Councilmember compares keeping Oak Creek Golf Course to Segregation and claims it is a major driver of traffic (it isn't)
Transcript:
Martinez Franco:
Thank you. I wanna first a start in addressing a few, uh, myths that I hear today um... about traffic. I mean, for someone who works in LA a lot, this is not traffic. Um, I decided to go visit the golf course just a few days ago. Beautiful space, beautiful, beautiful.
However, I see where the traffic is: in the golf course. All these people that go play golf, come from outside our city to make more, uh, traffic. Um, with the golf course...
(Interruption from the public)
...gone, there....
(mayor gavels)
Mayor: Just a moment, please allowed the councilmember to proceed uninterupted, alright?
Martinez Franco: With a, an a open space, um, dedicated there, not only we are helping IVC students to have an open space that they can walk and... do... um... leave their cars behind—if they even have cars; they like bicycle. Um, our seniors will have a chance to go and walk freely without being hit by a golf course [sic], because let’s be honest, you cannot just run across the golf course, and, uh, let your toddlers run across the golf course without somebody yelling at you and telling you, "What are you doing in the green?"
Um...
And the kids will have a, a, good place to play in the water and, uh, the hills, and, uh, there will be so many trees preserved. And again, there will be less traffic if we, uh, dedicate that open space, uh...
(Interruption from the public)
because people will come less from outside our city, and this park will be for our community.
Now, I’m not taking the, the... value of putting this back in the ballot... if that happens. But let me ask you something about change.
Somebody voted to... uhh, for Segregation. Does that make it right? No. We have to change with the times. We have to change with the times. And I’m not taking away the... this... might go to a vote. I'm not taking that...
(Interruption from the public "Segregation? Seriously?")
Mayor: (Gavels) Uh, I'm gunna ask you again to please...
(Interruption from the public "She's talking about segregation! That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard")
Mayor: Sir, I'm gunna ask you to... to... (interruption from public). Umm, I'm going to politely ask you to allow the Council Member to conclude her remarks, and then we will just go on. Please. Your interruptions... um, they don't... they don't help your case, let me put it that way, alright?
(Interruption from the public "Someone's gotta counter that conversation, because segregation is not what we're talking about here!")
Mayor: We're going to have a round of comments here, by council members, and I would plead with you that you see to it that those comments are not interrupted. We didin't interrupt you. We didn't interrupt any of the 100 or so speakers who spoke. We want to accommodate all voices in an orderly way. Go ahead councilmember
Martinez Franco: Thank you, Mayor. Um, well... I didn’t get here, uh,to be quiet or to be the "quiet Latina," right? I’m here because I’m that a "spicy Latina" that is a going to speak up. So, while I’m pleased with the... um... uh... what the Irvine Company recent public outreach, I want to see more from them, especially in my district. I will strongly encourage them to sit with organizations like the Woodbridge Village Association and really listen, compromise, and be open to new ideas.
And while I understand tonight’s item does not approve any specific development, my future support will depend in the deep level of engagement with my community. Under those terms, I am prepared to support the motion. Thank you so much.