The email below was received by ICL director Janet Wilson on Oct. 27th, 2016 from our 3rd district supervisor Todd Spitzer.

Sup. Spitzer's email was a response to a legal opinion that ICL submitted to his office earlier this summer from noted local land-use attorney John G. McClendon, laying out why the SMSP is enforceable. The opinion was commissioned by a coalition of groups including the ICL, Rural Canyons Conservation Fund, the Saddleback Canyons Conservancy and the Canyon Land Conservation Fund.

Sup. Spitzer states he has directed county staff to comply with, and enforce, the Sil-Mod Specific Plan's provisions. You can also view the directive letter he sent to O.C. Public Works director Shane Silsby below.

Thanks to Supervisor Todd Spitzer, David Myers of the Wildlands Conservancy and the strong voices of the people of Orange County, there is hope that the 660 acres known as the Irvine Mesa and adjoining lands can be permanently preserved.

Inter-Canyon League directors met with officials from the Wildlands Conservancy, Supervisor Spitzer’s office, OC Parks, the Transportation Corridors Agencies and the Conservation Fund.

First and foremost, the Wildlands Conservancy has no desire to sell any of the property for tract homes, and will not do so. They are considering an offer from a religious institution, but they would prefer to see the land protected and accessible forever if possible, and will work with us and county officials to make this happen, as long as it can be done in a timely manner. Per direction from Supervisor Spitzer, in the next two weeks OC Parks and TCA staff will tour the lands to ascertain if they would be suitable additions to a) county park lands and/or b) county mitigation land banking. Agency staff will also determine what funding is available to purchase the acreage at the sharply discounted price of $2 million. There is a possibility that a house on Silverado Canyon Road that is part of the for sale properties could be sold separately, reducing the price further.

The Inter-Canyon League remains committed to working with all the parties and to the preservation of these and other canyon lands that are valuable to us and to all the residents of Orange County. As always, we will do whatever we can to ensure that our rural way of life is protected and that we are there for our neighbors in time of need.

Let us know what you think!