Zoning Change Dooms 446 Trees

Over the objections of environmentalists, Orange County planning commissioners on Wednesday granted extensive zoning changes that will allow large-scale grading and the removal of hundreds of oak and sycamore trees from a scenic canyon area near Cleveland National Forest.

The changes were sought by Rutter Development Corp. of Irvine, which plans to build 162 homes on two sites along Live Oak Canyon and Santiago Canyon roads. The 598 acres are in the hills of eastern Orange County.

As a condition of the zoning change, the developer has promised to relocate 47 of the healthiest trees and plant 11,000 seedlings, acorns and smaller trees to compensate for the loss of 446 oaks and sycamores. Rutter also has offered to dedicate 300 acres as permanent open space.

“This is a new way to keep the oak tree legacy going in Trabuco Canyon,” said Planning Commissioner Ben Nielsen. “Eleven thousand trees will be great for future generations to see, and we need new housing in Orange County.”

The commission voted 4 to 0 to amend the Trabuco Foothill Specific Plan, a set of stringent zoning requirements designed to maintain the natural resources and rural character of 6,000 acres in the area. Commissioner Rick Goacher abstained, citing potential conflicts of interest. The Board of Supervisors must endorse the revisions.

County officials estimate that the Saddle Creek and Saddle Crest projects could affect 1,036 of the 3,676 oak and sycamore trees in the project area.

Of those, 493 trees, all oaks except for 27, are in the grading area and will have to be removed.

An additional 543 trees, all oaks except for 30, might be affected by construction activity because they are near the grading area.

During Wednesday’s public hearing, the vast majority of speakers opposed the revisions because they would allow destruction of hundreds of oaks and undermine existing zoning requirements for the canyon and foothill areas.

A few accused county planners of being more interested in development than sound planning in order to solve the department’s financial problems.

The county has proposed doubling builders’ fees to staunch the office’s flow of red ink.

Just before siding with the developer, commissioners chastised some speakers for what they said were unfounded accusations against the department.

Then commission Chairman Chuck McBurney held up a loose-leaf notebook containing the county’s zoning ordinances.

“There is nothing in the zoning code that cannot be amended,” McBurney told the audience. “We are not trying to change the Bible here.”