By Gary Meyer
The Frazier Park Public Utility District (FPPUD) voted on Tuesday, Feb. 13 to “kill the deal” with engineers for the Arciero & Sons’ Fallingstar Homes development (now named Frazier Park Estates). The developer hopes to build 662 homes on the hillsides at the entry to the Mountain Communities, surrounding Frazier Mountain High School.
In December, Cornerstone Engineering offered to deposit $10,000 in an account for FPPUD to pay consultants during its study of a possible deal to annex the Lebec development into Frazier Park’s water district. No long-term water study has yet been done to confirm adequate supply of water to support existing plus expanded service.
Had FPPUD agreed to annex the development, Arciero & Sons was prepared to give the water district a completed, fully paid-for and fully-functioning wastewater treatment facility.
During the candid discussion at Tuesday’s meeting, board president Malinda Chadwick said, “This project is going forward whether we agree to be involved or not. I’ve been told it’s going to be approved in some form, no matter what.”
An audience member asked, “Were you told that by someone at Kern County?”
“Yes,” Chadwick replied.
Board members cited numerous reasons for their decisions including:
•Too many important projects underway for Frazier Park,
•Frazier Park Estates annexation would not provide enough benefit to Frazier Park,
•A majority of the public appears to be opposed,
•The many winter-related problems of the past month show the existing system needs the district’s full attention.
No board members spoke in favor of the Frazier Park Estates project even though board member Gena Bentley voted against killing the project and Jerry Garcia abstained. The final vote was three to one with one abstention.
Michael Callagy, president of Cornerstone Engineering, stated at FPPUD’s December meeting that the Frazier Park Estates development “will move forward whether the water district chooses to be involved or not.”
Emails circulating between mountain residents Wednesday morning expressed outrage that Kern Cunty officers may ignore the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process, but Kern County planner Lorilei Oviatt objected, saying hearings will occur in May for this project.
–Added reporting by P. Hedlund
This is part of the February 09, 2007 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.
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