Sean Mill was appointed last night, at the Santa Ana City Council, to the Planning Commission. Mill was nominated by Councilman Sal Tinajero, who won re-election to a four year term in November of last year. Mill previously served about three years on the Planning Commission.
Only two residents spoke against Mill’s nomination. One of them, Mike Tardiff, opposed a proposed Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant that was slated to open at a food court on 17th St., near Tustin Ave., by Orchard Supply Hardware. Mill supported that venture, while he was on the Planning Commission. Tardiff and his allies sued to stop the project and the owners of the restaurant decided to open it elsewhere. That food court is now desperately trying to survive, without a main anchor tenant.
The Council asked Mill a few questions and his answers were found to be satisfactory. Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez grilled him on the question of whether or not he supports the Artists Village. Mill affirmed that he does, but he does not support public subsidies of the Artists Village.
In the end, Mill was appointed by a 5-2 vote. Only two Council Members opposed him – David Benavides and Carlos Bustamante.
Benavides had a score to settle with Mill, who exposed him this summer for supporting Minuteman Lupe Moreno, when she and her fellow Minutemen took over the 4th of July event that was held at the Santa Ana library. One of the Minutemen was caught on video calling a Santa Ana resident a “wetback,” but Benavides honored Moreno and her event committee nevertheless.
Bustamante’s vote was not a surprise since he is the Council’s lone Republican and he often votes in ways that make sense only to him – and his ally Benavides. Bustamante was caught this summer actively campaigning for Republican Van Tran, who went on to lose badly to Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez in November. Local Democrats are said to be targeting Bustamante, who is coming up for re-election in 2012.
Buffalo Wild Wings sports bar was opposed by residents who lived adjacent and near to that proposed facility. The owners were applying for exceptions to the code to stay open into the early morning hours. How would you like to live next door to the parking lot of a sports bar that was open until 1:00 am?
I understand that Gold’s Gym is considering moving into that same space – that sounds like a use which is much more compatable to the neighborhood.
The fact that they are negotiating with a gym tells you all you need to know. No chain restaurants want to deal with the NIMBY’s in that area.
Who moves next to a commercial strip then complains that it is a commercial area?
That gym will not replace the jobs and tax revenue we lost when you chased away Buffalo Wild Wings.
“Who moves next to a commercial strip then complains that it is a commercial area?”
Residents would have been fine with BWW – IF they would have stuck by the Santa Ana Code without asking for exceptions.
Gold’s Gym will bring traffic and added business to all of the businesses in the shopping center – without the disruption to the neighborhood which BWW would have brought.
Win – win.
Gold Gym’s, while we are lucky that they have chosen to come to our city, will not bring in near the amount of tax revenue that an establishment like BWW would have. On top of that BWW would have brought a number of new jobs that likely would have gone to those living in the local area.
BWW would have been an anchor establishment in that center that would have helped the other businesses and our city in general. Gold’s Gym will do this to a much lesser degree.
We cannot continue to block good businesses from coming into our city. We need the sales tax revenue and the jobs.
BWW is a widely respected business and was more than good enough for those in Lake Forest and Aliso Viejo. Unfortunately a small group of folks managed to paint it as something else, even comparing it to a “strip bar”.
It locating somewhere else was a lose-lose.
Sean’s appointment is an embarrassment to the city of Santa Ana. How long will it be before he is asked to resign for unethical behavior again? Hum..lets give him 6 months or so. His anger management issues will come to the surface again..just wait and see, we don’t have to do much here.
What a conflict of interest that this blog keeps writing political pieces while a staff blogger is doing city business and on their payroll. A code of Ethics is so needed for the city council!
Some one here said that the New Santa Ana was like fox news..I didn’t agree with that but I am starting to see their point. SPIN masters, and fear mongers who attack anyone who is on the opposing view. Shame on you Art, shame on you. You used to be a big counter voice now a few dollars have bought your morals. Again a sad day for Santa Ana.
The New Santa Ana is The Fox News of Santa Ana! ha ha ha, Good for you Sasha.
what happened to the posts? are you deleting comments now?
This is what happens when you cover up for the bellionares club, as Sean has appeared to have done in the readings of his blog postings. One is usally rewarded with a commission spot. However, the Planning Commission is usually the crown jewel of appointments, and having concensus from all three crooked plays in cohoots…….
nice sean…help us get an r/c track in santa ana……you got the power now so lets use it……………………..
@Cruz Alvarez:
I like that idea…I really do like that idea…let take our idea, and run with it!!!
Sean actively opposed Prop. 8, as I did. I know he is not a homophobe. He should be applauded for revising his viewpoint over the years, as I did.
People should be judged by where they stand NOW, not where they stood 20 years ago!
CAN WE GET A LIKE (THUMBS UP) & AN UNLIKE (THUMBS DOWN) BUTTONS HERE AFTER EACH COMMENT ON THE LEFT SIDE—
YES, I CAN TELL ART SOLD OUT FOR A FEW BUCKS ABOUT LESS THAN A YEAR AGO—GOOD FOR HIM!!! YOU PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE–BUT IN THE LONG RUN I HOPE YOUR FOCUS HAS NOT CHANGED—STRATEGY UP TO YOU
Just in time,
My values have not changed. Mayor Pulido is now part of a progressive Council Majority. They are doing good work and have my full support.
Found a thumbs up plug in but not a thumbs down. Oh well!
Buffalo Wild Wings would have been a good thing there. Too bad–
Gold’s Gym wow pretty good.
Maybe we can get Buff Wild Wings to reconsider Santa Ana at another location?
thanks for the thumbs up–keep looking for the thumbs down—love it!!!
Now I can bug everyone again, heehee 😉
So efficient there that was quick—ok you can sell out anytime, baby–plata in your pocket— woohoo and lets hope we see good things with this council.
too cool, Just in Time just thumbed up Just in Time’s (my own) comments, hahaha-LOVE IT!
Didn’t Mill out you on the Liberal OC blog for referring to gay people as “centaurs?” Comparing homosexuality to sex with horses is totally unhinged. You have no room to talk about what anyone else is saying.
Not to mention the fact that you proudly supported the hateful Prop. 8.
Art, those rules don’t apply to the LOC.
They can talk out of both sides of thier mouth.
Otherwise why would two guys from outside of town put so much energy into the going on’s of Santa Ana.
Clearly words are hollow over there, just like thier politics! Paper Tigers.
Your own wife supported prop 8 but that was ok
But she didn’t call gays “centaurs” in the process. And she allowed me to put up a No on 8 sign in my yard.
My wife doesn’t hate gay people. She doesn’t think they should get married. On that we disagree.
This guy “Junior” has made some very hateful statements about gays – and has not apologized for making them.