Tesoro del Valle developers expect to see shovels in the ground by late next year for the construction of 820 homes, having responded, they said Thursday, to the concerns of residents and regional planners.
The developers’ latest move was to disconnect a road that promised to join Phase 1 homes with Phase 2 homes in Tesoro del Valle, which drew concerns from area residents about traffic.
“We re-submitted a map to disconnect a road that would link Phase 1 and Phase 2,” developer Michael Schlesinger, vice president of community development for the Bristol Land Company LLC said Thursday. “It’s something the residents wanted to eliminate.”
On Thursday, members of the Subdivision Committee at the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning unfolded the revised map to scrutinize the proposed change.
The revised map — officially called the 9th Revision to the Revised Tentative Map — is the latest in a series of several back-and-forth alterations made to the Highlands housing project since it was approved.
It shows Reyes Adobe Way no longer connects Phase 1 homes, which were built 15 years ago, with Phase 2 homes slated to be built next year.
Two decades ago, approval was given to BLC Tesoro LLC, for the construction of 1,791 homes to be built as part of the Tesoro Del Valle Project.
The developer, however, built only 1,077 of the approved homes, and this year, resurrected plans to build the remaining 712 homes, plus an additional 108 homes, northwest of the existing Tesoro site, opposite the Albertsons store on Copper Hill Drive.
Tesoro residents have let developers know how they feel at two public hearings held this past year — once in March when they expressed concern about the implication of increased traffic and again in August when they heard planners call for the project to include affordable housing.
On Aug. 1, planning commissioners concerned about affordable housing voted for a continuance of the public hearing, settling on a date of Nov. 7.
Appreciating the sensitivity of the issue, one of the commissioners who offered suggestions for suitable follow-up date noted at the time: “We may have more than 18 speakers that day.”
Asked if developers have drafted a response for commissioners on the issue of affordable housing, Schlesinger said Thursday: “We’re still working on it. We haven’t made any changes.”
The Highlands
Bristol Land Co. wants to create 811 lots with 820 dwelling units and associated public facility, recreation/open space on 1,274.6 acres, all as part of the original Tesoro Master Planned Development.
The project is planned to be built northwest of the existing Tesoro community, north of Copper Hill Drive — opposite the Albertsons store. It calls for nine multi-family lots, 12 water-quality basin lots, three water-tank lots, one helipad lot, six senior-recreation area lots, 15 private parks, a senior recreation center, 29 lots reserved for open space and 24 private driveways.
The current plans require moving more than 18 million cubic yards of earth at the hilly site overlooking the San Francisquito Creek.
The terrain is described by planners as having slopes of 20 percent and greater.
Eleven oak trees would be cut down, for which the developer would need permission from Los Angeles County officials.
About the Nov. 7 public hearing, Schlesinger said: “We’ll respond to any concerns and comments raised.”
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