45-Home Plan in Little Saigon Irritates Some

It’s the kind of development--45 single-family homes--that often gets approved painlessly. But the one proposed in Westminster has sparked complaints and accusations from residents and city officials alike.

Residents are upset that traffic from the proposed gated community in the back of a popular mall on Bolsa Avenue might clog their streets. City Council members, who are expected to vote on the project tonight, have accused each other of fanning the tensions by distributing fliers about the project. And city officials would like to investigate whether city employees said a prominent Little Saigon developer gets special treatment by city staff--but they’re running into a bit of a roadblock.

“It’s been a wild time,” Councilman Russell Paris said.

The controversy began bubbling at a meeting last month when Councilman Tony Lam accused Councilman Kermit Marsh of “stirring the pot” by distributing fliers near the site, asking for public input on the project. Marsh angrily demanded Lam retract the statement, which Lam eventually did.

At the same meeting, resident Russ Allee said city employees told him that developer Frank Jao receives favored treatment because he has donated heavily to council campaigns.

A spokeswoman for Jao’s company, the Bridgecreek Development Co., denied the firm has received preferential treatment. The company has developed much of Little Saigon. Although Bridgecreek owns the site in back of the Asian Village mall on Bolsa Avenue, it plans to sell the property to Western Pacific Housing, which would build the 45 homes if the project is approved. Western Pacific did not return a reporter’s phone calls.

Shortly after that council meeting, Allee received a letter from Westminster Personnel Director Janie Miller, asking him for the “names and departments of the employees that gave you this information. . . . It appears some additional training may be appropriate.”

No City Plans for Discipline

Because she has not heard from Allee, Miller said she would not try to find which, if any, city employees spoke to him. Miller added that the city has no plans to discipline anyone but could offer retraining.

“It’s not good customer service to provide false information,” she said.

Allee said he has not contacted Miller because he doesn’t want any employees to lose their jobs. “I don’t know what kind of message they are trying to send me but . . . it causes you to hesitate to speak out in public,” he said.

Some council members are also wary. “A letter like that could get you into trouble,” Councilman Frank Fry Jr. said.

Residents near the proposed development believe that the two-story homes will bring more cars to the area and intrude on their privacy.

“This is my private part of the world; this is tranquillity for me,” said Harvey Reyes from his backyard in the 14700 block of Alcester Street, where he has lived for 23 years. His home is less than 100 feet from the proposed development.

If built, the two-story homes would have a direct view into Reyes’ backyard. “I’d rather move than have people staring into my backyard,” he said.

But city officials believe that the homes and their 112 parking spots are the best option for the area.

“I don’t see the project affecting anyone’s quality of life,” said Don Anderson, community development director.

Council members say they want to finalize the project and put the controversy behind them.