Performing Arts Center

Chair of the nonprofit behind the project, he called it a volunteer-run, privately funded gift to the city and noted design changes boosting usable space by 8,000 square feet.

Speaking for the Mission Preservation Foundation, she asked the council to slow down, demanding a land-use agreement with performance milestones, concerns over the 64-foot height, parking, and fundraising capacity.

A local physician and business owner, she warned against hollowing out the town's character, said the park is a vital 'third place,' and questioned calling the project a gift.

The Cultural Heritage commissioner, speaking as a resident, voiced support, describing the venue's benefits for children, seniors and the community while preserving the western green space.

Founder of the local playhouse, he recounted turning a derelict building into an arts center and urged the council to 'make it happen.'

A longtime resident, she opposed the project, citing traffic gridlock, loss of the last downtown public park, mature trees, and suggesting adaptive reuse of vacant buildings instead.

A 30-year resident, she questioned the $40 million project's financial feasibility and parking, and asked why residents couldn't vote on it.

A 17-year resident whose kids grew up in theater, he spoke in favor, saying the venue will inspire youth and support local businesses.

A longtime resident and parent of playhouse alumni, he voiced support as a matter of community, culture and children.

He urged the council to stop the project, arguing existing venues suffice, the height exemption is wrong, and the parking study was too narrow — and suggested improving the park instead.

She spoke in favor, countering parking and cost complaints by pointing to the nearby parking structure and suggesting a memorial to Colleen Campbell using the old stage rocks.

He opposed the project, calling it too big and too tall with no parking, saying 35% of the park is being lost, and welcomed a referendum fight.

She urged the council to scrap the project, arguing the mission should stay the town's center point and children should be taught to preserve history.

A 50-year resident, he opposed the location and height, said parking and traffic are already bad, and suggested story poles and a public vote.

A 12-year resident, he supported the project, saying it blends the old with the new and keeps residents spending time and money in town.

A 15-year resident and construction veteran of a dozen performing arts centers, he supported the project while suggesting the fly tower be isolated to shrink the building's mass.

A 62-year resident speaking at his first council meeting, he opposed removing the stage and trees, saying the park is the heart of the town.

A lifelong resident, he supported the project, arguing the eastern park area is underused and unsafe, and the added usable space benefits the community.

A resident who declined to give his name ('Pete') blasted the parking situation, the building's height overshadowing the mission, the lack of any resident survey, and electricity-grid strain.

A 58-year resident, she opposed the project as out of scale with the historic mission town and asked that the decision be put to a public vote.

A newer resident, he supported the project, defending the building's height as functionally necessary, praising the fundraising burden, and noting parking alternatives like ride-share.

A Dana Point resident and real estate developer, she described overdevelopment nightmares in neighboring cities and asked the council to survey residents before deciding.

A resident since age seven, he invoked the council's historic decision to stop mountaintop building and asked why similar restraint isn't applied downtown.

A music teacher, she supported the project, describing the difficulty of finding recital venues and the inspiration a state-of-the-art facility would give her students.

Reading his wife Aaron's email, he urged a no vote or a long table, citing public land, height, lack of parking, Measure X's open-space mandate, and a call for story poles.

A Marine veteran here since 1956, he suggested an art and building committee, and ideas like sinking the building 20 feet to reduce its visible height.

A 20-year resident, he supported the project, citing the joy of live performance for families and noting parking solutions like transit and structures.

A former council member, he recounted the site's history as a dirt lot and trash area and said if the city can get a free performing arts center, 'take that deal.'

She tallied the evening's testimony — roughly 17 against and 13 for — and asked the council to slow down and decide after seeing how other downtown projects play out.

Registered her position for the record without speaking; the minutes list her among those registering opposition.