DANA POINT : City May Purchase Wilderness Parcel

A 4-acre site in a wilderness area with a hilltop view might be purchased by the city for a public park, a city official said Friday.

District officials have discussed the possibility of buying the parcel from Hon Development Co., said Lynn Muir, a trustee of the Capistrano Bay Park and Recreation District. An appraisal of the property is planned for next month.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity,” said Muir of the chance to buy the land at the southwest corner of the intersection of Stonehill Drive and Selva Road. “It offers some spectacular valley views, and, in my opinion, it’s a very reasonably priced, large piece of property. I think it’s a natural for the park district.”

Hon Development Co. has indicated that it is asking $850,000, according to park district records. Under city zoning requirements, 55% of the parcel must remain open space, Muir said.

“Something like a trail with a gazebo would be a nice wilderness experience in the midst of the dense development surrounding the area,” he said. “We have also talked about a senior center there.”

But Muir said the park board does not want to buy this parcel in lieu of other undeveloped parcels in the Capistrano Beach and Palisades areas of the city.

“We do have quite a bit of park development in this part of Dana Point. We need to expand in the Capistrano Beach and Palisades areas, but unfortunately, there is very little park space available,” he said.