Los Alamitos Race Track development plan will go to voters

Cypress Plan 2.0, the latest attempt to agree future development guidelines for the land currently owned by Los Alamitos Race Track, is heading to the voters.

The zoning initiative had needed 2,600 signatures by the end of this month to qualify for the June Primary ballot, but campaign organizers collected one thousand more, turning in 3,685 signatures to the Cypress City Clerk.
Horse racing has existed at Los Alamitos for over 70 years. However with land values continuing to soar current owner Dr. Edward Allred knew the track’s long-term future could not be guaranteed.

“It doesn’t make any sense for any track to be there in light of property values,” he said when asked about the track’s prospects last year. “We’d like to do what we’re doing, and I’m going to continue doing that as long as I can (but we are) unlikely to find a successor who can do the same thing.”

Allred bought the track in 1990 following Hollywood Park’s short but turbulent ownership of the site. It was the reaction of residents to that period that brought about the first ballot initiative, Measure D. Passed in November 1987 measure D gives local voters final say in any rezoning process.

In 2012 voters then approved Measure L allowing for 33 acres adjacent to Katella Avenue to be rezoned. This was designated for a mixed-use senior-housing and retail development to be known as Barton Place, which is currently under construction.

Plans for the rest of the property though, some 160 acres in total, still needed to be agreed.
After Measure GG was turned down by voters last November, Allred sat down with community members to draw up a new plan. It is the result of those discussions, now officially known as Cypress Town Center and Commons Specific Plan 2.0 that will be placed before voters in June.

At a community meeting earlier this month Frank Sherren, Facilities Manager at the Race Track, and George Pardon, Director of Cypress-based Citizens for Responsible Development, briefed local residents on details of the plan.

“Measure GG failed,” said Pardon, “That was fortunate. It provided us the opportunity to rework things.”
Although Plan 2.0 would allow for the same overall mixed-use development as Measures L and GG the new plan installs new parameters. Commercial building height and residential density numbers will be lower than in previous plans. 20 acres of the property will be set aside for parks. Development along Cerritos Avenue would be restricted to residential areas and greenways only, ensuring that any retail development would be zoned to the south of the lot toward Katella.

Both men were keen to point out that voters’ approval of the plan would not hasten the closing of the track. “Quarter-horse racing is Dr. Allred’s passion,” reminded Sherren. Instead, the plan is intended to ensure an orderly succession for when racing is no longer viable.

The Cypress City Clerk will turn the petition signatures over to the County Registrar of Voters for verification. Once verified, Plan 2.0 will be slated to appear on the June 5th ballot.

More information on Plan 2.0 can be found at: http://cypresstowncenter.com