FOCUS: ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY NEWS : VILLA PARK

The City Council said it supports local efforts to save Barham Ranch, an undeveloped 525-acre plot at the center of a dispute over whether to develop it or keep it as open space. But the council has no jurisdiction over the plot’s fate. At its latest meeting, members of the council voiced their opinions on the issue after Orange and Villa Park residents made a presentation on the land. Councilman Rich Freschi said the council should take a stand on the issue, but Councilman Russell Patterson said he wants to learn more about the position of the Orange Unified School District, which co-owns the land with the Serrano Water District, before making a judgment.