2008-09-04 18:03:39 - City officials and residents are vehemently against the U. S. Postal Service's plan to build a regional massive mail processing center the size of nearly three Lowe's home-improvement stores on property surrounded by homes, a religious facility, daycare and teen centers and more.

The City Council in closed session Wednesday directed the city attorney to send a formal offer to purchase the 25-acre site where the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) wants to build a regional mail-distribution center. The move follows the council's action last month to appraise the land in an effort to stop the much-contested project from moving forward. The city will

tender a letter to the USPS offering to purchase the property at fair-market value.

The aggressive effort to protect the city's best interests and thwart the massive project comes while the Postal Service is accepting comments on its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for its proposed nearly 350,000-square-foot mail processing center. The regional facility would be located near homes, a religious facility, teen center, preschool, proposed affordable senior housing development and other vulnerable uses. The plan for a facility that would be the size of nearly three Lowe's home-improvement stores is vehemently opposed by the City Council, which along with the community, has repeatedly cited public safety, traffic, noise, air quality and other significant issues associated with a 24/7 colossal operation. The Postal Service has owned the land since 1991, but has not previously identified a specific project or studied its impacts.

Mayor Bill Phillips on Wednesday told a packed Council Chambers that the city is doing everything and anything it can to stop the disputed project, which will impact Aliso Viejo's quality of life.

The Postal Service site is located between 2A and 6 Liberty and is more than 4 miles from the San Diego (I-5) Freeway. It is said to be the only USPS location that far from a freeway interchange. City officials have pushed for alternate, more suitable sites closer to the freeway and away from such sensitive uses. The city's efforts have continued to fall on deaf Postal Service ears.

The Postal Service is accepting public comments on the EIS until Oct. 23. USPS will host a public meeting on Sept. 16 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Don Juan Avila Elementary and Middle School, 26278 Wood Canyon Drive, which City leaders are urging the public to attend.

The public can first learn more about the colossal project by attending the Planning Commission's Sept. 9 meeting, which is at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall, 12 Journey.

The EIS is available for review on a USPS Web site at www.alisoviejoeis.com. It is also available for review at the Aliso Viejo Library at 1 Journey.

The public is urged to submit its comments regarding traffic, public safety, environmental, noise and other impacts in writing to:
The Honorable John (Jack) E. Potter
Postmaster General and CEO
United States Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza West, S.W.
Washington D.C., 20260-0010
Information: 202-268-2500
As the Postal Service has requested for its draft EIS, public comments should be also be sent to the following address:
Emmy Andrews
U.S. Postal Service
395 Oyster Point Blvd, Ste 225
South San Francisco, CA 94080-0300
For more information, contact Emmy Andrews at 415-974-1221 or 650-615-7200.

Any comments sent to the city at city-manager@cityofalisoviejo.com will be routed to the appropriate individuals as well.

Visit the city's Web site at www.cityofalisoviejo.com and click on the 'Stamp out the Postal Service' link for detailed background and contact information.