LOS ALAMITOS : Growth Management Policy Is Debated

City Council members Monday debated whether the city should become the first in the county to include growth management in its General Plan.

Community development director Mike Brotemarkle said the city is developed almost to capacity, but development in adjacent areas is increasing traffic within Los Alamitos.

“Based on our analysis, some type of regional approach is needed,” Brotemarkle said. “As a city of 12,500, we alone cannot solve the traffic problems of western Orange County. . . . We need to work with adjacent cities. We see this as a move toward more coordination and cooperation.”

The plan calls for monitoring developments in such neighbors as Cypress and Garden Grove. Discussion of the plan continued late into the night.

Another amendment to the general plan would rezone a block in the Old Town West neighborhood for apartments instead of businesses.

With the exception of an employee parking lot for a plumbing business, all of the existing buildings in the rezoned block--bounded by Chestnut, Florista, Catalina streets and an alley--are residential.