Ridgeline Equestrian Estates

WHAT, WHERE, WHY, WHO, HOW, WHEN

WHAT:

Right now, a group of folks representing the Orange Park Acres Homeowners Association (OPA HOA) are asking you to sign a petition to overturn the Orange City Council’s recent approval of the plan for Ridgeline Equestrian Estates. Their goal is to get enough signatures to qualify a referendum for a citywide Special Election in Orange.

Ridgeline Equestrian Estates is planned for 51 acres in Orange Park Acres; and includes 39 one-acre equestrian estate lots as well as developer-funded/built PUBLIC multi-use trails, PUBLIC horse arena, the addition of new trees, the preservation of Handy Creek in its natural state and other improvements to local road, plus so much more. Also, the developer owns the Sully-Miller Horse Arena, has agreed to donate it to the City of Orange and have it operated and maintained by a new non-profit organization.

These amenities exceed both California and City of Orange requirements for new development.

WHERE:

The property on which Ridgeline Equestrian Estates will be built was once a PRIVATE pay-to-play 9-hole golf course and clubhouse. Unfortunately, the course and clubhouse were insolvent for years, garnering memberships from less than 5% of OPA residents, and finally sold to a family living in OPA. Since the City of Orange General Plan allows for BOTH open space-recreation AND one-acre estate homes on the property, the family created a plan to build one-acre equestrian estates on the site --- especially since this use reduced local traffic flows (when compared with the previous use) and resulted in some important on-site improvements and PUBLIC recreational amenities that fit the rural character of OPA.

WHY:

The OPA HOA has stated that it can support the plan for Ridgeline Equestrian Estates since really, it fits the character of the OPA community and creates one-acre equestrian homes surrounded by one-acre equestrian homes. So, why the petition effort and signature gathering?

The OPA HOA wants the Ridgeline property owner to give them 51 acres elsewhere in OPA so that the OPA HOA can create an expansive new country club and then have it maintained and operated as a new public park. Their plan includes 52.6 acres on which they want YOU to build THEM a driving range, putting green, aquatic center, 13 tennis courts, a parking lot, four-way intersection with lush new landscaping, and even an underground horse trail connecting a 15-acre equestrian center to a riding arena and OPA community center.

But they are not sharing that secret with you. Instead, they are asking you to support their effort to create more “parks” in Orange. What they fail to mention is that the cost of the new OPA country club is $51 million --- paid by YOU and your hard-earned tax dollars to the City of Orange!

Plus, the OPA HOA also wants to own and operate the existing private Sully-Miller Horse Arena, which the Ridgeline property owner also owns yet has already offered to donate to a local non-profit group.

WHO:

Many of the OPA HOA people behind the petition gathering live in spacious homes with their own putting greens, tennis courts, swimming pools, and horse arenas. Some folks are part of organizations that always fight any and all development. Others, sadly, have been misled into thinking that the land use designation for the former, insolvent golf course allowed for only recreation. That’s not accurate. The City of Orange General Plan allows for BOTH open space-recreation AND one-acre estate homes on the property.

Who will be impacted if the OPA HOA is successful in overturning the City Council’s approval of Ridgeline Equestrian Estates and getting the country club land? The answer is you and every service, event and program currently funded under the City’s General Fund.

HOW:

The petitioners are gathering signatures to overturn a key Ridgeline Equestrian Estates resolution approved by the City Council. In mid-July, they will be out again trying to collect signatures to overturn key Ridgeline Equestrian Estate ordinances approved by the City Council.

WHEN:

The plan for Ridgeline Equestrian Estates was overwhelmingly approved by the City’s Design Review Committee, its Parks Planning and Development Commission, its Planning Commission and City Council.

If the petitioners gather enough signatures, the referendum to overturn all the Ridgeline Equestrian Estate approvals could trigger a citywide Special Election, paid by the City of Orange.