Is Mayor Farnam writing checks….

 

….THAT HE CAN’T CASH?

The Californian reports Farnam’s comments following a recent meeting of the local zone of the Western Riverside Council of Governments (“WRCOG”).  In today’s article, Temecula City Councilman Chuck Washington is quoted as follows: 

“Washington said the five members of the zone have not yet made a decision, but that they have decided to act as a unified body.

“It’s good for the zone to be united,” he said.”

Apparently a decision was made to “act as a unified body”  and was based on every attendees assurance that they each can achieve a desired result for the “Zone.”

Farnam is quoted, as well: “Wildomar Mayor Scott Farnam, the city’s representative on the council’s board, said he would discuss the fees at the council’s next meeting.”

Farnam appears to have risen beyond the city of Wildomar and now represents WRCOG’s interests, since it is obvious that he and the other WRCOG representatives believe that they can be unified before the vote of five distinct public entities are recorded.  There is no mention of contemplating what is best for Wildomar, in light of the negative impacts of reduced developer fees will have on our infrastructure.

Perhaps Mayor  Farnam should spend less time with “regional” boards and spend more time with his constituents, who happen to live solely in Wildomar.

Quality time spent with Menifee City Councilman Scott Mann is good for Wildomar Magazine but bad for Wildomar and Farnam’s re-election hopes.

Happy Thanksgiving….

…TO THE READERS OF WILDOMAR MAGAZINE

Wildomar Magazine gives thanks for all of the readers of Zak and Gil’s posts. If it weren’t for you, we would wonder if our thoughts and ideas were meaningful.  Since many of you return for a daily update on Wildomar Magazine’s version of ” A Day In The Life” of our city, for reasons unknown, we still are thankful for each our readers. (Over 9.000 individual visits since July 2008)

So, to all who visit, read, and enjoy(not a requirement of your subscription, but it’s assumed) Wildomar Magazine, have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.

Charity Begins At Home But….

 

…ITS GOING TO END UP ON WILDOMAR’S ROADS, THANKS TO CORNERSTONE

An article appearing in today’ s Californian underscores why an up-to-date traffic study must be completed by Cornerstone, followed by real mitigation, such as traffic lights and widened streets with turn pockets.

“Truck after truck pulled into the parking lot Monday at Cornerstone Community Church in Wildomar. As each approached, it stopped and a head poked out from the driver’s seat to ask Tonja Medbery where to park.

“You’re Fallbrook right?” she asked, pointing the driver to a loading spot to the left of a truck coming from Hemet.

Monday was the culmination of a year’s work as Medbery, a Murrieta resident, collected the final donations for this year’s Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child, a 16-year-old effort by the international Christian community to fill shoe boxes with presents for children in as many as 130 countries.” 

It is the very nature of a church like Cornerstone to become involved in large charity programs, originated by some other distant organization, many of which are laudable.  In this case, we have a woman from Murrieta  who is directing trucks from Fallbrook and Hemet for “stuff” going to other countries.  

All of these people’s charitable urges benefit  the residents of Wildomar how? 

Cornerstone members should understand that their version of Christian generosity should not be to the detriment of those of us who do not desire to join in Cornerstone’s particular charity events.

That doesn’t make us bad people.

Many of us have our own charitable efforts that are  sufficiently private that they actually conform to scripture about charitable giving. Matthew 6:3 says,  ”when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” An argument for personal, not institutional charity? (Editor’s note; Zak quoting scripture is truly unfair).

One more word about “motivations,” spoken by the frank Murrieta woman herself. “So (the giving is) done by their churches, their schools and they can build their following.”

Well said.

After The San Jacinto Indictments….

 

…THE PHRASE “DEVELOPER FRIENDLY” WILL NO LONGER BE GLIBLY TOSSED AROUND AT WILDOMAR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.

That’s just a guess from Wildomar Magazine.

Marmaduke, The Movie…

….MY KID CAN WRITE BETTER THAN YOUR KID

All of that encouragement in going to college has again paid off.  Zak’s son, Tim Rasmussen and his equally talented son-in-law, Vince Di Meglio, will receive credit as screenwriters for the making of the partially animated movie feature, Marmaduke, based, of course, on the popular cartoon. Release is set for 2010.

As usual, a normally proud Dad but one who also blogs and can share his pride with his readers.

Thought you might enjoy sharing my moment.  Sorry, I can’t get you tickets to the premier.

Common Sense versus The Economist…

 

……SOMETIMES BEING TOO SMART IS TOO COSTLY

Press Enterprise reporter, Aaron Burgin juxtaposed the issue well, in his article found in today’s paper, citing the Building Industry Association’s (“BIA”) favorite orifice. However, a little common sense usually deflates such theoretic puffery and flatulent opinion, at least among the common folk.

“Our recovery, whether you like it or not, will not occur until we get construction up and going,” said Inland economist John Husing, who is credited for initially suggesting the fee breaks to stimulate the economy.”

The developers created the housing bubble in Southwest Riverside County and, as a result, the overbuilding and foreclosures that now wrack our economy, and now Husing wants us to reduce the developer’s fees to get the developer’s profit-making bubble back on track. Haven’t we suffered enough?

Sounding a bit like the man who murders his parents and then throws himself on the mercy of the Court because he is an orphan, Husing wants to dump a hoped for economic recovery onto the backs of those of us now living in high density tracts and who spend long hours on a freeway commuting to a job somewhere else.

But then, the awesome power of common sense intercepts theory.

“Opponents, however, say the price the region will pay in the loss of dollars critical to improving the region’s underwhelming infrastructure is too steep.

“This is money that we can’t get back,” Wildomar Councilwoman Sheryl Ade said. “And when it comes time to widen our roads and improve our infrastructure, we won’t be able to do it.”

Ah, sweet, soothing common sense, like an aloe balm on chapped lips. Wildomar’s finest elected public servant deftly points her thoughtful   finger  downward and draws a practical line in Husing’s theoretical sandbox.

If the developer’s won’t pay for the infrastructure their high density tracts will create the need for, then the current taxpayers have to pay for it or sit in traffic.  No, thank you, Zak would rather wait for a real economic recovery to return, not one based solely on construction. Instead, Husing, and those who believe his words, lobby cities like Wildomar,  to support giving away money to developers to lure them back to build more houses.

Wildomar Magazine supports and applauds Councilwoman Sheryl Ade in her efforts to protect current Wildomar residents from an impacted future, stuck in traffic on the two lane Clinton Keith Bridge that developer fees haven’t paid enough to widen as yet.

Meanwhile, the modest tract home currently I own in Windsong Valley is sufficient to make my life pleasant. (That’s a conservative concept… MODERATION, not NIMBY).

Comments can be made below but understand that any comments may be published by Wildomar Magazine; but then  BIA reps know that, ’cause BIA reps are smart…. too smart.  Heard one whining again  last week at City Council.

Appellant Cites Cornerstone’s Missing…

…..BATHROOMS

And lots of them. No wee matter. (Sadly, Zak resorts to a pun; admittedly, the lowest form of humor). 

Wildomar resident and appellant Jim Filanc re-introduced himself to the Council and public last evening at the Wildomar City Council meeting, where his appeal of the Cornerstone parking expansion project includes asking the City Council to revisit the plans for Cornerstones’s athletic ”ministries,” which apparently do not provide for restroom “ministries.”

According to Filanc, it is Cornerstone’s intentions to have spectators walk several hundred feet to use bathrooms in the sanctuary.

Or, perhaps, another example (see above)  of a  ”Cornerstone incremental” under-the-radar solution is contemplated.

In any event, the matter was continued to January 2010 at Cornerstone’s request, removing the delay argument from known council supporter’s sense of urgency. Alleged delays in the past years (at the County and for which Wildomar is not responsible nor should the Wildomar council be in a rush) were, many times, the result of lack of timely preparation by Cornerstone or their reps. 

The tenor of the room was changed when CEQA attorney Ray Johnson, of the law firm, Johnson & Sedlack, easily listed the glaring deficiencies in the current project’s plans, each of which should trigger an obligation on the part of Cornerstone to produce an Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”).

Has civic sanity, rather than undue unfluence,  returned to the political process in Wildomar?  

Wee think so.

Cornerstone, The Appeal

 

 

…IN FAIRNESS TO ALL

Once again, as a public service, at no cost to the reader ( far less than $964), Wildomar Magazine tries to inform regarding tonight’s appeal of the current parking lot/athletic field project, brought by the City of Menifee and several Wildomar residents.

First, Cornerstone is entitled to develop their land, but must satisfy, by mitigation, the community’s interests, especially environmental matters, such as traffic, effects of  added lighting, and grading.

Of note, the church has grown to be quite large and has built it’s land holdings from an original 9+ acres to more than 80 acres.  The original 9+ acres was purchased by the Christian Evangelistic Assemblies (“CEA”), a Ca. corporation, which apparently “morphed” into its current form, as Grace International, headquartered in Houston Texas. The CEA took title to the property during a  time of turmoil, by purchasing the property from the former pastor, Billy Doyle Young, who was arrested and convicted of assaulting a church elder during a fight in the lobby of the small independent church.   (See PressEnterprise  September 30, 1992 ”Jury finds pastor guilty in beating.”) 

The parent organization, the CEA,  then facilitated  the move of Cornerstone from Margarita Middle School in Temecula to the present site.  In essence, Cornerstone received an enormous advantage, as a new church, over other new churches,who still had to rent expensive warehouses and school rooms to meet.  I’m sure that Cornerstone has at some later date purchased the land from the CEA but the early advantages of  low cost, or free, land and facilities inurring  to Cornerstone’s benefit must have contributed to their success and growth in some manner.

Second, it is inherent in evangelical churches, such as Cornerstone, that growth is always intended. It’s based on the concept of the Great Commission, when Jesus told his followers to “Go ye into the whole world and preach the Gospel.”  Like any other business enterprise, limits on growth are rarely set; instead, limits such as lack of parking or seating, are recognized and resolved through expansion, as space allows.

One of Cornerstone’s pastors admitted that their growth target is 10,000 members but that comment was oddly renounced during the recent Planning Commission hearing , by the senior pastor, as being spoken due to the refreshingly honest  pastor’s drug rehab, an unusually pathetic attempt at humor in a public hearing. 

Even sadder, Zak witnessed the uncontrolled guffaws from Cornerstone members bonding in the halls. (Note to the Cornerstone hallway boys;  it wasn’t funny. And if you thought so, you need to get out to a comedy club now and then).

Third, in this case, Cornerstone has grown to its’ current size without having to provide a vision of their plans in Wildomar. They have enlarged by  building in increments, always  staying under the threshold of any trigger of a costly Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”) while submitting to the distant County Planning Commission.  An EIR might require Cornerstone to consider other solutions to their parking dilemma, rather than carving up a natural hillside, the spoil of which will have to be hauled over our roads for two, long and insufferable years.

Wildomar Magazine challenges the Wildomar City Council to take this opportunity to have Cornerstone divulge their longterm plans and let the  impacted members of the Wildomar community  weigh in, by upholding the appeal.  The cumulative size of the church demands an EIR.

Cornerstone’s leadership could make this easy on Wildomar and any members of Cornerstone serving on the council, (thereby saving them from a conflict of loyalties and fiduciary duties), by offering,  this evening, to volunteer an EIR, which could tackle all of the current, relevant issues, including traffic, road widening and traffic lights, and the impact on Wildomar’s Dark Skies/ Bright Stars concept. Wildomar Magazine would support such an offer.

It would be the fair “and” Christian thing to do. And an appropriate  ”cornerstone” to grow larger in Wildomar.

Thanks To All Veterans…

                   

……WELCOME HOME, BROTHER

Viet Nam veteran Zak will be attending the City of Wildomar’s Veterans Day celebration at the beautiful Wildomar Cemetery at 3PM.  That’s 1500 hours for those still on patrol. Or, six bells for those still at sea.

Join with us in honoring veterans on this day.

Comments can be made to Zak at zakturango@excite.com.  He’s already in his bunker.

 

Guess What The Planning Commission….

……FOUND?

On Wednesday evening, the Wildomar Planning Commission said a collective “no” to the commercial development at Almond and Bundy Canyon where a bunch of office trailers were described as a ” modular” building.

Wildomar Magazine wants to congratulate three commissioners for raising the bar on development of Wildomar’s limited commercial land.  Perhaps the applicant will return with a better plan, one that will enhance Wildomar’s northern gateway to the city.

Wildomar’s future looks a little brighter today, doesn’t it?