HIDDEN CREEK PLAN HITS SNAG; COUNCIL GIVES DEVELOPERS TWO WEEKS TO MAKE THEIR CASE.

Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer

Hidden Creek Ranch has one strike against it and the developers have two weeks to sweeten their proposal before the Moorpark City Council takes another look at the project that would increase the city's population by one-third.

After eight years of planning and nine months of public hearings, the council voted 2-2 on the massive project's specific plan and development agreement Wednesday. The split - Councilwoman Debbie Teasley abstained because she is a real estate agent and could have a potential conflict - means the project will come back for further review July 15.

``I thought we would have had it done,'' said Councilman Bernardo Perez, who voted with Councilwoman Chris Evans in favor of the project. ``I believe the project is a good project. It's an orderly extension of our growth area and will bring significant benefits to the community.''

Perez was a member of the council committee that worked with the developer, Messenger Investment Co., on making the project fit the community's needs and reduce likely environmental impacts.

Councilman John Wozniak was the other committee member and he voted against the project with Mayor Pat Hunter. Wozniak said he remains concerned with the project's size and amount of grading proposed in the hills north of the city limits and south of Happy Camp Regional Park.

``I just think we could do a little bit better with the project,'' Wozniak said. ``That's been a concern of mine. I've voiced that many times.''

Wozniak said concerns over grading tie together issues of traffic congestion, air pollution and related impacts, which are at the heart of opposition to the project from environmentalists in the area. He expects to meet with the developers to discuss project changes before the council's next public hearing.

The council's vote Wednesday came with Gary Austin, the developer's longtime representative on the project, out of town. Other Messenger representatives did not return phone calls to discuss the vote or any possible changes.

The project is far from dead, however, with both Wozniak and Hunter saying it still might have a future.

Hidden Creek Ranch is planned for a 4,322-acre site that the city has designated a specific plan area and would seek to annex from Ventura County if approved by the council.

The development calls for 3,221 residential units on 1,359 acres. There also would be two golf courses, an equestrian center, retail centers, three schools, parks and trails. The project would preserve 1,825 acres of permanent open space, according to the environmental impact report.

Because there are impacts the developer can't reduce to an insignificant level, the city must find overriding reasons to approve the project.

A primary concern is that grading would affect about 740 acres of hillside with slopes greater than 20 percent, in addition to 720 acres with less steep slopes. Moorpark's hillside ordinance generally prohibits grading on slopes greater than 20 percent.

``It does become a value judgment,'' Perez said. ``We recognize the impacts and then we decide are the benefits to the community sufficient.''

The Development Agreement that Perez and Wozniak negotiated with Messenger representatives includes a fee of $7,000 per residential unit and $31,500 for each golf course and acre of commercial and institutional land.

Messenger would have to pay $4,000 for each home, $72,000 per golf course, and $18,000 for each acre of commercial and institutional land for traffic improvements. One improvement the project would help pay for is a Highway 118 bypass north of Moorpark. Also, Messenger would pay a community service fee totaling $4,800 per home, $82,600 per golf course, and $22,600 for each acre of commercial and institutional land.

``We looked at plans with lesser units, what the impacts would be if units were moved around, and then the discussion came back on 3,200 units when you consider all the burdens put on the developer as far as benefits to the city,'' Perez said.