(December 14) Furthering its reputation as the most upscale and exclusive of San Bernardino County’s 24 incorporated cities, Chino Hills last week consented to the creation of yet another gated community within its 44.7-square mile confines.
Located in the extreme southwest corner of San Bernardino County and nestled against Riverside County to the south, Orange County to its southwest and Los Angeles County to its northwest, the 74,799 population city boasts the highest median income and highest household median income among all cities in the county.
The gate is to be located at the entrance to the neighborhood on Summer Canyon Road at Canyon Hills Road, north of Carbon Canyon Road.
This week, Irvine-based Forester Canyon Hills had its plan to set off the 76 homes it has developed on Summer Canyon Road, Spring Oak Way Rock Vista Lane Viewcrest Road Hawk Canyon Road, Feather Hollow Court, Flint Hollow Place, Canyon Glen Road, and Rock Ridge Way as a gated community which will be accessible only to the residents of the neighborhood and public safety personnel.
According to findings first made by the planning commission in October and confirmed by the city council this week, the vacation of those roads as public thoroughfares is consistent with the Chino Hills General Plan and exempt from environmental review as a minor alteration to land under the California Environmental Quality Act.
Vacating the streets for public roadway purposes, according to a city document “is a benefit to the public because the city will not be responsible for the maintenance and liability costs associated with such roads.”
As such maintenance of the streets will now be the responsibility of a private homeowners association.
According to the city, “The gate will make it a well defined neighborhood. The surrounding land and homeowners met design review and access standards.”
To ensure emergency response to the area is not interrupted the fire department will be provided with a key system consisting of switch overide capability. The city also said the proponents of the gated community met minimum setback requirements on structures and provided a 40-foot radius turnaround on the roadway to ensure unrestricted access from the gate area. Putting in the gate, the city said, “won’t inhibit the general public from access to parks and other public facilities.”