Lake Ownership in Mission Viejo

The readers of The Times Orange County Edition should be made aware of the power extended over the residents of Mission Viejo by the Mission Viejo Co. (the builders of Mission Viejo) and the Lake Mission Viejo Assn. Now that Mission Viejo is a city, the tentacles of the Lake Assn. and the Mission Viejo Co. should be loosened and that reality should be faced. It is absurd that the lake be treated as an association, and the time has come that the lake should belong to all and not the 15,000 members who are held captive because of a covenant issued by the builders. It should be considered that the lake be acquired by the city of Mission Viejo, so all may benefit, members and non-members alike.

It would be quite simple to transfer ownership to the city. The lake expenses could be met by imposing small fees for entrance as is done in various regional parks.

The residents of Mission Viejo will be the beneficiaries of an expanded park system and the unfair hold on 15,000 households will be released. At that time all of Mission Viejo residents will own the lake.

ARTHUR KATZ

Mission Viejo