MOORPARK : Panel Seeks Changes in Townhouses Plan

The Moorpark Planning Commission has indicated that it will reject a proposal to build 196 moderately priced townhouses in the exclusive Mountain Meadows neighborhood.

However, commission members told Santa Monica-based developer Urban West Communities to reduce the proposed number of townhouses to about 135 and make other changes before the commission decides on the project Dec. 16.

About 50 homeowners from the Mountain Meadows neighborhood had protested the proposed development. Houses in Mountain Meadows sell for $250,000 to $500,000.

“It’s right next to some very expensive homes and I just don’t think it’s compatible,” Commissioner Steve Brodsky said of the townhouses, which would sell for $130,000 to $170,000.

A spokesman for Urban West said the company does not intend to lower the number of proposed townhouses, adding that the city previously approved up to 205 housing units for the site at the intersection of Countryhill Road and Mountain Trail Street.

“The type of unit and the marketing is not up to the city,” Urban West spokesman Tom Zanic said.

“It’s up to us as the landowner.”

Many of the homeowners who came to the meeting said they are concerned that the townhouses would lower property values.

Homeowners also said Urban West salespeople had promised them when they bought their homes that luxury townhouses, which would be priced over $250,000, would be built on the site.

“We were promised very, very exclusive townhomes,” said homeowner Ann Merlino.

Zanic denied that the company made such promises.

“Any concern these homes will be purchased by low-income people is unfounded,” Zanic said.

Buyers of the townhouses would need to have incomes of at least $40,000, he said.