Council rejects DMV at Kaleidoscope and approves inclusionary housing requirements
The City Council on Tuesday hosted a public hearing to consider an application to establish a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) service and office branch in the Kaleidoscope at 27741 Crown Valley. The applicants discussed their proposed project, several residents spoke in opposition to the plans for the area, and after deliberating, the Council rejected the application by a vote of 4-0, with Council Member Wendy Bucknum absent.
A second public hearing was held to consider the establishment of inclusionary housing requirements as referenced in the Housing Plan of Mission Viejo’s 6th Cycle Housing Element, and the Council voted 4-0 to adopt the ordinance.
Council Members also discussed findings from the Community Opinion Survey presented last month and considered a potential ballot measure to increase the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT). Mission Viejo has a lower TOT than surrounding cities and the Orange County average. Survey results show that the community appears to favor making the TOT more in line with other Orange County cities. Therefore, the Council voted 4-0 to place an item on the June 25 meeting to consider authorizing a “Special Tax Ballot Measure” for the TOT to be on the ballot in this November’s General Election.
In addition, Council Members voted to award a contract for law enforcement services for the upcoming fiscal year with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and renewed seven-year agreements to provide animal control and shelter services to the cities of Rancho Santa Margarita and Laguna Hills.
The City Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. Meetings are streamed live on the City’s website and air on Cox Channel 30 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99. Residents are encouraged to sign up for the City's eNewsletter and follow the City's official social media sites for the most accurate, up-to-date information.
Comments
Why does the City control or…
Why does the City control or censor information out to the public? There has not been a single press release about council members going to the Paris Summer Olympics to sign an MOU with the Netherlands Olympic Committee. Here were my Public Comments for the 06/1/2024 Council Meeting:
"This City government purposely makes it difficult or impossible for the public to make informed decisions because of its lack of transparency and the untimely release of reports.
This summer you are sending three public officials on the taxpayer dime to Paris for the Summer Olympics and yet there have not been any public announcements on the City's numerous social media outlets, on what Wendy has called a great accomplishment.
By keeping the details secret, it certainly looks like something nefarious is up.
Give us the details.
What is contained in the Memoranda of Understanding that will be signed with the Netherlands Olympic Committee?
Businesses around the world use Zoom - why is that not an option?
We are promised a deal that will be economically viable for our City. Again. Give us the details.
What are the performance measurements for success?
There is not a business plan or a budget in place. You just keep throwing our tax dollars around for personal agendas.
I remain concerned that Brian, who will be termed out of office, is using public funds to set up a private business enterprise for himself. Brian, you have mocked my comments but have NEVER denied my suspicion. You yourself have stated that you need to find a job once off the council.
And Wendy, before you again come to Brian's defense, please remember that you were removed from office by Order of the Court for unlawfully staying in office beyond your elected term; a ruling that was affirmed by the Court of Appeal.
This Council has not released the itinerary for this tax funded excursion, and also has not released a copy of the contract the City has offered to the Netherlands Olympic Committee.
So, I ask again: Why hasn’t this MOU been presented for public inspection and council discussion?
What are the expectations of the Netherlands Olympic Committee? Free use of our facilities? Are they expecting exclusive use that would exclude American teams from using our facilities?
What efforts have been made to invite the United States Olympic Committee to use our facilities?
What will be the financial benefits for the MV taxpayer? What will be the financial benefits for the Nadadores, where Brian and the city manager's office sit on the Nadadores Board of Directors?
And with all this talk about MV having a sports economy, our 25 top sales tax producers are not driven by a sport’s economy.
The only beneficiary of our UNDEFINED sports economy is the Nadadores, who are subsidized by millions of our tax dollars.
So instead of trying to justify your positions with words without evidence, how about responding to the concerns that I have been raising for months, with factual and timely information so the public can make informed decisions.
Because right now, all we see are three public officials going on another international tax funded holiday."