BREA : Two Development Proposals Rejected

The City Council has rejected two proposals to build residential units and retail outlets on a seven-acre downtown block that includes a strip of land the city is seizing to widen Imperial Highway.

The council voted 4 to 1 last week to reject the proposals, saying the developers failed to provide sufficient information about their financial ability and expertise to complete the projects.

Instead, the council decided to invite 10 developers, including the two whose initial proposals were rejected, to submit new proposals. Three finalists will be selected, with one picked later to do the project, officials said.

One of the rejected proposals was submitted by Marina Vega, owner of the contested property at Imperial Highway and Brea Boulevard, who wanted to build 120 condominium units and a small commercial building in partnership with a developer.

About 2,000 square feet of Vega’s 14,000-square-foot property has been acquired by the city for the widening of Imperial Highway. How much the city will pay for the 2,000 square feet is the subject of a court case between the city and Vega.

Councilwoman Kathryn E. Wiser voted to approve Vega’s proposal, saying she deserves an opportunity to develop the remainder of her property along with the adjacent area the city wants developed.

The other proposal was submitted by Anchor Pacifica, which offered two alternatives: 234 residential units and 21,500 square feet of commercial space or 145 units with 27,300 square feet of commercial space.

In a report to the council on the Vega proposal, Redevelopment Services Director Sue Georgino said the city and the Redevelopment Agency are being asked to finance the land and construction costs prior to the sale of the housing units. Georgino said it would be hard to sell the residences because 42 are one-bedroom units and a recent city study showed that most home buyers want two bedrooms.

Karen Vega, Marina Vega’s daughter-in-law, said they will consult with their developer, Regis Homes, before deciding whether to revise their proposal.

Karen Vega described Regis Homes as one of the largest building companies in Southern California, having built residential complexes such as Promontory Point in Newport Beach, the Lakes in Santa Ana and the Canyons in Yorba Linda.

“I think my mother is discriminated against because of my political activism,” said Bill Vega, a constant critic of the council on redevelopment matters.

Georgino said the city’s Development Committee, which includes members of the council, reviewed the proposals and recommended that they be rejected. She said the proposed projects did not meet the standards favored by a citizens group formed in 1989 to design the downtown area.