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Susana Barrios
From:AJ Cockrell <ropisme@hotmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday,
To:Public Comment
Subject:\[EXTERNAL\] Email in opposition to proposed Deer Canyon development
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This email is a revised version of the email I originally sent on Sep 3, 2023 in opposition of the proposed
apartment building in Deer Canyon, East Anaheim. This email contains the same opinion ("No" on the Deer
Canyon project), but was edited for clarity.
To:
Nick Taylor, City Planner, City of Anaheim
Natalie Meeks, City of Anaheim Council Member, District 6
I’m writing in opposition to the proposed large apartment complex in Deer Canyon along Santa Ana Canyon
Road (SAC) in East Anaheim. My objection to this project has these components:
1. Current traffic! Santa Ana Canyon is admittedly lightly traveled during the day, but fills up
rapidly in response to:
a. Commuters returning home from work
b. Commuters who should be on the 91, but are looking to avoid daily traffic jams (Note: the
volume of this group has noticeably increased over the past year)
c. Commuters routed off the 91 Fwy because of accidents
d. Student pick-up at El Rancho MS
e. End of school day at Canyon HS
f. Emergency evacuation – Looking at Anaheim’s evacuation plans for the various zones in East
Anaheim, Santa Ana Canyon is the most-used last road to safety.
g. Has anyone estimated the traffic load to be added to SAC by the future Veteran’s Cemetery?
2. Future events adding to traffic on SAC:
a. The SR-91 (SR-57 to SR-55 Improvement Project is planned for “early 2024 to 2027”,
with the heavy reworking of the Lakeview/91 interface planned for “Mid-2025 to Late
2028”. These modifications are going to be a great incentive for many drivers to skip the
construction zone and take SAC as a detour for what could be a 4-year period.
b. Featuring almost 500 apartments with occupants and their guests, and a fleet of electric
vehicles to be used by residents, the proposed project could add 1000+ vehicles to daily traffic,
even if most residents are “working from home" as characterized by the project’s website.
c. The project also plans to add commercial office space to 12 acres. The number of additional
cars for business owners, employees and customers hasn’t been quantified, but could be
considerably greater.
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3. Environmental considerations of building in Deer Canyon:
a. Considering the number of landslide events and slide zones in Anaheim Hills,
construction in a steep region seems questionable.
b. Deer Canyon serves as a wildlife corridor. It was referred to as such in a city planning
document from 2005 where the “Deer Canyon Open Space Corridor” is cited as an “important
biological, aesthetic and recreational resource area of the community” (see source citation,
below).
4. Sundry personal gripes and comments:
a. A proposal for a much smaller project in the area was made in 2005, but was not begun.
Why not? What variables prevented building the smaller project?
b. If the city is required by the State to build more housing, it should look in areas where
development is more feasible, and where large apartment complexes fit in better with the
established surroundings.
c. Emergency evacuation revisited: I live in zone 10 of East Anaheim's evacuation plan. It requires
that I drive north to Santa Ana Canyon road, then travel east to the Weir Canyon Rd onramp to
the 91 Fwy. This means I will drive east on SAC, probably toward the fire, and directly past the
1000 or so new residents of Deer Canyon who will also be evacuating. Together we will join the
residents of 92808 trying to evacuate to the 91 Fwy. The evacuation study performed by the
builders assumes that the apartment residents and others living west of the project will be
driving west on Santa Ana Canyon Rd, contrary to the route determined in "Know Your Way".
Thank you for taking the time to read through my comments. I urge the City Council to vote “No” on this plan
to develop Deer Canyon.
Andrea Cockrell
Source for item 3-b:
https://www.anaheim.net/DocumentCenter/View/2800/Open-Space-and-Recreation
leading to a pdf entitled "Open Space and Recreation", p54
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