Brea : Carbon Canyon Builder Wants to Shift Homes

Plans for the Carbon Canyon area were temporarily placed on hold Tuesday when a developer proposed an increase in the density of a portion of his property.

City Council members postponed a final decision on how many homes to allow in a 1,767-acre area after Walden Williams asked to transfer development rights from part of his property to other lots, Brea Development Services Director William Kelly said.

The city staff will study Williams’ proposal and make a recommendation during an Aug. 5 meeting, Kelly said.

Williams, of W.R. Williams Inc. of Huntington Beach, said Wednesday that only 49 of his 154 acres in Carbon Canyon are developable. Williams’ request to move the density within his property would affect 79 units, he said. With the transfer of homes from one area to another, the number of units in one area would increase but the overall density in Williams’ parcel would remain the same.

City officials and Carbon Canyon residents have been at odds over the number of homes that should be allowed in the area. On Saturday, the two sides agreed that a maximum of 2,521 homes be allowed in the total area, where there now are 303 homes.

Residents have expressed concern that development in Carbon Canyon would lead to congestion on Carbon Canyon Road and a higher potential for fires and landslides. The area’s residents say they also fear losing the rural flavor of the canyon.