Mission Viejo Hosts Public Scoping Meeting On Big Retail Project

MISSION VIEJO, CA — Are you a Mission Viejo resident interested in learning more about a proposed project in your town? The City of Mission Viejo, in conjunction with ValueRock Realty, will host an environmental scoping meeting on Jan. 24 to discuss The Gardens, a proposed retail and residential project located on the northwest side of Marguerite Parkway and La Paz.

No decisions regarding the project will be made at this scoping meeting, though residents are encouraged by the city to participate in the meeting to learn more about the project, ask questions and submit comments regarding the Environmental Impact Report process.

During the meeting, a representative for ValueRock Realty will present the proposed project, describe the Environmental Impact Report process and receive public comments from the community regarding the scope of the report.

The project requires public hearings due to the developer's application being deemed incomplete by the City's Community Development Department, the city reported last October. While no public hearings have been scheduled for the project, the city said such hearings are on the docket for the coming months.

The private property owner's application proposes to demolish the existing 46,148 square-feet of building area to make room for The Gardens, a project with five upper stories and 234 apartment units, over 600 parking spaces and 48,000 square-feet of retail.

The developer of the proposed project, ValueRock Realty, also owns The Commons in Aliso Viejo.

Currently, the 6.5-acre site on the northwest corner of Marguerite Parkway and La Paz Road is zoned as office/professional and developed as the Garden Plaza commercial and office center at 27001 La Paz Road. The site is not owned by the city.

The public scoping meeting takes place Jan. 24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center, 24932 Veterans Way. For more information about the proposed project, residents are encouraged to contact the Community Development Department at 949-470-3053.