MISSION VIEJO : City Will Negotiate for New Library Site

A new library, which would almost triple the size of the city’s badly outgrown facility, is one step closer to construction as the City Council last week agreed to negotiate for the purchase of the proposed building site.

By unanimous vote, the council told staff to bargain with the landowner, the Mission Viejo Co., for a 3.7-acre site at La Paz Road and Marguerite Parkway.

The Mission Viejo Co. says the land is worth between $2 million and $2.5 million.

However, the council authorized an independent appraisal, which could take place within 10 days.

The council’s action is part of a plan to build a 25,000-square-foot library to replace the cramped 9,000-square-foot facility used now.

“We’re very excited,” said Councilman Robert D. Breton, “now it’s upward and onward.”

The new library is a joint project of the city and the county library system, which operates the city library on Chrisanta Drive. The city is responsible for purchasing the land, while the county will pay for the building.

However, with the county in tough financial shape, the county agency has guaranteed to provide no more than what it realizes in selling the Chrisanta site.

The building and land have an estimated value of about $1 million.

However, construction costs of the new building will be between $3 million and $6 million. Breton said revenue from state and federal grants, as well as donations from corporations could make up the shortfall.

“Our intent is that the library will be built with those alternate sources of funding,” he said. “If all other sources are exhausted, if the building fund still appears short, as a last resort they will go to the city to make up the difference.”

The council also reorganized the library site search committee, renaming it the Library Committee, and giving it responsibility to help design the library and raise grant funding.

Breton also announced plans to hold a communitywide party on the library site sometime in the next two months. The city will pitch tents, offer refreshments and invite the public to provide input on the library design.