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Potential

May 16, 2013 in City Council, Highlands Guy's Thursday Columns, Our Future, Our Priorities, Planning & Community Development

(Los Alamitos, 5/16/2013) Our Thursday columnist hits the nail on the head once again!  by Highlands Guy: 

po•ten•tial:  adjective:

  1. Possible, as opposed to actual: the potential uses of nuclear energy.
  2. Capable of being or becoming: a potential danger to safety.
  3. Grammar . expressing possibility: the potential subjunctive in Latin; the potential use of can in I can go

I hate to say it, but Los Alamitos just isn’t there yet. By that I mean it has not yet reached its potential.

Think about it. With all its natural, cultural, and man-made resources it should be one of the best places to live in this little corner of the world.

At 33°48′8″N 118°3′52″W , it doesn’t get as hot as just little father in-land and it doesn’t suffer from the overcast days like the nearby coastal communities. The temperature rarely gets up to, or down to, any extreme number.

Coyote Creek keeps us safe from historical flooding. Freeway access in any directions is just a few of minutes away. Less than 5 miles to the sand. And although we’re in the middle of a concrete jungle, most neighborhoods are lined with trees.

First responders can be at your door within 5 minutes. The school experience is rewarding for students at the highest levels as well as those needing a little extra push. And we now have Read the rest of this entry →

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An overview of the Measure L and Measure A parcels

May 11, 2013 in Cypress, LART ("Los Al Race Track" property), Our Future, Planning & Community Development

Prologis Project Building Layout cropped(Los Alamitos/Cypress, 5/11/2013) I finally located it!  And when I saw the big picture of  Measure L and Measure A’s land mapped out, I was shocked.

And, if you’ll read on a few more paragraphs, you can see with your own eyes exactly what’s going on.

By now most of us are familiar with the  33 acres last year’s Measure L rezoned, supposedly so a Senior’s community could be built between Cottonwood Church and the Marriott Inn.  That’s the parcel pictured  to the left, with ProLogis’ originally proposed Logistics Center squeezed between the church and the Marriott.

Many of us also know Measure A rezones almost 37 more acres of the old Golf Course, this time the “back nine” holes along Cerritos between Lexingotn and the Seacoast Grace Church .   But the location of the 11 acres of  Race Track land that Measure A would also rezone has been a bit of a mystery.

When you look at the picture below, a lot of things will become clear.  Maybe too clear:  Read the rest of this entry →

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A Seal Beach resident reports on ProLogis’ Carson Logistics facility

May 5, 2013 in Cypress, LART ("Los Al Race Track" property), Our Future

Prologis Carson sign 3PL Global LLC (2)(Seal Beach, 5/5/2013) Enea Ostrich lives in Seal Beach’s College Park East and works in the transportation industry.  Her work gives her great insight, and great concern, about ProLogis’ planned 625,000 square foot, 33 acre Logistics Center  in Cypress.  

Enea recently visited a ProLogis facility in Carson, and I asked her to share what she learned:

by Enea Ostrich:  As we know by now, Prologis, the Real Estate Investment Trust, plans to build a truck distribution center on  Katella  at Enterprise Avenue.

It appears they are not talking about regular trucks at all, but container trucks that circulate from and to the port of LA/LB and are 20 feet to 45 feet long. The capacity weight in tare weight (empty) is 6,000 lbs to 12,000 lbs. The normal additional cargo weight in those containers vary from 20,000 lbs to 40,000 lbs.

This equals destruction of our city roads, period. In another detailed written information piece, I will be posting for you the photos of the trucks and roads in Carson–it is sickening.

This IS about quality of life lost to everyone if Prologis gets their way and builds this facility.  If we don’t fight this, it can and will affect the following communities:

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HG on Squishy Goals (More thoughts on Los Al’s 2013-14 Budget)

May 2, 2013 in City Budget, City Council Meetings, Highlands Guy's Thursday Columns, Our Future, Our Priorities

(Los Alamitos, 5/2/2013)In work in both the private and public sectors I’ve always been taught that  goals must be measurable.  So I was shocked to read the “goals” for our Council, City Manager, and others cited by our Highlands Guy below!

 Once again our Thursday columnist asks some very good questions, especially in light of this Monday’s 6 pm Council Session on the 2013-14 budget.  by Highlands’ Guy:

Yes, the Prologis/Cypress mess is still with us. And yes, there are still a lot of good neighbors from Cypress, from Los Al, from Rossmoor, from Long Beach, from Garden Grove still fighting the good fight.

But, as I noted last week, there are still other issues that must be prepared for and responded to with intelligence, insight and common sense. It is with this in mind that I offer some thoughts to our City Council on getting ready for the 2013/14 budget process that continues at the 6 pm portion of their Special Council Meeting this Monday, 5/6/2013.

Maybe the best way to determine if our city officials have been effective is to look at the “department goals” set down in stone in Read the rest of this entry →

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Rossmoor Homeowners Assn on ProLogis

April 27, 2013 in LART ("Los Al Race Track" property), Our Future, Rossmoor, Schools

lahsmasks(Rossmoor, posted 4/27/2013:)  This letter speaks for itself, and speaks wisely and clearly of the impact of the ProLogis terminal to tens of thousands of local residents, especially our youth and seniors (bold added):

 

Mr. David Boyer, President
Los Alamitos Unified School District Board of Education
Dr. Sherry Kropp, Superintendent
Los Alamitos Unified School District

Dear Mr. Boyer and Dr. Kropp:

The Rossmoor Homeowners Association is deeply concerned about the potential health and safety risks that would affect students at the Los Alamitos Unified School District as a result of the proposed Prologis warehouse in Cypress. RHA hopes that the school district joins us in opposing this project as it is currently designed.

Such a massive industrial facility has no place in a neighborhood that has residential streets, churches, a nursing home, a hospital, a large Read the rest of this entry →

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In Memorium. Again. Across the continent, yet close to home.

April 16, 2013 in 2013 Issues, National Issues, News you can use, Our Future, Our Priorities, Perspective

(Los Alamitos, 4/16/2013)”The Race on the Base” isn’t the Boston Marathon, but they have a lot in common.

Thousands spending months in preparation.

Friends and family coming out to cheer.

An event that pulls a community together.

Capped by a race, exertion, completion, exhileraton, joy . . .

but, until Monday, 4/15/13,  no one would expect. . .

an explosion

chaos

pain

blood

and death.

As someone who’s run in a few marathons, I can imagine myself or my brother-in-law running towards that finish line, exhausted but exhilarated  . .

or my wife and kids at the end cheering. . . and then. . . a huge blast, pain, confusion. . .

Another grim reminder to never, never take those we love for granted.

Our kids, parents, siblings, spouses, neighbors. . . Los Al PD, OCFD, yes, even our Council Members. . . .

But this post is above politics.

It’s a reminder to keep the victims, their families, our first responders, our military, our leaders and our nation in our thoughts and prayers and hearts.

It’s an opportunity for you to express your perspective and thoughts,

for us to affirm what matters most,

to reflect

to pray

to put life’s first priorities first

to never Read the rest of this entry →

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David vs. Goliath, Part 2

April 14, 2013 in Inspiration, LART ("Los Al Race Track" property), News you can use, Our Future, Weekend Wisdom

(West Orange County, CA, 4/14/2013) Warning:  This is  primarily a community website, not a “religious” one.   However,  our contributors and our community include many with deep spiritual convictions.  As on of them, I occasionally put up a “Weekend Wisdom” post from my own spiritual perspective.  This is one of them.

If that might offend you, or you’re not interested, just skip this post.  Regardless of your religious convictions, if you live in and care about Cypress, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, Seal Beach, West Garden Grove or any of the surrounding communities,  you’ll find plenty of interest in this community blog. 

As our community prepares to fight tow very monied special interests over the next few months, I put up a couple inspirational posts to prepare us for battle over the last two days.

On Friday, our “Rossmoor Columnist”  told a cautionary tale from his days with the L.A. District Attorney’s office on “David vs. Goliath:  Goliath Wins!”

Yesterday, I took inspiration from, of all people, Kobe Bryant and his response to his season ending injury Friday night in “Kobe’s 3 am Facebook post/rant on dealing with adversity.”

Without criticizing Kobe’s amazing determination, I’d like to add (or at least embellish)  what for me is my most important source of motivation, strength, and wisdom, the spiritual dimension.

As David explained to King Read the rest of this entry →

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Scores jam Scoping meeting, Cypress extends EIR public comment deadline

April 3, 2013 in City Council, Cypress, Decency, LART ("Los Al Race Track" property), Our Future, Safety, Traffic, Your reporting and comments

4 3 Cypress Prologis EIR meeting(Cypress, 4/3/2013) Mid day Thursday update:  I’m hearing reports of some come confusion resulting from the signs posted at last night’s meeting indicating the deadline for public comments was extended to next Wednesday, 4/10.  I’m told some residents thought that another meeting would be held then at the Clubhouse, but that is not the case.  Input must be delivered or mailed Douglas Hawkins, 5275 Orange, Cypress 90630 or e-mailed to 33AcreProject@ci.cypress.ca.us. No second meeting is planned, although the Cypress City Council will meet this Monday at 7 pm.

Scores of concerned Cypress, Rossmoor, and Los Alamitos residents and Los Al officials crowded both sides of the former Cypress Golf Course Clubhouse to express their concerns about the proposed 33 acre ProLogis Logistics hub.

It was designed as an interactive event, which worked well.   It provided an excellent opportunity to interact with staff of the Environmental Impact Firm, public officials from Los Alamitos, and Cypress’ Planning Director.

prologis plans4cyp (2)The good news is that Cypress has wisely extended the time for the public to comment on potential environmental issues/impacts that should be addressed in the EIR to a week from today, Wednesday, 4/10/2013.

I left convinced that a primary focus needs to be   Read the rest of this entry →

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“The worst place in Orange County for this project?” My EIR letter

April 2, 2013 in 2013 Issues, About Dave Emerson, Cypress, Decency, LART ("Los Al Race Track" property), News you can use, Our Future, Safety, Traffic

(Los Alamitos, 4/2/2012)  Today is the last day for the public and local agencies to submit their Environmental Impact Report concerns for the draft EIR report on the proposed ProLogis trucking/industrial site on the Old Cypress Golf Course’s southern portion.

I wrote mine last night.  I could have kept writing, but ran out of time. . . not concerns.  I live to the southwest of the project.  Those living to the north, northwest, east, and south of the project probably have equal concerns.

The bottom line is, all the communities surrounding the complex are already gridlocked.  The last thing we need is 12 NFL Football fields of interior cubicles filled with office workers, or 250 truck bays with hundreds of trucks large and small arriving 24/7, or any combination of the two.

Read on for my perspective.  Feel free to cut & paste to make it easier for you to get yours e-mailed before today’s deadline, although it’s Read the rest of this entry →

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Council anti-trucking terminal vote not as good as I thought!

April 1, 2013 in 2013 Issues, City Council, Cypress, LART ("Los Al Race Track" property), Our Future, Safety

O. H w troy, art, Nancy Schultz

(from right) Council Member Troy Edgar and Planning Commissioner Art DeBolt discuss their concerns with ProLogis V.P. Nancy Shultz at the project’s Open House.

(Los Alamitos, 4/1/2013) (No fooling, this time!)

Turns out when we didn’t have the full story when we reported late Thursday night  that “Los Al Council votes 5 – 0 to oppose Prologis project.”

That was based on a brief text message we received from a very reliable source after the meeting.

However, due to the following Friday being a “black Friday” with City Hall closed, we didn’t get a reply to our e-mail from our City Clerk until this morning.

Here’s the complete story, from that e-mail:

Read the rest of this entry →

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