“Save Coyote Hills” Movement Losing Steam?
In her latest post, local blogger Cindy Cotter pointed out a notable trend at the various community and commission meetings for Coyote Hills development: the Save Coyote Hills crowd appears to be shrinking.
In the beginning of July an informational public meeting drew a boisterous crowd of 200. The next two commission meetings (where public voices are actually more important) drew only 75 and then 45 citizens. That is not the kind of showing that can stop a project with over 30 years of momentum. If these folks mean business, they need to get organized quickly.
On a related note, Pacific Coast Homes responded to our last post with an updated map that more clearly distinguishes the difference between “The Preserve” and the Robert E. Ward Nature Preserve. They’ve also promised to update the map on their own website, but at this point it’s still clear as mud. The co-mingling of the real preserve and the “open space” that surrounds it may not be the most honest communication effort, so hopefully they get it fixed quickly.
Maybe they’re out looking for gnatcatchers.
Travis,
I’m in the middle of several projects and am out of the area. The Admin has something to post –me thinks.
In general, I’ve not been impressed with the efforts of those trying to save the hills. It’s been way too polite and should have been sealed 8 years ago.
Compare them to the scrappy unit who forced the issue of Powder Canyon to a public vote in La Habra Heights.
It’s no wonder why they whole thing is going down in a fizzle and the developers are …well, doing what they do.
Travis, what is meant by “preserve”? I only see “open space areas.” Are these meant to be the “preserve” under some kind of dedication or easement?
According to the map the preserve is the Robert Ward Nature Preserve.
I wondered about that, too, Joe. I also wonder how much of those open space areas are going to remain native terrain and how much are going to be mass graded.
I also wonder if the fuel modification zones will be in the open space on private property.
Miss K, you’re right about the politeness. I’ve learned that it gets you nowhere in this town. Too bad these folks will have to learn the hard way.
Joe, “The Preserve” is a marketing term slapped on to the open space when Chevron sent out that flashy print piece last year. The real preserve that you identified is much smaller.
Great questions, Harpoon. We can’t take anything for granted. For all I know, half of “The Preserve” might end up looking like every landscaped hillside in Irvine. Maybe someone can fill us in.
Travis,
I don’t know what it is, but I’ve found a real reluctance among long-timers, life-timers to be willing to heed advice. Especially from anyone they perceive as an “outsider.” In fact, I remember going to that blog, and seeing a lot of good intent, but a real lack of how to argue things through, how to make your point, how to galvanize the masses. But this is part an parcel of what I think those who write for this blog find so irksome about the town.
I think part of the reason we see the city stuck with developments and re-developments is that for far too long “getting along” meant “going along.” And it devolved into really impossible stances. Republicans stick together, Democrats stick together. Conservatives vs. Liberals. It gets so dogmatic it’s no wonder they’ve just let things be handed over to 3rd parties that just do what they want. Look at downtown Fullerton, the almost-MacDonald’s, the sportscenter on Bastanchury, the homes on Brea Bl and wow… get a load of the grading and tree tearing at Hillcrest.
So what I want to know…what was the function of the Observer while all this stuff was being planned? Was reporting on soccer games and little league games done in lieu of paying attention? And more to the point, doesn’t this blog piss them off enough so that they want to stand up for themselves. Obviously, the Observer is stuck on their own petard of politeness.
And you’re right, Travis. That group who wanted to save the hills has been reduced to accepting homes and some far-fetched preserve that will probably not look a like the natural environment that it is now. There’ll be lawn, and there’ll be lillies and agapanthus and ivy planted along the borders and between the houses. All crap that doesn’t belong there, isn’t native, and well … hell… has very little to do with a “preserve.”
While the Coyote Hills group knows this, it does seem they’ve lost steam. But you can’t galvanize people by… putting up handpainted signs on corners.
No, you have to get downright pushy, rude, obnoxious, and mean when it comes to land battles.
Edward Abbey could’ve told them that.
So what they need are Cajones.
Which would appear to be in abundance here at the new CFFF.
Dear Admin,
I’ve done the Noo Yawka pushy subway thing and have subverted your name.
It’s gone from FFFF
to
CFFF
“Cajones for Fullerton’s Future”? I like it. I like it a lot.
researching the history of fullerton, the original mrs bastanchury from the basque part of spain, described her new digs in fullerton as the most desolate place she ever lived. the cute vermin that chittered under the scrub brush, the not so looming dirt hills that turned into a mud version of raging waters fun park failed to move mrs b to wax poetic about fullerton’s natural face. maybe save coyote hills movement is losing steam because people just cant get roiled up about dirt hills, dried up weeds and the cute quasi-dogs coyotes .
adendum: clarifying raging mud hills when it did rain in fullerton. saving coyote hills is a hobby worthy of antiquarians who seek to fondle the past. if this group can’t justify swaths of stone age fullerton cutting through cookie cutter housing developments, then the movement to save coyote hills is just a time fetish.