Land Purchase in San Juan Capistrano

On Tuesday voters in San Juan Capistrano are being asked to approve a $21-million bond issue to “purchase” 140 acres of mostly abandoned farm land and open space. For what? Parks, athletic fields and open space, we’re told.

In late 1986 our family sold 256 acres of citrus and open space at the eastern end of San Juan Creed Road for much less than half of the $21 million proposed for this acquisition. It is being developed into 231 single-family dwelling. Some 20 acres will soon be developed into a horse equestrian center. The remaining 151 acres has been dedicated to the city as parkland and open space as a condition of development.

It is interesting to note that when many countries are, in one way or another, getting rid of government ownership of land we are trying to add more--a proven inefficient, uneconomic, money-losing exercise.

Let’s rescind this failure of a Land reserve Ordinance and let the land owners sell to private interests that will develop the land to already very strict standards and generate the tax flow needed to develop the land the city already owns for parks, athletic fields, flood control and improved traffic circulation--all of which are very much needed.

JEAN P. LACOUAGUE

San Juan Capistrano