Postal Service rejects Aliso Viejo's offer to purchase land slated for mail distribution center

The 25-acre site in Aliso Viejo has sat vacant since the Postal Service purchased it in 1991. The site is near homes, a church, preschool, teen center and other sensitive uses

2008-09-22 23:13:16 - The U.S. Postal Service's rejection letter comes just days after City mails offer to purchase the 25-acre site slated for a massive mail distribution center. City leaders say move suggests a lack of consideration for community's concerns.

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has rejected the city's offer to purchase the much disputed 25-acre parcel slated for a massive mail processing center within days of receiving the city's offer to buy the site the USPS has owned since 1991 at fair market value.

In essence, the letter, dated Sept. 18, said that the Postal Service appreciates the City's

offer and help to find more suitable sites for its regional mail distribution center but none meet its criteria.

'It is unconscionable for (USPS) to reveal in July of 2008 a smattering of its criteria when we have been working for months to find suitable alternate locations,' said Mayor Bill Phillips.

The Postal Service's quick brush off of the city's offer mailed on Sept. 9 follows the Sept. 16 Postal Service-hosted meeting that drew more than 200 people, just about all united in devout opposition to the roughly 350,000-square-foot plan. The meeting's purpose was to garner community input for the Postal Service's draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Comments are due by Oct. 23.

However, city officials are baffled how the USPS could have rejected the city's good-faith purchase offer so quickly and say that the move suggests a lack of consideration for the community's concerns. The Postal Service's actions suggest that it is simply going through the EIS process, but that it plans to build here no matter how much people oppose the plan.

The city made the offer to purchase the site located between 2A and 6 Liberty in an effort to protect the community's best interest. The regional facility would be located near homes, a religious facility, teen center, preschool, proposed affordable senior housing development and other vulnerable uses. Officials and residents are concerned about public safety, traffic, noise, air quality and other significant issues associated with a 24/7 colossal operation.

City officials say despite the Postal Service's rejection, the city will continue to engage fully with the USPS in the NEPA process.

'We still do not have a complete picture,' Phillips said. 'We are not done, and we still want their full criteria so we can continue to search for a suitable location.'

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 USPS and legislators. Contact information is available on the city's Web site at www.cityofalisoviejo.com.