Cypress to Vote on Future of 46.9 Acres Near Los Al Border

As Cypress voters prepare to head to the polls to decide the fate of a golf course on the Los Alamitos border, some Los Alamitos residents worry the vote could pave the way for unwanted development projects similar to a massive trucking terminal already proposed for a nearby property.

The June 25 special election for Measure A will decide whether two pieces of property -- a combined 46.9 acres -- around the Los Alamitos Race Course will change from “public and semi-public zones” to three separate “planning districts,” allowing for several types of future developments, according to city staff.

If Measure A passes, city staff said, the former land of the Cypress Golf Course and a part of the race course parking lot would become:

• A 30.7-acre for single-family homes

• A 5-acre area for “neighborhood commercial” developments, like a business park

• An 11.2-acre area for combination mixed-use commercial and business park ventures 

The areas proposed for housing and the possible business park sit to the west of the race course and just south of Cerritos Avenue, while the proposed combined area rests southeast of the race track and northwest of the Costco on Katella Avenue and Walker Street.

According to Cypress Planning Manager Doug Hawkins, the business park could house ventures like art and dance studios and appliance stores, and the area designated for the combination of uses could also house a number of businesses including offices or companies that manufacture electronics or clothing. 

The 46.9 acres is currently zoned “public and semi-public,” which allows for project like hospitals, cemeteries, churches, public buildings, schools and colleges. The zoning designation cannot be changed without a vote of the people.

Some Los Al and Cypress residents are concerned a “Yes” vote on Tuesday's only ballot measure for the city will create another project like the 33-acre Prologis truck terminal proposed near the northeast corner of Katella Avenue and Enterprise Drive, which they say will cause traffic, pollution and road damage for both cities.

Supporters of Measure A say there are safeguards in place to keep the developer from deviating from the planned zones and that the future developments will bring more jobs and residents to the city.

Measure A supporter Christo Bardis, the owner of the former Cypress Golf Course property, said the zoning changes are the “least intrusive zoning that you could do.” As it sits now as open space, it’s a health hazard, Bardis said.

“It’s basically a piece of land that’s got three ponds on it. That's literally a dangerous condition,” Bardis said.

Bardis said he and Ed Allred, the owner of the race track and the track parking lot, legally can’t do anything else other than what’s proscribed by Measure A because of deed restrictions for the property.

“It’s absolutely impossible,” Bardis said. “It’s out of my control if Measure A passes.”

Allred could not be reached for comment.

Jody Shloss, a longtime Los Alamitos resident, urged Cypress voters to reject Measure A. Shloss said the property owners will simply ignore or change the zoning designation after the measure is passed, much like she alleges Bardis did with the property he sold to Prologis, the industrial developer that plans to build the controversial trucking distribution center on the border of Los Alamitos.

“Bardis has said he will put homes on it, (the former golf course property) and with that promise and a dollar you can get a cup of coffee at McDonalds,” Shloss said.

Shloss said she was also concerned opponents of Measure A have limited funds and have to resort to handmade signs and fliers. Conversely, she alleged, the property owners have millions of dollars to spend on Measure A promotion.

George Pardon, assistant director of the Citizens for Responsible Development - Cypress, said he was “vehemently opposed to Measure A initially because it had the same language” as a 2012 ballot measure that enabled property owners to plan the Prologis trucking terminal project.

But after negotiations between residents and the property owners, Pardon, a 23-year Cypress resident, said he changed his mind and now supports the project. He said residents like himself and Steve Mauss, got the property owners to change the deeds, so the owners can only build developments in accordance with the land uses authorized by Measure A.

Pardon adds the deed has also been modified so that developer would be barred from using either of the commercial zones as a warehouse or distribution center. The deed modifications also prohibit condos, kennels or aviaries in the residential zone.

“We actually had an independent attorney look at the deed restrictions to ensure (them), and every realtor I’ve talked to has told me that these deed restrictions would clearly hold up in court,” Pardon said.

David Lisle Rose, who has lived in Cypress since 1999, opposes Measure A, and said the golf course land should remain open space. Rose, who said he’s concerned the deed restrictions won’t stop Bardis and Allred from building -- or selling to a company that will build -- something like a trucking distribution center.

“Those deed restrictions can be … (changed) with the agreement of the property owner and the (Cypress) City Council, and the City Council has given the property owner anything they want,” said Rose, the chairman of Cypress Citizens for Open Space.

When contacted at his work at the Crystal Geyser Water Company, Councilman Robert Johnson refused to acknowledge his role as a city leader, simply referring to himself as “Robert Johnson, businessman” and telling a Patch reporter to try to reach the councilman elsewhere.

Patch repeatedly reached out to other Cypress council members and received no response.

Los Alamitos Councilman Mayor Warren Kusumoto said he would not comment on the Measure.

“I think that’s an internal matter with Cypress, and I don’t really think it is appropriate for us to get involved,” Kusumoto said.

Here’s more information on Measure A from the Orange County Registrar of Voters.  

Analysis of Measure by Cypress City Attorney

Argument in Favor of Measure A

Argument against Measure A

Rebuttal to Argument in Favor of Measure A

Rebuttal to Argument against Measure A

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