ORANGE : Council Approves 727-Acre Project

Despite protests from more than 200 residents, the City Council on Tuesday approved plans for a controversial 727-acre development that will be built on the city’s last undeveloped ridgeline.

In a 4-0 vote, the council approved a plan for Serrano Heights, a development project that has been in the planning stages for six years and will feature as many as 1,800 town houses, apartments and single-family residences. Mayor Don E. Smith abstained from voting, citing a possible conflict of interest.

In a series of votes, the council approved a zoning change for the project, certified a report detailing the project’s expected environmental impact and approved development plans.

Serrano Heights will be built by Irvine-based Woodcrest Development Inc. in the east section of the city. The development includes extending Serrano Avenue, which will link Anaheim Hills to Orange.

Many of the residents wore orange ribbons to the council meeting as a symbol of their opposition, and they voiced concerns about traffic, noise and possible environmental fallout.

“Building on ridgelines should go the way of dinosaurs, it should be extinct,” said Joe Pelka, a representative of the Maybury Ranch Homeowner Assn.

After the meeting, Pelka said he and other residents were disappointed with the council’s action.

“A majority of the people are opposed to the project,” Pelka said. “We intend to continue to pursue the matter throughout the approval process. I don’t feel the council took into consideration the views of the community.”

Resident Larry Larson also spoke out against the plan, calling it “outdated.”

“It does not respect the existing environment,” Larson said. “We are talking about the last major undeveloped ridgeline in Orange County. Once a mountain or hillside is blasted, it will never return to us.”

But Woodcrest consultant Frank Elfend defended the project and said much of the community opposition is based on “misinformation.” He said only one-third of the ridgeline will be affected.