VILLA PARK
The Serrano Water District was served Friday with a notice that it is being sued because its agreement to sell Barham Ranch, a 526-acre plot, to developer SunCal allegedly is in violation of the California Environmental Quality Act. The lawsuit also states that the water district illegally gave up its governmental authority to manage the property when it made its agreement with SunCal.
SunCal is also being sued for the same reasons. The law firm Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger served the notice. The firm represents the Orange Park Acres Assn., the nonprofit preservation groups Friends of Harbors, Beaches and Parks and Endangered Habitats League and a private citizen.
On Friday, a settlement conference between the water district and the Orange Unified School District, which co-owns the land, also took place, and the parties involved toured Barham Ranch. The water district is suing the school district to force it to sell Barham Ranch to SunCal. The suit is expected to go to court in November.
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