CUSDWatch: Games are Being Played

The original Ranch Plan clearly showed two separate roads:
1) the extension of the 241 Toll Road from Oso Parkway to the I-5 freeway. The connection joined the Toll Road to the 5 south of San Clemente south of the San Diego/Orange County line.
2) Los Patrones aka F Street was a FREE "LOCAL COLLECTOR ROAD" road that connected Oso Parkway to Cow Camp road.
Here is the map showing two separate roads.

Environmental groups sued to protect the San Mateo Watershed, two State Parks and the world famous Trustles surf spot.

A settlement agreement between the parties made it clear that NO Toll Road would ever be built through the area.

CalTrans, the County of Orange, the TCA and Rancho Mission Viejo behind closed doors shifted the alignment of the 241 Toll Road. The new alignment eliminates the originally planned 241 route and places the Toll Road on top of what was once the FREE Los Patrones Parkway.

So in actuality- taxpayers now have one road - a TOLL ROAD that extends the 241 an additional 5.5 miles from Oso Parkway to Cow Camp Road.

That "extension" is being constructed in 3 phases:

• The Oso Bridge Connection (currently under construction)
• Los Patrones aka F Street aka the 241 Toll Road Extension Phase I
• Los Patrones aka F Street aka the 241 Toll Road Extension Phase II

Toll Roads and Local Collector roads are funded differently.

Los Patrones aka F Street was designed to be a FREE arterial road built on Private property owned by the Ranch and funded by Mello Roos money and Measure M funds under the Orange County SCRIP program (South County Roadway Improvement Program).

Toll Roads are funded through developer fees and the sale of bonds to private and institutional investors.

HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM!

We have one road being built. Is it a Toll Road? or Is it a Free Arterial Road?

There are two separate funding sources for two different roads that share a single alignment.

If Los Patrones is a FREE arterial road then investors have been defrauded.

If Los Patrones it the extension of the 241 Toll Road then Mello Roos taxpayers have been defrauded.

Already three law suits have been filed as this question gets answered.

South Orange County taxpayers should know just how much money is being collected by the TCA in developer fees:

These are the Mello Roos Fees:

1. Developer Fees
2. Mello Roos Fees
3. Tolls

Yes it does. Here is the “F” Street Fee Credit Agreement with the Rancho Mission Viejo Community Development.

In an agreement between TCA and the Ranch, TCA paid the Ranch $15 million dollars "to compensate the developer for right of way, grading, and roadway construction costs that the developer would occur for the construction of F Street"

https://www.thetollroads.com/sites/default/files/pdf/agendas/fba_br_061214.pdf

Supervisor Pat Bates explained this in a newsletter:

F” Street Fee Credit Agreement with the Rancho Mission Viejo Community Development

The Board of Supervisors also approved entering into an Agreement for Grant of Fee Credits (Fee Credit Agreement) with the Rancho Mission Viejo (RMV) Community Development, LLC, and its associated entities (Developer).

The agreement will allow the County of Orange to grant Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA) Fee Credits, as defined in the Major Thoroughfare and Bridge Fee Program (Fee Program) for the TCA, to compensate Developer for right-of-way, grading, and roadway construction costs that Developer would incur for the construction of "F" Street.

In 2004, the Board adopted a Resolution, which approved a General Plan Amendment (GPA) for the Ranch Plan Project, including an amendment of the Transportation Element’s Circulation Plan. The plan recognized that if the State Route 241 is not extended across the Ranch Plan Project area, and future traffic from proposed development reached certain levels, there would be a need for an arterial roadway, referred to as "F" Street, linking Cow Camp Road to Oso Parkway.

The provision of the fee credit has been authorized by the TCA and will allow the early delivery of "F" Street, providing much needed roadway options and increased mobility for South County.

I would like to thank County, TCA staff and the Ranch for their ongoing efforts to ensure new roads are in place to accommodate South County growth.

To view the report, please click here.

Agenda Staff Report
Attachment A - Agreement for Grant of Fee Credits
Exhibit A - Grant Deed to County of Orange
Exhibit B - Irrevocable Offer to Convey

Did you know none of these links work on any web site? Not the County- Not the TCA - Not the Ranch Plan Documents????

HUMMM? What are they trying to hide?