CYPRESS : Zoning Change for Orange Avenue OKd

City Council members this week approved a change in the city’s general plan that will allow developers to replace two homes on Orange Avenue with 10 new ones.

Many residents, including 195 people who signed a petition opposing such an action, were not pleased with the council’s unanimous vote to convert a short stretch of Orange Avenue from low-density to medium-density housing.

Developers plan to build 10, two-story homes at 4921 and 4931 Orange Ave. The project, however, has been stalled because the council imposed a 45-day moratorium on it to appease the residents who were against the rezoning.

The city and the developers, the Olson Co., will have to hold a series of public hearings, at which residents will get a chance to offer their views on project specifics such as the architectural style to be used and parking conditions.

Although a number of residents were not satisfied with the council’s decision, they said they are glad they will have some say as to how the project will be developed.

“The medium density is better than high density, I suppose,” said Edward Mazur, a 30-year Cypress resident who was among eight people at Tuesday’s council meeting who failed to persuade council members to keep the low-density zoning in place.

They complained that the development would cause overcrowding and parking problems and loss of privacy to the neighborhood.

Other residents said they were happy with the council’s move.

“Everyone was under the impression that the project would include 60 apartment units, but anything that requires home ownership is what we want,” said Denise Sage, who originally opposed the project but changed her mind after learning more about it.

Mark Buckland, president of the Olson Co., said the homes will eventually become rental properties but that they will be built with high standards and won’t devalue surrounding homes.