WESTSIDE BLUFFS TO GET $ 45 MILLION DOLLAR CONDO/APARTMENT COMPLEX
(stock photo of NEXUS's Twin Towers at MacArthur Place)
WESTSIDE BLUFFS--On a 4 to 1 vote last night, with Commissioner Eleanor Egan voting against the project, the Planning Commission approved a request from Nexus Development to be allowed to initially offer it's proposed 151 condos at 1640 Monrovia as rentals instead of as owner-occupied condos.
The CM PRESS supported this request by Nexus. (See CM PRESS # 404)While we would prefer owner occupied condos, we believe, given current market conditions, the only way the City is going to start the evolution of the Bluffs is by being flexible and sensitive to reasonable developer requests.
And, in this case, this change was necessary in order to obtain financing to build the project.
The Westside Bluffs need people living there 24 hours a day, and this project will accomplish that.
In addition, this project, at least on paper, looks like an upscale apartment/condo complex that you might find in Newport Beach. This is not a slum aborning, and it should attract upwardly mobile professionals.
The beach is just a quick jog or bike ride down the hill, and this project should offer a slightly less expensive alternative to those who like the beach lifestyle but who don't want to pay beach prices or endure beach traffic.
When market conditions improve, NEXUS indicates that the firm will try to sell the units as condos. This should be a relatively easy proposition since this is really a dual identity project, built to higher condo standards and with all the condo paperwork in place.
If all goes according to plan, this seminal project on the Westside Bluffs should be ready for occupancy in approximately 3 years.
Here's a LINK to NEXUS.
Commissioner Egan, who lives on the Westside Bluffs, said that she was against the change because 80% of residential units on the Westside are now occupied by renters.
As of press time we have not been able to verify Ms. Egan's statistic, but we have no reason to doubt it. Nevertheless, we think the argument is misplaced. The too many renters argument is better directed at the barracks style slum apartment complexes that are breeding grounds for gangs and crime and which the City should be, but isn't, thinning out. (See following article about yet another violent crime in one such complex) [*SEE UPDATE BELOW ON STATISTICS]
Among those in the public speaking against the request were John Hawley who owns Railmakers, Inc., a business on the Bluffs, Roger MacGregor who owns MacGregor Yachts, and Mike Harrison a principal in Trico Realty, a major industrial property owner on the Bluffs.
Mssrs. Hawley, MacGregor and Harrison essentially made the same argument: Condos would be okay, but not apartments.
Mr. Hawley and Mr. Harrison were supporters of failed Return to Reason candidates Mike Scheafer and Bruce Garlic in the last City Council election.
Mr. Garlic, it may be remembered, in answer to a question from the CM PRESS, famously told an audience at the Senior Center that there was no pollution on the Westside Bluffs.
Contrary to Mr. Garlic's opinion, there is pollution on the Westside Bluffs and at last night's meeting, representatives from NEXUS Development indicated that one of the first things they'll be doing with their 6.8 acre property is cleaning up the contaminated soil pursuant to their agreement with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. This may begin within the next four to six months.
Also speaking against the project were a few people who live in a nearby mobile home park who felt that this $45 million dollar project would negatively impact their mobile home park. (?)
# # #
MORE ILLEGAL ALIEN CRIME IN KATRINA FOLEY'S MESA DEL MAR BARRIO
Ms. Foley's kumbaya flowers in front of the slum buildings apparently aren't working to stem crime. Maybe more flowers or hugs will help.
Or...hey, how about thinning out the slums instead of planting flowers in front of them?
LINK to almost daily Daily Pilot report on this latest incident.
# # #
BABY AND TEEN INSIDE HOME INJURED BY GANG GUNFIRE OUTSIDE
Here's a crime report from Santa Ana about a 14-year-0ld girl and a 5-month-old infant who were injured when stray bullets from a gun battle in the street pierced the wall of their house. LINK
It's just a matter of time before innocent people are injured in their homes near Katrina Foley's Mesa del Mar Barrio or Shalimar, or Fillmore-Coolidge, or similar slums in Costa Mesa.
So long as the City of Costa Mesa does nothing to thin out these slums, innocent people will be in danger.
Should we now start having our children sleep in bathtubs to protect them from stray bullets?
A handgun bullet can travel anywhere from 1 to about 1 1/2 miles.
Come on City Council, do something now before innocent people are harmed. Thin out the slums.
# # #
UPDATE
*Here's where Commissioner Egan got her statistics about renter vs. owner occupied units. This is from page 4 of the MESA WEST RESIDENTIAL OWNERSHIP URBAN PLAN:
LINK
"Renter Versus Owner-Occupied Units
Costa Mesa has a disproportionate number of rental versus owner-occupied units compared to countywide and national statistics. According to the 2000 U.S. Federal Census, the number of rental units in Costa Mesa is about 60 percent while the number of owner-occupied units is around 40 percent. In contrast, the countywide average is approximately 39 percent renter-occupied units and about 61 percent owner-occupied units. The national average is approximately 34 percent renter-occupied units and about 66 percent owner-occupied units.
In the Mesa West Residential Ownership Urban Plan area, the percentage of renter versus owner-occupied units greatly increases. According to the 2000 U.S., approximately 81% of the units are being rented compared to about 19% listed as owner-occupied. This shows a rental versus ownership ratio of about 4 to 1 in the overlay zone area."
# # #
Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.
