Decks Cleared For New Development On 1,600 Acres Near Beaumont

BEAUMONT, CA — A 13-year legal tangle over a massive proposed development project adjacent to Beaumont might be over, but the decks are now likely cleared for future development in the area.

On Nov. 2, the Beaumont City Council voted unanimously to deny certification of the Final Partially Recirculated Environmental Impact Report for the 1,600-acre Legacy Highlands project that would have brought up to 2,868 new homes to unincorporated area south of state Route 60 and west of state Route 79. The land is within Beaumont's sphere of influence — the project called for annexing the area to make it part of city limits.

In 2008, an Environmental Impact Report for the project was certified but challenged in court. The legal wranglings continued for years, long after project applicant The Preserve LLC filed for bankruptcy.

Development never got underway.

The City Council's decision earlier this month to deny certification of the environmental report may mark the end of the legal turmoil but could also open the door to start discussions anew about the land's development.

At least one development application is in the pipeline, according to discussions during the Nov. 2 City Council meeting.