LAGUNA HILLS : Appeal Filed to Stop Leisure World Bridge

A group of 242 angry Leisure World residents want the Orange County Environmental Management Agency to reconsider its recent decision to allow construction of a golf cart bridge.

Residents became upset when the agency’s decision was announced last week, and over the Easter weekend, they raised enough money--$760--to file an appeal on Monday.

In the appeal, the residents said they were appalled to learn that the Golden Rain Foundation--Leisure World’s business trustee organization that votes on property uses--voted 5 to 4 to have Smith’s market build the bridge over Moulton Parkway. In addition, Smith’s would also pay $249,000 in exchange for an access road.

Moulton Parkway, a six-lane street, divides Leisure World. About 300 golfers who live on the west side of the street now must wait at a stoplight to cross over to the other side, where the golf course is, residents said.

After the vote by the foundation board, the Environmental Management Agency also approved the bridge construction, which would have begun as early as next week if residents had not appealed the decision, officials said. Now, residents are waiting for the agency to respond.

Smith’s offered to buy a Leisure World-owned road behind the market on the west side of Moulton Parkway about two years ago for $700,000 so trucks can easily enter, drop off and pick up merchandise.

But last month, the foundation struck a deal with the market requiring Smith’s to build a golf cart bridge, which is estimated to cost about $400,000, and pay $249,000 over a period of seven years. In return, Smith’s would get Leisure World’s road.

Residents said they do not want the bridge and would rather have the foundation spend the money from the sale of the road on something that would please everyone.

Michael O’Malley, a retired Orange County workers’ compensation judge and Leisure World resident, said the foundation’s decision to build a golf cart bridge that would prohibit anyone except golf cart drivers from using it is unfair. About 98.5% of the community’s 20,000 residents do not golf or own golf carts, he said.

Pat H. Green, a foundation trustee who voted for the bridge construction last month, said she regrets her action.

“I wish I hadn’t voted in favor” of the bridge, she said, explaining that she did not have enough time to study the impact of the project.

Green, 75, said she tried on Tuesday to get the board to renegotiate a deal with Smith’s, but her request was ignored.

The 12-foot-wide golf cart bridge “will serve just a few people,” Green said. “It’s very discriminatory to everyone else.”

She added that in addition to the 242 residents who appealed the agency’s decision, many more are against the bridge construction.

Foundation board member Earl D. Donaldson, who voted for the bridge, said it would be locked and guarded at night and would provide safety for its users when it is open during the day.

Crossing Moulton Parkway is dangerous, said Donaldson, 76. “The traffic is extremely fast,” he said. “People have been hit and there’s been many near accidents.”

Green said she and hundreds of other residents would rather have Smith’s pay $700,000 for the road upfront. She said the money could then be used for lessening residents’ monthly maintenance charges, which range from $200 to $500 for each household, to upkeep Leisure World grounds.

Agency officials said they will respond to the residents’ appeal with a hearing within 45 days.