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Paul Lopez, Cody Martin and John Campbell are the three candidates running for the District 3 seat on the San Juan Capistrano City Council.
Ahead of the November ballot, we asked them questions about various topics of interest and are publishing their answers. The final question and answer will be published in the next issue on Oct. 28.
Overdevelopment is a concern with some residents. Where do you stand on that, and how would you address those concerns, if elected?
Paul Lopez: One of the focal points of my campaign is responsible development. In my position as Vice-Chair of the Cultural Heritage Commission, this is an issue that is near and dear to me. Our commission is responsible for the preservation of our city’s culture and history. I understand that ensuring the betterment of our city requires a delicate balance of prioritizing the preservation of our past with a consideration for our future.
For decades, San Juan Capistrano has successfully strived to protect the small-town vibe our residents openly embrace. It is important that we continue to preserve that environment as we move forward into our city’s future. We cannot allow our city to languish. It is our responsibility to ensure economic growth and revitalization of resources in disrepair, but we must also work to make sure that any development in the city is responsible and consistent with our General Plan. We must be cautious with growth and development, and we should closely follow guidelines to prevent overdevelopment in the city.
Cody Martin: Overdevelopment is a genuine and legitimate concern, which has a direct impact on all of us. Our council must listen and take into consideration the information provided by our traffic engineers, who conduct necessary studies on all developments before they are approved. As a councilman, I will favor developments that the residents agree upon and which will cause the least amount of traffic within the legal framework we have. In my view, the best development won’t cause unnecessary congestion in San Juan Capistrano. My hope is to encourage people to go to the Mission or Los Rios Street or any of our other historic landmarks.
John Campbell: I will not support irresponsible development. I will fight to maintain the incredible charm and history of San Juan.
San Juan is facing a significant challenge from the state of California regarding housing. We are being dictated to provide more moderate-priced residential housing. The state is quickly moving forward with legislation that will force San Juan to accept high-density development unless we act!
On the other hand, allowing smart development of retail projects serves the residents and funds the critical services we citizens need. I am fiscally responsible and will aggressively fight any tax direct burden to the citizens of San Juan. Allowing responsible development helps solves this significant challenge.
The real fight and struggle is how to balance the needs of our city with state requirements, and responsible development with its effects on our citizens.
An example of responsible development I would consider is revitalization of the aging shopping center corridor on Camino Capistrano south of Del Obispo. Part of that infrastructure should allow for mixed use, with retail services on the lower levels and moderately priced residences above. Residential parking needs to be accommodated on-site, without eliminating required retail parking, perhaps going underground, as necessary. We need to continue to seek and consider creative ideas, and craft new ways to minimize the significant impact of the required state housing mandates.
As your councilman, development will not occur in a willy-nilly manner. I will cast responsible votes with an eye toward maintaining the incredible charm and history of San Juan, and retaining those values that brought all of us home to this community.
