3,208 / 31.0% Yes votes ...... 7,137 / 69.0% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

No on DD

Opposition to Measure DD

We have an opportunity to provide much-needed funding for additional police and fire protection services, street improvements/maintenance and local organizations and projects by selling this property to Home Depot. The $9 million purchase price and sales tax revenues of up to $250,000 per year will help secure the city's financial future. Other benefits include the creation of approximately 100 new jobs with minimal effect on local business.

The property, near Costco on the City's southern border, is designated in the City's General Plan for large commercial uses like a Home Depot - This designation is the result of a community-wide planning process that followed a nearly two-year building moratorium.

Home Depot has already proposed plans for building and landscaping that is sensitive to our "old town" quality of life and exceed the minimum architectural guidelines. Landscaping will provide a large "buffer area" between adjoining properties.

Other government agencies have already approved and funded traffic improvements in the area and a city-commissioned study shows that the Home Depot would generate approximately one-half of the traffic anticipated for the area in the General Plan.

This project has been closely scrutinized by expert planners and traffic engineers selected by the city.

Home Depot has a national reputation as a good corporate neighbor that regularly contributes to local causes and encourages employees to be involved in the community.

According to Orange County Taxpayers Association President Reed Royalty, a San Juan Capistrano resident, "The state will reduce its contribution to local government. Cities need new sources of sales tax revenue to fund local government services."

Your vote will help improve city services and create jobs for local citizens. Please vote YES on Measure DD.

A Stop Light on Stonehill, between Del Obispo and Camino Capistrano allowing 5,720 cars per day (7,300 on weekends) to enter and exit the Home Depot parking lot, would negatively affect the already congested Stonehill, Camino Capistrano, Del Obispo and several already overloaded intersections. The city Traffic & Planning Commissions unanimously rejected the plan, since it could not be sufficiently mitigated.

The building design is totally out of character for San Juan Capistrano, and the 7 day 6AM til 11PM operations, including beeping sweepers, delivery trucks all hours, and night lights, will negatively impact 5 residential neighborhoods in the area surrounding Stonehill.

According to the Economic Study, 27 businesses will be affected, with 35-55 jobs lost. Some of those will be higher paying positions, to be replaced by Home Depot with part-time, lower paying jobs. In a small town, small businesses should be preserved, and not jeopardized by large, tax-dollar assisted enterprises.

Alternate plans (like an RV storage area) would create virtually no traffic or noise, but would generate equivalent annual income to San Juan Capistrano.

1. Tremendous increase in traffic, the 5,700 cars daily, will negatively impact residents of San Juan who exit I-5 at Camino Capistrano, or drive on Stonehill, Del Obispo and Camino Capistrano.

2. Existing small businesses in town will be hurt and some driven out of business

3. "Big Box" retail stores do not fit with the character of San Juan Capistrano

4. Alternative uses, such as RV storage, can generate at least 2-4 times more revenue annually than that projected for Home Depot, and the City would still own a valuable asset - the land.

5. The Home Depot offer states equal to $9 million. The equal is the issue. In the offer of $3.5 million in 1997 they wanted $2.4 million public assistance money from the taxpayers. They stated it's a bad location - we agree it still is.

6. It was wrong for the City Redevelopment Agency to have originally pressured a private citizen to sell her property under threat of eminent domain for another private company, Solag. They actually said they needed it for public use (emergency access to properties on Avenida Aeropuerto and for relocation of the City's Water District yards and City corporate yards. And now to sell it for a private use which was denied the original landowner is wrong.

7. The land should be used for necessary public needs, such as RV storage (now that RV street parking is banned) or for much-needed Affordable housing/apartments.

• Financial Advantages to City and Residents

• Located in an Industrial/Commercial Area

• Home Depot Will Pay for Traffic Improvements

• Cities have few opportunities to solidify their finances