YORBA LINDA : City Repeals OK on Housing Increase

The City Council this week repealed its approval of a proposed increase in the number of homes in a housing development planned for the city’s east side.

The council’s unanimous vote Tuesday will limit Irvine-based AW Associates to building 60 homes on nearly 1,300 acres just north of the Via Lomas de Yorba loop. A citizens’ group based in nearby Hidden Hills said that the development firm’s proposal to build 115 homes at the site would have created a traffic hazard and overcrowded schools. The council had approved that proposal on Oct. 22 in a 3-2 vote.

The citizens’ group, Aware Concerned Citizens Organized for Responsible Development, launched a petition drive that forced the council to either reverse its vote or place the matter on an election ballot. Several council members said before the meeting that a referendum would be a waste of time and money, and opted to rescind their decision.

The developer can return to the council with the 115-home plan after one year. The project, just south of Chino Hills State Park, would be the final phase of the company’s Bryant Ranch development.