Brea Ca

The city's affordable housing accomplishments have been recognized with the first In My Back Yard (IMBY) award presented by the nonprofit Orange County Community Housing Corp. "Brea has a very considered approach to its community's development," said Allen Baldwin, executive director of the Santa Ana-based organization. "When you involve the citizens in the process, it's owned by the citizens and the elected officials are only carrying out what the citizens have begun," Baldwin said.

The city is close to settling an ongoing dispute with Shell Oil Co. over a parcel of land that was acquired several years ago for a reservoir project, officials said. The City Council, in a closed session this week, approved the terms of an agreement with the oil company, City Manager Frank Benest said. The amount of the settlement will not be disclosed until Shell approves the deal.

A four-acre brush fire in the Brea hills Friday morning burned to within feet of Brea Olinda High School, forcing evacuation of about 400 students from the east side of the campus. Principal Doug Kimberly said the students stayed in the gym and performing arts center on the west side of campus for about 45 minutes while firefighters extinguished the flames. The fire, which began shortly before 11 a.m.

The Brea Certified Farmers' Market opened Thursday, giving shoppers an opportunity to buy fruit, vegetables and other items directly from about 25 growers and producers. The weekly market is the first of its kind in the city and has been a top request of residents, officials said. In a citywide survey two years ago, a farmers market was "in the top five out of hundreds" of proposals, said Tim O'Donnell, assistant city manager. "Today is a solid start."