Misinformation clouds public perception of bridge project

Second installment in a six-part series.

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Allegations of misconduct brought by former City of Menifee employees in the first part of this series focused attention on the Public Works Department. That department, projected by city manager Armando Villa to become the second largest department in City of Menifee government, has a huge impact on the infrastructure of the city.

The hot topic in media reports and public discussion on social media is the Holland Road Overpass project – a proposed bridge over the 215 Freeway that is sorely needed to help east-west traffic flow in the city. The timeline for the $31.2 million project has been delayed many times since it was first discussed more than a decade ago, and Villa’s public comments about the latest developments have been questioned.

The Holland Road Overpass project is listed as the top priority in the City of Menifee’s Capital Improvement Program – a program for the development of major projects such as road construction and improvements, facility upgrades, and park enhancements. The City maintains a five-year CIP with long-range goals.

During multiple City meetings and in interviews with Menifee 24/7 over the last six months, Villa has responded to questions on the Holland Road Overpass timeline by saying funding for the project is complete. He also has given explanations of why a project on design boards since 2014 and most recently scheduled to begin construction in fall 2021 has now been delayed until at least the spring of 2022.

Villa’s statements have contributed to public perception of a lack of transparency and ongoing questions regarding this crucial piece of infrastructure.

Funding approval for bridge project still delayed

In fact, the project is not fully funded because the City has not received approval of its request for $7.7 million from a regional funding source known as Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fees (TUMF). While it is true that the City of Menifee is due to receive millions in funding in future years because of TUMF fees developers pay into the fund for building local projects, Menifee’s current allocation for 2021-22 is listed as $2.1 million on Riverside County’s Central Zone TUMF document – not $7.7 million. Another $3.8 million is listed as allocated for 2022-23.

Menifee 24/7 previously reported that discrepancy and asked for clarification. In a May 20 interview, City of Menifee finance director Rochelle Clayton said an updated amount of $7.7 million would be approved by county officials in June. When that didn’t happen, Menifee 24/7 sought comment from Chris Gray, deputy executive director of the Western Riverside Council of Governments, which oversees TUMF funds.

Gray said that WRCOG had received a request for the additional TUMF funding from the City of Menifee, but approval would not be considered until July. Then recently, WRCOG announced that a meeting in which the request would be considered will not be held until August.

In addition, Gray said that, if approved, the $7.7 million will only be paid to the City in portions as reimbursement for up-front construction payments that must be made by the City. Asked from which budget line item those up-front costs would be taken, Villa replied, “We aren’t there yet.”

Then there is the matter of another delay in moving the project forward because the final piece among several small parcels needed for the right of way had not been purchased. The City Council on July 7 authorized Villa to spend $512,500 (including escrow closing costs) to finalize the purchase from Mansland Development, LLC of a parcel west of the 215 Freeway and north of Holland Road.

This was long after the negotiations for the purchase of right of way parcels, and more than a year after the other purchases were made.

The City Council approved appraisals and offer packages to six property owners for right of way purchases in August 2019, according to city documents. In February 2020, the City Council approved purchase of one of the most significant parcels needed from the Nelson Family Trust for $1.42 million. In January 2021, Villa told Menifee 24/7 that the only remaining negotiation for right of way was over “a sliver of land” held by a property owner who obviously was in a good position of bargaining power.

Villa’s failure to request and secure City Council approval for an increased offer over the last several months was a factor in pushing back the project an extra year – assuming TUMF funding will be in place by then. In response, Villa said that the delay caused the City to “lose our place in the queue” with Caltrans, which is managing several regional projects.

But David Matza, chief of External Affairs for CalTrans District 8, told Menifee 24/7 the only delay in the project on Caltrans’ end has been the wait for the City of Menifee to submit its final plans. There is no indication that the City “lost its place in the queue” or that there is a queue at all.

“The City of Menifee is currently working on their PS&E [Plans, Specifications, and Estimates] document for the portion of the project within Caltrans District 8's right of way,” Matza said. “Once we receive the PS&E document, we will review and approve the PS&E documents for the project (only the limits within Caltrans Right of Way), which will allow for the Caltrans District 8 portion to move forward.

“Caltrans District 8 has not delayed the project because of this. We are just waiting for the document to be submitted. The construction of this portion of the project is scheduled to begin August 2022. Lastly, District 8 greatly appreciates the partnership that exists between Menifee and Caltrans District 8 and we look forward to seeing this project, which will greatly benefit the region, move forward.”

Since Menifee 24/7’s previous reporting on this issue and publication of an editorial questioning the City’s level of transparency, Villa has taken steps to respond to the public. He spent several minutes during the July 7 City Council meeting discussing the status of the Holland Road Project. He also has invited the public to a “Chat with the City Manager” today at 6 p.m. at City Hall for a “short presentation and open discussion” regarding infrastructure and capital improvements. As an incentive to attend, he is offering a “Menifee Proud” bag to the first 25 residents in attendance.

Another proposed project has drawn the ire of business owners in the Newport Plaza, located on the northwest corner of Newport Road and Bradley Road.

This street view shows the current left turn lane from northbound Bradley Road into the Newport Plaza.

Tom Powers, owner of Giovanni’s Pizza, Pasta & More restaurant in that plaza, joined the owner of the center in a meeting recently with Nick Fidler, who was hired as the new public works director in late May. This meeting was held after Powers addressed the City Council at its June 16 meeting, asking why business owners in the plaza were not informed that City staff planned to install a raised median on Bradley Road just north of Newport Road.

Powers stated that in 2016, when double yellow lines painted on Newport Road blocked eastbound motorists from turning left into the plaza, Giovanni’s lost 36 percent of its business for more than three months. At the time, he said, a City staff member promised business owners that left-turn access from Bradley Road into the plaza’s east entry driveway would never be blocked.

But Powers told Menifee 24/7 that a few weeks ago, he learned that a revision in plans associated with a commercial center proposed across the street on Bradley Road shows a raised median at that location, blocking left-turn access into Newport Plaza for Bradley Road northbound motorists. For one thing, Powers said, adding another left-turn restriction would force delivery trucks to drive northbound for several blocks to find a place to turn around and enter the driveway heading southbound.

For potential customers, the restricted access would be yet another blow to his business, Powers said.

“Why all of a sudden are promises that were made being broken?” Powers asked during the council meeting.

Later, at his restaurant, Powers showed a reporter copies of the plans he had been given by the developer of the proposed adjacent commercial center.

“We never got any of this. Neither did my landlord or the management company,” Powers said about the lack of notice from the City.

Another inconsistency clouding the issue is the fact that although a City document sent to the developer of the proposed plaza in April stated that a raised median must be installed because of “concerns and safety operations on Bradley Road,” the median project is not listed on this year’s list of Capital Improvement projects. It is given a priority 3 on a scale of 1 to 4.

According to Powers, Fidler listened to his arguments at the recent meeting and said he would look into the matter. Menifee 24/7 reached out to Fidler and community development director Cheryl Kitzerow but did not receive a response.

Zoning of property in Romoland questioned

Allegations of inconsistencies in another matter was raised by a Menifee resident who is questioning what he says is a zoning violation City officials continue to allow near his home.

George Rackstraw, a longtime resident of a Romoland neighborhood north of Highway 74, told Menifee 24/7 that a 5-acre property in an area zoned RR1 (rural residential) was converted into a commercial nursery at Palomar Road and Watson Road a few years ago and continued to operate at that site although City staff was aware of the violation.

Rackstraw said he contacted city officials again recently when the property changed hands and signage was installed advertising a business dealing with the care of dogs. He said he corresponded with City building official Craig Carlson about the issue and was told Carlson would get back to him. Weeks later, he has not received a reply.

“The property recently changed hands, and they’ve made all kinds of improvements,” Rackstraw said. “They [the City] wouldn’t have told them to put those in if they weren’t going to be a business. These people need to be consistent in the zoning. I see arbitrary and capricious zoning happening in the city.”

Rackstraw said he has tried to discuss his concerns about the project with Mayor Bill Zimmerman and City Council members Dean Deines and Lesa Sobek.

“I said the project is not zoned commercial,” Rackstraw said. “I talked to Dean, Lesa and Bill. None of them really wanted to get involved. It’s all up to this guy [Carlson] and Armando.”

Carlson did not respond to an inquiry from Menifee 24/7.

“Over the years, I’ve been pretty quiet,” Rackstraw said. “I haven’t permitted myself to go to the mic [at Council meetings]. I’ve tried to settle for staying off the radar. But since Armando came on board … In the beginning, he did this soft tap dance around the issues. Now that he’s entrenched himself and enamored himself to the council, he’s given carte blanche.

“There hasn’t been enough public resistance to what he’s doing. We always find things out too late. You really can’t call the staff out; Armando’s got the final word. It’s not the City Council’s responsibility, it’s the city manager.”

TOMORROW: In part 3, we look at how several changes in management positions made for a rough transition in the City’s code enforcement program.