Montebello : Council Rejects 5 Plans to Develop Chevron Land

The Montebello City Council has rejected five initial development proposals for 450 acres of land owned by the Chevron Land & Development Co. because, council members said, the proposals do not include enough open space.

Chevron had submitted a plan for the Montebello Hills property calling for construction of a $600-million village with luxury homes, town homes and condominiums that would be within easy reach of a shopping center, three parks, an elementary school, a senior citizen housing complex and a fire station.

The other proposals, drafted by city officials, are variations of the Chevron proposal.

“I don’t think this is close to what the people (of Montebello) want,” said Councilman William Molinari at a recent meeting.

Chevron has since submitted a revised proposal that the city will review.

Although the land is owned by Chevron, the city is a partner in planning the project and can enforce development standards because it is located in a city redevelopment area, said Linda Payan, the city’s economic development director.

Economic Research Associates, a private firm that conducted economic feasibility studies of each plan, said at this stage the proposals are merely models.

“(Development) will be an enormously complex undertaking that will take a number of years,” the firm’s Dave Wilcox said.