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Published Sunday, November 4, 2001

A heated exchange between Murieta Holdings developer Robert J. Cassano and an opponent of development plans for Murieta North dominated Thursday's monthly "town hall" development meeting.

Terry Hanson of Puerto Drive, who circulated a petition last spring in opposition to development plans, challenged Cassano's contention that the "New North" developments would blend seamlessly with the rest of the community without annexing to the Rancho Murieta Association.

Cassano said he had told Hanson at other sessions that the existing RMA CC&Rs don't allow for the development planned for the remaining property on the North.

"We can't build each and every house differently," he said.

It is the goal of the development agreement being negotiated among the RMA, the developers and the Pension Trust Fund of the Operating Engineers to make the new development "consistent with the development that's here," Cassano said. He added that "a merger (of the homeowners associations) could occur … near the end of the development cycle" if both groups agree.

"We can't live with more than one master association here. We're going to have problems forever if we do," Hanson persisted.

Cassano said Campus Commons had two distinct master associations in the '70s and Gold River has 25 associations and they function well. Cassano was vice president of the Robert Powell Company, developer of both communities.

Hanson remarked he knew of some residents in Gold River who would disagree.

At this point, Cassano seemed to lose patience and responded with fervor, "I've been involved in that community for 20 years. It's one of the best run and best managed in Northern California."

Cassano then repeated something he has said from the first -- the rules and restrictions in the new developments will be "as strict or stricter" than the existing RMA CC&Rs. He cited driveway parking as an example.

"How is that, Bob?" asked Hanson.

"It'll be enforced," Cassano replied flatly.

In Rancho Murieta, residents can circumvent regulations by applying for a one-year renewable permit to park a vehicle in their driveway. About 600 such permits have been issued. In Gold River, vehicles are towed if residents don't comply with the regulation.

Topics covered in the half-hour meeting included an update on the maps for two projects -- The Retreats and the Residences of Murieta Hills -- being reviewed by the planning department. Cassano's partner in Murieta Holdings, Gerry N. Kamilos, said the developers are providing information for the environmental impact reports.

He said the developers had received comments back from the RMA on the development agreement. "At this point the ball's in our court to provide some comments back to the board. We're hopeful that we'll have that sometime next week," he said.

Access to the Yellow Bridge continues to be an issue in the negotiations and is still being worked on by the Country Club, the RMA, the Community Services District and others, Kamilos reported. Cassano said there were no other outstanding issues.

Cassano said the agreement will be put out to the community for comment when it's completed. "That's the RMA's intention and we agree," he said, adding, "We hope we have community turnout at those meetings."

Attendance at the developers' meetings has been low in recent months. On Thursday, the audience consisted of two residents.

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