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Susana Barrios
From:Bonnie Van Holt <bonnievh@me.com>
Sent:Monday, October
To:Public Comment
Subject:\[EXTERNAL\] Public Comment on the Proposed Deer Canyon Apartment Project
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Dear Anaheim City Council,
I am wri?ng to express my serious concerns regarding the proposed 498-unit Deer Canyon apartment complex in
Anaheim Hills. While I recognize the need to address Southern California’s housing challenges, this par?cular
development on the 76-acre wilderness area off Santa Ana Canyon Road raises several cri?cal issues that would
nega?vely impact our community and environment.
1. Increased Traffic, Noise, and Pollu?on: The proposed development would significantly increase traffic on Santa Ana
Canyon Road, directly affec?ng families who live along or near the route. Currently, the noise and smog from the nearby
91 Freeway already impact residents, and this addi?onal traffic burden would exacerbate the issue, diminishing our
community’s quality of life. Our neighborhoods cannot endure the worsening traffic condi?ons that this development
would impose. The traffic has steadily increased over the years in our small community and you now frequently get stuck
in bumper to bumper traffic just trying to get to the Eastside of our town near the Weir Canyon intersec?ons.
Commuters use Santa Ana Canyon as an alternate route when the freeway is congested thereby poten?ally causing
disastrous condi?ons in the event of a wildfire evacua?on where residents closest to Deer Canyon might not be able to
escape.
2. Destruc?on of Local Wildlife Habitat: The Deer Canyon area is home to various wildlife species, whose habitats would
be destroyed by this specula?ve project. This natural area serves as a vital sanctuary for these species, and the proposed
development would result in the irreversible loss of biodiversity and disrupt the ecological balance of the region.
3. Loss of Vegeta?on Benefi?ng Air Quality: The vegeta?on in Deer Canyon plays an essen?al role in filtering the air,
helping mi?gate smog from the 91 Freeway. When freeway conges?on increases, many vehicles, including heavy trucks,
exit on Imperial Highway and take the winding route through our area to bypass traffic, adding even more pollu?on.
Removing this vegeta?on would have direct, adverse effects on air quality for Anaheim Hills residents.
4. Increased Safety Risks in a High-Risk Zone: Adding nearly 500 units in Anaheim Hills raises serious safety concerns. Our
area sits near the San Andreas Fault, increasing the risk of structural failure and significant danger during earthquakes.
Addi?onally, Anaheim Hills is at high risk for wildfires, and the increased popula?on density would complicate evacua?on
during emergencies, pu?ng lives at risk. Developing in a high-risk area like this is simply not prudent, as it would likely
result in complex and poten?ally hazardous evacua?on scenarios.
5. El Rancho Charter school was not designed to accommodate students from an addi?onal 400+ apartment units in the
Deer Canyon proposal or another 400+ addi?onal units in the Fes?val Center where the movie theater used to be
located. Traffic already significantly impacts area residents on Old Bridge Road and increased student popula?ons would
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only make ma?ers worse. In addi?on, the school only has one entrance and exit on Del Giorgio Road poten?ally blocking
residents up in the Mohler Loop from exi?ng their community during a major fire event.
In light of these concerns, I urge the City Council to reconsider the Deer Canyon apartment project. The long-term
impacts on traffic, environmental stability, air quality, and resident safety in Anaheim Hills should be priori?zed over
specula?ve real estate interests. Rather than contribute to overdevelopment in a sensi?ve area, I hope the Council will
focus on sustainable, well-considered solu?ons that genuinely address the housing crisis without compromising the
integrity of our community.
Thank you for considering these comments. I appreciate your commitment to listening to the voices of Anaheim
residents.
Sincerely,
Mark & Bonnie Van Holt
Anaheim Hills, CA. 92808
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