It looks like Santa Ana City Manager Dave Ream is attacking the businesses in the Logan neighborhood again.
I received a frantic call from Sandy Pratt of Blue Bird towing on Friday. She told me that new traffic control signs have gone up all over Logan. These signs say that trucks over 3 tons are prohibited from entering Logan Barrio. These signs effectively shut down the majority of industrial business in the Logan neighborhood area. That is not fair given that many of these businesses have been fixtures in this community for decades.
A local businessman had this to say about the new signs, “This is not what I understand that the people of Logan want. My understanding is that most Logan residents are okay with a mix of residential and reasonable industrial uses which comply with existing city municipal code and traffic requirements.”
So what kind of vehicles weigh more than three tons? A Ford F-150 with a utility bed, tools and materials weighs more than 3 tons (6,000 pounds).
So who authorized this?
Pratt told a friend of mine that when she called City Hall on Friday afternoon she was transferred to Public Works. A fellow who was initially quite evasive then told her that he received an order to place the signs in question on any street that takes commercial vehicles entering into the Logan area.
Pratt insisted on being told WHO placed the sign order. After some haggling with the city employee, he finally told her that City Manager Dave Ream ordered the signs placed at all the intersections leading into the Logan neighborhood.
So Pratt demanded to speak to Ream himself. After she thoroughly “Reamed” him out, he agreed to come out to talk to her about this concern. But prior to him showing up at 5 p.m., as he had promised, he sent two other city employees to try to mollify Pratt.
Ream finally showed up at 5:30 p.m. and he tried to soothe Pratt by saying that the work crew had misunderstood his order. He said he told them to replace all the old signs.
Then Ream called the Santa Ana Police Department and told them not to write any citations.
Has Ream completely lost it? I have noticed in the past couple of years that Ream is barely able to stay awake at City Council meetings. He appears to be enfeebled. Why is he hanging on to his job when he appears to be incapable of doing it?
Ream should have retired by now. But the Santa Ana City Council and Mayor Miguel Pulido gave him yet another huge raise this year. My guess is that they are feathering his nest in advance of a pending retirement. He cannot retire soon enough. Just ask the businesspeople in the Logan neighborhood.
UPDATE:
It looks like Ream pulled a patented “bait and switch” by installing these signs. The Logan Neighborhood continues, rightfully, to be upset at the illegal operations of Ware Disposal. According to a city insider, Ware never got permission, in the form of a CUP, to operate at their Logan facility. Ream knows this and his standard response is that the City Attorney is working on this. But would Ware’s operation be tolerated in one of the more prominent neighborhoods in Santa Ana, such as Floral Park? Heck no! Ware would have been shut down by now. So instead of going after Ware, Ream comes up with this sign strategy – but he did it without talking to any of the legitimate enterprises in the Logan neighborhood. At the very least he should have coordinated meetings with the business community to find out if the 3 ton limit was workable. Installing the signs by fiat was just plain nuts.
As for the Logan neighborhood my heart goes out to them. I lived for several years in the Artesia Pilar neighborhood where we had similar problems with poorly run plating companies and auto shops. In fact there were numerous incidents of brain cancer amongst schoolchildren in the area – and while health officials said that there was no connection to the companies in question, including one that got caught polluting the area, residents still wondered if their children were safe.
If I do get elected to the City Council my promise to the people of the Logan neighborhood is that I will leave no stone unturned in going after Ware. If the City of Santa Ana won’t enforce their own laws I will call on the O.C. District Attorney to investigate the Santa Ana City Attorney and Ream, who are plainly not doing their jobs. The fact that Ware donates to the entire Pulido cabal should give us all pause. Is there a quid pro quo deal at work here?
Every one should check out the 1a on the City Manager message. It could explain the method of his madness, especially page 3.
Planning Department should have posted the change and the police department sign on the change 24 hrs prior to posting it. If it is not signed off, it is an illegal order. I know this should have been brought up at a city council meeting 30 days in advance and posted at the sight. This is a waste of our tax dollars, especially when things are so tight! How much did it cost us to post those signs and now they have to take them down.
I should have mentioned that it is the City Manager’s message on the budget.
Also, if it is a temporary sign, then the city has to post a sign 24 hours in advance, and the police department has to sign the back of the temporary sign, so the people know when the 24 hours started.
I’m sure a permanent sign, you have to have at least a 30 advance notice, and public notice.
You may be aware that the Renaissance Specific Plan is on the back burner for the City of Santa Ana. However, the RSP has not gone away and will be back on the front burner after the election in November.
The City has indicated that they are “refining” the plan to take into consideration the concerns expressed by the community. We have not heard anything from the City concerning the RSP since it was shelved in February. What can we expect from the refined RSP?
If the City is going to operate anything like they did last week in the Logan Barrio, we could be in for some unwelcome surprises. The City virtually shut down all legitimate industrial businesses by arbitrarily installing traffic signs throughout Logan neighborhood which disallow trucks over 3 tons.
This is just one of the reasons why I am supporting Art Pedroza for City Council !! Please consider supporting Art – he was a major contributor to the communities effort to force the City to re-think the RSP.
We don’t know what the City is thinking now – another Logan type action perhaps. This is why we need Art on the City Council. Please join me in supporting Art and attend his birthday party/fundraiser on Tuesday Aug. 12th. If you cannot attend please go to his website and contribute online. http://www.artpedroza.com
Mike Tardif
“He said he told them to replace all the old signs.”
Well maybe the old signs did say–trucks over 3 tons are prohibited from entering Logan Barrio!
Maybe someone should investigate this further instead of the usual shooting from the hip, then asking questions.
Many want improvements in Logan and this would be a good start, I for one hate it when a big truck drives by, it literally shakes the whole building.
Those signs have been there for awhile.
cook Says:
June 6th, 2008 at 12:21 am
Viva Logan,
You are right, chapter 4 show Logan retaining the R/I-15 zoning it currently has. That is a change from the original plans.
Maybe the Logan residents need to have the city enforce the law about restricting heavy trucks in residential neighborhoods. Ware’s business couldn’t operate if they could not get their trucks to their property.
http://orangejuiceblog.com/2008/06/does-ware-disposal-want-to-trash-logan-barrio/#comments
Are you saying that non commercial residents are okay with commercial vehicle traffic on their streets? That would be flat out ignorance to health issues of such transportation. It amazes me that a diesel truck repair (Grand) facility can be located right next to and across the street from houses.
People who live next to highways have far greater health issues than those who live in true residential areas.
I spoke with Joe Andrade this morning and he does not understand what all the ruckus is about and frankly neither do I.
The folks in Logan would be happy to get any type of reprieve at this point. They are not opposed in any way to the signage and are hopeful that they will be enforced.
Enforcement is another issue altogether. As we know there is a certain business that has continually operated outside the law for sometime and enforcement has been lacking.
I am puzzled that folks who have actively opposed a “family restaurant” properly zoned in a commercial center would be in support of large commercial trucks rumbling through Logan. Would they feel the same way if they were driving thru their north Santa Ana neighborhood?
Also, most of those that are making noise about this do not own businesses in Logan and none of them live there.
Tish,
There was ONE sign restricting eastbound Stafford truck traffic from Santiago Blvd. This was respected by industrial businesses.
Now there are 10 to 15 signs and this effectively makes industrial operations impossible in Logan. Logan is zoned for residential and industrial.
Now the City is bagging the signs.
What was this all about? Is this the type of “community cooperation” that we can expect from City Hall when the Renaissance Plan comes up again after the election in November?
cook,
What makes you think that the City will enforce a traffic ordinance against Ware, when they do not even enforce Ware’s egregious zone and building code violations?
Mary –
Markland Manufacturing sits directly across the street from an elementary school. The city and the district failed in their due diligence when they approved this site.
Tish,
You may accuse me of shooting from the hip if you please, but the one who shot from the hip in this case was Dave Ream. All I did was shed some much-needed light on the subject.
I agree with you and Sean that the people of Logan need help – but the problem is Ware Disposal. This solution screws over legitimate businesses while I truly doubt that SAPD cops would be ticketing Ware trucks.
Follow the money. Ware has given thousands of dollars to the Pulido cabal – and they were huge contributors to Measure D, which extended the City Council term limits.
The problem is Ware – and Ream won’t do anything about them. The Pulido cabal won’t either. This is an injustice waiting for a lawsuit to be filed.
Sean,
If this was such a well thought out idea why, after receiving numerous complaints, has the City put bags over the signs?
Logan has been zoned residential/industrial since the beginning of time (or thereabouts). What sense does it make to eliminate the vehicles that make industrial operations possible?
Not all folks in Logan are happy about this. Where will the industrial employees who live and work in Logan go to find employment in the current economy?
Again, is this the type of “community cooperation” we can expect from the City when the Renaissance Plan comes barreling down the pike for the second go-round?
Mike Tardif
I think everyone appreciates the city doing something about Ware Disposal, but these signs are tantamount to punishing the victims.
SMS
Art,
My heart goes out to the residents of Logan Barrio as well. They should not be subject to the obnoxious and criminal violations of Ware Disposal.
But what the City has done is to “throw the baby out with the bath water.”
I have talked to Logan residents and businesses and there is only one problem industrial operation in the neighborhood and that is Ware Disposal.
We were in the meeting, standing room only, at the Logan Recreation Center the night they talked about the 3 ton signs…it must have been 18 months ago. The residents were so frustrated with Ware Disposal. They all had stories about how hard it is living in their own neighborhood and having to put up with the invasion of these large vehicles on their streets. Someone, a resident, suggested putting the signs BACK up. There was a cop there who is asigned to this area and they asked him to enforce the signs when replaced. He was taking a lot of heat that night too. I wish you could have heard the frusration in that room.
This was not a conspiracy by the city to get rid of the other businesses. I have talked to the city. I have talked with Mike Tardif in the past and also with Joe Andrade. The residents just want a nice safe neighborhood like the rest of us. Is that to much to ask? At this point the businesses in Logan have to help the residents get some help. The bussiness owners go home to quiet, peaceful homes…why can’t the Logan community have that as well?
As far as the city not doing anything with the RSP, that is not true. Mike and Art know that the city is doing an EIR and that this process takes time. I saw the invitation to Art’s birthday/ fundraiser and was shocked at how untrue it was. As ususal, Art will write anything that puts a bad light on the city and present it as fact, even when he knows the truth to be the opposite of what he has written.
Mike, what was it Art did to make himself a major contribtor to the RSP? It must of been something he created because he wasn’t seen at any meetings or at any of the charets. We couldn’t even get him to walk his own neighborhood in opposition Measure D! You must remember, Art is a talker, NOT a doer. In case he accuses us of being on CB’s reelection committee, let be known here and now that we are not. We simply don’t believe Art is the savior you believe him to be.
Julie and Glen –
Excuse me, did you say Art’s fundraiser press release put the city in a bad light?
Also, Art is not just a talker. He’s a very, very busy man and has only been able to free himself to run for the council since I’ve taken over day-to-day operations here at OJ.
In fact, Art has a great team around him and has even invited the community, through this blog, to participate in our discussions to find solutions to the city’s issues. We’re all working our rears off to start a new political revolution in the city of Santa Ana. What more can Art possibly do?
SMS
Julie & Glen said:
“The residents were so frustrated with Ware Disposal. They all had stories about how hard it is living in their own neighborhood and having to put up with the invasion of these large vehicles on their streets.”
I agree with you Julie & Glen, the residents of Logan should not have to live with Ware Disposal in their neighborhood. But why take the egregious and illegal violations of Ware Disposal out on legitimate businesses and Logan residents who are employees of those businesses?
The City should have included affected businesses in the discussions. Perhaps together the entire community could have come up with a workable solution to the Ware Disposal problem.
Julie,
I asked you to run for Ward 3 and you refused. I spent the last two weeks trying to find a candidate and no one stepped up. You say I do nothing but I stuck my neck on the line as a candidate – you did not.
You often attack others for not attending all the meetings that you do. Well Julie, I have four children. You have a backyard full of dogs. Dogs are not children. Children are a much bigger commitment. So yes, I put them ahead of all the meetings you attend. I won’t apologize for that.
And running this blog is a lot of work. You have made it clear you don’t like it. That is your right. I see what we do as a public service. We shed light on the shenanigans that used to be under wraps. Now folks know how crooked our Council and our City administration are.
And I did walk to over three hundred homes in my neighborhood with Measure D fliers. The one day you and your friends walked here I was not feeling well. That doesn’t mean I did not walk to the rest of those homes, does it?
I realize you are not on Bustmante’s campaign committee, but you ARE on Pulido’s campaign committee. That speaks for itself.
Complain about me all you want, but I am trying to change things while you are empowering the crooked people who have put this city in the hole it is in. I am running for office and you opted not to. That is the bottom line Julie. You say all I do is talk but I don’t see you doing anything to bring real change to this city.
Seems like you are trying to get people off the main subject here and that is the LOGAN BARRIO! Let stay on point and not be a pot stirrer…but nice try Julie.
This isn’t about ART or the RSP…say it again with me Julie…its about the LOGAN BARRIO….L O G A N B A R R I O.
As long as the area is R/I=15 zoning, there will always be a problem.
If the city wants to enforce the 3 ton rule, the city will need to do something about Lincoln St. Make it No Parking so the big trucks can go down it and open another entry / exit across from the train station.
cook,
If the City wants to eliminate industrial businesses from Logan they could simply rezone Logan to all residential.
Is that what those in favor of the 3 ton limit want – to eliminate industrial in Logan? Because that is what a 3 ton truck limit does.
It is not possible to operate any type of industrial business with a 3 ton truck limit.
I suspect that City bureaucrats have a motive for this move which is not apparent on the face of this action.
So, I’m a little confused here – the city put up signs saying no trucks over 3 tons but Ware can still operate their trucks out of the neighborhood? If this is the case then what’s the problem, is this not good for the people getting pounded day in and day out by those sh1ty trucks?? Why would you people starting complaining about this, I don’t think anyone here even lives in Logan. Well, except for me kinda, at least I stare at it from my house and watch and listen to the trucks while I try to work. Give me a little clarification here.
It’s easy to sit at a keyboard and pontificate the virtues of the city, but Art is spot on by bringing to light the fact that city gadflies Glen and Julie Stroud fall short when it comes to walking the walk.
Why don’t the Strouds step up and seek political office?