Residents riled over rail route

More than 100 angry residents packed the City Council chambers Monday night, using public comment time to say they felt shut out of a recently approved transportation study that they fear could bring a rail route through their backyards. Council members said they worked hard to keep the public informed, but the process is so preliminary there’s not much to tell.

The Orange County Transportation Authority awarded a $250,000 grant Monday to several cities looking at a transit line from Huntington Beach to Disneyland. The study will be used to compete for more grant money from the agency’s Go Local program to perform a more focused study on the project. But residents are worried about the possibility of light rail going down an old set of Union Pacific Railroad tracks from Anaheim to Huntington, down to the intersection of Ellis Avenue and Gothard Street, and possibly even to the beach.

Numerous residents said they were worried about their property values and the safety of their children — especially past Ellis to the beach, but even before that spot.

“We’re not just talking about a train occasionally, but often and fast,” said 35-year resident Patrick Gordon. “I have a significant concern because I have a young child, and I want her to grow up and be safe.”

Many, such as resident Shari Noriega, said they had been stalled and shut out of the process by the council. Residents were informed about council agenda items late or not at all, Noriega said.

“I have 30 pages of signatures of residents indicating opposition to the method the city has taken to propose this project,” she said. “We’re asking to agendize the Go Local project for the next council meeting … and for an oversight committee of homeowners.”

Council members said they had been very open about the process, and any late communications were simply adding more information to existing agenda items.

Councilwoman Cathy Green said Tuesday that she was happy to meet with concerned citizens, but it was premature to form a committee or put it on the agenda again because there was no project to discuss. The city is a long way from deciding on a route or even whether to use bus, rail or something else, she said.

“I think at some point we probably will have one [a committee],” she said. But right now, “until we get something to look at, what are we going to oversee? Until we find out where it’s going to go, how can we choose who goes on a committee?”

Several council members said that the use of the tracks past Ellis Avenue was highly unlikely. Councilman Keith Bohr called its chances “one in a billion,” while Councilwoman Jill Hardy said it was one of least likely alternatives.

“I understand the opposition,” Hardy said. “I think it’s good to voice such opposition. I hope sooner rather than later we get an opportunity to express it’s not actually our first choice.”

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