In August, quite a few Protect Our Homes and Hills team members and public speakers testified to the City of Yorba Linda on concerns and findings of fact related to the City’s consideration of the Esperanza Hills grading and encroachment permit applications.These speeches were made possible due to extensive research by myself, Melanie Schlotterbeck, Brian Gass, and Diane Kanne. In short, the City listened to us and has denied the application!! Yippee!!
A letter from the City went to the developer’s engineering firm on August 20, 2020 stating that it had denied the applications. It reads:
“Staff reviewed the rough grade design, wall configuration, and roadway improvements as proposed on the submitted documents. The request for a grading permit is denied due to the proposed grading, walls, and roadway improvements extending beyond the limits of the non-exclusive easement for ingress and egress that serves the Esperanza Hills property.”
In other words, the City agreed with Protect Our Homes and Hills’ position that the developer only has rights to cross on a parcel of land (known as Lot A in Tract 12850) and that right was limited to an easement that is between 20 and 24 feet wide. The applicant’s proposal, based on county approvals, covered two parcels (Lots A in Tracts 12850 and 12877) and was at a minimum 56 feet wide and at a maximum 100 feet wide.
By our estimates 340 houses will not be allowed by the County, the Fire Authority, or the City with a road that doesn’t meet minimum road standards!
This was a game changing outcome. We hope (fingers and toes crossed) that this means the project is dead, but considering how much time, money, and effort the developer has already put into the project, it is likely he will continue to fight for other solutions. Stay tuned.
Please toast this victory with us remotely and stay safe!
