City to help negotiate with homeowners, land owners
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

The City Council voted last week to postpone a decision that would require the new landowner of the Meridian Hills residential project to comply with a development agreement established by the city and the old landowner.

The Meridian Hills project was approved for 265 homes six years ago. Only 72 homes have been constructed to date. Original landowner William Lyons Homes transferred its interest in the remainder of the project to Resmark Equity Partners LLC earlier this year. Resmark LLC is required to complete neighborhood improvements such as paving, trails, security fencing and erosion control to keep the area functional and livable for existing residents, according to a city staff report. On March 19, city officials appointed Councilmembers Keith Millhouse and Janice Parvin to an ad hoc committee that will monitor the activities of Resmark LLC.

"The new landowner is responsible to finish up public and private improvements that William Lyons was responsible for," said Dave Bobardt, planning director for Moorpark.

Resmark doesn't plan to build the remainder of the homes for at least two years, but they must maintain the property in the meantime.

"There are some things we want done now," Bobardt said. "There are too many outstanding items to be discussed," said Parvin, who visited the site with Meridian Hills homeowners on a recent weekend. She suggested the decision to approve the implementation plan between the city and the new landowner should be postponed. "I believe the communication between William Lyons Homes, the new property owner and the residents is not adequate," Parvin said in an interview with the Moorpark Acorn. One of the key factors is the completion of a fence around existing homes to deter trespassers from riding offroad vehicles in the open land around Meridian Hills, she said. Neighboring rancher Pete Peters also had concerns. "I gave them the whole front of my ranch to put in a horse trail. They tried to do that, but it wasn't done adequately," he told city officials.

Representatives for Resmark LLC did not comment at the meeting.