The Orange County Register

Plans to build homes in West Coyote Hills, the city's largest remaining slice of open space, got their first large-scale public test Tuesday night at a well-attended, but relatively quiet community forum.

More than 450 people came to the First Evangelical Free Church to see Chevron's proposal to build 760 homes on 510 hillside acres that is home to hawks, coyotes and dozens of native plant species.

Many spoke out against the plan, saying they would prefer it remain as natural open space for hikers, cyclists and equestrians.

But the boisterous oppsition and protest signs that have been seen around West Coyote Hills in recent months were not part of the forum, as some had anticipated.

Speakers for and against the project talked without interruption and received polite applause.

Several speakers said they were concerned that the development would mean the disappearance of precious natural resources, more traffic and overcrowded schools.

``I am concerned about the quality of life for people in Fullerton if this project goes in,'' said Eric Chang, a 45-year Fullerton resident and a member of Friends of Coyote Hills.

Friends is advocating finding funding to keep all 510 acres as natural open space, open for public hikes.

They pointed to places like Barham Ranch in Orange as places where open space has been purchased for preservation and urged the city to seek ways to purchase West Coyote Hills for preservation.

Officials with Pacific Coast Homes, the Chevron subsidiary proposing the project, said they believe they have planned a responsible project that balances the area's demand for housing with desires to keep open space.

As proposed, the plan calls for 279 acres to be retained as natural open space, more than half the site.

And while the master plan for the area, approved in 1977, allows up to 1,138 homes, the number has been reduced to 760.

The current plan also calls for a 17-acre sports park or school site, a six-acre neighborhood commercial site and eight miles of nature trails. An endowment would be set up for the long-term maintenance of those trails.

Don Means, project manager, said traffic congestion and school impacts would need to be measured in the environmental impact report, due out later this spring.

``I realize there is a high level of concern (about the project),'' Means said. ``I just don't want that concern to be based on any misunderstanding or misinformation.''

Means challenged a widespread claim that traffic impacts would be felt up to 15 miles around the project site.

``That would mean traffic from El Monte to Costa Mesa would be affected by this project,'' he said. ``I'm hard-pressed to see how traffic in Costa Mesa would be affected by building homes here.''

More than a dozen members of the local equestrian community urged developers to include an equestrian arena and

horse stable in the plan, as called for in original plans.

``We do not intend to be sidelined in this project,'' said Mike Wagner, a member of Fullerton Recreational Riders.

Other speakers said, regardless of how balanced the project might be, they will only be satisfied if the land remains entirely as open space.

``Preserving this land would be an investment in our community,'' said resident Suzette Montgomery. ``Once it's graded over for development, there is no chance for more open space.''

Two more community forums are expected to be scheduled before the plans move to the Planning Commission and, later, to the City Council for final review this fall.

Tuesday's forum was attended by at least four of five City Council members and Orange County Supervisor Chris Norby, who said they wanted to hear what the community was thinking about the project.

Memo:fntcoyote.0424Copyright 2003 The Orange County Register
Record Number: 61470766