By A.J. Hazarabedian
In November of last year, we posted an article about a land swap deal in Lake Forest. This week, the Orange County Register is reporting that the, “eminent domain tug-of-war between a Rancho Santa Margarita family and the city of Lake Forest over a 6-acre parcel of land has been settled.”
The article, “Settlement sets stage for land swap, sports park,” explains that Vince Hernandez, the landowner, will receive $1.35 million for his property; about half of what he had wanted, yet almost double the city’s original offer. This property will now be part of a land swap between the city of Lake Forest and the County of Orange. As part of the deal, “the city will receive 38 acres northwest of Portola Parkway and El Toro Road where it plans to build a sports park and recreation center.” The sports park played a role in the Hernandez family’s decision to settle. Per the article, Vince Hernandez is a local Pop Warner and Little League coach and liked the idea of how the city would benefit from the park.
The $39 million park could have a construction start date as early as late 2010.