Residents urge transparency over closed‑session negotiations for properties near Avenida Pico

Speakers at the March 4 San Clemente City Council meeting urged greater transparency after the clerk read closed-session language describing negotiations over multiple parcels near the eastern end of Avenida Pico.

The clerk opened closed session citing Government Code section 54956.8 and listing assessor parcel numbers tied to properties near Avenida Pico. The city's listed negotiators were Andy Hall, city manager, and Adam Atamian, community development director, and the named negotiating parties were the Foothill Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency, Tulaga Associates LLC and Tulaga Maintenance Corporation.

Amanda Quintanilla, who identified herself with the grassroots group active on the issue, said her group had reviewed an "irrevocable offer of dedication" and related easement documents and that attorneys and cofounders she consulted concluded the land should revert to Tulaga entities. "This land should be going back to Talaga, Maintenance Corporation, Talaga Associates," Quintanilla said, adding that many Tulaga residents were unaware of the document and that she did not want residents bypassed in negotiations.

Quintanilla asked that any negotiations affecting Tulaga residents be conducted with notice to relevant homeowner associations and suggested the city preserve Tulaga residents' rights to avoid potential litigation. The council subsequently moved into closed session and later the city attorney reported that direction had been given in closed session with no reportable action.

The clerk had read multiple APNs aloud during the closed-session announcement and identified the properties as "located near the eastern terminus of Avenida Pico in the city of San Clemente." The public speaker urged the city to confirm whether easements and irrevocable dedications in the record mean the parcels should revert to the Tulaga parties and to ensure affected residents are fully informed of negotiations.