Neighbors press city over Sanford Road rezoning plans

The La Verne Board of Mayor and Aldermen heard objections May 7 from neighbors of a proposed rezoning on Sanford Road that would change roughly 13.17 acres from agricultural to PDR (planned density residential) under Ordinance 2026‑06.

Barbara Hale, who gave her address as 820 Jenny Woods Drive, said she is a next‑door neighbor and asked where on Sanford Road the property is and whether the entrance and exit will be on Sanford Road. Chair opened the podium and said "there will be a road connecting both" and described the proposal as a single‑family home development though the base zoning is high density.

Courtney Smith of 822 Tanny Woods Drive urged the city to provide residents an opportunity to discuss construction impacts, saying past nearby construction had damaged her home; Chair suggested the city engineer meet with concerned homeowners to review construction and engineering questions. Other residents raised traffic and safety concerns near nearby schools and reported hearing gunfire in the area.

Sarah Andre, 809 Chaney Woods Boulevard, said neighborhood groups have followed the project for more than a year and urged the board to lock in PRD/PRZ standards so the site yields single‑family homes rather than townhomes or apartments. Andre said she had met the landowner and developers, praised their responsiveness, and asked that wildlife protections — including relocation of two red‑tailed hawks she said live on the site — be enforced.

The chair noted the item is before the board as a second reading and that the city retains the right to require infrastructure improvements, but specifics on the number of homes and detailed site plans were not provided during the hearing. No formal action was taken at the close of public comment; the rezoning remains before the board for decision under the ordinance.