Resident urges Del Norte development subcommittee as commissioners reschedule Meritage Group presentation

Marcela Barrow, who identified herself as a District 3 West Covina resident, used the meeting's public-comment period to raise concerns about a proposed development at the Del Norte site and asked the Parks and Recreation Commission to form a Del Norte development subcommittee.

Barrow said the project had been described at prior town halls and developer-led meetings as a 282-unit proposal consisting of 34 detached homes, 138 townhomes and 110 four-story stacked flats. She said the development is proposed adjacent to Del Norte Park and that neighbors, dog park users and families have expressed concerns about loss of turf, added traffic and limited opportunities for meaningful community input. Barrow asked the commission to consider a subcommittee with representatives from the city, the school district, the local sports league, the developer and residents to address recreation impacts, field replacement, parking and traffic before construction is scored.

When the commission moved to new business, commissioners said they did not have the developer present for the item related to a Meritage Group improvement project at Del Norte. A staff member said the city does not have current information on whether the purchase or lease of the site is complete and described the proposal as being in an “idea” phase; staff said the developers would be asked to reschedule and return to the commission at a future meeting.

Barrow also raised specific concerns about parking in the proposed development, saying that some four-bedroom units were being shown with two-car garages and that she feared residents of those units would overflow onto neighborhood streets and into park parking areas. Barrow said she was not opposed to housing but urged planning that protects park space and includes collaboration and transparency with the community. She said she had heard no provisions for low-income housing in the proposal.

Why this matters: Del Norte Park is one of the city's busiest parks, and the resident said a large residential project adjacent to the park would affect recreational fields, parking and traffic; the commission did not take formal action but directed staff to coordinate with developers to reschedule their presentation.

Authorities referenced by public comment included the city’s 2016 general plan and several city ordinances cited by a commenter as “ordinance 2507” and “ordinances 2519 and 2520,” which the commenter said expanded mixed-use overlay zoning citywide. The commission did not make a legislative finding at the meeting.

Next steps: staff will work with the assistant city manager to reschedule the Meritage Group presentation to a future commission meeting, and commissioners said they will be given an opportunity to question the developer when the item is heard.