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Orozco, Norma From:Sean Drexler <drexler.sean@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, August 17, 2021 3:53 PM To:eComment Subject:Item 13: Willowick Golf Course Update on Santa Ana City Council Meeting (8.17.2021) Hello, My name is Sean Drexler and I am a member of the Rise Up Willowick Coalition. I am emailing in regards to Item 13: Willowick Golf Course Update. First, I would like to state my disappointment that the City of Santa Ana (“the City”) did not inform Rise Up Willowick that the City would be presenting this update. Residents from Rise Up Willowick have talked to City staff and Council Members regarding the disposition of the Willowick property numerous times, including as recently as this summer. The lack of transparency with and engagement of residents is frustrating and we hope it improves moving forward. Second, I would like to point out a few issues with the staff report submitted with the agenda item. To begin with, there is absolutely no mention of the lawsuit filed in October, 2019 that forced the City of Garden Grove to comply with the Surplus Land Act. The City of Garden Grove’s sale/lease of Willowick to McWhinney, LLC in December, 2019, was not merely “cancelled.” It was deemed illegal because the City of Garden Grove was in violation of the Surplus land Act (“ the SLA”). Both the City of Garden Grove and McWhinney, LLC were fully aware that this was an issue given that residents had raised this concern prior to the filing of the lawsuit. The fact that the City omitted the lawsuit in the staff report highlights another issue-- there is absolutely no mention of the fact that it was residents’ efforts through Rise Up Willowick over the last two and a half years that has forced the City of Garden Grove to consider residents’ voices through the SLA. It was RUW who pushed for the SLA lawsuit and who has monitored the City of Garden Grove’s compliance with the SLA. Another issue with the staff report is that it validates the City of Garden Grove’s $90 million appraisal of the Willowick property. The staff report fails to mention that the $90 million valuation of the property is based on Willowick being converted to a “Master Planned Community” that will be primarily market-rate housing with commercial and retail development, a little affordable housing, and a negligible amount of open space. The City of Garden Grove basing this appraisal on these residential and commercial uses is incorrect because these uses are currently not allowed by the City of Santa Ana on this property. The Willowick property is currently zoned as open space. The appraisal assumes, without justification, that the property will be rezoned. It is an appraisal based on a fictitious scenario. The City of Santa Ana should have done its due diligence in pointing out the flaws in the City of Garden Grove’s appraisal in the staff report. Furthermore, not only is Willowick zoned as open space, the community has firmly stated they need open space and not market-rate housing. This appraisal stands in complete contradiction to the resident’s stated needs. The community has always stated their need for publicly accessible parkland and their rejection of market-rate housing given it is not affordable to residents. The staff report also fails to mention this. To make it clear, the ONLY project the community supports is that of the Trust for Public Land as it is the only one that meets the community’s needs. Council members should keep everything stated in this email in mind as they listen to the City’s “update” on Willowick. Thank you, Sean Drexler 1