Council Approves Alhambra Highlands But Buys Time for Open Space Deal

The City Council found a temporary way around the dilemma of the Alhambra Highlands project Wednesday night – it approved the project, but the developer agreed not to do any grading or construction for nearly three years. That buys open space proponents time to find a way to purchase the property.

The project was approved for 107 homes on 72 acres in the Alhambra Hills, bordered by Alhambra Avenue and Reliez Valley Road. The homes, which will sell for an average of $1.5 million, are opposed by neighbors and open space propenents concerned about landslides, noise, and the elimination of habitat and old growth oak forests.

It was clear from the council’s remarks that none of them had any fondness for the project. Two members – Mayor Rob Schroder and Vice Mayor Janet Kennedy – were on the Planning Commission when earlier versions of the project were proposed.

“I hate to do it, but I’m compelled to vote for this project,” said Schroder.

He cited the case of the city of Half Moon Bay, which was sued by a developer in 2007 for denying a subdivision. The suit cost that city $38 million, and it has since had to disband the police department and cut severely back on most other services.

“I hope we can find a Bill Gates that can come up tens of millions of dollars that I think it’s going to take to purchase this property,” Schroder said. “We’re not going to win this fight” if the developer sued Martinez for denying the project.

“This is the most difficult development decision we’ve ever made,” said councilmember Lara DeLaney. “It boggles my mind that the Alhambra Hills Specific Plan was ever approved for all those houses on those hills.” That plan, approved by the city in the 1980s, is the city’s guideline for development in the hills.

“I would like to be a political hero and deny the project,” she said. “I can tell you that if we deny this project and go against the zoning, the city will end up with a multi-million dollar lawsuit that could bankrupt the city. In the end, we would have the project and a bankrupt city. I’m not willing to do that.”

“This project is a dinosaur,” said councilmember Mike Menesini. “I think we need to move forward to abate uncertainty, to open the door to the possibility of the community rallying together to purchase this property.”

Councilmember Mark Ross opposed the project, saying he played in the hills as a child.

Rick Sabella, president of Richfield Development, agreed Wednesday to defer grading and construction of the project until April of 2014, to give open space proponents a chance to find a way to purchase the property.

WEATHER:

Sunny. Highs in the mid 90s. West winds 5 to 15 mph.

EVENTS:

TODAY IN HISTORY:

365 - A tsunami devastates the city of Alexandria, Egypt. The tsunami was caused by the Crete earthquake estimated to be 8.0 on the Richter Scale. 5,000 people perished in Alexandria, and 45,000 more died outside the city.

1865 - In the market square of Springfield, Missouri, Wild Bill Hickok shoots and kills Davis Tutt in what is regarded as the first western showdown.

1873 - At Adair, Iowa, Jesse James and the James-Younger Gang pull off the first successful train robbery in the American Old West.

1919 - The dirigible Wingfoot Air Express crashes into the Illinois Trust and Savings Building in Chicago, killing 12 people.

1925 - Scopes Trial: In Dayton, Tennessee, high school biology teacher John T. Scopes is found guilty of teaching evolution in class and fined $100.

1954 - Publication of the first part of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

2005 - Four terrorist bombings, occurring exactly two weeks after the similar July 7 bombings, target London's public transportation system. All four bombs fail to detonate and all four suspected suicide bombers are captured and later convicted and imprisoned for long terms.

2011 - NASA's Space Shuttle program ends with the landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-135.