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way as city officials and representatives from developer National CORE broke ground Monday on a new 19-unit affordable housing project on Avenida Serra. City Councilwoman Lori Donchak said the project was a tangible example of the city’s efforts to allow more people to live and work in San Clemente. The location of the project, two blocks from Avenida Del Mar, was ideally suited, she said, for allowing employees of downtown businesses to walk or bike to work.
Five things San Clemente should know this week Settlement Leaves Ratepayers with $3.3 Billion Electric Bill THE LATEST: Southern California electric ratepayers will have to pay some $3.3 billion in replacement power due to the shutdown of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station as part of a potential agreement reached Thursday between the plant’s owners and utility advocacy groups. Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric, The Utility Reform Network and the California Public Utilities Commission’s Office of Ratepayer Advocates have worked out a tentative agreement on who will pay—customers and utility shareholders—and how much they will pay of the estimated $4.7 billion for the purchase of auxiliary power and expenses related to faulty equipment. SONGS was shutdown in January 2012 after a radiation leak and abnormal wear in new steam generators was detected. Citing rising costs and restart uncertainty, Edison chose to retire the plant in June 2013. WHAT’S NEXT: Through utility bills starting in February 2012, some of the $3.3 billion for replacement power has been collected. Under the proposed agreement, this could continue through January 2021. The agreement does let ratepayers off the hook for the more than $1 billion associated with damaged steam generators. During a call with investors and the media Thursday, Ted Craver, president of Edison International, said the settlement provided a “balanced outcome.”—Jim Shilander and Andrea Papagianis
City Moves Forward with El Camino Parking Lot THE LATEST: The San Clemente City Council voted Tuesday to move forward with plans to build a parking lot at the city-owned site along El Camino Real in North Beach despite the city’s recent loss of Beach Parking Impact Fee monies. The final shape of the lot, however, is still to be decided. Instead, the city will utilize $835,000 of approximately $1.2 million in a developSan Clemente Times April 3-9, 2014
City Councilwoman Lori Donchak, Housing Coordinator Denise Obrero, Lucy Dunn of the Orange County Business Council, National CORE President Steve PonTell and city principal planner Jeff Hook toss some dirt at the groundbreaking of the Avenida Serra affordable housing project Monday. Photo: Jim Shilander
a single access point with traffic coming in both directions in the lot was too reminiscent of other city projects with reputations for bad parking. Councilman Bob Baker, who voted against the project, called it a “terrible waste of money” that wouldn’t alleviate parking issues. FIND OUT MORE: For more on the proposal, visit www.sanclementetimes.com.—JS
La Pata Extension Breaks Ground Friday The San Clemente City Council declined to ban ecigarettes from city parks and trails, like the Forster Ridgeline Trail, Tuesday. File Photo
ers improvement fund created in 2005 with Talega developer fees. The money had been set aside to target North Beach revitalization. A preliminary plan prepared by the city provided 33 parking spaces, with one access point. The city’s proposal also included a decorative archway and other architectural features modeled after other city landmarks. Residents of the area said the lot was necessary. Don Slater said the North Beach Community Association was supportive of the proposal, calling it an important component to the future of North Beach with increasing business in the area. WHAT’S NEXT: The council voted 4-1 to move forward with the project despite having some concerns. Mayor Tim Brown said many features could be “value engineered” to be less costly or removed entirely. Council members Lori Donchak and Chris Hamm expressed concern that
THE LATEST: The long-awaited completion of Avenida La Pata, the road connecting San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente, will finally break ground Friday. The $73 million project, which has been in the county’s transportation plans since the 1960s, will connect the road from its current terminus near Calle Saluda in San Clemente and the Prima Deshecha landfill in San Juan Capistrano. The sections are 2.27 miles apart. WHAT’S NEXT: The project will be completed in three phases. The first will close the gap between the two cities. The second and third phases will include road widening projects. The second and third phases are currently not funded. Work is scheduled to be completed in fall 2016. The groundbreaking will be held at 10 a.m. at Avenida La Pata and Calle Saluda.—JS
Avenida Serra Housing Project Gets Start THE LATEST: A project that had been on the city’s radar since 1998 is finally underPage 3
WHAT’S NEXT: The project will cost $7 million, of which the city’s share is $2.63 million, in addition to an $800,000 loan to purchase the property. John Seymour of National CORE estimates the project will take 15 to 18 months to build. The property will have a live-in manager and 18 units reserved for residents at 30 percent, 50 percent and 60 percent of the city’s average median income. Rents will range from $465 to $900 per month. Seymour said a recent search found an average 1-bedroom apartment in San Clemente cost $1,800 per month. FIND OUT MORE: For the full story, visit www.sanclementetimes.com.—JS
Council Rejects E-Cigarette Ban in City Parks THE LATEST: Citing a lack of scientific data on the potential health effects of ecigarettes, the San Clemente City Council rejected a proposal to ban the devices in city parks, trails, beaches and other areas where regular cigarettes are currently banned. The Beaches, Parks and Recreation Commission recently voted unanimously to approve the proposal. Three council members, Mayor Tim Brown, Bob Baker and Chris Hamm, however, said the lack of definitive scientific data about the effects of the devices on the users and the potential effects of secondhand use made the ban premature. Brown said prohibiting the devices was “a bridge too far,” especially when the Food and Drug Administration had yet to give any indication about any health hazards. WHAT’S NEXT: City staff said law enforcement feared the potential use of marijuana in similar devices if and when it was approved for recreational use in the state.—JS
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