17-1107_PLACEWORKS_F1b_Correspondence 11Matisse Reischl
Subject: FW: Los Rios agenda item Flb
From: Shelly Welcome Sent: Tuesday, November 07, 2017 4:33 PM
To: Kerry Ferguson; Pam Patterson; Derek Reeve; Brian Maryott; Sergio Farias; City Clerk Scanstation
Subject: Los Rios agenda item F1b
Dear Council Members and City Clerk,
I am writing in opposition to building a mini mall in the historic Los Rios District on the Ito property on land that is not
zoned for a mini mall. I am opposed to the city taking money from the developer for traffic and environmental studies.
Sincerely,
Shelly Welcome
San Juan Capistrano resident
From: Shelly Welcome
Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2017 1:00 PM
To:'kferguson@sanjuancapistrano.org' <kf_ er trsr� �anjt4ancap si aL .or >;'ppatterson@sanjuancapistrano.org'
<iapatterson@sanapistrano.org>;'dreeve @sanjuancapistrano.org' <dreeve L@sanivanca�ais�rano.orf,>;
'bmaryott@sanjuancapistrano.org' <bmaryottpsan'suanca istrano.gfg>;'sfarias@sanjuancapistrano.org'
<sfarias@san uan 'cityclerk@sanjuancapistrano.org'<c:ityclerk@sanjuancapistr�ino.oM>
Subject: Los Rios District Development" Huell Howser
Dear Council Members,
My family is a big fan of Huell Howser. We were really sad when he passed away. We have learned a lot about California
and have visited many places in California because of Huell Howser.
My 21 year old son, Milo, who was born and raised here and is a senior at UC Santa Cruz, attended the recent San Juan
Capistrano council meeting. He heard Ms. Ito speak at this meeting about the Ito nursery on Los Rios. He was surprised
by what she stated because he remembered Huell's California Gold episode on San Juan Capistrano. He directed me to
rewatch it the night of the council meeting. Now I am asking you to watch it. Please watch near the end at about the 50
minutes into the video or watch the whole segment about our great city.
haps;% blo.s_chapman.ed�hueII-hawser-archives 2008809 30Aan-Juan-ca isp trano_road-trip-with-huell-hawser-145/
Los Rios is a gem and a historical treasure. Our city Council should be doing everything to preserve it. Our city council
should not be changing zoning so that parts of the Los Rios area can be developed into a mini mall and parking lot. I
understand that the Ito's wish to sell and retire. I do not begrudge them this. They have worked hard for many years on
their business. But developing a mini mall in one of our city's and our state's most precious historical spaces goes
against the zoning and against the historical preservation of the Los Rios district. Sell the property but sell it to a person
who wishes to farm, put in nursery or build a park. Once a mini mall and parking lot are built on this space it is gone
forever.
I do not feel people should besmirch the Ito family's character, and I do not think the Itos should besmirch anyone
else's. Ms. Ito seemed to hint that people who disagree with the selling of her property do not have good
character. This made me sad because one of these families is the Vasquez family who are extremely kind, hardworking
people. Just like the Ito family are kind hardworking people. Jeff and Pam Vasquez raised three children in the Los Rios
1
district. Their oldest son is in medical school and their two other children are working and attending college. This mini
mall building and parking lot will be built practically in their back yard. Lights, traffic, noise directly impacting the space
where they live. They chose to live next to a train knowing the train is loud at times. But they did not choose to be
sandwiched in between train and mini mall because the zoning was not approved for a mini mall. They are good people
who just don't want a mini mall in their backyard in the historic district where they live.
Yes, people rented out their homes in Los Rios and yes, people like the Vasquez family and others living in the Los Rios
district added on to their homes, but they did so within the rules and zoning of the Los Rios district and not to the
detriment of their neighbors.
I live in San Juan Capistrano. At different elections I heard some of the city council members speak out against various
developments in San Juan Capistrano. So I ask,. why are some of you now okay with development within our city? And
why are you okay with developing one of the most historic spaces in our city into a parking lot and mini mall area that is
a traffic nightmare?
This development may provide parking for some businesses in the Los Rios district and that is why these business
owners may be overlooking the impact on their neighbors who this mini mall will directly butt up to. This mini mall may
provide business space but San Juan Capistrano already has empty mini mall spaces around San Juan Capistrano that
are revolving doors of businesses. We also have two huge downtown developments supposedly going in soon. Why
does San Juan Capistrano need another mini mall?
What exactly is the city council's view of what San Juan Capistrano should look like? Just mini malls and parking
lots? Increased traffic? What is your view?
The Los Rios District in San Juan Capistrano is unique. It is beautiful and quaint and has the oldest homes in San Juan
Capistrano. The San Juan City Council should preserve this historical gem and not change the zoning so that another
mini mall and parking lot can be built in this beautiful area. Finally to repeat Huell Howser's glowing assessment of Los
Rios, this area is part of "California's gold". And I emphasize that once it is spent it will be gone forever.
Sincerely,
Shelly Welcome
(resident of San Juan Capistrano for over 22 years)
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