Tres Hermanos Ranch Sale Delayed

Tomorrow's edition of the Champion has an article about a delay by the City of Industry in deciding whether to put the 2,400-acre Tres Hermanos Ranch up for sale.

Back in the Spring, it was stated that an Irvine company had been retained to market the property, but, according to Industry's new city manager, Paul Phillips, there was never a signed contract.

Phillips was quoted in the article that there would be a 60-90 day period in which the city would further study the situation before the city council, which took on a new majority in June's elections, would decide on what to do.

A panoramic view of a section of Tres Hermanos Ranch south of Grand Avenue within the City of Chino Hills.  Any request for a zoning change in the Chino Hills section of the ranch requires voter approval at an election per Measure U, which was passed about fifteen years ago.  Click on either image to see them in enlarged views in a separate window.

It is hard to imagine that there would be any other alternative than to place the property on the market for sale, given that the ranch was a redevelopment agency project.  With the abolition of these entities in California, a successor agency has been tasked for several years with identifying and then disposing of those properties held by Industry's Urban Development Agency.

So, by the end of the year, expect an announcement from the city that Tres Hermanos is officially up for sale.

This image shows the area of Tres Hermanos Ranch largely within the city limits of Diamond Bar and is north of Grand Avenue.  A zoning change to allow building can be made by a vote of the city council.

Meantime, the Save the Tres Hermanos Ranch group (click here for the group's Facebook page) is slated to have a meeting on the 17th to discuss strategies on fighting the development of the ranch.

It should be noted that any plans for building on the property will require zoning changes in Diamond Bar, which has several hundred acres in its limits, and Chino Hills, which has the lion's share within its domain.

Diamond Bar can make those decisions within its administrative system and by a vote of its city council, but, in Chino Hills, any such request is subject to the provisions of Measure U, passed by voters some fifteen years ago.  This means that there would have to be an election held and voter approval given for any change to the zoning for the portions of the ranch within Chino Hills.

Now, that would be an interesting election!