Report to the People - June 2017

This report covers the period from May 1 to 31. It represents the views of Councilman Gardner and does not reflect official City policy. These reports are produced monthly. Past copies are available on request.

INVOLVING PEOPLE

One of my main concerns is to involve more people in our local government. Please read these monthly reports, get active online, come to the City Council to express your opinions, and help make our City even better.

Office hours are every Tuesday from 4 pm to 6 pm. Inquire at the Clerk’s office. Occasionally things change, so be sure to check first.

Town Square – Lake Forest Town Square has over 600 members and growing, providing valuable input on issues facing the council as well as general issues. Please join.

Listen and Learn – To date I’ve met with nearly a dozen groups around the City, most recently Autumnwood HOA. If you have a group and want to share your concerns, let’s get together.

Town Hall Meetings – Last meeting was Feb 25 (Click here). Next meeting will be in June 10.

The Patch – In case you were unaware, I post a column in the Lake Forest Patch, usually 3 to 5 times a week (to date there are over 1,000 up there), and you should feel free to comment there.

MY PRIORITIES

Here are my priorities for the next few months and an update on what’s happening.

• Ensure the Civic/Senior Center project does not stall.
  • It is moving ahead on schedule. Ground breaking was May 12.
• Get Village Pond Park renovation under way
  • achieved – now let’s get it re-opened by year’s end. I’ll have a proposal to change the name to “Veteran’s Park”
• Establish a Traffic Commission to deal with traffic and parking problems
  • partially achieved – now let’s see what they actually get done
  • new ordinance passed. Click here for more information.
• Develop comprehensive plan for older parks in the City
  • 5 workshops held. Waiting for staff report. I attended all meetings.
• Get animal adoption efforts off the ground
  • Reptile Rescue opened in March and the Adoption Center opened on April 24.
  • Adoption Center to take on more responsibilities (e.g., owner surrender pets)
  • Discussions under way to handle strays in the future (probably next year)
• Develop a comprehensive plan for revitalization of retail space so we can compete with all the progress being made in our neighboring cities.
  • Hopefully part of strategic planning next month
• Develop a comprehensive ordinance to provide balance and cohesiveness to single family residential areas.
  • Ordinance developed with City Attorney, passed through Planning Commission, and to be reviewed by Council.

SPECIFIC ISSUES

District Elections. About 2 years ago Councilman Nick and I asked our colleagues to support district elections. They refused to go along. Now in the face of a lawsuit, and with legal costs mounting, Councilman Robinson joined Mayor Pro Tem and me in voting to switch to district elections in 2018. For more information, Click Here.

Traffic. Our traffic and parking problems only seem to grow and we’re building up quite a backlog of issues that should be addressed. I asked for a Traffic and Parking Commission but Voigts-Hamilton-Robinson voted instead to put the traffic/parking issues inside the Planning Commission. Click Here

Mayor Pro Tem Basile agreed to head up a committee that will work with the Police Chief to see what can be done to deal with existing problems in some areas. Meanwhile the Council added a Parking Enforcement Officer at our last budget meeting. This will cost us $185,000 per year. Hopefully we can address some core problems without adding this position as a permanent position. Hopefully too the new mobile app I've asked for will have a dramatic impact on the problem.

Crime – Two years ago major crimes were up nearly 30% but last year they were down 16%. So far this year we are up 2%. The biggest increases are in robbery (+800%), burglary (+67%), aggravated assault (+56%) and rape (+14%). In Jan thru March 2017 there were 8 rapes and 25 aggravated assaults in the City. To check it out for yourself, Click Here.

Here is my recent discussion facing the challenge of crime moving forward. Click Here

Parks. Village Pond Park has been closed, is under construction, and should be re-opened in early 2018. Thanks to former Councilman Nick and Mayor Pro Tem Basile. Without them this would have never happened!

City Hall – Mayor Pro Tem Basile and I got agreement from the City Manager and the Council to move forward for the City Hall to be opened every day, instead of being closed every other Friday. This will make life easier for many residents without any increase in costs. Thanks to the City Manager and our staff who are willing to adjust.

SVUSD – The district appointed a new Supt and I attended her reception. Mayor Voigts and I are on an ad hoc committee to work with Dr. Turner to improve conditions at our schools and improve traffic problems in some areas.

Affordable Homes - I tried to get the City to move forward on affordable homes but due to restrictions from the State we were unable to proceed. I am still working on this project and hope to have another project identified for research.

Nakase Nursery - Toll Brothers held several workshops with residents about the prospects of Toll buying the Nakase 122 acres and converting it into hundreds of high-end luxury homes, for which Toll would have to seek Council approval to re-zone the area. From the feedback I got from attendees, most residents were firmly against adding more homes in an area where the number of homes has already increased by 50% in the past few years.

VOTING RECORDS

More than 90% of the votes by Council are unanimous and respond to ordinary business of the City. In about 10% of the votes, the issues are more complex and there are not unanimous votes. Here’s the list of topics and votes when at least one person disagrees.

• Make $611,000 payment to County to build new shelter (1/17/2017) – Basile/Gardner opposed. We wanted a local no-kill shelter.
• Randomly decide who shall serve a 2 year Planning Commission term (1/17/17) – Gardner opposed. I thought we should put some reasoning behind this decision.
• Give CR&R a 1-year extension (2/21/17) – Basile opposed. She's not happy with the quality of their service.
• Consider allowing residents to vote on City Council compensation (3/7/17) – Hamilton opposed. I guess he's afraid to let residents decided who's doing a good job.

• Getting a professional facilitator to handle Strategic Planning sessions so we can generate more effective plans (3/21/17) – Hamilton opposed. He doesn't need "strategic planning". He just needs to look at his contributor list to see if he should vote "yes" or "no".
• Limit campaign contributions (4/18/17) – Hamilton, Voigts, Robinson opposed. This is where they get almost all their money. Take away special interest money and these guys would have very little support.
• Switch to district elections (5/2/17) – Hamilton opposed and Voigts abstained. Incredible vote by Hamilton who is worried that he and Robinson are neighbors and one of them would be removed. My district too will be a challenge, but that shouldn't impact our votes. To vote against doing this puts the City at risk for $7,000,000 in legal expenses (that's what Palmdale had to spend).

NETWORKING

Last month I attended the following meetings/events.

• May 1 – Parade Committee (6 to 7 pm – Sports Park)
• May 2 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• May 2 - City Council Meeting (7 pm – City Hall)
• May 6 – Rancho Fiesta Days (11 to 3 – Heritage Hill)
• May 9 – Special Budget Workshop (5 pm – City Hall)
• May 9 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• May 12 – Civic Center Groundbreaking (10 to 11 – Indian Ocean Drive)
• May 12 – Secrets and Strategies of Business Success (8:30 am – Sports Park)
• May 13 – Aliso Creek Clean Up (9 am – Cherry Ave and Fernback)
• May 16 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• May 16 - City Council Meeting (7 pm – City Hall)
• May 17 – SVUSD Meet new Supt (3:30 to 5:30 – SVUSD Board Room)

UPCOMING EVENTS

• June 3 and 4 – Dino Days (10 am – Nature Park)
• June 3 – Boys and Girls Club Fund Raiser (6 pm)
• June 5 – Parade Committee (6 to 7 pm – Sports Park)
• June 6 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• June 6 - City Council Meeting (7 pm – City Hall)
• June 7 – Chamber of Commerce Mixer (5:30 pm)
• June 8 – Teen Committee (6 to 7 pm – Sports Park)
• June 8 – Planning Commission (7 pm – City Hall)
• June 10 – Town Hall Meeting ( 2 to 4 pm – Foothill Ranch Library)
• June 13 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• June 15 – Teen Committee (6 to 7 pm – Sports Park)
• June 15 – Parks and Recreation Commission (7 pm – City Hall)
• June 20 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• June 20 - City Council Meeting (7 pm – City Hall)
• June 21 – Retail Reality Check (7:30 to 10:30 – Irvine)
• June 25 – Summer Concert (5:30 – 8:30 – Sports Park)
• June 27 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• June 29 – Teen Committee (6 to 7 pm – Sports Park)

Most of the events are FREE but some may charge admission. Be sure to check. I plan to be at most of these events so please come by and say hello.

CONTACT

You can discuss issues at the Facebook page Lake Forest Town Square. We get great ideas on this forum and many of them make it to the Council floor.