Grading, design to alleviate terrain issues for Indian Mesa project near Holmes

       Braving the rough terrain east of Mesa Road, the Ingels Company has been working in recent weeks to develop the lots for the 18-lot Indian Mesa subdivision.
       Going in south of Holmes Middle School and behind an existing home that fronts on Mesa, the 9.5-acre patio-home development will be accessible by a private drive from the road, according to development plans on file at City Planning.
       The homes will be built by Gold Crest Homes, to whom Ingels sold the lots, business owner Bobby Ingels said. Construction on the first home may start later this month, he added. Two homes, including a model home and one that has already been purchased, are expected to be built by this fall.
       The main grading focus has been on the lots for those two homes. Development of all 18 lots will probably not be complete until the end of July, Ingels said.
       “We're gaining on it,” he said. “I think it'll be a great little project.”
       The project was approved by City Council last August. There were no recorded objections from the neighborhood.
       The Ingels plan has about half the density of a previously approved 40-lot plan on the site. “This allows the preservation of significant natural vegetation and open space,” according to a statement by the development company in the plan documents.
       Located in what's known as a hillside zone, all 18 lots have at least some areas with slopes of 15 to 25 percent, the plans show. A geologic hazards evaluation by CTL/Thompson identifies “potentially unstable slopes (including a landslide prior to 1966) and expansive soils and bedrock,” but adds, “We believe the conditions can be mitigated with engineering design and construction methods commonly employed in this area.”
       The mitigation includes limitations on grading cuts and fills, installation of retaining walls behind five lots and improved drainage leading to a detention pond that is being created near the southwest corner of the site.
       Regarding fire protection, information in the plan documents point out that the area cannot be served by the basic standard of 8 minutes for a first responder or 12 minutes for a full complement of firefighting equipment.

Westside Pioneer article