Compact home idea to be reviewed

By: LAURA MITCHELL - Staff Writer | Monday, November 7, 2005 9:05 PM PST ∞

MURRIETA ---- The last portion of a contentious development plan near sensitive wildlife habitat is set to be considered by the Planning Commission on Wednesday.

Dallas-based Centex Homes is proposing to build 235 small homes on more than 19 acres south of Murrieta Hot Springs Road, east of Interstate 215 next to Warm Springs Creek. The project is part of the Creekside Village Specific Plan, approved by the city in 2002.

The project calls for 104 "cluster" homes ---- single-family homes with up to 2,064 square feet of living space and small yards ---- and 131 attached row homes as the third and final phase of the plan. The proposal calls for 175 fewer units than the 390 apartments approved three years ago as part of the specific plan.

The plan was initially designed as a master-planned community of 730 homes and apartments on 145 acres southeast of Murrieta Hot Springs Road and I-215 on both sides of Warm Springs Creek.

Environmental groups sued the city, asserting it did not do an adequate environmental study of the creek's sensitive habitat before approving the project. The lawsuit resulted in a settlement, where the developer gave up all 50 of the homes planned for the east side of Warm Springs Creek and added a 100 foot buffer on both sides of the creek.

The commission meets at 6 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall, 26442 Beckman Court, to consider the project. However, the panel will have little leeway in making changes to the proposal because of the previously approved specific plan and the settlement from the lawsuit, Murrieta City Attorney John Harper said Monday.

Because the 2002 specific plan has already been approved and the proposal is within the scope of the plan, a commission hearing is not required, Planning Director Jack McGee said Monday. However, McGee decided to have the commission consider the proposal to protect the integrity and character of the plan. The commission will still be able to have a say in some areas of the proposal, such as architectural design, he said.

The current proposal calls for cluster homes of between 1,387 to 2,064 square feet with minimum 100-square-foot backyards. The homes have between two to four bedrooms. In addition, the row homes are between 1,045 to 1,700 square feet with two to three bedrooms and a minimum 60-square-foot courtyard.

Two Creekside Village neighborhoods of single-family homes are already being built north and east of the proposed development.

Contact staff writer Laura Mitchell at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2621, or lmitchell@californian.com.

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