Covered by chaparral and dry brush, the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties are at a perennial risk of wildfire. And when the seasonal Santa Ana winds sweep through, they bring Apocalyptic storms of fire and ash that rain down on, and sometimes consume, the communities that press up against these slopes.
Into that path comes a proposal the by G. Miller Development Company to build 110 luxury homes on 670 rugged acres just outside the City of Rancho Cucamonga and bordering San Bernardino National Forest. It’s a plan that many locals call a dangerous gamble, one that will place hundreds of new residents -- and local emergency responders -- in the heart of fire country.
More than 30 residents spoke out against the project at an August 2009 Rancho Cucamonga Planning Commission hearing. None spoke out in favor. And yet, the project remains under consideration as the Planning Commission awaits the release of a revised environmental impact report.
But it’s not just the fire risk that has locals up in arms about the proposed development. What has them uneasy about the plan is the big name behind it: U.S. Congressman Gary Miller, a Republican who has represented the nearby communities of Brea, Diamond Bar and Yorba Linda since 1998.
Into that path comes a proposal the by G. Miller Development Company to build 110 luxury homes on 670 rugged acres just outside the City of Rancho Cucamonga and bordering San Bernardino National Forest. It’s a plan that many locals call a dangerous gamble, one that will place hundreds of new residents -- and local emergency responders -- in the heart of fire country.
More than 30 residents spoke out against the project at an August 2009 Rancho Cucamonga Planning Commission hearing. None spoke out in favor. And yet, the project remains under consideration as the Planning Commission awaits the release of a revised environmental impact report.
But it’s not just the fire risk that has locals up in arms about the proposed development. What has them uneasy about the plan is the big name behind it: U.S. Congressman Gary Miller, a Republican who has represented the nearby communities of Brea, Diamond Bar and Yorba Linda since 1998.