Dear Editor,
Orange County is blessed with an amazing network of 25 County Parks that include almost 40,000 acres.
Guess how many of those acres are west of Beach Blvd.?
Just four. Only one hundredth of a percent (0.01%) of the total OC Parks acreage is in the western 20 percent of the County.
And those four acres are about a half hour’s drive from Cypress’ City Hall. Not exactly around the corner.
Dear Editor,
Orange County is blessed with an amazing network of 25 County Parks that include almost 40,000 acres.
Guess how many of those acres are west of Beach Blvd.?
Just four. Only one hundredth of a percent (0.01%) of the total OC Parks acreage is in the western 20 percent of the County.
And those four acres are about a half hour’s drive from Cypress’ City Hall. Not exactly around the corner.
There are plenty of excuses for the shameful lack of OC parks in our part of the county. Too late, too developed, too flat, no money, no time. All just lame excuses.
Because there’s a vibrant example of how a new, 600 acre OC regional park was created in an area much like West Orange County not that long ago.
That park was initially the work of just two people. Eventually the County, local residents and local governments transformed Fountain Valley’s “Mile Square Naval Landing Field” into OC’s Mile Square Regional Park.
Like Los Al’s Base, the Landing Field was built during World War II, but it had 3 airstrips the length of an aircraft carrier making a triangle in the center of the property.
In 1967 after a lot of legwork by two residents who wanted a park, the Navy agreed to a long term lease with the County to develop the unused perimeter of the Field as a regional park.
The park was then built in four phases:
1. 85 acres in 1970
2. A baseball diamond and children’s play area added in 1973
3. After military operations in the airfields ended in 1974, extended the park north to Edinger.
4. Phase IV, in 1987 included the construction of a golf course.
All because two residents had a dream to bring a major park to their part of Orange County, and took the time to make it happen.
That’s just one example, but it’s an approach that might be adaptable at the Joint Forces Training Base, Naval Weapons Depot, Los Alamitos Race Course or the Arrowhead property on Katella.
There are at least two reasons that hasn’t happened yet.
One is that preserving open space and creating parks never seems to be urgent until it’s too late.
Another is parks & land cost money, and there’s never enough. Actually “not enough time” and “not enough money” are both just euphemisms for “not a priority.” Because we’re too involved in immediate crises or diversions to think about the future, about what matters most, about generations yet unborn.
I say the time to get started is now.
It doesn’t take much time to call or email a local official or two, or send them a copy of this article. In fact, you’re probably going to have a City Council Member or two knocking on your door between now and November 8. Why not ask them what they plan to do to help get an OC Regional Park in West OC. If all they give you is excuses, you might want to vote for someone else.
It also only takes a minute or two to send me an e-mail at WestOCPark@gmail.com with your contact info so I can keep you in the loop as things develop. You might even have some ideas or expertise you could offer. Or just a question. All your info will be kept confidential, of course.
Working together, we can create a large West OC Regional Park for generations to come, and have plans on the drawing board before the next City Council election.
Dave Emerson
Los Alamitos
Continuing the discussion on Measure GG
Dear Editor,
Measure GG will be on the ballot in November proposing a zone change for the Race Track and remaining golf course property. Supporters of Measure GG state that the town center district is intended to include entertainment, retail, and restaurants. These intentions are not guarantees. This zone change would allow the town center to just as easily be a collection of office and commercial buildings up to 99 feet high.
Measure GG would also permit up to 1,284 residences. This property is adjacent to the senior housing development that will include 248 residences. A staff report to the Cypress City Council in April states the city’s general plan contemplates 1,014 future residences on and around Lincoln Avenue. If approved, Measure GG would increase the number of new residences allowed in the overall plan for Cypress to a total of 2,546, not including other potential projects.
Cypress currently has an average of 3 people per residence. If this average continues to the new residences, our population could increase by over 7,600 residents which is nearly 65 percent of the current population of Los Alamitos. Imagine the traffic.
In this zone change, the Specific Plan has so many project alternatives that Cypress residents have no guarantee what this development will ultimately become.
George Pardon
Cypress Resident
