It's the latest edition of the Yorba Linda Connection!

Latest News from the City of Yorba Linda

CITY HALL

COMMUNITY

SERVICES

A Message from the City Manager

Dear Community Member,

While our world may be filled with uncertainty and worrisome headlines, Yorba Linda remains a source of good news. As evidenced by this week's year-end general fund results presentation, Yorba Linda remains fiscally strong as we deliver exceptional services to the community. Additionally, Yorba Linda has been ranked the third safest small city in California, and we are working on exciting projects, such as our renovation of Adventure Playground and plans to widen Bastanchury Road (all detailed in articles below). So, while the world may seem dark and reasons for concern are plenty, I am proud that Yorba Linda is worthy of your confidence.

As we continue to make safety our top priority, I would like to draw your attention to the start of this year's weed abatement program. In a couple of weeks, we will be mailing notices to homeowners to ensure their property is cleared of combustible materials, especially vegetation which becomes a potent fuel for wildfires as it dries out. Orange County has already seen a few wildfires this year; please act quickly to ensure your property is abated and maintained in a fire-safe condition.

We hope you enjoy this edition of the Yorba Linda Connection and the good news we have to share. Thank you for reading and staying engaged with your community,

Best Regards,

Mark Pulone

City Manager

City Council Meeting Recap

The City Council Meeting Recap for the March 1, 2022 City Council Meeting is now available online. These recaps summarize the City Council's actions but do not replace the official meeting minutes. City Council Meeting agendas and minutes from previous meetings are available on the Agendas and Minutes page of the City website.

Adventure Playground Renovation Continues

Since 1983 Adventure Playground has fueled creative play, invited kids to get dirty, and brought imagination to life in one of the City’s most popular programs. Due to aging amenities, Adventure Playground is undergoing a renovation to improve historically popular amenities, including a new zip line, Wiffle ball field, waterslide, water features, fort building, and a maze area. In addition, new amenities will include a splash pad, onsite restrooms, shade structure, and a treehouse play structure. Once open, many amenities will be available year-round for public enjoyment. To watch a video showcasing the most-recent construction progress, visit the City's website.

Fill Your Spring With Family Fun

The City is offering many exciting family fun and special events to help Yorba Linda celebrate this beautiful spring season. We're bringing back all-time favorites like the 38th Annual Egg-Citement Hunt, the 25th Annual Flashlight Egg Hunt, and the Kids' Community Swap Meet. Thanks to the creativity of our team, we are also introducing newer events like the Family Wilderness Hike, Family Art Experiences, and Family Trivia Night. To learn more about these events, check out the Spring 2022 issue of The Guide and visit the City's website for the latest updates.

Join the Community Safety & Crime Prevention Presentation on March 10

OCSD Yorba Linda Police Services is hosting a safety presentation on March 10 at 6 p.m. in the Yorba Room at the Yorba Linda Community Center. Sheriff deputies will share relevant information on the latest crime trends and provide essential safety tips regarding residential, vehicle, and distraction burglary prevention. The presentation will equip residents with the necessary tools to be active participants and partners in Yorba Linda's safety.

Library Offers Free Workshop for Small Businesses

The Library is hosting free monthly small business workshops, presented in partnership with SCORE Orange County. These workshops focus on various topics relevant to helping small business owners develop skills that impact their business' success. The next workshop topic is Buy, Sell, and the Value of Your Business and will be held on Thursday, March 10 at 6:00 p.m. in the Library Community Room. To learn more about upcoming small business workshops, please visit the Library's website.

New Businesses Coming to Yorba Linda

Yorba Linda is not just a great place to live but a great place to do business! The City is currently tracking several exciting new restaurants and businesses coming to Yorba Linda soon, including:

Recently Opened

Bombay Grill Bar & Banquet (Savi Ranch)

Upcoming

Crumbl – coming to Town Center

Clydes Hot Chicken – construction now vertical, pictured above (Arroyo & School Street)

Denny’s – opening a second location (Richfield Road & Yorba Linda Boulevard)

Lone Wolf Brewing – opening late spring (Packing House Square)

Maserati – new showroom almost finished (Savi Ranch)

OneZo Boba – opening next to Furai Chicken in the Packing House Square

The City provides these exciting updates and opening announcements as information firmly develops. For more information about opening a business in the land of gracious living, contact our Economic Development Manager at 714-961-7105.

Get Ready to "Spring Forward" Your Clocks!

Get ready to change your clocks! Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 13. While most smart electronic devices will automatically adjust themselves, analog clocks and many appliance-timers will need to be set ahead one hour as we "spring forward." So, set these clocks one hour ahead before going to bed on Saturday night. While this might mean a lost hour of sleep on Saturday night, we look forward to an extra hour to enjoy sunshine and beautiful evenings in Yorba Linda.

Weed Abatement Notices Going Out Soon

The 2020 Blue Ridge Fire was an important reminder of why we must all take fire safety seriously: our proximity to natural open spaces makes our neighborhoods beautiful but susceptible to dangerous wildfires. The City’s annual weed abatement program exists to keep the City fire-safe by ensuring that yards and larger land parcels are cleared of combustible weeds and debris. It’s that time of year again for residents to get an early start on weed abatement.

To comply with California Government Code and City Municipal Code, we will issue notices mid-March to homeowners where potential fire hazard conditions may exist. Those who receive a notice are required to clear (abate) their property of all combustible vegetation, including dead leaves, weeds, brush, and tree limbs, as well as excess trash, wood, and other combustibles. The Orange County Fire Authority also assesses properties for fire risk and issues notices on an as-needed basis.

Please keep in mind that weed abatement season is year-round in Southern California. Every property owner is responsible for maintaining their property in a “fire-safe” condition to protect themselves, their neighbors, and the whole community. For additional information about the City's weed abatement program, please contact the Community Preservation Division at 714-961-7138.

Are You the Next Yorba Linda City Champion?

The 2022 Yorba Linda City Championship golf tournament will tee off on March 19 & 20 at Black Gold Golf Club. This two-day event will feature a collection of the region’s top collegiate and amateur players competing for the Yorba Linda City Champion designation. The Yorba Linda City Championship is open to all amateur golfers with a valid USGA Handicap Index who are at least 15 years of age at the start of the event. Both Championship (Gross) and Net flights will be offered for Men, Women, and Seniors.

For more information about the tournament or to register, please visit Black Gold’s website . In-person registration is also available at Black Gold’s golf shop.

Honor a Service Member With a Military Banner

The Military Banner Program honors Yorba Linda's Gold Star and active-duty military personnel with light pole banners along sections of Yorba Linda Boulevard. Each banner lists the name of an honoree and the branch of the military in which they serve. The banners will be displayed for one year starting in May, and a map of the banners will be provided to help you locate your loved one's banner.

The deadline for this year's Military Banner Program is April 1. For more information or to apply, please visit the City's Website.

Love Yorba Linda Day Returns

Join volunteers and leaders from around the City for the annual return of Love Yorba Linda on Saturday, April 30. This exciting event is a community-wide service day where residents, businesses, local agencies, faith groups, service teams, schools, and sports organizations unite to make Yorba Linda a better place. There are many ways to participate:

Volunteer for a project or lead your very own;
Encourage others to participate with you; and
Donate or become a sponsor.

For more information, please visit the Love Yorba Linda website.

City to Widen Bastanchury Road

The City is continually working to improve traffic flow and roadways in Yorba Linda, but one project we are particularly excited about is our plan to widen Bastanchury Road between Casa Loma Avenue and Eureka Avenue, adding a second thru-lane in each direction. This capital improvement project has been in development for several years, and once complete, Bastanchury Road will provide two continuous thru-lanes in each direction for its entire length within City limits. Additionally, the project includes easing the road dip in the middle of the project area to improve motorists’ vertical line of sight on this stretch of Bastanchury.

Some other benefits of the project include new traffic signals at Casa Loma Avenue and Eureka Avenue and new landscaping. The project budget is $5.3 million, of which OCTA will fund 50% of the cost through grants, and the City anticipates construction to begin this summer. To support this project, Southern California Edison will be relocating several transmission and distribution lines to make way for the widened road, starting next week. Please stay tuned for more updates about this project in future editions of the Yorba Linda Connection and on the City's website.

Sunday Fun Days at the Craft & Vendor Market

Every Sunday is a fun day at the Yorba Linda Craft & Vendor Market! Come visit the Yorba Linda Town Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Sunday for these weekly pop-up events. The market supports Yorba Linda's local business community and provides a great opportunity to shop for unique, handcrafted items. Additionally, it’s a great place to stop before or after lunch and a movie.

City Temporarily Waives ADU Fees

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) play an important role in helping Yorba Linda provide State-mandated housing units that are affordable at all income levels. Commonly known as "granny flats," ADUs tend to be relatively small units with modest amenities, making them an ideal option for seniors, students, caretakers, young families, and people with disabilities. Because California State law now allows nearly every residential property to construct at least one ADU and one Junior ADU, encouraging this type of construction helps the City meet its housing obligations with fewer impacts to the density of local neighborhoods.

Maximizing ADU construction helps the City maintain flexibility and local control in meeting California's requirements. So, the City of Yorba Linda is temporarily waiving all City plan check and permit fees associated with ADU projects, helping homeowners save approximately $4,500. In addition, development impact fees cannot be charged for ADUs under 750 square feet, saving another $2,000 for smaller builds. However, the City's fees will be reinstated after the program ends on June 30, 2023. For more information or to begin a project, please contact the City's Planning division.

Army Corps' Santa Ana Riverbed Project Update

The Army Corps' Santa Ana Riverbed Project continues to progress forward. The project's contractor, Silverstrand Construction, continues their work of installing curb and base material along the new bike trail and making final repairs to storm drain outlets. Asphalt paving of the new bike trail will begin in the next few weeks starting at the west end of the project, and the contractor will open the new bike trail in phases, moving east. In March, the contractor will begin removing barriers from Via Lomas De Yorba West to Old Village Road.

Throughout the project, the City will continue working with the Army Corps and Silverstrand Construction to help mitigate impacts to residents and motorists in the project vicinity. In addition, we will continue to monitor the progress of the work, update the community on the progress, and help address complaints as they arise.

You Can Help Improve the SR-91 Corridor

The Orange County Transportation Authority wants your feedback on how to improve congestion in the State Route 91 (SR-91) corridor area. OCTA is studying a 23-mile stretch of the SR-91 in Orange County from the Los Angeles County to Riverside County lines. The goal of the SR-91 Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plan Study is to enhance mobility options and provide transportation choices on and around the SR-91 freeway by encouraging multimodal projects that improve transit, rail service, and active transportation like biking and walking.

To provide feedback on the project, please complete OCTA's online survey. For more information, visit OCTA's Website.

Keep Your Homes Safe Following these Dryer Safety Tips

Every year firefighters across the U.S. respond to over 15,000 home fires caused by clothes dryers, the majority of which have not been properly cleaned. Fires can occur if there is a build-up of lint in the dryer or the exhaust duct. Lint can block the flow of air which can cause excessive heat build-up, resulting in combustion. Use the following information to stay safe using your home dryer:

Dryer Safety Tips

Keep your dryer in good working condition. Gas dryers should be installed and inspected by a qualified professional to make sure that the gas line and connections are intact and free of leaks;
Follow the manufacturer's operating instructions for your dryer;
Keep the dryer area clear of all combustibles;
Replace coiled-wire foil or plastic venting with a rigid, non-ribbed metal duct. This provides maximum airflow and reduces fire risk; and
Make sure your dryer's air exhaust vent pipe is not restricted and that the outdoor vent flap opens when the dryer is operating.

Things to Remember

Do not use a dryer that doesn't have a lint filter;
Clean the lint filter before or after drying each load of laundry. Be sure to clean behind the dryer where lint can build up;
If your laundry is still damp at the end of the drying cycle, or if drying requires a longer time than normal, this may be a sign that the lint filter or exhaust duct is blocked;
Don't dry items that have come in contact with anything flammable such as alcohol, cooking oils, or gasoline. Dry these items outdoors or in a well-ventilated area away from heat;
Never overload your dryer;
Turn your dryer off if you leave your house or when you go to bed; and
If you plan to be away from home for a long period of time, unplug or disconnect your dryer.

For more fire prevention tips, visit OCFA's website.

Pollution Prevention Tips for Gardening Activities

With spring around the corner, many residents will be refreshing their gardens by planting new flowers, fertilizing, and updating their watering schedule. As you update your garden for the new season, the City of Yorba Linda encourages you to be mindful of the environment by following these helpful tips:

Carefully follow directions on fertilizers and be sure to measure amounts rather than estimate them. Be sure to avoid fertilizing if rain is predicted within 48 hours;
Water your lawn and garden by hand to control the amount of water you use. Set irrigation systems to reflect seasonal water needs. If water flows off your yard and into your driveway or sidewalk, your system is over-watering; and
When adding new plants, choose plants that are native to Southern California that will require less water.

Weekly Flag Raising Ceremony

Members of the community are encouraged to honor our local military personnel and veterans at a weekly flag-raising ceremony held at the Yorba Linda Veterans Memorial at Veterans Park. The ceremony is held every Thursday at 4:15 p.m.