Mayor Gene Hernandez comments on Bryant Ranch Shopping Center Measure B initiative during the November 21, 2023 City Council meeting.
A lot of residents have approached me with concerns about a petition that is going around our community related to increasing the zoning at Bryant Ranch Shopping Center. You may have seen signature gatherers at local grocery stores and going door-to-door. So I wanted to take a couple moments tonight to clarify a few points and hopefully empower our residents with information.
First, this City Council is not involved with advancing this petition or the effort. Indeed, the property owner chose to bypass the City Council and go direct to residents to seek an increase in zoning for residential units on the shopping center property. Any claims that the City Council endorses this effort are incorrect.
Second, it is the right of the owner to use Measure B to modify the zoning on his property through the ballot initiative process. The City cannot, and will not, use any public resources to support or oppose the effort. We can provide public information-as I am doing right now. So you won’t see City Staff using resources to tell residents if they should sign a petition or, potentially, how to vote on a future measure that would affect the zoning specific to Bryant Ranch.
Third, with that said, as council members and Yorba Linda residents, we are allowed to have free speech and share our viewpoints with residents. So you may see us share our thoughts on social media or in other formats that we are comfortable expressing ourselves.
I strongly encourage residents to understand this dynamic situation and to understand what they are being asked to sign when approached to sign a petition. Be informed. Ask questions. Talk to your fellow neighbors. These issues impact the community we all love.