Riley Says a Vocal Few Are Behind Recall Bid : ‘Fought for Balanced, Controlled Growth,’ He Contends in Official Response to Drive

Supervisor Thomas F. Riley formally responded Thursday to a recall drive against him, labeling its proponents a “vocal minority” that has “misrepresented my contributions to Orange County.”

The one-page document, which was voluntary but had to be filed if at all by Thursday, challenges allegations by Riley’s critics that he has favored developers to the detriment of others and ignored the public’s desire for a slower pace of growth in the county.

“I have fought for balanced and controlled growth to protect our quality of life,” Riley said in the statement.

He also said he has led efforts that increased by 24,000 acres the amount of public land that can be used for parks and open space in the county, added hundreds of miles of road improvements financed by developers and increased the county’s share of state highway money.

Development Agreements Cited

The proponents of the drive against him, in the notice of recall they filed last week, cited a series of development agreements approved by the board during the last year that Riley’s critics say add to growth problems in the county.

They also accused Riley of allowing the county to become legally liable for the development agreements while refusing to fight a lawsuit challenging the slow-growth initiative on the June 7 ballot.

One of the development agreements--with the Irvine Co.--does not provide adequate compensation to the county and destroys the “irreplaceable natural beauty and tranquillity of Laguna Canyon,” Riley’s critics said.

That agreement protects the Irvine Co.’s plans to build Laguna Laurel, which is to include 3,200 homes and a shopping center and golf course in Laguna Canyon. In exchange, the Irvine Co. will participate in the San Joaquin Hills Corridor tollway project, help finance road improvements in the county and dedicate land about 7,000 acres as open space.

The Irvine Co. has also pledged under the agreement to provide land for a county communications center and fees for such things as child-care facilities.

Zoning Guarantees

The development agreements benefit developers by preventing the county for up to 20 years from changing zoning and other land-use restrictions affecting a project.

The statement Riley filed Thursday contended that the Laguna Laurel agreement preserves 70% of the site as open space and requires the Irvine Co. to finance $40 million in new road construction.

The response said the county is not obligated to defend developers but did not speak to development agreements.

In response to criticism about the board’s refusal to defend itself in a lawsuit challenging the slow-growth initiative, Riley said the board had been advised by County Counsel Adrian Kuyper that it had been inappropriately named in the suit.

If the registrar of voters approves the language of recall petitions that Riley’s critics must now file, they will have 60 days to collect signatures from 10% of the registered voters in Riley’s 5th District.

If that happens and the signatures are certified, either the Board of Supervisors or the registrar must call an election within 125 days.