Developing new projects in Orange County can come with some obstacles.
Orange County does not have a good transit system, creating one hindrance, according to Omega Environmental Services principal Steve Rosas.
He moderated a panel at the recent Orange County Construction & Development Major Projects Forum, featuring DPR Construction regional manager David Seastrom, Swinerton Builders VP and regional manager Dave Callis, LT Global executive director Randy Jefferson and Trumark Homes division president Richard Douglass.
While infrastructure poses challenges, there also is an issue with some cities in Orange County taking too long to process permits, which slows down development, David said.
The utilities are also very busy, which impacts scheduling, he and Dave said.
Anaheim is pro-development, which has been advantageous for LT Global, Randy said.
Randy said his firm doesn't have any trouble with what's happening with CEQA, but it does produce a massive amount of work.
Richard described CEQA as a "Byzantine set of regulations" crafted when pollutants were being dumped in rivers and the ocean.
Nobody wants that time to return, but it's an "absolute stopper" for development and could stymie economic growth and jobs, he said.
Above are David, Steve, Dave, Randy and Richard.
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