Dear Editor,
Dear Editor,
In 1987 the citizens of Cypress determined that they wanted the Los Alamitos Race Track (LART) area to be zoned for open space. Against the wishes of the property owners, and the Cypress City Council the community voted in Measure D. It zoned the LART for open space, and took control of the zoning for the property out of the hands of the City of Cypress and into the hands of the voters. In 1989 the then property owners attempted to rezone with voter approval the area. It lost in a stunning defeat.
When the new owners purchased the property, they knew the zoning and the restrictions. But, in 2012 the new owners decided to make an attempt to change the zoning. The petition signature gathers went about telling people that the area to be rezoned would be used for a senior living facility. But that is not what the 150+ page legal document the people were voting on said. Measure L was a classic bait-and-switch. From the way the signatures were gathered, to the way the 150+ pages changed the zoning, and then qualified the zoning change with a use not normally permitted in the express zoning.
Now Cypress residents are being told that they can vote for new housing on the north end of the property. Heck they will even get a park. Some Cypress residents have “negotiated” a title restriction to be enforced by the city. But the reality is that all that is being asked is for the resident to give up what was fought for in 1987. The right to control the development and keep open spaces in Cypress. If the measure is approved Cypress City Council will again have the ability to change the zoning at will. They can choose not to enforce the “negotiated” title restrictions. They can have the exact control that they had prior to the 1987 passage of Measure D. Control to give a developer everything they want and need, all while not protecting the open space or the community.
Voting “No!” on Measure A will not hurt the citizens or the City of Cypress. It will leave the open spaces preserved and will leave control in the hands of the people. It will ensure that the people will control what gets developed, if anything. It ensures that developers who pay for City Council campaigns don’t run roughshod over the residents of the community. People keep on saying “Well, development is going to happen, and we negotiated a good deal.” But the truth is that development doesn’t have to happen, and a 160+ page document that was so flawed that it required special negotiations (that may not even stand) after it was already placed on the ballot is not in the best interests of the community.
Over the Memorial Day weekend we honored those who fought for America, her values and for justice. In Cypress in 1987 there were those that fought for justice and for the values of the community. In 1989 those same citizens were outspent five and a half to one, and they still won because they stood up for community values, and for justice. In this election you can honor them, and the values and justice they fought for, by ensuring that their legacy of open spaces and voter control of development continues by voting No on Measure A. No to additional traffic clogging our streets. No to additional pollution. No to another bait-and-switch. No on Measure A.
JM Ivler
Los Alamitos
