Controversial Development in East Orange

After reading Jerry Hicks’ article (Dec. 31) on the petition drive in the city of Orange, it would appear that anyone who opposes the massive Irvine Co. development in the east Orange area is a person on the lunatic fringe. I want to contest that image. I have been an active participant in the review process for this project for the last two years through the Cowan Hills Homeowners Assn. and as vice president of the Rural Orange Coordinating Council.

I spoke before the City Council once again on Dec. 12, the day the county approved the plan. At that time I said that, as a land-use planner and a person experienced in the review of development proposals, I do not believe that the canyons surrounding Irvine Lake and beyond can take the intensity of development that is proposed in this plan or that the traffic impacts can be mitigated.

As for the statement in the article by Ted Botens and Bob Walters of the rural coordinating group that 11 homeowners groups have already supported this development, I truly question whether the homeowners themselves from these nine groups (which is all I counted on their signature pages) really know what their presidents signed for them in their behalf. And at least two of these nine presidents, Bill Earnest of Orange Hills and Joe Swain of Cowan Hills, were astute enough about the rules of their organization to sign as individuals only, and not for their boards or homeowners. What about the other seven groups?

I do not wish to negate the work that was done on this agreement, and perhaps every board will eventually ratify it, but until that time, please don’t attempt to wrap up all the homeowners on the east side in a neat little package to present to the Irvine Co. and to the city of Orange to guarantee the homeowners’ silence. I just don’t think you have the right to do that.

TERRI H. SARGEANT

Orange