Whittier : Gated Hillside Project of High-Priced Homes OKd

A proposal for a 15-lot gated community on a hillside north of Beverly Boulevard has been approved 4 to 1 by the City Council.

Critics of the project had complained that its million-dollar homes would not blend into nearby neighborhoods. The Whittier Conservancy argued that the project’s gates segregated it from the rest of the city.

Councilwoman Helen McKenna-Rahder said after the meeting Tuesday that she voted against the project only because she wants more information on where it will get its water and on how it would be affected by an earthquake. “This is no fast and sleazy development. It’s a good project, very sensitive to the surrounding environment,” she said. “But regardless of its quality, we’re in the middle of a drought, and I felt we needed more information on its problems with water and earthquakes.”

Many residents, including preservationists, praised Montebello partners William King and Nicholas Oleartes for their efforts to preserve much of the hillside environment in their plans. The developers also have offered to give 13 acres of adjoining land to the city to be used as undeveloped open space.