On September 24, 2009, I received notification a complaint was filed with the Fair Political Practice Commission against me along  with this notification. The complaint referenced two meetings I had participated: January 13, 2009 and April 21, 2009.  Two YLRRR  members and two members of the current City Council filed this complaint.

The essence of the complaints were:

On January 13, 2009, after consulting with the City Attorney, I participated in a meeting to discuss the Draft Housing Element.  I routinely consulted with the City Attorney since I own property within 500 feet of the Redevelopment agency and my family’s property is adjacent to one of the sites designated for high-density housing.  The City Attorney had informed me I could participate since there would not be a vote to rezone. The discussion was to set policy.

During the January 13, 2009 meeting, all five Council Members expressed concern regarding the inequitable distribution of the high-density housing sites. The west end of Yorba Linda was and is currently slated for the majority of the state mandated housing, many of the sites at 20-30 units per acre. At the conclusion of Council’s “Questions & Answers” with staff, I made a motion directing staff to try to spread the density more equitably throughout the City and reduce the density on the west end. In my comments I mentioned the Lakeview corridor and the street name Altrudy. I was unaware Altrudy was within 500 feet of my home.  The vote was 5-0 in favor of the motion.

On April 21, I voted along with all of the other Council members to send the revised version of the housing element to the state. We were asking for their opinion whether they would accept our plan in accommodating their unfunded mandate to forever changes the look of our community.  Prior to this meeting, I verified with the City Attorney that I was, in their opinion, able to participate in the vote because we were not changing the densities on any of the sites.

Facts/ Results:

• Neither vote resulted in the change in density or zone designation on any site.
• Any change in density or change in zone designation will require a Measure B vote. No Council member has the ability to increase the densities beyond 10 DUA without the voter’s approval.
• I was unaware Altrudy was within 500 feet of my home. Although I take responsibility for my actions, it was an unintentional mistake.
• After I became aware Altrudy was within 500 feet of our home, my attorney recommended I have our property appraised in light of potential development of the Altrudy site. We hired a State Certified Appraiser. I did not have personal contact with this individual to prevent any perceived coercion while evaluating the properties. The appraiser concluded development of this site would not affect the value of our property. Two stated reasons: lack of line of sight and no direct access from Altrudy to my housing tract. This appraisal, submitted to the FPPC, was not accepted.  A new Administration has changed the interpretation of the law and the litmus test to determine Conflicts of Interest.
• I have paid the fine with my personal funds. No campaign funds have been used.

What is unfortunate, we have all made mistakes while on Council. The laws are complex and the interpretations are undergoing revisions making it difficult to avoid mistakes.  I acknowledge inadvertently mentioning property within 500 feet of my family’s home and have paid the fine imposed by the FPPC.

It is unfortunate individuals on the Council and in YLRRR filed this complaint. Filing this complaint nine months after the mistake was an apparent attempt to discredit me during my re-election campaign. These same individuals were responsible for the most negative campaign this community has ever witnessed.  Their personal attacks and twisting of facts has become their hallmark of winning an election. This is unfortunate for the voters of Yorba Linda.

Dear Councilwoman Horton,

I do not usually write a letter endorsing the candidacy of a single candidate for the Yorba Linda City Council, however, this year I feel compelled to do so and this letter is written for that purpose.

I have observed you “in action” over the last 4 years and have been encouraged by your growth as the people’s advocate and representative on the Council. You, far more than any of your opponents on the Council, try to do things with an attitude of “What is the best I can do for the City and its residents,” and you consistently have made unbiased, objective and informed decisions. The council majority could learn much by following your example. The present majority seems to have adopted an attitude of taking care of their own political needs first ahead of the City’s and resident’s needs.

I, like many voters, received a political ”hit piece” last week as the absentee ballots appeared in our mail boxes. The timing was obviously deliberate since it allowed you no time to respond to any of the spurious charges, untruths, distortions, exagerations, etc. In my view, this negative “hit piece” was clearly worse than anything used in any prior City Council Elections.

So where is the present Council majority taking us?

We all wonder at the succession of City managers driven out of Yorba Linda by their actions, by the loss of all of our Senior Department Heads during their tenure, the continual wasting of money on pointless studies so as to avoid making a decision and then filing it on the shelf and doing nothing.

For all of the above reasons, you are the one candidate that I have the pleasure to endorse for re-election to the Yorba Linda City Council on November 2, 2010.

Respectfully,

Hank Wedaa

I have proudly served this community for the past 4 years. During this time I have kept my promise:

• to improve community communication
• protect our open space and trail system,
• plan for responsible, community- directed development,
• protected our community from increased crime
• support our business community and
• maintain a fiscally responsible City government.
  
  The equestrian community is facing considerable challenges that need to be addressed.

• People are buying equestrian properties and converting them to non-equestrian uses

• As the community has grown up around the trail system, there are areas that are no longer safe to cross

• As portions of the city were developed, trails were included but not always successful in making them equestrian friendly- steep inclines, crossings on blind curves, crossings where there are metal grates, such as casino ridge

• There are portions of the trail system that are not interconnected or do not align as you cross a street

• The equestrian community is threatened as the economy shrinks and household dollars and “new riders” become scarce.

• We do not have an adequate emergency system to handle our larger animals. Many of your members performed heroic feats during our fire emergency to save horses that were in danger. Although their actions are applauded, they placed themselves and the animals they were saving in danger.

I believe we can do something to encourage the equestrian lifestyle in our community and hopefully stem the tide of homeowners purchasing your properties for non-equestrian uses and improve the participation of the community in equestrian activities.

• I support and feel we can together do a better job of marketing the equestrian lifestyle and encourage others to participate:
  • an equestrian day in the City on Bernardo Yorbas Birthday or some other notable individual
  • along with a community outreach program

• I cannot change the heavy traffic challenges (for example in the town center) that create a huge risk to your animals and you the rider, but together we can strengthen the trail system by evaluating the entire trail system and continue to correct the crossing challenges.

• I have and will continue to work with the developers for the Murdock and Sage properties so their trails are connected appropriately and at a grade level that is safe for the rider and horse

• I do support the concept of a community stable or equestrian center. If the City has a parcel of land that is viable, I support privately funded facilities with a low cost land lease.

• Our current codes allow for private homeowners to house horses in greater numbers on their properties with a CUP. We can make that process easier to allow for the additional stalls, if the need presents itself.

• I support coordinating efforts with the Equestrian Coalition of Orange County  to formalize a large animal evacuation plan. I do not support the City performing this function because I know you are all sensitive to having the horses counted and the possibility of licensing. I believe this goal can be accomplished- equestrian to equestrian without government intervention.

I understand you are disappointed in the Equestrian Study that spent 70K of your dollars without a positive result. I did not support that study because it focused on one site only and one type of facility only.  I feel the outcome could have been different had multiple sites and sizes of facilities been reviewed.

I have and will continue to advocate on your behalf to improve safety on the trails, prevent encroachment and support the equestrian lifestyle in the City of Yorba Linda.
I hope to have your support in the upcoming council election.

• no flip flops, shorts or short sleeve shirts
• Do not place a wet cloth over your face- the heat of the fire will potentially cause a burn
• protect your face with a dry bandana and protective glasses
• Wear long sleeved shirts and pants and sturdy shoes
• Wear a hat

• Fill bathtubs/ sinks with water- you may have your water supply cut off.
• Remove light draperies from the window
• Close all windows, outside doors
• Block all openings into the house- vents, cracks under the garage door and the floor,etc
• Run a hose from your washing machine inlet rather than bring a hose from the outside creating an opening into the house
• Bring in propane tanks or put them into your pool
• Move highly combustible furniture/ objects away from your home (patio furniture)