BREA

Preserving the hillsides above the city was a major concern expressed by more than 200 community members at a special meeting Thursday to discuss development on 7.4 acres of county land north of the city. Those at the meeting reviewed the general guidelines set by the community seven years ago and wrote down suggestions to add to the list. The information will be compiled and presented at the City Council meeting Aug. 17.

The unincorporated Orange County land, which is mostly privately owned, has long been considered prime real estate. Although the city has no direct control over the area, developers can request that their properties be annexed into Brea to receive city services. The first development, approved in 1996 by the City Council, is the Olinda Ranch project. The 369-housing development, near Valencia Avenue and Carbon Canyon Road, is in the grading process.