In honor of the city’s 50th Anniversary, Los Alamitos City Council members had the first meeting away from City Hall on Monday, March 1.
The meeting, held at St. Isidore Plaza Hall, was one of at least three to be held away from City Hall this year as an opportunity to show residents some of the historical facilities around the city. Other meetings are also scheduled for the Los Alamitos Museum, the Joint Forces Training Base and possibly Los Alamitos High School. No dates have been set for the other meetings.
Several members of the Comite del Amor, which is working on fundraising to buy the Plaza from the Diocese of Orange, were in attendance and welcomed the council to the hall, which a good crowd filled.
Mayor Marilynn Poe gave a brief history of St. Isidore’s, the oldest building in the city. She said the group has until 2013 to raise $1.3 million. Once purchased, the group plans on beginning renovations and applying for state historic site status.
Comite del Amor President Maria Teresa Diaz said the plaza stands as the best architectural jewel in the city.
“We need to get the voices heard to help make the dream come true,” Diaz said.
Candace DeWitt Drucker of the Comite said a membership drive will begin in the near future to bring more supporters into the mix as part of the fundraising effort. The current hall will be made into a community center if funding is gathered.
In discussion items, the council agreed by a 4-1 vote to consider a resolution of intention regarding possible rezoning and change in general plan designation at 4141 Katella and 10909 Portal.
At its Feb. 16 meeting, the council expressed concerns on the property, which was expected to house a Melting Pot restaurant and a dialysis center. Little movement had been seen on the restaurant because of funding issues in the two years since the land use designation was changed from planned industrial to light business in 2008 in anticipation of the businesses.
Council member Gerri Mejia said changing the designation would force the business out. “I don’t want Los Alamitos to be seen as non business friendly,” Mejia, who voted against the measure, said.
Council member Troy Edgar said the project was fast tracked by the previous council. The idea of having a restaurant and a dialysis center together concern him as well as the 18 months since the project was approved.
“I have no view on whether we rezone or not,” Edgar said. “If this is our idea of fasttracking, however, we have a problem.”
Any change in zoning would be preceded by an amendment to the City’s General Plan, which it is looking into. A California Environmental Quality Act review must also be conducted.
The Planning Commission then has 45 days after receiving the resolution to conduct a public hearing and send its recommendation to the Council within 90 days.
Poe said the General Plan is 15 years old and the city is looking to update it anyway. “This could just be part of it,” Poe said.
In other news, Poe and Mayor Pro Tem Ken Stephens were named as an ad hoc subcommittee to weigh criteria utilized in the selection process for a new solid waste bidder. The committee will work with city staff on the Request for Proposals which are to be submitted to City staff March 19. The council is expected to select a contractor at its April 19 meeting. The contract would then begin Jan. 1.
