Tustin : City Preparing Suit Over Development Plan

A disagreement over traffic patterns caused by future development plans has prompted Tustin officials to prepare a lawsuit against Irvine.

Tustin City Atty. Jim Rourke said the City Council ordered the lawsuit to be prepared for filing by Feb. 14 if a disagreement over the Irvine Business Complex is not resolved.

Rourke said Tustin’s action was prompted by Irvine’s decision last week to rezone areas of the business complex for higher-volume uses than originally planned.

Tustin officials believe that Irvine disregarded the city’s concerns that the zoning change would increase traffic flow in areas of Tustin adjacent to the complex.

The cities have been negotiating a plan for the placement of the Eastern Transportation Corridor for several months, Rourke said, and Tustin officials believed that Irvine was not likely to approve a plan that would be agreeable to both cities.

Paul Brady, Irvine assistant city manager, said he hopes that the disputes between the two cities can be resolved before the lawsuit is actually filed.

“It is important for us to keep the door open, to continue the ongoing dialogue,” he said.

In other city business, Mayor Frank Greinke said this week that he will not seek reelection for another council term. Greinke said, when campaigning four years ago, that he would serve only one term as a council member.

“I believe campaign promises should be kept,” he said. Greinke, who owns an oil company in Tustin, said he hopes to be appointed to positions on private and public agencies that will benefit the city.

Two council seats, those of Greinke’s and Councilwoman Ursula Kennedy’s, will be up for election on April 8.