Following this is a letter by Cypress City Councilmember Jon Peat that was mailed out to Cypress residents this week. The letter details Peat’s support for Measure GG and his call for Cypress residents to support the measure also.
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Following this is a letter by Cypress City Councilmember Jon Peat that was mailed out to Cypress residents this week. The letter details Peat’s support for Measure GG and his call for Cypress residents to support the measure also.
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As a Cypress City Council Member and long-time resident, I have a deep love for our city and our citizens. Like me, I know you value our excellent quality of life and you will do what it takes to preserve it. Measure GG gives us a voice in what will be developed on what is now primarily Los Alamitos Race Course property.
You may have heard many things about Measure GG, but I’d like to take a moment for some straight talk. On the ballot this November, Measure GG gives voters a chance to have a stronger say in how a large part of our city is developed. Dr. Allred the owner of Los Alamitos Race Course was quoted “It’s going to be developed one way or another,” he said, “I’m leaving it up to the voters of Cypress to decide what they want.” We have been given the chance to participate in the shaping of the site ensuring that the development will meet the needs of the community by including a new 20-acre park and a vibrant Town Center shopping and dining district.
What happens if Measure GG passes? Voters will have approved a thoughtful, centralized, family-oriented space that concerned citizens have helped design. The owners will be gifting 20 acres that can only be used as a public park. Building heights will be limited to a maximum of 60 feet. Warehouses, trucking centers, and refueling depots will be prohibited. And all proposed projects will require full environmental review and public input before they are approved. Any proposed amendment to the plan would require voter approval. That’s why I’m asking you to consider supporting Measure GG.
As it is currently zoned, property owners do not need to seek voter approval for their projects, provided they meet zoning regulations. Current zoning regulations allow for 99 feet tall buildings and uses that include: hospitals, schools, churches, public buildings, utilities, recreation facilities and affordable senior housing. Current zoning would allow for piecemeal development of the area in ways that do not address the desires of the Cypress community for a shared space with new shopping, dining, and recreation opportunities.
I appreciate your concern and respectfully hope you will join me in supporting Measure GG this November. Let’s take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to shape the future of Cypress by voting yes on Measure GG.
Jon Peat
Cypress City Councilmember
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Locals responds to Councilmember Peat’s letter
Dear Editor,
Don’t be fooled again.
Contrary to the letter being circulated with City Council Member Jon Peat’s signature, this is not a 20 acre park donation. The free park promised by Measure GG was debunked at the last Cypress City Council meeting when a letter from the track owner was read during public comments. The letter indicated that any park land donation would be provided to the extent any required park fees paid by housing developers are not sufficient. As such, if the fees collected by the city aren’t enough to pay for the park land, then the race track owner will make a donation. Neither letter says where the money will come from to develop the park.
While Mr. Peat’s letter mentions a 60 feet building height limit, it is not clear the deed restriction applies to all of the Race Track property and it certainly doesn’t apply to the city or church properties which continue to allow 99 foot tall buildings. Mr. Peat doesn’t mention this zone change includes 13 acres belonging to the City of Cypress, 1.7 acres belonging to Cottonwood Church, and 4.4 acres belonging to SeaCoast Grace Church. The City’s 13 acres were purchased from the race track in 2002 and remain undeveloped. Mr. Peat also doesn’t mention he is on the elder board at SeaCoast Grace Church.
We learned from the race track owner’s letter that there is no time table for the track closing which is where the park would be located. In April, the track owner indicated he will revisit the track’s future in ten years. Mr. Peat must be talking about the city, church, or remaining golf course properties when he states the property will be developed whether Measure GG passes or not.
Mr. Peat talks about this development as being a thoughtful, family oriented development. Please read the initiative. There are many project alternatives allowed that are not family oriented.
George Pardon
Cypress
Dear Editor,
There they go again. As with Measures L and A, the Racetrack owners are flooding Cypress with misleading signs and flyers.
For example, the letter from Councilman Peat with at least 4 factual errors:
1. ”The owners will be gifting 20 acres…[for a park]” (Jon Peat letter, 10/30)
Actually, GG says nothing about any gift! The only reference is in a letter Dr. Allred sent to the City Council on October 24. It said the Race Course “intends to” gift any balance due after the City pays over $10 million for the 20 acres from development fees.
That’s not a binding promise, just a statement of intent. Even if the land were a gift, taxpayers would still have to pay millions more to clear the land & build the park. Some gift!
2. ”Building heights will be limited to a maximum of 60 feet.”
Actually, GG has a 99-foot limit. The owners tried to modify it, as they did with Measure A, with a deed restriction on some, but not all of the property. And what’s so great about a 60 foot limitation–are six story condos, apartments, & office buildings all that much better than ten story buildings?
3. ”GG gives voters a chance to have a stronger say…”
Actually, GG takes all 170 acres out of Measure D’s requirement that any future zone changes must be approved by the voters. So voters get a whole lot less of a say.
4. “Voters will have approved a thoughtful, centralized, family-oriented space concerned citizens have helped design”
If you read all 79 pages of the initiative (on the City website), as George Pardon has, you’ll find many “project alternatives” allowed that are not family oriented. During that “thoughtful” 2 month preparation of Measure GG there were absolutely no environmental or traffic studies to determine the impacts on our city such as traffic or school overcrowding. That’s why George concluded “Measure GG is just too risky.”
I actually attended one of those “design meetings,” and it was more of a marketing test than anything. The owners had a plan already drawn up, citizens didn’t like it. So the owners had a second meeting with almost the same plan, except for a larger park with a lake and the elimination of the only through street, which will actually make the traffic impact on Cerritos Ave., Katella, and Moody even worse!
When the “concerned citizens” asked if there was a specific plan for the area, we were told that it was just changes of zoning and NOT a promise of ever actually building anything specific!
They were right! GG is primarily a massive upzone and a removal of 170 acres from the Measure D protections Cypress voters placed on it decades ago in an effort to preserve open space for future generations. What ultimately goes there will be decided by the developers and the City Council, but input from voters will actually be dramatically reduced by GG.
The inaccurate information and presentation of best-case scenarios reminds many of us of the Racerack’s 2012 Measure L.
I remember the flyers picturing senior homes, assisted living & a nursing home all together on 33 acres, perfect for our seniors.
I also remember how, once L was passed, the senior facilities quickly changed into a 150 bay truck terminal. Most observers think the truck terminal would be there today if Cypress residents had not voted against the racetrack’s 2013 Measure A by a 2 to 1 margin. ProLogis realized how much Cypress residents opposed overdevelopment, and withdrew their plan, but the land is still vacant, and ProLogis would be free to return should Measure GG pass!
Meanwhile, the track owners’ continue to attempt to mislead us with Yes on GG flyers that picture only the very best possible results.
Don’t be fooled again!
Dave Emerson
Los Alamitos