Marbella Business Owners Desperate to See El Horno Street Opened

Businesses in the Marbella Plaza presented the City Council Tuesday night with hundreds of signatures from customers who want the El Horno Street underpass opened to vehicular traffic.

Bill Odelson, owner of The Paper Annex, said businesses at Marbella have been struggling. His volume alone has dropped 25 percent in the last five years because of the economy, and a further decline caused by the Ortega Highway interchange construction would be devastating.

“Do it as soon as possible,” Odelson said. “I can certainly not afford to lose any more business due to the construction of the Ortega.”

The San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce has also asked the City Council to consider opening up the underpass during the 2 ½-year construction project.

Some . So far, the council has not yet put it on the agenda.

Odelson noted that his plaza has seen a 75 percent turnover rate in the last five years, so gathering the 300 or so signatures in a two-week span wasn’t a difficult task.

With four new restaurants just opened at the center, access is pivotal, he added. He predicted they will close by year end if not for some intervention to promote traffic circulation.

Speaking during the open comments portion of the agenda, the council was not able to take action.

“I would certainly like to see this topic brought up and brought up soon because we can’t wait any longer,” Odelson said.

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