Current Calendar

Your help is needed to let this vision of opportunity for homeless and abandoned animals  become a reality. Images and map below.

Excavation, recompaction, and grading  are complete. The lot is security fenced.

CARE’s Adoption Center  revised grading, preliminary landscape, and architectural plans are being completed. Thanks to all of you whose efforts moved us to this point.  The dirt eight feet deep has been dug up and then recompressed. This is quite a large step forward for the homeless and abandoned cats and dogs of San Juan Capistrano. Keep up the good work and recruit those with the skills, resources and hearts to help in the upcoming phases.

When will the San Juan Capistrano Animal Rescue and Adoption Center be built? 

Work has already started.  Approvals, design, and building will occur in multiple phases.

Many steps needed to take place before we begin building. A preliminary geological soils report, recognized some challenges. A second geological soils report has been completed. Additional excavation and exploration needed to be done to complete the soils report. Information obtained from these reports where used in the Biological Review and for Structural  Engineering studies with the Architects to determine the correct foundations for the buildings, walls and the dog runs.  The soils report will also help let CARE know if any soils need to be removed and/or re- compacted on the building site.

In July 2001, landscape architect Bruce Stout presented a full set of landscape design plans for the site. The plans integrate the "Rural Country Farm" feeling of the area combined with meandering lawns and paths. Plants, trees and shrubs nearer the back of the property were selected to integrate into the natural beauty of the creek beds. Bruce Stout's extensive native plant expertise allowed many of the trees and shrubs in the back half of the site to be selected from California native species. Bruce is modifying the central dog courtyard to include a small  water fountain. The gentle sounds of moving water will help relax both animals and visitors. This should provide an additional calming element of the environment for the available dogs.

In the third quarter of 2002, CARE submitted preliminary plans for the building, the site and Bruce's landscape plans to the City. The City Planners have asked for and received additional detail in selected areas, like parking and lighting.  This information was collected, detailed and presented to the Planners in October and November 2002.

During the last quarter of 2002, detailed information provided the basis for our biological study and the report was presented to the City in early 2003. The City has provided CARE with mitigation measures that must be in place before construction can begin. Additional biological studies will still need to be developed and submitted prior to breaking ground on the facility. 

Two important items delayed the ground breaking.
First, as we discussed above, CARE is cognizant that the area around the site is a locally important breeding area for birds and other creatures .Rather than repeatedly incur the costs of additional biological studies to  determine if one of the protected species has decided to breed near by, it is felt that we should give them the opportunity in peace rather than reduce the available capital needed to start the initial building phases. The nesting activities stop in the late Summer and CARE can start grading (only the lot, not where the birds nest) in August 2004.  

The second delaying action resulted from a change from the City, where the set back from the center of the street has increased from 40 to 50 feet.  This change arose from the desire to protect the rural feel of the area, and allow widening of Camino Capistrano and walkways if required in future years. The existing building designs placed the building at the 40 foot set back to maximize the dog exercise and walking paths in the rear of the lot. Increasing the set back this additional ten feet, not only alters the location of the building and dog runs, it changes the shape of the building, This change requires that the previously submitted grading plan, architectural plan and landscape plans need to be once again redeveloped, resubmitted and approved.  

Construction began in  second half  of 2004. Pre-construction grading and soils corrections were a major hurdle. Like most of San Juan Capistrano, the CARE site is composed of soils made up from the Capistrano Formation. Add to this the geo-soils influences of the creek bed, evident by the large number of boulders you previously saw in the soil on the lot. In order to provide good foundation for buildings, dog runs and small walls, the soil needs to reach a compaction of 90 to 95% compaction. The local clay combined with creek settlement makes this a challenge in many parts of South Orange County. The soil composition combined with how the property was previously used, required excavation of eight feet of soil followed by re-compaction to the 90 to 95% compaction rating. Soils compaction requires multiple passes of soil layers from three to six inches thick, each layer being water saturated while being compressed. This is very time consuming and requires large heavy equipment and experience to meet the compaction rates.

Dennis Gage of Concorde Development along with Myron Sukut and  family, founders of Sukut Construction took on the task. The magnitude of this task was larger than the eight feet high and eight feet down with re-compaction. Although previous soils reports included sample drillings, they also cautioned about the depth of refuse on the lot combined with the possibility that a rock bed might be within the top eight feet. Equally important, the sensitive area near the creek bed requires additional care and expertise as detailed in the biological reports. Even with these additional parameters, these two families took on and completed the three large tasks of excavation, re-compaction and rough grading.

The third phase will include the underground utility phase and is currently waiting for completion by the City of San Juan Capistrano.

The fourth phase , currently underway includes structural engineering, title 24 qualification, value engineering and final details of the main building. In 2006, CARE began actively working with a builder to complete these phases.

The fifth, sixth, seventh  phases will run in parallel. The fifth phase will include building the foundation for the building. At the same time the builder will begin building the building.  The seventh phase includes starting the parking areas.

Building of the facility will occur in phases, as volunteer labor and funds become available for capital improvements.

The eighth phase begins the landscaping.

Then the building can be occupied.

Once occupied phase 8 can continue while phase 9  & 10 start.

Here is another area where you can help. Phases 8, 9 & 10 will continue at a pace directly related to the number of skilled volunteer hours donated to their progress.

Phase 9 is to build temporary dog kennels in the rear courtyard.

Phase 10 includes building out the interior quarantine rooms, cleaning areas, and cattery sections.

Phase 11 and 12 include building the permanent dog kennels and the small feline clinic.

How big will the C.A.R.E. Dog and Cat Adoption Center be? 

Eventually approximately 5,000 square feet; Beginning with a 3,000 sq. ft. main building with  lobby, volunteer center, offices, kitchenette, food prep room. Future phases will include building out the interior to accommodate various cat housing, a clinic, quarantine rooms, playroom.  Another phase, which may run in parallel to the interior build out may include  a 2,000 sq. ft. dog kennel with up to 20 dog runs, canine evaluation and treatment center, laundry, as well as outside play yards and walking paths. Building of the facility will occur in phases, as volunteer labor and funds become available for capital improvements.

Yes, you can sign up to volunteer on our web site (www.capoanimalrescue.com), call the C.A.R.E. line at 949-240-1735, or contact any C.A.R.E. member. You can also volunteer to foster an animal in your home or to assist at the PETsMART Luv-A-Pet cattery, where C.A.R.E. currently showcases their adoptable cats.

On C.A.R.E.’s web site, which is also linked to the Orange County Animal CARE CENTER website and other local shelter and rescue group websites. Many of the currently available cats from CARE can be seen daily at the San Juan Capistrano PETsMART. Check the calendar section of this website for additional  adoption events at animal loving business like PetCo, Family Toyota, StarBucks, Ralph's,  K-Mart, and PETsMART, or call C.A.R.E. at (949) 240-1735 for information on events and available animals.

How can I help? 

Get involved! Volunteer, become a member, foster an animal, help with fund raising, participate in the building process, make a contribution, buy a memorial brick, sponsor a kennel, attend a meeting, tell a friend.

Will the new Animal Rescue and Adoption Center utilize City Open-Space? 

No. C.A.R.E. will be using City-owned land that is outside of the designated Northwest Open-Space Plan.

 
What might the new Animal Rescue and Adoption Center look like? 

Rendering of a proposed Capistrano Animal Rescue Effort Animal Rescue and Adoption Center for the homeless and abandoned cats, dogs, puppies and kittens of San Juan Capistrano.

Proposed Main Building  2007 - copyright CARE 2007

Two variations on the 1900-1920 Craftsman style architecture selected in 2006 to blend in with the early 20th century homes adjacent to the Adoption Center. This is the main building with the green building image closer to the final design, The porch and roof lines are there, yet colors and front windows are likely to change. Note the inclusion of many features common in California Craftsman homes of the period. Gentle ratio pitched gable roofs Accent roofs with varying pitches Different roof  heights Architectural beam details at gable peaks California Craftsman style integrated multi-pane transoms over single light windows Wide window and door casings Mixture of exterior siding materials and directions Centered partial width front porch Low porch pedestals Tapered porch supports Porch railings More info on California Craftsman architecture

Proposed Main Building Oct 2006 Copyright CARE 2006