YORBA LINDA : City OKs Property Purchase for Center

After a month delay, the City Council has approved plans to purchase an old Chevron service station site and build a new community center there.

The council voted unanimously last week to buy the 3.16-acre property at the southwest corner of Casa Loma Avenue and Imperial Highway for $677,550. Ground is scheduled to be broken early next year for the 25,000-square-foot community center, which will include meeting rooms for groups such as senior citizens’ organizations, arts and crafts clubs and the Chamber of Commerce.

The $5-million facility will be just down the street from City Hall.

The final action was delayed last month when Councilman John M. Gullixson recommended that the city postpone the purchase until after the council receives a redevelopment plan for a 328-acre area that includes downtown Yorba Linda.

Several council members have speculated that the redevelopment plan will recommend construction of a community center downtown rather than at Casa Loma Avenue and Imperial Highway. City officials expect to receive a draft of the redevelopment plan in October or November.

Even so, Gullixson said that he has since become convinced that the city could use the Chevron property “whether for the community center project or not.”

As a result, he joined with his colleagues in approving the plans to purchase the property.

The delay in purchasing will not affect construction and design plans, City Manager Arthur C. Simonian said. The city also will spend $8,000 over the next two months to study environmental conditions at the Chevron site.