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GUEST OPINION | Moments in Time by Jan Siegel
The ‘Temporary’ City Hall Is Poised to Get an Upgrade
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As we all know, nothing in San Juan Capistrano ever happens quickly. For at least the past 30 years, there has been talk of replacing the “temporary” City Hall on Adelanto. But the big problem has always been money. And, of course, each year, the cost became higher and higher—so the “temporary” City Hall has been around for almost 50 years! But maybe there is light at the end of this “temporary” tunnel.
City reports state, “Jamboree Housing Corporation, a full-service real estate development company with more than 30 years of experience, specializing in the construction, acquisition, and management of affordable housing for lower-income households, has submitted plans to the City to demolish the existing City Hall buildings and construct a new two-story City Hall and an adjoining three-story, 50-unit apartment building of affordable housing, which would be owned and maintained by Jamboree Housing.”
In exchange for giving Jamboree Housing the right to build a City Hall and apartment complex on the cityowned property, there is no exchange of money. Jamboree builds its units, and the city gets a new City Hall. Jamboree is a nonprofit organization that has grown into a community development leader. As the State of California keeps pushing municipal-
MOMENTS IN TIME ities to build more
BY JAN SIEGEL affordable housing, the need for this type of cooperation between government and the private sector becomes more important. Jamboree not only addresses the affordable and low-cost housing concerns, but the homeless as well. All of their developments have on-site people to help those with mental and drug-related problems. And a certain percentage of their apartments go to veterans. Their corporate strategy “generates jobs, promotes healthy living and supportive housing.”
I always say everything has a San Juan Capistrano connection. And it is true! Roger Kinoshita, Business Development Director for Jamboree, is the grandson/ grandnephew of the Kinoshita brothers who farmed the area that is now The Ecology Center and City Community Center.
One of the cost-saving features for the new City Hall is not having Council Chambers, which is space that is not continually in use. The council and the meetings needed to meet in a chamber would move to the Community Center. The city would update the sound system, add a movable dais, and upgrade the large room to accommodate more people than the current chamber.
This all sounds like a win-win for the city. But like all things in San Juan Capistrano, the process is just beginning. Commissions are weighing in on all aspects of this new project. While the Design Review Committee, the Cultural Heritage Commission, and Planning Commission are in general agreement about the development, there are some concerns about parking and City Hall design—among others—that need to be addressed. But the process is moving on. And, hopefully, it will not take another 30 years to get a permanent City Hall.
This is your city. This will be your City Hall. Spend a “Moment in Time” and let the City Council know how you feel about this changing project in San Juan Capistrano.
Oversight: Oops! Last month, I left off the walking tours in town by the San Juan Historical Guides. The guides meet on the train platform on Verdugo Street every Sunday at 1 p.m. The one-hour walk through the Historic District also visits the Montanez Adobe. Donations are appreciated. For further information, call 949.503.1632. You can also reach them at sanjuanhistoricalguides@gmail.com.
Jan Siegel was a 33-year resident of San Juan Capistrano and now resides in the neighboring town of Rancho Mission Viejo. She served on the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission for 13 years, has been a volunteer guide for the San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library’s architectural walking tour for 26 years and is currently the museum curator for the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society. She was named Woman of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce in 2005, Volunteer of the Year in 2011 and was inducted into the city’s Wall of Recognition in 2007. CD
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ADOPTABLE PET OF THE WEEK
Mocha
THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH
Meet Mocha, a 6-year-old sweetie now available for adoption. Arriving at the shelter after her owner passed away, Mocha was initially very reserved. After having a chance to settle in, her true personality has begun to shine through. Mocha is quite gentle and affectionate and just loves to be petted. She would make a wonderful companion in a quieter home. If you are interested in adopting Mocha, please visit petprojectfoundation.org to download an adoption application form. Completed forms can be emailed to animalservices@scdpanimalshelter.org, and you will be contacted about making an interaction appointment.
Photo: Collin Breaux
WHAT’S HAPPENING: PHOTO FROM THE COMMUNITY
JSerra Catholic High School students got to throw snowballs at each other and slide down an ice hill during a “snow day” on February 3, when more than 50 tons of ice and snow were brought into the school’s quad as a way for students to have fun. View more photos from the event at thecapistranodispatch.com.
Sudoku
BY MYLES MELLOR
SOLUTION: Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle, each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult. Level: Medium
2022 TASTE OF SAN JUAN
PHOTOS & TEXT BY COLLIN BREAUX, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH Plenty of people ate, drank, and celebrated during the 2022 Taste of San Juan at San Juan Hills Golf Club on February 3. The event is an annual showcase for San Juan Capistrano restaurants, which offer samples and compete to win food awards for the night. Tacos, vegetarian curry, and carrot cake bites were among the available dishes. Taste of San Juan is hosted by the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association, which organizes the annual Swallows Day Parade, to kick off the Fiesta de las Golondrinas.
THE RESTAURANT WINNERS
BEST APPETIZER Rancho Capistrano Winery
HONORABLE MENTION Five Vines Wine Bar
BEST DESSERT La Michoacana
HONORABLE MENTION Nothing Bundt Cake
BEST MAIN COURSE Sol Agave
HONORABLE MENTION Il Sole Cucina
MOST ORIGINAL Sol Agave
HONORABLE MENTION Il Sole Cucina
SWALLOWS CUP
(BASED ON MOST OVERALL VOTES) Sol Agave
SAN JUAN PREP SPORTS ROUNDUP
BY ZACH CAVANAGH, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH
For in-game updates, news and more for all of the San Juan Capistrano high school sports programs, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCSports.
The CIF-SS basketball brackets were released on Tuesday, Feb. 8, and three San Juan Capistrano boys teams received playoff berths into their respective divisions.
In Division 2AA, the Capistrano Valley Christian boys basketball team continued its climb in the hoops ranks and earned a No. 1 seed. The Eagles host Downey in the first round on Friday, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m.
CVC went 18-7 overall this season and finished second in the increasingly tough San Joaquin League with a 6-2 league record. The Eagles’ only two league losses came by five points and nine points to league champion Fairmont Prep of Anaheim, which is in the Division 1 playoff field.
Capistrano Valley Christian lost in the Division 2A quarterfinals last season and in the Division 2AA quarterfinals in 2020. The Eagles won the Division 3A championship in 2019.
In Division 2A, San Juan Hills added another accolade to its best season in program history with the No. 1 seed. The Stallions were given a first-round bye and host the Aquinas-Citrus Valley winner in the second round on Tuesday, Feb. 15.
San Juan Hills set a school record in wins with an overall record of 23-4 and went undefeated in league play for the first time at 6-0. The Stallions defended their first-ever league title with a back-to-back title performance in the Sea View League.
In Division 1, JSerra earned an at-large berth. The Lions will travel to Oak Park, champion of the Coastal Canyon League, and play on Friday, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m.
JSerra posted a 15-9 overall record and finished fourth in the Trinity League at 4-6. All six teams in the Trinity League qualified for the playoffs in their respective divisions, including league champion Mater Dei being selected as the No. 6 seed in the eight-team Open Division.
The basketball second round will be played on Tuesday, Feb. 15, with the quarterfinals on Friday, Feb. 18. Semifinals are Feb. 22, and finals are Feb. 26.
Capistrano Valley Christian and San Juan Hills boys basketball both earned No. 1 seeds in their respective CIF-SS divisions to highlight the wide field of San Juan Capistrano playoff teams. Photo: Zach Cavanagh
San Juan Hills, JSerra, St. Margaret’s, CVC Soccer Teams Qualify for Both Boys, Girls Playoffs
Four San Juan Capistrano soccer programs qualified their boys and girls soccer teams for the CIF-SS playoffs.
On the boys side, JSerra earned its spot in the Division 1 playoffs. The Lions play at Valencia of Placentia in the first round on Friday, Feb. 11, at 5 p.m. JSerra finished 13-3-1 overall, second in the Trinity League (8-2) and No. 6 in the final Division 1 rankings.
San Juan Hills’ boys, fresh off their first South Coast League championship, get a home game in Division 2. The Stallions host Beckman in the first round on Friday, Feb. 11, at 5 p.m. San Juan Hills finished 7-2-7 overall and went unbeaten in league play (4-0-4).
St. Margaret’s boys team won the San Joaquin League title, and the Tartans host Cornerstone Christian in the Division 5 first round on Friday, Feb. 11, at 3:45 p.m.
The Capistrano Valley Christian boys soccer team earned a wild-card spot in Division 7, but the Eagles couldn’t make the most of their home game in a 4-0 loss to El Monte on Wednesday, Feb. 9.
On the girls side, both San Juan Hills and JSerra qualified for the Division 1 field. San Juan Hills repeated as South Coast League champions with a share of the league title, and the Stallions will host Santa Margarita in a South County clash on Saturday, Feb. 12, at 5 p.m. JSerra, which finished third in the Trinity League, goes on the road for its own South County showdown at Capistrano Valley on Saturday, Feb. 12, at 5 p.m.
St. Margaret’s girls team goes on the road in Division 4 to face St. Joseph of Lakewood in the first round on Saturday, Feb. 12, at 1 p.m.
The Capistrano Valley Christian girls team earned a seeding in the Division 7 bracket. The No. 4 Eagles will host San Gabriel in the first round at Vista Hermosa Sports Park in San Clemente on Saturday, Feb. 12, at 1:30 p.m.
The finals for boys and girls soccer will be played on Feb. 26.
Capistrano Valley Christian Highlights Girls Basketball with No. 1 Seed
Two city teams made the CIF-SS girls basketball playoff field.
Capistrano Valley Christian earned top marks as the No. 1 seed in Division 5AA. The Eagles will host the Academy for Academic Excellence in the first round on Friday, Feb. 11 at 5 p.m.
CVC went 12-6 overall and finished second in the Academy League with a 6-2 record.
In Division 2A, San Juan Hills claimed its spot with its first-ever South Coast League championship. The Stallions will host Beckman on Saturday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m.
San Juan Hills had previously earned three league championships in the Sea View League. The Stallions had a combined 11-29 record over five previous seasons in the South Coast League, with its best finish at 4-4. This season, San Juan Hills posted the program’s fourth 20-win season with a 20-8 overall record and went 7-1 in the South Coast League.
San Juan Hills, JSerra Girls Water Polo Win in First Round
San Juan Capistrano had only two girls water polo teams in the CIF-SS playoff ranks, but both earned seedings in their respective divisions and dominant first-round victories.
San Juan Hills, the No. 3 seed in Division 2, defeated Canyon of Anaheim, 16-5, at home on Wednesday, Feb. 9. The Stallions next host Downey in the quarterfinals on Saturday, Feb. 12. Downey beat Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks, 8-6.
JSerra, the No. 2 seed in Division 5, went on the road and beat Pacifica of Garden Grove, 13-4, on Tuesday, Feb. 8. The Lions next traveled to Fontana for the second round on Thursday, Feb. 10. Results were not available at press time, but if JSerra won, the Lions would host the Fountain Valley-Cerritos winner in the quarterfinals on Saturday, Feb. 12. CD
