Residents urge Laguna Hills council to oppose high-density proposal at La Paz Village

During the Sept. 9 public-comment period, Karen Litvin and Jim (Jimmy) Haines, both Castle Hill residents, urged the City Council to oppose a proposed high-density housing project at La Paz Village (La Paz & McIntyre). Litvin argued the local infrastructure cannot support high-density housing and said the project would negatively affect nearby retail and small businesses. Haines reiterated those concerns, described previous proceedings in which the state intervened, and said he would mobilize neighbors to attend the next council meeting on Sept. 23 to oppose the proposal.

Haines raised traffic concerns, saying La Paz Road can already take a long time during peak hours and asked how the city would manage additional traffic without widening La Paz. Both speakers urged the council to delay or reconsider any imminent votes; the city attorney explained the legal framework for applications styled as a "builder's remedy," saying such applications, if they qualify, can bypass local general-plan and zoning standards and that information about strategy for addressing such applications had been shared with elected officials in closed session and could not be discussed publicly. The speakers asked for more study (including environmental analysis) and community input and said they would return with more residents to voice opposition.