The Capistrano Insider

Capistrano Council has Long Week of Big Decisions

The San Juan Capistrano City Council has a busy week ahead.  

On Tuesday, the council is meeting at 5 p.m. — earlier than usual — to consider a closed-session agenda with eight different items. State law allows elected officials to private discuss issues related to personnel, litigation and real-estate deals. 

The council’s closed-session lineup Tuesday touches all of those points, including the $9.2 million lawsuit-loss to the Scalzo Family Trust. A court and jury ordered the multi-million-dollar verdict and fees after finding the city imposed improper conditions on the Scalzo family’s efforts to develop their Del Obispo Street property. 

On the personnel front, the city is reviewing the work of City Manager Joe Tait, and discussing his agreement to take a 5 percent pay cut to his $324,000 contracts as City Manager and interim Utilities Director. 

Finally, the council will discuss an existing lawsuit brought by the developer of the Marbella community, filed after the city announced plans to sell land taken from the builder for a fire station. The builder said that violated the original deal. 

The council moves into its regular session at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday to discuss a host of items that have generated considerable interest in the public: 

-- A potential reorganization of City Hall that could see many positions now held by staffers going to outside contractors; Download Reorg

-- A staging area and other trail improvements in the city’s Northwest Open Space, as proposed by the private Open Space Foundation; Download OS Trails

-- Transitioning the “ad hoc” Open Space Committee to a regular “Public Lands Commission” that would take over equestrian and open-space work; Download OS Committee

-- Whether to renew leases with the Oaks and Blenheim Farms for their use of what is now city-owned open space. The Oaks would pay $4,800, while Blenheim would pay $225,000. Download OS Leases

Meeting that same night as the Community Redevelopment Agency, the council will also consider a deal that would see a car dealership come to town. Tuttle-Click wants to buy Capistrano Ford, which is closing, and move to a Camino Capistrano location. The city is considering a deal that would rebate sales-tax to the dealership. Download CRA Tuttle Click

 Additionally, the Redevelopment Agency will consider a proposed lease with the Ecology Center that would see that organization’s rent rise to $1,500 in the fifth year. The city has taken some criticism because the Ecology’s Center per-square-foot cost was below what other groups are charged for to lease city land. Download CRA Ecology Center

On Wednesday, the council meets again, this time in a public special session to consider the long-term vision and strategy for the city. The idea there is to ensure the long-term budget expectations are in line with what Capistrano can bring into city coffers through sales and property taxes. Download CC Vision

The council meets at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano.

DEDICATION PLANNED FOR SAN CLEMENTE TRAIL CONNECTION TO SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

The long-awaited Forster Trail connection to San Juan Capistrano will soon be completed and will be formally dedicated on Friday, December 18^th at 10 a.m. by Orange County Board of Supervisors Chair, Pat Bates and members of the San Clemente City Council.  The ribbon cutting will take place in the general vicinity of the connection point along the trail.

On August 18^th, the San Clemente City Council accepted an easement through the County’s Prima Deshecha Landfill located at 32250 Avenida La Pata in San Juan Capistrano. This was one of the hurdles to clear before the trail could officially open to the public.  Subsequently, the easement was approved by the Orange County Board of Supervisors. Both approvals allowed for the physical improvements to be constructed by Stewart & Associates who graciously volunteered their services.  The improvements include:

· Fencing to delineate the trail and landfill service road from sensitive habitat areas;

·  Vehicle and walk-thru gates at the junction between the two agencies; and,

· Directional signage. 

 Now that the physical improvements are in place, the trail can be officially opened.  For more information, call (949) 361-8267 or log onto www.san-clemente.org.

Oops. City Researching How Public Land Ended Up Part of a Stable

City staffers are trying to figure out how more than an acre of public land ended up part of a stable -- for perhaps as long as the past 30 years.

As far as anyone can tell, there's no written agreement between the city and what's now Ortega Equestrian Center for use of the land, which was deeded to the city when the offices and commercial properties were built along Calle Arroyo.

Ortega Equestrian Center sits on leased land at the west end of Calle Arroyo. The property has been purchased and is now owned by St. Margaret's Episcopal School, which ultimately plans on building practice sports fields there.

It was during the St. Margaret's planning that city officials learned the land, along San Juan Creek and now home to equestrian improvements, belonged to San Juan Capistrano. City officials have since called former planning officials to see how it ended up in the hands of the stable --long before the current owner -- but haven't gotten any answers, beyond the commercial developer dedicated the land to SJC, and it was going to be used for equestrian purposes.

But there's no agreement anyone can find allowing the public land to be used by the private stable.

"No one remembers how it all got there," Assistant City Manager Cindy Russell said.

She said staffers are working to figure out the issue, then will turn to the City Attorney and City Council to figure out the next steps.

Capistrano Interested in Rodeo Grounds Purchase?

The City Council's closed-session agenda tonight includes a closed-door conversation about the potential purchase of two parcels owned by the Rancho Mission Viejo Co. The properties are only identified by Assessors Parcel Numbers, but one is the Rodeo Grounds at the corner of Antonio/La Pata.

The city is closed-mouthed about a potential deal, which is allowable because it's land negotiations. But the Open Space Committee's finance sub-committee, which includes former Sheriff Brad Gates, Tom Lunnen and Dick Paulsen, has been given wide latitude to approach land owners about potential deals.

The land is technically outside the city boundaries, but could be annexed in with consent of the property owner. City officials, and most residents, have always seen that property as the eastern gateway to the city.

The Ranch has identified the property as "Planned Community" in its approved development plans. Nothing is formalized, but the corner was intended to be some sort of park, while an area between Antonio and the city's eastern limits was seen as potentially holding some sort of congregate care facility and supporting medical offices.

But with those approvals, the land is more valuable, and the county assessor's office taxes it at a value of $34 million.

That would completely tap the city's $30 million open-space bond, of course, and already the Open Space Committee seems to be splitting on whether it's best to spend every cent on acquiring as much property as possible, verses spending the millions it takes to restore open space by removing artichoke thistle and other invasive plants and replanting with natives.

But Rancho Mission Viejo has always thought of Capistrano as its home town, from support of the Mission to owning a good chunk of the best businesses downtown. RMV Senior VP Dan Kelly did say they're talking, though.

"In response to an inquiry from the City of San Juan Capistrano's Open Space Committee, we've agreed to enter into discussions regarding the potential sale of select entitled, undeveloped land," Kelly said. "We're proud of our historic ties to San Juan Capistrano and look forward to forging a win-win agreement with the City."

The council meets at 6:30 p.m. tonight at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto.

Budget Blues: Council Will Hoof It in Equestrian Parade

The city's tough economic situation has forced the City Council to trim everything from the Boys and Girls Club funding to the free dinner they used to enjoy during closed-session meetings.

And now the budget ax has fallen on another San Juan Capistrano tradition: The City Council float in the annual Swallows Day Parade.

The council on Tuesday decided to cut the $1,400 expense from its annual budget.

Councilmember Tom Hribar argued the city should ante up the money, saying the council's float -- a decorated horse-drawn wagon -- adds something to the parade. Councilmember Laura Freese took a hard line, saying the city needs to save the money.

The council decided they'll enter the parade this year, but walk the route on foot together.