Hillside development to be studied

Moreno Valley will hold a special meeting regarding hillside residential development in the city.

The meeting, a joint session between the city council and planning commission, is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the City Council Chamber, 14177 Frederick St., according to a statement.

The meeting is being held at the request of the city council, which wants to discuss and clarify some aspects of the city’s policies regarding the construction of houses on the side of hills, said Rick Sandzimier, planning official with the city.

“We don’t know if there will be any revisions, but the policies are definitely going to be looked at,” Sandzimier said. “We want to see if we’re keeping property owners and developers from coming into the city.”

Most of Moreno Valley’s hillside residential development is in the north part of the city. Future development along those lines could happen on the city’s east end within its sphere of influence.

“We don’t have a lot, but we have some,” Sandzimier said.

The city last looked at its hillside residential ordinances last year when the planning commission reviewed them, Sandzimier said.