Cityhood Realities

* Re “State Crushes Cityhood Bid of Foothill Ranch, Portola,” Oct. 15: As a four-year resident of Portola Hills, I participated at the Local Agency Formation Commission hearing Oct. 14 on the annexation bid by Lake Forest of the Foothill Ranch Towne Centre shopping and commercial area.

I am appalled at the disregard the commission had for the more than 4,000 registered voters of Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills who signed petitions to put cityhood on the ballot. Many streets had signatures from 80%, 90%, even 100% of those contacted.

Our proposed city is too small? What about Seal Beach, Villa Park or Stanton?

A 15% yearly increase in retail sales isn’t realistic? It is if Towne Centre is only 60% built out, more residential and commercial building is occurring.

How about Rancho Santa Margarita’s application for cityhood, which has a 17% projected increase in retail sales? One shopping center isn’t enough to base a city on? It is if Towne Centre happens to be the second-largest retail center in Orange County after South Coast Plaza. I submit that commissioners’ approval of annexation only increases the chances for disorder in our community and that they caved in to the special interests of the city of Lake Forest.

RICHARD MEHL

Portola Hills

* Having attended the LAFCO hearing regarding annexation of the 1,502 commercial acres in Lake Forest’s sphere of influence, I was astonished at the amount of animosity and outright rudeness toward the City Council and in particular Mayor Peter Herzog.

It appears that, based on comments by the residents of Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills, their anger, if properly placed, would be toward the developers or real estate agents who sold them property with an understanding they would be their own planned community and future city.

TERESA M. LORETTE

Lake Forest