SANTA ANA : Medical Center Plan Gets Council’s OK

The City Council has approved a plan for a 21,700-square-foot FHP Inc. medical center at 1111 W. Civic Center Drive.

The City Council last week unanimously approved the plan, which had been endorsed by the Washington Square Neighborhood Assn. Under the plan, the city will give up portions of two residential streets, Westwood Avenue and Towner Street, to make room for the project. Those streets will become cul-de-sacs and no longer connect with Civic Center Drive.

The single health care building and a 127-space parking lot will be constructed in modern Mexican architecture to blend in with the surrounding area, according to a report to the board. The project also will require the demolition of 15 vacant homes and an empty commercial building that now occupy the site.

At the meeting, Councilman Miguel A. Pulido Jr. said: “I support this project largely because the neighborhood association is in favor of it. I think it’s a good project.”

Mayor Daniel H. Young agreed, saying: “We’re really very honored to get a first-class service right here in the city. It’s going to offer the city a tremendous service.”

However, 10th Street resident Miles Leach opposed the plan. He said that it would increase traffic on Civic Center Drive and Washington Avenue and “it would be a lot better to find a more convenient street to put the medical center.” He added after the meeting, “Cul-de-sacs do not decrease traffic. They increase it on other streets.”

With its approval of the FHP plan, the council has given intent to abandon portions of Westwood Avenue and Towner Street, said Robyn Uptegraff, executive director of planning and building. The council will decide whether to finalize that action following a public hearing at 6 p.m. on Oct. 5.