Planning Commission backs Highland Grove 5 tentative tract map with water-line community-benefit option

The Riverside County Planning Commission on Jan. 7 voted 4–0 to recommend approval of Highland Grove 5, a tentative tract map that would subdivide roughly 36.5 acres in the Lake Matthews/Woodcrest area into 73 single-family lots and 10 open-space parcels and forward a related general plan amendment, zoning change and agricultural-preserve management action to the Board of Supervisors.

Staff planner Jose Merlon told commissioners the proposal would consolidate two parcels’ land-use designations to low-density residential (allowing about two units per acre) and rezone the sites from light agriculture (10-acre minimum) to R‑1 with 10,000-square-foot minimum lots. The application also includes an agricultural-preserve request related to earlier Williamson Act (California Land Conservation Act) paperwork, which staff said had entered a notice of nonrenewal in 1982 and completed the statutory wind‑down period in 1992.

Merlon described project features including 10 open‑space lots (landscape areas, conservation open space, a water‑quality basin and a passive park), trail connectivity to adjacent tracts and proposed maintenance arrangements (a community facilities district to maintain the basin; an HOA and private parties to maintain slopes). He said staff reviewed a CEQA document (a mitigated negative declaration as presented) and found it adequate; staff reported no public-agency comments and recommended forwarding approvals to the Board of Supervisors.

Developer Steve Waddell, general manager of Highland Grove 5, told the commission the team designed lots above the stated minimum (averaging closer to 13,000 square feet) to meet Alta Bronte policies and fit the neighborhood. "We applied for this tentative tract map just over a year ago," Waddell said, adding that if approvals proceed they hope to begin grading in about six to nine months.

On a key community-benefit issue, Waddell said the project team has been working with Western Municipal Water District and partner builder Pulte on a roughly 2‑mile water line to address a local low-pressure zone. "We've spent almost $300,000 on potholing and plans and CEQA documents so that [the water line] could be brought to fruition sooner," he said, describing the work as an effort to accelerate improvements the water district might otherwise undertake later.

Several nearby residents and community representatives spoke in support during public comment. Selena Cohen, community manager for Tremontae at Citrus Heights, said the HOA submitted a letter of support and highlighted expected water‑pressure improvements. Sean Moss, a neighboring resident, told commissioners past development reduced transient problems on raw land and helped neighborhood safety.

Commissioners praised the project’s clustering approach, trail connectivity and water‑line proposal and asked about grading and architectural review. The applicant said geotechnical analysis had been completed, retaining walls had been minimized and final architectural themes would be reviewed by building safety and planning staff prior to building permits.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to adopt staff recommendations and the Planning Commission carried the motion 4–0. The commission’s action is a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors, which will hold the final hearings and make any final determinations.

The planning director’s report noted the project’s community-benefit approach and that details on the per‑unit fee versus the water‑line in‑lieu credit would be finalized before the Board hearing.