Trabuco Canyon Development Violates State Law, Court Rules

Plans for developing a 65-home development known as Saddle Crest in Trabuco Canyon hit a major wall last week, when a judge ruled that the county violated state law in approving the project. 

On Friday, Judge Steven Perk said that the project must be revised to comply with certain planning regulations aimed at "preserving the area's rural character," according to the Orange County Register. 

Gloria Sefton, who's Saddleback Canyon Conservancy was key in raising opposition to the project, was happy following the judge's ruling. 

"This gave us a total victory," she told the newspaper. "I just felt that the law was on our side and the facts were on our side."

The proposed project has long been a contentious one. 

In October, developer Rutter Santiago LP was given approval to build the 113-acre development, after EIRs were finalized and planning laws were amended. This decision came after hours of public testimony in opposition of the project, and more than 2,000 protest signatures, according to the Orange County Register. 

Sefton's group filed a lawsuit about a month later, and on Friday Judge Perk agreed with the suit's assertion that Saddle Crest violated the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by not adequately researching how the project would impact the area's wildlife and vegetation, as well as not offering a complete analysis of traffic impact. 

Jessica Good, a spokesperson for the county, told the newspaper the the county planned to appeal. 

The development is planned east of Santiago Canyon Road, just north of Cook's Corner.