Residents press council over 777 Orangethorpe development; council approves vesting map and animal‑shelter contract

Members of the public urged Placentia City Council on April 21 to reconsider a proposed residential development at 777 Orangethorpe Avenue and to pull item 1g from the consent calendar over parking, land‑use and possible conflicts of interest. Craig Green and Jeff Buchanan said the parcel — the former Donneve Jeep dealership — is a scarce commercial asset better suited for revenue‑generating uses such as a hotel, and they warned a residential conversion would increase demand for police and fire services and reduce long‑term sales‑tax receipts.

“Please hold tight on that kind of stuff,” Craig Green told the council as he urged the body to pursue commercial uses that provide ongoing revenue. Jeff Buchanan also asked council members to pull 1g and criticized the earlier 6 p.m. meeting start time as a barrier for residents.

Council discussed item 1g during the consent calendar public discussion and questioned whether the developer’s plans continued to change after multiple Planning Commission reviews. Councilmember Smith noted the project has gone through several iterations over roughly 18 months and asked whether the current map represents the final project iteration. Despite public objections, the council approved the vesting tentative tract map No. 19467 (item 1g) by recorded vote (4 yes, 1 not voting).

Council also considered item 1h, a five‑year agreement with Orange County Animal Care to continue shelter services. Councilmember Smith asked whether the contract locks the city into the five‑year term or whether council could terminate by not appropriating future funding; staff responded that council retains discretion through annual appropriation and could effectively terminate with 30 days’ notice if funding is not approved. The council approved the animal‑care agreement as presented (recorded vote 4 yes, 1 not voting).

The council approved the broader consent calendar — aside from the pulled‑and‑discussed items — by a recorded vote of 4 yes and 1 not voting. Both approvals were recorded during the April 21 meeting.