Court Allows Development in Coal Canyon

The state Court of Appeal has cleared the way for a housing development on 663 acres next to the Riverside Freeway, despite environmentalists’ objections that the project will harm mountain lions and other wildlife.

“We’re not very happy about it,” said Amy Greyson, a lawyer representing the Mountain Lion Foundation and four other environmental groups that filed a lawsuit in 1992 attempting to block the development.

The lawsuit argued that the development, including 1,550 homes, eight acres of commercial area, a school, fire station and other public buildings, would interfere with the mountain lions’ ability to cross Coal Canyon from the northern Santa Ana Mountains to the Chino Hills. Specifically, the lawsuit sought to overturn the city’s approval of an environmental impact report prepared on the project.

A lower court upheld the city’s position last year.

And on May 5, the 4th District Court of Appeal upheld that decision, ruling that the city’s approval had been valid.

“We are quite gratified,” said Mac Slaughter, an Anaheim deputy city attorney.

Hans Van Ligten, a lawyer representing the developer, Coal Canyon Co., said, “It’s a very good result. Now with this roadblock out of the way, the project can go to the next level of planning.”