Mike Harrah can start building his One Broadway Plaza Tower now!
“The 4th District Court of Appeal last week reversed an Orange County Superior Court ruling that had put a stop to the construction of One Broadway Plaza, a 37-story office tower in Santa Ana that voters approved in 2005,” according to the Voice of OC.
The Appellate Court decided that the voters voted for a zoning ordinance, not for a development agreement. What this means is that developer Mike Harrah can finally start building his One Broadway Plaza tower. That means over two thousand union construction jobs are on the way.
This is good news for the City of Santa Ana – and for our Downtown area. The NIMBY Usual Suspects won’t be too pleased. Good. I hope they lost a lot of money mounting their case. They were recently celebrating the now overturned decision – and were gloating about sticking the people of Santa Ana with their legal bill. Not anymore!
Now more than ever the Usual Suspects, who in this case filed suit as the “Coalition for Accountable Government Ethics,” are absolutely dead in the water in the town they used to rule. Give it up folks. Your days of calling the shots in Santa Ana are over.
UPDATE: The City of Santa Ana has issued a release regarding this court decision:
Advisory: The Fourth District Court of Appeal Issues an Opinion In favor Of the City’s Action In 2010
On December 2, 2011, the Fourth District Court of Appeals issued an opinion that upheld the City’s actions from 2010 that amended the One Broadway Plaza project.
In August 2010, the City Council had revised certain requirements for the project in an effort to spur growth, encourage investment and create jobs. However, the Coalition for Accountable Government Ethics (CAGE) challenged this decision, saying that it required the approval of voters.
Friday’s decision proved the court disagreed with CAGE. “The City’s contention has merit,” wrote Justice Kathleen O’Leary in the unanimous decision.
The City Council approved the One Broadway Plaza project in 2004. The project was reaffirmed by 56.6% of Santa Ana voters in 2005.
At 37 stories, One Broadway Plaza would be the tallest building in Orange County. It is estimated to create 2,900 jobs and pump $150 million into the local economy.
Mayor Miguel Pulido hailed Friday’s opinion. “The City Council took bold steps to create opportunity and jobs – and the voters have agreed. It’s gratifying that the Court of Appeal upheld these efforts.”
For details regarding the court’s decision, go to: http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/nonpub/G045770.PDF
For additional details, click here.
Sent by City of Santa Ana, 20 Civic Center Plaza, 8th Floor/ P.O. Box 1988, Santa Ana, CA 92702.
“This is good news for the City of Santa Ana – and for our Downtown area”……. Hmmmm
How come that only I knew that in the 2004 Mayoral race?
Because, I am highly intelligent visionary in oppose to you, Mill etc. who are unintelligent blind reactionaries.
So it is save to say that you are wrong on everlasting you are doing and supporting now which I oppose.
Be aware of it!
I think Mill supported OBP. I didn’t then but I do now. We need the jobs.
He did not supported it because he was a part of the usual suspects then.
He did venomously opposed it.
Check SantaAnaCitizens list.
Well Fiala, we all agree now. See you at the groundbreaking ceremony!
I should add that you should dugout candidates statements printed in 2004 OC Register, where I have compared the SA public hysteria against 1B to building of Statue Of Freedom and Eiffel Tower, and all major developments for that matter, which subsequently became priceless.
The only thing you should do Art is to learn from the history. Do not thy to reenact it.
“Well Fiala, we all agree now”….. Hmmmm
Only on the 8 years old mistakes we agree. Not on your current one which will come home to roost 8 years from now when you, Mill, Pulido and Walters totally destroy Santa Ana.
You know Stanley that it is hard to take you seriously when you make statements like that…(
“statements like that”….. Hmmmm
How about proven facts backed with prior written documents?
But who cares? It is your Mexican city so you can destroy it.
So now the requirements of the EIR can be completed forthwith?
The restriping of the streets, the stop lights, the school drop off point, the paying the city of its costs?
I am sure that will be in the mix.
This site will have dire consequences for El Sol. I am just hoping that they can complete construction before this breaks ground but I doubt that will happen.
El Sol is an important part of our community. I am sure the City Council will be looking out for them as will our City Manager and our Planning Agency.
According to some sources at the school, they were bullied by Harrah to the point that he scared them with veiled threats about taking their property for a parking lot. They have been frightened to even broach the subject with the city council. The former assistant city planner was beginning to have a conversation about ways to accommodate El Sol when she left, Vince Sarmiento helped to begin the dialogue. To my knowledge, there hasn’t been any further discussion regarding helping El Sol since.
With 2 grade schools and the extra traffic count projected for OBP, North Broadway should be made a perment 25 MOH zone from Washington to Civic Center.
For public safety, most of the street around the civic cneter should also be 25 too.
El Sol was going to move to Wilson after Heros was built. Didn’t happen, SAUSD owns the site and signed a 40 year agreement and now they are working on the messed up building.
Yes, they are working on it,but it will be large construction project directly across the street from Harrahs building. It will be a mess, it is already a traffic and parking disaster with the city ticketing parents who are just trying to pick up their children from school.
Clearly the SAUSD is not fighting for these parents…
Well the traffic would be safer if the EIR requirements of OBP were completed.
And maybe the school police can help with traffic too, since their project will contribute to the problem.
Some of you do not understand how a charter school works. In exchange for being released from numerous mandates from the district and autonomy in financial choices, charter schools receive NO help from SAUSD and this includes district police. These charter schools are on their own in attempting to deal with the inevitable problems from this construction project. El Sol’s building directly across the street is in the process of demolition currently. The demolition is supposed to be completed within two months and construction of a new building is supposed to begin within a year or so. Neither the city nor the district has lifted a finger to help with the current traffic and safety issues for these schools, why would anyone think they will now?