Orange Council OKs Building of Storage Site

In what one City Council member described as the most contentious meeting he had ever seen, Orange officials very early Wednesday approved a controversial proposal to build an industrial storage facility on an eight-acre site at the edge of Santiago Creek.

“It absolutely makes no sense whatsoever for the betterment of our city,” said Councilman Dan Slater, who with Mike Alvarez voted against the proposal.

But Mayor Joanne Coontz, who with council members Mark Murphy and Mike Spurgeon voted for the project, said, “As far as the property is concerned, it was a dump. Our parks department did not see it as feasible for recreation.”

Critics had characterized Santiago Canyon and its environs, including the 8-acre site, as one of the city’s last remaining natural areas and therefore worthy of preservation. The storage facility, they said, would be an eyesore out of character with the area.

Supporters have described the project as a good use of otherwise deteriorated land. “It’s a clean project,” Coontz said. “It’s secure, and it’s not a threat to the adjoining properties.”

She said the city is working with the National Parks Service on another project that would preserve Santiago Creek as a recreational area. “So far it looks like a wonderful proposal,” she said.