62 New Homes With Granny Flats Planned For Murrieta's West Side

MURRIETA, CA — Imagine a brand new housing community in which every homeowner has a main house and an attached one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit — complete with a living room, kitchen and separate entrance — that could be rented out or used for family members like elderly parents.

That is what is proposed for Murrieta's west side.

During Tuesday night's Murrieta City Council meeting, council members were updated about the proposed "Ivy House" development on 22 acres that would feature 62 single-family homes each with its own "accessory dwelling unit" or "granny flat." The project location is east of Murrieta Creek, west of New Clay Avenue, and south of B Street, near Old Town Murrieta.

For some, the project is a progressive plan amid California's housing crisis, but for others the development would negatively impact the west side's rural character.

The proposed project features 62 lots ranging from 5,200 square feet to 9,530 square feet. Each lot includes a main house (one or two stories) and a 750-square-foot ADU with a separate entrance and yard. Nearly all of the ADUs would have a one-car garage. The main house would range in size from approximately 1,500 to 2,400 square feet and would feature two to four bedrooms, a porch, a yard and a two-car garage.

On June 14, the Murrieta Planning Commission recommended approval of the project's early stages, but with conditions, including added outdoor lighting for safety — something some west-side neighbors say they can do without.

More lighting would "take away from the west side's ambiance," Kassen Klein told the council Tuesday. Despite his objection, Klein said he is a project supporter who has lived in the area for 20 years.

Teresa Bliefus lives on nearby 4th Street and she opposes the development. On Tuesday she told the council the ADUs will likely be rented out.

"You're not going to have 62 units. You're going to have 124," she said. "This is not like any other houses in the area."

Assistant City Attorney Paul Early said the city cannot deny a housing project just because it features ADUs. In fact, California state law has opened the door to more ADUs.

Michael Maples lives on New Clay Street, a mostly dirt road featuring homes on larger lots. He told the council he is concerned the project could mean more storm runoff onto existing adjacent properties.

Murrieta Creek runs through the city's west side. During strong rainstorms, the area is prone to flooding though federal dollars have been invested to protect properties in the area. The Ivy House project is planned to be built on an elevated pad with more drainage infrastructure than currently exists in the area.

During Tuesday's meeting, the project applicant Diversified Pacific Development Group tried to assuage concerns about runoff from Ivy House. But the company representative admitted the area is flood-prone and new Ivy House infrastructure won't solve the full problem for neighbors.

It will make it "slightly better," said Nolan Eggio of Diversified.

A public hearing on Ivy House was held during Tuesday night's City Council meeting, but the hearing was extended to Oct. 17 to allow more public comment on the project. The extension was made with a 4-0 council vote; Mayor Pro Tem Lori Stone recused herself from Tuesday's hearing because she said she owns an investment property within 500 feet of the proposed project.

If you are interested in learning more about the proposed project or want to weigh in, the 6 p.m. Oct. 17 City Council meeting takes place at City Hall, 1 Town Square.