Rezoning Portola Part 4 - Muddled Thinking = Poor Planning

The Portola Auto Center was zoned commercial years ago. It came on hard times, as did several other areas (e.g., the strip along El Toro adjacent to Montbury Park, the shopping center at Muirlands and Lake Forest Drive, etc.), and Brookfield saw an opportunity to make a quick profit by picking up the area at a depressed price, converting it to homes, and selling them off. At the time they moved, the city was in the middle of unprecedented hysteria approving new homes, fueled by tens of thousands of dollars of “campaign contributions” by developers to city council members.

Brookfield put together a poor plan that had so many problems Chairman Tim Hughes had to stop in the middle of his criticisms, lest his critique take the meeting late into the night. Many of these criticisms have already been noted in previous articles

So it came as no surprise that the Planning Commission denied Brookfield’s plans to build their ill-fated condos, and sent them back to the drawing board to do a better job.

But the big surprise is that the Planning Commission voted to approve re-zoning the area from commercial to residential. After all, the zoning designation was part of the General Plan. As one resident pointed out, people in that area had been paying Mello Roos for years, based on that plan. And even though the area had come on hard times, they were no worse than some other areas of the city, and in  fact, there is a thriving auto business still being done in that area, even if the car dealers (except MB) did move out. No other area of the city is being rezoned because of the recession.

Indeed, many people have pointed out that with the 4,000+ new homes scheduled to be built, more than half of which will be within less than a 5 minute drive from the Portola Auto Center, this area will probably see a need for new commercial space. In fact, the City staff pleaded with the City Council to require Brookfield to do a prospective study to examine what the impact of the new homes, and a rising economy, would have on this area. Brookfield refused, and the City Council that profited from tens of thousands of dollars from Brookfield and their associates, supported Brookfield and denied the staff’s pleas.

The bottom line is that we have no idea whether or not this area should be re-zoned from commercial to residential. Brookfield refused to do the study and the City Council refused to require them to do it. Why on Earth, then, would the Planning Commission approve re-zoning the area. The only possible reason to re-zone the area, and it’s a bad reason but at least it’s a reason, is that the Planning Commission had before it a viable plan to create homes. Clearly, from the public comments and the comments from 3 of the Commissioners, the Brookfield plan was not viable. It may, at some future time, if Brookfield can get less greedy and more responsive to City needs, offer a viable plan, but for now the plan is dead. Absent a viable plan, the need to re-zone is mute.

In fact, re-zoning the area in the absence of a viable alternative plan, and without any evidence that the area is best served by being re-zoned, is downright stupid. It may be the case that no one can build homes in this area that will meet our standards and simultaneously produce the profit that the developers require. Brookfield has given this feat its best efforts, and even submitted and revised and resubmitted plans, yet their best efforts (to date) have been woefully inadequate. Now bear in mind Brookfield is a multi-billion dollar company with vast resources. If they can’t produce a viable plan, can anyone else? If no one else can, re-zoning this area means we will create a large gaping hole in the community for decades.

One alternative is to accept sub-standard plans. Let’s build a place that is ugly, inhospitable for children, and that will be so short of parking that people will overflow in every direction. This is what Commissioners Brower and Hamilton argued. Let’s be “business friendly” and “let the market decide” is their mantra. Fortunately, the other three Commissioners have significantly higher standards for what they want in our community. And with a very few exceptions, most of the people in our community who commented, support the majority view.

Bottom line. Here are my recommendations -

1.  The Council should deny the Planning Commission’s recommendation to re-zone the Portola Auto Center. Absent any evidence that the area should be re-zoned, and without a viable alternative plan, it would be self-defeating to re-zone the area. BTW – Any member of the Council who accepted money from Brookfield, Trumark, Foothill Village, the BIA, and all the other people/businesses associated with this project should recuse themselves from any vote.

2.  Brookfield can try to do a better job and re-submit new plans that satisfy the many criticisms of their prior plans, or they can sell their interests to a developer who can create a viable plan, or they can sell it in the free market as the commercial space it is. I’m sure they will probably see some profit from this, since the prospects for this area are much better than they were when Brookfield purchased it.

3.  The Commissioners who have them, should keep their high standards. The Commissioners who don’t have such high standards for our community should look and listen, not only to their more experienced Commissioners, but to the public. Overwhelming opposition to a project or proposal usually is a hint that something is amiss.

 Stay tuned. Brookfield and their buddies will probably be at the City Council to urge them to approve the zoning change and to accept Brookfield's sub-standard plans. You can help. Join with more than 60 fellow residents and oppose the project. Click here for more info.