Ahmanson Development Inc

Developers of two commercial centers here have filed lawsuits against key players in their unrelated projects, becoming the latest setbacks in their troubled ventures. Malibu developer Pamela Azar filed suit April 25 in Los Angeles Superior Court against the Home Depot, saying the company reneged on a promise to purchase a parcel of land she owns along Las Virgenes Road just south of the Ventura Freeway.

Developers of two commercial centers here have filed lawsuits against key players in their unrelated projects, becoming the latest setbacks in their troubled ventures. Malibu developer Pamela Azar filed suit April 25 in Los Angeles Superior Court against the Home Depot, saying the company reneged on a promise to purchase a parcel of land she owns along Las Virgenes Road just south of the Ventura Freeway.

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved an expedited timetable for the Jordan Ranch-Ahmanson development that would allow the board to review the project by July 28. Under the proposal, presented to the board by Supervisors Maria VanderKolk and Vicky Howard, the developers would have to pay consultant fees and wages of staff members involved in evaluating the project.

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved an expedited timetable for the Jordan Ranch-Ahmanson development that would allow the board to review the project by July 28. Under the proposal, presented to the board by Supervisors Maria VanderKolk and Vicky Howard, the developers would have to pay consultant fees and wages of staff members involved in evaluating the project.

The rush to buy land in Southern California continues. Costain Homes Inc., the Newport Beach unit of a British home builder, said it bought 26 acres for $3 million in Pulte Home Corp.'s planned community of Silverhawk in Rancho California, where it will build 126 single-family houses. Costain has already bought 97 acres in Victorville this year and exercised an option to buy another tract in western Riverside County for a golf community for the elderly. Meanwhile Centennial Group Inc. in Orange said its Centennial Estate Inc. unit--a builder of inexpensive, entry-level homes--recently bought 240 acres with 909 residential lots in Lancaster for $13.2 million from Hill Top Developers Inc. Centennial said it had already sold 267 lots for $3.9 million to Ahmanson Development Inc., an Irvine home builder, and would probably sell another 300. Centennial will develop the remaining 300 lots, the company said.

The campaign between Vicky Howard and Bill Davis was among the most expensive ever for a Ventura County supervisor's post, county officials said Friday. Davis, who lost to Howard in the Nov. 6 election, received $101,433 in contributions and spent $108,153 between January and November, 1990, according to financial statements filed this week with the county's elections registrar. Howard collected $103,820 in contributions and loans and spent $104,109, the documents show.