Anaheim Planning Commission Faces Contradiction in Rezoning Issue

The City of Anaheim’s Planning Commission will tonight consider an application for rezoning 1609 and 1615 Cerritos Avenue for multiple units per parcel.  An involved group of neighbors opposes this move and have gathered more than 500 signatures to stop this proposed rezoning.

Per the neighborhood group, Cerritos was intended to be a quiet residential street but instead is a crowded thoroughfare between Euclid and Walnut Street.  The already heavily used street will not support rezoning of these lots that are supposed to be turned into large luxury homes.  The Anaheim Planning Commission’s rezoning approval would set a precedent on this street for other large lots to expect the same rezoning to build, which would further overcrowd this widely used thoroughfare.

From a statement by the neighbors:

Cerritos Avenue is the only “thru street” that can be used by many current residents to ingress and egress to and from the neighborhood schools.  It is not only used by residents of the surrounding single family homes, but is also used by the residents in the two association condominium complexes on Walnut/Cerritos and by the residents of the multiplexes of apartments referred to as “Palm Lane.”  Also at Walnut/Cerritos, the students of the 3 schools (Palm Lane Elementary, Ball Junior High, and Loara High School) must use Cerritos Avenue to get to and from school.  Additional traffic caused by the over-crowding that this rezoning will bring will only increase an already crowded condition.  Moreover, the increase in traffic will directly result in an increase of hazards to our children’s safety, and to the safety of the current residents of the area who desire to leave their homes.

We request that any and all rezoning in this area be denied, in consideration of the safety of the residents and, especially, the children who currently live there.

Nearly all of the residents in the immediate area have voiced their concern and opposition.  However, since many of them are elderly, they are unable to fight this themselves.  A vast majority have lived in this area for their entire lives; it is imperative that they are still made to feel both heard and safe in their community.

It appears the Anaheim Planning Commission is seemingly colluding with the developer against the very citizens they are supposed to represent.  There’s seems to be some conflicting information on two reports — both from the Planning Commission — one to state authorities saying Cerritos Avenue is a high traffic street, and another, that aids the developer, saying the street isn’t busy.

Currently there are boarded up homes scheduled for demolition but the new homes are in stark contrast with other homes in the neighborhood, requiring a change in zoning.

The neighborhood group is asking residents to come out in force to oppose the zoning change at tonight’s meeting at City Hall.