On Tuesday, the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in closed session to reject the Library of the Canyons near Silverado Canyon as the future home of a shelter for 400 homeless people now in temporary housing in central Orange County. More than 80 people filled the Board chambers, and nearly 40 of them spoke, all in opposition to the plan. In addition, Isabell Kerins, a Canyon resident, presented a petition with more than 2,500 signatures against the move.
The suggestion came from a meeting last week of Mayors for the South County cities, all of whom voted for the idea, except for me. I appeared at that meeting and at the Board's meeting asking that the County abandon their congregate housing plan and adopt a plan that placed the homeless in small scattered settings throughout the county, rather than a single large site. The rationale for this plan has been presented elsewhere (Click Here).
Lake Forest City Manager Debra Rose also spoke at the Board's meeting, noting that the site being chosen was inappropriate due to the many problems associated with the site, not the least of which was the high dangers of fire, the heavy traffic on unlit winding roads, and the lack of infrastructure. Other problems with the site have been discussed previously (Click Here)
Find out what's happening in Lake Forestfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
None of the other Mayors or City Managers from the Association of South County Mayors was present at the meeting. The group will meet again on May 10 to re-consider their approach in light of the rejection by the Board.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Find out what's happening in Lake Forestfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Dr. Jim Gardner is on the City Council for Lake Forest where he serves as Mayor. You can check him out on LinkedIn and/or Facebook and you can share your thoughts about the City at Lake Forest Town Square on Facebook. His Twitter handle is @DrJimGardner. His comments are not meant to reflect official City Policy.
Dr. Gardner has office hours every Tuesday from 4 pm to 6 pm at the City Hall. In addition, he holds a town hall meeting every quarter. The next meeting will be May 17 at 7 pm at the Lake 1 Clubhouse (Ridge Route).
