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Home My WebLink About03/15/1978 . . . . > MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA MARCH 15, 1978 The Special Meeting of the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Santa Ana was called to order by Chairman David Brandt at 5:07 P.M. in the Council Chambers, 22 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, California. After the pledge to the Flag, roll was called: PRESENT ABSENT David Brandt Gordon Bricken Vernon Evans John Garthe James Ward Harry Yamamoto David Ortiz (arrived at 5:22 P.M.) Others in attend ance: Richard E. Goblirsch, Executive Director Tom Hammill, Associate Real Property Agent Stacey Creveston, Secretary Bruce Spragg, City Manager Keith Gow, City Attorney CONTINUATION OF CONDEMNATION PUBLIC HEARING - RESCUE MISSION Chairman Brandt announced that this was the time and place for the continuation of the public hearing of the public convenience and necessity to acquire by condemnation property located at 214 North Sycamore Street for redevelopment purposes. The Chairman stated that the hearing would be conducted on a rotation basis by first hearing from three of the persons against the condemnation, and then three of the persons in favor of the condemnation, and so on. Speakers against the condemnation of the Rescue Mission were: Steve Braselton, 2005 Balerick, Costa Mesa, Treasurer for the Rescue Mission Lorin Griset, 2321 N. Linwood, Santa Ana Paul Butler, Administrator for the Rescue Mission Phil Blanchard, 214 N. Sycamore (Rescue Mission) Dick Ericson, 6152 Bedford Drive, Huntington Beach, Board Member of Rescue Mission Dick Timboe, 2727 N. Bristol, Santa Ana Reverand Richard Thompson, 1208 S. Mohawk Drive, Santa Ana Ron Weatherspoon, 810 S. Sullivan, Santa Ana Bill Pothoff, 675 Stanley Avenue, Long Beach The speakers against the condemnation of the Rescue Mission stated that they wished to continue with the work of the Rescue Mission in Santa Ana; that if they had to relocate, they wished to be granted a use permit; their proposed new location would keep their clientele off the street; they would provide a 24 hour pick-up service in cooperation with the police department to pick the drunks up in the downtown and take them back to the Rescue Mission; they are seeking a facility for the sole purpose of rehabilitating the men; they save the taxpayers about $50 for each drunk they take in, rather than have them go to jail; they provide the needy with a place to sleep, food, clothes and religion; the Mission is saving . . . . lives and souls daily; if the Rescue Mission is not allowed to operate in Santa Ana there will be more transients roaming around the streets and sleeping in parking lots; Rescue Mission is needed in the same way as hospitals, jails and police departments are needed; the Rescue Mission has been helping many men from many different ethnic backgrounds; many men are returned to society. Speakers in favor of the condemnation of the Rescue Mission were: zika Djokovich, 311 N. Main, Santa Ana Richard Beem, 223 W. Fourth Street, Santa Ana Ted Jessee, 2014 N. Westwood, Santa Ana John W. Hill, 1117 N. Concord, Santa Ana David Flaherty, 116 W. Fourth Street, Santa Ana Tom McLean, 201 N. Main, Santa Ana Michael T. McLean, 201 N. Main, Santa Ana Howard Way, 925 N. Flower, Santa Ana Mrs. M. Djokovich, 311 N. Main, Santa Ana The speakers in favor of the condemnation of the Rescue Mission stated that many boards and commissions are attempting to rejuvenate the downtown and that the Rescue Mission is a detriment to the downtown; they are trying to bring more businesses back into the downtown; every morning the clientele of the Rescue Mission are turned out into the streets; the downtown businessmen must call the police department daily to have the drunks picked up that hang out in front of their place of business; businessmen in the downtown are losing customers because of the harassment of panhandlers and aggressive transients; businesses are clsoing because of the condition of the downtown; women are afraid to come downtown to shop; need better tenants and higher class stores in the downtown; the more people the Mission attracts and brings into the area, the harder it is to bring businesses into the area; the Mission site is needed to provide necessary parking in the area; an agreement was entered into to convey this property to a developer for parking purposes; Rescue Mission is incompatible with the redevelopment of the downtown area; men have been sighted in doorways urinating. A motion was made by Mr. Bricken and seconded by Mr. Yamamoto to close the public hearing. The motion did not carry. A motion was made by Mr. Bricken, seconded by Mr. Yamamoto and carried by the following roll call vote to instruct both sides (the pros and cons of the condemnation) to provide one more "wrap-up" speaker. AYES: NOES: ABSENT: Brandt, Bricken, Garthe, Ward, Yamamoto Evans, Ortiz None At 6:29 P.M., the Chairman called for a recess. The meeting was reconvened at 6:38 P.M. with all Agency members present. Chairman Brandt announced that the public hearing would close after each side had one more speaker. Commissioner Evans stated that it was his understanding that the Rescue Mission had filed for a conditional use permit on their proposed new location, and suggested that the Agency hear the last speakers, close the public hearing, take no action to continue the public hearing on the basis that the Rescue Mission might have a new location to move to, and that condemnation would not be necessary. Mr. Steve Braselton readdressed the Agency stating that the Rescue Mission was desirous of cooperating, but condemning their present facility without allowing them a conditional use permit for a new . . . . location, was not acceptable to them. Mr. Braselton stated that he found it favorable to take Commissioner Evans' suggestions and work toward that end. Mr. Zika Djokovich readdressed the Agency stating that he felt that Commissioner Evans' suggestions were out of time and place; that the downtown businessmen have lived with the problem in the downtown for five to six years. He feels this is not only a problem for downtown Santa Ana, but all of Orange County. He suggested that the Agency proceed with the condemnation and not use delays to postpone the decision. Mr. Djokovich hopes that the downtown can be redeveloped so that it can bring more people in and create more business. He further stated that the Rescue Mission, bars, movie houses and prostitute houses in the downtown are an absolute blight and cancer to the whole spirit of Santa Ana and hopes that the Agency will become the surgeons and cut this cancer out. The Chairman announced that the public hearing was now closed. Each of the Agency members expressed their concerns for and against the condemnation of the Rescue Mission, and the general condition of the downtown. Commissioner Garthe left the meeting at 6:45 P.M. A motion was made by Mr. Bricken and seconded by Mr. Ward to move that the Agency take action to condemn the property that the Rescue Mission now occupies for the purposes stated, and that the Agency delay implementation of the legal proceedings of condemnation as they are understood by the City Attorney until such time that the use permit that is being processed through the City of Santa Ana is resolved. Before the motion Agency members. discussion ensued between the acted was on, Mr. Ortiz made a motion to amend the motion to adopt Resolution 78- 7: A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CONDEMNATION OF CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY FOR REDEVELOPMENT PURPOSES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA IN THE CITY OF SANTA ANA, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND DECLARING THE PUBLIC NECESSITY THEREFOR. The motion died for a lack of a second. The Agency asked the Planning Director if the Rescue Mission had applied for a conditional use permit. The Planning Director replied that a conditional use permit had been applied for and that the process usually took approximately 60 to 90 days to complete. The standing motion was amended to read as follows: A motion was made by Mr. Bricken, seconded by Mr. Ward and carried by the following roll call vote to move that the Agency take action to condemn the property that the Rescue Mission now occupies for the purposes stated, and that the Agency delay implementation of the legal proceedings of condemnation as they are understood by the City Attorney for 90 days or until such time as the conditional use permit application has run its course, and report back to the Redevelopment Agency after the 90 days period. AYES: NOES: ABSENT: Brandt, Bricken, Evans, Ward Ortiz, Yamamoto Garthe ,----, . . . . ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Community Redevelopment Agency, the meeting was adjourned at 7:30 P.M. upon the motion of Mr. Evans, seconded by Mr. Yamamoto and carried unanimously. ~~1a..,~ David L. Brandt, Chairman ~~¥ ~/ Richard E. Gobllrsch Executive Director