ORANGE : Growth and Traffic Are Biggest Issues

For a city that boasts of a small-town atmosphere, the city of Orange is beginning to face some metropolitan-size problems. The five mayoral candidates and the three City Council candidates will address issues that are relatively new to the picturesque city, problems such as gangs and how to assimilate a growing immigrant population.

But the key concerns of this election, such as explosive growth and overwhelming traffic, are problems that the 102-year-old city has been addressing for some time.

Cross-county commuters clog the streets of Old Towne, abandoning one of the five freeways near or running through the city to use historic neighborhoods as shortcuts. Open space is disappearing at an alarming clip, and the city is scheduled to double its population with development of 18,000 acres of Irvine Co.-owned land within the city’s eastern sphere of influence.

Local political observers say selecting a mayor who will tackle these problems is a choice between the old guard and new blood.

The two considered be the most serious candidates to replace Mayor Don E. Smith, who will retire after 25 years in elected office, are Mayor Pro Tem Gene Beyer and Robert A. Boice, an independent businessman and founder of the Old Towne Preservation Assn.

Though neither has proposed plans on how to handle these concerns, the candidates agree that if the city wants to protect neighborhoods, preserve open space and manage growth and traffic congestion, it must address the issues as regional problems and work with its neighbors, Santa Ana and Anaheim.

Beyer has served 10 years on the council, and two years are left in his current term. He is seen as the favorite in the race and says he proved his leadership when he took over for the ailing mayor this summer.

“I have a breadth of experience my opponents simply don’t have,” Beyer said.

Boice, who boasts widespread grass-roots support, says the council needs to be proactive.

“I’ve realized that there are many little fires burning all over the city,” Boice said. “There’s something wrong with a council that allows things to get to that point.”

If Beyer is elected mayor, his council seat will be filled by council appointment or a special election. Other candidates for mayor include: E. William Berke, a financial consultant who says the city is currently spending beyond its means and needs tighter fiscal management; Marshall F. Norris, a retired county clerk who promotes growth and lower developer fees; and Juan Pablo Serrano-Nieblas, a perennial candidate and self-proclaimed Juaneno Indian shaman who wants a moratorium on development.

Three candidates, including incumbents Joanne Coontz and William Steiner, are competing for two seats on the City Council. Challenger Don Greek, a former planning commissioner who showed strong early support, says recent allegations that he violated state conflict-of-interest codes while on the commission have clouded the campaign, making it impossible to discuss issues.

Coontz, the first woman elected to the council, is seeking her second term. Steiner, appointed to replace Smith on the council in 1988, is seeking his first full four-year term. The city’s 51,000 registered voters will also decide three measures on the Nov. 6 ballot:

A yes vote on Measure J supports changing the city treasurer from an elected to an appointed position.

Yes on Measure K supports an increase from 8% to 10% in the city’s hotel bed tax.

Yes on Measure L will direct the City Council to enact an ordinance banning safe and sane fireworks.

ORANGE CITY ELECTIONS

These are the candidates running Nov. 6 in the Orange city election. Mayor Don E. Smith is not seeking reelection. Two council seats are being contested.

Mayor

E. William Berke

Age: 48

Occupation: Retirement plan consultant; business owner.

Background: Member of Internal Revenue Service advisory committee; member of California CPA Assn. and American Bar Assn.; Orange resident for one year.

Issues: Advocates slow growth; says city needs better fiscal management; believes that city officials employed by developers or contractors should be barred from office; advocates some high-rise growth.

Gene Beyer

Age: 63

Occupation: Mayor pro tem; retired.

Background: Has been on City Council since 1980; appointed mayor pro tem in 1988; chairman of the Orange Centennial Commission; Orange Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year; school principal, 1965-87; Orange resident since 1960.

Issues: Believes that city must control growth, manage traffic congestion and preserve open space; wants to stimulate business through citywide marketing plan; wants to improve cultural facilities through cooperation with local schools.

Robert A. Boice

Age: 40

Occupation: Mechanical engineer; business owner.

Background: Founder of Old Towne Preservation Assn.; member of Orange Chamber of Commerce and Orange Community Historical Society; born and raised in Orange.

Issues: Believes that city needs fresh leadership; advocates preservation of open space and saving ridgelines; says traffic is county’s No. 1 issue; believes that development should be addressed as regional issue; opposes high-rise development east of Orange Freeway.

Marshall F. Norris

Age: 64

Occupation: Retired

Background: Former supervisor of major crimes and appeals division, Orange County Superior Court; campaigned unsuccessfully for county sheriff and county clerk; Orange resident for 27 years.

Issues: Believes that Orange needs a full-time mayor; advocates continued growth and lower developer fees; opposes rent control; believes that high-rise development would encourage business growth.

Juan Pablo Serrano-Nieblas

Age: 50

Occupation: Environmental engineer

Background: Self-proclaimed shaman of the Juaneno Indian tribe; fifth bid for the mayor’s seat; born and raised in Orange.

Issues: Considers himself the “anti-Establishment candidate”; advocates moratorium on development and reversal of the East Orange General Plan; wants to protect canyons from development.

City Council

Joanne Coontz

Age: 61

Occupation: Incumbent

Background: First woman elected to City Council; Orange Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year; chairwoman of the city Transportation Planning Commission; board member of the Orange Community Historical Society; member of the Economic Development Committee, Financial/Management Audit and East Orange General Plan Steering Committee; Orange resident since 1961.

Issues: Advocates working regionally to manage growth and traffic problems and to preserve open space; says city must attract business but be sensitive to neighborhoods; promotes improved personnel and fiscal management at City Hall.

Don Greek

Age: 57

Occupation: Civil engineer; business owner

Background: Planning commissioner 1983-90; former member of East Orange Steering and Policy committees; former president of Engineering Club of Orange County; member of American Society of Civil Engineers and American Public Works Assn. Orange resident for 14 years.

Issues: Supports development but not at expense of current residents; advocates preservation of open space; would limit terms of elected office to eight years and limit campaign spending; advocates larger police force; says city should spend more money on construction and less on studies and consultants; supports expansion of affordable housing for senior citizens and low-income residents.

William Steiner

Age: 53

Occupation: Appointed to City Council in 1988 to fill the term of Don E. Smith; Director, Orangewood Children’s Foundation.

Background: Orange Unified School District trustee, 1983-88; Citizen of the Year; board member of the Adam Walsh Resource Center; chairman of the state Child Development Programs Advisory Committee; Orange resident for 22 years.

Issues: Says quality of life must be preserved through strict code enforcement, growth and traffic management and by increasing city services to guarantee public safety; wants to streamline and formalize city procedures for more cost-effective management; advocates low-cost housing for senior citizens; opposes high-rise development next to residential areas.