One more go for Home Ranch

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- Although council members said they have enough

information to make their decisions on the Home Ranch project, they voted

unanimously Monday to hold another special meeting to accommodate

additional public testimony.

The City Council will meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday to give residents a

final opportunity to speak about the project before Nov. 19, when the

panel is expected to vote.

Mayor Libby Cowan and council members Linda Dixon and Chris Steel said

Monday they had enough information to make a decision. Councilman Gary

Monahan had left the meeting because he wasn’t feeling well.

“I haven’t made a decision yet, but I have enough information to try

and decide what testimony is correct. It’s somewhere in between the two

sides,” Cowan said.

Councilwoman Karen Robinson said she wanted to give people as much

opportunity to speak as possible, especially as there were resident

groups requesting more time. Costa Mesa United, which supports the Home

Ranch development, had asked for time to give a special presentation but

withdrew its request.

The council ultimately decided to allow additional comments in

four-minute increments. Members noted that if any group wants to organize

a number of speakers, they could use the time to make a presentation.

Monday’s meeting didn’t lack for comments. Council members heard more

than two hours of public testimony as about 30 people spoke, with the

supporters slightly outnumbering the opposition.

The sides were clearly divided by stickers reading “Yes Home Ranch” or

“Friend of [Costa Mesa Citizens for Responsible Growth].”

The Home Ranch project would convert about 93 acres of the Segerstrom

family’s lima bean field off the San Diego Freeway into a mix of

single-family homes, office and industrial space, and a flagship Ikea

furniture store.

Opponents of the project have complained about the large Ikea

property, potential traffic congestion and the limited number of homes.

Supporters point to the tax revenue the Ikea store would produce for the

city and the need for more high-end office space as reasons to support

it.

Home Ranch supporters had a table with cookies and water -- and

stickers -- outside the chambers, while members of the opposition

scurried around inside, whispering to people to wear a bright green

sticker if they wanted to stop Home Ranch.

In a surprising move, Darnell Wyrick, vice president of Mesa Verde

Community Inc. Home Owner Assn., spoke in favor of the proposed

development.

“I’ve had a change of heart,” he said.

Wyrick said he had written several letters to the council opposing the

project during its early stages. But he wanted to make it clear he had

changed his mind as an individual.

His opinion rebuked the position of fellow community leader and

colleague Cindy Brenneman, Mesa Verde Community Inc.’s president.

“While I respect and admire the position and tenacity of the

opponents, I disagree with their decision not to supportthe project,”

Wyrick said.

Brenneman said she and Wyrick were friends before the Home Ranch

project and will be friends after.

“Intelligent people can agree to disagree,” she said.

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 lolita.harper@latimes.comf7 .