Eyewitness News investigates controversy over a master-planned housing development in west Fresno.
"Granville at Westlake" would be built near Grantland and Ashlan. The 460 acre community would have more than 2,000 homes and feature a man-made lake, but some residents who live nearby are worried about the impact the lake would have on their water.
Westlake has been in the planning stages for nearly a decade, but some who live in the area say they just found out about it. They want the project stopped, at least temporarily, until they get answers to all their questions.
Residents of West Grantland Estates are worried their quiet neighborhood will be disrupted by master-planned development Westlake. The proposed project would add more than 2,000 homes, apartments and commercial space on 400 acres of what's now vacant land.
"They're going to do a whole lot of things that we're very much against, and pretty much ruin our way of life here," said resident Deborah Gauss.
Gauss has lived in the neighborhood bordering these fields for over thirty years. She's primarily concerned about a 55-acre man-made lake. Granville plans to drill a 500 foot well to fill it, and residents wonder if their wells will dry up.
"If i were living in that neighborhood I'd ask the same questions and I think they're entitled to ask those questions. And they're entitled to answers," said Gary Serrato of Fresno Irrigation District.
He says Granville's well would be on a different, deeper aquafer than residents' wells. Most wells in that area get water at about 75 feet and Serrato says their current water levels should remain the same, even with the lake. Developers are doubling the size of a ponding basin, which will recharge ground water supply.
Granville believes property values will go up for existing residents.
"[Westlake] will have the widest trail in the Fresno metropolitan area, we'll have lots of vistas on the lake for the public to enjoy," said Darius Assemi of Granville Homes.
He says while neighbors were told of the project two months ago, the land has been designated residential for about 30 years. Residents live in the county, but Westlake is in what's called, the city "sphere of influence," which means the city council can approve the project. It's scheduled for discussion next month.
"I'm hoping to clear some of those issues out and see what the representation is and continue to engage our residents in this process, and the developer as well," said city councilman Blong Xiong.
Westlake was recently approved by Fresno's planning commission. More meetings between the developer and residents are being planned.