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Date:2/3/2026 7:48:48 AM
From:"Heather French"
To:
"Public Comment" publiccomment@anaheim.net, "Ashleigh Aitken" AAitken@anahe im.ne t, "Carlos A. Leon"
CLeon@anaheim.net, "Ryan Balius" RBalius@anaheim.net, "Natalie Rubalcava" NRubalcava@anahe im.net, "Norma
C. Kurtz" NKurtz@anaheim.net, "Kristen Maahs" KMaahs@anaheim.net, "Natalie Meeks" NMe e ks@anaheim.net
Subject:[EXTERNAL] Public Comments — 2/3/26 Meeting
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Dear Council Member,
I am w ri ting as a resident of Anaheim Hills to respectfully urge you to vote No on the proposed apar tment
development at the Anaheim Hills Festival Center. I lived here during the Canyon Fi re 2 i n 2017, and I vi vi dl y
remember bei ng trapped in my car as traffic came to a complete standstill. For more than an hour , no one
moved as smoke closed in. It w as frightening, and it made painfully clear how limited our evacuation routes
trul y are.
The project’s reports indicate that the additional traffic would add “onl y” about seven minutes to evacuati on
ti mes. But w hen evacuation already takes hours during an active wildfire, seven mi nutes is not insi gni fi cant—i t
can be the difference betw een safety and real danger. Anaheim Hills does not have alter native exit r outes;
during an emergency, everyone funnels onto the same few roads. Adding hundr eds of apar tments and over a
thousand addi tional residents to this already constrained corridor creates a ser i ous and avoi dable safety risk.
I recognize the ci ty’s need for additional housing, but it should not come at the expense of public safety—
especi ally in an area w ith know n evacuation challenges and w ildfire risk. Expanding densi ty in a locati on that
is already vulnerable only increases the likelihood of a catastrophic outcome during the next emer gency.
Pl ease priori tize the safety of the residents w ho already live, w ork, and pay taxes i n thi s communi ty. I
respectfully ask that you vote No on this development.
Si ncerely,
Heather French