Former Santa Ana Councilman Ted Moreno is defending the Fisher Park residents’ right to a messy creek
Former Santa Ana Councilman Ted Moreno has returned at long last from a self-imposed exile from local community affairs and politics. Moreno was drawn back into the fray by an article posted on this blog on Dec. 18, regarding the efforts by a handful of Santa Ana’s wealthier residents, in the Fisher Park neighborhood, to stop the Santiago Creek bike trail from being completed.
Moreno, was convicted of extortion and money-laundering in an alleged scheme to take control of the Santa Ana City Council and sentenced in February of 2001 to almost five years in prison, according to the L.A. Times. Many residents then and now felt that Moreno was entrapped and my old friend Lou Lopez, who was the first Latino elected to the Anaheim City Council, told me that the same FBI informant who entrapped Moreno, also tried to ensnare him. But Lopez, a retired police officer, ran the other way, while Moreno got caught.
Moreno also took a lot of heat back then for apparently believing that gays and lesbians would be attracted to Santa Ana’s newly established arts district and thereby bring about the moral decline of the city, and that he “was just hoping to make Santa Ana a better place to live,” he is quoted as telling U.S. District Judge Gary Taylor (Source: AJC).
Moreno was also accused of by former Santa Ana Councilman Brett Franklin, of shoving him during a break in a Council meeting, back in March of 1998. He did not however face charges in that incident, according to the L.A. Times.
While Moreno was far from perfect, I admired him for standing up to Santa Ana City Manager Dave Ream – and for fighting for working families. I can’t support his beliefs about the gay community, but in a way he was prophetic as the gay element in Santa Ana has very quickly accrued considerable power in Downtown Santa Ana. We recently caught the new gay bar, the Velvet Lounge, apparently engaging in adult entertainment, which is not allowed by their C.U.P. (conditional use permit).
Here are Moreno’s comments regarding the proposed completion of the Santiago Creek bike trail:
Allow me to introduce myself. I am a former two term councilmember for the City of Santa Ana from 1992 – 2000. I feel confidant that I have a quite a bit of knowledge of how the Santa Ana government functions and its history. By the why, just in case you or your organization feels that I am an elitist too, you are far from the truth. I was blessed three years ago to buy a home on River Lane for me and my family of six. My address is 943 W. River Lane, just in case you feel that I am not providing full transparency of who I am and were I live.
Six months ago is when I became aware of an out town group wanting to turn the Santiago Creek, which is about 150 feet from my property, into a bike trail. My first thought was, “Not a smart idea”. Most of my first gut reactions tend to be correct decisions. The City of Santa Ana does not have the necessary funds or manpower to patrol or beautify the current Santiago Creek bed, which explains all of the over grown plants, graffiti, coyotes and homeless.
While City of Santa Ana staff has become experts in exploding the city’s population demographic needs, when it comes to securing millions in Federal, State, and County funds in order to set into motion gigantic pet projects like the Santiago Creek Bike Trail. It still does not address the issue, that the city still does not have the resources to maintain a safe and clean bike trail. One just has to go along the current Santa Ana River bike trail, in those areas which are located within the city’s bounders, as proof that the city does not have the resources to provide safe and clean bike trail. While it is might be true that a lot of the responsibility of maintaining the Santa Ana River Bed bike trail, might be the County of Orange. The City of Santa Ana can not ignore that they are equally responsible for the safety of the average person who uses Santa Ana River Bed bike trail, within its city boundaries.
I just know for a fact that the affliction that effect the current Santa Ana River Bed bike trail, the homeless and graffiti from both gangs and tagging groups, will flourish beyond control along the Santiago Creek, if the proposed bike trail is completed. Please do not tell me that the homeless are not a concern. While it is true most of the homeless along the Santa Ana River Bed are harmless individuals, some of them are not. I know this for a fact, because before we bought our on River Lane, my family and I rented a home for 33 months on Alona St, which backed up into the 16th tee of the Riverview Golf Course. We could hear physical fights between the homeless at night, yelling at the top of their lung as if they were demon possessed, and three times the fire department responded to out of control fire in the river bed, which were started by the homeless.
I last last issue, please do be a big favor, do not call my neighbors like Ronald Salem an elitist, just because they might have a photo on their Facebook page have a great time with his family on a boat. The bottom line is that many of us in the neighborhood are concerned about our families and properties if this bike trail is constructed. This explains why Fisher Park Neighborhood Association, which had been inactive for about seven years, had standing room only at the Fisher Park Cabin about three months ago. There were over fifty residences from our association that were only concerned about this issue and none of them where in favor of the bike trail. Thank you for waking a sleeping giant.
Sincerely,
Ted Moreno
Will Moreno’s entry into this debate help the anti-bike trail contingency? That is hard to say, but I can’t imagine he will be able to sway anyone on our City Council. Stay tuned…
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Happy new year Santiago Creek.
Bumper:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go&feature=related
There has to be an end to the trail somewhere. I suppose it could end at Main Place and not be the worse thing in the world. Will the trail continuing to the SA River really bring the community together? To be seen I guess...I am sure it will probably be completed at some point and hopefully it is done in a manner that is conducive to both the user, the home owners, and nature. I will look for the PLAN I guess at some point in the future. I for one am one that would actually probably use it from a community perspective although my life is not going to be negatively impacted without it. If it costs too much, it may be negatively impacted in the future though. I can't really see mom's walking the kids and such using it all the way to the SA River though...Memory/Bristol is too hectic. It will bring more people to a nice neighborhood park that the kids enjoy- sometimes less people is goo too depending on who is there. Merry Christmas everyone...
anonster, Thanks for a clear opinion on the reasons for not improving the creek.
(1) “it IS DANGEROUS”
…… so it should be left dangerous for the residents. The FEMA map shows this spot (5 freeway to the Santa Ana River) as flood zone.
(2) “I’ve seen how high the water can get, this bike path will need to be put up higher than the existing foot path”
……. If you get a chance, take a ride on the bike trails of the creek and river. You will find that the trails do dip below the high water mark in many places. And it is posted, “Subject to flooding”
(3) “, I think they will in all practicality be forced to put this trail up as high as possible “ ……. If the trail is at the same height as the part that runs under the freeway and then comes up at Flower, then it would not be visible to the property owners, it would not be near anyone’s back yard, none of the taxpayers trees would need to be cut, and because the part that runs under the freeway would not be unusable during free flowing water, it doesn’t matter that this part wouldn’t be usable too.
……………
Now I noticed another way along CalTrans property. It run along other people back yards so the Fisher Park people can decide for themselves who gets the bike trail.
The trail can head North from beneath the freeway along the strip of land belonging to CalTrans parallel to the freeway and then pop out at the unnamed ally and head West to Flower and hook up with the Memory Lane bike trail already completed.. This alignment would effect about 7 properties, whereas the low alignment would effect zero properties.
Hi TJLocalSA,
We are only petitioning (227 have signed it so far), for a trail between the 5 Fwy and Flower along this creek which is just 0.25 miles. I will connect 5 neighborhoods together in Santa Ana along this creek in addition to Orange and Villa Park.
The cost would be minimal to Santa Ana as the County and State has funds. Recently the OCTA made $12M availabe in Bike Trail grants but Santa Ana did not act and it went to other cities like it has in the past. Residents in Santa Ana are paying taxes and are getting very little back in their neighboorhoods. We will continue to loose while other cities improve because of inaction or lack of agreement or Leadership on our parts and that of our elected officials.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas. If some of you want to become more involved, send me an email at markhikes@aol.com.
Love, Peace, & Joy,
Mark
cook,
The people behind this plan are NOT interested in putting it down the middle of the creek bed, I know because I asked them about that possibility and it was definately a no go.
The creek can be dangerous when it is running but this plan DOES NOTHING for flood control, in fact grading it could cause homeowners trouble and then who would be responsible? The Army Corp of Engineers plan was/is comprehensive, why not just wait 5 years or so and let them do this right?
You people all assume because the other portions of the creek are viable for a bike path that this quarter mile must be too, but that isn't the case. This stretch is ALL SLOPE and is VERY NARROW, it requires taking parts of some people's backyards, cutting down almost all of the trees and grading the entire thing and it would not just get flooded but could get washed away altogether.
Just because a few bike riders WANT it doesn't neccessarily make it a good idea.
Hi Anonster,
It is not just a few bikers. So far in 3 weeks we have 227 individuals and families that have signed this petition which approximates 600 people of all ages that like to take walks, go running, leasure bike rides and those who like to commute to work via bike.
This section of the trail is not narrow. The section in West Floral is narrow which is why we are not asking for a trail plus there is one on Memory Lane.
If any backyards would be taken away, it would be portions of backyards that some homeowners have extended their yards onto and over the city/public owned portion.
If other homeowners wanted to provide easements over portions of their property which is actually on the other side of their fences and is in terrible unmaintained shape, that would be welcomed as a goodwill gesture to avoid removing some trees from the city public section (would be a win-win). Either way, a safe trail can be constructed.
Orange just opened up their new creek trail from Tustin Ave to Santiago Oaks RP. They did this so families can begin enjoying it over the Christmas Holidays of which I have seen many smiling faces including those living on the creek. There also a few homeowners in Orange who were reluctant though the vast majority is happy and change is never easy but is part of life. This is what families and communities is all about. Come up and enjoy the trail and I hope that will soften your heart.
Merry Christmas,
Mark
Mark Lindsey,
Let's be HONEST, people can and do ENJOY THE CREEK NOW, as it is. I see families come through every week-end exploring and having fun on nature walks and some people walk their dogs and other people run there everyday. Just because you need a paved and controlled enviroment in order to enjoy the outdoors is no reason to punish the trees, the birds and all the other critters that live in the creek.
Too bad some people can't open their hearts enough to put their personal need to see every last square inch of Orange County developed that they can't even leave this LAST TINY BIT OF NATURAL CREEK BED ALONE, talk about selfish.
Hi Anonster,
Lets be HONEST, I have heard creek neighbors behind their fences yelling at people hiking along the unmaintained foot path in the creek to get out of "their" creek.
Actions speak louder than emails. Is this more about keeping the public out of the creek under the guise of keeping a few trees?
I have seen families tripping on the path, kids having to push their bikes through and stumbling while their Dads try to help. I also know of folks who have hit their heads on the branches crossing over the path.
The trail even runs along a section that has an approx. 8 ft drop right at the edge of the bank with erosion on the trail.
It is not effective (safe), or efficent. I applaud you for wanting to keep this creek beautiful but it needs to be also be safe for the public to enjoy.
Their are 4 keys (rank ordered behaviours) in making decisions and performing activities that Leaders in Govt and Businesses use in making decisions based on all of the stakeholders needs
1. Safety
2. Courtesy
3. Show
4. Efficiency
It appears some of the homeowners consider their wants outweigh those of the many. It is similiar to the Pareto Principle (The Significant Few and the Trivial Many).
I believe in making a better tommorrow. I am more than happy to take a walk with you and others on this trail to discuss/explore this.
What route is available around this trail?
Following the law, a cyclist must cross Broadway, proceed up to 19th St to turn into floral park, before then turning back around and heading to Fisher Park. This is a 1.8 mile detour! Pedestrians may be able to cut it shorter, but a resident put large plants blocking the walkway into the neighborhood right at Santa Clara and Broadway.
Hey Mark;
In the spirit of generosity and goodwill that you want the current property owners in the creek to have (by "giving" up their land to the public) why not show a little yourself.
Maybe these homeowners would be a little more willing if YOU were to step up and provide them with multi-million dollar umbrella insurance policies. After all why should the burden, RISK, sacrifice and liabilities fall only on a few. This would probably cost you only a few thousand dollars a year and maybe you could get some of your 227 new "friends" to help you "share" the cost. This seems reasonable to me, you know in the spirit of "community" and all.