CANYON LAKE -- A proposed temporary ban on the development of steep hillsides within the city failed to get the four of five Canyon Lake City Council votes necessary for passage Wednesday.

While three council members were for it, Councilman Martin Gibson refused to participate, citing a possible conflict of interest.

That left Councilman Jordan Ehrenkranz to cast the dissenting vote killing the urgency ordinance, which would have taken effect immediately.

The idea behind the temporary prohibition was to give city administrators time to study whether there is a need to develop permanent guidelines for preserving the picturesque ridgelines that surround the small city of about 11,000 residents.

Ehrenkranz said, however, that he had lived in the community for about 35 years and most of the ridgelines remained undeveloped, despite the lack of special protections.

Councilman Barry Talbot had proposed that the city develop permanent standards as well as the temporary measure. Showing his determination on the issue, he promised Wednesday to put the moratorium back on the agenda for the council's meeting in February, but not as an urgency ordinance. That means it would require just three votes to pass, but wouldn't become effective until 30 days after a second reading by the council.

The council's discussion followed a presentation of research by city administrators showing that there are seven significant hillside areas within city limits, including 23 ridgelines of which nearly half are on undeveloped land protected by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

Six residents spoke in favor of the moratorium and three spoke against it.

"Anywhere you look within Canyon Lake you're going to see hills; you're going to see ridgelines," said Michael Petty who was in favor of the ordinance. "They're everywhere, and they're part of the natural charm of this place."

One opponent was David Carlton, who along with Gibson is a partner in Sky Blue Development, which plans a residential development on Goetz Hill in the city. He and Gibson contend the moratorium as well as the idea of permanent ridgeline regulation were proposed to block their project.

Carlton said the proposals were an attempt "to drive a stake in the heart of Sky Blue Development."

"If they are successful, it will be an illegal taking of our land," Carlton said.

Sky Blue has sued Talbot and Councilwoman Nancy Horton over their contentions that the grading proposed in the project would amount to mining and go deeper into the earth than they have the right to do. The two council members have counter-sued, and both legal actions are pending.

Contact staff writer Michael J. Williams at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2635, or mwilliams@californian.com.

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