Developers Reach a Last Frontier for Tract Homes

By JANET WILSON

March 8, 1999 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

TRABUCO CANYON — Zoning changes that would allow denser development and more grading are being considered for Orange County’s rugged eastern edge, a rustic area on the doorstep of Cleveland National Forest.

Home to out-of-the-way canyon dwellers, the area is also enjoyed by thousands of mountain bikers, hikers and others taking a break from suburbia each weekend.

The proposed amendment to the highly restrictive Foothill Trabuco Specific Plan would allow condominiums, apartments or tract housing to be “clustered” in some spots in exchange for setting aside other land, and would relax grading requirements so that hilly topography could be leveled. Land could also be left “natural looking” rather than in its natural state, wording that has drawn considerable argument over whether graded slopes with colored concrete might be considered to look natural.

“There’s no place else left in Orange County to build . . . so this area is receiving a lot of attention,” said Dean Brown, who represents several area property owners.

Brown said “it’s the toughest land to build on anywhere” because so much earth has to be moved and stabilized to create level building sites.

The changes could affect chaparral ridges and steep canyons full of massive live oak and sycamore stands dotted with occasional homes.

In addition, nearly 1,000 acres of the 6,500-acre area have been bought by Kim Scott, a Colorado-based housing developer, according to former owner Dave Edgar and records.

Longtime residents are fiercely protective of the area, a remnant of open space left from the development sprawl that has engulfed much of Orange County.

“This is one of Orange County’s greatest resources. You don’t just flatten it, take out the 200-year-old oaks and build stucco houses,” said Rena Smith, who lives in an 80-year-old home in Trabuco Canyon. “It’s a different mind-set out here. You can’t plunk a set of housing developments out here and not destroy the rural character.”

But would-be developers argue that wildlife corridors would still be protected, and that property owners’ rights are virtually nonexistent under the current zoning plan.

Real estate developer Jim Beam, who is overseeing the purchase by the Colorado company of several properties, said that if canyon residents want to stop growth, there’s an easy way to guarantee that.

“Just buy the land. They want to look at it, but they don’t want to pay for it. Hasn’t anybody ever heard of property rights?” asked Beam, who said he has been trying to sell land on Santiago Canyon Road owned by the Lutheran Church for several years.

The county Planning Commission held its most recent hearing on the amendments Jan. 26, then enacted a 60-day moratorium on further hearings to give newly appointed members of the Foothill Trabuco Review Board time to catch up.

The review board has voted against clustering and transfer of density rights so far, and will meet again Thursday. Once the review board and Planning Commission have made recommendations, it will be up to the Board of Supervisors to approve or deny them. The proposed changes include:

* Cluster housing that would allow multiple units to be built on quarter-acre lots. Now, property owners must average a minimum of one acre per single-family dwelling.

* More uses, including golf courses and tennis courts, on preserved open space.

* Transfer of density rights. Developers could agree to set aside some parcels from development in exchange for higher density building on other sites.

* Now, two-thirds of any plot that is built on must be left “natural,” with no development of any sort. One change would allow the land to be left “natural looking,” meaning work could be done as long as the result looked natural. Another proposal would allow planning commissioners to approve grading and lot coverage of any kind in certain circumstances.

Even developer Beam, who is also a past mayor of Orange, said the Beazer project was too much.

Scores of area residents are writing hundreds of protesting letters on lemons and mailing them to 3rd District Supervisor Todd Spitzer, who will play a key role in deciding whether the proposed zoning changes are adopted.

“It’s a lemon of a plan, and we want him to know that,” said Sue Ellen Cox of Silverado Canyon. Silverado and Modjeska canyons are covered under a separate restrictive planning document, but residents there fear that if the Foothill Trabuco zoning changes pass, they’re next.

Spitzer joked that he loves lemonade, then said, “Any way that a community wants to communicate with their elected officials is great by me.”

Spitzer said he would reserve judgment on the proposed changes until after the local review board and the Planning Commission have made recommendations.

“It took millions of years to make these canyons, I’m not in any rush to make a decision overnight,” said Spitzer, who added that he does not want the process to “drag on” either.

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Canyon Proposal

Proposed zoning changes in an area governed by the Foothill Trabuco Specific Plan may change the look of one of Orange County’s last rural area. Beazer Homes built 78 tract homes on one parcel within the area and a Colorado developer would like to build nearby.

Sources: Orange County Department of Planning and Development, private planner Dean Brown.