Shappell Industries

Shappell Industries has received final approval to build what will be the city's largest shopping center, but the City Council decided to alter the project's final design to deal with parking problems. Although Shappell representatives had said previously that changing their plan could jeopardize agreements with prospective tenants, the council unanimously voted last week to swap the planned uses for two buildings on the 44-acre project.

The Yorba Linda City Council may have failed in its attempt this week to delay construction of 1,000 hillside homes, but that didn't stop one council memberfrom saying Wednesday that city officials plan to meet with the developer in hopes of negotiating amendments to the plan. "It makes good business sense for [developer Shappell Industries] to recognize that there's a new majority on this council that recognizes how important it is to listen to the community and work out neighborhood issues," said Councilman Ken Ryan, who had proposed the ordinance to delay construction at least 45 days.

The Yorba Linda City Council may have failed in its attempt this week to delay construction of 1,000 hillside homes, but that didn't stop one council memberfrom saying Wednesday that city officials plan to meet with the developer in hopes of negotiating amendments to the plan. "It makes good business sense for [developer Shappell Industries] to recognize that there's a new majority on this council that recognizes how important it is to listen to the community and work out neighborhood issues," said Councilman Ken Ryan, who had proposed the ordinance to delay construction at least 45 days.

Shappell Industries has received final approval to build what will be the city's largest shopping center, but the City Council decided to alter the project's final design to deal with parking problems. Although Shappell representatives had said previously that changing their plan could jeopardize agreements with prospective tenants, the council unanimously voted last week to swap the planned uses for two buildings on the 44-acre project.

As expected, the County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved an area plan for Laguna Niguel's largest housing development. But before the 5-0 vote by the supervisors, officials from the Laguna Niguel Community Council questioned new language in the development agreement between the county and Shapell Industries Inc. of Beverly Hills. The agreement governs the project that will eventually include 4,486 homes on 1,232 acres just south of Pacific Park Drive on the west side of Interstate 5.

After years of bitter fighting, a lawsuit and a grand jury investigation, the Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved a compromise plan allowing completion of the largest single housing development in Laguna Niguel. On the eve of a vote next month on cityhood for the area, both developer Shapell Industries Inc. and longtime critics of the size of the once-controversial venture agreed on a slightly scaled-back plan that includes more public parkland.

A Beverly Hills developer is being investigated on suspicion of illegally altering a Thousand Oaks stream in the course of building a sewer line, a state Fish and Game official said Wednesday. Wardens, acting on a complaint by the Sierra Club, are expected next week to inspect work done by Shapell Industries on a section of the stream known as the Arroyo Conejo, said Gordon Cribbs, head of the agency's regulatory patrol. The investigation could take several weeks, Cribbs said.

A North Hollywood shelter for the homeless has been awarded a $10,000 grant through Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley's office. The Valley Interfaith Council, a nonprofit organization that operates the shelter at 7843 Lankershim Blvd., was one of three recipients of a $30,000 donation from Shappell Industries, a development firm, said Frank MacFarlane, Bradley's deputy press secretary.

An Aliso Viejo community association, Village Niguel Terrace II, agreed to a $4.1-million settlement of its lawsuit alleging the 243-unit condominium development had construction defects, a lawyer representing the homeowners said Thursday. The suit, brought in November 1997 against Shappell Industries and its S&S Construction unit, one of the region's largest home builders, was settled through out-of-court mediation, said attorney Christopher Coglianese.

Re "Council Approves Land Swap Deal to Save Open Space," Oct. 26. The Thousand Oaks City Council's conceptual approval of a deal with developers allowing more development in Dos Vientos Ranch was unnecessary to save the western plateau. The council has options for saving the plateau from proposed development without this complex deal that creates a boon for developers. Unfortunately, there are many losers as a result of this deal. Dos Vientos Ranch homeowners get more development and higher density population than they bargained for. Seniors lost the affordable housing that was scrapped in order to give Shappell Industries a place to build.

A Beverly Hills developer is being investigated on suspicion of illegally altering a Thousand Oaks stream in the course of building a sewer line, a state Fish and Game official said Wednesday. Wardens, acting on a complaint by the Sierra Club, are expected next week to inspect work done by Shapell Industries on a section of the stream known as the Arroyo Conejo, said Gordon Cribbs, head of the agency's regulatory patrol. The investigation could take several weeks, Cribbs said.

As expected, the County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved an area plan for Laguna Niguel's largest housing development. But before the 5-0 vote by the supervisors, officials from the Laguna Niguel Community Council questioned new language in the development agreement between the county and Shapell Industries Inc. of Beverly Hills. The agreement governs the project that will eventually include 4,486 homes on 1,232 acres just south of Pacific Park Drive on the west side of Interstate 5.

After years of bitter fighting, a lawsuit and a grand jury investigation, the Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved a compromise plan allowing completion of the largest single housing development in Laguna Niguel. On the eve of a vote next month on cityhood for the area, both developer Shapell Industries Inc. and longtime critics of the size of the once-controversial venture agreed on a slightly scaled-back plan that includes more public parkland.

The city will spend $500,000 for improvements to Clipper Cove Park if the City Council goes along with a construction plan for the community facility tonight. "This will be a good little community park," said City Engineer Ken Montgomery of the 4.5-acre park off Alicia Parkway between Niguel and Aliso Creek roads. "It's a little bit hidden . . . but the playground will be very popular once people find out about it."