EYE ON SJC EYE ON THE ELECTION 2016 Creek Road and the widening of Del Obispo. He thinks the “ghost train” can be solved, but the solution “is not simple.” “I think if we can improve our relationship with OCTA and other outside agencies, we’d have a better chance of solving it,” Kramer said. As for parking, Kramer said he doesn’t know exactly where a new structure should go, but the mostly likely spot “seems to be where the playhouse is,” which he noted is in the downtown master plan. Kramer doesn’t see the need for meters right now, but said if a new structure is built the city may have to implement metering to pay it off.
Jim Schneider
Professional Geologist/Professor Regarding the widening of Ortega Highway, Schneider said he’d like to understand the issue more, as he’s heard people say the road in its current state is a “safety issue.” He said the City Council “must have had a compelling reason to not widen it.” “I’m not opposed to widening Ortega, but we’re going to have to use eminent domain, take some of the residents’ land, build 30-foot retaining walls and get rid of a bunch of trees,” Schneider said. “That should be a last resort, but it’s probably inevitably going to happen.” Schneider said the city “wouldn’t have a parking issue if we could revisit the master plan.” He wants to see the entire downtown revitalized in the future by transforming Camino Capistrano into a greenbelt, with added parking structures behind and a back alley for residents and commercial trucks to get in and out. Schneider said retail with livable space above would line the street and the area would become more walkable and bike-able for residents and visitors. “A greenbelt is unique, and something I would like to go to,” Schneider said. “The Mission is a big draw, but comparing ourselves to other cities, I think we need a bigger draw.”
Robert Parks
Retired Disposal Manager Parks said he finds it “ridiculous that we have to pay back the money” for the Ortega Highway widening because “three people on the City Council stopped that project.” “We have a choke point that needs to be widened. Those three people on City Council need to be held accountable for what they’re doing,” Parks said. “I’m going to bring the widening of Ortega Highway back up so we can get it finished. We can still get it done if we sit there and renegotiate everything.” In response to a claim that some officials have made, Parks said that San Juan Creek Road connecting to a new road and relieving congestion “is never going to happen.” Parks said he looks forward to the new hotels helping “a little bit” with parking. He thinks parking meters “would cause more problems than they’re worth.” “We have a big problem. We have to sit down and say, ‘Hey, there’s no place to put more downtown parking; we’re limited to where we can park,’” Parks said.
retaining walls and the inclusion of mature trees. “I don’t think an absolute ‘no’ is a responsible decision,” she said of the widening. “It should be ‘yes’ with conditions, which have to reflect some of the specific needs of our residents.” Lawrence Adams said she wants to see the city utilize its institutional knowledge and staff to create some “short-term pilot parking programs,” such as a community valet program, which could “lead to longterm infrastructure solutions.” She sees parking shortages mainly from Thursday evening to Sunday, and said the city needs to “understand the peak period” and start by freeing up parking that is currently being used by employees, in addition to looking for public-private partnerships. Lawrence Adams added that the focus downtown should be on business retention and not adding more “event uses.” “The Mission funded [a valet program] last year, and we were able to get 30 percent more parking during peak period,” Lawrence Adams said. “I’m cautious about spending taxpayer dollars on quick, kneejerk solutions or Band-Aids. Longerterm solutions involve parking decks and parking structures, no doubt, but they’re not the first answer.”
Ronda Mottl Media Executive
Mechelle Lawrence Adams Director, Historic Mission
Lawrence Adams said she’s in favor of revisiting Ortega Highway in order to improve safety, while also working on project elements such as the height of the
The Capistrano Dispatch September 23-October 13, 2016
Mottl said she was “initially for the widening of Ortega Highway” but recently changed her position on the widening after speaking with more people. She said her “number one priority is safety” and “something has to be done,” but she prefers options such as adding turn lanes or lowering the speed limit. Mottl said with 14,000 homes going into The Ranch, “eventually something will need to be addressed, but why do it twice?” Mottl also noted that the city needs to work with OCTA to address the ghost train because it causes “needless backups.” As for parking solutions, Mottl points to other cities like Laguna Beach, where people pay for parking. She said that if San Juan implemented a similar model, the revenue would “help cover added infraPage 7
structure that we need for parking.” Mottl said she doesn’t know exactly where additional parking should be and would need to look at the zoning requirements. She believes the city should be getting revenue from parking.
Brian Maryott
Financial Services Executive Maryott said he doesn’t support the “current situation with Ortega Highway,” including “some of the arrogance and assumptions that were made” regarding the widening project. “We have four lanes at both ends closing down to two, and it is not a natural traffic situation,” Maryott said. “I don’t think we have a safe situation there now.” Maryott said he supports being a “partner in the process, rather than trying to wait it out to prove a point, and then have it done without our partnership,” which he thinks would ultimately occur. In general Maryott, said he doesn’t think the city has a “terrible traffic issue now.” “I think we have an events issue and maybe a bit of a weekend issue,” he said, adding that he thinks the broader issue in San Juan is “heavy traffic at strange times.” Maryott said he’s “torn” on the “ghost train” issue, because it’s his understanding that it can’t be fixed without going underground or moving the stop, which he feels “adds a certain charm to the city.” Maryott said parking has become more of an issue recently with the “collective renewed enthusiasm for downtown development and redevelopment.” He recommends the city embark on a “collaborative and inclusive” effort to construct a new parking structure downtown.
NEXT WEEK’S ELECTION COVERAGE The next edition of The Capistrano Dispatch will include our annual election guide, which covers all the local and relevant state races and ballot measures.
www.thecapistranodispatch.com