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A Message from the City Manager

Dear Community Member,

As we begin to close out on 2019, we reflect on the past year’s successes and challenges. We have had many reasons to celebrate, including the wonderful events that brought together families and friends of all ages, new residents and businesses that moved into town, and much more. On November 6, Mayor Tara Campbell shared the 2019 Yorba Linda State of the City Address; I encourage you to view the State of the City video , as it includes a summary of what was accomplished in Yorba Linda this past year and plans for the future.

This month, we also give thanks for the men and women from our community who have served in our nation's armed forces. Over 30 Yorba Linda veterans gathered at the November 5 City Council Meeting, including two World War II veterans. It was an honor to thank some of our hometown heroes in person. On November 11, the Yorba Linda Veterans Memorial Association (YLVMA) put on a beautiful ceremony at the Veterans Memorial, which included a reading of the Gold Star Honor Roll.

Finally, it is with great sadness that I share the news of the passing of former Yorba Linda Mayor and Council Member Hank Wedaa on November 13. A Yorba Linda resident for over 50 years, Hank served on the Yorba Linda City Council for a total of 29 years, with his initial service from 1970 through 1994. During his years on the City Council, he served as Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem on five occasions each. During his tenure, many iconic projects were approved and came to fruition throughout Yorba Linda, including the Richard Nixon Presidential Library, the SAVI Ranch Retail Center, the Yorba Linda Community Center, the Susanna Bixby Bryant Ranch House Museum, Black Gold Golf Club, the Kerrigan Ranch residential community, and a dozen City parks. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.

On behalf of the City of Yorba Linda, I wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving.

Thank you for reading.

Sincerely,

Mark Pulone

City Manager

City Council Meeting Recap

The City Council Meeting Recap for the November 5, 2019 City Council Meeting is now available online . Following each City Council Meeting, a recap is posted to the Latest News section of the City website. These recaps are intended to summarize action taken by City Council, and are not intended to function as a replacement for official meeting minutes. City Council Meeting agendas and minutes, as well as recaps from previous meetings are always available on the Agendas and Minutes page of the City website. View the November 5, 2019 City Council Meeting Recap on the City website .

Mayor Tara Campbell Delivers 2019 State of the City Address

On Wednesday, November 6, 2019, Mayor Tara Campbell delivered the 2019 State of the City Address in front of an audience that filled the East Room at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. The State of the City Address was delivered to attendees in a video which included updates on the City’s accomplishments, current projects, and plans for the future. Mayor Campbell described 2019 as “a year of deliberate planning, thoughtful preparation, patient execution, and community participation to ensure unmatched quality of life in Yorba Linda.” Mayor Campbell also addressed the event theme of "Your Yorba Linda," stating "We want people to take ownership, take pride in their community. If you want to see a change, be a part of that change. There are so many people in our community who have engaged to make their community safer, to make their community beautiful, or more fun." The Honorable Tom Lindsey, former Mayor of Yorba Linda, served as the Emcee and shared personal remarks about his time on the City Council with Mayor Campbell. View the State of the City Address video, photo gallery, and listing of sponsors on the City website.

Cindy Scott Named Citizen of the Year

Longtime Yorba Linda resident Cindy Scott is known for making a difference in the community through her volunteer efforts. This year, Cindy made Yorba Linda history by serving as the lead for the City’s first ever "Love Yorba Linda" day of service. Under Cindy’s leadership, 13 service projects were completed throughout the City and over $13,000 was raised. Since 2010, Cindy and her husband, Colonel Wayne Scott, have planned and hosted the annual Honoring Hometown Heroes event at the Nixon Library, which honors Gold Star families throughout Southern California. Cindy has also served as a Docent at the Nixon Library for over 13 years, recently serving as lead events coordinator and co-chair for several high-profile events. She is also an integral part of the faith community at Church of Grace, where she received the “Michael Kallio Making a Difference Pin” for her over 10 years of service. Cindy’s volunteer efforts continue to make a great impact on this community and we are proud to present this recognition to an extremely deserving recipient. Cindy's many contributions to the community were recognized at the 2019 State of the City event. View past recipients of the Citizen of the Year recognition on the City website .

Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce Signs Lease for Use of Trueblood House

Rehabilitation and reuse of the Trueblood House, located at 4801 Park Avenue, has been of great interest to the City of Yorba Linda due to its iconic look and visible location at the gateway to the Yorba Linda Town Center. As such, the City Council selected Orange Housing Development Corporation and C&C Development in 2018 to complete a full rehabilitation of the interior and exterior of the structure, allowing the City to retain ownership of the final product. At the November 5, 2019 City Council meeting, the City Council approved a lease with the Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce to occupy the structure upon completion of the rehabilitation project to host their local office operations. It is anticipated the renovations will take approximately eight months and that the Chamber of Commerce will move to the renovated house in Fall 2020. Look for updates in future issues of the "Yorba Linda Connection."

"Budget in Brief" Provides a Quick View of City Budget

In a continued effort to promote financial transparency, the City of Yorba Linda has launched a new "Budget in Brief" document for Fiscal Year 2019/2020. The four-page document provides an easy to understand summary of the City's budget as a whole, including information about sales and property tax dollar allocations, the City's organizational structure, and key statistical information. View the Fiscal Year 2019/2020 "Budget in Brief" on the City website .

Landscape Maintenance Assessment District (LMAD) Update

As mentioned in a previous issue of the "Yorba Linda Connection," the City of Yorba Linda is currently working with several LMAD zones which may require a Proposition 218 vote in the near future. Residents in the affected zones will receive letters from the City with information about the Proposition 218 process, as well as information about upcoming community meetings. To streamline communications with residents in the affected zones, the City has launched an electronic subscription platform. Residents are encouraged to sign up to receive email notifications specific to their active zones by visiting yorbalindaca.gov/LMADUpdates . Residents are able to locate their property's LMAD Zone by entering their address in the "Map Yorba Linda" application.

Library and Cultural Arts Center Construction Update

Progress continues to be made on the new Library and Cultural Arts Center. This month, work on the site utilities continued with the completion of the fire loop, water service, and gas lines to the buildings. The interior mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and framing continued as well, the scaffolding was installed, and the exterior framing has begun. A quarry visit was conducted to select the stone to be applied on the exterior of the building. The sheathing, windows, soffit panels, exterior doors, and roofing will follow thereafter. View drone footage of the site from the past month on the project website .

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Embankment Protection Project

For the past few years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been restoring the embankments within the Santa Ana River. The work began in the channel vicinity near Mercado Del Rio and has continued easterly. The first phase of work between Mercado Del Rio and a point west of Old Village Road has been completed; however, the current phase of work which extends from a point west of Old Village Road to Camino De Bryant has been suspended due to contractor performance issues. The U.S. Army Corps terminated the contractor and is currently working through a process to engage a new contractor to complete the remaining work. Due to legal issues with the current contract termination, an exact date for acquiring a new contractor is not known at this time. The project is not a City project nor is the City a party to this contract. However, the City has been actively engaged in communicating with the U.S. Army Corp and the County of Orange on this matter. The U.S. Army Corp indicated they are currently pursuing efforts to acquire an interim contractor that will be able to stabilize the construction site concerns (i.e. areas of standing water, general site maintenance, etc.). The Corp anticipates having an interim contractor on board within the next 45 days. The County of Orange has a role in maintaining the temporary bike/pedestrian trail that is set behind the k-rails on La Palma Avenue and the City has been communicating with the County and U.S. Army Corps to ensure the temporary trail remains in operable condition. For inquiries about the project, residents may contact Luciano Vera from the U.S. Army Corp at PublicAffairs.SPL@usace.army.mil .

Regional Housing Needs Assessment Update

Previous issues of the "Yorba Linda Connection" have discussed the City of Yorba Linda's active involvement in the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) by attending meetings of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) RHNA Subcommittee. SCAG has been preparing a draft methodology to be used to distribute the total housing need (i.e., the RHNA) to all 197 jurisdictions in the SCAG region, including Yorba Linda. However, at the October Regional Council Meeting, an alternative methodology was introduced that removed the factor limiting local growth in a jurisdiction, thereby shifting 125,000 additional housing units from Imperial, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties to Los Angeles County (approximately 50,000 additional units) and Orange County (approximately 75,000 additional units), with most jurisdictions in these two counties seeing significant increases in their draft RHNA. View a detailed RHNA update on the City website .

Future Residential Rate Increase for Green Material

In September 2014, Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill (AB) 1594 mandating that as of January 1, 2020, the use of green material as alternative daily cover will no longer constitute diversion through recycling and will instead be considered waste disposal. What does this mean to residential customers? Green waste is largely composed of residential landscape vegetation and the State of California will no longer allow Orange County to use it for alternative daily cover at its landfills. Alternative daily cover means cover material other than earthen material placed on the surface of the active face of a municipal solid waste landfill at the end of each operating day to control vectors, fires, odors, blowing litter, and scavenging. As a result of the recent state legislation, the City and its franchise waste and recycling hauler, Republic Services, are required to find other green waste solutions such as composting.

Composting is a more beneficial reuse of green waste material than alternative daily cover. Compost helps improve soil structure, increases nutrient content, and enhances water retention. Because of this, composting is the preferred method of handling green waste under the new law. The City will also remain in compliance by receiving diversion credit for green waste that goes to a composting facility. However, composting is also more expensive than reusing green waste as alternative daily cover, so it will have a direct impact on residential rates. Republic Services is currently working with the City to develop the most cost effective means of composting that meets the requirements of the law. The residential rate increase will start in January 2020.

Planning a Holiday Vacation? Let Yorba Linda Police Services Check on Your Home

Residents who plan on traveling this holiday season are encouraged to take advantage of the Vacation Home Check offered by Yorba Linda Police Services . Registration for this free service is available on the City website by simply completing a short form at least seven days prior to scheduled travel. Once you are registered, deputies will periodically check your home for the duration of your vacation. For additional information, please contact Yorba Linda Police Services at 714-779-7098.

Community Help Drive

Join the Yorba Linda Teen Action Committee in bringing joy to those in need this holiday season. Those wishing to contribute can donate a non-perishable, non-expired food item or unwrapped new gift to any of our drop off locations ( Black Gold Golf Club , Thomas Lasorda Jr. Field House , Travis Ranch Activity Center , City Hall , and the Yorba Linda Community Center ) through December 7. All items collected will be donated to the Yorba Linda Food for Families Program. For more information, please contact the Thomas Lasorda Jr. Field House at 714-961-7192.

Honor a Veteran in Your Life with a Commemorative Brick

Make the hero in your life a permanent part of Yorba Linda history by purchasing a commemorative brick at the Yorba Linda Veterans Memorial in their honor. The Yorba Linda Veterans Memorial Association accepts brick orders to honor veterans of the United States Armed Forces from any era. Brick orders are accepted year-round and are installed on a quarterly basis. For more information, please visit the Yorba Linda Veterans Memorial website , or call them at 714-588-7080.

Protect Your Home from Kitchen Fires this Holiday Season

Although Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) will be on the job on Thanksgiving Day, they, along with the City of Yorba Linda, are reminding residents to use caution when preparing their holiday feasts, as nearly half of house fires nationwide start in the kitchen. This risk becomes even more prominent during the holidays.

Take these steps to keep your home safe while you are preparing your family's Thanksgiving meal:

Start your holiday cooking with a clean stove and oven; make sure any old grease or food spills are cleaned up to lessen the chance of a flare-up;
Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you have to leave the kitchen, even for a second, turn off the stove;
Check food often while cooking. Use a timer to remind you that the stove or oven is on;
Keep anything that can catch fire (pot holders, oven mitts, paper towels, paper or plastic bags, curtains, and loose clothing) away from the stove, oven, or other kitchen appliances that heat-up when used;
Turn any pot or pan handles toward the back of the stove;
Have a "kid-free zone" of at least three feet around the stove;
Always check the oven to make sure it is empty before turning it on; and
Keep a fire extinguisher nearby when cooking. For detailed instructions on using a fire extinguisher at home, view this video.

For additional fire safety tips, visit the OCFA website .

Upcoming E-Waste Recycling Event

Did you know electronic waste, or e-waste, as it is called, is the fastest growing waste stream in the country and improper disposal of e-waste can release hazardous materials? You can be a good environmental steward by properly disposing of your unwanted electronics at the E-Waste Recycling Event scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, December 7 and 8, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm. The event will be held at the Chamber of Commerce Parking Lot, 17670 Yorba Linda Boulevard. For additional details and a list of accepted items, view the event flyer , or contact the Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce at 714-993-9537.

Preventing Erosion on Your Property Prevents Stormwater Pollution

After months of dry weather, heavy rain can cause erosion on your property. Erosion can not only cause an unsightly mess, but eroded soil can also block stormwater systems and release pollutants into the ocean. To do your part to help prevent soil from leaving your property, examine your yard carefully. Be aware of the slope, drainage patterns, and soil types. If your property is prone to erosion, consider the following:

Plant grass seed or other vegetation before the fall rains begin;
Apply netting and straw mulch on steep slopes;
Incorporate existing native vegetation into your landscape area;
Direct water runoff away from areas subject to erosion; and
Minimize impervious surfaces such as concrete and asphalt and maximize the absorption capacity of your land through vegetation.

Thanksgiving Holiday Schedule

In observance of Thanksgiving, all City facilities, including Yorba Linda City Hall, the Library, Parks and Recreation Facilities, and the Yorba Linda Police Services Substation, will be closed on Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29, 2019.

Please note, there will be no refuse or recycling service on Thursday, November 28, 2019. Collection will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week.