San Juan Roads Can’t Handle More Homes

Re “Making Decisions Based on Lessons Learned,” April 13:

San Juan Capistrano has experienced tremendous growth in the 13 years I have lived here. Along with that have come traffic problems caused by a handicapped infrastructure. The original freeway access and surface street limitations could not have foreseen the development to the east of town.

There is another housing project under consideration, and it appears that the city Transportation Commission’s recommendation regarding the Honeyman Ranch project is being ignored.

That commission unanimously recommended that the rezoning to allow for 129 homes be tabled until further infrastructure is in place or that it be built out as currently zoned with 32 new homes.

It would appear that this recommendation has fallen on deaf ears because the Planning Commission, through its Design Review Committee, has spent numerous hours looking at footprints and setbacks for the increased number of homes.

These homes would be accessed from Rancho Viejo Road by way of either Ortega Highway or Junipero Serra Road. Both of those streets are nightmares of unbelievable proportions. The existing traffic problems have caused residents on the east side of the freeway to avoid town altogether and to take their business to the northern communities.

We are not against well-planned growth, but let’s not build before the infrastructure is in place to support it.

DeeDee Ostrow

San Juan Capistrano