential annexations by the City of Tustin.
We continue to
push to maintain our rural and low-density zoning. We have seen and will continue to see efforts
to increase density by various zoning and use permit applications, and you must
realize these are strong efforts to change the face of the landscape in North
Tustin. Without your attention, the Community can change and change
dramatically! If you view the
development to the southeast, you will see high density and vanishing open
space. YOU are needed to be part
of FCA so we can protect the Community that you call home.
Join FCA!
Ask your neighbors to join us. Come to our Board Meetings. Your Board attempts
to gather all the facts and to keep abreast of the movement within the
County. The future rests with us. Please
join!
Sincerely,
Bruce Junor, President
Foothill Communities Association
714-544-5958 or e-mail bjunor@aol.com.
P.S. Please send us your email address - we are trying to get an email newsletter together. It will allow us keep you informed on immediate problems and what actions you can take.
EL TORO AND JOHN WAYNE
AIRPORTS
As
most of you are aware, in March 2002, 57% of Orange County voters approved Measure
W, the Central Park and Nature Preserve Initiative. This initiative removed an airport from the
plan for the closed El Toro MCAS and replaced it with non-aviation uses. Within
two weeks, pro airport supporters filed a lawsuit to overturn Measure W on the
grounds that state and federal law gives county supervisors the right to decide
the uses of closed military bases. The
case venue has been assigned to the Southeast District of Los Angeles County
(Norwalk). A motion to shortcut the legal process has been filed by the
pro-airport people and a hearing on this motion is scheduled on September 18,
2002.
Soon after the March election, the U.S. Navy initiated actions to turn
over the El Toro property to local authorities, acknowledging that the issue of
a large airport appears to have been settled.
After consultations with county and City of Irvine authorities, the Navy
has indicated that they support annexation and master planning of the property
by the City of Irvine and will work with Irvine to find buyers for part of the
property. This approach came after
County Supervisors voted to support these plans, effectively giving up County
efforts to develop an airport. The
detail plans are presently being developed by the city. The plan includes 4000 acres (84% of the
land) designated for park use, open space, recreational and educational uses,
riparian corridors, a museum and exposition area, sports fields, golf courses,
university campus, permanent agriculture, a nature preserve, and a cemetery and
veterans memorial. An additional 784
acres would be zoned for up to 3400 homes and 2.9 million square feet of retail
space.
With the apparent demise of an airport at El Toro, the residents of
North Tustin are more susceptible to the potential impact of the projected
demand for increased air traffic at John Wayne Airport. The airport currently has restrictions on
annual passenger capacity, number of flights and hours of operation, based on
agreements between the County and the City of Newport Beach. These agreements are in force through the
end of 2005. The
Many residents have already noticed more aircraft approach traffic over
our homes since the airlines do not have the flight path restrictions formerly
associated with El Toro military flights. If anyone is annoyed by the current
John Wayne Airport related noise, they should call the noise hotline at
949-252-5185. For concerns with
potential future increased aircraft operations, please call Supervisor Todd
Spitzer's office at 714-834-3330.
Information: Hal Marshall, 544-7463 or halow@juno.com
CITY OF TUSTIN ANNEXATION
Although an application has not been filed
with the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo),
the City of Tustin is expected to proceed with the annexation of an 11-acre “island” of unincorporated territory. The area with approximately 45 homes is north
of 17th Street, south of Santa Clara, and west of Prospect on Grovesite and parts of Bonner, Loretta, and Medford.
As part of our financial recovery following the bankruptcy, Orange
County created a Restructuring Plan (http://www.oc.ca.gov/restruc2.htm).
This plan, adopted in 1996 is a blueprint for the County to reduce
municipal services and concentrate on regional services. With Supervisor Spitzer’s assistance, a moratorium was placed on any large scale annexation of
North Tustin. It was deemed that North
Tustin had a community identity separate from surrounding cities. Yet, in 1999 AB 1555 was passed by the State Legislature.AB 1555 significantly streamlines the annexation
process for unincorporated islands that are less than 75 acres. Under AB 1555
if an island annexation is initiated by city resolution, LAFCo
cannot deny the annexation. An island
annexation becomes final following the Commission's approval – there is no appeal, protest, or election at any stage of the
process. AB 1555 expires in 2007.
The County’s official position is that it is in the
best interest of all concerned for large and small islands to be annexed to a
city. Our Community will certainly be
affected by AB 1555. North Tustin must
work to insure the moratorium on the annexation of our Community remains in place. For information regarding the proposed 11-acre annexation,
contact Tim Goeppinger, timgep@pacbell.net. Additional
information: www.oclafco.ca.gov.
FCA Board Meetings
Meetings are held on the 1st Thursday
of the month -
PFF Bank (Prospect & 17th).
To confirm date and location, call:
Elva Woodland, 633-2726
All members welcome!!
2002 FCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Bruce Junor,
President.............................. 544-5958
Bjunor@aol.com
William Bangert,
Historian......................... 838-0937
Irene Brace, Bulletin.................................. 544-6282
bobrene@pacbell.net
David Brewer, Governance........................ 544-8648
DCB@apc.net
Duane Grobman........................................ 544-4585
Nancy Hamilton, NTAC.............................. 730-1407
Mrshami@aol.com
Neil Harkleroad,
VP for Land Use............... 544-8067
Jack Mallinckrodt..................................... 544-3200
Malli@earthlink.net
Hal Marshall, VP for Airports..................... 544-7463
halow@juno.com
Carol McCauley, Trails/Park...................... 227-0012
Les Nesbitt, Land Use................................ 730-9365
LBNez@earthlink.net
Chad Ohanian,
Publicity............................ 832-0931
w6vab@earthlink.net
Ralph Provost, Treasurer........................... 633-1468
pro-con@juno.com
Dessa Schroeder, Membership.................. 838-6017
Steve Swytak,
Roads................................. 832-5092
SSwytak@earthlink.net
Elva Woodland, Telephone....................... 633-2726
FCA SCHOLARSHIP
AWARD
Congratulation,
Sylvia Beltran, recipient of the 2002 Foothill Communities Association
Scholarship. Dessa
Schroeder and Carol Mc Cauley presented the community
scholarship award to the graduating senior at the June Foothill High School
Awards Program.
To continue this worthwhile program, we
need your support and contributions.
Your donations can be made using our membership form on the back page of
this Bulletin.
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CALENDAR YEAR MEMBERSHIP DUES |
FOOTHILL COMMUNITIES ASSOCIATION,
INC.
P.O. Box 261 - Tustin,
California 92781
Wednesday,
October 16, 7PM
HEWES MIDDLE
SCHOOL
School Board
Candidates Night