Corona/Republic

Republic Development Corporation, a major land-banking wholesaler, purchased 225 acres in Corona, adjacent to an 18-hole golf course. The property, after site improvements, was to be self-developed or sold to builders for detached single family dwellings and cluster townhouses.

Based upon a prior site plan, Republic believed the property could be subdivided into 7775 lots, assuming all the land was buildable and be graded into flat or gently sloping lots. Through the use of the CARLA process, a review of the geophysical map of the area disclosed a major flood plain that carried a considerable volume of water resulting from flash flood and several natural storm drainage channels. CARLA’s computerized slope analysis indicated that substantial acreage was not economically buildable because of slope steepness. Upon completion of the physiographic analysis, and the computerized slope and site sensitivity analyses, it was found that 50 acres of the original 225 were unbuildable.

Through this determination, potential site development costs were substantially reduced. By converting 50 acres to parkland–a requirement of the City of Corona, natural site features were retained. Use of the computerized site allocation program and testing of Alternative Massing Configurations enabled the client to arrive at an ideal density of 669 lots. Maximization of those adjoining the golf course resulted in increased sales values. In addition, reduction in site development costs enhanced the project’s potential profit even though there had been a 15 per cent reduction in density. On completion there was 750 units of single-family detached and clustered housing with one and two stories ranging from $29,000 to $ 35,000 per unit. Amenities include a 9-hole extension of the existing golf course and the 50-acre parkland.