What a difference four weeks can make. During the Hanford Planning Commission's June 24 meeting, angry residents of Copper Valley on 12th Avenue turned out to oppose Centex Homes' proposed tweaks in home designs, complaining that the developer should have consulted with the residents. In response, commissioners voted then to delay its decision giving time for the developer to find a resolution with the residents.

They apparently reached a compromise.

On Tuesday, about 20 residents showed up to the meeting but remained silent as the commission voted 3-1 to approve Centex Homes' proposal for new products that have different designs from what was previously approved. The complex is still under construction at the southwest corner of 12th and Fargo avenues.

Residents said they met with the developer on July 15.

"We didn't get everything that we wanted. We got a majority of it," Ryan Jackson, a Copper Valley resident, said after the meeting, speaking on behalf of his neighbors. "In general the homeowners are satisfied with the outcome because we think it's what's best in the long term for our community. But we still have regrets with the way Centex handled the situation."

The residents were concerned that some of the new exterior and interior changes aren't consistent with what's already been built. The 150-lot subdivision, originally approved in 2005, is about one-third complete.

"It's a pretty close community, and we think it's a great place to live. We wanted to make sure it remains so with the changes that are going in," said Jackson, who bought his house in December 2007.

The developer's new urbanism concept based on models of smaller-lot high-end homes targeting empty nesters and young professionals is a tough sell in the souring housing market and a drag on the company's finances.

Company officials say the changes are necessary to keep the project viable in the market.

"With the slowing market and prices decreasing in the Valley, we're trying to get construction efficiency to allow us to continue our project," said Arakel Arisian, project manager for Centex Homes Central Valley Division.

"If we weren't able to reach an agreement, we could have been forced to put the project on hold until the market turns around. We had to do something," Arisian said.

As a result of the agreement, Centex is maintaining the color schemes and use of the same materials as were used for the homes already built in order to ensure that newer houses would integrate themselves to the neighborhood, Arisian said. "We're going to continue working with the residents and try to move forward," he said.

At least one planning commissioner took issue with Centex's move saying that it was apparently motivated by its interest to protect its financial interest.

"I feel like that the contractors came into that subdivision with a very unique proposal to our community, sold a bill of goods to the community," said Commissioner Sue Sorensen. "When times get a little hard, they want to go back and not follow through on their commitment of what they promised."

Sorensen was the sole commissioner who voted no on the proposal Tuesday.

Planning Commissioner Neil Jennings, among the three who voted for Centex, said his decision was purely based on its consistency with the city land-use policy.

"It comes back to the basic facts. We just have to go with the findings -- consistency, welfare, procedural, design, environmental," Jennings said. "If you vote no, you're probably not basing your decision on any specific finding."

However, Jennings applauded the residents for speaking up on the issue.

"Honestly, they are winners," Jennings said. "The planning commission voted to delay the approval of the project for a period of time allowing the neighbors and Centex to get together and agree on some changes. The neighbors actually had a real say in the process.

"Whether they feel like they won or not, they really did win. They brought Centex around and got some substantive changes made, and their subdivision would be different because of what they did."

The reporter can be reached at 583-2429.

(July 24, 2008)