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

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

[Poohbah]

However, the Cottonwood church DID get an OK on the land as a church prior to purchase.

Hugh spun up his "smart guys" (one liberal and one conservative lawyer) with the full information, including the "redevelopment plan," prior to his show, and they both indicated that Cypress was WAY out of line here.

[RGSpincich]

One further point, I do not favor the taking of this property by the city. Cottonwood should remain the owner of the property and they should either sell, trade or develop it in accordance with the existing zoning laws.

[CJ Wolf]

they could go the planting trees incorrectly and toss the Pastor in jail route too. seemed to work in Virginia.

[RGSpincich]

However, the Cottonwood church DID get an OK on the land as a church prior to purchase

I keep hearing about this "okay" but don't see a copy of it anywhere, I've looked. Cottonwood's site has copies of everything but that. I don't think this letter is as absolute as Cottonwood would have us believe. I find it curious that this "smoking gun" letter isn't reproduced as definite proof. Poster on the other thread who claims to have some knowledge of the situation did say the "okay" came in a letter.

[tacticalogic]

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?

We are instructed to render under Caesar what is Caesar's. In this case it appears Caesar is due an ass kicking, and God wants us to give it to him.

[Poohbah]

Interesting, if your hypothesis is true. Again, Hugh got EVERYTHING from Cypress (incidentally, how come Cypress hasn't publicly aired this letter, if it supports their interpretation?) and Cottonwood, shoveled it to two fellow lawyers, one a bigtime liberal, and they all agreed (very rare event) that whoever told the Cypress City Council that this move was legal was smoking crack.

[onedoug]

I heard that "Smartguys" segment, and I think you're right.

RD & JH2, thanks, as always, for the flags.

[RGSpincich]

...incidentally, how come Cypress hasn't publicly aired this letter, if it supports their interpretation?

Can't say. Maybe the letter doesn't exist.

[RGSpincich]

Cypress City Council that this move was legal was smoking crack.

Yeah, taking the property puts the city in collusion with Costco. Costco should be talking to Cottonwood, not the city.

[Poohbah]

Hugh and the Smart Guys mentioned the letter and discussed at some length.

[RGSpincich]

Well, shucks. Not being a radio listner I'm at a disadvantage. It would be interesting to see what was written.

[HeadOn]

I went to the Costco site (costco.com) several days ago, and sent them a letter through their customer service page. I asked if they were ready to lose hundreds of customers. (If you are interested, use the "other" selection when it asks you to pick a category for the message.)

They actually responded to me - they said that if they didn't build there, someone else would... I told them that if a thief knocked down my neighbor's door, that didn't give me the right to go in and steal his stuff, even "if I don't steal it, someone else will".

I told them they have a golden opportunity to (very publicly) do the right thing, and get out of the deal. They said that my second note to them "would be referred to their executives for consideration".

[RGSpincich]

Hugh and the Smart Guys mentioned the letter and discussed at some length.

There was a more recent letter written by the city to Cottonwood re: the election to pursue eminent domain proceedings. Could that be the letter that they were dicussing?

[Poohbah]

No, they were discussing the flip-flop by Cypress ("yes, a church is OK"/"no, we want sales tax revenue").

The lefty was practically frothing at the mouth about this issue, which I found absolutely amazing. He was saying "increasing sales tax revenue is NOT a public purpose by any stretch of the imagination."

[MeekOneGOP]

Who is taller Reiccccchhhh or Da$$hole.

I think da$$hole is probably taller than Reich, but Google Search does NOT bring
up an article that has his height. I guess it must be a secret, for national security
reasons, of course ! < /sarcasm >

My comment about Reich's height came from a story about his governor's race on FOX News
just the last few days or so. They said he was 4'-10" and hence my commment he's 58" tall.

The FIRST article on Google Search on Reich confirms that here...........

Governor Reich! Bwhahahahaha!
http://savagehatchet.com/reich.html

As a Bay State refugee, I love catching up on Massachusetts news - and the big (really BIG!) news this week is that Clinton's labor secretary, Robert Reich, has announced for governor. Bwhahahahahaha! Get it? The really BIG news? Bwhahahahahahahaha! Excuse me. Ha ha ha ha . . . Oh, somebody stop me! This is really too much. What's next, Mini-me for president?

Okay, okay . . hee hee . . I'm sorry, it's really not right to make fun of Mr. Reich for his height, which isn't his fault. I'll just stick to the merits of his candidacy. As Clinton's head dwarf, Reich racked up a very, very long and impressive list of accomplishments. - Get it? A LONG list of accomplishments? Bwhahahahaha! Ha ha ha. Oh, I kill me . . .

Okay, I'm sorry. After all Mr. Reich's height is totally irrelevent to his potential to be an effective executive for Massachusetts. Indeed, as a former Clinton Administration Secretary of Labor, Reich has the stature of having been a high level federal official. Get it? Get it? He's got stature! Muhahahahaha! Ha ha ha ha! High level! Oh oh oh, this is just too good! Robert Reich - governor of Massachusetts! You can't make up stuff this good!

Sorry, sorry . . . I'll cut it out. I understand it's totally inappropriate to mock someone for being short. I mean, the guy can't help it if he's only 4'10", or whatever. He could probably still be a pretty good governor. After all, as Clinton's chief midget Reich was a huge advocate for raising the minimum wage. And that's good, because I'm a little short of cash these days. Get it? Get it? SHORT of cash! Bwhahahahaha!!! Ha ha ha . . . Oh oh oh, I'm SHORT of cash, please help me Mr. Reich - You crazy little gubernatorial candidate you! Ha ha ha ha!

Click HERE to read the rest....
http://savagehatchet.com/reich.html

---

Here's a ditty on da$$hole that has some pics, fyi...........

Tom Daschle: Man or Midget?
http://www.bsnn.net/who%20sucks/Daschle.htm

Excerpt:
A few weeks ago, The Hotline reported that in an effort to make him appear taller, aides to Senator Tom Daschle had begun stacking phone books in his chair when he and Dick Gephardt held joint news conferences in which they both were seated behind a conference table. "Nahh...Daschle couldn't be that short," I thought. I always knew Daschle to be a small man, but I had never given much thought to his physical stature. So, intrepid cyber-journalist that I am, I conducted a little investigation to find out just how short Tom Daschle really is, and the results are astounding. All of these photos were found at Tom Daschle's website (which, incidentally, is just as lame as he is) and other than adjusting their size, none of the photos have been digitally altered in any way. I SWEAR!

This photo is interesting because the
young lady appears to be purposefully
slouching and bending at the knees to
make Tom look taller. I guess someone
else must have been using the phone
book that day.

[MeekOneGOP]

There are MORE pictures on the da$$hole link, btw, Grampa!
You might like 'em.......

[Grampa Dave]

I have so much fun sharing resources on our favorite rat shrimp, the Da$$hole.

REiSSSSSSSSSSSch is uglier and about as much fun. At least ReiSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSch has shown a little sense of humor at times. He may have been the most honorable one of the group of criminals that made up the Bent One's Cabinet.

[RGSpincich]

Upon further review... If the factual information in Cottonwood's lawsuit is reliable then Cypress did change the zoning requirements after Cottonwood purchased the property in 1998. Cottonwood has since objected and has filed a valid lawsuit, IMO.

The property was not zoned for retail only before Cottonwood purchased the property, as I had assumed. The Redevelopment Plan was changed with the addition of the Cypress Town Center Master Plan in 2000. This was after Cottonwood had begun efforts to develop their property under the previous zoning of a "Business Park". That zoning allowed churches subject to a CUP (which could also limit certain aspects of the building). I don't think Cottonwood was given a go ahead for a 17+ acre project. They may have been led to believe that it was possible, though.

From Cottonwoods Lawsuit-

On or about January 9, 1995, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 952 which amended the Redevelopment Plan to conform to the requirements of Assembly Bill 1290 as codified in Health & Safety Code section 33333.6 ("First Amendment"). 24. The Redevelopment Plan designates the planning for the Cottonwood Property as Business Park. Permitted uses under such a designation include: "public, semi-public land uses such as colleges and universities, churches, church schools, religious facilities." Retail as a primary use is not permitted use for the Cottonwood Property.

CYPRESS TOWN CENTER MASTER PLAN PROJECT

25. In or about October 2000, Defendants informed Cottonwood and others that Defendants had directed staff to proceed with the development of a Town Center Master Plan within the geographical limits of the Redevelopment Plan. The proposed area for the Town Center Master Plan included the Cottonwood Property.

Defendants announced in a letter to Cottonwood dated October 17, 2000, that the Town Center Master Plan "will need to incorporate a tenant mix, with two or three larger anchor retailers/entertainment uses to create the necessary synergy to draw a cross-mix of consumers to shop the project along with drawing the additional quality retailers to augment the anchor tenant mix... while the exact tenant mix will be dependent upon specific marketing efforts, it is anticipated that the components of the Town Center could include the following types and scales of uses:

"Major anchor of approximately 130,000- 160,000 square feet — discount warehouse-type user, which generates over $150 million in annual taxable sales . . ."

THE SECOND AMENDMENT OF THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN

26. On March 26, 2001 the City and the Agency held a joint public hearing concerning their proposed Second Amendment to the Redevelopment Plan for the Los Alamitos Race Track and Golf Course Redevelopment Project ("Second Amendment"), which would amend the Redevelopment Plan. The Second Amendment proposed to extend the Agency's eminent domain authority under the Redevelopment Plan for twelve years, amended the Land Use section of the Redevelopment Plan to provide that land uses within the Redevelopment Project Area shall be as set forth in the City's General Plan and applicable zoning ordinances, all as then existing or thereafter as amended from time to time, and made other textual changes to the Redevelopment Plan.

27. In a letter dated March 26, 2001 to Defendants from Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP ("SMRH"), Cottonwood objected to the proposed Second Amendment for being premature ...

[MeekOneGOP]

Yes......sense of humor, honorable and probably one of the smartest actually?

[Brad’s Gramma]

Bump-ditty-bump-ditty-bump-bump-bump!