MORE HOMES ARE BEING BUILT IN CHATSWORTH

                                                                      1,382 new homes, apartments are in pipeline for the Chatsworth community.

Developers who have been laying low during the Great Recession are now moving forward on plans to bring 1,382 new residences to the Chatsworth area, adding to traffic, school population, and demands on water, sewers and electricity. Some of the projects were proposed more than a decade ago.

Here is a review of the projects:

— DEERLAKE RANCH, 314 homes. The Deerlake Ranch development is north of the 118 Freeway in unincorporated Los Angeles County between Canoga Avenue and Topanga Canyon Boulevard. The property spans 230 acres with plans for equestrian trails and 73 acres of open space.

The public Deerlake Ranch Monitoring Committee, established by the original owner of the project, will meet 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 17, at Radisson Hotel, 9777 Topanga Canyon Blvd. There will be an update on the project, which is not seeking annexation into the city.

Forestar Land Partners II recently purchased the project which has been in the works for nearly two decades.

— ANDORA ESTATES, 33-43 homes. Developer Daniel Bernstein has met multiple times with both the Chatsworth Neighborhood Council’s land use and equestrian committees on his plans to develop a $4-million 90-acre property at the south end of Andora Street. He has changed the number of homes and equestrian amenities several times. However, he has filed for a 43-home Environmental Impact Report. The homes will be clustered together and surrounded by open space.

Bernstein will meet again with the land use committee, 6:30 p.m., Thursday, February 19, at Lawrence Middle School, 10100 Variel Ave. This is a change of time and location from previous meetings. Click here for the agenda.

— MGA Entertainment, 700 apartments. The toy company wants to create a housing, entertainment, retail and business campus on the site of the former Los Angeles Times printing plant at 20000 Prairie St. The Chatsworth Neighborhood Council’s land use committee supports the concept of a campus, but has not endorsed the size of the complex which would include four new buildings.

MGA is expected to return to the committee in March to reveal current plans.

— KB HOMES, 58 Townhomes. The developer wants to build on property occupied by West Valley Christian Center at 22001 Nordhoff St. The Chatsworth Neighborhood Council’s land use committee asked the developer to reduce the density. The developer originally sought to build 70 three-story attached homes on about 4.5 acres. That was reduced to 58 detached townhomes. The property abuts the Chatsworth Nature Preserve.

KB Homes still needs to return to the land use committee.

— HIDDEN CREEKS ESTATES, 188 homes. The Chatsworth Neighborhood Council has opposed the project since 2011, but the developer agreed to make significant changes to address many of the concerns about protecting equestrian and hiking trails.

The Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council supports the project which will have primary access on Mason Avenue.

Hidden Creeks will include 25 equestrian homes and an equestrian village with room to board more than 150 horses. The project is located between De Soto and Mason avenues at the confluence of Browns and Mormon creeks in unincorporated county territory north of the 118 Freeway.

The 285-acre project by Forestar Real Estate of Texas was approved by the City Planning Commission pending annexation into the City of Los Angeles. If not annexed, the county would limit the project to just 33 ranchettes.

— TOLL BROTHERS, 79 homes. The developer is asking permission to reduce required setbacks on 25 of the lots at 11011 Corbin Ave., east of Monteria Estates. The project is in a hillside area in a fire hazard zone that reduces the buildable area of the affected lots, according to the developer. The City Council approved the project in 2004.
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The land use committee advises the full Chatsworth Neighborhood Council on land use and zoning issues. The Council, in turn, advises Councilman Mitch Englander, the City Council and the city Planning Department. The Planning Department holds public hearings on developer plans. Members of the land use committee attend many of those hearings.

All meetings and hearings are open to the public.

To view community info including sales and listings for Chatsworth please click HERE.