Costco vs. the church: Hugh Hewitt says city of Cypress has dug itself a big hole

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Wednesday, June 5, 2002 | Hugh Hewitt

[JohnHuang2]

Wednesday, June 5, 2002

Quote of the Day by bloggerjohn

[JohnHuang2]

Hugh Hewitt MEGA-PING!!

[RonDog]

Thanks for posting this, Mr. Ping King!

See also:

The First Church of Costco
The Wall Street Journal | Thursday, May 30, 2002
Posted on 5/30/02 8:46 AM Pacific by TroutStalker

The Good Book instructs us to render unto Caesar what is his. But what do you do when Caesar casts his greedy eye on your local church -- in order to replace it with a discount retailer?

This tale comes from Orange County, California, once known as Reagan Country. On Tuesday night the Cypress City Council voted 4-0 to invoke its powers of eminent domain to seize land owned by the Cottonwood Christian Center, which would then be sold to Costco... more

[JohnHuang2]

Thanks for posting this, Mr. Ping King!

More than welcome, friend =^)

[RonDog]

"...Perhaps the Cypress City Council and the Cypress city staff are not anti-Christian, just dense. They have talked themselves into a corner, and now find themselves on the receiving end of a large and growing wave of disgust. Legal bills will follow. So will defeat.

The first rule of holes for someone who wants to get out of one is: Stop digging.

Stop digging, Cypress and Costco..." - Hugh Hewitt

.

From http://www.nhbirdsnest.com/construction.htm:

The Cypress City Council's NEW motto:
"We're not anti-Christian. We're just DENSE!"

.

If you listen to Hugh Hewitt, or read his WND commentaries,
this PING list is for YOU!
Please post your comments, and BUMP!

(If you want OFF - or ON - my "Hugh Hewitt PING list" - please let me know)

[Angelique]

So this is why American soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are fighting and dying a half-world away: To make the country safe for tin-horn councilman-bullies and avaricious super-stores – not the right of a free people to join together and worship their God as they understand Him.

I'd say the Cypress City Council has fallen into a mighty big pit of greed.

[Snow Bunny]

Thank yu for the thread John.

RonDog thanks for the ping and links.

Angelique, I agree, it sure does look like greed.

[RonDog]

See also:

Cypress invokes eminent domain to seize church land
ocregister.com
Posted on 5/29/02 12:19 PM Pacific by Retired Chemist

CYPRESS – Cypress on Tuesday became the first Orange County city to use eminent domain to seize church property to make way for a shopping center...

California, the TREND-setter. What a WONDERFUL concept to popularize across the USA... NOT!

As others have posted previously, this "land grab" reminds of the old Joni Mitchell classic, from http://www.jmdl.com/lyrics/bigyellowtaxi.cfm:

Big Yellow Taxi
by Joni Mitchell

---

They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot spot

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

They took all the trees
Put 'em in a tree museum
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to see 'em

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Hey farmer farmer
Put away that DDT now
Give me spots on my apples
But leave me the birds and the bees
Please!

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Late last night
I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi
Took away my old man

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot


Copyright © Siquomb Publishing Company

You can LISTEN to it here:
http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?ean=93624360025

[FenianOfEire]

How about a CostCo Freep, via e-mail or through other available measures, explaining the position of millions of Americans that this could be a costly acceptance of land that does not rightfully belong to them or to the city?

I think it would be more effective than dealing with this city council... Just a thought. What are they going to do when, if, CostCo backs out?

[DLfromthedesert]

I could think of a few people I'd like to see in that picture .... I'm just glad it's not Robert Reich, cuz that would certainly cut short his run for Mass. Gov.

[MeekOneGOP]

Robert Reich? At 58" he should go around saying that
he is Head and shoulders below everyone else, lol!

[Grampa Dave]

Who is taller Reiccccchhhh or Da$$hole.

Does anyone have a side by side of these giants among the Rats?

[afraidfortherepublic]

...though the zoning in place did allow for church uses.

My husband has served on Planning Commissions in two states. Churches and schools normally are allowed as a "use by right" in all zoned areas because they are considered as beneficial for the populace. I dunno about California courts, but I think this church has a very strong case. The greedy City of Cypress would be thrown out on its ear if it were either in Texas or Wisconsin.

They would have to find some other reason for denying this, such the Church structure posing a danger to the Congregation or other residents (blocking vision at an intersection, for instance). Or construction of the Church would seriously deplete the water supply or cause flooding for the rest of the community. Of course that argument would block construction of the retail center too.

The Church should sue, or threaten to sue. It's amazing how City Attorneys will change their tune when they are faced with defending a lawsuit. They usually duck and run.

[afraidfortherepublic]

What are they going to do when, if, CostCo backs out?

They'll find some other retailer. This City needs to be put in its place FAST and PERMANENTLY by the court.

[MistyCA]

Thanks for the ping. The city of Cypress is no different from the other cities in California who have politicized and taxed our lives beyond the point of absurdity. In my town they wanted to bring in a huge shopping center. It was set up (in order to get local neighborhood support) promoting a wonderful and well-needed sports facility on much of the acreage purchased for the center. Mind you, the field that was purchased was the home of the little league fields...nothing fancy, just a lot of dirt, batting cages and baseball diamonds that had kept the kids entertained for many years. A new Costco, Home Depot, Linens and Things, CompUSA, Borders, etc, was sure to bring all kinds of traffic into the small area which had been quiet, but softening that with the sports facility allowed the plans to pass muster and it was built.

Now, however, the sports facility will be dismantled and low income housing will go in it's place. What is so hard to swallow about this is the fact that the original little league fields were wiped out in order to do this deal, and now the new ones will be gone as well. The local residents were lied to and manipulated and the children's facilities will go down to the almighty dollar. So what's new? If the battle is cultural/societal good vs monetary advantage, the green stuff always has the edge.

[Victoria Delsoul]

LOL, great graphic, Ron.

I like this line also: The first rule of holes for someone who wants to get out of one is: Stop digging.

I hope Cypress and Costco are listening to public opinion.

[Poohbah]

Petty tyrants complaining that they aren't understood are both offensive and mind-bogglingly obtuse.

One thing I love about Hugh is his facility with the English language. This line is a keeper.

[repubmom]

Please add me to your Hugh Hewitt Ping list - thanks.

[RGSpincich]

Would it interest anybody to know that the area in question was rezoned as a Redelopment Project Area nearly eight years before Cottonwood began bullying their way into the news. Cottonwood bought property that they knew was zoned for retail and that a comprehensive plan had been instituted by the city. They were able to acquire the land because other developers did not. Other developers knew that unless they had a big retail business or cluster of businesses the city would not allow them the use of the property.

As I said, Cottonwood did not own this property prior to the Redevelopment Agency taking development control of this property. The owner of the property at that time had every right to file suit because of the restrictions being put on his land use. He did not file suit and reportedly that owner actually encouraged the redevelopment zoning on the property. So now Cottonwood knowingly buys up property for a use that is not allowed. They have no right to build anything but retail on that property and they need a Conditional Use Permits to do so. Those were the rules when they bought the property and those rules remain.

Why should this out of town church have more rights than the citizens of Cypress who voted with a weighted majority (over 67%) to tax themselves to develop this property in the manner set forth by the Redevelopment Agency?

Why should this church have more rights than a developer who would not be allowed to build housing or industrial there?

The fact is they don't have more rights than others but they do garner more sympathy when they only tell their half of the story. IMO, they are trying to bully a community that clearly has a different plan for themselves and has been upfront about it.