City votes to appeal furlough

Angelique Flores

FOUNTAIN VALLEY -- Citing a laundry list of problems, the City Council

voted 5-0 Tuesday to appeal a county commission’s approval of a

work-furlough facility to the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

In late February, the county’s Planning Commission approved plans to

convert an apartment complex at 12192 Edinger Ave., on the city’s border,

into a halfway house. The facility, administrated by Orange County Youth

and Family Services, would house 50 inmates convicted of lesser crimes

such as drunk driving, writing bad checks or failing to pay child

support.

However, residents and city officials don’t want the facility in their

neighborhood.

The halfway house is inconsistent with zoning plans, would displace 13

families who live in affordable housing and has what the city feels is

inadequate supervision, said Andy Perea, the city’s planning manager. The

complex also stands less than 300 feet away from a school bus stop.

The city is also concerned the facility would generate 2 1/2 times more

traffic -- 240 trips versus 91, Perea said.

But, the city’s strongest argument against the halfway house may be that

the existing building has permit problems, Perea said. The 13-unit

complex has a permit for only 11 units. A Supreme Court ruling, Hansen

Brothers Enterprises vs. the Board of Supervisors, states that a site

that is already not complying with the law cannot be expanded, Perea

said.

“With these grounds, it’s illegal,” Councilwoman Laurann Cook said.

Councilman John Collins agreed.

“You could drop everything else, and this is enough to make sense,” he

said.

The city also expressed irritation with the county’s lack of response to

the city Planning Department’s request for a copy of a Mitigation

Monitoring and Reporting Program document that reports on the entire

project.

Neighbors are upset -- concerned with their children’s safety and the

value of their property.

“Residents are devastated with this,” said Lisa Salisbury, a real estate

attorney who came to speak on behalf of residents who live near the

proposed halfway house.

At least 227 homeowners are opposed to it and are ready to file a

petition in appeal, Salisbury said.

The Board of Supervisors still needs to review the contract between the

county’s Probation Department and its Orange County Youth and Family

Services. Because of the appeal, the project now needs the supervisors’

approval before it can go forward.

“I’m in favor of going forward and doing whatever we can to keep this

from happening,” Councilman Larry Crandall said.

The city plans to file the appeal today.