South County Outreach and Review Effort ("SCORE")

SUMMARY: The SCORE Program was initiated by Supervisor Tom Wilson at the December 5, 2001 Planning Commission meeting to assist in the early stages of defining community goals and issues related to potential future development on the Rancho Mission Viejo property in South Orange County. The overall goal of the SCORE program is to establish and maintain positive and constructive communications among all potentially interested parties including members of the Rancho Mission Viejo development team, Orange County staff and appointed officials, representatives of all the neighboring jurisdictions, representatives of specific community interest groups, and members of the public at large. Supervisor Wilson convened two task forces to review Ranch development issues, one to address land use and one to address urban runoff. Each task force was given a scope for review and a consultant facilitator (Moore, Iacofano and Goltsman, Inc.) was retained to assist the task forces. The two task forces have completed their Phase 1 tasks and the consultant has prepared a report to Supervisor Wilson and the public on their progress.

PROJECT: Rancho Mission Viejo proposes a General Plan Amendments, Zone Change, Planned Community, Development Agreement and related actions for 22,850 acres of land generally located easterly of Mission Viejo and San Juan Capistrano, northerly of San Clemente, westerly of USMC Camp Pendleton and southerly of Coto de Caza and the Ladera Planned Community in southern Orange County. The Planned Community would permit a maximum of 14,000 dwelling units, including 6,000 active adult units, employment uses and recreation uses on approximately 9,000 acres of the property. The remaining approximately 14,000 acres would be limited to rural residential, regional parks, open space, recreation and habitat uses.

RELATED ACTIONS: In related actions, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Game, the County and Rancho Mission Viejo are preparing a Natural Community Conservation Plan / Habitat Conservation Plan (NCCP / HCP) to develop a long-term management plan for habitat protection for threatened, endangered and other species. Also, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the State Department of Fish and Game and Rancho Mission Viejo are preparing a Special Area Management Plan / Master Streambed Alteration Agreement (SAMP / MSAA) to preserve and enhance wetlands and streams in the San Juan Creek and San Mateo Creek watersheds in the project area.