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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I have hiked many great nature trails that did not need to be paved over...if we really want to enjoy nature, how about a middle ground? Maintain a nice dirt trail that can be hiked...if that means that some branches need to be trimmed or the dirt graded a bit, I can't really imagine that it would be a problem. Work with the homeowners, figure out where ppty lines are at, and make it work. Rec'd today the flyer on the porch with many good arguments against the trail...
above post at 12:15 was TJLocalSA...new computer.
If a public trail is provided either on the currently city owned portion, or if easements are obtained, or a combination, then then is no liability on the homeowners.
At the present, since portions of the current foot path is on portions of privately owned property that no one is maintaining (keeping safe), there is lots of risk.
Once again to maintain the status quo puts those at risk who try to travel along this path and puts those at risk who try to take an approx 2 mile detour on busy streets that have Fwy On Ramps and Off Ramps with narrow sidewalks.
I think rest of the official Trails along this creek are good examples of what can be accomplished for all to enjoy.
Lets collaborate on a win-win. Ask yourself what the Holy Spirit, Jesus, or just the goodwill of mankind would want us all to do as one community.
Merry Christmas to all,
Mark
Mark,
As a TRUE nature lover, I think leaving the trees and the birds and all the other animals that live in the creek bed ALONE is the highest calling, after all mankind has taken 99.999% of the rest of Santa Ana. Maybe, just maybe we can find it in our hearts NOT to TAKE 100% for ourselves.
"If a public trail is provided either on the currently city owned portion, or if easements are obtained, or a combination, then then is no liability on the homeowners."
Really? Please provide proof of your assertion, it seems to me that the homeowners will be at risk just by having more people wandering in the creek bed, will YOU or the city make sure they stay on the trail? Again, I think you find it easy for OTHERS to sacrifice and have risk, but when it comes to any personal liability, MONEY or loss on the line, not so much. How very Christian of you to dump the burden on others.
What a joyous New Year Mark envisions , replete with CHAINSAWS, BULLDOZERS and HOT SMELLY ASPHALT, make no mistake, if he and his "friends" get their way, our little bit of natural, tree lined, creek bed will be stripped BARE.
All good points of view. I hope the "save the creek" people are getting this info so they can think about a alt route.
I have pointed out 2 difference routes that solve all the objections but one.
(1) along the level set under the freeway and raising out at flower.
(2) Swing up North along the freeway to the unnamed ally and then West to Flower and Memory Lane.
The one objection, is where a few property owners think it is their property. And that one can be dispelled with some research at the County archives.
The creek in question, is not a “LAST TINY BIT OF NATURAL CREEK BED” (anonster) But a man made flood control channel made after the 1969 floods tore out all the trees and back yards and private property the entire length of the creek. Look it up on the internet.
cook,
YOU are mistaken, the flood affected the homes WEST OF FLOWER ST., not above it. The homes in Floral Park are over 80 years old and so are most of their retaining walls.
Hi Anonster,
The highest calling is creating open space for all to enjoy and not keeping city owned property for the exlusive enjoyment of a few. Consider this Creek/Greenway as the Great Park of Central Orange County. For all of us to enjoy it we need to connect our communities together on its 9 miles. This is the last 0.25 portion. Many in the neighboorhoods west of the 5 Fwy would love to travel up this way and vice versa.
Lets realize this vision set forth 40 years ago by the County.
Mark,
What BS, why don't you just claim that the bike path will bring world peace while you're at it.
Never mind the UGLY details, like the removal of all trees and how BARREN and sterile the creek bed will be.
You people are like snake oil salesmen, spinning visions of an idyllic wooded path and everyone singing Kumbaya together when the reality will be a denuded paved road set right up against someone's backyard and all for the sake of some bicyclists who want to speed from Villa Park to the beach and who don't give a rat's ass about "community".
Hi Anonster,
It appears than according to your comments that none of the approx 100 miles of trails we have on creeks and rivers in OC plus similiar in other communities throughout the USA has done nothing to improve the quality of life.
I beg to differ, this is what we need for healthy living. People are too much car centric and couch centric. It alone will not bring world peace but it will improve the connectiveness of our communities and those that live within it.
I rode the new trail in Orange today and in less than 1 hours counted approx 60 people either walking their dogs, hiking, riding bikes, or even in electric wheelchairs and on was on a Segway. Lots of smiling faces and folks saying hi.
Love, Peace, Joy.
Mark
I know the south side, survived almost intact, but the North side paid the price with the lost of the (1932) or (1938) retaining wall and all of the trees and most of the back yards. But at least the taxpayers picked up the tap to restore these private and public properties at no charge to the local home owners.
Of course history lessons are nice, the question is:
Where to place the missing link in the trail plans?
Looking forward to seeing what the Alliance to save the creek, comes up with for this missing link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=xCoRe8wtvlk#t=271s